Information sharing would help apple farmers target consumers Wednesday, November 20, 2013 by MATT MCINTOSH Using information and traceability systems more effectively will make Ontario apples more competitive and profitable, says a new report by the Value Chain Management Centre and the Norfolk Fruit Growers Association. The two organizations produced the "Collaborating to Increase the Profitability of Ontario Apple Producers" report, which identified opportunities to "capture greater value from the production, grading, packing, marketing, and retailing of Ontario apples." The report found that relaying consumer trends to producers, who can then try and grow more specific products, would make Ontario apples more attractive to consumers. "We have to start producing what people want, not what we want to sell," says Tom O'Neill, general manager for the Norfolk Fruit Growers Association. "We gather a lot of information on the packaging and marketing side. If we can tell our producers that apples of a larger size, for instance, are favoured by consumers, they can grow apples to target that category," he says. However, O'Neill also says the report's conclusions are not strict science. "It's just a general way to utilize the information we have; Mother Nature still likes to play tricks on us every year," he says. Relaying information like the size of apple preferred by consumers, says the report, would not require a capital investment, but should still be considered along with other methods designed to improve productivity and cost-cutting. The project generating the report was funded by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program. BF Video highlights problematic dairy cow disease Two winners for Egg Farmers' New Entrant program
$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