ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER PAGE PILLAR 1 www.OntarioGrainFarmer.ca SPECIAL ISSUE: AROUND THE WORLD AUGUST 2026 Santiago del Solar on a DECADE OF CHANGE in Argentina
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25 Business side Conversations with business experts 13 Crop side Agronomic information from crop specialists AUGUST 2026 volume 17, number 8 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: Kristy Nudds; 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 16 GrainTALK newsletter An update on Grain Farmers of Ontario news and events 30 Good in Every Grain Updates on our campaign From gaucho to grain farmer, government and back Melanie Epp 6On the cover AGRONOMY 10 Brazil’s biological advantage Owen Roberts 18 Global lessons in herbicide resistance Jeanine Moyer SUSTAINABILITY 14 Liability insurance isn’t one-size-fits-all Ralph Pearce 26 Saving farmland needs allies, planning expertise Matt McIntosh MARKET DEVELOPMENT 22 The problem with GM wheat is not the science Melanie Epp GOVERNMENT RELATIONS 29 Canada can't afford farmers who can't afford to farm Jeff Harrison
Crosby Devitt, CEO, Grain Farmers of Ontario ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER 4 CEO's desk From the FROM THE CEO'S DESK The past month has been a busy one for me with meetings involving national and international collaboration. These meetings can feel like a long way away from my work on the farm, but the truth is the two worlds in which I operate are tightly connected. The decisions farmers make in their fields are increasingly shaped by conversations happening around tables that bring together farmers and organizations from across the globe. And I’ve been fortunate enough to have a front row seat to some of those discussions. Recently, Grain Farmers of Ontario and the Canadian Canola Growers co-hosted the International Oilseed Producers’ Dialogue (IOPD) meeting in Niagara Falls. This informal group brings together farmer representatives from major oilseedproducing countries such as Brazil, France, Germany, Australia, Canada, and the United States. Together, IOPD members represent over a million farmers and close to 90 per cent of global soybean exports. Hosting the IOPD was a reminder that even though we farm in our own regions, we’re facing many of the same pressures: government policy and regulations, evolving sustainability standards, changing trade patterns, and the need to keep farmers economically viable while meeting the expectations of customers and consumers around the world. One of the outcomes of the IOPD is a resolution that captures what we collectively agree on, such as principles around markets, sustainability, and farmer livelihoods. That document is still being finalized, and I think the mindset behind it is what’s most important. It’s farmers and their organizations leading the conversation, rather than reacting to it. I also had the opportunity to connect with grain farmers across Canada at the Grain Growers of Canada’s 25th anniversary celebration, where we met to develop common positions on key issues facing our industry. Ontario grain farmers were instrumental in the formation of this organization, at that time represented by the Ontario Corn Producers Association and the Ontario Soybean Growers. Grain Farmers of Ontario also recently participated in panel discussions with international partners at the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative in Saskatoon. The focus was on making sure that any sustainability program for grain is practical and works on farm. There is no shortage of good intentions when it comes to sustainability, but the challenge is turning those intentions into programs that recognize how farms actually operate. These intentions need to consider weather risk, tight planting and harvest windows, labour constraints, capital costs, and the reality that margins can be thin. When we’re part of these discussions, our role is to keep bringing the conversation back to what is realistic on farms, to speak up for systems that reward good practices without burying farmers in complexity or cost. International collaboration is also about markets. As we wrap up wheat harvest, we’re reminded that we don’t just feed Canadians; we also supply grain to customers around the world. Recent visits from Mexican buyers and Haitian millers reflect the work Grain Farmers of Ontario is doing to grow and diversify our markets. Every time we sit down with international customers, we’re not just selling grain, we’re building longterm, trust-based relationships that benefit the entire value chain. Alongside these global conversations, we’ve also been engaging with the federal government here at home. In early June, we were in Ottawa with our Grain Belt East partners (Quebec and Atlantic grain farmers) for a reception and meetings with the Minister of Agriculture and AgriFood, Heath MacDonald. Recognition is growing at the federal level that food and agriculture deserve focused attention and investment, and this is encouraging. For our part, we’ll keep highlighting the issues that matter to grain farmers and making sure policymakers understand that strong, competitive, and sustainable farms are the foundation of any credible food strategy. All of this global and national work can feel pretty far removed from the cab of a tractor, but at every one of these meetings, I’m reminded that the ultimate goal is simple: to keep farmers farming, and to make sure that what we grow has value in markets around the world. That came to mind recently as I watched my son graduate from the University of Guelph’s Ontario Agricultural College, along with the rest of his class. Seeing a new group of young people stepping into roles across our sector was a powerful reminder that we’re not just managing this year’s crop—we’re building the future of Canadian agriculture. If we can keep connecting what happens on our farms to what’s decided in boardrooms, then those new graduates will inherit an industry that’s not only surviving, but thriving, at home and around the world. •
New Grain Delivery Location: Bacres Grain ADM is buying (purchasing and marketing) grain delivered to the Bacres Grain elevator in Alvinston, Ontario. The location is set to open for grain deliveries starting October 2nd, 2026, accepting corn, soybeans, and soft red winter wheat. ADM is committed to providing the best service and is here to support you with resources and guidance. To connect with an ADM representative regarding grain buying, please contact any ADM team member in the Windsor office. Be sure to save Bacres Grain address: 3753 Nauvoo Road Alvinston, ON N0N 1A0 ADM Windsor Office (519) 972-8100 VIEW LOCAL BIDS
ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER 6 COVER STORY Melanie Epp From gaucho to grain farmer, government and back Santiago del Solar on a decade of change in Argentina An Argentinian farmer remains hopeful that farmers in his country can thrive with a more stable policy environment.
ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER 7 COVER STORY continued on page 8 The business pavilion at Expoagro is buzzing with activity. Held each March in San Nicolás, Argentina, the outdoor exhibition is the place to be. Farmers move between stands, some stopping at the CREA booth for coffee and conversation. The energy is good. Under President Javier Milei, Argentina’s grain sector has reason for new optimism. Santiago del Solar walks into the pavilion, looks around slowly, and makes his way across the room. He does not get far before he is intercepted — someone shakes his hand, another claps him on the back. A farmer friend he has not seen in a while gives him a quick embrace. He returns each greeting warmly and unhurriedly before settling in for the interview. It is not hard to understand why Del Solar commands the room. Now in his early 60s, he comes from six generations of farming in Buenos Aires province. He has been an active member of his local farmer network, CREA, for decades, and served on its national board for six years. He also served in government for two years and two months. He is modest but outspoken—kind but firm. More importantly, he is knowledgeable about both farming practices and public policy. He is the kind of farmer other farmers listen to. A FARM TRANSFORMED Ontario Grain Farmer readers may remember Del Solar from a profile published in 2014. At the time, he co-owned a 4,700-acre farm with his brothers and managed nearly 25,000 acres across Buenos Aires province. While his family had, for generations, been skilled cowboys — gauchos in Argentine culture — they had abandoned cattle in the early 1990s in favour of no-till crop production. At the time, Del Solar was sharply critical of government interference in agriculture. Export taxes, known as retenciones, which siphoned a percentage of farmers’ revenue at the border, had long been a feature of Argentine economic policy. But the interventions went further. Programs like the dólar soja — a temporary preferential exchange rate designed to pressure farmers into selling stored grain quickly — were less about supporting farmers than managing the government’s desperate need for foreign currency. For producers trying to plan ahead, the instability was exhausting. Despite his frustrations, Del Solar remained both technically progressive and optimistic. The first thing that would surprise anyone familiar with the 2014 profile would be the return of cattle. Del Solar still grows corn, wheat, barley, soybeans, and sunflower across several family properties in the Buenos Aires region. But his farm spans closer to 30,000 acres now, and the livestock are back. He runs about 3,000 head of beef cattle through a full production cycle, including a feedlot, and milks 2,500 dairy cows on Lely robotic milking systems, something of a rarity in Argentine dairy operations. The decision to diversify was partly agronomic — some of his land is better suited to pasture than crops — and partly a matter of family investment. Beef cattle prices have roughly doubled in five years. The move has paid off. INSIDE THE MACHINE In late 2017, Del Solar received a call from Argentina’s incoming agriculture minister. The newly elected Macri government had come to power on a promise to open markets, reduce export taxes, and reintegrate Argentina into the global economy. The minister wanted Del Solar to serve as his right-hand man, advising him on how policy changes might affect farmers. Before saying yes, Del Solar consulted his brothers and his cousin, who agreed to take over day-to-day farm operations in his absence. It was not a decision he made lightly. He had spent decades building the operation. Walking away from it, even temporarily, meant stepping back from everything he knew. His brothers encouraged him to do it. Perhaps he could effect change from inside government. Del Solar was proud to work under Macri, who understood farming and made time for the agricultural file. But the fiscal pressures of governing Argentina were relentless. Grain is Argentina’s primary source of U.S. dollars. When the government is desperate for hard currency to service its debt or stabilize the peso, it turns to grain export taxes because that is where the dollars are. Once in Buenos Aires, Del Solar found a government willing to support agriculture — and a finance ministry equally willing to tax it. “And that was a kind of struggle every day. Trying to stop the finance minister from raising taxes. - Santiago del Solar
ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER 8 COVER STORY continued from page 7 “The finance minister is always happy in Argentina,” he said. “They need money. They need dollars. They need export taxes.” “And that was a kind of struggle every day,” he added. “Trying to stop the finance minister from raising taxes.” The breaking point came over a single weekend in August 2018, when a currency crisis forced the government to impose export taxes across all sectors of the economy, not just agriculture. Del Solar was devastated. He had not gone to work in government just to do what it had always done. Conflicted, he spent the weekend calling trusted farmer friends before markets opened Monday morning. Several urged him to stay in his post. “I spoke with my wife, my son. I asked them what to do,” Del Solar said. “‘Stay,’ they said. So I stayed.” Some of his farmer friends felt he should have resigned in protest, but he had made a commitment. “I paid the price,” he said, referring to the reputational cost. “I didn’t like that.” He is philosophical about it now, though, noting that a tax applied universally across all sectors was at least structurally different from the usual arrangement. “When it’s only for farmers, it’s only for farmers, and nobody gets it — like right now,” he said. Government taught him something else he could not have learned in the field, something he has since passed on to his farmer friends. Large corporations carry much more power at the policy table than farmers do. They push and lobby for the change they want. And they are heard. “Big companies know how to do that. And sometimes they don’t show themselves,” he said, meaning their approach is not always transparent. He saw this most directly in the push to commercially approve HB4, a genetically modified drought-tolerant wheat, during his time in office. The pressure from the crushing industry and seed companies was immense, he said. But Del Solar held firm in support of farmers, arguing the export market risk was too great.
ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER 9 COVER STORY BACK ON THE FARM What Del Solar learned during his time in office helps shape decisions on the farm today. Government in Argentina, he said, is always in crisis or on the edge of one. Finance ministers react out of fear, and they react fast — sometimes over a single weekend. So he farms defensively now, hedging against the policy shocks he knows will come, staying involved in advocacy through CREA and Sociedad Rural, and trying to shape the outside environment he could not change from inside. The governments that followed Macri restored grain export taxes. The current Milei government, elected in late 2023 on a platform of radical economic liberalization, has reduced the soybean export tax. The tax was lowered from 33 to 26 per cent, and then cut again to 24 per cent in December 2025. Just two weeks ago, Milei announced a schedule to reduce it further by 0.25 to 0.5 percentage points per month beginning in January 2027, conditional on his coalition winning the next election. Del Solar acknowledges Milei has delivered genuine reform in mining and energy, where a large investment incentive program has attracted significant foreign capital. Agriculture, he said, has not received the same treatment. “He’s a libertarian, but not with farming — with other industries, with mining, energy,” he said. “You can’t be a part-time libertarian.” The same tax burden suppresses fertilizer use. Argentine farmers cannot justify the agronomic investment when export levies cut so deeply into returns. The result is a widening gap between what Argentine soils are capable of producing and what they actually produce. Yet he is not without hope. Argentina has the land, the knowledge, and the people. What they need, he said, is simple — a policy environment that is stable long enough to let them work. “More than three days, please,” he said with a chuckle. “At least one week. It could change everything.” •
ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER 10 AGRONOMY Owen Roberts Brazil’s biological advantage It’s not just exceptional climate that’s made this country a production giant Brazil’s rapid adoption of biological products has been driven by agronomic need, strong research partnerships, coordinated industry action, and supportive regulation. Brazil, an expansive country that has gone from being a food importer to a food exporter in a generation, is widely regarded as a megafarm stronghold. However, while it continues to break production and export records, about 77 per cent of its operations are considered family farms. That’s about 20 per cent less than the percentage of family farms in Canada or the U.S., and a fraction of the production, but it still represents four million farms and about 80 million acres. One such operation, Estancia Farm in São Paulo, looks much like a progressive Ontario grain farm — at least, in some ways. For example, it consists of 3,000 acres of corn and soybeans, and also operates a successful grain elevator. Its operators employ agronomists and other professionals to help institute research-based regenerative practices, such as no-till. And like Canadian farmers, they struggle with weather variability, including drought, and rising input costs. A big difference, though, is that unlike many other Brazilian farmers who are eager to add value by adding land, Estancia’s operators don’t want to expand. The farm is run by two sisters in their 30s, Aline and Nathalia Vick, second-generation farmers who accepted their father’s offer to get involved. Aline says she and Nathalia would rather concentrate on maximizing yields on their current acreage through the kinds of plant and soil technology that have got them this far. In part, that means using biological products as part of an integrated management system. Brazilian independent agronomist Ana Paula Silva says biological product use in grain production in Brazil,
ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER 11 AGRONOMY especially in soybeans, is well established, strong in some areas, and still expanding in others. She says Bradyrhizobium inoculation in soybeans, widely used to aid nitrogen fixation, is present in nearly 100 per cent of the crop and has been a foundation of the Brazilian production system for decades. Similarly, she says, the use of Azospirillum in co-inoculation, which stimulates root growth and improves nutrient use efficiency, has been growing consistently. They’re part of a key group that includes phosphorussolubilizing microorganisms, such as species of Pseudomonas and Bacillus, Trichoderma used for disease management and growth promotion, and bio-based products with biostimulant action, including amino acids, seaweed extracts, and organic compounds. Silva says the growth of biologicals in Brazil has been driven by a combination of factors, led by high pest and disease pressure associated with tropical conditions. High temperatures and humidity for much of the year create an ideal environment for rapid insect multiplication and plant pathogen proliferation. Multiple cropping cycles and vast cultivated areas add to Brazil’s production complexity. Other considerations are the search for greater inputuse efficiency, the need for more resilient production systems, and the increasing cost of fertilizers and crop protection products — similarities that Brazilian and Ontario farmers share. They also share the realization that research is the way forward. In the early 1970s, a Brazilian agricultural science entity called Embrapa was launched and went on to become one of the world’s largest agricultural research organizations. Among its many activities, it works with private companies such as