Crispin Colvin, a beef farmer from Thorndale, has been named to a two-year term on the Ontario Agriculture Appeal Tribunal.
Earlier this year he was re-elected a director of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture.
He owns Torodin Farm and is also the former mayor of Thames Centre. He has served as chairman of Farm and Food Care Ontario.
Agropur reported sales increased two per cent and profit by 12.6 per cent last year.
Sales were $8.9 billion and profit $686.4 million.
The cooperative gave its members $70 million in patronage dividends.
Royal Bank said in the past five years, growth funding for agriculture has dwindled and isn’t getting a fair share of investment from funds such as go pension plans.
The bank said agriculture and food sectors can help Canada accomplish some of its goal of attracting $1 trillion in investment over five years, but the recent track record of growth funding has been poor.
Growth capital is needed by companies at the stage when they are operational and need to scale to be successful.
That’s often when the most funding is needed and is beyond the ability of venture capital funds and smaller funders to provide.
“In the Canadian context, a lot of where that money is coming from would be in the early stage,” said Lisa Ashton, agriculture and nature policy lead with RBC Thought Leadership.
Royal Bank is Canada's largest bank and ought to look in a mirror when it issues reports such as this one.
Gleaners follow in fields and orchards that have been commercially harvested, picking up leftover produce that is suitable food.
The gleaned food goes to soup kitchens, food banks and community meal programs.
The successful applicant will be a community-focused partner who will work with local farmers and coordinate volunteers for gleaning activities.
A total of $25,000 worth of funding is available, and applications will be accepted until April 1.
Federal government budget cuts are putting Canada’s wheat breeding programs at risk, said the Canadian Wheat Research Coalition in its review of the Canadian wheat breeding innovation system.
It said the budget cuts the government has already made are especially risky for “the variety development and pre-market evaluation stages.”
And it said federal government agriculture wheat research “is an integral part” of wheat development.
“Wheat breeding is a long-term process and decisions made today will impact agriculture decades into the future,” and coalition’s report said.
“It’s clear that the status quo is not a viable path forward,” says CWRC chair Jocelyn Velestuk, the coalition’s chair and a farmer from Broadview, Saskatchewan.
“Our system has been incredibly productive for farmers and for the sector but it’s no longer working. Securing the future of wheat in Canada requires a reimagining of our wheat breeding innovation system,” she said.
Historically, farmer investment in wheat breeding has paid major dividends. Farmers received $33 in benefits for every dollar they invested in wheat breeding from 1995 to 2020, according to a recent study from the University of Saskatchewan. Since 2020, the coalition has committed $70.5 million to western Canadian wheat breeding programs.
“Western Canadian farmers are invested in the future of wheat breeding in Canada,” Velestuk said. “We must create a path forward that addresses research gaps, delivers field-ready varieties and protects our long-term investments.”
I wonder how the return on federal subsidies compares with the research benefits. And why farm organizations lobby so hard for the subsidies and say so little about research budget cuts.
Swine Health Ontario reported an outbreak of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus at a hog finishing barn in Perth County.
Farmers for Free Trade is pushing back on United States President Donald Trump’s musings that separate trade deals with Canada and Mexico might be better than the Canada-U.S-Mexico (CUSMA) agreement which is up for review beginning in July.
Farmers for Free Trade is an umbrella organization for U.S. farmers.
Speaking on “AgriTalk” from the Commodity Classic meeting, Farmers for Free Trade executive director Brian Kuehle said renewing and strengthening the CUSMA is one of the most important trade priorities facing the Trump administration.
At the same time, Trump’s chief negotiator said any new deal will include tariffs.
Ontario is twigging its Veterinary Assistance Program to include registered veterinary technicians and telemedicine services beginning April 1.
Northern Economic Development and Growth Minister George Pirie said the redesign is an important first step in strengthening the program.
There is a nine per cent increase in call rates and a 30-cents-per kilometre increase in travel allowances. Coverage is extended to telemedicine.
Bees and fish are also added to coverage.
