Farms.com Home   News

Recycling in agriculture – ‘a story of innovation’ featured in Globe & Mail’s Next-Generation Farming Report

Canadian farmers have a proud heritage of producing food for the world. For this work, they rely on many plastic-based specialty products, for example, for storing grain; collecting, protecting and fermenting hay; keeping moisture in and weeds out of soil as well as handling sap from maple trees.

Dealing with the waste that such agricultural practices create – wrapping materials, twine, special films, containers, tubing and more – has become an ever-expanding effort by the producers and distributers of these items. Through Cleanfarms, a non-profit environmental stewardship organization, they offer recycling and recovery solutions, in collaboration with partner agencies, that keep these crop input and storage tools out of landfill.

“We’re like the blue box for agriculture,” says Barry Friesen, executive director of Cleanfarms, based in Etobicoke, with operations across Canada. As a “producer responsibility organization,” it oversees the recycling of agricultural plastics and rounds up obsolete chemicals and animal medications for safe disposal.

Click here to see more...

Trending Video

FCG Parvi Webinar 2: Getting to Know Thrips parvispinus to Better Control This Pest

Video: FCG Parvi Webinar 2: Getting to Know Thrips parvispinus to Better Control This Pest

This is the 2nd webinar in a 3-part series hosted by Flowers Canada Growers on Thrips parvispinus IPM. Biocontrol programs developed for western flower thrips do not appear to be effective against Thrips parvispinus. This webinar will examine what makes T. parvispinus different and how insights into its biology and behaviour—including chemical ecology, host plant preferences, and defensive responses—can help improve monitoring and management strategies. This webinar was recorded July 16, 2026. Guest speakers include: Jessie deHaan (Vineland Research), Dan Bath (Vineland Research), Laxmi Khadka (Vineland Research), Ashley Summerfield (Vineland Research), Sarah Jandricic (OMAFA), Avery Johnson (AAFC / University of Guelph).