Some Ontario growers were happier than others to see the end of May — and for more than one reason. The planting season across much of Ontario is all but done, and in spite of later-than-desired planting for corn, soybeans went in as expected. Yet aside from a late-month deluge, things were getting a little […] Read more
Pearce: Rain a good sign to most Ont. soybean growers
Pearce: Glyphosate-resistant weeds come to Huron County
Glyphosate resistance continues to be a hot topic as more Ontario growers head into the field to finish off their corn planting and begin work on their soybean acres. Yet according to Dr. Peter Sikkema, a recent find of glyphosate-resistant Canada fleabane and giant ragweed in Huron County comes as something of a surprise. Sikkema, […] Read more
Pearce: Ruling over Ont. wind farm does more to confuse
Many a battle over rural resources and farm development has been waged between rural neighbours in the past 15 years — ranging from legal challenges surrounding hog barn constructions to the development of gravel pits beneath arable land. In the latest such battle, a recent ruling by an Ontario Superior Court of Justice would appear […] Read more
Pearce: Warmer Ont. weather opens window to plant
Two weeks ago, the word on corn planting in southern Ontario was so limited it wasn’t even expressed as a percentage, just as “a few acres” in the immediate area. The biweekly meeting of certified crop advisors and provincial ministry staff, held near Exeter, north of London, was more focussed on nitrogen applications on wheat […] Read more
Pearce: Concerns over glyphosate resistance seen rising
A recent survey by Stratus Agri-Marketing of Guelph has found concerns on the rise about herbicide-resistant weeds among farmers in Eastern Canada — specifically, resistance to glyphosate is gaining more attention. In the U.S., an online survey in 2012 found upward of 61.2 million acres of cropland have some species of glyphosate-resistant weed. That’s almost […] Read more
Pearce: Planter row unit’s launch helps boost growers’ spirits
Commodity prices are higher than 10 years ago, but growers are still looking for that competitive edge — that one parameter that boosts their production on a per-bushel basis. In the past year, one theme that has popped up repeatedly is “Control the controllable,” referring to everything from fertility to tillage and from crop rotations […] Read more
Pearce: Lots of anticipation, not much Ont. planting yet
The status of winter annual weeds, and the progress of nitrogen application on wheat, were two of the key topics at the latest biweekly meeting of certified crop advisors (CCAs) and provincial ministry staff, near Exeter, Ont. This marked the second such meeting of dealers, retailers and consultants, yet in the time between this meeting […] Read more
Pearce: “Dust-off” in pesticides has farmers’ attention
Widespread concern about bees, and the possible connection to the use of dry lubricants and neonicotinoid insecticides, has been generating a number of responses in the agricultural community. For the past 18 months, media reports have singled out agriculture in general, and seed treatments and the use of insecticides in particular, as a possible cause […] Read more
Pearce: Lots to talk about but little activity in Ont. fields
The first meeting of the season for Ontario’s certified crop advisers and provincial ministry personnel north of London yielded some interesting observations for mid-April — but it’s obvious growers won’t be in the field for at least a couple of weeks. The notion that this spring’s weather has been a stark contrast to 2012 has […] Read more
Pearce: Seed rivals agree to cross-license corn trait tech
Two old adversaries last Thursday signed on the line for a cross-licensing agreement to pave the way for development of so-called “next-generation” advanced weed and insect control technologies for corn. Dow AgroSciences and Monsanto have reached an agreement enabling Monsanto to license Dow AgroSciences’s new Enlist weed control system for use in field corn. The […] Read more