www.OntarioGrainFarmer.ca RESEARCH FEBRUARY 2025 Farming smarter Ontario's collaborative approach uniting farmers and scientists with Living Lab
SERIOUS SPRING WHEAT RAVEN RAVEN WILKIN FURANO Talk to The Wheat Team to get serious about Wheat. We have the varieties for you! www.redwheat.ca or 1-888-733-9432 WHEAT Spring
9 Business side Conversations with business experts 14 Crop side Agronomic information from crop specialists FEBRUARY 2025 volume 16, number 4 ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER is published 9 times a year (December/January, February, March, April/May, June/July, August, September, October, and November) through Grain Farmers of Ontario. Distribution is to all Ontario barley, corn, oat, soybean, and wheat farmer-members. Associate Membership Subscription available upon request. Views and opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the policies of Grain Farmers of Ontario. Seek professional advice before undertaking any recommendations or suggestions presented in this magazine. PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40065283. Return undeliverable items to Grain Farmers of Ontario, 679 Southgate Drive, Guelph, ON N1G 4S2. © Grain Farmers of Ontario all rights reserved. Publisher: Grain Farmers of Ontario, Phone: 1-800-265-0550, Website: www.gfo.ca; Managing Editor: Mary Feldskov; Creative Specialist: Nicole Koopstra; Advertising Sales and Sponsorship Consultant: Joanne Tichborne 6 ON THE COVER Stormy skies ahead Treena Hein WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2024 From the CEO’s desk FEEDING THE WORLD 4 A year in review Laura Ferrier 10 Market review 2022 - 2023 Blair Andrews 12 Business side Conversations with business experts 9 GrainTALK newsletter An update on Grain Farmers of Ontario news and events 16 What do Canadians think about food? Mary Feldskov 14 Crop side Agronomic information from crop specialists 23 European trade policies Ontario Grain Farmer 18 More winter barley acres Matt McIntosh 20 Grain contracts guide Mary Feldskov 22 Ontario Agricultural Conference 2024 Ontario Grain Farmer 24 Stronger leadership Rachel Telford 26 Good in Every Grain Updates on our campaign 30 Farming for world hunger Rebecca Hannam 28 172024 ANNUAL DISTRICT MEETINGS CHECK HERE FOR DATES AND TIMES DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024 volume 15, number 3 ONTARIO GRAIN FARMERis published 9 times a year (December/January, February, March, April/May, June/July, August, September, October, and November) through Grain Farmers of Ontario. Distribution is to all Ontario barley, corn, oat, soybean, and wheat farmer-members. Associate Membership Subscription available upon request. Views and opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the policies of Grain Farmers of Ontario. Seek professional advice before undertaking any recommendations or suggestions presented in this magazine. PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40065283. Return undeliverable items to Grain Farmers of Ontario, 679 Southgate Drive, Guelph, ON N1G 4S2. © Grain Farmers of Ontario all rights reserved. Publisher: Grain Farmers of Ontario, Phone: 1-800-265-0550, Website: www.gfo.ca; Managing Editor: Mary Feldskov; Production Co-ordinator: Kim Ratz; Advertising Sales and Sponsorship Consultant: Joanne Tichborne BIODEGRADABLE POLY 15-03 OGF DecemberJanuary 2023-24_OnGrainFarmer 2023-11-09 11:04 AM Page 3 4 From the CEO’S desk 18 GrainTALK newsletter An update on Grain Farmers of Ontario news and events 34 Good in Every Grain Updates on our campaign Farming smarter with Living Lab Anèl Dannhauser 6On the cover RESEARCH 10 Fertilizer rate research Ralph Pearce 12 Corn and soybean planting dates Treena Hein 16 Tailoring the tar spot response Matt McIntosh 22 Overwintering winter wheat Treena Hein 26 Controlling herbicide-resistant weeds Matt McIntosh LOOKING BACK 20 15 years of research Ontario Grain Farmer RURAL LIVING 28 The future agricultural workforce Ontario Grain Farmer 32 Bridges Into Agriculture Mary Feldskov
ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER FROM THE CEO’S DESK 4 From the CEO's desk This year’s March Classic, Leading the Way, will celebrate the success of the organization over the past 15 years. I’m looking forward to connecting with many of you at this event, which is shaping up to be one of the best yet. The agenda and more information are found on page 19. Grain Farmers of Ontario has also recently launched its 2025 Strategic Plan. The plan, last updated in 2021, provides the guideposts and direction for the organization for the next five years and showcases the importance of advocacy, knowledge transfer, market growth, and strong governance as the organization continues to work to bring its mission and vision to life. The plan is the result of thoughtful discussion and reflection by Grain Farmers of Ontario Board members and staff and shows our commitment to advancing the grain and oilseed industry in Ontario. One of the key pillars of the plan is research and knowledge transfer; the annual Research issue of the Ontario Grain Farmer is just one of the ways that we share the results of the long-term investment in our research priorities. Weeds, disease, pests, climate adaptation – these are among the issues that affect you, the farmer-member, and we will continue to lead the way in finding ways to address and mitigate their impact through research. As I write this, Grain Farmers of Ontario is in the middle of its annual January District meetings. This has been a great opportunity to get out to meet farmermembers across the province and share what we are doing on their behalf. At these meetings, delegates and alternates are elected to serve, and this year, directors in odd-numbered districts were elected to serve two-year terms. I’m always appreciative of all the farmer-members who come to the meetings to learn more about what Grain Farmers of Ontario is doing on their behalf and to share their comments, concerns, and advocate for their industry. Your voice is important! The coming year will no doubt present a number of challenges for the grain industry; ongoing geopolitical disruptions, supply chain issues, the Donald Trump presidency, and a federal election are among the issues that are on our radar. As we look to the months ahead, we are ready to tackle these challenges and continue striving for a strong and well-supported grain industry. On a personal note, January 2025 marked 20 years since I first joined the staff of the Ontario Wheat Producers’ Marketing Board – a decision that, ultimately, set the course for my career. It is a privilege to work for farmers and play a part in growing our exciting industry. Grain farming has changed a lot in 20 years – yields have grown tremendously, technology has advanced, and trade has increased. Farmers and industry have invested heavily in farmland improvement, grain handling, processing, and export infrastructure. We will always have challenges ahead of us, but that keeps our work exciting, and I am confident we can handle anything that comes our way. • Crosby Devitt, CEO, Grain Farmers of Ontario It’s a new year, and Grain Farmers of Ontario has lots to celebrate! 2025 marks 15 years since the three legacy associations, the Ontario Wheat Producers’ Marketing Board, Ontario Corn Producers’ Association, and Ontario Soybean Growers, joined forces to elevate the voices of the 28,000 farmer-members who grown barley, corn, oats, soybeans, and wheat in Ontario.
