The “big picture” is very important when it comes to evaluating plant stands, especially in winter wheat. The first place a farmer will naturally be drawn to is the visually accessible poor spots in the field. Those areas should be looked at, but always in the broader context of the entire field. If they aren’t,… Read More
Tag: Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
Farmers looking to kickstart their winter wheat crop are very careful in timing their nitrogen application. Applying nitrogen at the wrong stage in plant development can lead to yield loss down the line. That being said, farmers have to take into consideration the difference in conditions this year vs last year. Whereas last years conditions… Read More
Rain isn’t the only thing those constant storms have been carrying into Ontario. States south of Ontario have reported large captures of black cutworm moths, and some of those same moths have been riding the storm fronts into Ontario and laying eggs. The black moth eggs hatch and the larvae then move from the annual… Read More
There is growing focus on using agronomic practices to improve the in field performance of our crops. One way to do this is through agronomic research within your region or you can look at some of the agronomic practices of other regions of the world. One are area of the world that achieves excellent wheat… Read More
Managing risk is a major part of running any farm or livestock operation. Alberta recently tried to aid it’s provincial livestock producers by launching the Cattle Price Insurance Program (CPIP). Recently Ontario Provincial Ag-Critic, Mr. Ernie Hardeman, MPP, questioned why the Ontario government was stalling in implementing a similar program to ensure Ontario producer competitiveness…. Read More
Traceability has become a word that farmers are much more familiar with over the past ten years. Many farmers used to think that their responsibility ended at the farm gate. Many would say that this is no longer the case while some people content all of this is about pushing liability down the value chain…. Read More
Soybean yields in 2010 in Ontario have been outstandings. I have talked to a handful of farmers who have told me that this is the best crop they have ever had on the their farm. With the warm temperatures and timely moisture , the majority of the province has seen the massive benefits right before… Read More
Its time to seed winter wheat and there are several different considerations that you need to make in order to make sure you have success this season. In many ways the steps that you take today are crucial to what your yield results are next August. Too many people make some crucial mistakes at fall… Read More
One of the special things in agriculture is the knowledge that is passed down from one generation to another. In most cases this is a possible experience but sometimes poor information slips through the cracks. A great example of this is the calculation of wheat seeding rates. Whether you are in Eastern or Western Canada… Read More
Peter Johnson, Cereal Specialist with OMAFRA thinks that farmers in Ontario that are not seeding wheat need to give their heads a shake. Having wheat in your rotation has major benefits in terms of agronomics and profitability. According to Peter, wheat is the crop providing the biggest addition to the bottom line on the farm this fall…. Read More
The wheat harvest in Ontario is underway and off to the start that everyone was hoping for. The wheat crop in Ontario has really faced the perfect spring and summer. In this episode of the Wheat School, Peter Johnson, Cereal Specialist, OMAFRA gives us an Ontario wheat harvest update. Peter updates us on yields, disease… Read More
It is easy to talk about seeding depth pre-planting but it is even more critical to review planting depth after emergence. It is no different than any other business process. PLAN – EXECUTE – REVIEW – IMPROVE – REPEAT THE CYCLE. The stand above ground tells only part of the story though. You also need… Read More
No matter what crop you are growing, knowing the growth stage of the planst is integral to making the right decisions. Are you spraying herbicides or fungicides or applying growth regulators? Well timing is critical nd all of that timing is derived by the stage of the crop. Depending on where you farm in Canada… Read More
Last week we discussed the topic of fusarium. Based on the popularity of this One of the frequent confusions is that there is actually a difference between fusarium and vomitoxin. Some people do not understand that you can have fusarium without vomitoxin. Both are issues that are affecting farmers and their ability to market… Read More
Fusarium is an ugly monster that continues to rear its ugly head across North America. Some areas are definitely worse than other but the impact is real. With more tolerant wheat genetics coming every year, farmers are desperate to try and manage this disease in the most proactive ways that they can. Some of the… Read More