The On-Farm Network (OFN) trial establishment has been relatively slow this spring with cool and in some parts, wet soil conditions across agro-Manitoba. Normally, we can count on at least a few field pea, and if we are lucky, a few soybean trials
established by late April.
This year, the first trials of faba bean seeding rate (located in the R.M. of Victoria) and soybean seeding speed (located in the R.M. of Morris) were both established on May 8, 2026.
The pace immediately started to pick up, and to-date (May 13, 2026), a total of 11 out of 44 planned OFN seeding timing type trials (for example seeding rates) have already been established:
- Four soybean seeding speed (5 mph vs. 7 mph vs. 9 mph) trials
- One faba bean seeding rate trial
- One soybean seeding equipment (air drill vs. planter) trial
- Four soybean starter phosphorus trials
- One field pea inoculation trial
The OFN team has already begun data collection with seed depth assessments at the soybean speed and soybean seeding equipment trials (see photos). Farmers were seeding soybeans about 1.0 to 1.5 inches deep depending on available soil
moisture.