A sound weed control program for IP soybeans takes planning. From pre-emerge options, to managing the weed spectrum, to proper follow up scouting and evaluation, a well-planned weed control strategy is effective at keeping fields as weed-free as possible. But things don’t always go exactly according to plan, do they? As Melody Robinson and Aaron… Read More
Month: July 2014
Perhaps we should go ahead and just call 2014 the year of variability. Manitoba farmers struggled with a late, wet spring, as did many parts of Saskatchewan. Alberta has largely fared far better, with the pendulum swinging the other way and into too-dry for the Peace region. Crops can grow their way out of the… Read More
Erysiphe pisi, the pathogen that causes powdery mildew in peas, first becomes visible in spots on the upper surface of leaves, particularly those in the lower canopy. Once the fungus infects its host, it is quick to spread, coating the surfaces of plant tissue with a fine, blue-white powder. Powdery mildew in peas is largely… Read More
This morning, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification Michelle Rempel announced $3,844,800 in funding to support the establishment of the Canadian Beef Centre of Excellence in Calgary, Alberta. “Our Government is committed to finding ways to promote Canadian beef locally and internationally while generating jobs and economic growth,” said Rempel…. Read More
The newly-minted provincial agriculture minister for Ontario, Jeff Leal, has not changed policy or regulation on neonicotinoid seed treatments. Let’s get that out of the way right now. Will the government soon step in, requiring more paper work, perhaps a licensing systems and more monitoring or rules around the use of neonics on corn and… Read More
Chlorosis, or yellowing of leaf tissue in plants, can be an indicator of a great number of issues from nutrient deficient soils to poor root systems or saturated soils. Manitoba farmers especially are dealing with excess moisture this year, even outside of the flood zones along the Assiniboine River, and while soybeans do take standing… Read More
By now, you’ve likely heard about or seen an ‘undercover’ video that shows terrible abuse of dairy cows on a farm in British Columbia. In the disturbing video, cows are kicked, caned or beaten up simply because they were weaker than the young workers. After that video release, dairy farmers across the country did something… Read More
Do you ever wonder where equipment manufacturers get their great new ideas? While some will get inspiration from their own on-the-farm experiences, some new innovations are dreamed up on paper long before they ever hit the field. Still other manufacturers use a collaborative approach, seeking out feedback from their customers and problem solving for them…. Read More
Any of a number of factors can cause a pulse crop to become nitrogen deficient, particularly issues with inoculant. Using the wrong Rhizobium species, applying inadequate rates or storing bacteria improperly can decrease the likelihood of proper root nodulation. Less controllable factors, like extreme plant stress or inoculant/soil desiccation can also have a huge impact…. Read More
What limits yield on your farm? Too much water? Not enough? Low soil nutrient levels? Not enough heat? At least one scientist will tell you it’s none of the above — the most limiting factor for crop production in North America is actually soil carbon. “Our soils are starved for carbon,” says Kristine Nichols, a… Read More
Growing Degree Days (GDD) are an indicator of expected crop development based on weather conditions. GDDs are calculated by taking the mean temperature over a day and subtracting a base temperature. For most cereal grains, the base temperature is considered 5 degrees C, as they require around 1200 GDD to reach maturity. GDD = (Tmax + Tmin)… Read More
One of the coolest things at Canada’s Farm Progress Show is how all of the seeding equipment manufacturers lay all their cards on the table to try and prove who is the most innovative. Regina is the home for Canada’s Farm Progress Show, and Saskatchewan is the home for some of the biggest players in… Read More
Farmers from a wide swath of Saskatchewan and Manitoba are slogging through washed out roads, flooded homes and submerged fields after a weekend of rain that dumped from three to over seven inches of water over the southeast and west portions, respectively, of those provinces. For many crops, the water is simply too much —… Read More
Fenders play an incredible role in reducing equipment and nozzle damage and keeping the sprayer clean, thus reducing the risk of soil-borne disease movement. Still, owning a set of fenders for both wide and narrow tires can be costly, and the process for removal and replacement can be rather time consuming. With all this in… Read More
The importance of good spray coverage is emphasized in all kinds of agricultural publications, including product labels. But, according to Tom Wolf, spray application specialist with AgriMetrix Research and Training in this episode of Spray Tips, “the labels are remarkably silent on what good coverage actually is and how you can actually measure it.” Wolf goes… Read More