The billion-dollar tax dodge on tobacco Sunday, March 3, 2013 According to numbers acquired through a Canadian Taxpayer's Federation (CTF) Freedom of Information request to the federal government, Status Indians in Ontario purchased the equivalent of 70 cigarettes daily per person last year, along with 1,000 cigars annually. The fact that they don't smoke that much points towards a tax dodge by non-status buyers of between $742 million and $1.2 billion, just from contraband cigarettes in Ontario.The CTF estimates that up to 79 per cent of all tax-free cigarettes intended for legal sale to Status Indians are illegally sold to those who are not, dodging $5.24 a pack in taxes.Fred Neukamm, chair of the Ontario Flue-Cured Tobacco Growers Marketing Board, allows that the contraband cigarettes may have been grown outside of the system. This year's legal crop is likely to be up somewhat from slightly more than 50 million pounds in 2012 because of increased demand from China. BF Polo ponies go where food won't Antioxidants may actually cause cancer, says Nobel laureate
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