Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1985-03-20, Page 40from page 4 able with experience and the application of most recent technology and equipment. In a yield cheek taken in 1982, Lobb measured a corn yield reduction of 27 per cent on a typical eroded area vs the adjacent deposition area. Soil tests have indicated P and K levels on the eroded areas to be equal to or higher than the deposition areas. As erosion occurs, yields decline in spite of fertility levels. On rolling land there may be as much mechanical tillage erosion as water 'erosion. No -till has the potential to reduce erosion by 80 - 90 per cent, limiting soil loss to at least the "tolerable" rate. Reduced erosion also means saved pestic- ides and nutrients, particularly phosphorus. Other potential saving includes time, often suggested to 40 per cermt for corn production. Lob's ha=t been less but a shift in the time of some work from spring and fall to summer is an advantage. Instead of plowing and tilling the soil when compaction is likely Lobb spot sprays perennial.,oweeds in 'the summer. A more uniform workload means more time to manage. Fuel savings are often suggested to be 65 per teat. Lobb thinks this is somewhat optimistic. Reduced capitalization at more than 40 per cert for con production equip- ment may be a key incentive to use conservation practices such as no -till. With appropriate procedures, Lobb's no -till costs for weed control, fertilizer, insecticide and seed have not been greater than those of conventional tillage. Cover crop costs (when used) are partially additional to those of conventional tillage. Cover crop kill costs have ranged from $5 an ace to $25 an acre where improper kill procedure was used. Lobb suspects the switch to conservation tillage will be based on both long and short teen economics, rather than moral reasons. It is noticeable the more soil conservation effective a tillage system is, the greater the potential for savings in all other areas. It is worth the challenge to develop a system to produce le yields with no -till, Lobb obsThese savings will only be realized how- ever, when the system is reasonably perfect - 8 - The Farm Edition, Week of Maw 20. 1985 Soil conservation practices control erosion and save farmers' money ®�•® e ■ • ■■1 •■ ■;• ■ ■ ■■■ ■•■ ■ ■ ■■■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■■■ ■ ■ ■■■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■■■ ■■■ ■ ■ ■■■ ■ ■■■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ E ■■■ ■ IN ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■■■■ ■■ ■ ■■ ■ ■■■ 11■■■■■■■ ■■■ ■■ ■•■■■■■■• •■■■■■ • ••■ ■ • ■ ■■ ■ ■■■ ■ ■ ■ ■. ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■.■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Supplement Your Pasture With Purina's........ �SUP•R•BLOCK BRAND Cattle Supplement The Weatherproof Block for Brood Cows • Absolutely No Waste • Sell Limited -Feed Free -Choice • Formulated to Balance Your Forage Conditions • Convenient to Feed • Two Sizes 501b. and 5010 lb. At Purina, Cattle Business Means Business 528-2331 PURINA CHOWS ed by an individual. Without care, the cost of perfecting no -till can be very high; "I will only partially gain the suggested benefits because I have a wide range of soil types and slopes and because the best tillage system will always be site specific. No -till on adapted areas along with reduced or modified conventional till is the Least expensive way to gain the necessary tillage flexibility for my faun situation," comments Lobb. "That tillage flexibility will allow me to reduce erosion to acceptable levels, with reduced risk for losing farm income stability." In 1981 Lobbs' work with no -till involved planting 10 acres of corn and one-half acre of soybeans; the objective being the fust year to turn to page 18 First Line Seeds By Sharon Dietz March 1982 marked the beginning of a new seed company in Ontario - Fist Line Seeds Ltd., operated by a number of leading seed growers from across Western Ontario who have been selected for their knowledge and qualifications as high quality seed producers. "Until now, seed growers have not had much influence on the market. Our company gives us the opportunity to follow our seed from the research stage to the time when it -readies the fanner- grower," explains First Line president Pieter Hannam. "Our main concern is to produce very high quality seed; there have been examples of poor quality seed on the market, and we want to change that situation." The trend toward plopietary seed varieties also promoted the group to organize a company. The company's fifteen shareholders are divided into committees and each is respon- sible for a different commodity. Recomnrhen- dations_ are made to the Board by, each committee on variety development, pricing and on what basis to get involved with a crop. Currently groups meet to discuss soybeans, seed corn, white beans, wheat and grains and forages. First Line's first_ commercial project, soy- beans was introduced in the spring of 1982 and was very successful. Since then First Line has branched into seed wheat and curl mrn and now have the recommended corn hybrids, says Hannam. "Our commitment to high quality seed continues and 'Ls reflected in every aspect of our company from research to marketing," turn to page 16 Shared risk loans .... from page 7 financial aid to farmers who might not be able to obtain funds from the commercial banks, expects to make about $250 million in farm loans this year. It was writing loans of between $600 million and $700 million in 1982 and 1983. The demand for loans has been so poor in the past 12 months that the corporation recently announced it was slashing more than $400 million from its loans fund and using the money ,elsewhere in the agricultural depart-.. meat's budget. ' At a seminar on farm issues organized earlier in the day by MP Terry Clifford (PC -London -Middlesex), another group of farm spokesmen heard that the corporation is constantly studying its operation for more . effective ways to help fanners. Unfortunately, said Bob Aumell, Ontario regional manger for the credit corporation, the problems of falling farm prices and falling land values were well known throughout the industry. Solutions were not nearly so easy to find.