Holmes Agro-Nomic Newsletter December 2017 Thank you for helping to make this year a success. We wish all the best to you and yours over the coming holiday season! Holiday Hours: Open December 22nd & 27th - 29th from 8AM-5PM; Closed December 25th & 26th; Closed January 1st; Regular office hours will resume January 2, 2018 The Changing Crop Protection Landscape The Canadian and global crop protection industry is currently undergoing significant change. One of the most pronounced of those changes is consolidation, with several mergers and acquisitions completed or proposed. The fact that there is consolidation occurring should not come as a surprise – it has happened before, global agricultural markets are struggling, and consolidation is also happening in other parts of the sector too (including at the grower and distributor levels). The resources required to research, develop, commercialize new products and technologies is one of the drivers of consolidation, with recent estimates for the development of a new product, from lab to field, pegged at 7-10 years and $300 million-plus Canadian. So, critical mass is critically important! But it is not just merged or acquired companies that benefit. A number of other organizations are benefitting from the diversities that are required to close these deals, creating other strong competitors in Canadian, US and global markets. And that competition and choice is good for farmers. So, while some tend to view consolidation negatively, there can be a number of benefits associated with change and consolidation including bringing together creative minds from complementary segments of the industry to address challenges that farmers face, finding ways to more effectively and efficiently deliver new technologies and tools to farmers and the potential for new technologies, increased investments, and accelerated research and development, to name just a few.
Fertilizer Market Update Much like the Grain Market, the fertilizer market has been mainly soft, both potash and phosphate are in a similar position as fall going into the winter. Phosphates showing some strength in the past week. Nitrogen has shown some strength over the fall months. From summer we have seen a 25% increase in both UAN and Urea cost. The cause seems to be tighter supply based on China only suppling their domestic market and the slower then expected new production available in North America. Comments going forward seem to have the nitrogen market leveling off and potential lower levels going into the first quarter of the year. I would encourage you to sit down with a Holmes Agro agronomist and work through your cost of production and yield expectation to help with finalizing your cash flow and optimal returns.
Ready When Nature Strikes! Did you know that Holmes Agro is a supplier of various ice melt products? We are happy to offer the ProMelt product line for any of your ice melt needs. ProMelt products are more effective at lower temperatures. ProMelt products are less corrosive compared to other options and are pet friendly. Having the product coloured helps for ease in application to ensure efficient use. Stop by any of our locations or check out our website for more information!
Grower Pesticide Numbers If we do not have a current number on file for you, we will be contacting you this winter to have that updated. Please make sure we have your current number and expiry date on file or we will not be able to ship chemical to you next season until it has been updated. Contact one of the locations to update your file. Upcoming course dates are: February 28 – Sunnidale Corners, February 26th & Holmes Agro Orangeville March 22nd & April 7th Please call Ridgetown 1-800-652-8573 or email
[email protected] to register. *********** Check the website holmesagro.com for general information and upcoming important dates *************
2018 Spring Cereals Spring Wheat Wilkin Easton
Wilkin continues to set the bar for yield. Boasts standability and good disease package Later heading date vs. Wilkin. High yield index. Excellent tillering.
Bornholm Conestogo
Great test weight and excellent yield potential Good kernel weight with great consistency
Dignity HY-621
Great consistency with high yield and standability Dependable emergence with exceptional yield
AAC Bullet AAC Roskens
White hulled milling oat with very strong straw and consistently high yields Tan hulled milling oat with high yield potential
Barley – 2 Row Barley – 6 Row Oats
We also offer a selection of mixed grains, including: standard oat and barley mixes; oats, barley, peas, and oats, barley, wheat. Speak to your Holmes Agro rep to plan your cereals for 2018!
CLEANFarms 2017 .
Thank you to everyone who participated in the Cleanfarms program over the past year. We have wrapped up empty jug collection for the 2017 year and will start up again in April of 2018 ☺
IPM Numbers & Course Dates Just a reminder that this spring you will need to have an IPM number along with completed paperwork to purchase seed treated with a class 12 insecticide. Please make sure the office or your Holmes Agronomist has this number to put in your records here. Upcoming course dates and sign up are available on the website www.ipm certified.ca If you do not have your card and are planning to purchase class 12 treated seed – you MUST attend a course this winter!
NuSeeds – Sunflower Opportunities! Did you know, sunflowers are grown in Ontario not only for confection use but for oil as well! Holmes Agro is partnered with NuSeed in offering access to their sunflower seed lineup! NuSeed is a global seed company genuinely committed to developing new seed technologies that create new opportunities. With breeding programs in Australia, Argentina, Serbia, and the USA, NuSeed has unmatched germplasm creating superior hybrids. While the sunflower is recognized world wide due to its beauty, it is also an important food source. NuSeeds offers confection, High Oleic and conoil hybrids to meet your agronomic needs!
Agriculture Facts from Census • • • • • •
Agriculture operations in Canada employed 280,315 people in 2015. The percent of women involve in agriculture continues to rise One in eight farms sold food directly to consumers o Mainly fruits, vegetables and eggs The number of farm operators declined from 2011 while the average age continues to rise. However, the proportion of operators under 35 years of age, edged up for the first time since 1991. 4% of all farm operators did some off-farm work. 4% of farms nationally reported of having a written succession plan.
Upcoming Events December 7th – Orangeville Grower Meeting – Raising the Bar for 2018 January 3rd & 4th – South West Ag Conference, Ridgetown January 19th– Farm Smart, Waterloo January 20th– Farm Smart, Guelph February 22nd – Stayner Grower Meeting