Tradition meets innovation
FROM THE CEO'S DESK
IN EARLY OCTOBER, GRAIN FARMERS OF ONTARIO HOSTED A VIP RECEPTION on opening day following the parade at the International Plowing Match (IPM) held near Lindsay, Ontario.
The IPM is one of those traditional activities that mark the fall season for Ontario’s farmers – for more than 100 years, attendees have gathered in the tented city and the fields surrounding it for the annual event that brings together farmers and the general public to celebrate rural Ontario. It’s also a tradition for Ontario’s MPPs – Queen’s Park shuts down on opening day so that MPPs, both rural and urban, can participate in the parade, opening ceremonies, and VIP plowing.
Plowing, once a universal practice that farmers have honed over generations, has evolved as research advances agronomic knowledge and technology changes. Strip tillage, no-till, planting green, cover cropping, chemical herbicides, and biotechnology, among other technologies, are all tools in the farmers’ toolbox, and each has its place on the farm.
The IPM and the Grain Farmers of Ontario- hosted VIP events allow us to connect with MPPs, build relationships, and share our priorities for government action that will benefit farmers. It’s important that they understand that farmers need a policy environment that allows them to continue to grow safe, healthy, and environmentally responsible grains and oilseeds and that we need their support.
In this issue of the Ontario Grain Farmer, we’re highlighting some of those innovations and technologies that are the future of the grain and oilseed industry. Whether the goal of new technology is increased yields, lower input costs, environmental sustainability, or increased labour efficiency, innovation is something that farmers are always seeking out, trialling, and adopting. On my own farm, we’ve started using precision soil mapping to help us maximize the efficiency of our nutrient applications.
As I travel across the province, Canada, and around the world, I’m always on the lookout for new and novel ideas to help advance the industry. We’re fortunate to have a robust and innovative sector right here in Ontario, with lots of ongoing research and early adopters willing to share their experience and knowledge. As we wrap up the harvest season, it’s time to start thinking about the farm shows, winter meetings, and conferences that are on the calendar in the coming months. It’s your chance to learn from the wealth of experience of Ontario farmers who will speak or sit on grower panels.
Among those winter meetings is Grain Farmers of Ontario’s annual March Classic, scheduled for March 18 in London, Ontario. As we approach Grain Farmers of Ontario’s 15th anniversary, we look forward to hosting you once again. Perhaps attending this event has become one of your annual winter traditions! Mark it on your calendars; I hope to see you there. •
