Agricultural labour law challenge on hold Friday, April 3, 2009 © AgMedia Inc.by SUSAN MANNShould Ontario farm workers have collective bargaining rights?The two sides on this question - the Ontario government and the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Canada - have another chance to argue their cases in court later this year or early next year. The Supreme Court of Canada decided Thursday it will hear the Ontario government’s appeal of a lower court decision to strike down the six-year-old provincial Agricultural Employees Protection Act.In November the Ontario Court of Appeal ruled the Act “substantially impairs” farm workers’ ability to bargain collectively. The justices gave the provincial government 12 months to determine how “to protect the rights of agricultural workers to engage in meaningful collective bargaining.”Union spokesman Stan Raper says now the Supreme Court has decided to hear Ontario’s appeal no changes will be made to the Act until the hearing is finished, possibly not until 2011.Raper adds the union is disappointed the appeal is going ahead.“At the end of the day I think we’ll finally get some justice but it’s a huge time delay,” he says. “Workers continue to have to live under a piece of legislation that is unconstitutional.”Ken Forth, chair of the agricultural industry’s Labour Issues Coordinating Committee, says they expect the Supreme Court to decide in favour of hearing the appeal.“We’re pleased,” Forth says. The committee asked the Ontario government to appeal the ruling on Ontario’s farm workers legislation.The committee is applying to be an intervener at the Supreme Court. Forth says the status would allow the committee’s lawyer to make a small presentation during the hearing.“Agriculture has to be reflected in this,” he says. BF Pigs on the rampage 'Pink' isn't necessarily pigs
The Ontario region names its provincial Outstanding Young Farmers of 2024 Friday, August 30, 2024 Image supplied by Outstanding Young Farmers Partners DJ Wassenaar and Matt Bergman of Haybury Farms Inc., located at Jarvis, were named for 2024 at their regional event held near Guelph on August 22, 2024. Matt Bergman grew up on a dairy farm and started farming for himself at the... Read this article online
Easy and Convenient Organization – Wherever You Go Friday, August 30, 2024 Byline: Nevan Hagarty and Braxten Breen It’s hard enough to maintain good organization on the farm, but when it comes to your tool bench, that’s where the real challenge begins. Not knowing where tools are, misplacing small fasteners and fittings, and forgetting that one specific... Read this article online
Agri-Tech innovation gets $22.6M boost in Ontario Friday, August 30, 2024 Investments in everything from electric sprayer for its field nursery crops to reverse osmosis equipment Ontario and Canada have jointly invested up to $22.6 million to support businesses in adopting innovative technologies and practices. The investments are to enhance the efficiency and... Read this article online
Ecorobotix appoints CEO for Swiss company’s NA division Thursday, August 29, 2024 Image supplied by Ecorobotix Inc. Ecorobotix Inc., the North American division of the Swiss ag tech and AI company, Ecorobotix SA, has appointed Cameron Holbrook as its new Chief Executive Officer. Ecorobotix Inc., established in 2023 and based in Salinas, California, brings the... Read this article online
OFA asking farmers to take Cultivating Local survey Thursday, August 29, 2024 The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) is asking farmers to complete a survey about local selling opportunities. The organization is giving producers until Sept. 16 to fill out the Cultivating Local survey. “We’re looking to better understand farmers that are already or who want... Read this article online