Koppert, a global leader in biological products, to meet Brazilian farmers’ needs. There’s more. The São Paulo Advanced Research Center for Biological Control (SPARCBio) is one of the largest public‑private innovation hubs focused on biological solutions for tropical agriculture. It’s designed to accelerate the translation of fundamental science into applied, field‑ready technologies. Finally, long-standing partnerships with renowned institutions, such as ESALQ/USP (Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo), ensure product development is grounded in scientific rigour, robust experimental design, and a clear understanding of pest, plant, and environmental interactions — again, a trait shared with Ontario growers and their strong support for research. continued on page 12 CANADA AND BRAZIL: THE DRIVERS FOR CHANGE ARE ALIKE Can the success achieved in Brazil with biological products be replicated in Canadian agriculture? Yes, says Thiago Castro, research and development manager at Koppert Brazil — provided this approach is adapted, not directly replicated, and supported by the right institutional framework. Castro acknowledges that Canada operates under different climatic conditions and cropping systems. But, he says, the fundamental drivers are similar: the need to manage resistance, reduce environmental impact, improve sustainability, and protect farm profitability. Canada also benefits from strong scientific institutions, advanced agronomy and a highly professional farming sector, he says. However, Brazil’s experience clearly shows that technological readiness is not sufficient without a supportive regulatory environment and culture. “A critical enabler of Brazil’s rapid advancement in biological crop protection has been the existence of a regulatory environment capable of operating with speed, predictability, and scientific alignment, combined with laws explicitly designed to support innovation,” he says. “Clear regulatory pathways, differentiated treatment of biological products, and legal frameworks dedicated to bioinputs have significantly reduced uncertainty, accelerated product availability, and encouraged long-term investment in research and industrial capacity.” Castro believes that for similar success to occur here, regulatory systems must be rigorous, efficient, and innovation-friendly, and must recognize the specific nature of biological solutions and their role within IPM systems. He says regulations and public policies that actively support biological innovation, rather than applying frameworks originally designed for chemical products, are key to enabling faster adoption and scaling. “The Brazilian case demonstrates that when regulation, science, and industry evolve together, biologicals can move rapidly from niche solutions to mainstream agricultural technologies,” Castro says. “With appropriate regulatory agility, supportive legislation, and continued investment in science and extension, Canada is well positioned to follow a similar trajectory.”
ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER 12 AGRONOMY continued from page 11 Thiago Castro, research and development manager at Koppert Brazil, says the success of biological crop protection there stems from a unique convergence. It includes agronomic necessity, research, coordinated industry action, progressive regulation, and reliable biological technologies developed specifically for large-scale tropical agriculture. “This reality has historically required solutions capable of delivering consistent, preventive, and long-term control, rather than short-term corrective responses,” he says. “Biological control evolved as a strategic answer to these challenges, particularly when embedded within well-structured integrated pest management (IPM) programs.” Castro says a decisive element behind the rapid and sustained adoption of biologicals in Brazil has been the quality, robustness, and completeness of the technologies delivered to growers. Over the last two decades, biological products have transitioned from niche alternatives to scientifically engineered crop protection technologies. At Koppert, this evolution is driven by a deliberate strategy of technology stacking, combined with a comprehensive biological control portfolio. “This stacked technological approach has been fundamental in transforming biologicals into tools that deliver predictable, reproducible, and economically viable results under real farming conditions, even within the complexity of tropical agriculture,” he says. At an industry level, Castro says CropLife Brasil has been fundamental to the fast and structured advancement of biological control in the country. CropLife has played a key co-ordinating role by fostering dialogue between industry, regulators, researchers, and growers, promoting science-based regulation, technical harmonization, and best practices for integrating biologicals into modern crop protection programs. This coordinated approach significantly reduced adoption barriers and increased confidence throughout the agricultural value chain, he says. According to Castro, regulatory evolution further reinforced this environment. Specific public policies and legal frameworks dedicated to biological inputs brought clarity, differentiated biological solutions from conventional chemical pesticides, and stimulated long-term investment in research, industrial capacity, and innovation. “Brazilian growers are highly professional and strongly marketoriented,” he says. “As major global exporters, they face increasing pressure related to pesticide residues, resistance management, sustainability goals, and ESG commitments, while maintaining high productivity. Biological solutions that are scientifically validated, technologically robust, and operationally reliable directly meet these demands.” • “Biological control evolved as a strategic answer to these challenges, particularly when embedded within well-structured integrated pest management (IPM) programs. - Thiago Castro, research and development manager, Koppert Brazil
ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER 13 CROP SIDE Managing Bt-resistant corn rootworm: Reset and don’t repeat Tracey Baute Crop side with... Tracey Baute, Field crop entomologist, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Agri-Food Effective management requires resetting populations and rotating tools to reduce selection pressure. This includes: 1. Rotate out of corn at least every four years — hit the reset button Corn rootworm larvae need corn roots to survive. Larvae emerge in May or June from eggs laid by adults the previous summer. Rotating out of corn and controlling volunteer corn causes populations to crash, effectively resetting risk. 2. Monitor adult populations with traps — knowledge is power Monitor sticky traps weekly each year in July and August to assess risk: • ≥2 beetles/trap/day indicates a higher risk of root injury for the following corn crop. • High counts in Bt-CRW fields may signal resistance. Free traps are available through the CRW Trap Network. 3. Rotate management tools annually — don’t repeat the same tool back to back Avoid relying on the same control each year: • Year 1 corn: Low risk; use above-ground trait hybrids only. • Year 2 corn: Use above-ground trait hybrids. If trap thresholds were exceeded, add a soil-applied insecticide. • Year 3 corn: High risk; use Bt corn rootworm hybrids, with or without RNAi, if trap thresholds were reached. Do not use Bt or Bt-plus-RNAi hybrids in consecutive years. • Year 4: Rotate out of corn. 4. Scout and report injury — watch for signs of resistance Report any unexpected injury on Bt or Bt-plus-RNAi hybrids to your seed provider and Tracey Baute at OMAFA for further resistance testing. Monitor for: • Root pruning, lodging, or “goosenecking” caused by larval feeding. • Leaf feeding or silk clipping caused by adults feeding. Consistent crop rotation, monitoring, and alternating management tools are essential to slow the development of resistance and maintain the tools that remain for rootworm control. More information is available on the Canadian Corn Pest Coalition website: www. cornpest.ca. • Monitoring for adult CRW populations using sticky traps can help assess the risk of root injury to the following corn crop. Photo: OMAFA. Corn rootworm populations in 2025 were among the highest in decades, driven by hot, dry conditions and increasing continuous corn acreage. Similar pressure is expected in 2026, especially in areas with a high percentage of continuous corn. Heavy reliance on below-ground Bt corn rootworm hybrids, especially in continuous corn, has led to widespread resistance in parts of southern Ontario. Simply switching to RNAi hybrids in fields with Bt-resistant populations will not solve the problem and could also accelerate resistance to RNAi.
14 ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER SUSTAINABILITY Ralph Pearce Liability insurance isn’t one-size-fits-all From equipment on the road to cyber threats, farm coverage depends on the details of each operation Insurance experts say farmers need to have detailed conversations with brokers or agents to understand their specific risks, avoid coverage gaps, and ensure their policies reflect the full scope of their operations. As farms continue to evolve and add new buildings, equipment, or processes to their operations, clarity around liability insurance is becoming increasingly important. The more uncertainty there is in a situation, the greater the chance of unfavourable outcomes affecting a farm. What tends to make matters worse is that many people in the agri-food sector aren’t aware of the need for specific liability insurance. As the industry evolves, so do the needs of farms. Examples of injuries or damage incurred on a farm are numerous: falls from grain bins, failure to call for locates, and ladders placed in tractor buckets to reach the tops of drive sheds. They’re more than health and safety violations; depending on the circumstances, they can also be liability concerns. If there’s good news in one or two of those scenarios, it’s that all farm employees must have coverage under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB). That’s a regulatory requirement. But much like discussions about farm succession, liability insurance varies in complexity. The common adage that “no two farms are alike” means greater specificity, and more time spent, navigating liability coverage. It’s not a 15-minute phone transaction with an agent. TWO TYPES For the most part, liability insurance can be divided into personal and commercial coverage. Personal lines can resemble the exposures facing someone living in a metropolitan area: dog bites or slipping on ice in a person’s driveway. But farms are commercial enterprises, meaning they’re open to lawsuits for damages resulting from a farmer’s operation: cattle escaping an enclosure and causing a car accident; a tractor or combine on the road damaging a hydro pole; or sales from an on-farm market causing illness in a customer. “These are exposures you wouldn’t get on a normal homeowner’s policy,” says Meghan Mackenzie Bell, assistant vicepresident of the equine and agricultural division at NFP. “That’s the importance of having a farm broker that you can call and chat through your exposures. There are so many different exposures farmers can face that a lot of people, especially now, want that easy button of applying online. But