WESTERN BEAN CUTWORM ACTIVE IN SW ONTARIO
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
he Great Lakes Grain Crop Assessment Tour rolled through parts of southwestern Ontario to get a grasp of this years corn and soybean crop potential. AgriLink joined the bus load of agronomists tour last Wednesday to see them in action.
The highlight of the tour was the identification of the latest threat to the corn crop, the Western Bean Cutworm. (see closeup photo of the worm)
According to Great Lakes Grain lead agronomist, Dale Cowan, the pest blew into Ontario from Michigan and has been identified in significant numbers over the last three years in southwestern Ontario. He says its work will be quite apparent in this fall's expected bumper harvest.
The tour checked out a field south of Thamesville and found two to five worms per ear. The pest feasts on the ears and allows infections from moulds to set in. The moulds set the stage for toxins. (See photo of ear showing tell-tale pink fusarium).
Growers in the region have been advised to scout their fields for damage from this new pest. If found they are being advised to harvest the crop as soon as it is fit, and not to store this corn but rather get it to the end user immediately. These efforts should minimize the spread of toxins in other stored grain.
SUGAR BEET HARVEST COMES EARLY TO ONTARIO
08/30/10
From CFCO Radio - Simon Crouch
Farmers in Chatham-Kent and Lambton have started harvesting the local sugar beet crop. It is one of the earliest harvests on record and high yields and higher prices are pushing the early start.
Ontario sugar beet producers are estimating their crop at 31 tonnes per acre, about two tonnes larger than their Michigan counterparts. And American sugar prices are high. Ontario Sugar Beet Association Chair Glenn Jack says anything processed between now and the end of September can be sold under the allotment for the 2009 crop year, locking in the price, and meaning that portion of the crop won't have to be stored. But hot weather means the harvest is going slowly. Once they are picked the beets deteriorate quickly so farmers are only harvesting them as fast as they can be processed. Once the weather cools down, harvest will speed up.
Jack says in most places the crop would like a rain, but if estimates of 31 tonnes to the acre are right, it will be about the highest yield ever.
CANOLA HARVEST A BIN BUSTER FOR MOST-OMAFRA
08/27/10
OMAFRA's Canola specialist, Brian Hall writes in this week's Ontario Field Crop report that harvest is over 50% complete with good seed quality. Yields have been above average to phenomenal (2200 – 4,000 lb/ac) with some growers reporting their highest yields ever!
If storing canola for even a short period, Hall says aeration is critical to remove field heat, and even out moisture variations. Weed seeds, and foreign material can cause canola to heat quickly. The high oil content takes longer to cool and becomes rancid easily if not stored
correctly. Heat damaged canola is evident by higher brown seed content when seed is crushed upon inspection.
Over 2 brown seeds in 1000 (0.2%) can result in downgrading. For crop still in the field, heavy overnight dews are causing increased alternaria (black spot) on pods. Do not delay harvest, because alternaria increases the amount of
pod shatter. Some markets exist for canola straw, especially in the horse market. Ensure crop residue is spread evenly if winter wheat is to be planted no-till since hair pinning of residue is a significant cause of poor wheat establishment.
The early canola harvest provides a good opportunity to plant a cover crop. A cover crop of cereals, oilseed radish, or peas can provide 1-3 tonne/ac or more of top growth for plow down. Cover crop may be the hardest working crop you seed. In addition to soil quality benefits, a cover crop suppresses weeds and pests and
recycles nutrients. Cereals or oilseed radish top growth is significantly improved where manure is applied or soil nitrogen levels are high.
OFA REMINDER ON MICROFIT RE-SUBMISSION DEADLINE FOR ORIGINAL RATE OFFER
08/27/10
From a Release - GUELPH – The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) urges Ontario farmers to ensure they re-submit their microFIT solar applications to be eligible for the original rate offer in the microFIT solar energy program.
Earlier this month, the Ontario Power Authority announced it would maintain microFIT rates for thousands of applicants. The OFA reminds members the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) also set a deadline of September 7, 2010 for farmers who had originally submitted applications prior to July 2, 2010 at 12 pm. to re-submit their applications to be eligible for the 80.2 cent per kWh commitment. Farmers can also contact their original supplier to enquire if this has been completed on their behalf.
“We worked hard with the Ontario Government to maintain their commitment and we are pleased they’ve listened,” says Bette Jean Crews, President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture. “Farmers need to resubmit their applications for ground-mounted and roof-mounted solar panels now to take advantage of the initial program offer.”
