File photo of laker vessels navigating the Welland Canal. (JonathanNicholls/iStock/Getty Images)

Seaway strike backs up Ontario grain

Prairie grain may follow suit if strike backs up traffic via Thunder Bay, GFO warns

The nature of eastern Canadian grain logistics, and a strike by St. Lawrence Seaway workers who operate the system’s canals, will see cascading impacts across the system if the situation isn’t resolved quickly, according to Crosby Devitt, CEO of Grain Farmers of Ontario. Unifor workers in both Ontario and Quebec walked off the job Sunday […] Read more


A wheat crop in progress on May 24, 2016 north of London, Ont. (Ralph Pearce photo)

Grain Farmers of Ontario to wind down wheat pool

Programs to end after 2020 marketing year

The remnants of Ontario farmers’ former single wheat marketing desk are set to disappear at the end of the 2020 crop marketing year. Grain Farmers of Ontario, which inherited the pooling system from one of its heritage organizations, the Ontario Wheat Producers’ Marketing Board, announced Tuesday it will wind down its wheat pool and its […] Read more

Members of Grain Farmers of Ontario sport a banner outside a provincial cabinet minister’s office in 2015. (File photo by Ralph Pearce)

GFO quits Grain Growers of Canada

Grain Farmers of Ontario flags national group's 'governance' and structure

Grain Farmers of Ontario has dropped out of Grain Growers of Canada. The Ontario organization, which represents about 28,000 barley, corn, oat, soybean and wheat farmers in the province, cited a lack of representation in the national policy group. GFO publicly announced its withdrawal in a news release on Thursday, days after it informed the […] Read more


Barry Senft, shown here at the Ottawa Valley Farm Show in a 2017 GFO video, is stepping down in April as the organization’s chief executive. (GFO video screengrab via YouTube)

Grain Farmers of Ontario seeking new CEO

Ontario’s biggest ag commodity organization is on the hunt for a new CEO as its first chief prepares to exit. Barry Senft announced Tuesday he will step down as CEO of Grain Farmers of Ontario in April 2020, a post he’s held since the 2009 merger of the province’s corn, soy and wheat grower groups […] Read more

About 34 per cent of corn produced in Ontario already goes to ethanol production.  Photo: John Greig

Ontario proposal aims to double ethanol blend in fuel

Government move would boost corn market in the province

An Ontario government proposal could dramatically increase the amount of Ontario corn going into ethanol production and help bring consistency to the basis price for corn in the province. The government has posted its proposal to increase ethanol content in the province’s gasoline from five to 10 per cent to the Environmental Bill of Rights […] Read more



Keith Currie of Collingwood, Ont. has been elected for a one-year term as OFA president. (John Greig photo)

OFA elects new president

Keith Currie is the new president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture , defeating incumbent Don McCabe in an election this week at the farmer organization’s convention. Currie emphasized the need for unity in the agriculture industry during his remarks before the vote. It’s more important than ever for the agriculture industry to work together, […] Read more


Photo: Thinkstock

Ontario soybeans, corn suffer under ‘heat dome’

Commodity News Service Canada – While Saskatchewan and Manitoba farmers wish the rain would go away, some Ontario farmers are wishing it would pour. “We’ll trade some nice, hot, dry, sunny weather for your water and rain,” said Jeff Barlow, a director with Grain Farmers of Ontario who farms in the southern part of the province. […] Read more

A wheat crop in progress on May 24, 2016 north of London, Ont. (Ralph Pearce photo)

Wheat crops excel in Ontario

CNS Canada — Ontario wheat producers are having a great start to the season, with healthy crops doubling in acreage from last year, according to a provincial cereals specialist. “Winter wheat crop this year is looking excellent,” said Joanna Follings, who works for the Ontario ministry of agriculture in Guelph. “We have some disease pressures […] Read more