The University of Guelph has acknowledged the special issues of agronomy in the northern and eastern regions of the province with the appointment of Joshua Nasielski to its MacSon Professorship. […] Read more
New University of Guelph prof focuses on northern and eastern regions
MacSon Professorship recipient wants to consult with farmers, agronomists
Balance needed between crop rotation, profit and productivity
Simple rotations are easier, but long-term profitability may be tied to longer rotations
Decreasing agricultural diversity could affect sustainability. “The trend is toward simplification of our systems with fewer crops dominating the landscape,” said Bill Deen of the University of Guelph. Why it […] Read more
Getting the most efficient nitrogen use
Soil testing is vital to identify where nitrogen is needed
A significant amount of nitrogen applied to fields is never taken up by plants. Understanding how much nitrogen (N) crops actually need can help decrease needless expenses and potential environmental […] Read more
Variable land good place to start with variable rate fertilizer
Best strategies, hiring custom operators or DIY
Farmers on land that’s variable in soil type, such as southwest of London, are likely already thinking about variable rate fertilizer application. Darryl Boersma, who farms a large number of […] Read more
Curiosity and care guide farm’s principles
The Chauvin farm takes a long-term view on measures like soil organic matter
The Essex Soil and Crop Improvement Association recently bestowed its 2018 Conservation Farm of the Year award to Maurice (Moe) Chauvin, a sixth-generation grain farmer from Pointe-aux-Roches (known as Stoney […] Read more
Soybean’s prairie party may be waning
A disappointing growing season in both Manitoba and Saskatchewan this summer is expected to cut into 2019 acres
Cinderella’s gown is looking tired and tattered. For about a dozen years, soybeans were the “it” crop in Manitoba as acres went from nothing to more than two million. That […] Read more
Canola Council resets course for ‘efficiencies’
Facing new limits on available funding, Canada’s canola value chain organization plans to refocus its work on its “core strengths” and collaborate with other players. The Canola Council of Canada […] Read more
Can it pay to stop farming unproductive land?
Taking underperforming areas of a field out of production can support farm profitability and conservation, say researchers
Can some farmers increase their profitability by not working underperforming parts of the field? Researchers at the University of Guelph think so. According to those researchers, combining conservation with crop […] Read more
Conservation planning is about more than the environment
ALUS project numbers continue to grow across the province
Is it possible to grow better crops by removing specific areas from production? Some Ontario farmers participating in Alternative Land Use Services conservation programs think so. They say they also […] Read more
Protecting the health of the soil resource
Dutch farmers receive outside assistance to maintain a sustainable crop rotation on a small land base
Dutch potato farmer Gert-Jan van Dongen may not own the land he farms on but that isn’t stopping him from being concerned about its future. Van Dongen runs a potato […] Read more