Manitoba farmers can get ready to visit a website providing free crop-management advice from some of the province’s top agronomists.

CropChatter.com, due to launch Monday, is hosted by Farm Business Communications, publisher of the Manitoba Co-operator, with co-operation from Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives.

MAFRI crops branch staff will provide start-up consulting advice, but all public and private agronomists as well as farmers are invited to participate, making CropChatter the province’s main forum for timely crop-management news, especially during the growing season.

In addition to being able to browse the latest topics and updates posted to the site, farmers and agronomists will be able to post questions on cereals, oilseeds and pulses, with a reply guaranteed within 48 hours.

A grower will also be able send a photo of a weed, insect or disease symptom that needs identification, share his or her own observations and solutions, or simply submit news and photos of crop development in his or her area.

The website is scheduled to be active Monday with queries received by MAFRI staff, such as “What is causing white heads in cereal crops this year?”, “Why would my canola pods be splitting?” and “My sunflower has heads missing along the edge — what happened?”

The CropChatter site will be moderated by MAFRI staff, who will receive and review questions and comments before posting to the site.

Those posting questions and comments will be asked to register, but their names will not be used when the information is posted to the site.