Ontario Grain Farmer Magazine is the flagship publication of Grain Farmers of Ontario and a source of information for our province’s grain farmers.

Grain Farmers of Ontario

January 2019

In this issue:

Web Special

An ambassador’s journey

GRAIN DISCOVERY ZONE SEASON 2018

January 2019 - AFTER 20,000 KM, more than 25 fairs, and seven educational days, the 2018 Grain Discovery zone season wrapped-up at the end of September. This season Grain Farmers of Ontario successfully communicated about grain farming to…
The value of corn

UNDERSTANDING MARKET INFLUENCES

January 2019 - CORN CAN BE a great crop to grow. In Ontario, our corn yields have been consistently increasing on an annual basis. According to Statistics Canada, in 2018 Canadian farmers planted approximately 3.6 million acres, which…
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Ontario wheat

MARKET ASSESSMENT

January 2019 - THE 2018 WHEAT crop was a high quality crop that met the needs of end users in terms of strong falling numbers, decent test weight, and good protein levels. For a full indication of wheat…
We listen, and we act

FROM THE CEO'S DESK

January 2019 - I’M SURE EVERYONE has had one of those restless nights where you lie awake at 3 a.m. worrying about how you are going to get through the day or week; worrying about loan payments, the…
Inspiring to lead

2018 WOMEN’S GRAIN SYMPOSIUM

January 2019 - LEADERSHIP, STORYTELLING, AND mental health were among the key topics discussed at Grain Farmers of Ontario’s second Women’s Grain Symposium. The event brought together 30 female farmers and grain industry representatives, along with female staff…
Marketing plans

ADAPTING TO MARKET CHALLENGES

January 2019 - OBTAINING PREMIUM PRICES right at harvest time has been a given in recent years, but not during the bumper crop of 2018. In the past, producers could be relatively comfortable that they’d get a better…
Targeted sales

MARKETING DON INFECTED CORN

January 2019 - MY FIRST HARVEST in the commercial grain elevator business was 1992. For the farmers who are too young to remember it, 1992 was an extremely cool summer and much of Ontario’s corn crop simply failed…
Cropside: Soil health economics

AGRONOMIC INFORMATION FROM ONTARIO'S CROP SPECIALISTS

January 2019 - THE ECOLOGY OF the soil is complex and interconnected. Comparing the soil to a country’s economy reminds us that everything is part of a system and that for every action there is a reaction. There…
At issue in 2019

CONCERNS FOR AMERICAN FARMERS

January 2019 - HEADING INTO 2019, Ontario Grain Farmer spoke to four U.S. farm leaders to get their thoughts on the big-ticket issues facing America’s farmers. FARM POLICY Farm policy is a top issue as all four leaders…
Coping with stress

FARMER HEALTH

January 2019 - IT HAS BEEN a particularly difficult harvest for some Ontario farmers this fall. The severe DON outbreak is weighing heavy and stress levels are higher than during a typical harvest season. Uncertainty makes it difficult…
Financial analysis

BMO ISSUES NORTH AMERICAN REPORT

January 2019 - DESPITE ONGOING TRADE concerns and rising business costs, Bank of Montreal (BMO) analysts say a favourable exchange rate between the Canadian and American dollar means Canadian grain producers face a positive market outlook. EXCHANGE RATE…
The soil doctor is in

FARMSMART 2019

January 2019 - LEE BRIESE WON’T be wearing a white lab coat when he comes out to your fields. He’ll be carrying a shovel, not a stethoscope, but as far as he’s concerned, his job is as important…
Business side: Distracted driving

CONVERSATIONS WITH BUSINESS EXPERTS

January 2019 - (J.M.) WHAT IS DISTRACTED DRIVING? (K.S.) Distracted driving is most often associated with cell phone use. Under the Highway Traffic Act, motor vehicle drivers in Ontario cannot use a hand-held device while driving. And while…
GrainTALK for January 2019

GET THE LATEST NEWS FROM GRAIN FARMERS OF ONTARIO

January 2019 - FROM THE CHAIR A Q&A with Grain Farmers of Ontario chair, Markus Haerle. With 2019 being an election year, what are Grain Farmers of Ontario’s priorities going to be? A. It’s important that the federal parties and…
Agricultural innovation

SYNGENTA MEDIA SUMMIT

January 2019 - INNOVATION IS CHANGING faster than ever before, and Syngenta is growing along with it. The theme of the 2018 Syngenta Media Summit was just that — a new era of agriculture innovation. But what does…
Farm Market News review

TARIFFS TRUMP SOYBEAN PRICES

January 2019 - THE 2017—18 MARKETING year will be remembered for the tariff war between the United States and China. Already weighed down by the prospects of huge U.S. crops, the uncertainty over the trade situation applied further…
Maintaining what’s in the bin

OVERWINTER STORAGE TIPS FOR MOULDY CORN

January 2019 - IF YOU HAVE mouldy corn in on-farm storage, keep an eye on it over the winter to ensure the corn that comes out of your bin in the spring isn’t worse than when it went…