The $185 million ACS Living Lab program, launched in 2021, is a Canada-wide project with 13 labs. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) aims to strengthen a nationwide network of agricultural living labs over a 10-year period. Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) serves as the delivery agent for this program and has partnered with more than 15 agricultural organizations across the province to deliver a five-year project for the development of new best management practices (BMPs) and technologies through partnerships between farmers and researchers. Living Lab-Ontario builds on the success of the previous Living Lab initiative (2018-2023) but with a focus on evaluating and adopting BMPs that address climate challenges in both livestock and crop production systems on farms across Ontario. COLLABORATING FOR SUCCESS The success of the Living Lab-Ontario program and its predecessor can be attributed in large part to the collaborative efforts of its many partners. Funding for the project has been provided by AAFC under the Agricultural Climate Solutions – Living Lab program, and core partners including Beef Farmers of Ontario, Dairy Farmers of Ontario, Grain Farmers of Ontario, Ontario Federation of Agriculture, Ontario Pork, and Ontario Sheep Farmers. In addition to the core partners, more than 59 farmers and 16 private- and public-sector researchers are involved in this program, along with environmental and agricultural organizations and other experts. These collaborators include the Canadian Wildlife Federation, the County of Wellington, Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario, the Green Belt Foundation, Livestock Research Innovation Corporation, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness (OMAFA), Soils at Guelph, and the University of British Columbia. INNOVATION CYCLE Chris McPhee, innovation management specialist with Living Labs Division (AAFC), says that “Living Lab is not a research project, it is innovation supported by research.” The Living Lab approach has producers at the heart of its innovation cycle. Through a co-development process, the collaborators, researchers, and farmers work together to identify needs and outcomes and then generate and share ideas (“co-development”); conduct experiments, acquire new data and explore new knowledge (“test”); and then examine the results including all types of data and user experience (“evaluate”). Through this process, the innovations and applications developed are reviewed, adapted, and changed to fit the needs of the producer by adapting on-farm practices based on practical and economic feasibility recommendations. ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER COVER STORY 6 Anèl Dannhauser Farming Smarter with Living Lab Ontario's collaborative approach uniting farmers and scientists The Living Lab-Ontario Program, part of the Agricultural Climate Solutions (ACS) Program (2021-2031), unites various stakeholders in the agriculture sector to collaboratively design and trial on-farm practices and technologies aimed at lowering greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and enhancing carbon sequestration within practical, real-world settings.
continued on page 8 ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER COVER STORY 7 The Living Lab–Ontario innovation cycle ADDRESSING KEY CHALLENGES While the program is geared towards finding practical, science-backed BMPs for both crop and livestock systems, these BMPs always keep climate change challenges in mind, namely GHG emission reduction and carbon sequestration. The BMPs being developed and tested in this program include: • Cover crop grazing – developing BMPs by assessing the agronomic and environmental benefits of livestock grazing. • Nitrogen efficiency and use – evaluating and developing 4R strategies to enhance nitrogen efficiency and mitigate environmental impacts. • Increasing soil organic carbon (SOC) – changes in SOC as a result of implementing BMPs. • Manure storage management – reducing methane emissions from liquid manure storage. • Field edge practices – evaluating beneficial effects of restoring marginal lands to native vegetation. • Decision support tools – a farm-level financial and economic evaluation of BMP adoption. REGIONAL DIVERSITY To ensure that the program’s results will be applicable to a broad range of farmers across Ontario, the program cooperators targeted various farm sites across Ontario’s agricultural communities. These sites represent a variety of climate and soil conditions and allow for the implementation of the identified BMPs. TRANSFORMING AGRICULTURE ONE FARM AT A TIME Selected farmer cooperators have begun to engage in various practices, which will continue to be implemented in 2025. In addition, OSCIA recently announced the inclusion of four more Living Lab–Ontario cooperators, whose focus will be on comparing cover crop planting methods following corn or soybeans, using, among other options, drones to seed cover crops. The project is reviewed annually, and adjustments are made to the site-specific projects and targets as needed, along with the addition of more cooperators and projects. The Living Lab–Ontario 2024 site distribution Images and graphics courtesy of OSCIA.
