Guelph, Ontario, December 18, 2012 – The Harper government is helping grain farmers continue to grow their businesses with the help of sustainable, innovative, and modern systems and solutions. The Honourable Michael Chong, member of Parliament (Wellington—Halton Hills), on behalf of Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz, today announced an investment for Grain Farmers of Ontario that will help producers increase their yields of corn, soybean, and wheat through improved soil health, better pest management, and enhanced disease resistance.
“Our government’s top priority remains jobs and economic growth, and investments in research play an important role in keeping the economy strong and creating new opportunities for producers,” said MP Chong. “Canada’s tens of thousands of successful grain farmers play a pivotal role in driving economic growth, and that is why we are continuously investing to help them be more competitive and reap the benefits of the open market.”
The investment of more than $850,000 will help Grain Farmers of Ontario lead seven projects that focus on helping grain producers find new pest management solutions and take advantage of proven soil management practices that could increase their yields and make their crops more sustainable. This investment will also help producers develop new seed varieties with improved disease resistance and higher protein content.
“Grain Farmers of Ontario’s members receive direct benefit from this Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP) funding,” said Henry Van Ankum, Chair, Grain Farmers of Ontario. “The projects funded provide the industry with key information for long-term success and address real on-farm issues.”
One of the projects will specifically study the soil system of a farm in Dunnville, Ontario, where a farmer has developed a cropping system that is yielding an average of over 275 bushels of corn per acre—more than double the average for the rest of that region. The study will attempt to find out what makes this field so productive by comparing this farmer’s management practices to the conventional production in neighbouring fields where the same varieties are grown. The intent is to determine the physical, chemical, and microbial properties of this specific cropland so that others can replicate it and achieve similar results.
“Another project explores the relationship between insect damage and fungal toxin accumulation in grain corn,” said Crosby Devitt, Manager, Research and Market Development, Grain Farmers of Ontario. “The ability to better understand and manage this relationship will result in safer end products for human and livestock consumption.”
This Harper government investment is provided through CAAP, a five-year (2009–14), $163- million initiative that helps the Canadian agricultural sector adapt and remain competitive. In Ontario, the regional component of CAAP is delivered by the Agricultural Adaptation Council (AAC).
