It isn’t just the war in Ukraine that’s forecast to dampen grain supply on world markets. Farmers – and other businesses in rural Canada – continue to be limited by expensive and unreliable internet access that undermines their efficiency. Image: CENG.ca

The latest University of Guelph survey of farmers’ mental health in Canada reveals some worrisome results. And even more so for women. The good news is that it shines a light on the struggles of these very essential workers. Image: https://ontario.cmha.ca/intheknow

Farmers enjoy a high ranking in public trust polls, but they could be mistakenly blamed for rising food costs. It’s true that crop prices have been yielding better returns, but skyrocketing fertilizer costs take a big bite out of their profits – causing some farmers to think twice about which crops they can afford to plant.

In a rare piece of good news last Friday, the Ukrainian agriculture ministry bumped up its estimate of spring crop planting from 13.4 million to 14 million hectares.
But it’s still a drop in the food bucket for more than 800 million people around the world suffering chronic food insecurity, and forecast to worsen this year. Image: AFP, FAO, USDA.

A recent survey of Canadian consumers shows their overwhelming support for food grown or produced in this country. But the issue of food prices is growing, with eight in 10 saying that hunger and food insecurity is a serious problem for many Canadians.
Photo: ctvnews.ca

Food and Beverage Canada has called on Ottawa for an emergency foreign worker program to help fill dire labour shortages in those sectors. It’s is a chronic and critical issue, but it seems federal politicians may need a reminder from their constituents about just how significant the impact is – not only for agriculture, but for rebuilding the post-COVID Canadian economy. Photo: macleans.ca

When Ottawa committed to cut fertilizer use by 30 per cent as of 2030, farmers balked. As much as they want to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, fertilizer is essential for current crop production levels. Now Ottawa’s invited their suggestions on new technologies and practices that might just make that target more feasible. Photo: foodfromthought.ca

Railway labour woes meant fertilizers almost didn’t make it to North American farmers in time for planting this year. Binding arbitration saved the day, for now. But the impact on world grain markets could have been catastrophic if the railways didn’t run – especially with a greatly depleted grain and oilseed harvest expected from Ukraine and Russia this year. Photo: theglobeandmail.com

Farmers will soon be gearing up for planting, and it’s one of their busiest, most stressful seasons…especially this year, when input costs are so high and world grain harvests are forecast to be low. Canadian Agricultural Safety Week is an important reminder each year to take time and take care. Image: casa-acsa.ca

Diminished planting in Ukraine’s normally productive grain and oilseed fields is inevitable, yet one more consequence of the barbaric Russian invasion. The pressure on the rest of the world’s producers to make up for the shortfall – and take advantage of sky high pieces – could have a significant ripple effect, if some impetus exists to bringing marginal land into production. That possibility is already being discussed. Photo: kyivpost.com

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will have more consequences worldwide when Ukrainian farmers are unable to plant their fields in the next few weeks. As the breadbasket of Europe, the country is the world’s fourth leading of exporter of agricultural products, particularly wheat, corn and barley. Without Ukraine’s harvest, there will be significantly less grain available on world markets and one more reason that food prices will continue to climb. Image: modern farmer.com

The North American tourism industry is roaring back, and that will undoubtedly include trips to agritourism destinations. Farms can provide a unique, bucolic experience and up-close encounters with crops and livestock, but farming is also a business. Faced with labour shortages and potential issues of liability, farm hosts are working hard to address these challenges so they can once again welcome visitors to “come on in”. Photo: onregionalecdev.com

No matter what you thought about the truckers’ border blockades, everyone heaved a sigh of relief when they ended peacefully. Farmers, like so many others, were suffering. Their crops and livestock have to make it to market safety and on time. Curiously, it took an offer of help from the American president to finally spur Ontario and Canadian governments into action. Photo: reuters.com