“Did you hit your target yield? Did your strategy work? That’s how you learn.”
— Dave Kelner
Every winter, Western Canada’s farmers must prepare to cope with a changing spectrum of crop production challenges and to implement a new menu of production techniques and technologies.
It’s the beauty of the winter meeting format, where you can gain direct input from government, university and company experts.
Especially this year, however, it’s not enough to just go to the meeting and sit in the back row. By doing just a little bit of homework ahead of time, growers can make the process even more valuable.
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Volatility in commodity prices — including fertilizers — will lead to a lot of pencil work during the coming winter, says Dave Kelner, the Manitoba representative to the Certified Crop Advisors’ national board, and a highly regarded agronomy specialist.
“This year especially, fertilizer has shot up through the roof,” Kelner says. “More than ever it’s going to be an issue — probably right down to what crops are selected.”
Kelner says the best spot to start pencilling is with cost of production numbers for your own operation that will give you an idea of where you’ll be and what sort of alternatives you may want to consider.
There will be a lot of producers who are looking for ways to keep a lid on their costs this spring — and this sort of figuring can help them make a more-informed decision, Kelner says. Since fertility will be a huge cost, he suggests starting with a fall soil test.
“That will give you a really good understanding
of where you’re at,” Kelner says. “If you didn’t hit your target yield and there’s no remaining nutrients, that’s likely an issue.”
Kelner says soil test results pack a whole lot of information — soil type, organic matter level, macro and micronutrient levels — into a package that can be quite cost effective.
The past season can teach a lot of lessons to any producer, and an annual wrap-up is a good place to start, whether it’s based on your own observations and records or the final report from your agronomy advisor. Kelner recommends you take a thorough look at yield, quality, fall soil tests and other information from the past season, so you will be able to make informed decisions for the coming growing season.
“How can you go on to the next season until you’ve had an opportunity to assess last year’s program?” Kelner says. “Did you meet the goals you’d set out? Did you hit your target yield? Did your strategy work? That’s how you learn.”
Saskatchewan Agriculture pest management specialist Scott Hartley says growers should prepare for the winter extension season by familiarizing themselves with the pest spectrum in their growing area.
He says forecast maps for pests such as grasshopper and wheat midge can give growers valuable insight into what may be a problem next year, and what they might need to do to be prepared. Hartley says these surveys can relate directly to growing conditions the following season.
“There’s always the caveat that spring conditions can change everything — especially with grasshopers,” Hartley says. “They’re based on adult counts in the fall, which may not translate into a problem next spring. On the other hand the wheat midge maps are based on real cocoon numbers in the soil and they’ve proven to be more accurate.”
Producers can also benefit from documenting any pest problems they have seen in their fields and have not yet identified, so they’ll be able to discuss the problem with extension people at meetings.
There’s also the issue of cyclical pest pressure, such as from bertha armyworm or wheat midge, which can recur every few years. The winter months are a good time to take the opportunity to look at what’s brewing in fields in your region and to re-familiarize yourself with control strategies and options, which may have evolved since you last battled these invaders.
“Give yourself some time to do things like get seed treated or maybe switch over to a less susceptible variety,” Hartley says.
Likewise, Hartley recommends taking a little time to acquaint yourself with the extension support that may be available from your provincial ag department, local educational institutions and even local retail outlets.
“For example, we have a provincial crop protection lab where you can send insect, weed and disease samples for identification,” Hartley says. “Make yourself aware of what resources exist.”
John Heard, a soil fertility specialist with the Manitoba government, says he’s noticed an increase in interest from farmers for more in-depth training.
They still see the value in attending large meetings and field days, but are looking for environments where science-based data and principles are presented and there’s an opportunity for in-depth discussion, Heard says.
“I think some growers are looking for more formalized training opportunities,” Heard says. “Perhaps they need more than short ‘updates’ at large meetings.”
Heard says the provincial ag department in Manitoba organized six in-depth soil fertility workshops last winter that focussed on Prairie crops.
There was a limit of 25 participants per workshop and at several, they were forced to turn potential participants away — even though they were charging tuition fees.
“Growers should ask their educators — such as universities, colleges and extension staff — to put on more such short courses, and be prepared to pay for it,” Heard says. “Tuition was never free at college.” CG
