Erin Cheney's Page

Canola Fails to Hang onto Early Gains

Canola futures pulled back on Monday, after rallying to new contract highs during the overnight session. Downward pressure came from the liquidation of the January contract as well as market concerns over the new Omicron strain of COVID-19. Losses in the Chicago soy complex and European rapeseed also weighed on values, while those for Malaysian palm oil were mixed.

Bringing robots to field crops

THE LATEST IN cutting-edge robotics is coming to a field near you — sooner than you think. A new team of in-field innovation enthusiasts have been working diligently over the past year to test, demonstrate, and troubleshoot robotic applications in a variety of Ontario crops, bringing the reality of robots within reach for farmers within this decade. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW • Each robot model tested was unique, with some powered by batteries and others by diesel. • Some robots struggled to work effectively in areas with heavy crop residue or cover crops. • Researchers note there are only a handful of working robotic units in North America, and since Ontario offers such a wide range of crops and growing conditions, we have the ideal environment for testing these systems. • Soil sampling is another task that autonomous robots could shoulder for farmers and agronomists.

New wild boar sightings near Pickering

More sightings and videos of a herd of about 14 wild boar pigs near Pickering have prompted the provincial government to get involved. The Ontario Ministry of Northern Development, Natural Resources and Forestry said it is trying to trap and remove them. They are on and near land that the government expropriated decades ago for an airport that has yet to be built.

OFA resolutions focus on risk management, wild parsnips but shy away from carbon credits, at AGM

The Ontario Federation of Agriculture pondered six resolutions at the organization’s online 2021 annual general meeting on Nov. 22. The OFA demanded that the Co-operators insure older barns. Here are three other resolutions: More timely Business Risk Management programs (approved) Leeds also spearheaded a Business Risk Management resolution for more predictable timing of payouts from ag support programs. Approved by a nearly 82% vote, it compels the OFA to work with the Beef Farmers of Ontario, Agricorp, and the provincial ag minister towards a “multi-year approval process for agriculture support programmes, so that, year-over-year, coverage expecta- tions are predictable and repeatable and on time.” Ryan Passey explained that the pandemic exposed a timing weakness in the current program, resulting in a 2-month delay in beef sector payouts this year. “You’re now carrying input costs out of pocket,” he said.

Corn bonanza: Eastern Ontario records one of its best corn yields and great quality

The combines made quick progress on Eastern Ontario’s bountiful cornfields in mid-November. As heaped-up gravity wagons arrived in a tireless stream at Rutters Elevators outside Chesterville, Michael Aube suggested yields were at least close to the record year of 2015. “It’s a tremendous corn crop,” said Aube. “We had timely rains in July, and that beautiful weather, it really panned out good…. All in all, a pretty good year, and we’ll count our blessings at Christmas.” Agricorp, Ontario’s crop insurance agency, reported a provincial average yield of 170.6 bu/ac in 2015 and 177.9 bu/ac in Eastern Ontario. Aube and other producers also noted this year’s great test weights as the corn was coming off the field. At the wheel of his Claas combine on a sunny afternoon east of Winchester, custom operator Tim Jaquemet said he was getting solid test weights of between 67 and 72 kilograms per hectolitre and yields of 200 to 220 bushels per acre.