2020 Forage Seasonal Summary

Much of the province had a mild winter, with average amounts of precipitation. Areas of Chatham-Kent, Lambton, Huron, Grey, Bruce, Timiskaming, Cochrane, Rainy River, and Kenora received below-average winter precipitation.

 

Forages broke dormancy early in much of the province, with green-up starting in mid-March in the southwest. Overall, reports of winterkill were normal or below-normal levels, except in Prescott & Russell, where high amounts of alfalfa winterkill occurred. Alfalfa snout beetle could be a contributing factor in these winterkill reports as it is known to be present in these two counties, as well as in fields in neighbouring counties in eastern Ontario. Alfalfa snout beetle larvae girdle the taproot, often completely severing the root. Signs of injury are apparent in late fall but can go unnoticed and be reported as winterkill the next spring.

 

 

Planting intentions were up compared to 2019, in response to previous year’s winterkill issues. Much of southwestern, central and eastern Ontario new seeding was planted by the end of April due to early snow melt and average or below-average rainfall.

 

Despite early green-up, cool conditions persisted until late May, which reduced GDD accumulation and slowed forage growth. Yields varied across the province, with earlier-cut fields generally yielding lower than expected. First cut on dairy farms was fully underway by the first week of June in the southwest and the northwest, and by the second week of June in central, eastern, and northeastern Ontario.

 

For second and subsequent cuts, yield reports reflected rainfall patterns. Potato leafhopper pressure was high in these stunted crops as “hopperburn” reduced yields in affected fields. Increased rainfall in much of the province for August increased disease pressure in alfalfa, which could affect crop yields and persistence.

Video: From Conventional to Regenerative: Will Groeneveld’s Journey Back to the Land

"You realize you've got a pretty finite number of years to do this. If you ever want to try something new, you better do it."

That mindset helped Will Groeneveld take a bold turn on his Alberta grain farm. A lifelong farmer, Will had never heard of regenerative agriculture until 2018, when he attended a seminar by Kevin Elmy that shifted his worldview. What began as curiosity quickly turned into a deep exploration of how biology—not just chemistry—shapes the health of our soils, crops and ecosystems.

In this video, Will candidly reflects on his family’s farming history, how the operation evolved from a traditional mixed farm to grain-only, and how the desire to improve the land pushed him to invite livestock back into the rotation—without owning a single cow.

Today, through creative partnerships and a commitment to the five principles of regenerative agriculture, Will is reintroducing diversity, building soil health and extending living roots in the ground for as much of the year as possible. Whether it’s through intercropping, zero tillage (which he’s practiced since the 1980s) or managing forage for visiting cattle, Will’s approach is a testament to continuous learning and a willingness to challenge old norms.

Will is a participant in the Regenerative Agriculture Lab (RAL), a social innovation process bringing together producers, researchers, retailers and others to co-create a resilient regenerative agriculture system in Alberta. His story highlights both the potential and humility required to farm with nature, not against it.