continued from page 7 ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER COVER STORY 8 CLIMATE GOALS The Living Lab–Ontario program is a key component of Canada’s broader climate strategy, which includes the 2030 Emission Reduction Plan. The program focuses on three main priorities: • Sequester carbon: Projects incorporating no-till, cover cropping, and establishing natural field edges such as shelterbelts and riparian zones contribute to long-term carbon storage. • Reduce GHG emissions: Many sustainable farming practices lower GHG emissions. • Provide other environmental co-benefits: These practices further include soil and water quality improvements, biodiversity safeguards, and more resilient agroecosystems. These priorities align with Canada’s commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2050, a goal that gained momentum with the Paris Agreement in 2015. As an early adopter of the net zero target, Canada has been actively pursuing initiatives across various sectors to work toward this objective. THE FUTURE OF LIVING LAB-ONTARIO The five-year program that OSCIA began in 2021 has already made great strides in achieving its goals. As for the program in review, Angela Straathof, director of research and knowledge transfer with OSCIA, notes that “2024 was a foundational year for Living Lab milestone achievement, including the start of our trial implementation and sampling, and the enhancement of key relationships among the farmer cooperators, researchers and partners. We’re looking ahead to exciting possibilities in 2025!”. Keep an eye on this program as the practical research results will shape how we farm into the future. • Free Mental Health Training for the Agricultural Community InTheKnowOntario.ca In the Know is a training tailored to the agricultural community that increases understanding of mental health and wellness, normalizes conversations about mental health, and reduces stigma. REGISTER FOR A SESSION OR BOOK A PRIVATE SESSION FOR YOUR GROUP LEARN MORE To learn more about the Living Labs program, visit Living Lab-Ontario: www.www.ontariosoilcrop.org/livinglab/ Sheep grazing cover crops.
(J.M.) WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO SET PERSONAL GOALS? (K.K.) Goals are important because they provide clarity, motivation, measurement, accountability, and a sense of achievement. There are three types of goals. A-Type goals are ones that you know how to do and have likely already accomplished, like buying a new truck. B-Type goals are the next level. They are logical goals you've never achieved, but with a little more effort, you can probably reach them, like increasing crop yield or improving fuel efficiency. I work with clients who want to achieve C-Type goals. These goals don’t have a clear path to achievement but are created in the imagination and often require big-picture thinking and personal growth and development to reach. For example, a C-Type goal could be tripling a person’s income. This is something that they likely have no idea how to do or how to change to make it happen, but the idea of what that level of income could do for their family, farm, lifestyle, health, or peace of mind inspires them. I believe the purpose of a goal isn’t to get but to grow. When a person creates a C-Type goal, they aren’t supposed to know how they will achieve it because they need to grow into the person who realizes the goal. Growth might mean doing things differently, changing habits, processes, behaviours, and even how a person makes decisions. HOW DO YOU SET GOALS FOR SUCCESS? Setting C-Type goals requires using your imagination. The idea is to tap into your imagination to create a new picture of yourself, your life, your farm, or whatever you want. Ask yourself, ‘If time and money weren’t an issue, what would I be doing, whom would I want to spend time with, how would I operate my business, how would I spend my money, etc..’ Set your goal and spend some time imagining and exploring what it would be like to live in your goal-achieved world. This will help you build a vision of what you want. And only concentrate on the things you want. Not what other people might think or how challenging it will be. When we set goals this way, it can be hard. We can doubt and question ourselves, so to overcome these negative thoughts and emotions, focus on how you would feel if you achieved your goal. Like how would you feel if you tripled your income, had more time to spend with your family, and had more balance, joy, or freedom in your life? Goals are their weakest at conception, so the more time you spend with them – thinking, dreaming, imagining, and writing them down – the better. That’s when you’ll be inspired and find those creative methods or learn how to achieve your goal. The more you focus on your goal, the more open you will be to new opportunities that may help you realize what you want. HOW CAN PERSONAL GOALS BENEFIT A FARM BUSINESS? Goal setting is personal, but it can have ripple effects in every aspect of a person’s life and business. And because farm businesses are so closely tied to a person’s lifestyle, setting goals, especially C-Type goals that can be so transformative, can have a significant impact on the business. Personal growth is hard, but it’s a good thing. And it can benefit everyone and everything around you. Goal setting can also help build resiliency. Life happens, and there are so many things outside of our control, especially in farming, but when you’re able to learn and grow (two things that are often secondary outcomes of achieving a goal), you will naturally become more resilient. For example, maybe you’ll become more patient with employees, learn a new skill that will help you navigate commodity markets or successfully add a new income stream to your farm. These are all personal development outcomes that can stem from aspiring to reach a lofty C-Type goal. Setting goals can give you long-term vision and short-term motivation. They create clarity in what you want and focus your attention on whatever is necessary for you to attain your goal, including knowledge, personal development, resources, skill sets, relationships and mindset. Personal goal setting for growth will benefit every aspect of your life, personal relationships and farm business. Goal setting is worth the work. • ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER BUSINESS SIDE 9 Personal goal setting for growth Jeanine Moyer Business side with... Kayleigh Kennedy, Business and Mindset Coach, linkedin.com/in/kayleighkennedy
