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 5pm. For technical information, call the Agricultural Information Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300 or visit the OMAFRA Website: www.ontario.ca/omafra
INTERNATIONAL PLOWING MATCH COMING SOON
From Sept. 18 to 22, the International Plowing Match comes to Waterloo Region. The five-day event will draw 20,000 people a day to celebrate rural skills and talents, including quilting, cooking, dancing tractors, a dodge rodeo and, of course, plowing and farming.
Located in Roseville, over 100 acres will feature 600 exhibitors showcasing regional businesses covering hi-tech, agriculture, alternate energy, manufacturing and service industries. For additional information, see: www.ipm2012.ca.
NEW ONTARIOFRESH.CA WEBSITE RELEASED
Ontariofresh.ca unites business and farmers, attracting over 1,200 food and agricultural businesses.
The new version of the popular Ontariofresh.ca website was released recently, bringing more functionality and enhanced features to users. Connecting buyers and sellers of Ontario food, Ontariofresh.ca is a vital tool in finding new business partners to meet the growing demand for local food.
The new Ontariofresh.ca website allows local food buyers and sellers to search for products, announce the availability of seasonal products, and post contract opportunities by using a sophisticated search function. The website is also a source for industry information and stories from local food champions.
Launched as a beta site in November 2011, Ontariofresh.ca has grown to over 1,200 registered industry professionals. The website serves as a valuable economic tool among food service businesses and food producers to help meet the growing demand for Ontario food. In a survey conducted among Ontariofresh.ca members in early 2012, 20% of respondents had made connections and half of those reported sales resulting directly from the website.
Members on the site include hospitals and other public institutions serving millions of meals each year. In addition, some of the largest food service operators and distributors in North America like Dana Hospitality and Gordon Food Services are utilizing the site to make business connections, along with innovative food processors like VG Meats and farms of all sizes and commodities.
Create a new or update an existing profile by Oct. 15 and be entered to win a weekend getaway. For more information visit Ontariofresh.ca.
Ontariofresh.ca is a project of the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation and is supported by the Greenbelt Fund, with funding from the Ontario government.
STINK BUGS IN SOYBEAN
by Tom Cowan, Entomologist, OMAFRA, Ridgetown
Stink bugs have been showing up in soybean fields in south western Ontario in noticeable numbers over the past two weeks and reports of stink bug numbers from Ohio are showing a similar trend. We may see more stink bug in the soybean crop this year than in previous years so it’s time to be on the lookout for them. Remember, only IP and seed beans are seriously affected by stink bug feeding as damage caused to the seed affects seed quality.
The two main stink bugs that are pests in soybeans are the green stink bug (Nezara viridula) and the brown stink bug (Euschistus servus). At the R5 to mid R6 stage, both adult and nymphs cause damage by piercing and injecting digestive enzymes into the seed causing the seed to dimple or shrivel. There are often no obvious feeding scars on the outside of the pod making damage difficult to assess. Once soybeans reach the late R6 stage then danger from stink bug feeding has passed.
Scouting techniques: Use the drop-cloth technique in row plantings, and the sweep-net technique for narrow row and drilled beans. The drop-cloth method involves using a 90cm (36 inches) long piece of white cloth positioned on the ground between two rows of soybeans. Vigorously shake the plants over the cloth in each of the two rows. Count the number of adults and nymphs and divide the number by 6 to obtain the average number of stink bugs in a 30cm (one foot) row. Repeat this in at least four more areas of the field. Be careful not to disturb the plants prior to shaking them on the cloth.
Using a 38cm (15 inch) diameter sweep net, take 20 sweep samples (in a 180°-arc sweep) in five areas of the field. Determine the average number of adults and nymphs per sweep by dividing the total count by 100.
Action threshold: Control may be warranted in IP food grade and seed soybeans if an average of one stink bug per 30cm (one foot) of row or 0.2 bugs per sweep is found during the late R5-R6 stages.
REMINDER: DRY WEATHER FARMING
Farmers experiencing dry weather challenges can find information on feed and production management options at OMAFRA. Visit: ontario.ca/agweatherissues or contact the Agricultural Information Contact Centre at 1-877- 424-1300 or email: ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca.
COMING EVENTS
Sept. 6 to 9: Arthur Fall Fair. For more information, check the website at: www.arthurfallfair.ca.
Sept. 7 to 8: Aberfoyle Fair, Puslinch Community Centre. For information, call: 519-837-9288 or check the website: www.aberfoyleagriculturalsociety.com.
Sept. 8 to 9: 6th Annual Stratford Garlic Festival. Check events at: http://www.stratfordgarlicfestival.com/.
Sept. 11 and 18: Growing Your Farm Profits two-day workshop, Elora OMAFRA boardroom from 9:30 to 3:00 p.m. Sign up at www.ontariosoilcrop.org/workshops or call 519-638-3268.
Sept. 19 Shakespeare Swine Seminar, Shakespeare Community Centre at 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Cost $25 pre-registered by Sept. 18th, $20 for additional people from the same farm and $30 at the door. Cheques payable to: “Shakespeare Event – Ontario Pork”. For more information or to register, call the Agricultural Information Contact Centre: 1-877-424-1300.
