Features Agronomy Cereals
Three things to mention!

One
Please allow me to introduce Ralph Pearce. As of the next issue (July), he will change up to the editor’s role in my stead (as noted in the last issue, I retire this spring). Ralph has been eastern field editor at Top Crop Manager for the last five years, a space of time in which he has learned about agriculture and what Top Crop Manager brings to its readers, while making a huge contribution himself. Along the way, he has been involved behind the scenes in developing stories for the western Canada edition too, so stepping into the editor’s chair is not as daunting as it might seem. I’m confident that Ralph will fulfill the role in an exemplary fashion!

Two
In this issue we have included several features in the ‘disease management’ department: after seeding and weed spraying are finished for the season, leaf disease management will be the next field activity on the agenda. Thanks to higher grain prices, the economic justification for in-crop fungicide spraying is greater than before…

… and Three
Another unique feature of Top Crop Manager returns with this issue – by popular demand after a one year hiatus. Our Top Crop Advisors are back! Several stories in this issue include the comments of Top Crop Advisors who have previewed the stories. Their comments accompany some stories and provide a local perspective.

Here are their profiles:

• John Waterer is a County Agronomist with Cargill AgHorizons based
• at Winnipeg.
• Kenton Possberg operates Possberg Grain Farms at Humboldt, Saskatchewan, and plants between 12,000 and 13,000 acres annually.
• Warren Kaeding operates Wagon Wheel Seed Corporation at Churchbridge, Saskatchewan, cropping 6000 acres of winter wheat, barley, oats, canola, peas, sunflowers and several specialty contract crops.
• Ian McPhadden recently retired from farming at Milden, Saskatchewan.
• John and Lisa Huvenaars have operated their irrigated clay loam farm at Hays, Alberta since 1978! They produce pedigreed seed for wheat, barley, flax (linola) and canola.
• James and Peter Galloway, of Galloway Seeds, are growers, processors and marketers of seed grains, canola and field peas. They crop about 2500 acres of wheat, barley, canola and field peas in the Black loam soils northeast of Edmonton just south of Fort Saskatchewan.

These Top Crop Advisors have added wisdom and practical perspectives of their own to our stories in this issue of Top Crop Manager issues this year (some do not appear in this issue). Between them, these leaders boast an impressive list of credentials – from grower organizations, to research committees, to community services, sports and educational activities. Of course, they are also recognized for their abilities as crop producers. Check the web site at www.topcropmanager.com for more details.

Our editorial team and Top Crop Advisors hope you will put some of the ideas and new techniques in this and the subsequent issues of Top Crop Manager to work on your farm to improve your bottom line. -end-

Peter Darbishire
Publisher and editor