NFU proposes full coverage for livestock loss Monday, April 11, 2011 by SUSAN MANNFarmers should get compensation based of fair market value for animals killed by wildlife and there must be full coverage for livestock losses, recommends the National Farmers Union’s Ontario branch.That was one of seven recommendations the NFU made to Ontario’s agriculture ministry regarding its proposed agriculture wildlife conflict strategy. NFU’s recommendations are based on resolutions passed at the 2010-2011 Ontario regional convention in March.Board member Ann Slater says farmers need better programs and tools in place to lessen the impact of wildlife on their livelihood and bottom lines.Slater says another key recommendation is federal/provincial cost-shared for preventative measures to protect livestock and crops from predators and wildlife. Farmers should be able to access funding for protection measures, such as guard animals, fencing, scare mechanisms and targeted removal of problem animals, she adds.“It’s good to have the wildlife out in our countryside but we need society to help cover some of the costs of protecting our farms,” she says. In other Ontario branch news, Joe Dama of Essex County is the new regional coordinator. He takes over from Sean McGivern, who served one year as the coordinator.Dama says some of the key matters for this year are the federal election and the business risk management programs Ontario’s government is introducing for beef, pork, sheep, veal and the self-directed risk management program for fruits and vegetables. Along with these programs, which will be permanent, the government is implementing a permanent program for grains and oilseeds.About the federal election, Dama says it’s very difficult to get farming issues to the front burner during the campaign. “We’re really encouraging our members to come out to the all-candidates meetings whenever possible and put questions forward to the candidates.”On business risk management, Dama says NFU is very pleased the government has extended the program. One big thing NFU is looking for in the programs is caps “so that not just the very large farmers who have the hired accountants get in there and scoop up the money before the smaller farmers have a chance to get some.” BF Tender fruit pest arrives in Ontario Funds boost goat cheese presence
Winners announced for the 2024 Nutrien Ag Solutions Hometown Yield Challenge Wednesday, March 19, 2025 Nutrien Ag Solutions has announced the winners of its first Hometown Yield Challenge, a program available to growers in Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. The top two yielding farming operations were each able to choose a community organization to receive $20,000. Three runners-up were also... Read this article online
Lambton Cattlemen’s Association preparing community pastures presentation Tuesday, March 18, 2025 A local Ontario livestock organization will be making its case for a community pasture next month. The Lambton Cattlemen’s Association will make a presentation to the St. Clair Region Conservation Authority on April 17 about turning about 200 of 600 available acres into a community... Read this article online
Ontario sees modest growth in farmland value compared to the rest of Canada Tuesday, March 18, 2025 Ontario saw modest growth in farmland value compared to the rest of the nation, with average cultivated farmland values rising by 3.1% in 2024. This marks a slowdown after a 10.7% increase in 2023 and a 19.4% rise in 2022. The slower growth was observed across most of the province,... Read this article online
Chinese Tariffs Are Squeezing Canadian Grain and Oilseeds Friday, March 14, 2025 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 announced Chinese tariffs include a 100% levy on $1 billion of... Read this article online
Canada proactively purchases 500,000 doses of a human vaccine against bird flu Friday, March 14, 2025 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 worldwide, leading to supply chain... Read this article online