‘Baking under the sun’: How Ontario’s potato harvest battles rising temperatures

Oct 06, 2023

The recent heat wave sweeping through Canada’s Ontario province has put a damper on the potato harvest, according to Dr. Eugenia Banks, a renowned potato specialist at the Ontario Potato Board. In her latest email newsletter, Dr. Banks highlighted the challenges faced by farmers due to the soaring temperatures.

By noon, the mercury is touching a scorching 29C, making it perilous to dig up potatoes. Ideally, potatoes should be harvested when the pulp temperatures are between 10-15C. Any temperature above 18C can lead to diseases like soft rot and Pythium leak, which can infect the tubers through any bruises or minor wounds.

Dr. Banks emphasized the importance of monitoring pulp temperatures to ensure the health of the crop. P & K Vander Zaag Farms, one of the prominent farms in the region, has been meticulous in recording details such as pulp temperature, variety of the potato, date, time, truck number, and storage name.

Such detailed records can be invaluable in case any issues arise later in the storage piles.

Click here to see more...

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.