It may not provide the answer, but it might be part of a valuable process of elimination that leads to a tangible way forward. Dr. John Lauzon, associate professor in the School of Environmental Sciences at the University of Guelph, undertook two projects sponsored partly by Grain Farmers of Ontario. The first project, “Safe Fertilizer Rate Guidance for Various Fertilizer Strategies for Strip-Till Corn,” was carried out between late 2021 and November 2023 at three locations (Elora, Paris, and Donegal). Primary among its goals was to answer growers’ questions about strip-till fertilizer rates in corn and establish rate responses to determine injury thresholds. “Tillage prior to corn traditionally incorporates large amounts of fertilizer to build or replace fertilizer from the crop rotation,” cites the project’s preliminary report. “Strip-till can efficiently incorporate large amounts of fertilizer but creates safety concerns. Growers are currently using trial and error.” STRIP-TILL FINDINGS There was the added challenge of conducting fertilizer and strip tillage treatments in the fall before field activity, different fertilizer placement strategies, and different fertilizer blends. Strips couldn’t be tilled in the fall of 2021, so tillage and fertilizer treatments were delayed until spring 2022. Fall tillage and treatments were successfully carried out in the fall of 2022 and 2023, with an interim report generated in November 2023. Ben Rosser worked closely with Lauzon on the strip-till project and notes the challenge of determining rates at which injury can occur because it’s dependent on soil types and weather conditions. Specific fertilizer blends or placement strategies that should have caused significant damage didn’t occur as expected, or rates or placements that shouldn’t have been an issue showed damage. “With two years of data, we’re seeing preliminary results at this point,” says Rosser, corn specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness (OMAFA). “With fertilizers, we’d be more concerned about urea in the springtime with high rates and we definitely did see burn at our 2024 locations. We were surprised in 2022 just how little burn at some of the higher rates of urea.” It’s the different types of strip-till that can affect the as opposed to its adoption rate among growers. Is it a 2 x 2 banding or shank-applied? Some growers are placing all of their fertilizer at the bottom of the strip for safety while others want a starter fertilizer effect, so they’ll release fertilizer a couple of inches above the bottom of the shank. “The key with this project was a custom-built toolbar with four different row units on it for four different fertilizer placements,” says Rosser. “That allows us to investigate some of the most popular options. In our case, that’d be deep banding with a shank, shallow banding with a shank mixing with coulters and then banding on the edge of the strips. I don’t know any commercial machines doing that but some growers in Ontario have built machines with their banding fertilizer on the edge of the strips.” Crop injury was a key mention in Lauzon’s report, and Rosser concedes that determining the injury potential was an important factor, not as a way of promoting higher rates of fertilizer but to test any thresholds. Another ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER RESEARCH 10 Ralph Pearce Fertilizer rate research Lots of variables means it’s not an easy task Researchers often face what can seem like an uphill battle in a search for a clear direction. For any number of reasons, a project’s outcome may not yield the anticipated results, yet no experiment is ever a complete failure.
Back up your instincts with data-driven decision making. AgExpert is your go-to for all the data on your farm, so you can stay one step ahead of the curve in the field and in your finances. Get started today at AgExpert.ca GET A HEAD START. Maximize your data. Your fields. Your profit. 16634_AGEX_2024_HeadStart_4-687x6-062.indd 1 2025-01-07 11:14 AM component is understanding the higher level of management that strip-till requires, particularly planning for fall tillage, which is very crop-dependent. LEARNING MORE ABOUT SULPHUR The second of Lauzon’s projects, “Timing and Placement on Sulphur on Corn, Soybeans and Wheat,” was conducted during the 2022, 2023, and 2024 growing seasons. Four goals included determining the extent of sulphur response in the three crops, determining the timing and placement of applied sulphur on crop response, evaluating the release timing of plant-available sulphur from elemental sulphur, and further calibrating a sulphur soil test. The work was conducted at Elora with additional sites available from work by Pioneer/Corteva Agriscience, Maizex Seeds, and OMAFA’s soybean specialist, Horst Bohner. Testing for sulphur response in-field is challenging because it requires correcting for the nitrogen in ammonium sulphate or potassium in potassium sulphate. But in terms of the extent of sulphur response in the three crops and determining the impact of timing and placement of applied sulphur, only two off-station sites showed a response. “At the on-station sites, the preliminary data evaluation has not shown any response to applied sulphur regardless of application timing or placement," states the project summary. The summary went to cite the need for the final year's data to complete a final evaluation. According to Shawn Brenneman, most growers in Ontario understand sulphur’s role in maximizing yields, and many consider it a macro-nutrient for crops like corn, wheat and canola. What can confound growers’ understanding is the uptake of sulphur in different crops; with wheat or sugar beets, the demand for sulphur is larger in vegetative stages. Corn, soybeans, and potatoes require most of their sulphur from later ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER RESEARCH 11 vegetative through to reproductive stages, so mineralization and release from the soil can have a bigger influence on overall sulphur supply. “The majority of growers I work with account for sulphur demand somewhere in their crop plan,” says Brenneman, director of commercial growth and strategy for CanGrow Crop Solutions. “This could be through manure, organic amendments, organic matter mineralization, or applied fertilizer sulphur sources. Where we can do more work is in the 4R management of sulphur, better understanding when crops need sulphur, sources and potential risk factors for losses from runoff, erosion, leaching, volatilization, and tie-up with precipitation.” In certain crops and certain regions of Ontario, applying sulphur is used as a form of insurance, adds Colin Elgie, soil fertility specialist for field crops with OMAFA. He agrees with Brenneman’s approach that the 4R nutrient stewardship approach is best. “In some cases, we’re probably overapplying it and it’s likely not necessary on every field, every year for that crop,” says Elgie. “It should be looked at specifically as that secondary macro and something that variable-rate application may be a good fit for. If we have a way to identify where that response is going to be in the field and apply it where it’s needed, great -because it’s not something that we can easily build up year after year.” • This project was funded in part by the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance, a collaboration between the Government of Ontario and the University of Guelph.
Treena Hein Study supports better decision-making Spring planting of corn and soybeans is just around the corner, and Ontario’s grain farmers are always looking for new data on planting date decisions. The weather, planting other crops, and more can get in the way of target dates for a given crop, but having the newest provincial guidelines is essential in reaching the goal of top yields. “Using local datasets like the ones we’ve developed ensures that recommendations are tailored to Ontario’s specific environmental conditions,” explains Seth Ritsma, who is about to finish his master’s degree under the supervision of Dr. Dave Hooker and Dr. Joshua Nasielski at the University of Guelph. But while early planting within the optimal window generally increases yields and avoids losses from late planting compared to normal planting dates (up to 41 per cent reduction in corn and up to 20 per cent in soybean), Ritsma cautions that every year presents potential exceptions. “For example, in 2022 at Elora, prolonged emergence of soybean due to cool earlyseason temperatures combined with below-average rainfall during June and July—when early-planted soybeans enter their reproductive growth stage—resulted in slightly lower yields for the early planting date,” he says. “In this case, it wasn’t a very significant difference, but it highlights that early planting does not always guarantee higher yields, and outcomes depend heavily on seasonal weather patterns.” IF CONDITIONS PERMIT If there are conditions that support an earlier date, Ritsma says farmers should focus on two key decisions: which crop to prioritize for planting and when to switch crop maturity. “Based on our findings, both corn and soybean achieved higher yields on average with early planting, so ideally both crops would be planted simultaneously to maximize yields,” he notes. “That can be impractical for many growers, so in choosing, take note that our results suggest corn should be prioritized. We saw corn yields declining more steeply than soybean yields with delayed planting, while soybean yields remained relatively stable.” Regarding crop maturity, knowing when to switch to shorter-season or longer-season soybean cultivars/corn hybrids is critical for optimizing yield and profitability if planting dates are delayed. But first, Ritsma wants to provide context from the study’s economic analysis, which aimed to determine whether greater yields translated into greater profits. Fluctuations in crop prices and drying costs were included in the team’s evaluation of three profit scenarios: ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER RESEARCH 12 Corn and soybean planting dates
Pessimistic Return: Lowest weekly five-year crop price and a 50 per cent increase in drying costs from the five-year average. Optimistic Return: Highest weekly five-year crop price and five-year average drying costs. Average Return: five-year average crop price and five-year average drying costs. For soybeans at the Ridgetown and Elora locations, Ritsma, Hooker, and Nasielski did not detect any noticeable economic advantage to switching to shorter- or longer-season cultivars across any of these three scenarios. At Ridgetown, with early planting, yields were significantly reduced for both shorter- and longer-season cultivars compared to full-season cultivars. At Elora, yields were significantly reduced for shorter-season cultivars, with no significant difference between full-season and longer-season cultivars. The trend of full-season cultivars producing the highest profits when planted earlier was also observed at the normal planting date at these locations. However, at the Winchester study site, a longer-season cultivar consistently resulted in the greatest economic returns across all scenarios for both the early and normal planting dates. “This suggests that farmers may benefit from planting longer-maturity cultivars in some years, even under normal planting conditions,” says Ritsma. However, when soybean planting was delayed until mid-June, there was no economic advantage to switching maturity from full-season to shorter-season cultivars at any location. CORN RESULTS For corn, across all locations, there was no noticeable economic advantage to switching maturity when planting early or at a normal time. In other words, full-season hybrids produced the highest profitability. However, in contrast with soybeans, when planting was delayed to midJune, switching to shorter-season hybrids provided greater profit. This minimizes the risk of hybrids failing to reach full maturity, but Ritsma notes that even if full- and longer-season hybrids do reach maturity when planted late, they have lower test weights and higher harvest moisture levels (higher drying costs), which generally overshadows any yield benefits. FURTHER ANALYSIS The comprehensive dataset generated by this study will be further analyzed to explore various effects associated with planting date decisions, hybrid/cultivar maturity, seeding rates, stand assessments, crop physiology and developmental rates, weather impacts, grain quality and economic risk assessment. “After the data are fully analyzed and the conclusions are fully vetted and tested,” says Hooker, “the findings will contribute to the development of decision support tools and the refinement of recommendations for hybrid and cultivar maturity selection, as well as planting date management strategies.” • ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER RESEARCH 13 planting recommendations summary 2025 • Aim to plant corn in late April to the first half of May to utilize the full growing season and maximize yields. • Also plant soybean in late April or early May for the highest yield potential. • New data shows that corn should be planted first, because yield declines are greater than soybean, if planting is delayed, even in higher crop heat unit areas similar to Ridgetown. • Corn hybrid selection: Choose full-season hybrids for early and normal planting dates to achieve the highest yields. For late planting, shorter-season hybrids are best, as always. • Soybean variety selection: Contrary to current recommendations, this study shows that with early planting, corn yield was almost always greater with a longer-season hybrid and in Winchester for soybeans as well. That is, says Nasielski, you don’t need a longer-season corn hybrid to take advantage of early planting, but it appears to help. Ritsma says crop breeders, knowing typical planting dates for farmers in their region, adapt varieties (full-season) to local photothermal regimes and growing season lengths, selecting for traits (e.g. yield) while ensuring that grain-fill is completed before the first killing frost. These adapted varieties are based on when planting ‘typically’ occurs in Ontario. When planting occurs earlier or later than the typical planting date, it’s been thought that crop maturity should be increased or decreased as the growing season has been extended or shortened. • Soybeans planted after wheat after July 15 are highly risky, especially with full-season or later cultivars. • Use soybean seeding rates between 130,000 and 160,000 seeds per acre to balance yield potential and seed costs. Adjust rates based on soil conditions and expected emergence. • Monitor for corn diseases like tar spot, especially with delayed planting. Select hybrids with better disease tolerance and consider fungicide application, if necessary, especially with late plantings. CORN & SOYBEAN
