By Mark Wales, President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA)
It is often joked in rural communities that to start a conversation with a farmer, a person only needs to mention prices or weather. That’s because both topics are intrinsically linked to farm life, and can make or break a year. While prices for crops such as corn and soybeans are still holding strong this year, the question plaguing many farmers is whether Mother Nature will ever let up.
Ontario farms saw some damage as Superstorm Sandy passed through Ontario. Reports of damaged farm buildings and downed trees are not uncommon in storms of that magnitude. For Ontario farmers, weather – and adverse weather – is a daily fact of life, and emergency preparedness is a common requirement for family homes, barns, storage buildings and animal housing. While farmers can prepare to mitigate the effects of many weather-related situations on the farm, there remain pressing issues – such as harvesting a crop before winter – that require a “wait-and-see” approach.
After a year that started out promising ideal early planting conditions, the summer’s drought left many farmers with very little worth harvesting by season’s end. In crops that did survive the summer, some areas where plant health was compromised by the summer’s drought are left with weakened stalks that can’t stand up to intensive storm conditions.
Farmers who have yet to harvest their crops will be waiting longer than anticipated. Hurricane Sandy has created extremely wet conditions across the province, making it impossible for combines to get into fields. Farmers who still have soybeans and corn in the fields will be watching weather and moisture reports for the small window of opportunity to get their crop out of the field before winter sets in.
With harvest on hold for many farmers across the province, many will switch to indoor activities. And that might include taking the family to the city for the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair where there are sure to be like-minded individuals eager to chat about topics important to the farm.
Source: OFA