Author: Barry Senft

April 2018 - A NEW FEDERAL-PROVINCIAL funding program for agriculture launches this month. The Canadian Agriculture Partnership (CAP) is a five-year, $3 billion commitment to support the agri-food and agri-products sector. Additionally, Ontario signed a bilateral agreement with…

March 2018 - I WAS PLEASED to see great attendance at our January District Meetings this year. It showed that our farmer-members have a significant interest in our organization, the work we are doing on their behalf, and…

February 2018 - ADVANCEMENTS IN CROP management and new seed varieties have helped farmers increase their yields in recent years. We are now growing more grain on less land than ever before. That’s a positive for our industry…

January 2018 - WITH THE LAST election in Ontario almost four years ago, it’s hard to believe that in the short time since, the Canadian government, the U.S. government, and many of the provincial governments across Canada have…

December 2017 - EVERY MONTH, I use this column to share with you my thoughts on issues affecting the agriculture industry. Over the past year, I’ve discussed taxes, relationships with our elected officials, trade negotiations, national partnerships, environmental…

November 2017 - A FAMILY FARM is a business. A farmer is a business person. Therefore, small business tax changes proposed by the federal government will have an impact on farmers. That seems fairly straightforward; but apparently someone…

October 2017 - THEY SAY GOOD news travels fast. When Glen Murray, the now former Ontario minister of environment and climate change, announced his resignation from Cabinet and the legislature this summer it came as a surprise to…

September 2017 - IT’S BEEN A challenging year for many of you and as you begin to reap the rewards of your efforts this harvest season, you want to be sure that you maximize your net returns. You…

August 2017 - CANADA HAS A rich farming history. Whether it was the first French settlers along the St. Lawrence or the homesteaders who populated the Western Prairies, farmers have been instrumental to the development of our country.…

June 2017 - IN A RECENT report by the federal Advisory Council on Economic Growth, chaired by Dominic Barton, agriculture was highlighted as one of the industries that are poised for real significant growth and it was identified…