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
New Report Highlights Farm Housing Needs in Greenbelt Areas Wednesday, June 4, 2025 The Greenbelt Foundation has released a new report titled Housing Needs and . It highlights the urgent need for housing solutions in rural Ontario for farm families, farm workers, and agri-business employees. As the farming community knows, agriculture is a vital part of Ontario’s... Read this article online
New Precision Ag Digital Digest Coming Soon Wednesday, June 4, 2025 The Summer 2025 Farms.com Precision Ag Digital Digest will be released on June 11. Summer is upon us! Tillage and seeding are mostly completed (…hopefully), so we are shifting focus to irrigation, baling, spraying, guidance, and harvest (among other topics and technologies). In... Read this article online
Ontario Promotes Local Food to Boost Economy and Jobs Tuesday, June 3, 2025 Ontario is celebrating Local Food Week from June 2–8, 2025, honoring the people behind the province’s strong and self-sufficient food supply. From farmers and food processors to retailers and restauranteurs, these individuals contribute to the economy and food security. The agriculture... Read this article online
Artificial Intelligence Aiding Operations, But Not Without Concerns Tuesday, June 3, 2025 Artificial intelligence is increasingly being deployed to optimize food production in Canadian greenhouses, offering promising efficiencies in crop management. However, Dr. Rozita Dara, director of Artificial Intelligence for Food (AI4Food) at the University of Guelph, cautions that the... Read this article online
First Ministers and Prime Minister Pledge Action on Trade Growth Infrastructure - Including Agriculture Tuesday, June 3, 2025 Canada’s First Ministers met in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, aiming to strengthen the national economy. They discussed the federal plan to boost major projects through new legislation, called . These projects aim to build a strong and resilient Canada by strengthening security, economic... Read this article online