THE ON-FARM NETWORK (OFN) hosted the first-ever Agronomists Answer sessions in early March 2021. These virtual sessions were designed to bring OFN participants, past and present, together in a small group setting to catch up on trial results and discuss production concerns with the OFN Agronomist, MPSG Production Specialists and fellow farmers. This farmer-only event included three sessions: (1) soybeans, (2) peas and faba beans and (3) dry beans.
The soybean session covered a wide range of OFN results from seeding rate and row spacing to inoculant trial results, in-season biological application and responsiveness to fungicide. The pea and faba bean session focused on fungicide decision making and crop responsiveness, with some discussion on pea nitrogen and boron fertility questions, which the OFN investigated in the 2020 season. With the dry bean farmers, the discussion focused on preliminary results of investigating different tillage systems for pinto bean production, nitrogen fertility considerations and findings from the OFN dry bean fungicide trials so far..
Results from all the OFN trials can be found at www.manitobapulse.ca/on-farm-network/on-farm-research-reports. While MPSG shares trial results widely to benefit the broader membership, participation in the OFN has many advantages. In addition to the benefit of results grown right in your fields and on your farm, being an OFN participant enables access to exclusive events such as the Agronomists Answer sessions.
The Agronomists Answer sessions were well received by the farmers in attendance and the OFN is looking forward to hosting more events with this format in the future.
