Interactive map details planting progress Tuesday, June 7, 2011 by BETTER FARMING STAFFGrain Farmers of Ontario (GFO) has turned to young, internet savvy farmers to help with data collection for an interactive planting and harvesting map.The map, which can be found through the GFO home page was launched last week as a way to help keep pace with planting activity. The 60 young farmers who are helping with data collection all participated in Grains in Action courses held earlier this year, one in January and a second in February. Thirty young farmers from the across the province participated in each course.Erin Fletcher, GFO manager of public affairs and communications, said after the course, the young farmers were looking for ways to stay involved with GFO and help out. “This is the perfect thing because most of them are on their BlackBerrys and really in touch with technology,” Fletcher said. “We’ve built a network starting with those Grains In Action participants and our directors and some of our delegates. We just ask them what the progress (of planting or harvesting) is in their area and just for any information they can provide about things they are seeing around the community and we add that information to the map.” Fletcher said information is also gathered from Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and Agricorp.The map - click on a county and crop information pops up - will be updated weekly on Wednesdays. The map is intended to provide planting and harvesting information to a wide range of users, not just farmers.“We are getting a lot of calls from the media, usually community media, wondering what planting progress is in their area,” Fletcher said. “We always get tons of calls in the fall about harvesting progress,” she said, adding they created the map to be more proactive in providing that information. BF Dorchester cattle dealer gets $12,000 fine Policy makers want farm input
Chinese Tariffs Are Squeezing Canadian Grain and Oilseeds Friday, March 14, 2025 By Aleah Harle, Farms.com Risk Management Intern On March 8, 2025, China announced steep retaliatory tariffs on $2.6 billion worth of Canadian agricultural products in response to Canada’s October tariffs of 100% on Chinese EVs, and 25% on steel, and aluminum. These newly... Read this article online
Canada proactively purchases 500,000 doses of a human vaccine against bird flu Friday, March 14, 2025 By Liam Nolan Canada’s agricultural industry continues to monitor the spread of Avian Influenza (AI). The H5N1 HPAI was first reported in Canada in December 2021, below is an update on recent developments. Avian influenza, or bird flu, continues to impact poultry farms... Read this article online
Farmer Planting Decisions for 2025 Taking Shape Thursday, March 13, 2025 As farmers across Canada prepare for the 2025 crop year, Statistics Canada says their planting decisions reflect a complex mix of factors including moisture conditions, crop rotation considerations, and market prices. Nationally, farmers are expected to plant more wheat, corn for... Read this article online
Grain Growers of Sounding the Alarm Over U.S. Tariffs Monday, March 10, 2025 Not surprisingly, the Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) is raising concerns over the United States' decision to impose a 25% tariff on Canadian grain and grain products, a move that could jeopardize the livelihoods of family-run grain farms and lead to higher food prices for American... Read this article online
International Women’s Day – Angela Cammaert Wednesday, March 5, 2025 As International Women’s Day approaches on March 8, Farms.com is asking women in ag about what they’d tell their younger selves about being a farmer, to give a piece of advice to young women entering the ag sector, and to highlight a woman in agriculture they consider a mentor or... Read this article online