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
York Region launching new Agri-Food Startup Program Thursday, September 11, 2025 A new program in York Region is designed to help entrepreneurs find their footing in the food space. The 14-week hybrid Agri-Food Start-up Program partners entrepreneurs with local organizations like the Foodpreneur Lab, Syzl, York Region Food Network, and the Chippewas of Georgina Island... Read this article online
Corn and Soybean Diseases Spread This Season Wednesday, September 10, 2025 As reported on the OMAFRA website fieldcropnews.com, as well as in previous articles by Farms.com, the 2025 growing season is nearing its end with corn and soybean farmers in Ontario and the U.S. Corn Belt facing disease challenges that reflect changing weather conditions. For corn, two... Read this article online
Wheat Output Decline Projected for 2025 Wednesday, September 10, 2025 Statistics Canada’s latest modelled estimates suggest that wheat production in Canada will decline slightly in 2025, driven primarily by weaker yields across several regions. National output is expected to edge down 1.1% to 35.5 million tonnes, with yields forecast to fall 1.2% to 49.6... Read this article online
Research Projects and Companies Supported Through OAFRI Tuesday, September 9, 2025 The governments of Canada and Ontario have announced an investment of up to $4.77 million to strengthen the province’s agri-food sector. This funding, delivered through the Ontario Agri-Food Research Initiative (OAFRI) under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable... Read this article online
Two-pass Weed Control Critical in Managing Herbicide-Resistant Waterhemp in Ontario Monday, September 8, 2025 Dr. Peter Sikkema of the University of Guelph recently shared insights into the growing challenge of multiple herbicide-resistant water hemp at the 2025 Great Ontario Yield Tour final event in Woodstock Ontario. Dr. Sikkema research highlights both the biology of the weed and practical... Read this article online