Search
Better Farming OntarioBetter PorkBetter Farming Prairies

Better Farming Ontario Featured Articles

Better Farming Ontario magazine is published 11 times per year. After each edition is published, we share featured articles online.


Behind the Lines - February 2010

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

The inspiration for this month's story came from our visit to Timiskaming District last September. We had just sent our October issue off to press, with a cover story about the challenges of new power charges on today's modern electricity hungry farms. When large-scale farm operator Norm Koch told us he was using a diesel generator to power his grain storage and dryer system rather than depend upon the grid, it underlined the concerns that farmers have about the perceived instability in regulated hydro electric prices.

We realized that we had missed something.

We hadn't talked to the farmers who were concerned about costs associated with hooking up to the grid and who were willing to do something about it on their own terms.

Effective Nov.1, 2009, Ontario electricity prices were set at either 5.8 cents per kWh or 6.7 cents kWh, depending upon the amount used, according to an Ontario Energy Board news release. But that excludes the cost of delivery and also the cost of the so-called "stranded debt" left over after the province had carved up the old and unwieldy Ontario Hydro. These prices are in effect until Apr. 30 of this year, when they will change again.

The charges also didn't take into account "time-of-use billing," slated to be rolled out in 2010. We hope that along with our cover story published last October, we have done justice to the issues that are involved.

Some of you, it seems, want to know more about our popular Crop Scene Investigation series. Herewith are the most frequent questions and answers:

Q. "What are my chances of winning?"
A.     Pretty good actually. Keep reading.

Q. "I know that the prize winner is selected from among all correct answers received for each topic, but how many correct answers do you actually receive each month?"
A. This has varied from a high of about 50 to a low one month of zero.

Q. "Do I have to write a detailed answer?"
A.    No, a single sentence will do. Often one or two words are enough. We do enjoy many of the lengthy answers we receive, though, so don't hold back. We might even quote you.

Q. "The prize is a wireless weather station, but what kind?"
A. That has varied over the years from several models of La Crosse Technology to our most recent batch of Oregon Scientific WMR 100s.  BF

Robert Irwin & Don Stoneman

 

Current Issue

November 2024

Better Farming Magazine

Farms.com Breaking News

40 Agriculture Groups Urge Senate to Reject Bill C-282

Thursday, October 31, 2024

Forty of Canada's leading agriculture and agri-food groups sent a letter today to the Senate urging them to reject Bill C-282. Bill C-282 is an Act to amend the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act (supply management). "This bill risks handcuffing Canada’s... Read this article online

Innovating Crop Nutrition with AI and Biologicals

Thursday, October 31, 2024

Chad Mangan, national sales director for NutriAg, recently shared information on how to mitigate crop stress and to maximize yields during the 2024 Great Ontario Yield Tour event in Chesterville, Ontario. NutriAg, a Canadian crop nutrition company, focuses on optimizing nutrient... Read this article online

Boosting Soybean Yields with Advanced Agronomy Techniques

Thursday, October 31, 2024

Strategic nutrient management and the impact of environmental conditions on soybean growth was the focus of a recent presentation by Shaun Casteel, Associate Professor of Agronomy at Purdue University, during his presentation 'Setting and Expanding on Foundations to Maximize Soybean Yield'... Read this article online

Cdn. farmers can win a chance to brew their own beer

Wednesday, October 30, 2024

A contest is giving Canadian farmers a chance to brew their own beer. Bayer and Origin Brewing & Malting Co., out of Strathmore, Alta., have teamed up for the FieldBrew contest. The contest is open to farmers from B.C. to Ontario who are at least 19 years old. Participants can earn... Read this article online

BF logo

It's farming. And it's better.

 

a Farms.com Company

Subscriptions

Subscriber inquiries, change of address, or USA and international orders, please email: subscriptions@betterfarming.com or call 888-248-4893 x 281.


Article Ideas & Media Releases

Have a story idea or media release? If you want coverage of an ag issue, trend, or company news, please email us.

Follow us on Social Media

 

Sign up to a Farms.com Newsletter

 

DisclaimerPrivacy Policy2024 ©AgMedia Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Back To Top