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 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…
Fixing gaps in Canada’s agricultural innovation ecosystem

Endemic barriers stifling success of new and upcoming innovations

October 2025 - Canada is a powerhouse of agricultural innovation, but it lags behind in bringing new products and approaches to the hands of farmers and food processors. Remedying the problem, according to some industry groups, requires a…
In Danish waters

Denmark’s ambitious approach to water quality and biodiversity improvement

August 2025 - Denmark has restored 40,000 hectares of wetlands over the last few decades. Now, with ambitions to naturalize drastically more farmland over a much-reduced timescale, some Danes question whether their national government realizes the scale of…
Weathering the storm

How U.S. research funding cuts impact Ontario science

August 2025 - Sweeping funding cuts and indiscriminate firings across a wide range of government departments in the United States marked the first few months of Donald Trump’s second presidential term. Crop-related research at land-grant universities, avian flu…
European Union sustainability policies

How do they impact Ontario grain exports?

June 2025 - European Union legislation is taking aim at deforestation and biodiversity destruction by imposing import restrictions on grain grown on recently cleared land. A concern for grain exporters in Brazil and other regions of the globe,…
Trucking troubles

Moving grain a challenge for Ontario farmers

April 2025 - Insurance limitations, onerous safety regulations, and driver shortages—these are some of the factors that have been increasingly troubling for grain growers in need of efficient trucking services. Here, stakeholders in Ontario’s grain sector share some…