Jason Leblond, president of Beef Farmers of Ontario, said the extensions are a critical step toward bridging the gap in ensuring beef farmers have reliable access to critical veterinary care services.
“For our sector to thrive, beef farmers need access to large animal veterinary care,” he said. “Ensuring access to veterinary services for beef farmers across Northern Ontario and other rural regions of the province has been a top priority for our association.”
Elise Wickett, Ontario Association of Registered Veterinary Technicians, said covering registered veterinary technicians’ call travel costs and telemedicine will be particularly impactful for Northern Ontario.
Loblaws reported fourth-quarter profits of $646 million compared with $462 million for the same quarter last year.
But same-store sales inched up by only 1.5 per cent, far less than the rate of food inflation.
Yet Loblaws’ revenues increased from $14.78 billon to $16.38 billion for the quarter because it opened scores of new discount stores such as No Frills.
A team of four European researchers has found that containing organic acids and essential oils in capsules can control Salmonella bacteria that threaten piglets at weaning.
The capsules could replace antibiotics.
inclusion level of two kilograms per tonne of feed significantly reduced Salmonella Typhimurium after five minutes they found. This observed similar results with other serovars of Salmonella and E. coli.
The capsules carry the contents deeper into the piglets' guts.
The research was reported on the pig333.com website.
Another report on the website said tannic acid added to rations for early-weaned piglets could also reduce bacterial diseases and improve feed efficiency and rate of gain.
He said public perceptions have been slanted towards losses of efficiency, higher food prices, entitled farmers and akwardness in Canadian foreign policy and trade.
“But we did not just fall into supply management. Supply management presented a bold intervention to address a range of market distortions and failures,” he wrote.
It was iinitially controversial among those most directly impacted, and challenging to carry out. As with any regulation, its impact should be understood and evaluated in the context of market failures and distortions it was developed as a mechanism to address and on relative rather than absolute merits,” he wrote in a paper published by Agri-Food Economic Systems.
He said the context leading up to supply management was strong demand for cheese and dairy products for England fighting a war, but when the war ended, so did export contracts and the Canadian market was left with more than could be sold at prices that covered milk production costs.
At the same time, technologies such as artificial insemination and continuous butter churns were unsettling the industry.
Most farms were small and diverse, so there was little incentive to stop keeping a few milk cows. But with processors consolidating into larger facilities with modern technology, the balance of market power shifted against farmers.
Fluid milk processors favoured larger-scale farms close to their processing plant, leaving smaller-scale farmers in remote areas at a distinct disadvantage.
The government offered support prices for butter and skim milk powder, imposed tariff protections and export subsidies.
Although Mussel does not mention it, the costs of this dairy policy bothered the federal politicians who were ready for new ideas, such as supply management. They could also see the benefits that farmers contracted to fluid milk processors enjoyed because they provided a steady volume of high-quality milk in all seasons – i.e. supply management.
The egg, chicken and turkey farmers noticed how well supply management worked for dairy farmers and lobbied for similar supply management.
Mussels’ paper delves into economic models to illustrate how the system can distort markets and he also examines the impact of recent developments such as lower-cost cheese production and the split in the chicken market between dark and white meats.
While it’s tempting to believe that the trends to larger-scale and better-managed farms and new technologies should make supply management no longer necessary, Mussel notes that there are significant risks.
The farms and processing plants in the United States are much larger and could swamp the Canadian market.
On the other hand, anything that wipes out the large operations – eg. a contaminated ingredient in infant formulas or highly-pathogenic avian influenza wiping out multi-million-bird farms is disruptive to markets.
In conclusion, Mussel wrote that “a better understanding of the purpose of supply managed systems in Canada, designed to solve critical
and persistent economic problems in agricultural, marketing, should facilitate a more balanced view.
"The threats of legacy economic problems, now well over 50 years old, have not disappeared- they can come back.
“We cannot simply trade the system away, nor chip away at its institutions, without also forgoing its benefits- in
terms of persistent problems resolved- and without incurring unknown costs to replace it with alternative policy measures with unknown efficacy.”
