In this week’s Word, Peter Johnson, resident agronomist for RealAgriculture, examines everything from erosion and weird wheat to cover crop management and insect pests. Have a question for Wheat Pete? Call 1-888-746-3311, send him a tweet (@wheatpete), or email him at [email protected]. Highlights: There are huge amounts of erosion in high tillage zones in Ontario. “We simply have to… Read More

Grain traders are questioning whether the USDA played an early April Fool’s Day joke with its corn acreage projection in the department’s March 31st acreage estimates. The Prospective Plantings Report included a projection of 93.6 million acres of corn in 2016, well beyond the trade’s average expectation of just under 90 million. The soybean acreage… Read More

“It has to taste fabulous first, and oh by the way, it’s good for you.” That’s the standard we should aim for with food, says best-selling cookbook author and home economist Mairlyn Smith. Smith brought her hilarious cooking demonstration to FarmTech in Edmonton, following up on her latest cookbook that features products grown by Canadian farmers…. Read More

The Ag Women’s Network (AWN) unveiled a new brand, and organizational structure in Guelph and Calgary last night. Originally formed in 2013, the Network now boasts over 1000 followers on their Facebook page. “We were initially focused on connecting young professionals,” said Jennifer Christie, the network’s Chairperson, in a release. “But over time, our membership grew to… Read More

Consistent planting depth and even emergence — it’s every corn grower’s goal, but it can be difficult to achieve. In this Corn School episode, AGRIS Co-operative agronomist Dale Cowan takes a close look at the impact planter down force can play in helping (or hindering) growers in their quest for an evenly spaced, picket fence… Read More

Canterra Seeds and the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre have finalized their arrangement for the distribution of CDC-developed pea varieties in the U.S. After winning the rights in an open-bid competition last year, Canterra — with its U.S. affiliate Meridian Seeds — and the CDC have been determining which varieties to include in the… Read More

Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay was in Montreal on Wednesday to announce $27 million to extend the Agricultural Greenhouse Gases Program for another five years. The research program is aimed at helping farmers find ways to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, with funding now extended until 2021. The AGGP was first launched in 2010 as part… Read More

Are you paying enough attention to your soil? That’s the first question Iowa crop consultant Michael McNeill asks farmers when they want to talk about how to increase soybean yields. “Soil health is vital to optimizing profits in any crop we try to grow. Without good soil health we don’t have a chance,” says McNeill…. Read More

What makes a dairy farm sustainable? The definition of sustainability would suggest the future of Canadian dairy farms would rest heavily on environmental, economic and social factors. Farms need to respect the environment, make money and also reflect the aspirations of consumers and their growing awareness of animal welfare. In an era of increasing scrutiny… Read More

The Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency is generally known for its work funding research and market development in the beef and pork industries, but the organization also has a vested interest in dairy. Whether its forage production, animal welfare or meat prices, dairy has more in common with other livestock industries than most recognize, says ALMA… Read More

The Chinese government has agreed to postpone tighter dockage standards on Canadian canola. In February, China indicated a new standard allowing no more than 1 percent foreign material would be implemented on April 1. As Reuters first reported on Tuesday morning, China’s import policy changes have now been postponed until September 1, 2016. The Chinese say… Read More

The entire seed industry value chain in Canada — from breeders through to grain companies —is adjusting to new Plant Breeders’ Rights legislation following the ratification of UPOV ’91 standards last June. As Lorne Hadley, executive director of the Canadian Plant Technology Agency, explains in the conversation below, the CPTA is working with all stakeholders… Read More

 

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