Study finds Canada's food sector 'remarkably adaptive' Monday, June 6, 2011 by SUSAN MANNA Conference Board of Canada’s observation that the country’s food sector makes an enormous contribution to our national economy isn’t news to farmers.In its study, Valuing Food: The Economic Contribution of Canada’s Food Sector, the Conference Board says the food sector is responsible for more than nine per cent of Canada’s GDP and 2.3 million jobs, or roughly 13 per cent of all Canadian employment.Ontario Federation of Agriculture president Bette Jean Crews says in Ontario the food sector is responsible for an even larger percentage of the GDP. Leaders in provincial farm organizations have known of the food sector’s contribution to the economy for quite some time and they’ve been using those facts as part of their lobbying message to governments.“It’s nice to have the Conference Board of Canada supporting that,” she says.In the report, released this month, the Conference Board listed three key innovations in the food sector. One is that farmers are using biological engineering and fertilizers to increase yields, facilitate specialization and expand variety.Another is that food processors create new foods to address specific lifestyle and dietary needs, while the third is distributors use process improvements to reduce the costs of getting food from the farmer to the consumer. “The food supply chain has shown itself to be remarkably adaptive to evolving consumer demands,” it says in the study. BF Corn growers concerned about nitrogen loss Tribunal dismisses Innerkip processor's appeal
Calf Auction Raises Funds for Youth Monday, June 30, 2025 Wyatt Westman-Frijters from Milverton won a heifer calf named Ingrid through a World Milk Day promotion by Maplevue Farms and a local Perth, Ontario radio station. Instead of keeping the calf, 22-year-old Westman-Frijters chose to give back to the community. The calf was sent to the... Read this article online
Cattle Stress Tool May Boost Fertility Friday, June 27, 2025 Kansas State University researchers have developed a cool tool that may help reduce cattle stress and improve artificial insemination (AI) results. The idea came from animal science experts Nicholas Wege Dias and Sandy Johnson, who observed that cattle accustomed to their environment... Read this article online
Ontario pasture lands get $5M boost Friday, June 27, 2025 The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing up to $5 million to strengthen shared community grazing pastures. This funding supports the province’s plan to protect Ontario’s agriculture sector and help cattle farmers improve pasture quality, ensuring long-term sustainability and... Read this article online
Health Canada sets rules for drone spraying Wednesday, June 25, 2025 Health Canada has approved the use of drones, also called Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), for pesticide application under the Pest Control Products Act (PCPA). Drones are considered aircraft by Transport Canada, but Health Canada treats them differently due to their unique... Read this article online
Twelve Ontario Agri-Businesses Receive Funding Support Wednesday, June 25, 2025 Bioenterprise Canada has announced the successful recipients of the second call for proposals under the Ontario Agri-Food Research Initiative (OAFRI) Commercialization Stream. Twelve organizations across Ontario will receive support to bring innovative agri-food solutions to the... Read this article online