Field scouting records are an essential tool for making current and future management decisions. Using a field scouting form or smartphone/tablet application will help standardize the recording of field observations. Once recorded, add the scouting data to the field record files (paper, electronic or both). Computer software is also available to record and manipulate data […]
When scouting for insects that move too quickly in the canopy to be spotted or counted, or insects which are difficult to detect, it may be beneficial to use a drop cloth, insect traps or a sweep net to collect and count them. Using a Drop Cloth Spread a white drop cloth on the ground […]
Field scouting is an important part of cropping system and farm management. Ongoing monitoring of fields and crops throughout the growing season and beyond, allows a producer to identify issues and apply remediation in a timely manner to minimize negative economic impact, while improving field operation efficiencies. Some problems cannot be addressed when observed, but […]
Tools used to monitor crop development and pests vary with the crop and the pest. Basic field scouting equipment includes: Professional scouts often carry other tools that could include: When scouting, proper clothing is important for protection from the sun and from other unknown risks such as poisonous plants, ticks and mosquitoes. Be aware of […]
Dr. Mary Ruth McDonald, pathologist at University of Guelph, and Keith Gabert, agronomist in Alberta with Canola Council of Canada, share their knowledge and experience working with clubroot disease of canola. Hosts Will Runnalls, chair of the Ontario Canola Growers Association, and Meghan Moran, canola specialist with OMAFA, ask these experts all the questions producers […]
The 2024 Ontario Corn Committee (OCC) hybrid performance trials are now available at GoCrops.ca (Link HERE). Over past decades, Ontario’s average corn yields have increased around 2 bu/ac/yr. Staying current with new and competitive yielding hybrids is important. A key benefit of OCC trials is the ability to compare a large number of hybrids. These […]
Planting In March 2024, Statistics Canada estimated Ontario farmers intended to plant 2.3 million acres of grain corn, 5% higher than the 5-year (2019-2023) average seeded acres of 2.2 million acres (OMAFA Crop Statistics). Unsettled weather and highly variable planting progress dominated the spring of 2024. Frequent rains through April limited early corn planting. Frequent […]
Four Ontario producers share their knowledge and experience direct harvesting canola. Terry Phillips grows spring canola in Temiskaming District. Michael Doelman farms in Renfrew County, and typically grows spring canola but has one crop of winter canola under his belt. Jerry Drudge has switched from spring to winter canola on his farm in Huron County. […]
A wet spring pushed Ontario soybean acres to a record high of 3.1 million acres seeded in 2024. This was up 7% from 2023. To date, with approximately half of yields reported the provincial yield is above average at 108%. This number will be updated in January when all acres have been reported. The Agricorp […]
Warm weather and early planting are some of the factors contributing to big winter canola plants heading into winter in November 2024. What can we expect this winter and next spring in fields that have huge plants? (See the March 2025 follow-up HERE) […]
2023 Planting Conditions Winter wheat, barley and triticale seeding began in mid-September for those planting after canola, early planted, short season soybeans or some early maturing edible bean fields. In most regions however, winter cereal seeding was delayed to late September or early October due to a delay in soybean maturity. Persistent dry conditions through […]
Meghan Moran In 2023, Ontario dry bean acres had dropped below 100,000 acres which was the lowest in a decade. In 2024, acres returned to a more typical level for the province, at around 116,000 acres insured by Agricorp. White beans accounted for about 40% of the dry bean acres, and black beans reached their […]
In 2024 there were approximately 50,500 acres of canola insured by Agricorp. This includes winter canola seeded in the fall of 2023 and spring canola seeded in 2024, both of which had a modest increase in acreage compared to last year. Spring Canola Acres of spring canola in Temiskaming District, where the greatest acreage of […]
Results from the 2024 Ontario corn rootworm (CRW) trap sites monitored through the Adult Corn Rootworm (CRW) Trap Monitoring Network have been summarized in the infographic below. Thank you to all the trap participants for monitoring their traps this year. These sites are helping us to identify fields and counties with potential resistant corn rootworm […]
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 […]