(BlackburnNews.com file photo)

Share via: Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

More

The chair of the Grain Farmers of Ontario says farmers across the province who planted corn are facing one of the most severe outbreaks of vomitoxin, also know as DON, they have ever seen.

Markus Haerle made the comment in an open letter to members.

A meeting has been set up with Ontario’s Minister of Agriculture on Thursday.

“Processors and us from GFO and government people are going to meet. And distinguish points where we can find common ground and develop a strategy on how to address the issue in a fast fashion,” said Haerle. “To mitigate the risk down to the farmer level because farmers are really struggling to get the crop off the field. And because the buyers are pushing back on the crop that has higher levels of DON.”

Wet weather early in the harvest season played a significant role in the vomitoxin spread.

And the issue does not end with harvest. The issue with high levels of DON could have a ripple affect into other aspects of agriculture.

“That creates some issues of finding ways of not pushing too much high level DON crop back into the feed market,” said Haerle.

In his letter, Haerle points to multiple issues they are hearing from farmers; cash flow and revenue loss, markets for high DON corn, clarity from Agricorp on crop insurance and testing protocols.