Federal Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald is justifying his announcement that seven federal agriculture research stations will be closed because they cost too much money to maintain.
He said in some cases 45 per cent of the station budget goes into maintaining facilities, leaving only 55 per cent for research.
“The operational cost of these facilities is something that our government of the past, the opposition government of the past, really let get out of hand,” he said during testimony at the House of Commons agriculture committee earlier this month.
“We have almost $700 million in deferred maintenance sitting on the books. Now you’re getting close to $1 billion.”
The food research center at Guelph that was opened in 1997 and employs 16 PhD researchers is scheduled for closure.
Its research mainly deals with food safety and food ingredients that improve health.
I wonder if MacDonald understands that centre's research is and how he justifies that closure.
Swine Health Ontario reported an outbreak of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) virus at a hog finishing barn in Huron County.
Bel’s cheese plant at Sorel-Tracy, Que., aims to reduce carbon emissions by 35 per cent within five years.
Its plan includes 34 dairy farms which will receive plans for their farms.
Its news release came just as the United States and Indonesia signed a trade agreement.
For beef, the policy change allows imports of bone-in beef cuts; previously beef imports were restricted to boneless beef. The country will also be open to beef offals.
“A market of almost 300 million people is obviously an important one for Canadian producers. That’s why this step in diversifying Canada’s pork export markets is so crucial,” said Canadian Pork Council chairman René Roy.
Sunterra Farms of Alberta has filed an appeal against convictions for cheque kiting.
U.S. Justice Michael Lena wrote in his January decision that “I find that Sunterra Canada made false representations knowingly, intending that they be relied on, which (lender0 Compeer (Financia) did rely on, suffering the noted losses.”
Compeer petitioned Sunterra’s businesses into bankruptcy and sold them to Tyson Foods.
The Canadian operation is seeking protection from creditors under federal legislation.
President Ray Price and two other employees had been named in the suit, but Lema found only the Price liable, saying he directed and oversaw the fraud.
The appeal documents say that Lema found Price liable without finding evidence of personal gain.
They say that conclusion was based on common sense inference rather than the legal test for fraudulent misrepresentation.
As well, the documents suggest the cause of Compeer’s loss was the wrongful retraction of cheques between the lenders.
Imported Kendamil infant formula is under recall.
Swine Health Ontario reports an outbreak of porcine deltacoronavus at a finisher barn in Huron County.
The United State. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that President Donald Trump lacked the authority to impose sweeping global tariffs under a 1977 emergency powers law, reinforcing Congress’ constitutional role over tariffs.
In a majority opinion written by Chief Justice John Roberts, the court held that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not grant the president unilateral authority to levy broad, indefinite tariffs on nearly all U.S. trading partners.
Trump used the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose a 10 per cent global tariff and higher “reciprocal” tariffs on certain nations after declaring the U.S. trade deficit a national emergency.
The Constitution assigns the power to set tariffs to Congress, while IEEPA authorizes the president to “regulate” imports and exports in response to an “unusual and extraordinary threat.”
The law does not specifically mention tariffs — an omission that proved central to the dispute.
The decision has only a minor impact on Canadian exports, most of them exempted because they are covered by the Canada-United States-Mexico (CUSMA) free trade agreement.
Nestlé is preparing to separate its global ice cream business, marking a significant strategic change for one of the world’s largest dairy and food manufacturers.
Will and Tara MacArthur of MacArthur Farms have been named the 2026 Ontario recipients of The Environmental Stewardship Award (TESA), sponsored by RBC Royal Bank and organized by Beef Farmers of Ontario.
Robert and Emily McKinlay of Silver Springs Farmn near Ravenna are the recipients of the 2026 Ontario Pasture Award.
In recognition of their environmental improvements and exceptional pasture management, the McKinlays received a $500 cash award and a bag of forage seed courtesy of DLF.
The MacArthurs manage approximately 100 cow-calf pairs, 40 replacement heifers and 20 steers on 220 acres which they manage with rotational grazing and another 250 acres dedicated to grazing.
More than two kilometres of streams and drainage ditches have been fenced to prevent livestock access, helping to safeguard water quality.
