They’re more than the farmer’s wife

A new study from the University of Guelph says women's mental health is further strained by visible and invisible workloads/

They also lack recognition, often referred to as the farmer’s wife, not a farmer.

Jennifer Schooley, president of the Norfolk County Federation of Agriculture told CBC News that one of the more frustrating aspects of being a farmer are the assumptions people make about her as a woman in the agricultural industry.

"Growing up and watching that and the work (her mother and grandmother) put into it, I had no desire to farm because it's a lot of hard work for not a lot of money and it's a thankless job," she said.

It was during the pandemic Schooley decided to get behind the wheel of the family tractor to help her aging parents.

Now she has been able to host talks about life as a female farmer.

"It's a great opportunity to get the conversation started and it's a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the words that [other farmers] use and gender assumptions that they have when working with women in farming," she said.

"You're not just farming outside, but you're also the wife, the mother, most often the dinner maker, the clothes cleaner, the doctor taker, you're the peace maker and problem solver, the school liaison," she said. 

"You're still having all these roles and expectations on you and that can be a lot to juggle."

Andria Jones and her team at the University of Guelph have released studies in the past about the vulnerability of farmer's mental health and found that women were scoring higher in stress, depression, anxiety and burn out.

"Even with supportive partners, the management of the household often falls to them, so all of that combined with on farm work, off-farm work, plus being the chief executive officers of the household makes for very full days and a lot of stress."

Kristin Wheatcroft, director of Agriculture Wellness Ontario, said her organization regularly hears from women who are balancing not only farm operations and work, but family responsibilities, off-farm employment and the weight of supporting those around them.

"Acknowledging these challenges is an important step toward fostering healthier, more supportive farm families, workplaces and rural communities," Wheatcroft said.

It's especially important to address the mental health of female farmers as the number of women choosing careers in agriculture continues to grow.

 

And while there has been some progress made to recognize women for their roles in Canadian agriculture, there's still more to do, Jones said.

"We still have a ways to go. Presently, women make up 30 per cent of the Canadian farming population and I'm not entirely sure we see that reflected in things like leadership positions," she said.

Province supports Farmers Week

 

 This is the United Nations’ International Year of the Woman Farmer and the Local Food Week in Ontario, so the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness is recognizing farmers, food processors and agribusinesses.

“A strong local food supply is critical to the security of our province. When we choose to buy food grown and made in Ontario, we are helping to protect Ontario’s food independence,” said Ontario Agriculture Minister Trevor Jones. “Thank you to the farmers, food processors and people across the sector whose world-class food helps feed our province and the world.”

The agriculture ministry has issued the 2026 Local Food Report and has drawn special attention to:

• Penokean Hills Farms: Five Ontario beef farmers who grew their business into a Simmental-Angus beef brand that supports business across the Algoma region.

• Produce Express: A company sourcing local food for school nutrition programs from a network of more than 300 Ontario producers, farmers and food processors.

• King Cole Ducks: Canada’s largest duck producer, a 100 per cent locally owned, family-run and women-led business.

• Taco House Co: A taco house that pivoted from importing products to sourcing from local farmers in the region.

Goat owners have a say

Goat owners have a say about new traceability regulations put forward by the Canadian Food inspection Agency.

The Canadian Cattle Association and Western Canada’s beef-farmer organizations have pulled out because they say the regulations are too much work.

They require prompt reporting whenever cattle are moved from one property to another.

Dairy Farmers and the Canadian Pork Council have asked for amendments before the regulations become law.

The Canadian National Goat Federation and the Canadian Cervid Alliance support CFIA’s proposals.

It’s in that context that the Ontario Goat association is reminding goat farmers they have an opportunity to offer their opinions about the proposed regulations.

They can e-mail those comments directly to Cecelia Green at national goat federation at cngfinfo@gmail.com.

Saputo to exit Argentina

Saputo Inc. of Montreal plans to sell its Argentina dairy business to Gloria Foods for about $885 million.

Gloria Foods is part of Groupo Gloria of Peru.

“Today’s announcement reflects our efforts to refine our global footprint for long‑term growth. The value to be realized recognizes both the operational excellence of the team and the market strength of the brands they built,” said Carl Colizza, Saputo’s president and chief executive officer.

“This divestiture enhances our financial flexibility and supports targeted reinvestment in platforms that offer the highest growth opportunities, while allowing us to maintain a portfolio of Argentina‑sourced products for our international markets.”

It has been the largest dairy processor in Argentina. Its main holdings are in Canada, the United States and Australia.

Grain Farmers seeks electoral overhaul

 Grain Farmers of Ontario has asked the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission for an overhaul of its delegate election system.

The proposals have been posted on the province’s regulatory registry. The deadline for comments is July 13.

The commission’s posting says the changes would:

• Improve District Grain Committee delegate allocation calculation:
o Use of a five-year average of production acreage instead of a three-year average, providing a more stable and representative calculation.
o Once minimum delegates are assigned, remaining (30) delegates are shared based on each district's true share of total production.
o Amendment would better reflect long-term production patterns and ensure a more accurate and fair representation of farmer-members. 

• Standardized production data
o Delegate numbers would be calculated using Agricorp data for yield averages for all crop types, providing a consistent source of production information. 
o Under the current regulation - Agricorp data is used for the average annual provincial yield per acre in respect of grain corn, soybeans or wheat; Statistics Canada data is used for oats and barley.

• Reduction in required minimum district meetings
o The minimum number of district delegate meetings would be reduced to three from four per year, reflecting current engagement practices and reducing administrative burden.

• Term limit included in regulation
o A 12-year term limit for GFO board members would be included within the regulation.

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Family seed company sues Bayer

Latham Quality seed company in Iowa has filed a lawsuit against Bayer accusing it of illegal and anti-competitive practices to monopolize the U.S. market for on genetically-engineered corn seeds.

The lawsuit alleges Bayer is reaping “hundreds of millions, if not billions, of ill-gotten dollars.” 

Latham has invited others to join to make it a class-action lawsuit which would qualify for triple the amount of damages.

The Department of Justice said last week that Bayer removed potentially anti-competitive provisions from a loyalty program for independent seed companies that license its technology to produce seeds.

“Bayer has the power to control market prices and exclude competition,” the lawsuit said. “In fact, it does so.”

U.S. is investigating fertilizer companies.

The United States Federal Trade Commission has launched an investigation into fertilizer companies, commission chairman Andrew Ferguson told a meeting of farmers from 16 states at a meeting in North Texas.

“These continued price increases are not something our nation, much less our farmers, can continue to ignore,” Ferguson said, prompting a standing ovation.

An investigation would definitely involve Nutrien of Saskatoon, the world’s largest potash miner and fertilizer retailer

Despite years of complaints from farmers, this is the first formal FTC investigation of the fertilizer industry.

It has subpoena powers to demand production of documents and witnesses.

 

Nutrien is in a hot seat because the Saskatchewan and Canadian governments have allowed potash miners to operate a cartel for potash exports.

What has not been revealed is whether BHP will join the cartel when it soon opens the largest potash mine in Saskathewan.