Changing Ontario's RMP a tough task Thursday, December 6, 2012 by SUSAN MANNFor part of this summer, Ontario’s non-supply managed commodities tried to convince the provincial government to remove the $100 million annual cap starting next year for their recently-launched risk management and self-directed risk management programs.Dan Darling, president of the Ontario Cattlemen’s Association, says “we spent probably too long this summer trying to convince the government that $100 million (annually) should be expanded on.” But that idea fell on deaf ears.So “we ended up just negotiating the best deal we could make,” he says, noting there are segments of the changed program that are a huge win for agriculture, including the ability to retain farmers’ premiums for future use.In a July 14 letter to Brenda Lammens, chair of the Ontario Agricultural Commodity Council and Amy Cronin, working group commodity chair of the Ontario Agriculture Sustainability Coalition, provincial Agriculture Minister Ted McMeekin states agriculture in the province is facing significant changes. Farm groups need to face the changes ‘squarely’ and “make decisions to ensure the best possible outcome for a thriving agricultural sector,” McMeekin writes. Better Farming obtained the letter through a Freedom of Information request.McMeekin states in the letter that he made it a priority to meet with commodity producers on several occasions in the weeks before July 14 but he was “concerned on a number of these occasions to see our energies focused on denial and resistance to change rather than working constructively to define a way forward.”The agriculture minister called that approach “too narrow” and an unrealistic response given the province’s current circumstance. He advised the two groups that the risk management program had to be reformed in line with principles he outlined earlier, including that it had to fit fiscal restraints, demonstrate measurable benefits from public investment and leverage federal dollars where possible.“The status quo is not an option,” he notes.Industry and government rolled out the new programs this week. Darling says it was exhausting to develop the changes to the programs. “But we’re happy in general with the way it ended up.”Commodity leaders would have been happier if the government allowed a bit more money towards the program than the $100 million annually, he adds. “Our numbers showed it didn’t need to be all that much more in order for it to have been a fully funded program most years. That was the discouraging part.”Darling says it would have taken an estimated $150 million for most years. With that amount, “I would say nine out of 10 years it would have been a fully funded program.” BF–– with files from Better Farming staff Two GFOs accredited Group rolls out revised RMP
$18.4M Boost for Canadian Cereal Grain Innovation Thursday, September 19, 2024 Gate Project Receives Major Funding for Research Canada's position as a pioneer in cereal grain research is set to strengthen with the Gate Capital Campaign raising $18.4 million. This funding will support the Global Agriculture Technology Exchange (Gate) initiative, a project... Read this article online
BASF introduces Surtain herbicide for field corn growers Tuesday, September 17, 2024 Field corn growers in eastern Canada have a new crop protection product available to them. After about 10 years of research and trials, BASF has introduced Surtain, a residual herbicide for corn that combines PPO inhibitor saflufenacil (Group 14) and pyroxasulfone (Group 15) in a premix... Read this article online
We Didn’t Start the Fire! Impacts of Wildfire Smoke on Corn Monday, September 16, 2024 Assistant Professor of Corn Production at Purdue University’s College of Agriculture, Daniel Quinn, PhD. recently provided fascinating insights into the impacts of fire on major corn producing areas, many of which have been impacted by smoke from wildfires. Quinn was the keynote... Read this article online
New home for the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario Saturday, September 14, 2024 The Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario (CFFO) has announced it has moved into its new office building in Ingersoll. Located at 274620 27th Line in Ingersoll, the new office will serve as the hub for CFFO’s ongoing efforts to advocate for and support Ontario’s Christian farmers.... Read this article online
Canadian Ag Youth Council Welcomes new Members Saturday, September 14, 2024 Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has announced the latest members to join the Canadian Agricultural Youth Council (CAYC). This update introduces nine fresh members alongside thirteen returning youths, marking a significant step towards involving young voices in agricultural... Read this article online