That’s the takeaway message from Albert Tenuta, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness (OMAFA) field crop pathologist. Tenuta and Dr. Dave Hooker, professor and field crop agronomist at the University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus, are working on a project to develop an integrated management control strategy for the pathogen in Ontario. Although tar spot can bring significant yield losses and cause harvest difficulties, Tenuta’s message to growers is to consider tar spot the same as any other regional disease. Like Fusarium head blight in wheat or white mould in soybeans, awareness and proactive management can control it. “Don’t get caught in the idea of managing the weather,” says Tenuta. “You can’t change the weather. You’re managing the crop.” ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER RESEARCH 14 Matt McIntosh Tailoring the tar spot response Research project determines best approach Tar spot is here to stay – but corn growers don’t have to live in fear of the disease. Every day new challenges, obstacles, roadblocks and uncertainties threaten your farm’s progress. That’s why you need solutions that work. You need agronomists that know the industry. You need answers. Because regardless of the unknowns, you always have to make a decision. Make the most with what you’ve been given by tapping into the nutrient enhancing technologies from Koch Agronomic Services proven to create a positive impact in your fertility program. Koch and the Koch logo are trademarks of Koch IP Holdings, LLC. ©2024 Koch Agronomic Services, LLC. All Rights Reserved. 1774_SpringGrowerEast_Ontario Grain Farm_15.497x4.5.indd 1
TOLERANT HYBRIDS THE BEST TOOL Severe tar spot infection can significantly weaken corn standability and yield. Field trials of fungicide-treated plots and untreated controls near Rodney, says Tenuta, generally show a 20 to 40 bushel per acre loss in untreated corn – although he has occasionally seen notably higher losses. The severity of losses is closely tied to seasonal conditions, with warm and damp weather at the wrong time, bringing greater losses. Anecdotally, Tenuta adds discussions with Ontario growers also highlight a 20 to 40 bushel per acre gain in treated corn acres, confirming the yield disparity documented in the Rodney plots. By far, Tenuta says the best way to reduce the risk posed by tar spot is by planting more tolerant hybrids. Both Tenuta’s hybrid trials and trials conducted by partnering researchers in the United States have ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER RESEARCH 15 FIND THE ANSWER FOR YOUR ACRES. NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT | NUTRIENT PROTECTION | SEED ENHANCEMENT 12/27/24 12:34 PM Tar spot on corn continued on page 16
ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER RESEARCH 16 reached this conclusion. Work to genetically map hybrids showing the best resistance potential is ongoing in both the public and private sphere, as are efforts to map the germplasm of resistant tropical corn varieties (from areas where tar spot originated) and understand the difference – or lack thereof – between Mexican and Caribbean varieties of tar spot. Both varieties are present in Ontario, but thus far, Tenuta says there appears to be little real difference between them. FUNGICIDES AND APPLICATION TIMING After beginning with a tolerant hybrid, growers can further hedge their bets with effective fungicides and good application timing. All fungicides tested at Tenuta’s Rodney-area trials brought some degree of tar spot control and reduction. Application timing coincided with the VT stage — the traditional time Ontario growers try to address potential issues with fungi such as Gibberella — although applications were also made at stages R3 and R4. No response was observed in these latter stages, however. Tenuta says the good news is fungicides effective against other problem diseases, like northern corn leaf blight and the aforementioned Gibberella, are also effective against tar spot. This has proved true in both dry and wetter conditions. Growers, he says, “don’t have to change practices. They just have to be vigilant.” That means applying the same philosophy employed in spraying for weeds and insect pests, and scouting to ensure applications have been effective. When asked about fungicide resistance in tar spot, Tenuta says the now-standard practice of using multiple modes of action in fungicide applications means the risk of resistance developing is not high, at least right now. “We’re always concerned about resistance…There’s no indication we’re seeing any tar spot resistance developing here,” he says. RAISE YOUR AWARENESS Improving your knowledge of the risk of tar spot each season is also a foundation of integrated management. To this end, growers can consult a series of resources, including the Tarspotter app – a cross-border tool to assist in making fungicide application and timing decisions – Corn IpmPIPE – a website detailing tar spot spread and severity by county in Ontario and American states – as well as the Crop Protection Network and its Tar Spot Working Group. “We’re part of that through Grain Farmers of Ontario support, allowing us to be proactive and initiate management tools and strategies immediately as opposed to waiting or not being able to,” says Tenuta, referring to both cross-border collaborations generally and the Tar Spot Working Group specifically. “In 2021, we had the tools ready, the research already going, because of the connection with colleagues in the United States. By midseason, we already had an integrated tar spot management program available to growers.”• continued from page 15 “By far, Tenuta says the best way to reduce the risk posed by tar spot is by planting more tolerant hybrids. Photo: Laura Ferrier
WHAT IS A CIRCULAR ECONOMY? “Circular economy” has become a popular phrase when referring to sustainable practices. In a circular economy, nothing is waste. “The circular economy retains and recovers as much value as possible from resources by reusing, repairing, refurbishing, remanufacturing, repurposing, or recycling products and materials.” (Canada.ca) When it comes to manure management, the ultimate circular economy is returning manure to the fields that produce the feed. However, this is challenging for larger farms with high-water-low-nutrient liquid manure and where crops are grown further from manure storage. Increasing interest in improving nutrient efficiencies and new technologies provides innovative options that come closer to the ideal of whole-farm nutrient utilization. WHY SEPARATE MANURE LIQUIDS AND SOLIDS? The cost of transporting manure that is over 95 per cent water makes application to fields further from the storage inefficient. The most practical method of generating manure in a circular economy is to extract the solids for transporting further distances and find a cost-effective method for handling the remaining liquids. Over the past several years, solid separation systems are becoming more common. Depending on livestock type, ration, and bedding, the concentrated solids can be transported a greater distance for nutrient and organic matter value. Handling the liquids–mainly water mixed with a small amount of ammonium, nitrogen, and potassium–has been the barrier. NEW OPTIONS New technology is now commercially available to apply the liquids during the growing season into growing crops, providing water and nutrients. With 4R nutrient stewardship in mind and the introduction of high clearance application equipment, this concept has been expanded for the application of watery liquid manure into standing corn, forages, cereals, and even soybeans during the growing season. 