If global warming results in warmer summers these results are encouraging, as long as drought is avoided. Other global developments, however, altered worldwide grain demand and prices have declined. The field crops industry is changing rapidly. In soybeans, however, technology use agreements for this self-pollinated crop were contentious among growers and the rapid rate of takeovers in the seed industry was causing concern. A new phenomenon was boatload shipments of non-GMO soybeans out of Goderich to Europe at premium prices.
Research continues to address a number of future trends.
These include incorporation of traits that would improve human health, such as anti-cancer traits and traits to overcome heart disease. Another development is increasing use of marker-assisted selection in cereals, soybeans and corn to improve breeding efficiency and to pyramid genes for disease resistance. The model, however, would retain separate Field Crop and Horticultural Crop Committees under the umbrella of an overall Plant Committee. In this proposal, input from the current Ontario Pest Management Research and Services Committee would be made to the appropriate Field Crops or Horticultural Crops Committee. The Field Crops research program for 1998-2002 was approved by ARIO in 1998 and will continue to stay the course.