Better Farming

Friday, May 22, 2026 Water stewardship at Topsy Farms By Jeanine Moyer On the west end of Amherst Island near Stella, Jacob Murray is reshaping the landscape at Topsy Farms with a clear goal in mind: improve how water is managed on the farm while strengthening the land for the long term.

BASF Agricultural Solutions Canada is celebrating five years of the BASF Safety Scouts program, an initiative designed to help farm families teach children about farm safety in a fun and engaging way. Since its launch in 2021, the program has supported safe learning by providing free... Read this article online

Friday, May 22, 2026 Northern producers want their voices heard in modernized VAP By Emily McKinlay Rural Ontario continues to struggle with the shortage of large-animal veterinarians. The Veterinary Assistance Program (VAP) was started in 1945 to support veterinarian access for livestock farmers in rural and northern communities. In February, the Ontario government announced its first steps toward modernizing VAP.

Friday, May 22, 2026 Knowing what’s going on in your fields supports better management decisions By Emily McKinlay Even with the ever-expanding market for crop-management technology, nothing can replace having boots on the ground and eyes on your crop. Scouting crops is one of the easiest ways for producers to fine-tune their input timing, while keeping up on weed and pest management.

Friday, May 22, 2026 How a land survey helps farmers protect acres & plan ahead By Mary Loggan A land survey could matter long before there is a fence dispute or a lawyer’s letter. It confirms how many acres you own, where your boundaries lie, whether tile drainage, buildings or fences sit on your land or the neighbours’, and what easements or rights of way affect how you can use the property.

Friday, May 22, 2026 Research is helping fine tune rates, timing & placement to achieve higher canola yields By Mary Loggan Nitrogen underpins canola yield, quality and profitability, but it is also one of the most difficult nutrients to manage. Soil behaviour, weather, timing and placement all influence how much of the fertilizer growers pay for reaches the crop.

Tuesday, April 21, 2026 By Emily McKinlay The Government of Canada has moved Alto — a proposed high-speed passenger rail network between Toronto and Quebec City — into its development and pre-construction phase, with work not expected to begin until around 2029.

Tuesday, April 21, 2026 By Emily McKinlay Improving efficiency is a shared goal across the egg sector as producers look to cut costs and shrink their environmental footprint. One emerging opportunity is to keep laying hens productive for longer, says Martine Bourgeois, technology transfer manager of poultry technology application at Trouw Nutrition. Traditionally, Canadian egg producers have planned their farm operations around a scheduled 52 weeks of lay, or 71 weeks of life, for their hens.

Tuesday, April 21, 2026 Peggy Brekveld on embracing yourself as a leader The following is adapted from a recent address by Peggy Brekveld to OMAFA’s Program Analytics and Reporting Unit, delivered as part of events marking the United Nation’s International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026. My mom is happiest with her animals.

Tuesday, April 21, 2026 Ken Currah on staying ahead of insects, weeds & diseases By Mary Loggan Ontario growers know that pest threats can quickly reduce crop yields and quality if not spotted and managed early. Better Farming recently connected with Ken Currah, Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) and senior territory representative (London–Niagara) with BASF, to identify the top insects, weeds, and diseases likely to appear in Ontario fields this year, and the most practical ways to keep them in check.