Tomato growers win provincial award Sunday, April 11, 2010 by SUSAN MANNWhen Leamington-area processing tomato growers started working out a pipeline system to bring Lake Erie water to their fields they never dreamed that one day they’d be accepting a $100,000 prize.Leamington Area Drip Irrigation Inc. received the money Monday for winning the Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence. It was presented during the sixth annual Premier’s Summit on Agri-Food in Toronto.The Minister’s Award of $50,000 was given to Tigchelaar Berry Farms for adopting a new production technique so they can provide fresh Ontario strawberries to consumers for almost six months of the year. Fifty-five regional winners will get $5,000 each and they’ll be announced at regional award ceremonies this spring. The Tigchelaars couldn’t be reached for comment before the deadline for this posting.Wayne Palichuk, chairman of Leamington Area Drip Irrigation Inc., says when Agriculture Minister Carol Mitchell called a week ago and told him they had won he was really shocked. “It is quite an honour.”The Municipality of Leamington nominated them for the award.Palichuk says they’ll use the money to improve the system. “We are looking into telemetry, which would help us monitor our flows and our water usage on the crops so we can be more competitive.”Telemetry is transmitting readings to a distant receiving set or station. Palichuk says once the system is in place the 15 farmer members of Leamington Area Drip Irrigation will be able to access information about how much water they’re using through the Internet.He says this would be a way to help monitor the water flow and ensure they don’t exceed their water-taking permit. Leamington Area Drip Irrigation started pumping water in April, 2009 through a 36-kilometre pipeline that irrigates 2,500 acres of mainly processing tomatoes. The system is capable of pumping up to 7,000 gallons a minute.The Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence has attracted more than 700 applications since 2007. The five-year, 2.5-million award program was established to recognize innovators who contribute to the Ontario agri-food industry’s success. BF Ontario packer readies for major expansion Milk temperature becomes an issue
New Canadian Swine Research Targets Piglet Disease Monday, March 23, 2026 Swine InnovationPorc(SIP) is investing in new research to address Streptococcus suis, a harmful bacterial disease affecting post-weaned piglets led byDongyanXu Niu at the University of Calgary. This disease can cause serious health problems such as respiratory illness, meningitis, and sudden... Read this article online
Canada Packers Posts Strong Volume Growth and Profitability in First Year as Standalone Company Tuesday, March 17, 2026 Canada Packers Inc., recently split off from Maple Leaf Foods, reported its financial results earlier this month for the fiscal year ended December 27, 2025, highlighting increased hog volumes, steady sales growth and disciplined financial execution. In the fourth quarter of 2025,... Read this article online
Canada’s Real Seasons (According to Farmers Who Actually Live Here) Monday, March 16, 2026 According to a chart that’s been making the rounds on social media, courtesy of The Weather Network—the Canadian calendar has officially been updated. Apparently, we no longer live by the simple rhythm of winter, spring, summer, and fall. Instead, we now rotate through such crowd... Read this article online
Ontario Equine Industry Drives Rural Economy Monday, March 16, 2026 A new economic study has revealed the major contribution of Ontario’s equine agricultural sector to the province’s economy and rural communities. The Ontario Equine Agricultural Economic Impact Study Report provides the first comprehensive evaluation of the industry since 2010 and offers... Read this article online
Julia Montgomery Named OVC Dean Monday, March 16, 2026 The University of Guelph has announced the appointment of Dr. Julia Montgomery as the new dean of the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC).She will begin her five-year leadership term on June 15, 2026.The appointment marksan important stepfor one of Canada’s most respected veterinary... Read this article online