The 2012 growing season got off to a record start, with many farmers benefiting from warm soil temperatures and early planting conditions.
Statistics Canada is reporting record acres of all field crops have been planted by farmers across the country, and if weather cooperates, farmers could be in for a very strong year.
But optimism seeded by an early productive season could still combust if, as many experts predict, drought takes hold. Such uncertain weather conditions with dramatic peaks and lows are another downside of climate change, and can seriously impact the quality of important business planning decisions on the farm.
The spring began with unseasonable heat, but the sudden snap back to cooler seasonal temperatures destroyed much of Ontario’s fresh fruit supply, including an estimated 85% of the province’s apple crop. And farmers’ early season anticipation of bumper grain and oilseed crops could lead to a significantly different story by summer¹s end if weather-related pest infestations and hot, dry conditions continue.
These precarious conditions speak to the volatility of agriculture, and the power of circumstances beyond a farmer’s control.
Despite being early adapters of new practices and technology, solid productivity records, and generations of hands-on agricultural experience, there¹s always a very real chance that a farm could fail to produce enough food to turn a profit at the end of the year.
Now, more than ever, smartphone-wielding farmers need to get even smarter about marketing strategies on the farm. And making long-term business planning decisions such as the purchase of essential equipment, how much land to put into production and what kind of on-farm improvements can be made have an even stronger impact on a farm¹s viability.
Ontario farmers continue to make on-farm improvements at the operational level through their overwhelming participation in programs such as Ontario’s Environmental Farm Plan Program.
Farm organizations fund research projects that will lead to further on-farm efficiencies, to help farmers grow more food with fewer resources and less impact on the environment. And farmers will continue to monitor and manage the effects of climate change at the farm level.
But the impact of climate change is just one example of what makes the future of farming so volatile. Prices for our commodities are expected to rise and fall just as dramatically in response to extreme growing conditions, and Ontario farmers will continue to rely on business risk management programs to help manage the challenges farmers face due to circumstances beyond our control.
When weather gets tough, and food production is under threat, programs that help farmers manage associated financial risks are crucial to helping us weather the climate and financial storms.
Mark Wales is president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture
