GrainTALK for August 2024
AN UPDATE ON GRAIN FARMERS OF ONTARIO NEWS AND EVENTS
FROM THE CHAIR
A Q&A with Jeff Harrison, chair of Grain Farmers of Ontario.
You have had some interesting international experiences. What have you learned or brought back from those trips?
I have had many international experiences on behalf of the Grain Farmers of Ontario, and I recently attended the Annual Interna- tional Oilseed Producers Dialogue (IOPD) in Wismar, Germany. The IPOD brings together farmer organizations like ours from Germany, the U.S., Paraguay, Australia, France, Brazil, and Canada to discuss topics such as trends in government policy and regulations affecting farmers.
A highlight for me was meeting two French farmers representing French oilseed producers. This past year, farmers in France spent weeks protesting government regulations that harmed farming. I had the opportunity to hear their story and their motivations. Hearing from our peers from other countries, it is clear that we all have common issues despite our vastly different geographies.
It was clear that each group needed leaders who were ready to act when needed. The actions might be different from group to group, but it was important that they were prepared to be proactive and that the government understood their frustrations.
I am proud to lead a Board that takes action often and is ready to act on our members’ behalf in any way we can. We have worked to show our governments at all levels that we are proactive and prepared to act.
Do you have a question for the chair? Email GrainTALK@gfo.ca. •
YOUR GRAIN FARMERS OF ONTARIO TEAM
Here is our next installment of profiles of your Grain Farmers of Ontario staff to help introduce you to the team.
MAGGIE POLLARD, COMMUNICATIONS INTERN
Maggie Pollard joined Grain Farmers of Ontario in May as a communications intern. In this one-year contract position, Pollard will represent Grain Farmers of Ontario at summer events with the Grain Discovery Zone trailer and support communications projects in support of public trust initiatives and farmer-member events and communications.
Pollard graduated from the University of Guelph in June 2024 with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, majoring in animal science. She was raised on a livestock farm in Harrow, Ontario, where her passion for agriculture grew.
Pollard has worked for several agricultural companies throughout her degree and wishes to continue to expand her agriculture knowledge. She looks forward to travelling all through Ontario and to educate the public on grain farming. •
NEW INVESTMENTS IN CORN, OAT, AND SOYBEAN RESEARCH
In June, Guelph MP Lloyd Longfield announced the new Cropping Systems Cluster on behalf of the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. The announcement was made at Woodrill Farms in Guelph.
The Cropping Systems Cluster, led by the Canadian Field Crop Research Alliance (CFCRA), will support research advancements in corn, oat, and soybean that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the environmental and economic stability of the grain sector. Grain Farmers of Ontario is a founding member of the CFCRA.
This new funding of up to $5.7 million from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will be matched by an additional $4.8 million from the industry for a total investment of up to
$10.5 million over five years. •
AGRONOMY INFORMATION
Visit www.gfo.ca/agronomy to find a wealth of agronomic information from the Grain Farmers of Ontario agronomy team, including weekly field observations, fact sheets, and webinars on important topics. •
ASA CORTEVA AGRISCIENCE YOUNG LEADER PROGRAM
Applications are now being accepted for the 2024-2025 American Soybean Association (ASA) Corteva Agriscience Young Leader Program. Applications close September 4, 2024. One farmer or farming couple will be selected to represent Grain Farmers of Ontario in the program. There is no upper age limit for participation; however, farmers must be 21 years or older to apply and be selected.
Applicants should be interested in pursuing leadership roles within the soybean industry. The program focuses on leadership, communications, and issues-based training and builds a strong peer network.
The program’s two components take place December 2-5, 2024, at Corteva Global Business Center in Johnson, Iowa and February 28-March 4, 2025, in conjunction with Commodity Classic in Denver, Colorado.
Soybean farmers interested in this opportunity can complete the application form found on the ASA website, soygrowers.com or contact Rachel Telford, manager of member relations, at rtelford@gfo.ca. Grain Farmers of Ontario is an affiliate member of the American Soybean Association. •
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The Grain Farmers of Ontario Annual General Meeting will be held on September 10, 2024, at the Craigowan Golf Club, 595838 Highway 59 N, Woodstock, from 8 a.m. – noon. A buffet breakfast and lunch will be served. The meeting will also be live-streamed. All farmer-members are invited to attend.
The meeting is being held in conjunction with Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show at the Discovery Farm in Woodstock, Ontario. Attendees of the AGM will receive a complimentary ticket to the show.
For more information or to register, visit www.gfo.ca/agm. •
WOMEN’S GRAIN SYMPOSIUM
SAVE THE DATE! Grain Farmers of Ontario will be hosting its annual Women’s Grain Symposium November 25-26 in Guelph. The two-day event will be an opportunity for women farmer-members to make connections with each other and participate in professional development.
Please check www.gfo.ca for more details as they become available. •
DECISION TOOLS AND CALULATORS
Visit Field Crop News, www.fieldcropnews.com, to find the tools and resources formerly found on Ontario Corn Committee’s site (gocorn.net).
- Corn Nitrogen Calculator
- Corn Replant Decision Tool
- Ontario Optimum Corn N Rate Estimator Delta Yield Tool
- Ontario Corn Committee Hybrid Selector Tool
- Ontario Manure Nutrient Calculator
- Ontario Crop Residue Value Estimator
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Go online to www.gfo.ca and click on the button to subscribe. •
PRIVACY POLICY
Grain Farmers of Ontario is committed to responsibly collecting, using, and disclosing information in compliance with the provincial Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act. When you voluntarily provide us with any information, we will NOT rent, sell, or otherwise disseminate your information to ANY third party. Please contact Grain Farmers of Ontario’s privacy officer at info@gfo.ca if you require additional information on privacy issues. •
MARKET COMMENTARY
By Philip Shaw
On June 12, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)weighed in with its latest WASDE report. USDA estimated a new crop corn at 14.86 billion bushels with a yield of 181 bushels per acre on 90 million planted acres, the same as in May. The new crop ending stocks are set at 2.102 billion bushels, while old crop stocks are at 2.022 billion bushels. On the soybean side of the ledger, the USDA also came in the same way as in May. USDA’s estimated
4.45 billion bushels of soybeans, with the national average yield at 52 bushels per acre. Ending stocks are set to come in at 455 million bushels.
It has been a wet and delayed planting season in part of southwestern Ontario, which will certainly impact negatively on crop production. Ontario cash grain prices continue to benefit from a Canadian dollar fluttering near 73 cents U.S. •