On August 13th, the OPA and the McGuinty Government announced they would reinstate the original microFIT offer for applications received prior to July 2, 2010. An overview of the changes is posted to the microFIT website at microfit.powerauthority.on.ca. There, Ontarians can learn more about the OPA’s microFIT updates, including new application requirements, new program rules, a summary of changes and instructions to apply. Applications received after the deadline will be eligible for a new rate of 64.2 cents per kWh.
The microFIT program offers a beneficial way for rural Ontario to provide a stable source of renewable energy development for the province. Thousands of OFA members applied to participate in the program as a way to be a part of the Ontario Government’s plan to create renewable energy.
For more information on how this change affects Ontario farmers, call your local OFA Member Service Representative or the OFA Head office in Guelph at 519-821-8883.
4-H ONTARIO AND JFAO PARTNER FOR SUMMER GAMES
08/30/10
From a Release - Guelph - The Ministry of Health Promotion, 2010-2011 Healthy Communities Fund announced a $36,000 grant to 4-H Ontario, for a joint partnership between 4-H Ontario and Junior Farmers of Ontario (JFAO) to hold six regionally based Summer Games events.
The goal of this joint project is to allow youth ages 10-29 to attend one-day Summer Games events where they can try first-hand, low-to-medium impact sports activities, connect with like-minded youth who have similar interests, beliefs and values, gain practical knowledge about food preparation and experience healthy food choices, all while in a friendly non-competitive setting.
“JFAO is excited to be embarking on this health promotion venture in partnership with 4-H. Educating rural youth on important issues such as healthy eating and exercise will help further our mission by building healthy leaders for tomorrow,” commented JFAO President Shannon Kelly.
With a round robin style mix of five sports stations – consisting of yoga, martial arts/self defense, geocaching, dance and mountain biking - participants can experience first-hand low-to-medium impact sports activities and by adding five healthy food booths to the mix – with the themes of breakfast fun, smoothies, snack secrets, BBQ grilling and pizza - participants gain valuable experience in making and tasting healthy food choices.
Through the ten hands-on participatory round robin stations, youth will gain the experience of a balanced lifestyle of Head, Heart, Hands and Health (intellectual, emotional, physical, spiritual), which will continue to have a positive impact in the communities in which they live.
“It is always a great day when we receive new funding that enables 4-H to deepen its work toward their Vision. Once again, we are privileged to partner with the Ministry of Health Promotion and Sport on this very exciting project that brings together two of Ontario’s oldest community and youth leadership development organizations, JFAO and 4-H Ontario. We look forward to bringing this exciting program to six communities in Ontario,” said 4-H Ontario Executive Director Lyndon Stewart.
JFAO is a charitable organization providing opportunities for young people ages 15-29 of all backgrounds, but especially those in rural Ontario, to take on the challenge of exploring their individual talents and potential to develop personally while being involved in bettering their communities, networking and having fun. Through clubs across Ontario that began forming in 1914, members have the opportunity to participate in exchanges with seven countries, provincial competitions, workshops & conferences. JFAO’s mission is “To Build Future Rural Leaders Through Self-Help and Community Betterment.” JFAO also operates the Ontario Century Farm recognition program.
ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF UNIQUE AMERICAN “KNOW YOUR FARMER” CAMPAIGN-COMMENTARY
08/27/10
Today's Guest Commentary comes from John Clement,
General Manager of the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario.
It’s the one-year anniversary of a unique program launched by the United States Department of Agriculture. Dubbed “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food,” the program is a $65-million initiative that aims to promote local and regional food systems, stimulate community economic development and ensure equitable access to affordable, fresh and local food.
According to media comments by Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan, the Obama Administration wants to support and establish local and regional food systems as an economic development strategy to keep wealth in local communities. She says “Part of our “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food’ initiative is to link the agricultural community to urban markets to bring new understanding of the importance of healthy eating and provide enhanced access to fresh foods. We expect consumer demand for locally grown food in the U.S. to rise from an estimated $4 billion in 2002 to as much as $7 billion by 2012.”
You have to admire the Americans because they can often roll up their sleeves and put together significant collective actions when they decide the time and opportunity is right. The “Know Your Farmer” program is a good example of the effort, conviction, and energy the Americans will put into a project they believe in.
