Growing Success with the Yield Enhancement Network

A collaboration between grain and oilseed industry partners in the Maritimes has seen growing success! The producers’ latest achievements in crop yield, soil health, and farm management are certainly something to celebrate.

The Yield Enhancement Network (YEN) is a flourishing partnership between Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), Atlantic Grains Council (AGC), the governments of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island, as well as grain producers across the Maritimes. It is supported through the AgriScience Program, funded under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership. YEN has just completed its 6th season and is gaining impressive momentum since its inception in 2019.

Through a friendly competition, the Network encourages Maritime grain producers and researchers from AAFC and AGC to collaborate, collect and analyze field data to assess the health of soils, and examine what crops, weather conditions, as well as farm management practices, are contributing to more efficiencies and higher yield potential. Once the growing season is complete, producers across the Maritimes meet to share their on-farm experiences and find out who achieved the highest yield, the highest percentage of potential yield, and the most efficient nitrogen use for each crop.

No signs of slowing down

There are almost 70 producers participating in YEN throughout Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, including over 125 fields planted with winter wheat, spring wheat, oats, and barley. Soybean and corn were new additions to the Network in 2024, with plans to expand the corn crop in 2025.

Maritime producers are praising how valuable the Network has been for them and how friendly competition has pushed them to take a deeper look into their farm management practices.

Nova Scotia – Niels Langelaan

Niels Langelaan and his brother Jake are owners of Langelaan Farms in the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia. In addition to running a dairy farm, they also grow corn, soybeans, and wheat.

After hearing promising feedback about other YENs across the country, Niels and Jake eagerly wanted to join the Maritimes Network. When they became members in 2022, the brothers hoped the Network would help them refine their wheat management approach and explore new practices to increase their yields.

“At first, we started growing wheat primarily for straw to use on our farm, but we quickly discovered what an excellent crop it is. To boost our yields, we saw the Network as an opportunity to connect with local farmers who also grow cereal crops, exchange knowledge and learn which practices are most effective for them on their farms,” said Niels.

Joining YEN was just the first step for Niels and Jake. What followed was a noticeable shift in their practices and yields.

“YEN has given us the opportunity to hear about different practices shared by other farmers and test the ones that make sense for our farm,” says Niels. “There is no ‘one formula’ to growing crops. A lot of the success farmers see in their crops depends on the field and the farmer. Thanks to the Network, we’re seeing increases in our yields.”

New Brunswick – Greg Carpenter

Greg Carpenter of Carpenter Farms Limited near Woodstock, New Brunswick, farms with his father and two sons. Together, they grow more than 900 acres of potatoes, grain and cover crops, as well as rotation crops like alfalfa and soybeans, which help maintain better soil health.

In 2021, Greg heard about YEN from a neighbouring producer and an agronomist at a local industry event. Greg was already keen on implementing new practices and crops on his farm, so joining YEN was a great way to learn from other producers in the province.

Now entering his fourth year in the network and having won several YEN awards, Greg has seen how beneficial the Network has been for his farm. Through networking opportunities, YEN has helped him learn new techniques and continuously improve his crop yields by paying attention to details and making informed decisions based on regional data collected in each province.

“There were things that I did, while in the Network, that made some drastic differences because it makes you pay attention to things you didn’t pay attention to before. There’s always something to learn,” says Greg.

Greg encourages other farmers to join YEN because it provides valuable insights and suggestions to improve farm practices. The more farmers who join the program, the more information producers can use to increase their grain crop yield and productivity.

“Any Network that helps producers make their farms better also contributes to supporting better environmental stewardship and allows them to make more informed and sustainable decisions.”

Prince Edward Island – Ryan Hamill

Ryan Hamill, of Hamill Brothers Farm in Middleton, Prince Edward Island, knows a thing or two about growing cereal and oilseeds like wheat, soybeans, and corn. Ryan also knows that farming comes with lifelong learning and trying new things.

“We were trying a lot of different management practices with our cereal crops, having some success, but I thought we should have more,” says Ryan.

“That’s when I heard about YEN at an Atlantic Grains Council conference, and thought, this could be the answer.”

Ryan has been participating in YEN since it was introduced by AAFC and AGC to a small but eager group of 12 producers on Prince Edward Island. At first glance, it would seem strange for competing farmers to disclose their growing formulas. But the belief among neighbours was that working together was best for everyone’s success.

"YEN has definitely made us better growers and the higher yields are proof. Now we have many producers bringing valuable information to the group. It's saved us so much time and money by seeing what worked and didn’t work with others, along with the research and data to back it up.”

The yearly reports the group receives from AGC and AAFC provide important information like optimal timing for applying inputs to crops and increasing seeding rates for spring cereals resulting in better yields. Ryan believes this wouldn't have happened on his farm without YEN.

As for accolades, Ryan is often among the top performers and wins one or two awards each year.

“We’re all naturally competitive and have the drive to do good,” explains Ryan. “If you’re going to do something, you might as well be the best.”

A Growing Success

YEN truly creates an opportunity for farmers to share their knowledge and insights with each other, benefiting all participants and contributing to a more sustainable and competitive grain industry in the Maritimes.