A weekly report prepared by the staff of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). If you require further information, regarding this report, call the Elora Resource Centre at 519-846-0941. Office hours: 8:30am to 4:30pm. For technical information, call the Agricultural Information Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300 or visit the OMAFRA website: www.ontario.ca/omafra
Ontario Introducing New Rules To Protect Pollinators – Regulations To Reduce Neonicotinoids Effective July 1
Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change
Starting July 1, Ontario will be the first jurisdiction in North America to protect bees and other pollinators through new rules to reduce the number of acres planted with neonicotinoid-treated corn and soybean seeds by 80 per cent by 2017.
To support this goal, new requirements will be put in place for the sale and use of neonicotinoid-treated corn and soybean seed that will help ensure treated seed is only used when there is evidence of a pest problem. Reducing neonicotinoid use in these two crops presents the greatest potential to reduce pollinator exposure to the neurotoxic insecticide.
Pollinators, including bees, birds and butterflies, play a crucial role in agriculture and our ecosystem. Over the last eight years, Ontario beekeepers have experienced unusually high over-winter losses of honey bees, reaching 58 per cent following the winter of 2013-14. The level of over-winter losses considered to be acceptable and sustainable by most apiculturists is 15 per cent.
The new rules are one part of Ontario’s strategy to improve pollinator health. The province will also develop a pollinator health action plan in consultation with the public and experts to address other stressors that affect pollinators.
Ensuring a strong and healthy agricultural sector is part of the government’s economic plan for Ontario. The four part plan is building Ontario up by investing in people’s talents and skills, making the largest investment in public infrastructure in Ontario’s history, creating a dynamic, innovative environment where business thrives, and building a secure retirement savings plan.
For more information, please check the following websites: www.ontario.ca/environment-and-energy/pollinator-health; www.News.ontario.ca/ene/en/2015/06/regulating-neonicotinoids
Flood damaged soybeans
written by Horst Bohner
Much of the province received welcome showers over the weekend. A few areas were hit with heavy rains that caused flooding in low lying areas. In most cases water drained away quickly but standing water could still be found in some fields two days after the rain.
How long can soybeans survive flooding? The length of time soybeans will survive depends on temperature, cloud cover, and growth stage. If the beans are small and conditions are cool as well as being cloudy soybeans can survive up to a week completely submerged. Under more average summer weather they may survive for as little as two days. Warmer temperatures and sunlight speeds up plant respiration using up available oxygen. Flooding can be divided into two categories. 1) Water logging when the roots are under water and 2) complete submergence when the whole plant is under water. Water logging is more common and often causes yield loss across a larger portion of the field. Yield losses may be minimal if the field is only water logged for two days or less. If the field is water logged for more than four days yield losses can be significant. Some research has shown that water logging can reduce soybean yield up to 43% during the vegetative growth stages and 56% during the reproductive stage. Yield losses are the result of reduced growth, nitrogen fixation, photosynthesis, and diseases. There are a number of diseases that can take advantage of the wet conditions including phythophthora, rhizoctinia, and pythium, amoung others. Soil type also impacts the amount of damage. Flooded clay soils suffer more than silt loam soils when flooded (Scott et al, 1989). During the V4 growth stage, flooding resulted in a yield loss of 1.8 bu/ac per day on a clay soil and 0.8 bu/ac per day on a silt loam soil. The impact of flooding during later growing stages was considerably higher.
Plant survival from submergence can be assessed within a couple of days after the water drains. Generally, by the time conditions are dry enough for a possible replant it’s clear if the plants have survived. New growth will be evident if the plants have survived.
Save the date!
July 16 – FARMSMART EXPO. The 2015 FarmSmart Expo will be held on Thursday, July 16 at the Elora Research Station, 6182 2nd Line E., Elora from 8:30am – 4:30pm. Cost: OSCIA members $75; non-members $110 (includes 1-year membership); Walk-in Rate $110 (no membership benefit).
Coming Events:
July 16-19 Listowel Fair. For more information, please contact: 519-291-2776 or website at: www.listowelfair.com
Aug. 7-9 Drayton Fair. For more information, please contact: 519-638-5093 or website at: www.draytonfair.com
