CLINTON, Ont. — An Ontario farmer’s interest in a biomass crop led to a surprising opportunity: pure plastic recycling. Don Nott is now accumulating 1.5 million pounds of polyethylene a year, mainly in the form of bale wrap from dairy farms. According to the Plastics Today website, polyethylene prices recently increased to six cents per […] Read more
Stories by Jeffrey Carter
Farming contributes to Lake Erie algal bloom
Phosphorus causes toxic algae | Heavy rainfalls this year are also blamed for the high volume of contamination
DRESDEN, Ont. — No single farmer can be blamed for this year’s algal blooms in Lake Erie, but as a community, farmers have an impact. The blooms are associated with phosphorus loading, according to Jeffrey Reutter, director for the Center for Lake Erie Area Research. Agriculture represents about two-thirds of the human contribution of the […] Read more
Bag maker counts on ag sector
Lloyd Bag Company | Ontario manufacturer produces bags for feed, seed and food
CHATHAM, Ont. — Attention to detail is essential at Lloyd Bag Company for two reasons. It’s a matter of pride for owner Mark Allott and employees like pressman Carlos Vinagre. It’s also important to the marketing success of the companies buying the polypropylene, cotton, burlap and paper bags the business makes. “We are by far […] Read moreOnt. grows good cucumbers but faces processing challenges
CHATHAM, Ont. — Ontario’s pickling cucumber industry is thriving despite the loss of the last two big pickling facilities in the province. Jeff VanRoboys, owner of The Pickle Station, said the acreage of machine-harvested cucumbers has more than tripled from a year ago and Ontario’s reputation as a premium hand-picked region is growing. “The pickle […] Read more
Vegetable processor to rebuild
DRESDEN, Ont. — Farmers and communities around a vegetable processing plant near Windsor, Ont., breathed a collective sigh of relief after the company announced it will rebuild. Daniel Vielfaure, chief executive officer of Bonduelle North America, said an early morning fire destroyed a large cold storage facility July 18 and caused other damage. He said […] Read more
Colony numbers up, honey production falling
DRESDEN, Ontario — The increase in the number of honeybee colonies in Canada may not be a sign of a healthy industry. Davis Bryans of Munro Honey in Ontario said the higher colony numbers can be linked to an increase in the number of hives split by producers. “People are increasing their numbers trying to […] Read more
Tomato upgrade comes with purple hue
Packed with anthocyans The nutritious purple tomato has been found to have anti-inflammatory properties
RIDGETOWN, Ont. — The search for a healthier processing tomato continues at the University of Guelph’s Ridgetown Campus. Researcher Steven Loewen told a Vegetable Day held on the campus July 17 that he now has a line of purple-skinned tomatoes. Unlike heritage tomatoes, which are often more brown than purple, Loewen said his purple tomato […] Read moreSyngenta deal allows artificial seed technology to proceed
LEAMINGTON, Ont. — The dream of two Ontario entrepreneurs is beginning to bear fruit now that Syngenta has signed a technology use agreement. The Crop Expansion Encapsulation and Drilling System (CEEDS), which was developed by Paul Carver and the late Dean Tiessen at New Energy Farms (NEF), allows material used for vegetative propagation to be […] Read more
Neonicotinoids threaten ecosystem, not just pollinators, warns scientist
DRESDEN, Ont. — A Quebec biologist says the Ontario government took a solid first step in an-nouncing its intention to reduce the use of neonicotinoid insecticides. Madeline Chagnon of Université du Québec is a member of the Task Force on Systemic Pesticides, an international group of more than 50 scientists formed five years ago. Her […] Read more
Naturalized areas support beneficial insects
Avoid fence to fence cropping | Helpful insects feed on other insects that damage crops
RIDGETOWN, Ont. — Farmers like to see an endless carpet of crop, but natural areas need to be part of the mix if they hope to tap into farm-friendly insects. “In order to bolster the population of these insects, it’s important to have some floral diversity,” Ben Phillips, an extension worker at Michigan State University, […] Read more
