Two significant insect pest problems have occurred this year, both stemming in part from building resistance to controls. Corn rootworm tops the list, according to Tracey Baute, field crop entomologist for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). Why it matters: Grain growers have limited tools to address spider mites and corn […] Read more
Concerns grow over control-resistant pests
Corn rootworm and spider mites top list of concerns in summer 2022
Outdoor Farm Show grows in scale and scope
Premises now comprised of 330 acres, new facilities and research plots
It’s been three years since the last full-scale, in-person Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show. This year it returns to alleviate pent-up attendee demand with a greater land base, new elements and more industry support. Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show will be held Sept. 13-15 at Discovery Farm Woodstock. [READ MORE] See it all first-hand at COFS Purchasing […] Read more
What are agrivoltaics, and can they make money?
Researchers and energy experts say better policies could help solar; 10 sites being tested in the province next year
Canada’s pastures and cropland are prime sites for the mass deployment of solar energy infrastructure, according to advocates of agrivoltaics – a term used to describe the simultaneous use of land for solar energy and food production. The use of solar panels on buildings, in pastures and in other areas of working farms is not […] Read more
Managing a family legacy
Property can be protected through improved legal agreements, while accounting for emotional connections
Explaining estate decisions might be the key difference between maintaining a viable farm business and disintegration of a family legacy. In part three of this farm business planning series, Ray Riel, a farm transition and business management professional and operator of Advice Only Financial Group, reiterates two critical elements of successful succession planning: providing clear […] Read more
Making double-crop soybeans work
Get in early, balance population with risk management and hope for rain – not early frost
One less bushel per acre, per day – that’s the end-season yield impact of planting soybeans in July, and one reason it’s critical to hedge bets if successful double-crop soybeans are the goal. Great success is possible, according to Dave Hooker, associate professor in plant agriculture at the University of Guelph, Ridgetown campus. A 2021 […] Read more
Precision field logistics
Succeeding with autonomous machinery in row crops requires focus on getting inputs and equipment to the field at the moment it’s needed
Logistics carry the day, not tactics – or so goes the military adage. However true on the battlefield, the saying also has resonance in crop production. It holds true for autonomous field implements, just as it has for analog equipment, though tech developers don’t always get the message right away. Why it matters: Field robots […] Read more
Will tying eco-goals to risk management programs work?
Reduced participation and resource drain are real concerns, according to new report
The federal government recently confirmed that climate-focused environmental programming will be integrated into Canada’s farm Business Risk Management (BRM) programs. A research paper from the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI) questions whether the strategy will achieve greenhouse gas reduction goals. Why it matters: Business Risk Management programs must be improved if cross-compliance with environmental programming […] Read more
Alternative fertility products offer solutions
Biosolids, digestates, composts and other products can be cheaper, high fertility solutions
Could Ontario’s farm sector simultaneously save money, reduce food waste and improve its collective carbon footprint? Representatives for biosolids and other alternative fertilizers think so. While different products bring different considerations and cautions, alternative fertilizers can bring agronomic and environmental benefits. Alternative fertility products offer crop producers a cheaper option to traditional fertility products, says […] Read more
Fertilizer market volatility raises pricing questions
Analysts say normal ups and downs much less predictable in light of global upheaval
As planting and the early growing season drew to a close, fears over potentially significant fertilizer shortages did not come to fruition. But questions regarding price volatility did. Significant reductions in pricing, perceived by some to be conveniently timed after many growers paid for product, has led to accusations of unfair pricing practices south of […] Read more
Give thanks to drought-tolerant corn hybrids
Modern genetics and management should help keep corn yields in the three-digit range despite prolonged dry conditions
Extended dryness is affecting corn and soybean fields across much of Ontario’s main growing regions. Such conditions allow decades of improvements in drought tolerance genetics to shine. “I remember in 1988, the tap was basically off until early July. It was two months of the driest early season on record,” says Russ Barker, Pioneer sales […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
