The recent Ontario Seed Growers' Association Field Day near Palmerston included a presentation on the agricultural impact of fertilizer being in the public eye.
Doctor Keith Reid's presentation focused on fertilizer use in agriculture - and the possibility of the government issuing regulations limiting their use.
Doctor Reid is a soil scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
Reid notes that with such things as the Great Lakes Protection Act, as well as corporate initiatives from companies like Wal-Mart and Pepsi-Co, the way fertilizers are used on farms may change.
With rising phosphorous levels in the Great Lakes and in the Mississippi River, fertilizer distribution and use is likely to become much more closely monitored than it is currently.
However, Reid is unsure what imminent changes may occur for the immediate future.
Dr. Reid says “regulations are somewhat concerning because they tend to be very all encompassing, and no two farms are using fertilizers the same. There is no ‘one size fits all’ solution here.”
Alongside Dr. Reid’s presentation was a phone conference presentation conducted by Dr. Ken Hellevang of North Dakota State University. Dr. Hellevang, an agriculture professor and Biosystems Engineering expert spoke about low temperature air drying for high quality seed production.
The presentation included data and tips on how to best air dry all kinds of seeds in the most efficient and practical way, based on temperature and relative humidity.
For more info on low temperature air drying, visit webapps.bbe.umn.edu/fans.
For more info on fertilizers and use of those products, visit the Agri-Food Canada website.
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Given possible upcoming regulatory changes and the Great Lakes Protection Act, Doctor Reid was asked if fertilizers will continue to be a prominent tool in the industry going forward.
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Reid was asked what impact potential regulations on fertilizer use would have on Ontario farmers.
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