Dairy quota policy hearing concludes this month Thursday, May 7, 2009 by SUSAN MANNA hearing to strike down Dairy Farmers of Ontario’s current quota policy including the controversial section on transfer assessments wraps up later this month at the Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Appeal Tribunal.The hearing concludes on May 29 with summations and closing comments. It was held Feb. 3-6 in Ottawa and April 27-May 1 in Guelph.The policy calls for a 15 per cent transfer assessment on all production quota sold on the provincial organization’s quota exchange effective Nov. 17, 2006. Several farmers successfully challenged having to pay the assessment and, in related decisions, the Tribunal has ordered DFO to refund a total of $918,246.32.DFO has declined to outline how it defended a decision to not rescind its three-year-old quota policy. Spokespeople for the Ontario Quota Rights Organization, which is appealing the Tribunal to reverse the provincial dairy organization’s decision, can’t be reached for comment. George MacNaughton, DFO production and regulatory compliance division director, says “our position was presented to the Tribunal and we’re not going to make it public.” He also declines to speculate on what the impact would be if the Tribunal orders the elimination of the quota policy.MacNaughton says DFO’s board declined a request to rescind the policy last year. “We put it in place for the sustainability and the long-term interests of the dairy industry,” he says. “Why would we rescind it?” On Aug. 1, DFO will introduce new quota policies as Ontario and the other four P5 provinces (Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island) introduce harmonized policies across all those provinces. The new policies will immediately eliminate transfer assessment, exemption of the last 10 kilograms from the assessment, and the pay-what-you-bid policies.Other polices would be phased in during this year and next. They include a quota price cap, new entrant quota assistance program, a change in the over-production credits and a requirement that future general quota increases applying to all farmers would be non-saleable. Information about the new policies is available on DFO’s website. BF Agriculture fingered as E. coli source in Lake Huron study Shortline equipment short on financing
Pilot project supports Ontario and Quebec ag Friday, July 24, 2026 A new two-year pilot project is designed to help livestock farmers in Quebec by giving them access to an Ontario abattoir. The project, a collaboration between the Quebec and Ontario governments, with additional support from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), would see a limited... Read this article online
Canada Opens Interprovincial Alcohol Sales Thursday, July 23, 2026 A major change to Canada's internal marketplace is set to create new opportunities for wineries, breweries and distilleries after nine provinces signed a landmark agreement allowing direct-to-consumer sales of alcoholic beverages across participating jurisdictions. The deal is being hailed... Read this article online
Heat and Rain have led to a challenging growing season for Cauliflower Growers in Ontario. Thursday, July 23, 2026 There are only 1,225 acres dedicated to growing cauliflower in Ontario, but they produce 14,545,000 lbs of the vegetable. Growers across key vegetable-producing regions are preparing for increased shipments of locally grown cauliflower to grocery stores, restaurants, wholesalers and... Read this article online
Who Knew so Much Canadian Watermelon is Grown in Ontario Thursday, July 23, 2026 Many consumers may think of watermelon as an exotic fruit, but Ontario grows about2,000 acresof watermelons each year, more than 35,084tonnesof watermelon.Watermelonharvest now is underway. Watermelon originated in northeastern Africa, particularly in the region that today includes Sudan... Read this article online
Ontario Farmers Harvest One of Canada’s Top Carrot Crops Wednesday, July 22, 2026 Carrots are among Ontario's most important vegetable crops, contributing significantly to local food production and year-round fresh produce availability. Ontario grows the most carrots of any Canadian province – 45% of the country’s carrots. According to Statistics Canada, Ontario... Read this article online