“Green Plan Solutions™.....Maximizing Every Acre”-this year’s theme at Ontario PROTRACK Agronomy Conference

It may be the best conference yet, was a recurring comment seen on participants’ evaluation forms who attended GROWMARK Ontario region’s Agronomy Conference held at Hockley Valley Resort in Orangeville.

“ Let’s plant some seeds!” stated Frank Campbell, GROWMARK Ontario marketing director who opened the three-day program with a challenge to all participants to use the conference as a way to plant new ideas in their minds to take back and apply to their businesses and help customers maximize every acre through achieving bigger yields and improved profitability. The conference opened with the launch and positioning of Green Plan Solutions and the importance for members to promote this shared brand collectively.

The line up of speakers included conference co-ordinator and emcee Bill Brown, GROWMARK Ontario field sales agronomist, Dr. Peter Sikkema Ph. D M.Sc. B.Sc (Agr) from the University of Guelph who covered the topics of Glyphosate resistant Giant Ragweed and weed management in soybeans, Dale Cowan Southern Co-operative Services senior agronomist spoke on agronomic fertility solutions, Don McLean, FS PARTNERS/North Wellington Co-operative agronomist and Sean Dunnett, FS PARTNERS seed specialist reported on the Pursuit of Maximum Yield program and Don Kabbes of Great Lakes Grain talked about grain marketing strategies.

Attending from GROWMARK were Dave Gentry, forage/turf retail product manager, who spoke about seed partners and treatments, Kevin Black, insect & plant disease technical manager covered weed and insect identification, Barry Nash, weed science technical manager talked modes of action with herbicides and Joe Dillier, director plant food gave some insight into what is happening around the world in respect to fertilizers.

The final day focused on communication and social media with a session from Andrew Campbell who is owner of Fresh Air Media. “It is not a question as to whether you should use social media to promote your business, but rather how and what tools you should use in your social media strategies,” was Campbell’s key message to his audience.

Terry Stevenson, Southern Co-operative Services communication manager and Janice Johnson, GROWMARK Ontario marketing and communication specialist followed with a session on communicating with customers and provided examples of various website and electronic communication tools that can be adopted easily.

The closing session was given by, Barry Hannah, GROWMARK senior trainer who tied it all the together with his presentation on utilizing all tools to Maximize Every Acre.

The conference was generously sponsored by BASF, Bayer CropScience, DuPont, Monsanto, PRIDE Seeds and Syngenta. Representatives from each sponsor presented new product information and technical advice.

Certified Crop Advisors received 11 certified education units for attending the conference.

Brian Colville, Sunderland Co-operative crop sales & service specialist asks a question to one of the speakers presenting at the Agronomy Conference. Bill Brown, GROWMARK Ontario field sales agronomist (holding microphone). Kimberly Callaghan, Sunderland Co-op crop sales & services specialist listens.