New federal program encourages private solutions to farm risk management Wednesday, June 19, 2013 by SUSAN MANN The federal government is resurrecting an old idea to encourage the farming industry and the private sector to develop new risk management tools for farmers. On Monday, Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture Pierre Lemieux announced that up to $15 million is available for developing and adopting new private sector or producer-funded agricultural risk management tools. The money will be made available under Growing Forward 2’s AgriRisk Initiatives program. Al Mussell, George Morris Centre senior research associate, says before the initial Growing Forward program was introduced in 2008 there was a program called private sector risk management partnerships. It was designed to provide resources for developing insurance-type programs and other options for industries to mitigate risks that were complimentary to existing business risk management programs, such as crop insurance. Mussell says at the time of the private sector risk management partnerships program there were “quite a number of pretty innovative projects that came out.” He notes he can infer from the government introducing the AgriRisk Initiatives program that “there is renewed interest on behalf of governments in having programs like that again. I think it makes good sense.” The government press release says the AgriRisk Initiatives program is to facilitate industry-led research and development along with the implementation and administration of new insurance-based tools for the agriculture, agri-food and agri-products sectors. Applications are now being accepted. The government will allocate a total of up to $3 million a year over five years for the program to fund research and development projects on potential new industry-led risk management products and services. Approved projects can be eligible for up to $500,000 annually. The money under the program can be used for: Research and development costs. Data collection and analysis. Legal and actuarial costs. Consultations. BF Marsh flood ruins farmers' growing season Farm owners fear a long-running pipeline project will damage soil
Hog Markets Strengthen Heading Into Late February Monday, February 23, 2026 As hog producers head into the final stretch of February, North American markets showed modest but broad-based strength according to the latest OMAFA report for the week ending February 20, 2026. The data highlights firmer hog prices, stronger futures, and mixed feed costs, offering... Read this article online
New leadership elected as Beef Farmers of Ontario charts priorities for 2026 Monday, February 23, 2026 The Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) has announced new leadership following its , with directors electing Jason Leblond of Chisholm as president and Don Badour of Perth as vice president. The election marks the conclusion of Past President Craig McLaughlin’s nine-year term on the... Read this article online
Why farmers built their own renewable energy association Friday, February 20, 2026 When renewable energy developers come knocking on rural doors, farmers often find themselves staring at 40-page leases, unfamiliar terminology, and long-term commitments that could shape their land for decades. For many, the opportunity is exciting and enticing—but also... Read this article online
Looking for a heritage machine Friday, February 20, 2026 A Brantford, Ontario area heritage organization—the Canadian Industrial Heritage Centre (CIHC)—is putting out a call to the Canadian agricultural community in hopes of locating a rare piece of machinery that helped transform grain harvesting around the world. The CIHC is preparing... Read this article online
Ontario beef farms honoured for pasture innovation and environmental stewardship Friday, February 20, 2026 Two Ontario beef operations earn top 2026 awards for pasture and environmental excellence. At the Beef Farmers of Ontario’s (BFO) 64th annual general meeting banquet in Toronto on February 18, 2026, two standout Ontario beef operations were recognized for their commitment to... Read this article online