The 2015 Canadian Outdoor Farm Show in Woodstock. (Photo by Ray Baynton)The 2015 Canadian Outdoor Farm Show in Woodstock. (Photo by Ray Baynton)
Sarnia

OFA Promotes Bailing Of Corn Stalks At Outdoor Farm Show

It's early yet, but Don McCabe thinks there's a market for the sugar in corn stalks.

The Ontario Federation of Agriculture is involved in the corn stalk baling demonstrations at Canada's Outdoor Farm Show. McCabe argues Ontario corn stalks are stronger than ever and run from 47 to 49 per cent sugar. He says we now have the technology to release that sugar. And he points out BioAmber is already looking at using sugar from corn stalks in it's operations.

That's the company which recently opened a 142 million dollar plant in Sarnia to use Ontario corn sugars.

McCabe says there's enough material in most corn fields for farmers to be able to bale stalks and still leave enough residue on the ground to protect the soil.

He sees it as yet another part of the overall sustainability of Ontario farms.

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President Don McCabe says Ontario corn is yielding better and better and stalks are much stronger than they used to be.

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McCabe says there is a potential market for those corn stalks.

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McCabe wants to make sure it doesn't turn into a winner-take-all situation.

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