Province focuses on food literacy goals and targets Wednesday, December 17, 2014 Re: MPP wants to bring agri-food career information to the classroom"The agriculture and agri-food industry in Ontario is a dynamic cornerstone for our economy. It contributes $34 billion to our GDP, employs over 760,000 and is full of opportunities.In order to reach the Premier's target of 120,000 new jobs in the industry by 2020, we know that supporting and educating young people about careers in agriculture is essential.Today, students from kindergarten to grade 12 benefit from agricultural education programs and resources offered through Ontario Agri-Food Education Inc. (OAFE). Providing nearly 16,000 resources across Ontario, including newsletters and teacher's guides, OAFE focuses on curriculum-linked materials that help young people explore careers in agriculture and agri-food.But we know there is more to do.That's why we worked across party lines to pass the Local Food Act, the first legislation of its kind in Canada. The Act supports the good things that are grown and made in Ontario. It also requires government to set aspirational food literacy goals and targets.We have been actively consulting with a wide range of stakeholders to develop these targets and we look forward to speaking more about them in the New Year.It's important for Ontarians - especially those starting to think about their future careers - to know about the bright future our agriculture and agri-food industry has to offer, including jobs in primary production, food processing and agri-business.Working collaboratively, we want to ensure we give young Ontarians every opportunity to learn about the agri-food industry and the exciting career potential that it holds.I thank members of the legislature, and all of those in the agriculture and agri-food industry, who are promoting agriculture and helping to position it for growth today and into the future."- Jeff Leal, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Time to modernize Ontario's maple syrup regulations says industry Researchers prepare to field test new treatment for bee disease
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