Emergence in an Ontario soybean field. (File photo by John Greig)

Greig: Late spring planting means more soybeans in Ontario

Ontario farmers are stopped across most of the province as consistently wet weather holds up planting and pushes farmers to plant more soybeans instead of corn. Significantly higher than normal rain in southern Ontario and record rainfall between Toronto and Ottawa mean that near the end of May, corn planting isn’t complete and there remains […] Read more

Michael Brownbridge manages research in horticultural production systems at the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre. (John Greig photo)

Eggplant value chain project replaces most imports

Canadian-grown eggplant and okra have replaced about 800,000 kg of imports over the past several years, creating a research-to-grower-to-market success story. The Vineland Research and Innovation Centre has played a central role helping with research and bringing together the parts of the industry needed to create a food chain success. The eggplant and okra case […] Read more


(Dave Bedard photo)

Sobeys, Safeway parent seeks cost-cutting ‘leverage’

Empire Co., the parent firm for about 1,500 grocery stores across Canada, plans to restructure from a regional to a “largely national” operation cutting $500 million in annual costs by the end of 2020. Nova Scotia-based Empire — whose stores operate under brands including Sobeys, Safeway, IGA, Foodland, FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, and Lawton’s — on […] Read more

Planting in the Delhi region on April 18. (Supplied photos)

Pearce: Rain expected to stall Ontario potato planting progress

Rainfall expected for much of southern Ontario is expected to narrow what’s been a relatively early planting window for Ontario’s potato growers. Two weeks ago, the reports from the Ontario Potato Board were full of warm temperatures and dry soils, and growers, particularly around Leamington and Delhi, took full advantage. One farmer in the Delhi […] Read more


(KraftHeinzCompany.com)

Kraft Heinz profits miss on weak demand in Canada, U.S.

Reuters — Kraft Heinz, North America’s third-largest food and beverage company, reported lower-than-expected quarterly profit and sales, hurt by weak demand in the U.S. and Canada. Shares of the company, which owns brands such as Velveeta cheese and Heinz ketchup, were down nearly three per cent at $86.75 in after-hours trading on Wednesday (all figures […] Read more



Seed potatoes loaded for planting. (File photo by Ralph Pearce)

Southwestern Ontario potato planting underway

Close-to-seasonal temperatures and good planting conditions across parts of southwestern Ontario have growers in the Leamington region planting potatoes. According to Eugenia Banks, a special consultant for the Ontario Potato Board, potato planting began Wednesday morning, ahead of a weather system that’s forecast to dump up to 40 mm of rain by Friday. According to […] Read more

(Scott Bauer photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Ontario tomato farmers to get less on higher yields

The agreement between Ontario growers and tomato processors for the 2017 growing season is expected to drop the price tomato farmers are paid as their yields increase. The agreement, announced last week, maintains the contracted tonnage of 2016 and follows the five-year pricing agreement set by growers and processors last year. Final prices, however, aren’t […] Read more


Jeff Leal, Ontario’s minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs (fourth from left), announced the new Greenhouse Competitiveness and Innovation Initiative at a greenhouse in Bowmanville, Ont. (Photo courtesy OMAFRA)

Ontario greenhouse growers get competitiveness fund

The Ontario government is putting $19 million into a new initiative to support the competitiveness of the greenhouse sector in the province. Provincial Agriculture Minister Jeff Leal announced the funding on Thursday at Link Greenhouse near Bowmanville, just east of Oshawa. The Greenhouse Competitiveness and Innovation Initiative aims to provide funding for the creation of […] Read more

(HeinzItUp.com)

Ontario processing tomato contracts set

An agreement has been reached between growers and processors of Ontario tomatoes for the 2017 growing season, maintaining the 2016 pricing agreement and 2016 contract tonnage. Final prices, however, weren’t released Friday, as they historically have been on the website of the Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers (OPVG). According to the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Processing […] Read more