Topics for the month

Our theme this month is scouting. It’s not scouting season, obviously, but the variety of different stresses and pests in different regions that affected the crop in 2012 reminds us why it is so important to properly monitor canola throughout the year. We have articles this week on what to keep in a scouting kit and on how to find an agronomist that can effectively assist with your scouting efforts or give advice on management options. Growers want an agronomist who understands their farming philosophy, understands the growing region, and has access to a network and resources to help provide the support they need. The January farm shows give growers a chance to scope out a few agronomy service providers, and re-stock their scouting tool kit.