Focus on the highest standards for sustainability, food safety and animal welfare

Ontario's Government announced a $34.5-million investment in Maple Leaf Foods' modern and innovative chicken processing plant in London over the next five years.

 

"This is the largest investment in the history of Ontario's agriculture sector, it demonstrates industry confidence in our growing economy, and it's another example of how we're making Ontario open for business," said Ford. "It's great to see a company like Maple Leaf investing here in London. This innovative new plant will modernize processing and help make Ontario's chicken farmers more competitive."

 

The new plant will focus on the highest standards for sustainability, food safety and animal welfare, and will raise productivity and help increase demand for more chickens from Ontario's farmers.

 

Also in attendance were Monte McNaughton, Minister of Infrastructure and Jeff Yurek, MPP for Elgin-Middlesex-London and Minister of Transportation.

 

"It is a pleasure to attend this Maple Leaf Foods announcement of a $660-million poultry facility in this community. I am proud to welcome this great news for Southwestern Ontario," said Yurek. "This shows that Ontario is open for business. I want to thank Maple Leaf Foods for continuing to invest in our great province and in Elgin-Middlesex-London."

Video: How the corn-soy diet transformed swine nutrition

At the 2026 ASAS Midwest Section meeting, Dr. Robert Easter, professor emeritus of swine nutrition at the University of Illinois, spoke at the U.S. Soy sponsored Swine Application Symposium, offering a historical perspective on one of the most important developments in modern pig production: the corn-soybean meal diet. What today is considered a foundational feeding strategy was not always obvious or even accepted.