Author: Barry Senft

April 2017 - WE MIGHT LIKE to think we dodged a bullet when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau solidified Canada’s good standing with the U.S. during his first official meeting with President Donald Trump; but the Trump administration’s performance thus far suggests that we should not take such assurances at face value.

March 2017 - IN JANUARY, GRAIN Farmers of Ontario held its Annual District Grain Committee Meetings. These meetings are an integral part of our organization — they are where your local delegates and directors are elected, where information about the work we do is shared, and where important provincial and local issues are raised by you, our farmer-members. This was our eighth round of meetings, and based on attendance and the feedback we received, I would consider them a success.

February 2017 - ON JANUARY 1, the Ontario government’s Cap and Trade program came into effect and it created yet another new operating environment for grain farmers. Cap and Trade is a system which limits how many tonnes…

January 2017 - GRAIN FARMERS OF ONTARIO strives to have elected representatives who are reflective of our farmer-membership. We’ve made progress, but we still have work to do. Through our Grains in Action program (which takes place every…

December 2016 - CANADA HAS TRADE agreements with more than 50 nations. Ten years ago, you couldn’t open up the newspaper without reading about a new trade deal that was being signed or in the works. Open markets…

November 2016 - IN THE BUSINESS world, mergers and acquisitions can change the face of an industry. This year alone, several deals have been announced or are rumoured to be in the works. In the beverage industry, Anheuser-Busch…

October 2016 - GRAIN FARMERS OF ONTARIO’S Board of Directors implemented a new strategic plan at a planning meeting and Board meeting in September. Creating and regularly reviewing a strategic plan is a fundamental business practice that ensures…

September 2016 - IT’S AMAZING HOW much our lives revolve around the weather. What we do, what we wear, how and when we travel is all affected by the weather. Farmers tend to be influenced by the weather…

August 2016 - FARMERS IN ONTARIO are early adopters of new technology. Access to precision farming tools has lowered input costs, new chemistry has improved yields, and advancements in breeding and genetics has produced crops with the characteristics…

June 2016 - SAYING IT’S BEEN a challenging planting season for grain farmers across the province would be an understatement. I can’t count how many stories we’ve heard across the countryside of farmers struggling with issues with the…