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6 days ago | 
farmtario.com | Matt McIntosh
Grain traders have a lot to contend with right now. From European sustainability requirements to tariffs and other reverberating impacts from Donald Trump’s trade wars, price volatility and uncertain access to long-establishment markets are a reality. Why it matters: A decrease in available containers is the biggest risk facing the food grade soybean market right now. The situation report for Identity Preservation and food grade soybeans, however, appears comparatively stable – for now.
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1 week ago | 
ontariograinfarmer.ca | Matt McIntosh
European Union legislation is taking aim at deforestation and biodiversity destruction by imposing import restrictions on grain grown on recently cleared land. A concern for grain exporters in Brazil and other regions of the globe, experts suggest Ontario grain growers and sellers have comparatively little to fear.
Logistical and transparency complications, as well as impacts on newly arable areas in Ontario’s northern farming regions, however, are a reality.
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3 weeks ago | 
farmtario.com | Matt McIntosh
Plant 2025 has begun, but conditions across the province vary considerably. As of May 9, some areas have seen significant acres prepped and planted. Others have not, with wide-ranging temperatures and intermittent rain events contributing to a typically varied Ontario spring.
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1 month ago | 
farmtario.com | Matt McIntosh
“I work in climate.”This statement, or something very similar, was communicated to me by several different people attending a recent Earth Day event in Toronto. I was at the event – hosted by an environment-focused community group — to speak about regenerative agriculture. It was an interesting experience for someone who has not had regular opportunities to share the complexities of farming with non-farming audiences. The group was welcoming, and seemed to appreciate my anecdotes from farm county.
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1 month ago | 
topcropmanager.com | Matt McIntosh
University of Guelph researchers developing bacteria that seek-and-destroy Fusarium and DON. May 5, 2025 By Matt McIntoshInterest and investment in biological crop protection and fertility products has increased dramatically in recent years, but consistent and measurable benefits from such products remain largely elusive.
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1 month ago | 
farmtario.com | Matt McIntosh
Carbon offsets, tree planting, and other green initiatives are now significant contributors to the consolidation of farmland and displacement of farmers around the globe, according to a report from agriculture and environmental think-tank International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES). WHY IT MATTERS: The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization says that 20 per cent of large-scale land deals around the globe are the result of green grabbing.
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1 month ago | 
topcropmanager.com | Matt McIntosh
Removing disease from the field is not possible once established. April 21, 2025 By Matt McIntoshClubroot is coming - and Ontario canola growers ought to take notice. So says Meghan Moran, canola and edible bean specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness. While the pathogen has long been a part of canola production in Western Canada, it does not pick sides.
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2 months ago | 
farmtario.com | Matt McIntosh
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the pandemic and other geopolitical developments prompted Ontario policymakers and agribusinesses to invest in domestic fertilizer production — particularly the production of nitrogen. Why it matters: Increasing domestic fertilizer production would help protect producers and retailers from supply chain shocks. But several years after the onset of such tumultuous events, logistic and economic challenges continue to hamper the domestic production of core fertilizers.
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2 months ago | 
ontariograinfarmer.ca | Matt McIntosh
Insurance limitations, onerous safety regulations, and driver shortages—these are some of the factors that have been increasingly troubling for grain growers in need of efficient trucking services. Here, stakeholders in Ontario’s grain sector share some of their experiences navigating the challenging transportation environment and what might be done to ensure things improve in future.
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2 months ago | 
ontariograinfarmer.ca | Matt McIntosh
Interest in biological inputs for crop production is increasing across the agriculture industry—although the benefits they afford are not always clear. Concerns about less-than-effective snake-oil solutions also spur apprehension.
Nevertheless, the general drive for more sustainable farming systems is driving investment in biological products by individual farmers and large companies alike. “Biologicals” can mean many things to different people.