this is one of those coverages where you really need to have a conversation.” Given the “no two farms are alike” adage, coverage can be extensive and include areas of the farm’s operations that may not readily come to mind. Pollution of a watercourse or a custom sprayer damaging a neighbouring field are incidents that have increased in the past 20 years. But there are now also ransomware attacks on livestock operations or retailers, where denial of service prevents milking or feeding animals. “There’s a massive knock-on effect of all the technology we’ve been able to use to improve farming, but we need to look at how to properly cover the liability of things like cyber exposures,” says Mackenzie Bell, who’s based in Newmarket, Ont. “It comes back to that overwhelming feeling of having so much that a farmer needs to think about.” It’s also why there’s nothing simple about finding the right coverage, whether it’s through a local mutual insurance company or a larger-scale provider with agricultural ties. Communication becomes an even more important, yet time-consuming, element, and it can make or break the perceived value of liability insurance. Another factor that can affect those decisions is a farmer’s self-reliance — the belief that they can fix whatever falters on the farm. But farmers must also communicate and update the specific details of their farms; any change in the operation could change liability coverage. It’s better to clarify things, just to be sure. “When it comes to property, you can pick and choose,” notes Mackenzie Bell. “But with liability, you need to insure everything
ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER 15 SUSTAINABILITY you’re doing — all of your operations. The moment you don’t tell us about something, chances are that’s the thing you’re sued over.” ROLL THE DICE Communication with an insurance agent or broker is elementary to Dawn Tuplin, as well. As a farm and commercial agent with Westminster Mutual Insurance Company in Belmont, Ont., she understands the farmer’s position in terms of time stress and the distractions that come with the job. However, she’s equally emphatic about the process of determining coverage under all forms of insurance, including liability. “Farming is farming, but there are so many different types,” she says, acknowledging the ways the industry has evolved recently, which is why she favours indepth assessments. “I really prefer a oneon-one conversation. Doing what I do, the most important thing is to have a full understanding of a farm operation so I can provide the right coverage solutions and point out gaps that exist. But it’s important that a farmer understands their obligations regarding the business they operate.” Tuplin echoes Mackenzie Bell’s reference to farmers being more likely to accept greater risk in managing their operations. She believes farmers are a special type of person: once they make up their minds, it’s difficult to convince them to do otherwise. More than the time consumed in walking through the complexity of a farm operation or the extent of coverage needed, there’s also the risk-taking that comes with the job of farming. Some farmers will drive their combines down the road with the corn header attached or attempt to dig a hole in a field without calling for a locate. Those are defended as “necessary risks to save time,” but they’re also an invitation to serious hardship if things go wrong. “There are farmers who are very aware of their exposures and take a lot of steps to mitigate their risk, and others who maybe aren’t as aware or interested in mitigating that risk,” adds Tuplin. “It’s what farming is — you have to be a bit of a professional gambler to be a farmer, but you also have to be a bit of a professional gambler to be an underwriter and decide on pricing for these risks.” Her recommendation begins with a base amount, regardless of the size or complexity of the farm, with coverage extensions or added premiums to account for specific operations taking place on that farm. Driving tractors down the road is covered under their liability wording, but insurers will generally charge additional premiums based on the number of tractors or combines, or the distance between locations. “We add extensions here that specifically list the exposure we’re charging for,” says Tuplin. Liability wording is not the same among all insurers. Just as farms vary in operation, so do insurance companies. “Not all insurers will do that — they may charge more premium. Some exposures are not included in the liability wording, and additional coverage may be needed. I don’t sell farm policies without liability, and there’s always room for improvement.” Farmers are operating in an incredibly volatile space, and the only way to manage expectations is to have a strong relationship with a broker or agent. They need to spend time making sure they have the coverage they need. • “There are so many different exposures farmers can face. - Meghan Mackenzie Bell, NFP
