The dos and don'ts for reducing nutrient runoff from fertilizer on farms. Harmful algal blooms occur in high nutrient areas. Harmful algal blooms can produce toxins and create low oxygen zones where they decompose that kills aquatic life. Fertilizer runoff is a major contributor of nutrients in aquatic systems. Don't apply fertilizer on frozen soil so it is not lost as runoff when frozen fields melt. Don't clear cut shoreline. Avoid removing all plants on shorelines to decrease nutrient runoff. Don't overapply fertilizer. Test your soil before applying fertilizer to prevent unneeded application. Do conservation tillage. Leave crop residues on your fields after harvest. Do reduce irrigation. Choose drip irrigation and try irrigating only when necessary. Do keep a natural shoreline. Keep a planted shoreline to help absorb nutrients in runoff.

Wrapping up #ONTAgWeek with one more #UofG student infographic!

Jessica Collier, BSc student in Integrative Biology, shares some tips for preventing algal blooms fed by runoff from farm fields 🌱 🐟

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How does rotational grazing benefit the environment? Rotational grazing is a management practice that requires cattle to be moved frequently between different paddocks. This helps to prevent overgrazing by allowing plants and the land to rest and recover. Plant health: rest periods allow for vegetation regrowth and more developed root systems, increases plant nutrient uptake, and increases forage availability for cattle. Soil health: improves soil structure and organic matter, reduces soil erosion, and increases carbon sequestration which reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Water quality and wildlife: improves water quality by reducing runoff, manure contamination, and sediment in water, helps maintain riparian areas and provide habitat for wildlife, and reduces bank erosion around rivers, streams, and bodies of water.

Another day of #ONTAgWeek! We're celebrating by sharing infographics developed by #UofG students to share agri-food and biodiversity research 🔬

Megan St Martin (MSc in Animal BioSciences) shares info about rotational grazing 🐄 🌱
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Our unsung agricultural heroes. Flower flies, also known as hover flies, are amazing bee and wasp mimics - and the best part? They can't sting! Flower flies provide multiple important ecosystem services including pollination as adults and pest control or nutrient cycling in their larval form. Fun fact! Some species of flower flies even migrate up to 3000 km, transporting billions of grains of pollen, nutrients, and energy across continents!

Another day of #ONTAgWeek! We're celebrating by sharing infographics developed by #UofG students to share agri-food and biodiversity research 🔬

Samantha Reynolds, PhD student in Environmental Sciences, wants everyone to give a shout-out to flower flies 🐝 🌻

@uofgresearch.bsky.social

There are lots of ways to support farmers this week:
✖️ Follow farming social media accounts
📕 Learn more about farming
👩‍🌾 Visit a farm
💵 Buy local

#ONTAgWeek
#LoveONFood
#NoFarmersNoFood

Find out about various activities across Ontario to celebrate
by following these groups on FB, X or Instagram:
🥫 Farm and Food Care Ontario
🧺 Ontario Federation of Agriculture
🧑‍🌾 National Farmers Union

#ONTAgWeek
#LoveONFood
#NoFarmersNoFood

Today marks the start of Ontario Agriculture Week! Take this time to celebrate local farmers and enjoy the best of Ontario’s seasonal produce.

#ONTAgWeek #LoveONFood

U of G Harnessing Tech to Transform Agri-Food Sector Technologies ranging from automation to machine learning are revolutionizing how our food is grown, processed and developed. These tools are improving efficiency, reducing fertilizer use and creating…

#UofG researchers are at the forefront of Canada's agri-tech sector, harnessing technology to revolutionize how our food is grown, processed and developed.

Learn more in our latest #ExpertAlert.

#ONTAgWeek

news.uoguelph.ca/2025/10/u-of...

Treatment and prevention. S. suis is a bacteria mainly found in pigs and has the ability to cause severe health problems. Infection of S. suis not only poses animal welfare concerns but also reduces productivity and increases mortality in affected herds. How does it spread? Pig to pig direct and indirect contact, and pig to human via consumption of raw pork products and direct contact through open wounds. Symptoms in pigs include fever, joint pain and lameness, loss of appetite, death, and neurological disorders. Risk factors include poor environmental conditions that increase the risk of disease transmission, stress and other infections that can weaken the immune system, and piglets not receiving enough antibodies from their mother's milk. Treatment with antimicrobials increase the risk of antimicrobial resistance. Alternative treatments include probiotics that optimize suitable gut microbiome to fight infection and bacteriophages that are highly specific to targeting to S. suis. Preventative measures include controlling co-infections, biosecurity measures, and proper environmental conditions.

It's #ONTAgWeek! We're celebrating by sharing infographics developed by #UofG students to share agri-food and biodiversity research 🔬

Check out this infographic about pig health by pathobiology MSc student Elieah Robertson 🐖
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@uofgresearch.bsky.social