Corn growers concerned about nitrogen loss Tuesday, June 7, 2011 by BETTER FARMING STAFFIt has been a challenging start to the growing season but most growers across Ontario have likely finished planting corn, says the province’s corn expert.Greg Stewart, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs corn industry lead, estimated Monday that about 85 per cent of the province’s corn crop had been planted.Farmers east of Toronto intent to get that final 30 per cent into the ground “certainly could have,” says Stewart. In areas where heavy clay soil predominates, such as in the Niagara region and Southwestern Ontario, “I’m thinking they’re still going today (Monday).”He says farmers have been calling the province’s CropLine with some concerns about corn planted mid-May or earlier that didn’t come up very well after sitting in saturated conditions.The level of the residual nitrogen supply for crops planted around May 9 is another frequent question: How much of the nitrogen applied around that date might have disappeared? Stewart says he’s not concerned about the disappearance of the nitrogen supply so much in lighter soils, ranging from loam to sand, as he is in really heavy soils that sat in saturated conditions.That’s because in Ontario, “a lot of our nitrogen gets lost from saturated conditions where it goes through denitrification and goes off as N2 gas.”To estimate the loss, he recommends taking soil nitrate samples once the field has dried out “and try to get a feel for, Are we low, medium or high in terms of the amount of nitrate that we’re seeing in the profile?”At least the sampling will “gives you some sort of a place to start,” he says. BF Soybeans are 75 per cent planted Study finds Canada's food sector 'remarkably adaptive'
Strategies to Optimize Market Returns in Ontario Monday, September 15, 2025 Berkley Fedorchuk, grain marketing specialist with Hensall Co-op in Southwestern Ontario, recently shared insights into the current corn market and strategies for forward marketing during his presentation at the . With a focus on the Ontario and Eastern Canadian grain sectors,... Read this article online
From Plows to Plates - The 2025 International Plowing Match Returns to Niagara Friday, September 12, 2025 For the first time since 1926, the International Plowing Match & Rural Expo (IPM) is returning to the Niagara Region Setpember 16 to 20. Set to take place in West Lincoln, the 106th edition of this iconic event will run under the theme “,” celebrating the deep roots and fresh flavours of... Read this article online
Festival of Guest Nations returns to Leamington Friday, September 12, 2025 On Sunday, September 14, 2025, Seacliff Park in Leamington, Ontario, will come alive with music, food, and celebration as the Festival of Guest Nations returns to honour the migrant worker communities who play a vital role in Essex County’s agricultural economy. With more than 20 years... Read this article online
York Region launching new Agri-Food Startup Program Thursday, September 11, 2025 A new program in York Region is designed to help entrepreneurs find their footing in the food space. The 14-week hybrid Agri-Food Start-up Program partners entrepreneurs with local organizations like the Foodpreneur Lab, Syzl, York Region Food Network, and the Chippewas of Georgina Island... Read this article online
Corn and Soybean Diseases Spread This Season Wednesday, September 10, 2025 As reported on the OMAFRA website fieldcropnews.com, as well as in previous articles by Farms.com, the 2025 growing season is nearing its end with corn and soybean farmers in Ontario and the U.S. Corn Belt facing disease challenges that reflect changing weather conditions. For corn, two... Read this article online