After a long, harsh winter, farmers are keen to get out on the land and plant their crops.
The tough winter has left some areas with damaged winter wheat crops. The southwestern region of the province is looking better than expected, but towards central Ontario farmers are unsure of the crop’s condition.
“A real benefit of winter wheat is the ability to plant it in the fall and have a head-start on the growing season in the spring,” says Henry Van Ankum, chair of Grain Farmers of Ontario. “With the winter wheat struggling this spring, and possibly needing to be replanted, we’ve lost some of that time advantage.”
Planting corn and soybeans, is also testing the patience of farmers across Ontario. The tremendous amount of snow received in many areas this winter has resulted in excessive moisture in many fields. Until that moisture is pulled out of the surface, planting equipment will remain in the shed.
“We know we aren’t the only groups feeling some pain after such a challenging winter,” says Van Ankum. “We’re hearing that many other groups are reporting losses as well, from wildlife to pollinators.”
Many farmers are wondering how the honeybee population fared through the ice, snow and extreme cold. The population loss numbers have not been released, but historically, cold spikes and long winters have proven detrimental to honeybees.
“Every spring, those of us in agriculture have to evaluate the effects of the winter,” says Van Ankum. “We are certainly glad to be through winter, but the losses and damage we are seeing this spring may create an uphill course for the 2014 season.”
