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Ontario farmers raise concerns of dwindling farmland at rural expo

Several Ontario farmers raised concerns on Tuesday about dwindling farmland across the province as politicians of all stripes gather at an annual rural and agricultural expo.

Ontario politicians descended upon Lindsay, Ont., as part of their yearly pilgrimage to the International Plowing Match.

Several farmers from the Waterloo region said they are concerned with a massive land assembly of prime farmland in the area that is cloaked in non-disclosure agreements and threats of expropriation.

The Region of Waterloo has said it is trying to assemble a supersite in an effort to lure a massive manufacturing plant. The province is funding the land assembly, but has said they do not have any companies lined up for the site.

Alfred Lowrick, who lives next to the target site, said the entire process has shown a lack of respect to farmers, in addition to the threat of losing 770 acres of prime farmland in southwestern Ontario.

"We don't understand why all of a sudden it came out of the blue," said Lowrick, a spokesperson for the grassroots group, Fight for Farmland.

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Do Cold Temps Impact Emerging Corn & Soybeans? | Pioneer Agronomy

Video: Do Cold Temps Impact Emerging Corn & Soybeans? | Pioneer Agronomy

A cold snap swept across west central Minnesota and eastern South Dakota, bringing frost, fog, and temperatures dipping into the 20s—raising urgent questions about early crop damage.

Pioneer Agronomist Eric Rice breaks down what those overnight temperatures could mean for emerged corn and soybeans, how to assess frost injury, and why patience is key before making any replant decisions. Learn the critical differences between corn and soybean growing points, what cosmetic vs. serious damage looks like, and how last week’s high winds may also be influencing what you’re seeing in the field.

Watch for:

• Frost thresholds for early-season crop damage

• Why corn may be more resilient than it looks

• Soybean growth stages and frost susceptibility

• How to evaluate brittle stems and discolored tissue

• Why waiting 4–5 days before assessing stand loss matters

• When to contact your local Pioneer agronomist or sales representative