4 The Business of Ontario Agriculture Better Farming | April 2024 INSIGHT FROM THE INSIDE INSIGHT FROM THE INSIDE INSIGHT FROM THE INSIDE INSIGHT FROM THE INSIDE INSIGHT FROM THE INSIDE INSIGHT FROM THE INSIDE LETTER FROM THE EDITOR RECORD INCOME; FARMING IN GTA Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has completed its farm income forecast for 2023 and 2024, with results showing that overall Canadian farm income reached a new record in 2023. The largest driver of this increase is a forecasted increase in livestock receipts of almost 10 per cent, to $37.3 billion. Cattle receipts saw impressive price-driven growth that, combined with moderate growth in receipts from the supply-managed sector, more than offset an expected decline in hog receipts. Crop receipts are also forecast to have grown four per cent to $56.0 billion, as improved grain marketings have largely mitigated the impact of declining prices. In our Up Close this month we profile Amelia Judge, who farms with family outside of Caledon. The article provides another example of the challenges of urban sprawl and loss of farmland. As Amelia explains to ag journalist Emily Croft, the Judge family has strong ag roots in Caledon, arriving from Ireland in the 1830s. “Almost 200 years later, and we are farming just a few roads over from the original homestead.” So what’s it like to farm beside a residential subdivision in Caledon? “Dealing with drivers on the road is the most stressful part. I probably look behind me more than I look in front of me because you get passed all the time on the road.” Corteva Agriscience has launched Pioneer brand Z-Series Enlist E3 soybeans, with 20 varieties available to Ontario growers for the 2024 growing season. Z-series soybeans offers some strong yield potential, with 2023 IMPACT field trials showing a significant yield advantage over the previously launched A-Series soybeans. In addition, Z-Series features improved disease resistance to sudden death syndrome, brown stem rot, white mould and iron deficiency chlorosis, while also delivering improved protection against soybean cyst nematode (SCN) and Phytophthora root rot. 1-888-248-4893 90 Woodlawn Road West Guelph, ON N1H 1B2 PUBLISHER & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR PAUL NOLAN ext 202 Paul.Nolan@Farms.com ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR LESLIE STEWART ext 265 Leslie.Stewart@Farms.com AGRICULTURAL JOURNALIST EMILY CROFT CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS EDITION MOE AGOSTINO STACY BERRY CAMPBELL CORK DALE COWAN DIEGO FLAMMINI VANESSA GARCIA ABHINESH GOPAL PAUL HERMANS RICHARD KAMCHEN PATRICK LYNCH RALPH WINFIELD ADVERTISING TEAM GLENN RUEGG JEFF McKEE JENNY LONGSTREET SCOTT FARHOOD SAMANTHA RENAUD JOAN SPIEGELBERG DESIGN & PRODUCTION TEAM TANYA MYERS GREG MARLOW SHAUN CLARK ANDREA WILLIAMS www.BetterFarming.com Better Farming magazine is mailed as a member-benefit to all farmer members of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture. If you are not an OFA member, subscribe at: 1-888-248-4893 ext 281 Subscriptions@BetterFarming.com ISSN 1498-9344 (Printed) Canadian one-year subscriptions: $41 (11 issues; includes $4.72 HST). Two-year: $74 ($8.51 HST). U.S. subscriptions: $72 annually. International: $121. Single-copy back issues are $12. GST Registration #868959347RT0001 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to AgMedia Inc., 90 Woodlawn Road West, Guelph, ON N1H 1B2. Publications Mail Registration #1156. Publications Mail Agreement #40037298. Copyright ©2024 by AgMedia Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any content without written permission of the publisher is forbidden. Acceptance of advertising does not constitute endorsement of the advertiser, its products or services, nor do Better Farming, AgMedia or Farms.com endorse any advertiser claims. The publisher shall have no liability for the omission of any scheduled advertising. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada. Follow us on @BetterFarmingON “I took over the ranch in ’86. At that time, the ranch was at about 30 animal days per acre. After using the planned grazing strategy, we are getting up to 90 to 120 animal days per acre.” - John Cross, Page 22 “Our dairy farm used to be on Airport Road. Over 50 years ago, there were 20-some dairy farmers on that road and then we were the last ones. And now there’s none because we’ve moved our dairy farm around the corner.” - Amelia Judge, Page 31 “A lot of good things have been said about two-pass weed control. One-pass weed control is an oxymoron – just like army intelligence. Bite the bullet and pay the extra cost for two-pass weed control.” - Patrick Lynch, Page 45 “During the first year of high school, we had to get off the big, loaded school bus and walk across the bridge twice each day. One student was sent across the bridge with a red flag to stop traffic until we all made it to the other side. The bus would then pick us up on the opposite side of the river.” - Ralph Winfield, Page 54 Cover: house_red/E+ photo, Ryan Ridley photo
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