Water lines have been installed in every paddock to ensure consistent access while minimizing nutrient concentration in any one area.
On their crop acres, the MacArthurs implement reduced tillage practices and follow 4R Nutrient Stewardship principles to optimize fertilizer efficiency and enhance soil health.
Robert McKinlay farms with his parents, James and Joan McKinlay, and they manage a beef and cash crop farm with approximately 200 cow-calf pairs on 2,500 acres near Ravenna, as well as 120 cow-calf pairs on 800 acres on Manitoulin Island.
They family operate distinct herds at the two locations.
They sell about 30 bulls and 100 bred heifers a year.
The operation transitioned in the 1990s from Fleckvieh genetics to a Red Angus/Simmental-based herd to better align with evolving market demands.
Now the Manitoulin location is primarily focused on the crossbred herd and supports a strong regional heifer market.
A commitment to land stewardship and forage excellence underpins both locations.
The northern farm rotates cash crops with about 300 acres of pasture.
The Ravenna-area farm maintains about 500 acres of pasture and uses double-cut red clover frost seeding to enhance pasture density, productivity and longevity.
A select group of bred heifers is also pastured at the southern farm.
Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) virus has broken out in two barns in Huron County, one a nursery-to-finish operation, the other a finishing barn.
PED has also broke out in a finisher barn in Golden Horseshoe reported Swine Health Ontario.
It has already paid $10 billion to settle previous lawsuits.
This offer which will be presented to a court in Missouri is to be paid out over 21 years to about 65,000 people.
The deal would cover all future claims for Roundup-related compensation.
The company has steadfastly maintained Roundup is safe when used as directed. The lawsuits claim it may cause non-Hodgkin lymphoma which is a form of blood cancer.
While overall inflation held to 2.3 per cent in January, food prices shot up by 7.6 per cent.
Restaurant meals cost 12.3 per cent more than a year ago.
The news comes days after the federal government announced it will bring in the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit program in July It will increase the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Credit by 25 per cent and give it the new name.
The National Farmers Union wants Canada to stop trade with Israel because of its ongoing attacks on Palestinians.
It has written to Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand asking for a suspension of the free trade deal and for a two-way embargo on arms meaning no more sales to Israel and no more arms purchases from Israel.
Its action flows from a resolution passed at its annual meeting calling for the NFU to join the global movement of Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions.
The NFU said “we have begun conducting an audit of our investments and relationships with Canadian and international businesses that benefit from the ongoing genocide and illegal occupation of Palestine.
“We are developing resources to share with our membership to implement BDS on their farms and in their households and communities.”
CoBank is predicting farmers will plant more land to soybeans and less to corn, wheat grain sorghum, cotton and rice this year.
It said the shift is prompted by low prices and high costs.
Tanner Ehmke, lead grains and oilseeds economist with CoBank, said soybeans offer better profit potential than the other crops.
Corn acreage will decline by 4.8 per cent and the combination of all wheats by one per cent.
The United States Department of Agriculture has implemented new regulations which lift restrictions on line speeds at pork processing plants.
There have been limits since a court ruling in 2021.
Since then only some plants have been allowed to operate faster line speeds under close supervision.
The Meat Institute said plant employees in swine slaughter establishments conduct manual sorting activities to remove defects in carcasses and parts prior to FSIS (Food Safety and Inspection Service) inspection, making inspection more efficient. Critically, FSIS inspects 100 per cent of live animals prior to slaughter and all carcasses after slaughter in all regulated facilities., including allowing staff to cut away portions from carcasses before they are presented for inspectors’ scrutiny.”
“With this long overdue regulatory certainty, our member companies can invest in their operations to continue growth of the processing sector which benefits the consumer with more affordable and nutritious food,” said the Meat Institute.
Willow Creek Colony in Manitoba has won an appeal against a $40,000 fine levied by Health Canada.
Emily Crocco, chair of the Canada Agricultural Review Tribunal, found that Health Canada inspectors lacked proof that the pest control products found on the colony’s 6,000-acre property was owned and placed by any of the 150 members of the colony.
