All eyes are on Niagara this week

This week, farmers of all stripes and sectors will be watching for the outcome of the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Agriculture Ministers meetings in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. The last time the Ministers were in Ontario in November 2008, they announced there would be a review of federal business risk management (BRM) programs.

Farmers across the country are sending letters to the editor to various publications calling on the ministers to adopt a working Business Risk Management policy that will allow farm families some stability in an age of declining reference margins and volatile market conditions.

The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA), Ontario Federation of Agriculture, Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario, and other organizations have recently released commentaries calling for the federal government to address safety net issues for farm families across the country.

They echo what thousands of farm families have already been saying: current programs are not working. The federal government has an opportunity to fix the situation by tweaking their recently announced Agricultural Flexibility program, but the tweaks must allow for AgriFlex to be used for business risk management programs, and there must a meaningful investment. Read the full Ontario Corn Producer editorial for more information.

Will Identity Preserved corn ensure eco-friendly ethanol?

Could traceability and identity preservation be the next requirement for ethanol mandates in the U.S.?

Agriculture Online is reporting the Environmental Protection Agency is proposing a system that would guarantee corn for ethanol is coming from existing farmland, thereby ensuring existing biofuels - including corn ethanol and biodiesel - are greener than petroleum.

Market Trends now available via @Agridome

With planting wrapping up across the United States and in Ontario summer weather will surely determine whether we can make up for the very difficult planting conditions we had this year in the Eastern Corn belt. Much of the corn that was planted in Illinois, Indiana and Ohio went in under difficult planting conditions. However, in the western Corn Belt, conditions were close to ideal and ultimate yield will surely depend on how these two areas mesh together at the end of the growing season.

Read more of OCPA's Market Trends or listen to the podcast.

Oxford County research to develop nitrogen management strategy

Most Ontario farmers are quick to point out agriculture’s environmental track record in conversations about the industry’s carbon footprint. Thanks to improved technologies, the proliferation of the Environmental Farm Plan, and smarter, safer crop protection products, agriculture has a good news story to tell.

But corn farming still has room for improvement when it comes to fertilizer use, and research advancements continue to offer guidance on how low inputs can go without compromising yields.

This summer, research is underway in Oxford County to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of innovative nitrogen management practices for crop producers as they relate to reducing nitrate levels in drinking water sources.

Read more from the Woodstock Sentinel-Review

Hellmann's weighs in on eating Canadian

Have you seen the new Hellmann's campaign? They've launched Eat Real. Eat Local.

The campaign is a four-step call to action for consumers.
1. Commit to eating real food
2. Eat seasonally
3. Get your grocer on board
4. Create with local food (recipes)

We'll be watching this campaign to see how far it reaches.

Ontario farmers can now report their acreage online

Ontario farmers can now report their acreage to Agricorp online for most spring-seeded grain and oilseed crops, until June 30. The deadline for reporting is 10 days after seeding is finished, or by June 30.

Complete the online acreage and reporting form here or get more information about reporting acreage.

Grain Farmers of Ontario end national search for CEO

After months of searching the organizations that will become Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO) have hired Barry Senft to lead the transition. GFO is expected to be formed in Fall 2009 through a merger of Ontario Corn Producers' Association (OCPA), Ontario Soybean Growers (OSG), and Ontario Wheat Producers' Marketing Board (OWPMB).

Mr Senft has been the Executive Director of the Canadian International Grains Institute (CIGI) since 2002.