By way of example, part of the USDA program is called The Farm-To-School Tactical Teams. Sounding oddly militaristic, the teams are on a mission to tour American school cafeterias looking for ways to help administrators buy more locally grown food. They have earmarked $50 million to states with the hook being that it be used to buy local food for schools.
Keeping the program in the forefront of people’s thinking, the USDA has also launched a website to carry on a national conversation about the value of local food and the need to support regional economies. Finally, in a country where symbolism is extremely important, a farmers’ market has been created just outside the presidential mansion in Washington.
But despite the enthusiasm, the “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” program is not without its critics. Three Republican senators have criticized the USDA for helping “small, hobbyist and organic producers whose customers generally consist of affluent patrons at urban farmers markets” rather than “conventional farmers who produce the vast majority of our nation’s food supply.”
The desire to promote, enable or criticize the local food movement is paralleled in Canada. And we’ve also had our share of programs at various government levels to make it happen. But I’ve got to say that I really admire the American initiative because of its sheer conviction, overall coordination and “can do” attitude. Because of that, I extend a “happy one-year anniversary” to the USDA’s “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” program.
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To view these articles online, please visit us on the web at
http://www.ridgetownc.com/agrilink/agrilink_scoops.cfm
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TekTalk
SUDDEN DEATH SYNDROME GETTING MORE PREVALENT - OMAFRA
08/30/10
Albert Tenuta, Field Crop Plant Pathologist with OMAFRA at Ridgetown reports in the latest Crop-Pest Bulletin that Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) symptoms were becoming obvious in the southwest. Over the past two weeks, the number of calls and reports of SDS fields continue to come in and the field symptoms are even more pronounced now. He says, Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) is one of the most important contributors to SDS and managing SCN will help with SDS. In addition, the dry conditions of late has also contributed to the SDS increase (especially when we cycle from wet to dry) and has made the stressed areas of the field stand-out such as compacted headlands, knolls, SCN hot-spots, etc. At present the most effective method to manage sudden death syndrome is the use of tolerant varieties and improved drainage (reduces favourable conditions early in the season - cool, wet soils). Tenuta advised that this disease is on the rise in Ontario and growers need to consider it in their future plans.
WINTER WHEAT PERFORMANCE TRIAL DATA NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE
08/27/10
From a Release - Guelph – The 2010 Winter Wheat Performance Trials are complete and the data is now available online at www.gocereals.ca.
“It is important to the committee to get this data out as soon as possible,” says Martin Harry, Chair of the committee. “Everyone has been working hard to compile the data and get it online so farmers have the most up-to-date information available to them while they are choosing their seed for the 2011 crop.”
The trials conducted across Ontario act as a vital resource for Ontario farmers when selecting wheat varieties for the upcoming crop year. In addition to yield, the trials report findings on test weight, protein levels and response to a variety of diseases such as Fusarium head blight, leaf septoria and leaf blight, among others.
In addition to organizing the performance trials, the Ontario Cereal Crops Committee acts as the recommending body for cereal variety registration in Ontario. The committee has 11 voting members and the trial research is conducted at several locations across the province.
A printed copy of the trials will be distributed to all wheat farmers in the province with the October issue of the Ontario Grain Farmer magazine. This distribution is made possible by Grain Farmers of Ontario and sponsorship from Bayer CropScience.
