Can Ontario winter wheat growers mix ammonium thiosulphate (ATS) with herbicides and fungicides to address sulphur deficiency symptoms or should they apply it separately with streamer nozzles? That’s a question Mike Cowbrough and Joanna Follings wanted to answer with 2018 research plots. The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs weed specialist and cereals… Read More
From an environmental standpoint, Ontario experienced a perfect storm in 2018 that produced an epidemic of gibberella ear rot in corn and resulting unprecedented DON levels. Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs field crop plant pathologist Albert Tenuta compares the conditions that created the classic silk channel infection in corn hybrids to what… Read More
While barn fires can happen at any time, winter carries with it added risks when farmers use heat lamps or other heat sources to keep livestock warm and dry. Approximately 40 per cent of all barn fires are caused by faulty electrical systems. For many, there’s no getting around using older barns and buildings, but… Read More
The 2018 Ontario soybean crop is one for the record books, but you never would have predicted that back in July when much of the crop was desperate for rain. Not only did the 2018 Ontario crop set a record yield average at 54 bu/ac, it smashed the previous record of 48.3 set in 2012… Read More
What’s the most important agronomic resource Ontario farmers could hold in their possession? How about the new Soil Fertility Handbook? You’ll hear all about it on this episode of the RealAg Bookclub podcast as handbook editor, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs soil fertility specialist Jake Munroe, tells us why there should be… Read More
The 2018 Ontario soybean harvest got off to a roaring start in early fall but quickly ground to a halt as poor weather parked combines. In early December, many growers are still struggling to bin their beans. The wet weather has left growers asking how they can manage higher moisture, wet soybeans. Management decisions are… Read More
There are a number of reasons why herbicides sometimes fail to control weeds. Perhaps surprisingly, one of the easier things to rule out is whether the weed is herbicide resistant. Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs weed specialist Mike Cowbrough says many universities across Canada conduct testing for herbicide resistance, but growers have… Read More
The Ontario government is proposing changes to the previous government’s recent overhaul of the rabies immunization rules as they apply to livestock headed to agricultural fairs. Ernie Hardeman, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, says the proposed amendments to the Health Protection and Promotion Act are intended to reduce “unnecessary red tape and… Read More
It’s day three at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show, and that’s where you’ll find host Shaun Haney at the Climate Fieldview booth for today’s show. Although it’s been partly cloudy for the day at the farm show, that doesn’t mean our guests can’t brighten up your day. On today’s show you’ll hear from: Mathew Pot from… Read More
RealAg Radio host Shaun Haney, opens agronomic Monday with news about a new app from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). Saskatchewan field editor Dale Leftwich speaks to field crop entomologist Tyler Wist, from AAFC, about their new Cereal Aphid Manager (CAM) app. It’s the first app AAFC has ever had and features pictures both of the… Read More
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs plant pathologist Albert Tenuta is gearing up for his annual pre-harvest corn disease survey, and he’s optimistic leaf disease will not have a significant impact on the 2018 corn crop. Some growers have raised concerns that a rainy late July and August could lead to a flood… Read More
How do you turn a 55-bushel soybean crop into a 65-bushel crop? Timely planting? Better weather? Choosing the right variety? A little luck and better management will always put more bushels in the bin, but if growers want to push yields to the next level, they need to better serve the crop’s nutrient needs, says… Read More
Depending on where you’re located, what you have for cattle feed could be drastically different then what your neighbour 10 miles away has. It also differs from province to province. It’s been dry in much of Western Canada, as well as parts of Ontario, resulting in low yields and producers scrambling for feed come the… Read More
Ernie Hardeman has been on the job less than a month and farmers have plenty of questions for Ontario’s new minister of agriculture. One question many are asking is what’s happening with Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) funding? RealAgriculture’s own Lyndsey Smith submitted a funding application back in May and waited patiently through the 45-day business… Read More
Have you set your western bean cutworm (WBC) traps yet? Setting traps is the most effective means of determining whether the yield-robbing pest is setting up shop in your cornfields. In this episode of RealAgriculture Corn School, OMAFRA field entomologist Tracey Baute shows growers how to set traps and discusses the growing importance of the WBC Trap… Read More