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Field Crop News is a resource for Ontario field crop production. It is managed by the Field Crop Unit of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). Browse our library of information by:

  • Forage Summary 2024

    Forage Summary 2024

    Winter Conditions 2023/2024 Much of the province had below-average precipitation over the winter, including the Ottawa Valley, the northern and western shores of Lake Huron, and Rainy River District. Temperatures across Ontario were milder than normal, which resulted in reduced snow cover in many areas. Hay and Haylage Above-average levels of alfalfa winterkill occurred in…

  • Fall 2024 Winter Wheat Update

    Fall 2024 Winter Wheat Update

    Growers across Ontario have been able to seed winter wheat this fall into almost perfect conditions, and there may be a record acreage seeded. A significant portion of winter wheat acres were seeded in September but with persistent summer like conditions, growers continued seeding well into late October. Early planted fields are well tillered with…

  • Spring Canola Insecticide Seed Treatment Choices for 2025

    Spring Canola Insecticide Seed Treatment Choices for 2025

    By Tracey Baute and Meghan Moran Spring canola producers will have the option of Buteo (flupyradifurone) or Lumiderm (cyantraniliprole) insecticide seed treatment on some varieties this year, in addition to the Helix Vibrance seed treatment. Producers have reported they prefer Buteo for managing flea beetles, but that is the only insect on the Buteo label.…

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  • Ontario Soil Management Committee

    Ontario Soil Management Committee

    Table of Contents Mandate and 5 Year ThemesMembershipTerms of ReferenceHow to Submit New Recommendations or UpdatesData Requirements to Change RecommendationsFor More Information Mandate 5 Year Themes In particular, the OSMC will concentrate on the following broad themes over the next five years: Membership Membership of the OSMC is comprised of members drawn from government, the…

  • Crop Conditions – Week of May 2nd, 2024

    Crop Conditions – Week of May 2nd, 2024

    Frequent rains and wet soils across the province have slowed or prevented field work. Soil compaction is likely to be an issue this year, especially for farmers trying to get manure spread ahead of spring planting. Fertilizer has been moving out to farms with storage. Retailers are full and ready to apply product once soil…

  • Untitled post 26622

    SHAP: Soil Health Assessment & Plan In-Field In-Office Match SHAP to your needs Assess Benchmark 5 Key Soil Health Indicators Improve Find Potential for Improvement Adapt Take a Flexible approach Interpret Use the SHAP Score Calculator to compare your test results to a database of results from similar Ontario soils. Use this benchmark to identify…

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  • When do cover crops, with and without manure applied, release nitrogen that can be used for my corn crop?

    When do cover crops, with and without manure applied, release nitrogen that can be used for my corn crop?

    Cover crops can produce nitrogen. We looked at when different species release nitrogen and the impact that adding manure has on the timing and release of nitrogen. The simple answer Predicting nitrogen (N) availability from cover crops is complicated. Cold and wet conditions in the spring negativelyimpact soil microbial activity and can result in significant…

  • When should I spray my cereal rye cover crop before soybeans?

    When should I spray my cereal rye cover crop before soybeans?

    Cereal rye is a versatile cover crop that can be seeded late into the fall in Ontario. Not to be confused with annual ryegrass – a grass that can be challenging to control – it is a winter cereal that overwinters reliably and grows rapidly in the spring. Delayed termination of rye by herbicide prior…

  • Is the yield potential of alfalfa increasing?

    Is the yield potential of alfalfa increasing?

    The relationship between alfalfa breeding efforts and yield potential is complicated. While most literature on annual grain crops shows yield improvements with the release of new varieties over time, a literature search on alfalfa yield will show improvement, stagnation, and declines, depending on the paper. One of the latest attempts to discern what is really…

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