Because the public had access to the road where the bait was found, it could have been anyone other than a colony member who put it there.
The colony said it would not be likely to put it there because it would poison the colony’s bees and contaminate the canola crop which their children eat.
Health Canada laid charges after it found carbofuran and chlorpyrifos bait and dead animals that later tested positive with the poison bait.
But a search of multiple colony buildings did not find any of the poison products.
The Health Canada investigation began after Manitoba’s Department of Natural Resources and Indigenous Futures found several dead wildlife animals on colony property. There had been wildlife damage to colony crops.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has lifted a quarantine in an area in Strathroy-Caradoc municipality where a turkey flock was hit by highly-pathogenic avian influenza. It’s the second quarantine zone in the area of turkey farms that has been lifted.
Moonfleet Poultry Inc. of Harriston has notched another appeal tribunal victory over the Canadian Food Inspection Agency which was trying to impose a $10.000 fine.
Patrician Farnese of the Canada Agricultural Review Tribunal ruled that a chicken that died on route to the slaughter plant could have suffered because of a number of causes besides a damaged crate cited by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
There was a two-hour delay on the trip to the packing plant because of a mechanical breakdown.
Moonfleet handled loading of 5488 chickens into 784 crates.
Laplante Poultry Farms Inc. handled the transportation.
Moonfleet won two tribunal victories against the. Canadian Food Inspection Agency in October.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has scrapped its vehicle emissions standards and a 2009 study that outlined the dangers the emissions pose.
Lee Zeldin , head of the EPA, called it the “single largest deregulatory action in U.S. history” and said it will save consumers $1.3 trillion.
EPA is eliminating both the 2009 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Endangerment Finding and all subsequent federal GHG emission standards for all vehicles and engines of model years 2012 to 2027 and beyond. The action also eliminates all off-cycle credits, including for the start-stop feature.
“EPA’s historic move restores consumer choice, makes more affordable vehicles available for American families, and decreases the cost of living on all products by lowering the cost of trucks,” EPA said in a release.
Former President Barack Obama said the announcement means “we’ll be less safe, less healthy and less able to fight climate change — all so the fossil fuel industry can make even more money.”
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has scrapped its vehicle emissions standards and a 2009 study that outlined the dangers the emissions pose.
Lee Zeldin , head of the EPA, called it the “single largest deregulatory action in U.S. history” and said it will save consumers $1.3 trillion.
EPA is eliminating both the 2009 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Endangerment Finding and all subsequent federal GHG emission standards for all vehicles and engines of model years 2012 to 2027 and beyond. The action also eliminates all off-cycle credits, including for the start-stop feature.
“EPA’s historic move restores consumer choice, makes more affordable vehicles available for American families, and decreases the cost of living on all products by lowering the cost of trucks,” EPA said in a release.
Former President Barack Obama said the announcement means “we’ll be less safe, less healthy and less able to fight climate change — all so the fossil fuel industry can make even more money.”
Meanwhile, an audit in Canada said governments last year missed every emissions-reduction goal they announced.
The new boss for Kraft-Heinz has shelved plans to split the company and is instead implementing a plan he hopes will fix it.
Chief executive officer Steve Cahillane took over in January and said he believes many of its problems can be fixed.
“My number one priority is returning the business to profitable growth, which will require ensuring all resources are fully focused on the execution of our operating plan. As a result, we believe it is prudent to pause work related to the separation, and we will no longer incur related dis-synergies this year.”
The previous plan was to spin off some businesses, including Oscar Meyer and its lunchables brand,
He will invest $600 million across marketing, sales and research and development.
Ten years ago Kraft and Heinz were merged for $46 billion.
But then U.S. sales declined and it took writedowns on several iconic brands including Oscar Mayer.
The company has now reported fourth-quarter earnings that were down by nearly 60 per cent and sales down by 3.4 per cent.
Warren Buffet orchestrated the merger in which he holds controlling interest, but turned over management to partner 3G Capital from Brazil which had a track record or cutting costs immediately after purchasing a company. That would boost short-term profits, but then result in a decline in sales.
