ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER INDUSTRY NEWS 27 This level of connectivity and automation helps Brzozowski save time, reduce fuel consumption and limit unnecessary passes over the field. It also ensures a more consistent application of seed, fertilizers, and plant protection products—an increasingly important factor given rising input costs and tightening regulations. “It also allows me to look back on three years of field data and make better decisions for the next season,” he says. Brzozowski has invested in strip-till technology, including a Claydon Hybrid T4. The seed drill is ideal for a wide range of scenarios, particularly for direct drilling into stubble, minimum-tilled soil, or plowed land. The investment helps him maintain soil structure and reduce fertilizer use, especially on fields with challenging conditions. Parts of his farm are quite rocky, which poses somewhat of a barrier, but he is working with contractors to remove stones at depth so the entire operation can eventually transition to strip-till. “It’s part of our long-term strategy to lower costs and build resilience,” he says. Yields vary significantly depending on weather. In a dry year, his wheat yields average five to six tonnes per hectare. In a good year, they can reach up to nine tonnes per hectare. Rapeseed yields come in between three and 4.5 tonnes per hectare. Despite technological advances, Brzozowski says costs still outpace returns. “Everything around us is getting more expensive—gas, fertilizer, energy—but grain prices are stagnating,” he says. “We know our production costs, but we can’t just add a margin like other industries. The market dictates what we get paid.” REGULATION AND RED TAPE Brzozowski is also frustrated by EU regulations that he says are becoming increasingly complex and restrictive. He is particularly concerned about the growing number of plant protection products banned from use in Europe. “Almost all systemic protection products were withdrawn,” he says. “We’re left with just two or three options, and we can only apply them once.” Although he applied for a precision agriculture subsidy under Poland’s National Recovery Plan following the Covid-19 pandemic, most of his investments—about 10 million złoty ($3.3 million)—have come from his own pocket. Recent policy changes have also reduced and capped the amount of land that can qualify under ecoschemes. “Before, it was possible to combine the eco-schemes. Now it’s limited up to 300 hectares,” Brzozowski says. “We were promised less bureaucracy and more support,” he adds. “Instead, it keeps changing and getting more complicated.” Brzozowski is also concerned about increasing competition from Ukraine. He’s worried that Ukrainian farmers will gain access to the same market without the same restrictions. The validity of his concerns has yet to be determined. “They have better soil and fewer limitations on fertilizer use,” he says. “For us, growing rapeseed takes six to seven ‘agro-technical’ procedures, plus pest control. They can do it with much less effort.” FUTURE FOCUSED Brzozowski isn’t planning to expand his livestock operations—he’s focused on making his current system as efficient as possible. “I have a wife and kids. That’s why we’ve invested in automation—so we can finally get a break, maybe take a vacation.” He sees potential in genetic technologies that could reduce reliance on chemicals. “If we had more resistant plant varieties, we could spray less, continued on page 28 Maciej Brzozowski (Right) with his brother Marek.
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