Winchester Agribusiness Breakfast Meeting Minutes – April 17, 2018

Winter Wheat

Acreage increased about 10% in 2018. Too early to % winter survival. Some areas winter wheat was seeded late into mid-October appears to be struggling. Definite winter kill in low lying pockets in the fields due to flooding damage. Some of the nitrogen intended for the split-nitrogen programs, has been applied. There has been some geese feeding on winter wheat stands. Only a few acres of red clover were frost seeded into the winter wheat.  Most growers are planning to seed a cover crop this summer after wheat harvest. The Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) program will now include red clover for the first time. Funding is available for a wide range of projects including cover crops, erosion control structures, equipment modifications, etc. 

Spring Cereals

Growers’ intentions will be to increase spring wheat and oat acreage mainly due to straw needs. Nothing planted to date. Some interest in growing barley as contracts are being offered by the Carp Flour Mill.

Forages

There is a good volume forage inventories, but generally the quality is lower. From minimal sample of alfalfa plants, roots conditions look good, indicating survival should be good. Growers should monitor fields as conditions warm up, even if new shoots grow, the root may deteriorate and the plants will die off. For more information, see infosheet Alfalfa Stand Assessment

Corn

Estimated corn acreages will be similar to previous years. Some more interest by growers for Non-GMO corn with the $35.00 per tonne premium offered and comparable available hybrids within 5 to 10 bushels per acre of GMO hybrids.

Soybeans

Estimated soybean acreages will be slightly up from previous years.