Grain Farmers of Ontario Urges Governments to Protect the Food Security During COVID-19 Crisis

Mar 24, 2020

GUELPH, ON – Grain Farmers of Ontario, the province’s largest commodity organization, representing Ontario’s 28,000 barley, corn, oat, soybean and wheat farmers sees today’s announcement of loan programs and delayed repayment deadlines for farmers as the first step of many that will needed to support farmers and help keep Canada’s food system functional.

Today, the government announced loans for farmers to help with the issues stemming from COVID-19, including an increase to the lending capacity of Farm Credit Canada and additional time to pay back existing advanced payment loans.

“A loan program can only be the first step in support from the government for Ontario’s grain farmers, who are already carrying large amounts of debt. More debt is not the answer and will not help farmers continue to have viable businesses and maintain food production,” said Markus Haerle, Chair, Grain Farmers of Ontario.

On Friday, in collaboration with provincial and national farm groups, Grain Farmers of Ontario asked for additional support.

“Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. Our provincial and federal government need to move quickly on these asks. We need to stabilize the agri-food economy and industry and ensure our food system’s functionality,” Haerle continued.

Source : GFO

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.