Is excellence all about peak yield? Or can we strive for higher yields while dialling in management to protect the environment?

The Great Lakes Yield Enhancement Network (YEN) is one of a global series of YENs that help local farmers better understand their yield potential and learn what is limiting that potential. The goal of the YEN is to connect agricultural organizations, extension specialists, academics, agronomists, and farmers who are striving to improve crop returns by unlocking the potential of the field by closing the gap between potential yield and actual yield.

Gord Speksnijder farms in Northumberland, and uses his experience in research and long farming history to work towards optimizing his production. As a provincial director for Quinte in the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association, he knows the value of healthy soil to support crops. He’ll share his experience in the YEN program, and how working towards higher wheat yields is balanced with the need to preserve strong ecosystem services.

In 2023, alongside Parrish & Heimbecker, Limited, the Ontario Soil & Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA), and the Sustainable Food Lab, Griffith Foods launched an innovative pilot program to promote regenerative agriculture in wheat farming. This initiative aims to enhance land stewardship and encourage best management practices among farmers, boosting their resilience and productivity.

Anne Jacobs from Griffith Foods will join us to discuss the company’s interest in regenerative agriculture, what’s been learned through the pilot, and what’s in the works for the future.

EFAO’s Small Grains Network is funded and supported by the Weston Family Foundation’s Soil Health Initiative.