As we approach the ending of another winter, Mother Nature is not being kind. As some Ontario and Quebec farmers learned last week, wind-whipped snow loads can quickly become too much for even brand new construction. Reports of at least one dairy barn, a hog barn, and a drive shed collapsing in the last week has… Read More
Ontario beef producers looking to use the Feeder Cattle Loan Guarantee Program will notice some changes the next time they apply. Changes announced include: Reduced need for credit checks within the program Steps to streamline the transfer of ownership of livestock once a loan is paid off The Feeder Cattle Loan Guarantee Program supports feeder… Read More
It’s time for another episode of agronomic Monday on RealAg Radio. Currently cold winds and snow are covering a vast majority of the country; however, we can still talk about the growing season to warm us up a little! Today’s show features: Dr. David Zaruk on agriculture’s battle with activists to remain viable in 2019. … Read More
The Ontario government has announced changes to the Commodity Loan Guarantee Program (CLGP) to help farmers affected by abnormally high levels of deoxynivalenol (DON) in the 2018 corn crop. The CLGP provides access to short-term operating loans for the purchase of crop input supplies, such as seed, fertilizer, and pesticides. It is administered on behalf… Read More
Ontario’s government has announced a proposal to streamline and modernize the Farm Business Registration Program by moving the program to electronic delivery and a simplified registration process. The proposal to reduce red tape for farmers is part of the Restoring Ontario’s Competitiveness Act, the second in a series of bills targeted at getting government “out of the way… Read More
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