Press Releases

Yield Enhancement Network to become Atlantic Crop Enhancement Network

Atlantic Grains Council Announces New Name for Regional Crop Performance Program

[Moncton, NB] — [May 12, 2026] — The Atlantic Grains Council is announcing that its regional Yield Enhancement Network, previously known as YEN, will now operate under a new name: the Atlantic Crop Enhancement Network, or ACE Network.

The ACE Network is the same grower-focused program that has operated in Atlantic Canada in recent years, with no change in its core purpose, structure, or services. The name change reflects the program’s continued evolution as a made-in-Atlantic-Canada initiative focused on helping producers better understand crop performance, benchmark results, and identify opportunities to improve productivity, profitability, and sustainability.

The former YEN program was originally developed with support and inspiration from the Yield Enhancement Network model in the United Kingdom. That relationship helped Atlantic Grains Council establish the program in its early years. However, with the UK YEN program being discontinued for many crops, and with limited ongoing support from the UK program going forward, Atlantic Grains Council determined that it was the appropriate time to move forward under a distinct regional identity.

“ACE more clearly reflects what the program has become in Atlantic Canada,” Heather Russell, Executive Director of the Atlantic Grains Council. “The program is still about benchmarking, learning, and improving crop performance, but the new name gives us a stronger Atlantic identity and better reflects the broad range of crops and agronomic improvement goals included in the program.”

The ACE Network will continue to bring together growers, agronomists, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researchers, provincial specialists and industry experts to better understand crop performance and unlock the full potential of Atlantic Canadian fields. The program is available to growers of small grains, including oats, barley, spring wheat, and winter wheat, as well as grain corn, silage corn, and soybeans. Participants receive data and sample collection support, detailed crop performance benchmarking, analytical reports, access to events and workshops, and opportunities for recognition through annual awards.

The program remains focused on evidence-based agronomy. Participating growers receive an in-depth review of crop growth and performance, including factors such as nutrient use efficiency, water availability, soil health, weather impacts, and other agronomic drivers. The goal is to help farmers identify what is working well, where improvements may be possible, and how management decisions can support stronger long-term results.

“In an environment of rising input costs, increased environmental expectations, and the need for resilient production systems, crop performance information is more important than ever,” Russell said. “ACE will continue to give growers practical data, useful comparisons, and access to expert insight so they can make better-informed decisions season after season.”
Registration for the ACE Network is currently open for the 2026 season, with participation available across Atlantic Canada.

For more information, please contact:
PEI Steve Howatt ACE Network Coordinator 902-394-0645 steve@bremsa.ca
New Brunswick Dave Bell Bell Crop Services 506-261-6011 drbell@cropservices.ca
Nova Scotia Caitlin Congdon Perennia 902-698-9473 ccongdon@perennia.ca

About Atlantic Grains Council

Atlantic Grains Council supports the advancement of grain and oilseed production in Atlantic Canada through research, knowledge transfer, market development, and grower-focused initiatives that strengthen the region’s crop sector.