[caption id="attachment_11625" align="alignleft" width="200"] silk emerges on a young corn stalk[/caption] The Alberta Corn Committee asks you to fill out the following short survey (5 minutes). Your input is absolutely vital so that they can better understand corn grower needs and the type of organization to best support the Alberta industry. Begin survey It is time to take stock and plan a future direction for corn. With a changing climate, the forecastedopportunities for growing corn could increase substantially, with its more efficient capture and conversion of sunlight into plant material than other cereal grains. One important question is whether the existing structure and organization for corn provides the necessary support for the corn industry to grow and flourish. Statistics Canada data shows that corn acreage expanded considerably in Alberta since 1980. The Alberta acreage data for 1980 shows 5,500 acres of corn planted for grain and 28,500 acres planted for silage. The 2017 corn data reports 45,000 acres for grain and 90,000 acres planted for silage. While corn yields for grain and silage increased since 1980, the increases are lower in Alberta (corn silage 14% yield increase since 1980), (grain28% yield increase) in comparison to recorded Canadian yields (54% and 78% yield increase for silage and grain, respectively). [caption id="attachment_11626" align="alignright" width="300"] Corn sequencing test plots at Farming Smarter.[/caption]   The Alberta Corn Committee started in 1980 to independently test hybrid corn varieties under southern Alberta growing conditions. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada at Lethbridge and Alberta Agriculture and Food did the majority of the testing work. Testing sites for grain corn are in southern Alberta and testing sites for silage are in southern and central (Lacombe) Alberta.

[caption id="attachment_11625" align="alignleft" width="200"] silk emerges on a young corn stalk[/caption]

The Alberta Corn Committee asks you to fill out the following short survey (5 minutes). Your input is absolutely vital so that they can better understand corn grower needs and the type of organization to best support the Alberta industry.

Begin survey

It is time to take stock and plan a future direction for corn. With a changing climate, the forecastedopportunities for growing corn could increase substantially, with its more efficient capture and conversion of sunlight into plant material than other cereal grains. One important question is whether the existing structure and organization for corn provides the necessary support for the corn industry to grow and flourish.

Statistics Canada data shows that corn acreage expanded considerably in Alberta since 1980. The Alberta acreage data for 1980 shows 5,500 acres of corn planted for grain and 28,500 acres planted for silage. The 2017 corn data reports 45,000 acres for grain and 90,000 acres planted for silage. While corn yields for grain and silage increased since 1980, the increases are lower in Alberta (corn silage 14% yield increase since 1980), (grain28% yield increase) in comparison to recorded Canadian yields (54% and 78% yield increase for silage and grain, respectively).

[caption id="attachment_11626" align="alignright" width="300"] Corn sequencing test plots at Farming Smarter.[/caption]

 

The Alberta Corn Committee started in 1980 to independently test hybrid corn varieties under southern Alberta growing conditions. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada at Lethbridge and Alberta Agriculture and Food did the majority of the testing work. Testing sites for grain corn are in southern Alberta and testing sites for silage are in southern and central (Lacombe) Alberta.