Grain ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER GRAIN TALK 16 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. Jayde Deol Member Relations Co-ordinator Jayde Deol joined Grain Farmers of Ontario in March 2026 as Member Relations Co-ordinator. In this role, she leads the planning and execution of key events, including the Annual General Meeting, Women’s Grain Symposium, and other member-focused initiatives across the organization. She works closely with internal teams and external partners to deliver engaging, well-organized experiences that strengthen connections across Ontario’s grain farming community. Jayde brings experience in event co-ordination, stakeholder engagement, and client-focused roles, where she developed strong skills in planning, logistics, and relationship management. Through her previous work, she gained hands-on experience co-ordinating events, supporting client needs, and managing multiple priorities in fast-paced environments, skills she now applies to creating seamless and impactful experiences for Grain Farmers of Ontario members. Known for her attention to detail and positive energy, Jayde takes pride in ensuring every event runs smoothly, while adding thoughtful and creative touches along the way. Outside of work, Jayde enjoys hosting and bringing people together, and usually plans her next weekend just as carefully as her events. Grain Farmers of Ontario hosts Grupo Trimex Grain Farmers of Ontario hosted Mexico’s largest milling company, Grupo Trimex, in late May as part of its Ontario Wheat Intensive program. Grupo Trimex and Grain Farmers of Ontario visited District 9 director Josh Boersen’s farm in Perth East for a firsthand look at Ontario wheat farming and the work Ontario grain farmers do to produce high-quality wheat for customers around the world. Discussions focused on Ontario wheat production, sustainability practices, grain quality, and the partnerships across the value chain that help strengthen export opportunities for Ontario farmers. Mexico remains one of Ontario wheat’s most important export markets, and conversations like these help build long-term relationships that support farmer success and market growth. Applications open for 2027 ASA-Corteva Young Leader Program Grain Farmers of Ontario seeks a soybean farming couple or individual to represent Ontario in the 2027 class of the American Soybean AssociationCorteva Young Leader Program. The Young Leaders program enhances participants’ skills through leadership, communications, and issues-based training, while building a strong peer network that supports increased success in their businesses and communities. Phase one will take place at Corteva’s Global Business Center in Johnston, Iowa, from Nov. 30 to Dec. 3, 2026. Phase two takes place in conjunction with the Commodity Classic from March 1 to 4, 2027, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Young Leaders are not necessarily young in age but are new in their leadership development. The ideal candidate is looking to become more involved in Grain Farmers of Ontario. The program focuses on leadership development, communication skills, emerging agricultural trends and issues, and building a strong network of industry peers. Spouses and partners are encouraged to participate and play an active role in all aspects of the program, even if they are not employed full-time on the farm. Applications can be submitted to the American Soybean Association directly at www.soygrowers.com/ or by contacting Rachel Telford, manager, Member Relations for Grain Farmers of Ontario, at rtelford@ gfo.ca.
ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER GRAIN TALK 17 Market Commentary by Philip Shaw Early summer represents a time of year when the USDA can make a real difference. On June 30, the USDA renewed acreage estimates for corn, wheat, and soybeans. The new U.S. corn number is 95.3 million acres, down from 98.8 million last year. U.S. soybean acreage was estimated at 85.4 million acres, five per cent more than a year ago. Wheat acreage was 42.7 million acres, much lower than expectations, and the lowest wheat acreage on record. Futures prices have slumped on the news but are still higher than a year ago. The Canadian dollar has been trading below 71 cents U.S. in the first week of July. As always, a low Canadian dollar acts as a stimulus to Ontario cash grain prices. It’s a redeeming market feature in a year of surplus. • Grain Farmers of Ontario hosts federal reception Grain Farmers of Ontario joined Senator Rob Black and partners from the Atlantic Grains Council and Producteurs de grains du Québec, through the Grain Belt East partnership, to meet with Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Heath MacDonald on June 3. Discussions focused on key issues affecting Canadian grain farmers, including agricultural competitiveness, trade and market access, sustainability, risk management, and the long-term resilience of Canada’s grain sector. Meetings like this help ensure Ontario grain farmers are part of national conversations shaping the future of Canadian agricultural policy. 2026 GFO Annual General Meeting Grain Farmers of Ontario will hold its Annual General Meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, at a new location: the Arden Park Hotel in Stratford. The meeting will run from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Annual General Meeting is a chance to hear what’s happening across the organization, share perspectives, and connect with others in the industry. It is always a valuable morning to stay informed and be part of the conversation. As a thank you for attending, all farmers who join us will receive a free ticket to Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show. P&H export terminal in Picton now open Grain Farmers of Ontario Chair Jeff Harrison and Dana Dickerson, director of market development and sustainability, recently celebrated the grand opening of Parrish & Heimbecker, Limited’s new grain export terminal at Picton Terminals Ltd. This new terminal provides vital capacity and optionality for Ontario grain farmers across the south-central region, helping them to get their grains to markets across eastern Canada and around the world. The terminal is expected to handle 300,000 to 350,000 tonnes of grain each year, drawing from about 1.2 million acres. The investment is a vote of confidence in Ontario grain farmers and the potential for growth in our region.
ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER 18 AGRONOMY Jeanine Moyer Global lessons in herbicide resistance Canadian farmers can learn from international successes and setbacks to protect the tools that still work If herbicide resistance offers one clear lesson, it is that weeds do not respect borders. Around the world, growers are facing the same challenge: herbicides that once provided reliable control are losing their effectiveness as resistant weed populations spread. For Canadian farmers looking ahead, Australia may offer the clearest glimpse of what is to come on the herbicide resistance front. After decades of battling herbicide-resistant annual ryegrass, Australian growers have been forced to adapt and develop new weed management strategies as herbicide tools have become less effective. According to Michael Flessner, professor and weed science specialist at Virginia Tech, the rest of the world is paying close attention. “Australia is being watched globally as other countries look to learn from its weed control strategies and solutions, and determine whether they can be adopted elsewhere to manage and mitigate herbicide resistance,” he says. The experiences of growers around the globe offer both a warning and Experiences in Australia, the U.S., and South America show that growers need to act early by using integrated weed management strategies — including chemical, cultural, mechanical, and emerging technologies — to preserve effective tools and prevent resistance from becoming entrenched. a roadmap. As herbicide resistance continues to evolve, Canadian farmers have an opportunity to learn from the successes, setbacks, and innovations emerging in other countries, and apply those lessons to their own fields. WEED MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES “Most farmers know herbicide resistance is a threat, but because it can be regional and even field-specific, it is easy to believe it is someone else’s problem,” says Flessner. “The challenge is that relying on herbicides alone often works — until it doesn’t. By the time resistance becomes obvious, the opportunity to prevent it has already passed.” The top five herbicide-resistant weeds Flessner is watching in the U.S. are also familiar to Canadian growers: horseweed, Italian ryegrass, which is similar to the problematic annual ryegrass in Australia, kochia, Palmer amaranth, and waterhemp. While most growers recognize herbicide resistance as a growing concern, their responses vary widely. At Virginia Tech, Flessner and his team are focused on helping farmers tackle weed management challenges through integrated strategies that maximize herbicide performance today while preserving their effectiveness for the future. Palmer amaranth offers a clear example of what is possible. Faced with a highly prolific weed that has evolved resistance to multiple herbicide groups, many growers are finding success by diversifying their approach — mixing and rotating chemical modes of action, combining them with crop rotations, and adding cultural and mechanical control measures. It is a strategy aimed not only at controlling existing weeds, but also at preserving herbicide effectiveness for the future. “We’ve made significant progress in understanding resistant weeds over the past decade, but there’s still a perception among growers that we will always have herbicide options to solve the problem,” says Flessner. “Meanwhile, resistance continues to spread. More weed species are becoming resistant, and new cases are being identified every year. Resistance isn’t going away, so our focus has to shift from reacting to the problem to managing it for the long term.” Flessner points to the increased use of pre-emergence herbicides as a positive example of how growers are adapting
ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER 19 AGRONOMY their weed management strategies. By controlling weeds before they emerge, growers can reduce early-season competition. He explains that reducing the number and size of weeds at the time of post-emergence herbicide application makes successful control more likely, while preventing herbicide-resistant weeds from surviving long enough to produce seed. That helps limit the number of resistant weed seeds entering the soil seed bank and reduces pressure for future growing seasons. As resistance concerns grow, more farmers in his area are incorporating preemergence applications into their weed control programs and seeing strong results. Mechanical approaches can also play an important role. Harvest weed seed control, or HWSC, which targets in-season weed seeds before they are returned to the field, has been widely adopted in Australia for more than a decade. The practice has helped reduce resistant weed populations and is often cited as one of the country’s most successful non-chemical resistance management tools. “The challenge is that as soon as you find a strategy that works, you have to think about how to diversify it,” says Flessner. “If growers rely on the same solution year after year, weeds will eventually adapt. Staying ahead of resistance means continually changing the playbook before the weeds do.” AUSTRALIA’S HWSC EXPERIENCE Trevor Thiessen, president of Redekop, based in Saskatoon, works with growers around the world to integrate HWSC technology into their operations using the company’s Seed Control Unit. The system uses mechanical mills mounted on combines to destroy weed seeds at harvest, preventing them from being returned to the field and the soil seed bank. According to Thiessen, the roots of HWSC trace back to Australia’s battle with herbicide-resistant annual ryegrass. By the early 2000s, many growers had exhausted their herbicide options and were searching for alternative ways to manage the weed. Some fed the weeds to sheep, while others baled and removed weed-infested residue from their farms. Despite these efforts, ryegrass continued to spread. A major breakthrough came with the introduction and commercialization of integrated mechanical seed destruction systems in the mid-2010s. Early adopters began seeing significant reductions in ryegrass populations, and the technology quickly gained traction. In regions hardest hit by herbicide-resistant ryegrass, Thiessen estimates mechanical mills were eventually installed on 50 to 80 per cent of combines. “It’s not an immediate fix,” he says, noting that some weed seeds can remain viable in the soil for years. “But research has shown that after three to four years of using a mechanical mill, growers can achieve substantial reductions in weed populations.” While herbicide-resistant annual ryegrass remains a challenge in some parts of Australia, many growers have made significant progress by adopting a diversified approach to weed management. They learned they could not rely solely on herbicides, and have integrated multiple tactics, including HWSC, agronomic strategies, and chemical controls, to reduce weed pressure and slow the spread of resistance. As a result, HWSC remains widely used across Australian crop production regions because growers have learned a hard lesson: once resistant weeds become established, the cost of regaining control can be substantial. “Growers understand that the added cost of running a mechanical mill on the combine is small compared with the cost of losing effective control of resistant weeds,” he says. Thiessen is quick to emphasize that there is no single solution to preventing or managing herbicide resistance, only a combination of tools that can work together over time. Harvest weed seed control is one tool that targets weed seeds during harvest and destroys them before they become a future problem. By reducing the number of viable seeds available for the following season, it helps lower weed pressure in the next crop and can improve the effectiveness of herbicide applications by reducing overall reliance on chemical control. continued on page 20
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