360 Rain® and Cadman CMA® are the first to market and will likely inspire other future technologies. 360 Rain robotically applies manure at very low rates in the same field(s) several times during the growing season. Additionally, the ability to inject nutrients (e.g., 28 per cent UAN) or water during dry periods ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER CROP SIDE 17 Crop Side Christine Brown Crop side with... Christine Brown, Field Crop Sustainability Specialist, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness adds to its economic potential. With a maximum of 3,000 feet of hose, it is restricted to a limited acreage while conventional tankers or in-row drag hose systems with high clearance toolbars can cover a larger area, usually less often and with higher application rates. A WINNING COMBINATION Improved economics for moving solid manure to fields further from the livestock, potentially to farms without livestock, and utilizing the remaining water and nutrients in a timely manner to boost yields–all the while maximizing nutrient efficiency and minimizing environmental risk–provides the ultimate “win-win” for a circular economy with manure. Figure 1: 360 Rain© applies manure at very low rates in the same field(s) several times during the growing season. Figure 2: A Cadman CMA® applies manure to standing corn. Varying boom height could allow a wider window for application. Handling manure liquids in-season into standing corn using high clearance equipment has exciting potential for improving the circular economy of manure.
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. Ashley Weber Communications Coordinator Ashley Weber joined Grain Farmers of Ontario in October as the communications coordinator. In her position, she works to keep Grain Farmers of Ontario’s farmer-members, industry partners, and the public informed through clear, engaging communication. Weber helps develop and implement communication plans, manages key channels like social media and member updates, and creates content, from press releases to radio ads, to share Grain Farmers of Ontario’s important work and stories. Weber’s passion for agriculture is deeply rooted in her background. She graduated from the University of Guelph’s Ontario Agriculture College with a Bachelor of Science, and growing up with grain farmers in Bruce County gave her firsthand ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER GRAIN TALK 18 Grain appreciation of the industry. She also holds a diploma in marketing and a post-graduate certification in social media marketing from Conestoga College, which has given her the skills to bring fresh ideas to the table. In her role, Weber is looking forward to finding new ways to engage with members, amplify the Grain Farmers of Ontario brand, and share the organization’s impact in meaningful ways. She’s excited to combine her marketing background with her passion for agriculture to help tell Grain Farmers of Ontario’s story and champion grain farmers across the province. Queen’s Park Meetings and Reception On Tuesday, December 10, Grain Farmers of Ontario Board members and staff visited Queen’s Park to meet with Premier Doug Ford and MPPs. The discussions focused on the key priorities of Grain Farmers of Ontario, including business risk management, carbon pricing relief, and increasing grain and oilseed processing capacity in Ontario. In the evening, Grain Farmers of Ontario and Spirits Canada hosted its annual Queen’s Park reception, which was well attended by MPPs and Queen’s Park staff.
LEADING THE WAY 2025 March Classic | March 18, 2025 Join Grain Farmers of Ontario on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, for the annual March Classic at RBC Place in London, Ontario. Celebrate 15 years of strength, leadership, and a legacy of making a difference for grain farmers as we look at what the future might hold for agriculture and find new opportunities for grain farmers in Ontario to continue leading the way. Find out more at www.gfo.ca/marchclassic. Register early! Preregister to be entered into our February early-bird draw! Register online on our website or by calling 1-800265-0550 ext. 308 before February 28, 2025, for your chance to win. Accomodations Rooms are available at the DoubleTree by Hilton. Book online at www.gfo.ca/marchclassic, or farmermembers can call 519-439-1661, use code “GFO,” and ask to be booked under the Grain Farmers of Ontario room block. Book your room before March 7, 2025, for the discounted rate. Childcare Looking for childcare? This year at the March Classic, childcare is provided for those who pre-register for the service. MARCH CLASSIC AGENDA Tuesday March 18, 2025 7 a.m. Attendee Breakfast Sponsored by John Deere Canada 8 a.m. Registration and exhibit hall opens 9 a.m. Opening remarks from Grain Farmers of Ontario 9:30 a.m. The U.S. Farm Report with host Tyne Morgan The U.S. Farm Report returns to the 2025 March Classic to host and record a panel discussion on prices, markets, and hot-button issues for agriculture. 10:30 a.m. Break Sponsored by Syngenta 11 a.m. Vance Crowe, Communications Strategist My Grandfather’s Axe: The Art of Passing Down Something You Have Built. Your most important work in succession starts long before hiring lawyers and accountants. Vance lays out often overlooked strategies farm families need to pass on the family farm they have built in their lifetime. Noon Lunch Sponsored by Syngenta 1:30 p.m. Linda Nazareth, Economist, Futurist and Author Economorphics: The Economic Trends Changing Today Into Tomorrow. The world we know is morphing into a different planet with different economic opportunities and challenges. What are the trends taking today into tomorrow, and what are the trends that are resulting from the shift? 2:30 p.m. Break Sponsored by Syngenta 3 p.m. Innovation in Agriculture panel with moderator Joe Dales Sponsored by Farm Credit Canada Join us for an engaging panel discussion on the future of innovation in agriculture, where industry leaders and visionaries will explore cutting-edge advancements shaping how we grow, produce, and sustain the world’s food supply, with moderator Joe Dales, from RHA Ventures. 4 p.m. Pre-banquet Reception Sponsored by Bayer CropScience 6 p.m. Banquet ($75, tickets required) Entertainment from a special Canadian musical guest Sponsored by SeCan 9 p.m. Conference end
ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER LOOKING BACK 20 For more than 15 years, Grain Farmers of Ontario has been leading the way, funding valuable research that address the most pressing challenges faced by Ontario farmers. The Ontario Grain Farmer magazine has been a integral tool to bring that research to farmer-members. Looking back… Fifteen years of research
ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER LOOKING BACK 21 Scan the QR codes to read these stories or visit www.ontariograinfarmer.ca to read 15 years worth of research advances.
