March 2011
Cropside: Staying on top of NPK
By: Greg Stewart, Corn Specialist, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
N CALCULATOR RECOMMENDATION for CornNITROGEN DEFICIENT CORN Factor Input N Rate (lb/acre) Base N Requirement (select soil texture) Loam +28 Yield Adjustment (enter proven yield) 175 +135 Heat Unit Adjustment (enter CHU
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March 2011
Research Roundup
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THESE STARCHES RESIST digestionJoey SabljicOne way to a healthier population is through its stomach. And for many, that journey starts with starch, an essential carbohydrate that comprises about 75 percent of peoples’ daily caloric food intake. It’s also the reason why Molecular and Cellular Biology Profs. Michael Emes and Ian Tetlow at the University of Guelph are trying to manipulate and modify plant genes and enzymes to produce healthier starches. Ultimately, these starches would
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March 2011
Future of Grain
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US APPROVES HIGHER ETHANOL blendThe US Environmental Protection Agency recently raised the amount of ethanol that can be blended into fuel from 10 percent to 15 percent (E15) for all vehicles built in the last decade. The decision to permit E15 for 2001 to 2006 model year vehicles follows an October decision by EPA to permit blends up to E15 in vehicles from 2007 or newer. Canada has also recently approved E15 for all cars manufactured since 2001 and announced the five percent
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March 2011
In the news
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WOODLOT ADVISORY SERVICEPROMOTING efficient and sustainable management of forests is the goal of a new service offered in Stormont-Dundas-Glengarry, Prescott-Russell, Leeds-Grenville and Ottawa regions. Farmers with at least five acres of woodlot in these regions are eligible for a visit from a Woodlot Advisory Service Technician to help sustainably manage and determine the woodlot’s economic potential. Technicians will visit farm woodlots and provide a preliminary evaluation of the site,
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March 2011
The Big Picture: Oprah tours a slaughterhouse
By: Claire Cowan
WITH MILLIONS OF viewers, there is no doubt that the Oprah Winfrey Show has the power to change the habits of Americans en mass. It’s this influence that had agricultural advocates and activists alike on pins and needles in February. The show aired rare footage from a tour of a Cargill slaughtering facility to accompany a show on eating a vegan diet – an extreme form of vegetarianism where no animal products are consumed including milk, eggs and cheese. For the show, 378 of Oprah’s staff took
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March 2011
The carrot and the stick: US conservation programs
By: Edith Munro
THE UNITED STATES has had farm conservation programs since 1935, but it wasn’t until 1985 that conservation began to evolve into the programs’ primary function. Before 1985, the real issue driving US conservation programs was a two-part effort to get payments to farmers and to remove land from production as a way of limiting output and boosting crop prices.Paying farmers to control soil erosion was an easy case to make following the horrible erosion of the 1930’s Dust Bowl.In a
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March 2011
Save the earth, buy a tractor
By: Amy Petherick
TIME’S RUNNING OUT and some kitchen table debates about new equipment purchases have reached a deadlock. But there’s one new ‘pro’ to consider since recent emission regulation changes are making new releases the most environmentally friendly available. Whether they’re red, green or techni-coloured, any new off-road diesel engine released this year has to meet tough new “Interim Tier 4” regulations. Introduced in 1996 as a tiered regulation, the newest phase to be implemented is the
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March 2011
Demystifying social media
By: Martha Jack (username - MDJack)
DO?YOU?TWEET??IF NOT, YOU may be missing out on an entire world of community, education and fun that social networks such as Twitter and Facebook provide.While high-tech communication tools and Ontario agriculture may not seem like an obvious fit, the Ontario agriculture community has adopted these tools to fit their own needs, creating a very active, encouraging and informative community to support and promote farmers and the agriculture industry.what is it?Social Media is a very broad
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March 2011
Farmers involved in Great Lakes basin discussions
By: Heather Hargrave, AGCare
THE CANADIAN AND US governments made a commitment in 2009 to renegotiate and update the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. The initial agreement was signed in 1972 with both countries committing to restoring and maintaining the Great Lakes basin ecosystem.The agreement lists the different programs and activities that each government has committed to aid in the restoration and maintenance of the Great Lakes basin ecosystem.Since 1972 the agreement has been updated twice, with the last
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March 2011
Managing farm debt
By: Treena Hein
SOME FARMERS IN Canada have thoroughly looked into optimizing their management of debt, but many need to take a much closer look. “Farmers need to think about finances more than they have in the past,” says Gwen Paddock, head of agriculture and agribusiness banking at Royal Bank of Canada. “In volatile times, financial management is as important as production management.” Farmers are excellent business people, notes David Rinneard, national manager, agriculture at BMO Bank of
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