Yield challenge winners see corn yields of more than 310 bushels per acre Tuesday, January 14, 2014 by MATT MCINTOSH Out of a record 453 growers, DuPont Pioneer’s Ontario Corn Yield Challenge had 11 winners for the 2013 growing season. Some of the winners saw yields that came near or exceeded 300 bushels per acre. “It was really nice to win this year, but you have to put in a little extra for those kinds of results,” says Jim Soetemans, a winning participant from Watford in Lambton County who produced 310.4 bushels per acre. “I won a couple years ago too . . . this past year I added a little extra fertilizer to the area I was growing for the contest.” Soetemans had the second highest yield, with first place going to Randy Vandeheede, a Simcoe area farmer who produced 327.1 bushels per acre with a different hybrid. According to DuPont Pioneer’s January 10 press release, all the winners “represent different maturities across Ontario,” which means there can be no overall provincial winner. The winners were announced at an awards event held on January 9. As a prize, all received a trip for two to this year’s Commodity Classic in San Antonio, Texas. Debbie Lambing, a representative of DuPont Pioneer’s Chatham facility, says that farmers need to have at least 1.25 acres and buy a minimum of 20 units of Pioneer brand corn in order to enter the annual contest. “Other than that all you need to do is have a DuPont representative present when weighing your crop,” she says. BF OFVGA considers new approaches to funding American and European businesses are transforming Canada's retail landscape
Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry to Visit Toronto and Southwestern Ontario Tuesday, March 3, 2026 The Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry will be in Toronto and Southwestern Ontario later this week as part of its ongoing study on the role of Canada’s agriculture and agri‑food sector in strengthening national food security. The fact‑finding mission is scheduled for... Read this article online
AgriStability Program Updated to Include Pasture-Related Feed Costs Beginning in 2026 Monday, March 2, 2026 In case you missed it last week, the Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced that pasture-related feed costs will be added as an allowable expense under AgriStability starting with the 2026 program year. The update addresses rising operational... Read this article online
Bringing more Food and Ingredient Processing Back to Canadian Soil Monday, March 2, 2026 Protein Industries Canada has announced the second cohort of nine companies participating in its Program, an initiative designed to bring more food and ingredient processing back to Canadian soil and expand the nation’s value‑added agriculture sector. The selected companies span the... Read this article online
Ontario and Quebec Farmers Call for Suspension of Alto High-Speed Rail Project Monday, March 2, 2026 As planning progresses for Alto, the proposed high speed rail corridor linking Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Quebec City, Canada’s farm leaders are urging governments and project planners to hit pause. Their message is clear: the project’s current path risks carving through some of the... Read this article online
Energy-Free Miraco MiraFount Waterers for Cattle Friday, February 27, 2026 The Miraco MiraFount 1-Hole Energy-Free Roll-Away Ball Watering Trough is designed to provide clean, reliable water for livestock in all seasons without the need for electricity. Built for durability and efficiency, this insulated waterer helps prevent freezing during winter while... Read this article online