New president for OFA Wednesday, November 26, 2008 by BETTER FARMING STAFFCashcropper Don McCabe, Inwood, and garlic grower Mark Wales, Aylmer, were elected as vice-presidents in a run off beating out Debra Pretty-Straathof, Arnprior, Wendy Omvlee, Haldimand, and Joe Vermunt, Huron County.In her acceptance speech, Crews warned that farmers face some tough times. Some farmers have benefited from a trend to consuming locally produced food. Farmers will potentially be hurt as the economy slides towards recession or worse. Processors and consumers will be looking for deals, she said. “That always comes back to bite the farmer.”Crews pledged to work with the new governance structure at the federation. Immediately following the convention, a board of 18 that meets monthly and an advisory council that meets periodically replace an old board model with approximately 100 members representing counties and commodities. Crews said the new structure offered many opportunities to develop policy that doesn’t disadvantage any commodity or any sector.”Farm groups are likely to find it challenging to work with the provincial government in tough economic times. Speaking to the convention floor, Agriculture Minister Leona Dombrowsky said "we will have to find ways to support the industry without direct payments." BF Release of grains and oilseeds merger vote on hold Storing biosolids in manure pits tanked - for now
Ontario Supports Farmers Through 4R Nutrient Program Thursday, January 22, 2026 Several key agricultural organizations and the provincial government have renewed the Memorandum of Cooperation for the 4R Nutrient Stewardship program for a third term. The agreement brings together the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario, Fertilizer Canada, Grain Farmers of... Read this article online
Canada-Ontario Funding Aims to Expand Agri-Food Markets Wednesday, January 21, 2026 The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing up to $20 million through the new Market Diversification and Trade Resiliency Initiative to help farmers, food processors, and agribusinesses expand sales of Ontario-grown products domestically and internationally. The initiative... Read this article online
Bushel Plus rebrands to BranValt for global harvest-tech growth Tuesday, January 20, 2026 Bushel Plus Ltd., a well‑known name in harvest optimization tools and training, is preparing for a major brand transformation as it shifts to a new global identity: BranValt. The company recently announced that the transition will officially take effect in July 2026, marking a... Read this article online
Canada Negotiates Tariff Reductions on Canola Seed by China Tuesday, January 20, 2026 Mark Carney has concluded his visit to Beijing for high-level meetings with Chinese leaders, including Xi Jinping. The visit marked the first trip to China by a Canadian prime minister since 2017 and resulted in a joint statement outlining a new strategic partnership between the two countries.... Read this article online
Ontario Pig Producer Disease Advisory -- PED and PDCoV Risks Rising This Winter Tuesday, January 20, 2026 Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea (PED) and Porcine Deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) continue to pose significant risks to swine operations across the industry. Both viruses are highly infectious, spread easily through manure, contaminated equipment, transport vehicles, and human movement, and can have... Read this article online