Agri-Food Strongest Growth Sector for Hamilton Port

Feb 03, 2023

Agri-food commodities are accounting for an increasing volume of shipments through the Hamilton port.

The Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority (HOPA) reported this week that agri-food commodities made up fully one-third of the 9.8 million tonnes of total cargo that transited the Hamilton port in the 2022 shipping season. Specifically, the port handled more than 1 million tonnes of soybeans and 1.5 million tonnes of wheat and corn, in addition to receiving the most raw sugar ever in Hamilton, 85,000 tonnes, destined for refining and use by food manufacturers in the region.

“We know that food security at home and abroad is a major concern. We’re proud of our port partners who are manufacturing essential products like sugar, flour and cooking oil for use locally, as well as our export terminals who are delivering high-quality Ontario-grown grain around the world,” said Ian Hamilton, President and CEO of HOPA Ports.

On the other hand, the conflict in Ukraine had a negative impact on the port’s fertilizer trade, since traditionally most of the urea-based fertilizer used on Ontario farms originates in the Baltic region. As Canadian importers sought out new fertilizer sources to avoid tariffs, the total amount transiting the Ports of Hamilton and Oshawa combined declined by 25% from 2021.

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Video: Winter Canola Trial in Mississippi | Can It Work for Double Cropping? | Pioneer Agronomy

Can winter canola open new opportunities for growers in the Mid-South? In this agronomy update from Noxubee County, Mississippi, Pioneer agronomist Gus Eifling shares an early look at a first-year winter canola trial and what farmers are learning from the field.

Planted in late October on 30-inch rows, the crop is now entering the bloom stage and progressing quickly. In this video, we walk through current field conditions, fertility management, and how timing could make this crop a valuable option for double-cropping soybeans or cotton.

If harvest timing lines up with early May, growers may be able to transition directly into another crop during ideal planting windows. Ongoing field trials will help determine whether canola could become a viable rotational option for the region.

Watch for:

How winter canola is performing in its first season in this Mississippi field

Why growers chose 30-inch rows for this trial

What the crop looks like as it moves from bolting into bloom

Fertility strategy, including nitrogen and sulfur applications

How canola harvest timing could enable double-cropping with soybeans or cotton

Upcoming trials comparing soybeans after canola vs. traditional planting

As more growers look for ways to maximize acres and diversify rotations, experiments like this help determine what new crops might fit into existing systems.