Claresholm, Alta. (Rural Roots Canada) – On June 22, Alberta producers gathered near Claresholm for a Plot2Farm field day that showed how on-farm research can help answer practical agronomic questions.
Hosted by Alberta Grains in partnership with Silverwood Ventures, the event drew about 40 farmers and industry representatives to tour research trials and discuss how locally generated data can support management decisions.
Jeremy Boychyn, director of research, agronomy and extension with Alberta Grains, said the Plot2Farm program gives producers a structured way to test agronomic ideas on their own farms.
“The goal of the program is really to support farmers in trialling different agronomic practices on their farm through a stronger scientific approach,” Boychyn said.
The process relies on randomized and replicated trials, careful site and equipment selection, analysis of the results and a return of the data to the growers involved.
Alberta Grains works with producers to design trials around questions they want answered.
“We ask really farmer-driven questions,” said Boychyn. “They come to us and say this is what we want to do a trial on, and we support them through that process.”
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Research topics have ranged from seeding rates and fungicide use to plant growth regulators, crop varieties, soil management practices and row spacing.
The program began after Alberta Wheat’s research committee saw growing interest in on-farm research across North America around 2019. Boychyn said the aim was to connect years of small-plot research with real farm conditions.
“A lot of the trials that we do are sourced from small plot research,” he said. “What does this mean specifically for them? That helps us bring that information and turn it into something practical that helps them make decisions on the farm.”
During the field day, the group toured several research sites at Silverwood Ventures.
One trial is comparing winter wheat seeding rates. Participants learned about a digital intensive farm management project being conducted with Olds College, which Boychyn said could represent the next stage of on-farm research.
Stops on the tour also featured a canola phosphorus efficiency trial and AAC Oakman VB, where the farmers and industry representatives discussed the variety’s potential in southern Alberta and the breeding work behind its development.
Boychyn said the program continues to focus on helping producers answer questions that are directly relevant to their operations by generating research under their own growing conditions.
