Sidebar 4: Cathy McKay, 55, South of Port Perry (Durham Region) Monday, May 4, 2009 McKay is the main operator of Nature's Bounty, a farm which she owns with her husband, Marvin Stevenson. They have one son. An apple orchard is the 100-acre farm's primary focus. She also grows pumpkins, squash, gourds, decorative corn and the operation includes 40 ewes, pasture and alfalfa. In the mid-1990s, the couple shifted the farm from exclusively wholesale apple sales to on-farm retail and wholesale. Greatest success. Implementing the transition from wholesale to retail and transforming the farm from a money loser to a profitable business.Greatest challenge. "Being pulled in many directions. Sometimes people don't understand that you are working. Yes, you're home, yes you have some flexibility, but you are working."Words of advice. Farming is a "huge commitment," she says. "You have to really like it." Sidebar 5: Laura Kivits, 32, Dalkeith (Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry) Sidebar 3: Trudy Reid, 29, District of Thunder Bay
Organic Farming in Canada Enters the Mainstream as Market Nears $12 Billion Thursday, September 17, 2026 September is recognized as Organic Month across Canada, offering an opportunity to feature a sector that has transformed from a niche market into a significant component of Canadian agriculture. For many years, organic farming was often viewed as a specialized production system... Read this article online
FCC Launches $1 Billion Agri-food Project Finance Fund for Canadian Food Processing Growth Thursday, September 17, 2026 Farm Credit Canada (FCC) has opened a 60-day Expression of Interest (EOI) process for a new $1 billion Agri-food Project Finance initiative, marking one of the largest targeted investments in Canadian food processing infrastructure in recent years. The financing program is intended to... Read this article online
Canadian Innovation Aims to Transform Nitrogen Fertilizers While Eliminating Microplastics Wednesday, September 16, 2026 A Canadian agricultural technology company is taking aim at two of agriculture's most pressing environmental challenges with a new fertilizer innovation designed to improve nitrogen efficiency while eliminating microplastics from crop production. Burnaby, B.C.-based Lucent BioSciences... Read this article online
Canadian Wool Council Opens New Trade Pathways in Italy as Canada Looks Beyond U.S. Markets Wednesday, September 16, 2026 As Canada continues to strengthen trade relationships beyond the United States, the Canadian wool industry is taking a significant step onto the global stage. The Canadian Wool Council (CWC) has launched its third international trade mission, bringing a delegation of Canadian wool... Read this article online
Bruce County International Plowing Match Nears Wednesday, September 16, 2026 With the 2026 International Plowing Match and Rural Expo less than a week away, Bruce County residents, farmers and businesses are being recognized for helping create a welcoming showcase of rural Ontario. Organizers recently celebrated the winners of the 2026 International Plowing... Read this article online