A little US – Canada Competition to Boost Wheat Yields

Feb 07, 2025
By Farms.com

Maximize Wheat Yield with Great Lakes YEN

The Great Lakes Yield Enhancement Network (YEN) is a data-driven initiative designed to help wheat farmers understand and enhance their crop yields. Developed in partnership with leading agricultural organizations, the program provides detailed insights into field performance through benchmarking and analysis.

Participating growers collect and submit data throughout the season, including soil, tissue, and whole plant samples. Once harvest is complete, each farmer receives a comprehensive 35+ page report comparing their farm’s performance with others. This allows them to identify factors affecting their wheat yield and improve their crop management strategies.

In-person wrap-up meetings are held in Ontario, Michigan, and Kentucky to discuss findings and share insights. Farmers can register early to receive their sampling materials before the February launch. The program also offers networking opportunities, including an upcoming trip to the United Kingdom, where participants will visit farms involved in the UK-based YEN program, established in 2012.

Each farm’s data remains confidential and is only accessible to the individual grower. The program is supported by various agricultural organizations and sponsors, including Mennel Milling, Ardent Mills, and Michigan Ag Commodities, to help offset costs.

The Great Lakes YEN continues to encourage farmers to experiment, learn from peers, and improve their wheat yields based on data-backed insights. For more information, visit GreatLakesYEN.com or follow #GreatLakesYEN

Video: Alberta Honey: A Day at Molenkamp Honey Farms

When was the last time you read the label on your honey?

We spent a day at Molenkamp Honey Farms with Michael Molenkamp, who has been keeping bees for 17 seasons and runs three to four thousand hives. In mid-September, he was finishing treatments and getting his bees ready for winter, and he walked us through how Alberta honey gets made.

Alberta has just 150 commercial beekeepers running 300,000 colonies, and together they produce 40% of Canada’s honey. Long summer days and golden canola fields give Alberta honey a light flavour that’s hard to match anywhere else.

Molenkamp calls Alberta beekeepers some of the most resilient farmers he knows. There’s plenty of Alberta honey to go around, but a lot on our shelves isn’t from here, so his ask is simple. Give the label a second look and choose honey made by Alberta beekeepers, or buy straight from a beekeeper near you.