Many dairy farms in Ontario have a wide range of environmental programs available to them, but a University of Guelph researcher is wondering why the programs aren’t more streamlined. “Many organizations seem to put out similar resources or programs or overlap in program activities,” says Emily Sousa, who spoke to Farmtario about the work she […] Read more
News — page 312
Simplifying conservation programs
Researcher sees unnecessary overlap of funding options in southern Ontario
Editorial: The need for more efficient nitrogen
Reducing use of nitrogen fertilizer is a big potential win for farmers and critics of farm practices. The discovery of the Haber-Bosch process and its ability to pull molecular nitrogen from the air is one of the foundations of modern society. Nitrogen fertilizer allowed farmers to feed crops and people as yields grew. They can […] Read more
Harvesting nitrogen a sustainable option, says Corteva
Biological product works with plants to draw nitrogen from the atmosphere
Glacier FarmMedia – Nitrogen makes up 78 per cent of Earth’s atmosphere. It is also one of the biggest cost factors in growing crops. So why not use the nitrogen in the air around us? It’s an exciting concept — extracting nitrogen from thin air and putting it to use growing a crop. As a […] Read more
African swine fever puts pork producers on high alert
Deadly virus found in the Dominican Republic
The arrival of African swine fever (ASF) in the Caribbean is fuelling concern that the virus could move onto the North American mainland. The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed that the deadly hog virus was found in samples from pigs in the Dominican Republic on July 28 as a result of […] Read more
Ontario 2021 wheat yields the highest in years
Ideal rainfall led to high wheat yields but it also compromised quality
The 2021 winter wheat harvest has been a bin-buster. Timely rains, adequate heat and ideal planting conditions provided excellent yields. “In areas with adequate moisture, and early planted wheat, we are seeing yields well above 100 bushels to the acre, with some reports showing 120 to 140 bushels to the acre average,” says Joanna Follings, […] Read more
Funds support drought-stricken Ontario farmers
Payments will help but the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach doesn’t work long-term, says industry
[UPDATED: Aug. 23, 2021] A collective sigh of relief greeted the Aug. 6 federal government announcement of a $100 million emergency drought fund. “We haven’t received any details on what that will look like, but,” said Beef Farmers of Ontario president Rob Lipsett. “It seemed almost like a weight lifting off a lot of people’s […] Read more
Northwestern Ontario farmers wait for hay
A Beef Farmers of Ontario project has already started moving hay to the area
The far-reaching drought in Canada is sparking widespread mental health concerns for livestock and cash crop farmers. The pressure for livestock producers in north-western Ontario and the Prairies to secure feed to get through the summer increased as hay and forage fields scorched, crops were stunted and water sources ran dry into July. Winter feed […] Read more
Update on tar spot in corn
OMAFRA Field Crop Report for August 18
Tar spot in corn was first identified last year in Ontario on September 21, 2020 and confirmed to overwinter in Ontario on July 2, 2021 in West Elgin. Since then, tar spot has been also detected in Essex, Chatham-Kent, Lambton, Middlesex and Norfolk counties as of July 18, 2021 (see below). This was anticipated since […] Read more
Looming spring wheat protein shortage bodes well for Canadian sales demand
Protein levels in this year’s U.S. hard red winter wheat are expected to be well below average by the time farmers harvest the entire crop
Glacier FarmMedia – Millers in the United States may be confronted with the double whammy of a low-protein hard red winter wheat crop combined with severely curtailed spring wheat production, say analysts. An estimated 38 per cent of the hard red winter wheat crop has been harvested. Protein levels have averaged 11.4 per cent based […] Read more
China’s hog prices to extend rebound in near future — official
China’s hog prices will continue to rebound in the short term, an official from the country’s state planner said in late July, after a decline in the number of pigs born at the start of the year. The number of hogs slaughtered in July and August is seen declining to some extent, Wan Jinsong, the […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
