On this episode of The Agronomists, your host Lyndsey Smith is joined by Kim Brown of Manitoba Agriculture and Peter Sikkema, professor emeritus of the University of Guelph-Ridgetown, to discuss yield loss, time and effort spent on dealing with herbicide resistant weeds, and, of course, the mounting costs of different or more products required to... Read More
Category: Eastern Canada
The public comment period for the draft Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Beef Cattle has opened. Stakeholders, including producers, consumers, and others with an interest in the welfare of beef cattle, are invited to review the draft Code and provide input that will inform the final version, recognizing that perspectives and... Read More
Drew and Heather Spoelstra of Binbrook, Ont., have been named Ontario’s Outstanding Young Farmers (OYF) for 2026, following the regional competition held April 7 to 9 in St. Jacobs, Ont. Based at Binbrook, the Spoelstras operate Roy-A-Lea Farms Ltd., a diversified family farm producing grains, hay, dairy, and beef. Heather Spoelstra leads the Roy-A-Lea Clydesdales... Read More
Technology promises sharper insights in livestock production, but the real shift is happening in how data is used to guide everyday decisions at the herd level. In this episode of Bushels and Bytes, Shaun Haney speaks with Dr. Calvin Booker of Telus Agriculture and Consumer Goods about the evolution from individual animal care to managing... Read More
By Margaret Zafiriou This past year has been one for the books – such a lot has changed from a year ago. These dramatic changes have had repercussions for Ontario consumers, the economy, and for the province’s agriculture and agri-food sector. Record high population growth, lack of housing affordability and food security concerns, on top... Read More
By Cam Dahl "Agriculture and food production in Canada can be key in mitigating these threats. To seize the opportunity, we need to present governments with united and consistent policy solutions." A former boss of mine told me something that has stuck with me for 25 years: “Often you have a choice between being seen... Read More
With the farm economy dealing with weak fundamentals in 2026, there were plenty who were waiting to see the Farm Credit Canada 2025 Land Value report released this week. In this interview with JP Gervais of FCC, Gervais highlights that the national average of farmland value increase was 9.3%, which was the same as the... Read More
Canada’s ethanol industry is facing a competitiveness challenge just as biofuel policy is meant to drive growth, raising questions about whether domestic production can keep pace with rising demand. In this interview, Shaun Haney speaks with Deb Conlon, director of government relations with the Grain Farmers of Ontario, about the role ethanol plays in the... Read More
It’s another week of wild weather swings across Ontario, and Peter "Wheat Pete" Johnson is leaning into what that means for both risk and opportunity heading into Plant 2026. From frost seeding oats and early sulphur applications to concerns about winter injury and fertilizer handling, there’s plenty to unpack. This episode also covers practical watch-outs... Read More
On this episode of The Agronomists, your host Lyndsey Smith is joined by Karl Wyant of Nutrien and Henry Prinzen of Maizex to talk about sulphur, the increasing evidence for sulphur additions in crop rotations, the specific instances where sulphur shines in soybeans and its perhaps surprising impact on SDS. The Agronomists is brought to... Read More