GrainTALK for September 2022

WOMEN’S GRAIN SYMPOSIUM

Grain Farmers of Ontario’s Women’s Grain Symposium returns as an in-person event this fall, to be held at the Delta Hotel and Conference Centre in Guelph November 28-29, 2022. Focused on developing women leaders in Ontario’s grain and oilseed industry, the symposium will feature industry speakers, leadership development training, and networking opportunities. For more information or to register, visit www.gfo.ca/womens-symposium. •

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The Grain Farmers of Ontario Annual General Meeting will be returning to an in-person format on September 13, 2022, at the Craigowan Golf Club, 595838 Hwy 59 N, Woodstock, from 8 a.m. — noon. Buffet breakfast and lunch will be served. The meeting will also be live-streamed.

The business meeting will feature reports from the Board, staff, and a review of the 2021 Grain Farmers of Ontario financial statements.

The meeting is in conjunction with Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show, held at the Discovery Farm, Woodstock, September 13-15. AGM attendees will be provided with a ticket to the show.

More information and registration details will be posted on www.gfo.ca. •

ANNUAL REPORT

Grain Farmers of Ontario’s 2022 Annual Report is available online at www.gfo.ca, or you can request a printed copy by calling the office at 1-800-265-0550.

The report contains a review of Grain Farmers of Ontario’s activities during the last fiscal year and the audited financial statements. Annual General Meeting attendees are encouraged to review the financial statements before attending the meeting to be prepared to ask any questions they may have. •

AGRONOMY RESOURCES

Grain Farmers of Ontario offers a number of agronomy resources. Visit www.gfo.ca/agonomy for information on crop management, crop performance trials, apps and guides, soil leadership, and information on the Great Lakes Yield Enhancement Network project.

The Grain Farmers of Ontario agronomy team, Marty Vermey and Laura Ferrier, publish a weekly field observations report on the Ontario Grain Farmer website and in the weekly CropTalk e-newsletter. Find out more on www.ontariograinfarmer.ca. •

WEBINARS

Learn about the latest agronomic and industry news from the comfort of your office, kitchen table, or even the tractor cab — wherever you have wifi! Grain Farmers of Ontario’s GrainTALK webinars feature industry leaders and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) field crop team discussing the topics that matter to growers. Recent webinars include:
• Grain Quality & Grading with SGS Canada Inc.
• Insects update with OMAFRA‘s Tracey Baute
• How to prepare for fertilizer supply chain issues and costs with OMAFRA‘s Ben Rosser
• Diseases in the field with Albert Tenuta from OMAFRA

Find out more at www.gfo.ca/GrainTALK. •

SUMMER EVENTS

It’s been a busy summer for Grain Farmers of Ontario staff and farmer-member volunteers who have travelled across Ontario to fairs, festivals, and events to help Ontarians learn about grains and grain farming.

Our new Grains on the Go trailer, officially launched at the March Classic, had its first public appearance at the Canada Day celebrations in Ottawa on July 1 and then made appearances at the Honda Indy in Toronto and the Canadian National Exhibition. The new trailer has lots of fun and interactive ways for consumers to learn about grains in fun and interesting ways, including virtual reality, trivia, and the opportunity to learn from real grain farmers. Come visit us this fall at the International Plowing Match and the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.

The Grain Discovery Zone trailer has crisscrossed the province, attending events like the Niagara Regional Exhibition, Tecumseth’s 100-year celebration, and the Vankleek Fair. Visitors of all ages love playing in the corn box and learning about Ontario grains. As we head into the busy fall fair and festival season, come visit us at an event close to you! Find out more at www.GoodinEveryGrain.ca/events.

Grain Farmers of Ontario’s Board of Directors held its annual summer meeting and tour in District 3 (Lambton) in early July. The tour included stops at Cargill, CF Industries, Suncor Ethanol, and the Oil Museum of Canada. It offered a great view of the diverse industry within Sarnia and the surrounding area. The Board was also pleased to welcome MPs, MPPs, and local politicians to a supper meeting with agriculture industry representatives, local farmers, and the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program Class 19. •

CEREAL RYE GROWERS

Growers of cereal rye have expressed interest in increasing future opportunities for the crop and have asked Grain Farmers of Ontario to consider adding this crop to its mandate. Should this occur, Grain Farmers of Ontario would look at leveraging agronomic research, market development, public communication, and advocacy for programs and policies for cereal rye.

As part of the process, all farmers that grow and harvest cereal rye are asked to register below. This registration does not imply support for the inclusion of cereal rye to the Grain Farmers of Ontario mandate. Rather, the registration will be used to keep farmers growing cereal rye updated on the issue and seek input, as required.

Register at www.gfo.ca/marketing/cereal-rye-growers/. •

MARKET COMMENTARY

by Philip Shaw
Grain prices have dropped precipitously since earlier in the spring, as it has been a tough pricing environment in early summer. Futures prices dropped as non-commercial investment capital left agricultural futures markets, following a general meltdown in other commodities such as oil. This happened despite a July United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) report which predicted corn acreage up by 400,000 to 89.9 million acres while holding yield at 177 bushels per acre, pegging U.S. production at 14.505 billion bushels. USDA kept planted soybean acreage at 88.3 million acres and national yield at 51.5 bushels per acre which translates to total new crop soybean production of 4.505 billion bushels.

In Ontario, the Canadian dollar hovering in and around the 77 cents U.S. level has helped sustain cash grain prices in a negative environment. •

SOIL FOR LIFE

Grain Farmers of Ontario, together with industry partners, have recently launched the Soil for Life initiative. Soil for Life will focus on five major principles to break down and simplify the complex concept of soil health and sustainability, including building soil organic matter, diversifying crops, minimizing soil disturbance, keeping living roots throughout the year, and keeping the soil covered. Soil for Life will help to focus conversations on soil health and amplify a unified voice in agriculture.

Partners in Soil for Life include Beef Farmers of Ontario, Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario, Conservation Ontario, Co-op Regionale, Farm and Food Care Ontario, Grand River Conservation Authority, Ontario Federation of Agriculture, Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, Ontario Soil & Crop Improvement Association, Ontario Soil Network, Ontario Certified Crop Advisors, and Soils at Guelph Initiative.

Find out more at www.ontariosoilhealth.ca and follow #SoilForLife on Twitter. •

FARM AND ROAD SAFETY

During this busy harvest season, be sure to keep road safety in mind when traveling between farms, fields, and the elevator. Review the rules of the road with farm equipment operators, inspect equipment to ensure that lights, taillights, and signals are working properly, and ensure your farm vehicles are equipped with slow moving vehicle signs. Visit www.ofa.on.ca/resources/smv-roadsafety/ for more information on how to keep you, your farm workers, and your fellow motorists safe. •