HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1984-03-21, Page 4913 The Faun Edition, Week of March 21. 1984
March is good seed month
Buying seed is like Christmas shopping.
You have to shop early, before everything is
picked over. "March is the last month to buy
seed if you expect to have a good selection of
varieties from which to choose," says Bill
Taylor, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and
Food seed specialist.
When farmers buy seed, they look for
quality and a specific variety. They can be
assured of quality and genetic purity if the
seed they buy is marked with a blue tag,
which guarantees that the seed was grown
from a "foundation" or "registered" seed
source. This seed is inspected by Agriculture
Canada inspectors in the field, . and re-
inspected before it is sealed "certified".
Cereal mixes can also be purchased as
certified seed. These cereal mixtures,
marked with green tags, are grown from
foundation or registered seed, and are mixed
by the seed dealers. Cereal and forage
mixtures cannot specify varieties unless the
seed has been grown from registered or
foundation seed.
"Variety selection can make a big
difference in the value and yield of a crop,"
says Mr. Taylor. "The best seed can't
guarantee a good crop, butit is one aspect
that farmers can control. The total cost of
growing any crop is too high to risk buying
anything but the best seed available."
Plant breeders at the University of Guelph
and other research stations across, Canada
are working on new varieties with better
yield, quality and disease resistance. Some
of the new varieties may fit into your
programbetter than others.
"As the new varieties appear on the
market, check their description in Ontario
Ministry of Agriculture and Food publication
296, Field Crop Recommendations, says
Mr. Taylor. "If the varieties look good for
your area, try a"test plot before you change
all of your acreage."
Mr. Taylor advises farmers to discuss
seed needs with local seed dealers. They are'
trying to market the_ best varieties for
particular areas and needs.
"Give your seed dealer a chance to place
your order while variety selection is good,"
says Mr. Taylor. "Pesent stocks of _ most
varieties are good, but supplies of early
soybean varieties may be tight."
Local business export hay to Florida
Huron Hay Farms Ltd.is a local business
venture which produces and purchases hay
for export to Florida. Stuart Altonnd Terry
Zinn sold hay for export this fall and,
he became interested in hay as a cash
crop for export. The two farmers had a large
amount of hay and decided to market it
directly rather than selling through a dealer.
Hay in its present form is too expensive to
ship because it is too bulky so Huron Hay
Farms packages the hay into higher density
bales weighing between 60 - 80 pounds. The
hay is shipped by truck to Florida where a
dealer finds a buyer. Most of the hay
shipped by Huron Hay Farms is sold to horse
•
cash crop and is concerned his hay will not
meet the standards of the export market, he
should contact Alton or Zinn because the
market changes through the year. At this
time of year a bale looks bleached on the
outside, but when the hay is rebaled, it looks
fresh again.
Exporting hay can bring a higher ,price
than selling hay on the domestic market.
Hay as a cash crop is affected by the sante
factors as other cash crops including the
weather, the highs and lows in supply and
demand and the time of year, but it has just
as much merit as any other crop, says Zinn.
race tracks and breeding farms for race He is eager to point out that a farmer does
_-_.not have to he-gr_o' fug -ha-. - Q rash rro
sell hay for export. For a farmer who wants
horses.,
Export prospects are good if a farmer
grows the right mix of hay. For export to
Florida, the buyer wants a mixture of
timothy and alfalfa.
Even if a farmer is not growing hav as a
to grow hay for crop rotation or isn't feeding
hay, there is a market. Anyone interested in
selling hay for export -can contact Huron Hay
Farms Ltd. at 529-7350 or 529-7117.
The Canadian market Is being introduced to improved crop varieties thanks to $ fiercely
competitive hybrid seed corn Industry.
N u� seed varieties on market
give improved performance
Improved crop varieties are being intro- exacting certification standards.
duced to the Canadian market at an acceler- Obviously, Certified seed must be true to
ating pace. , its pedigree. However, certification also
Consider the example of the fiercely guarantees the very best quality seed of that
competitive hybrid seed corn industry. In the particular variety. Large, uniform kernels
early 1970s, corn growers in 90 -day maturity provide the best germination and seedling
zones considered 100 bushels per acre to be vigour. In addition, Certified seed is
an excellent yield. Now, 150 bushel harvests thoroughly cleaned to eliminate weeds and
are not uncommon. other crops.
Cereal breeders have boosted yields, New varieties offer numerous improve
improved standability and enhanced disease ments to growers. Higher yields, disease
resistance of new varieties. Canola (rape- resistance and improved standability are
seed) research has brought us the world common features. An extensive cross
leading 'double zero' cultivars. country survey conducted by the Canadian
Examples of the advances made by plant Seed Growers' Association in the summer of
breeders in recent years could fill many '83 showed that 80 per cent of farmers were
pages. Returns for the investment in crop very positive towards considering the use of
Certified seed.
development research are definitely out
per'—" istanciwg—co-st ay—aa—substavrtiail`marghil
Like a purebred animal, each of these new
varieties carries its own unique pedigree.
Canadian seed regulations stipulate that any
variety may besold by name only if it meets
CSGA firmly believes that, by, using
Certified seed the farmer is .guaranteed the
greatest possible return from all his other
crop investments.
Spray with the help of
H & B ELPHICK
CHEMICALS LTft
this spring and get proven
p g
control oftou.g h weeds.
Your Local Dealer For All Insecticides and Agricultural Chemicals.
DEALER FOR: Tupes Hardfaced.Tillage Equipment. We carry a full line
for your cultivators, disc, scufflers and plow bottom parts.
SPECiAL FOR ONE MONTH ON TUPES.
-Kongskilde cultivator teeth -normal and hardface.
7" Sweeps fits most cultivators -normal and hardface.
CONTACT USS Harold or Barry Elphick at 395-5307 or at
R. R. 3, Lucknow, 5 miles west on highway 86.
SERVING THE FARMER FOR THE FUTURE