Three new field crop extension appointments at OMAFRA

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

by SUSAN MANN

The Ontario agriculture ministry’s three new specialists for corn, cereals and canola/edible beans may already be known to many of the province’s farmers.

The new corn industry program lead, Ben Rosser, is currently a research technician at the University of Guelph. He has worked on some of former ministry corn program lead Greg Stewart’s projects investigating corn agronomic practices. Rosser is replacing Stewart, who left the ministry in the winter.

The staff appointments were announced by ministry spokesperson Susin Micallef by email.

Rosser has a Masters of Science degree in plant agriculture from the University of Guelph. He says it’s exciting to be the new corn industry program lead.

Rosser says he has been involved in projects investigating starter fertilizers, nitrogen applications and equipment-related research. In his new job, Rosser says “there’s an ongoing precision agriculture project that we have on the go. It started two years ago and it’s still continuing so I will continue that.”

Some other projects are just wrapping up, including one on strip tillage and another on the timing of nitrogen applications. “I’ll try to continue with those and try to look for new funding for research on continued strip tillage and nitrogen timing work.”

There has been a lot of interest from growers in applying nitrogen for corn later in the plant’s growth when the plants are chest high. “Traditionally we couldn’t apply it at that stage but now there are newer technologies where we can.” The investigation will include determining if there’s merit in applying nitrogen later and if there’s a yield enhancement with the later application.

Joanna Follings, the new cereals specialist, has been working at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs as a research analyst and previously at the Agricultural Adaptation Council and input companies E.I. Dupont Canada and BASF. She has a Master of Science degree in weed science from the University of Guelph. She replaces Peter Johnson, who left the ministry in the winter.

Both Rosser and Follings will begin their new jobs Oct. 26. Rosser will be based at the University of Guelph campus. Follings will work out of the ministry’s Stratford office.

Another new staffer hired by the ministry is Meghan Moran as the canola and edible bean specialist. She is currently the research coordinator for Grain Farmers of Ontario.

Moran has a Master of Science degree in plant agriculture from the University of Guelph. She begins her new job Oct. 27 and will be based at the ministry’s Stratford office. She replaces Brian Hall, who retired in June. BF