"Crop Advances", the new field project report summarizing the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Ontario Soil and Crops Improvement Association field trials. Crop Advances improves the reporting of OSCIA grant projects conducted by the OSCIA and OMAFRA. The information is presented on an individual project basis. This new, stand alone publication gives the projects a greater profile and facilitates promotion. By packaging the projects in a branded way, Crop Advances allows us to explore opportunities by showcasing the results.

Crop Advances can be considered an extension resource. The average producer is not likely to read the entire document. However, OMAFRA staff and OSCIA members will be using this report to write and communicate various extension articles and presentations.

The document has also been made into a CD, and the individual reports are being added to the OSCIA website. The website will highlight to everyone the great work that OSCIA is involved with. It will also provide an archive of the projects for the future.

The current release of Crop Advances is actually Version 2. Version 1 was released in February 2004 by OMAFRA Field Crop staff. That report did not contain all of the OSCIA projects, and was not as widely distributed. However, the enthusiasm generated by this present report and the continued partnering of OSCIA and OMAFRA has been very positive. We will likely continue with this format in the future.

Each local OSCIA association has received a couple of copies of the Crop Advances report in hardcopy. Please speak to your local executive if you want a chance to review the hardcopy version forwarded to them. The information is also being made available on the OSCIA website, along with other information about project grants and previous projects.

For anyone without access to the web, or who would prefer a CD, please contact the OMAFRA Agricultural Contact Centre at 877-424-1300.