Marketing commission revokes tomato processor's licence Tuesday, June 5, 2012 by SUSAN MANNThe Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission has revoked the vegetable processing licence of Jema International Food Products Inc. after the company failed to pay several tomato growers for last year’s crop.The commission held a hearing in March in Guelph and ordered Jema, which is affiliated with DaVinci Foods of Montreal, to pay the growers $363,977.81 plus reasonable interest by May 15. The bulk of the money is owed to four Leamington-area growers.By May 23, the growers still hadn’t received their money so the Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers requested the company’s licence to process vegetables be revoked. The company also failed to provide the first of two $250,000 letters of credit for this year’s operations, the commission’s latest decision notes. The first letter was due by May 18 and the second by Aug. 1. The decision, dated May 30, is posted on the commission’s website.The commission gave Jema until May 29 at 4 p.m. to make submissions before it decided to revoke the company’s licence.Al Krueger, executive assistant to the Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers, says the growers are pursuing payment through the courts. Jema also failed to remit grower licence fees to the Processing Vegetable Growers. That money totals a few thousand dollars, he notes. “It’s not anywhere near what the growers are out. It’s the growers who are suffering in this one.”The company’s licence being revoked means it can no longer buy vegetables from growers. Jema processed tomatoes.“We thought that it was important to them that they have a licence to process and they would, in fact, process this year,” he explains. “They seemed to indicate that they wanted to be in operation this year.”Krueger explains ordinarily tomato processors contract their tomatoes in advance, with the company supplying the plants to the growers and measuring the acreage. Without a licence, “none of that is happening this year,” in connection with Jema, he says.Krueger says the affected farmers also grow for other processors and will continue growing for those other companies. BF Army worms advance New electronic equipment needs better protection
Farmland Values Climb Across the Prairies-Manitoba Leads, Ontario Holds Steady Friday, October 10, 2025 Canadian cultivated farmland values rose by an average of 6.0 per cent in the first half of 2025, according to the mid-year farmland values review by Farm Credit Canada (FCC). This marks a modest acceleration compared to the first half of 2024, which saw a 5.5 per cent increase. Over... Read this article online
Canada Post Strike Continues to Threatens Agri-Businesses and Rural Communities Thursday, October 9, 2025 The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is calling on the federal government to take swift action to end the ongoing Canada Post strike, warning that the disruption is causing serious harm to small businesses – including many in the agriculture sector. “The government’s... Read this article online
Gleaner T Series Combine Updates Thursday, October 9, 2025 Gleaner continues to advance harvest technology with its new T Series combine, delivering major improvements in power, reliability, and ease of operation. Designed with the farmer in mind, the T Series focuses on performance, accessibility, and cutting-edge precision tools for... Read this article online
Ontario Invests $41M to Boost Agri-Food Innovation Wednesday, October 8, 2025 The Ontario government has announced an investment of more than $41 million over the next four years to enhance and modernize infrastructure under Agricultural Research and Innovation Ontario (ARIO). This initiative, part of the province’s plan to safeguard Ontario’s agri-food sector,... Read this article online
Six Ontario Students Earn Hensall Co-op Scholarships Wednesday, October 8, 2025 Hensall Co-op, along with its Board of Directors and employees, has proudly announced the recipients of the fourth annual Bright Futures Scholarship. This year, six exceptional students from across Southwestern Ontario have been awarded a total of $15,000 to assist with their... Read this article online