Review Your Whole Farm Plan for 2022

By Graham McLean, CCA-ON, 4R NMS
Crop Sales Specialist, AGRIS Co-operative – Glencoe

Is there a positive return in 2022?

Spring is just around the corner so now is a good time to renew your crop plans, by farm, by field, by crop, by product. The current return to land, labour and equipment, shows clearly, even with higher input costs balanced by higher commodity prices there is a positive return in 2022.

Soil test every 3 to 4 years

Using current soil samples, no older than four years is a good place to start determining your 4R Compliant Nutrient Management Plan. Our Build, Maintain or Drawdown approach to managing soil fertility begins with the soil test values in order to determine the nutrient rates that may be required on each unique field. If soil samples are not current, let’s look at getting soil sampling done yet this spring.

Reviewing each field's unique nutrient values and characteristics will help position the most effective type and rates of nutrients. Not only fertilizer but manure too. This is the year to account for all available nutrients on the farm.

Managing nitrogen as a system

Managing Nitrogen as a System is always an important approach but more so this year with higher values for nitrogen. Using our recommendation, or the Ontario Nitrogen Calculator can help determine appropriate rates of nitrogen by taking into account yield goals and nitrogen credits — credits from starter fertilizer, cover crops like red clover and nitrogen from manure applications. Once the final rates are determined for commercial nitrogen, protect it from environmental losses by using nitrogen stabilizers such as Tribune.

Watch Dale Cowan's video series on "Managing Nitrogen as a System".

Herbicide plans will be critical

Make sure you maximize the effectiveness of your weed control and optimize the use of glyphosate. With challenged supplies of glyphosate utilizing residual products in a tank mix and multiple modes of action will help enhance the controlling of weeds. Spraying early when weeds are small will help make sure the control is effective.

Protect your investment

Protecting plant health in corn takes on a renewed importance with the discovery of Tar Spot. Crop scouting for this disease and making plans for control if required is a wise option in 2022. Let’s not forget the other diseases such as Gibberella ear rots and Northern corn leaf blight, they are always present and just need the right environmental conditions to cause infection. Scouting will be a key activity this summer to determine the risk of infection and plotting a strategy for crop protection.

Marketing plans

Marketing plans will be key to ensuring you capitalize on these historic high crop prices. Hitting a home run for prices at harvest may not be the best strategy. Working with a grain originator within our GLG network will help build a long-term plan to improve your marketing success.

Fuel savings with a maximum price contract

Fuel is another important sector of the business that we can control. With the expectation of uncertain prices this spring/summer, looking at a maximum price contract for diesel fuel may be a hedge against higher prices when you need the fuel. Our fuel specialist Mike Dotterman would be glad to explain the program benefits and costs to implement this program.

Reduce your risk by planning ahead

As you can see there are many aspects of your business that you can plan ahead and reduce your risks. Our AGRIS Co-operative team is available to put a program in place for this growing season.