From the CEO’s desk – September 2025
From the CEO's desk
Predictably, the biggest challenge for the 2025 crop season has been unpredictability. There are a lot of circumstances outside of a farmer’s control, and even the best crop or marketing plan can be upended when something goes awry.
2025 has been a hallmark year for unpredictability, with variable weather across the province, on-and-off-again tariff threats from the U.S., and lower commodity prices among the challenges.
A cool and wet spring in some areas of the province meant crops were late to get in the ground, while others experienced a particularly dry summer with little rain. As we head into the fall soybean and corn harvest, the weather can make or break the season. The vast variability in conditions across the province makes yield and quality predictions difficult, but we hope that overall, we will see strong returns for farmer-members when the season wraps up.
Business risk management programs—a focus of the Grain Farmers of Ontario’s Board of Directors—are critical supports for farmers when circumstances outside their control, like bad weather or low commodity prices, drive down yield and profit. Production crop insurance and the Ontario Risk Management Program are critically important tools for farmers to help manage the risk that inevitably comes with farming. Other programs such as AgriStability and AgriInvest need major improvements to become effective risk management tools for grain farmers. This is the message that we’ve continued to hammer home with provincial and federal elected officials: when grain farmers grow, Canada grows, and we need the tools and resources to make that happen. Staff and board members are building on relationships with Trevor Jones, provincial minister of agriculture and Heath MacDonald, the federal minister of agriculture, emphasizing how government can best support farmer-members—this is an ongoing priority that has led to a few tallies in the ‘win’ column for the Board, including the $100 million dollar provincial investment in the Risk Management Program (bringing the total annual funding to $250 million).
As I write this in early August, the wheat harvest is well on its way to completion, with early yield and quality reports predicting a successful season. On the ground, Grain Farmers of Ontario staff and Board have been working behind the scenes to promote the quality and sustainability of Ontario grains to longstanding and new customers. While the unpredictability of the world markets and trade relationships continues to pose a challenge, Ontario is well-positioned to take advantage of opportunities to grow and expand our market reach.
While the fall season is inevitably busy for farmers on the farm, we hope to see you at September events, including the Grain Farmers of Ontario AGM on September 9, Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show, and the International Plowing Match in Niagara. And looking ahead in the calendar, mark March 24, 2026, to attend Grain Farmers of Ontario’s March Classic. This is the highlight of the season for the agricultural community, and this year, you won’t want to miss it: we’re heading to the Niagara Falls Convention Centre. A larger venue and new location mean we can grow the event to provide an even greater value to you, the farmer-member. •
