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

Author: Matt McIntosh

Are drains also habitat?

Water management professionals support rethinking incentives for improved agricultural drains

April 2026 - Two-stage designs, Species at Risk pressures, and questions about cost-sharing are prompting fresh debate about how municipal drains serve farmers, communities, and ecosystems. Southern Ontario’s drainage network is characterized largely by straight, trapezoid-shaped drains. The…
Europe adopting near-zero residue limit for agricultural imports

Europe adopting near-zero residue limit for agricultural imports Policy applies to pesticides and biotechnology used in Canada, but banned in Europe

April 2026 - Grain industry representatives say the European Union’s hazard-based approach to pesticides risks undermining science-based regulation, potentially creating new barriers for Canadian grain exports. The European Union’s approach to pesticide and biotechnology regulation has long differed…
Be vigilant

How to inform and protect yourself as cybercriminals change tactics

March 2026 - Criminals traditionally defrauded farms and agribusinesses by chance. Now, they’re taking a more targeted approach to hit the agriculture sector where and when it’s most vulnerable. Fortunately though, cyber threat awareness, along with the number…
They go with the flow

Grain-carrying vessels gear up for a new shipping season

March 2026 - Inland navigation and the logistics of moving and loading ships in the Detroit River system requires precision management, efficiency, and effectiveness. With the spring thaw, Ontario grain once again starts making its way to overseas…
How a UK farmer grows 235-bushel winter wheat

Lincolnshire farmer Mark Stubbs produces bin-busting yields by driving soil organic matter

March 2026 - Yield gains in winter wheat can be achieved by experimenting on the farm and treating wheat with as much care as more lucrative crops such as corn and soybeans. Tight row spacing, high plant populations,…
Are spray drones getting ahead of themselves?

This novel technology is advancing much faster than our understanding of its applicability and efficacy

March 2026 - As the enthusiasm for spray drones grows, this expert raises some fundamental questions about using them. With proper use, drones could offer a revolutionary technological advantage in spray applications. But what’s the right way to…
Look after your soil microbes

Less tillage and greater diversity in the field supports healthier communities below ground

February 2026 - Guelph researchers mapped soil microbial communities and the practices that were most beneficial. Tillage practices, fertility treatments and different crop rotations were all part of their analysis. Advances in genome analysis tools are providing a…
Making late nitrogen applications work

Producers should rethink best management practices for post-canopy corn fertility treatment

February 2026 - Applying nitrogen in late season corn allows more opportunity to fine-tune fertility rates, spread out labour requirements, and rescue corn impacted by early dry conditions. To get the most out of post-canopy applications, producers need…
National Geodetic Survey updating GPS reference systems

Check with equipment providers to ensure software is updated

December 2025 - The National Geodetic Survey (NGS) of the United States aims to update its geodetic reference systems in 2026. Designed to correct misalignments in currently used reference systems, the move will impact the accuracy of some…
How compaction happens

Impact of tires, organic matter, water infiltration, and more

November 2025 - There was a lot of big iron on display in Rutherford, Ontario, on August 7, 2025. Above-ground heavy metal wasn’t the point of focus, though. It was soil, and what machines, large and small, do…