“The crop itself can be harvested for straw and grain for food and also livestock feed use, adding to farm revenue,” says Jaber Husiny, a research associate in the Department of Plant Agriculture at the University of Guelph who recently completed a master’s degree looking at a new way to screen for cultivars that overwinter better than others. Working with a team of researchers at the University of Guelph, Dr. Dave Hooker, associate professor and field crop agronomist at the University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus, has found that corn yields can rise on average more than 15 per cent and soybeans 13 per cent when winter wheat is added to the rotation. During dry years, soybean yields go up an astounding 20 to 30 per cent depending on the tillage system. Looking at the results of a long-term 28-year study, this team also found that using wheat in the rotation reduces the dependence on nitrogen fertilizer. Combining this rotation with reduced tillage in their study also resulted in increased nitrogen and organic carbon, benefiting soil microbes. But not all cultivars survive equally over the harsh times of the year. In some fields, Ontario winter wheat growers can struggle with maintaining viable wheat stands through winter and early spring, notes Hooker, especially with ice, snow cover (or lack thereof), and freeze-thaw during early spring. “It would, therefore, be very useful to have a reliable screening method to determine survival rates,” he says. “Wheat breeders need these techniques to help them introduce or enhance traits associated with winter survival.” Hooker and his colleague Dr. Michel McElroy at the Grain Research Centre (CÉROM) in Quebec have conducted a small preliminary study looking at how to mimic conditions that cause wheat to die overwinter, such as pooling water and ice accumulation. They looked Treena Hein Overwintering winter wheat Variety research shows promise for future plant breeding Many farmers in Ontario are already reaping the benefits of growing winter wheat. These range from reduced soil erosion and compaction to weed suppression and spreading out the yearly planting workload. ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER RESEARCH 22
at three cultivars in a furrow/ridge system to try to catch the melting snow in the late winter/early spring in order to subject plants to the freeze-thaw cycle in a more regular and controlled way. They also did irrigation and winter covering treatments. In the second phase, the most effective treatments were applied to 10 cultivars at two sites, Beloeil in Quebec and Ridgetown in Ontario. “None of the proposed screening methodologies were effective for screening the varieties that we tested, but ruling out the methodologies is a valuable step,” says Hooker. “Winter wheat survival was excellent in all screening methodologies.” He adds that “the project highlighted the difficulties in screening trials under uncontrolled conditions (outdoors) and that simple single-factor explanations (low temperatures, freeze-thaw cycles, spring water accumulation) may be insufficient to predict how well wheat will overwinter.” NEW METHOD UNDER CONTROLLED CONDITIONS There hasn’t been much investigation into assessing the survival of winter wheat under low-temperature flooding and ice encasement (LTFIE) in controlled lab conditions. However, Husiny created a unique and accurate method during his master’s thesis (under the direction of Dr. Eric Lyons at U of Guelph, with Hooker and McElroy on his advisory committee). ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER RESEARCH 23 continued on page 24 “Previous studies did not hold plants under ice for extended periods of time in controlled environments,” Husiny explains. “The few studies that did use whole plants did not apply ice using a spot sprayer after a gradual decrease in temperature and they used different media. They also used different cultivars, temperatures and environments.” Husiny’s unique method confirmed genetic survival differences of four Ontario-acclimated cultivars, AC Carberry, Branson, CM614, and Norstar. He measured days and ambient temperature that caused 50 per cent mortality in plants frozen in ice. He found AC Carberry to perform the best, never reaching 50 per cent mortality, with Norstar next best, followed by Branson and CM614. Husiny also looked at concentrations of simple sugar, fructan, and sucrose present under periods during the experiments of plant acclimation and time frozen in ice. These levels seem to correlate with survival to some extent. However, he would like to see his methodology employed in more in-depth genetics studies that utilize large numbers of cultivars and attempt to identify genes related to overwintering survival. “One study already completed that has some overlap in methodology and cultivars used in my study is the recent PhD thesis of Rachel Whiting at the University of Around here, the weather is so much more than small talk. When you need your insurance to work, you need The Commonwell. Find a Local Broker at thecommonwell.ca/find-a-broker
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