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To view these articles online, please visit us on the web at
http://www.ridgetownc.com/agrilink/agrilink_tektalk.cfm
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AgriLink Upcoming Events
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Event - Sheep Infrastructure Workshop Date - September 1,2010 to September 2, 2010 Time - All Day Event Place - Grand Valley area Website - http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/sheep/20081211.htm
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Event - Ontario Sheep Marketing Agency District 1 Annual Meeting-Speaker: Murray Hunt Date - September 2, 2010 Time - 8:00 PM Place - Coldstream
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Event - LAMBTON PLOUGHING MATCH Date - September 4, 2010 Time - All Day Event Place - John Jackson’s farm (Corner of Ploughing Match Road and London Line) Contact Name - Ken Dunlop 519-882-0573 Email - kdd_630@hotmail.com
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Event - Grain Farmers of Ontario Annual Meeting Date - September 9, 2010 Time - 10:45 AM Place - Delta Hotel, 50 Stone Road West, Guelph Website - www.gfo.ca
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Event - Southern Ontario Draft Horse Basic Workshop Date - September 9,2010 to September 11, 2010 Time - All Day Event Place - Sparta near St. Thomas at Orchard Hill Farm Contact Name - Ken Laing, 519-775-2670 Email - kmlaing@orchardhillfarm.ca Website - www.orchardhillfarm.ca
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Event - 135th Annual Western Fair Date - September 10,2010 to September 19, 2010 Time - All Day Event Place - Western Fairgrounds, London Website - http://www.westernfair.com/fair/wf_fair_home.html
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Event - Petrolia and Enniskillen Date - September 10,2010 to September 12, 2010 Time - All Day Event Place - Petrolia Fairgrounds
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Event - Essex SCIA Twilight Tour Date - September 11, 2010 Time - 2:00 PM Place - Thibert Farm, 20300 Lakeshore Road 308, Comber Contact Name - Jim Buck 705-696-2567
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Event - Kent Federation of Agriculture’s ‘Round the County Tour’ Date - September 12, 2010 Time - 10:00 AM Place - Ridgetown area Contact Name - KFA office: 519-674-1595
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Event - Canada's Outdoor Farm Show Date - September 14,2010 to September 16, 2010 Time - 1:00 PM Place - Woodstock-Canada's Outdoor Park Website - http://www.outdoorfarmshow.com/
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Event - Plympton-Wyoming Fair Date - September 17,2010 to September 19, 2010 Time - All Day Event
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Event - International Plowing Match & Farm Machinery Show Date - September 21,2010 to September 25, 2010 Time - All Day Event Place - Elgin – St. Thomas Website - http://www.ipm2010.com/
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Event - Forest Fair Date - September 24,2010 to September 26, 2010 Time - All Day Event
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Event - Brooke, Alvinston & Watford Fair Date - October 1,2010 to October 3, 2010 Time - All Day Event
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Event - Brigden Fair Date - October 8,2010 to October 11, 2010 Time - All Day Event
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Event - WOMEN IN AGRI-BUSINESS SYMPOSIUM Date - October 13, 2010 Time - 8:30 AM Place - Springfield Golf & Country Club 2054 Gordon St. Guelph, ON Contact Name - (519) 821-4655,
Fitzgerald & Co., 39 William Street, Elmira, ON N3B 1P3 or Fax: 519-669-3826
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Event - International Maple Syrup Institute and the North American Maple Syrup Council Annual Meeting, Date - October 20,2010 to October 23, 2010 Time - All Day Event Place - Arden Park Hotel, Stratford. Website - http://www.northamericanmaple.org/index.php/annual-meeting
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Event - Ontario Sheep Marketing Agency Annual Meeting Date - October 29,2010 to October 30, 2010 Place - Holiday Inn, Guelph Contact Name - Ruth Gilmour Email - rgilmour@ontariosheep.org
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Event - Royal Winter Fair Date - November 5,2010 to November 14, 2010 Time - All Day Event Place - Exhibition Place, Toronto Website - www.royalfair.org
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Event - Agr. & Rural Energy Expo Date - November 6,2010 to November 7, 2010 Time - All Day Event Place - REACH Huron in Clinton Website - www.reachhuron.ca
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Event - 39th Annual Poultry Innovations Conference: Mythbusting Management and Medication Date - November 11,2010 to November 12, 2010 Place - Sheraton on the Falls Hotel, Niagara Falls Website - http://www.poultryindustrycouncil.ca/
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Event - Essex County Associated Growers – 60Th Annual Bounty of the County Convention and Trade Show Date - November 23,2010 to November 24, 2010 Time - All Day Event Place - Kinsmen Recreation Complex, 249 Sherk St. Leamington Website - http://www.bountyofthecounty.ca
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Event - Healthy Calf Conference Date - December 8, 2010 Place - Stratford Website - www.calfcare.ca
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Event - Southwest Agricultural Conference Date - January 5,2011 to January 6, 2011 Place - Ridgetown Campus, University of Guelph Website - www.southwestagconference.ca
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Event - OSCIA Annual Meeting Date - February 8,2011 to February 9, 2011 Place - Sheraton Fallsview Hotel and Conference Centre, Niagara Falls Website - www.ontariosoilcrop.org
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To view these listings online, please visit us on the web at
http://www.ridgetownc.com/agrilink/agrilink_events.cfm
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John Jordan
Editor, AgriLink and Farm Market News
University of Guelph, Ridgetown Campus
Tel. 519-674-1577
Fax. 519-674-1530
E-mail: jjordan@ridgetownc.uoguelph.ca
AgriLink website : www.ridgetownc.com/agrilink