Tim Horton’s chain is another of its acquisitions and there, too, the leaders from Brazil cut costs by dismissing a majority of its top and mid-level managers.
Its Restaurant Brands Inc. also owns Burger King, Popeye’s and YUM! Brands which in turn owns KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut.
There have been outbreaks of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus in finisher bans in Huron County and Haldimand-Norfolk and of porcine deltacoronavirus in a finisher barn in Huron County, reported Swine Health Ontario.
Milk marketing boards in Eastern Canada have announced another adjustment in milk pricing to favour protein and discourage fat.
This change is to take effect on April 1. A similar adjustment came into effect Jan. 1.
The Ontario milk marketing board said the April 1 change increases the price for SNF (solids, not fat) by $2 and reduces the price for butterfat by $1.80.
The Jan. 1 change had little impact, but after April 1 observers said they expect dairy farmers will react by changing rations.
A group of 40 leading agricultural organizations in the United States has told U.S. President Donald Trump that it wants the free trade deal with Canada and Mexico to continue.
The group representing farmers, ranchers, food producers and processors has launched what it calls the Agricultural Coalition for USMCA (the American acronym for the three-way trade deal).
The campaign, which includes advertising, research and lobbying, puts a heavy emphasis on how the agreement has boosted jobs and revenue in the U.S. agriculture industry. The targets include members of Congress, senior White House officials and U.S. President Donald Trump.
However, the U.S. dairy industry continues to lobby for changes in trade with Canada, including administration of tariff-reduced permits so they no longer go mainly to Canadian dairy processing companies and curbs on Canadian exports of milk ingredients at reduced prices.
On another front, Congress passed a bill calling for an end to some of Trump’s tariffs on Canada.
It means little because it would need approval from the Senate and then Trump’s signature. If he refuses to sign, it would need two-thirds majorities in the House and Senate to become law.
Farm Credit Canada has lined up 20 investors to support innovators.
FCC is putting up $325 million in new capital this fiscal year, the lender said in a news release. The 20 investors will be partners.
It said the cash will “bring new innovation to Canadian farmers through investments in innovative Canadian businesses, construction and project finance opportunities, and early-stage ag-tech companies.”
Last year it said it will offer $2 billion for investments over five years into agriculture technology innovation.
Alberta judge had harsh words for Sunterra Farms Ltd. for kiting cheques between its Alberta and United States hog businesses, resulting in $35 million in losses for lender Compeer Financial PCA.
He also found president Ray Price guilty.
In a Thursday statement, Price said, “I want to be very clear about one thing: at no time did I personally benefit from the matters currently before the court, nor was there ever any intention to do so.”
All decisions, he said, were made “with the goal of sustaining the business, protecting employees and preserving a food system that supports thousands of Canadian and U.S. families.
“There were no hidden accounts, no personal enrichment and no diversion of funds for individual use.
"Any suggestion otherwise fundamentally misrepresents who I am and how I have conducted myself throughout my career,” Price said.
For a short time Sunterra owned a hog-packing plant in Clinton which was started by the Terpstra family which declared it bankrupt.
Federal Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald announced $75 million will be on offer over five years to small and medium-sized food and fisheries businesses to seek new export markets.
The money goes to two programs announced in 2023 when $125 million was offered.
MacDonald made the announcement at an annual policy breakfast hosted by Food and Beverage Canada on the national Agriculture Day.
MacDonald said commodities affected by trade barriers will get priority: canola, pulses, pork, fish and seafoods.
The two programs are the AgriMarketing and Market Diversification for National Industry and the Market Diversification for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises.
He defended closing 17 research facilities.
Closing the facilities was a matter of aligning and co-ordinating the federal food strategy, he said.
A number of the centres were operating with overhead and maintenance costs of 50 to 60 per cent, he said, and others were conducting research no longer in line with Ottawa’s vision for Canadian agriculture, such as deforestation.
“I’ll put it bluntly,” he said. “The mandate we ran on was spend less and invest more. This is spending less on infrastructure and more in science and research.”