Young farmers launch social media campaign Friday, April 12, 2013 by DIANNE FETTERLY A group of young farmers from across the province has taken to social media to educate the public on how their food is produced. “We hope to reach as many people as possible . . . We’re especially trying to reach a younger demographic,” said Middlesex-area dairy farmer Andrew Campbell, who has assembled the group of farmers and farm workers devoted to advocating agriculture. The group launched its campaign, “Dinner Starts Here” during Food and Farm Care Ontario’s annual meeting held April 3. According to Campbell, the campaign utilizes Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to connect with consumers and will also feature a blog component for more detailed and in-depth discussion. The group is working with a number of agricultural groups as sources of information. “It is hoped that people will raise questions about where their food comes from and we can try to build a relationship with them,” he explained. However, if people do not pose questions, team members will come up with their own topics that they feel people are interested in. They will chat about their industry and talk about their day-to-day operations on the farm. There should be no shortage of topics, Campbell added. The campaign team consists of nine young volunteers, all under the age of 30 and all recently graduated or graduating from a post-secondary institution. They all have a goal to work full-time in farming and are a good example of who today’s young farmers are. And with members from southwestern to eastern Ontario, the group also represents most geographical areas of the province as well as varied commodity groups. Campbell said he would still like to add one of two more members to the team so all commodity groups are represented. Campbell said he came up with the idea for the project while speaking to farm groups about using social media to educate the public about agriculture. He said he felt it would work better as a team effort and assembled the group to cover as many sectors of agriculture as possible. And while the project requires a commitment and some time from the volunteers, it does not take a lot of investment. Besides Campbell, the Dinner Starts Here team consists of Stephanie Campbell of Perth, eggs and grains production; Erin Leduc from Moose Creek, grains and seed sales; Erin McLean of Lakefield, fruits and vegetables production; Justin Williams from Bloomfield, dairy farming and maple syrup production; Scott Snyder of Winterbourne, beef and crops production and custom work; Jacob Pelissero of St. Ann’s, egg production; Sarah Brien from Ridgetown, sheep farming and Stephanie Kowalski of Glencairn, potato production. Campbell sees the initiative as positive for agriculture and hopes farmers like it as well. And while it’s just getting started, families of those participating in the project have been very supportive. The group has also received support from a number of agricultural associations, he explained. For further information, interested parties can check out the website. BF Canada's organic trade now worth billions, research reveals Smartstax corn seed sellers beef up their product
Free Tools to Power Up Your Farm’s Digital Life in Canada Wednesday, October 22, 2025 For many Canadian farm families, the internet has become as vital as a tractor or combine. It is how producers manage precision planting, monitor commodity prices, check weather forecasts, pay bills and stay connected with suppliers and customers. However, fast and reliable broadband remains out... Read this article online
Precision Harvesting with HeadSight and TrueSight Tuesday, October 21, 2025 Modern harvesting relies heavily on precision and smart technology, and new systems for head height control and steering are making sure you are not leaving bushels in the field. These innovations ensure efficient crop collection, protect equipment, and reduce operator fatigue during... Read this article online
Remembering Ralph Winfield: Beloved Better Farming Columnist Tuesday, October 21, 2025 Ontario's farming community is mourning the loss of longtime agricultural writerRalph Gordon Winfieldof Glanworth, who passed away peacefully at St. Thomas-Elgin General Hospital on Oct. 17, 2025, at the age of 85. Ralph’s name has been closely tied to Better Farming since 1999. His... Read this article online
Case IH FieldOps Brings Smart Connectivity to Modern Farming Friday, October 17, 2025 Lance Meyer, region precision manager at Case IH, told Farms.com that FieldOps operates on desktops through a web interface and on mobile devices through an app compatible with iPhone, Android, or iPad. This flexibility allows farmers to access critical machine and field information anytime,... Read this article online
New Holland Marks 50 Years of Twin Rotor Innovation Friday, October 17, 2025 New Holland is celebrating 50 years of leadership in twin rotor harvesting technology, a milestone that began with the introduction of the TR70 combine in 1975. This machine transformed agriculture by bringing the world the concept of twin rotor threshing and... Read this article online