Listowel farmer, milk board at odds over direct payment policy Wednesday, October 16, 2013 by SUSAN MANN Dairy Farmers of Ontario and a Listowel area dairy farmer have made little headway concerning a conflict over organization’s switch to direct deposit banking more than a year ago to pay farmers for their milk. Don Verner, 74, is the only Ontario dairy farmer who hasn’t signed up to have the twice-monthly milk payments deposited directly into his account. And the organization won’t provide the money to him by any other means. “All producers should be treated the same,” explains Graham Lloyd, general counsel and communications director for Dairy Farmers. Verner is now owed nearly $300,000 in milk payments. Lloyd says they want to pay Verner and haven’t refused to pay him. “I am in regular contact and have reached out on several occasions over the last two months.” Verner, a milk producer for nearly 60 years who milks about 30 cows and holds 22 kilograms of quota, says: “I don’t like to be blackmailed into having it (the milk payments) put into my account.” He’s critical of the supply-managed commodity organization. “It (the milk board) wasn’t brought in to help the farmer. It was brought in to take control.” Dairy Farmers switched to direct deposit in 2012. Before that farmers received their milk payments once a month by cheque mailed to them from the organization. Verner continues to milk his cows and the milk is still being picked up. Asked how he is getting by without his milk payment income, Verner says he was taught how get along “with what we have without having machinery. We were taught never to owe a man one cent, only for a mortgage.” BF Ontario Cattlemen's Association now Beef Farmers of Ontario Buchanan takes the reins
$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