Ontario’s farmers are relatively familiar with using red clover on wheat to fix nitrogen and keep the soil covered into the fall, but cover crop use has quickly surpassed a one-species on one-crop approach. Lyndsey Smith, Ontario field editor for RealAgriculture, sat down with two farmers to ask them 4 Questions on cover crops: what’s… Read More
It’s an “Agronomy Monday” edition of RealAg Radio, featuring discussion about lessons from 2016 — an agronomists panel conversation from SWAC, soybean acreage growth continuing in Western Canada, how to grow record corn yields and what protein is and does in a wheat kernel. Guests include Leanne Freitag, Russ Barker, Steph Kowalski, Dennis Lange, Randy Dowdy… Read More
Dylan Sher didn’t grow up on a farm. Coming from the Toronto area, the third-year agriculture student at the University of Guelph admits he didn’t know much about farming before heading to university. And that’s providing him with a unique perspective as he works toward the lofty goal of debuting a film about farming and food at… Read More
Ontario farmers rarely see the yield monitor hit 240 bushels in their wheat crop. But Barry and Tyler McBlain hit that number in 2016. What’s even more amazing is that it happened on the tough clay soils southeast of Brantford in Brant County. In this episode of “Real Wheat Farmers”, agronomist Peter Johnson talks with… Read More
After starting 2017 in the red, the grains market rallied quite well this week, however, corn and oilseeds are still below their highs seen in October and November. A couple of headlines that gained traction over the holidays were the South American weather (especially in Argentina), Egyptian wheat tenders, Black Sea winterkill risks, and continued… Read More
Still recovering from Canada’s shootout loss last night, Shaun and Kelvin catch up on the latest ag news, including Ted Menzies’ resignation from CropLife Canada due to health reasons, an update on the bovine TB situation in Western Canada and the latest job numbers in Canada and the U.S. Bern and Lyndsey recap the Southwest… Read More
The Southwest Agricultural Conference marks the official kick-off of the winter conference season, and field editors Bernard Tobin and Lyndsey Smith were there to catch all the best and brightest agronomy minds at work. In RealAgriculture tradition, Bern and Lyndsey took a few minutes at the end of the show to talk about their favourite speakers,… Read More
Manage the crop, not the weather. That was the take-home message delivered via three agronomists at the 2017 Southwest Agricultural Conference. Leanne Freitag, with Cargill, Russ Barker, with Pioneer, and Steph Kowalski, with Agronomy Advantage, teamed up to share nine lessons of the trying 2016 growing season. From the non-negotiable need for sulphur on wheat,… Read More
China could potentially come looking for more soybeans and canola from Canada if Donald Trump’s policies jeopardize U.S. sales to the world’s largest soybean importing country. The president-elect has clearly shown a willingness to challenge China, whether by it’s by phoning Taiwan’s president, airing his grievances on Twitter, or promising to label China as a… Read More
Today’s edition of RealAg Radio includes some discussion about how Donald Trump’s policies with China could open up trade opportunities for Canada and highlights from the centre of the agronomy world this week — the Southwest Ag Conference in Ridgetown, Ontario, as well as this week’s edition of Wheat Pete’s Word and some headlines involving Monsanto…. Read More
The Canadian Grain Commission’s large surplus from user fees over the last few years needs be drawn down and returned to farmers, says the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association. The group has launched a petition, noting that since 2013, the CGC has accumulated at least $100 million from the roughly $1.80/tonne in fees charged to… Read More
CropLife Canada has started looking for a new president and CEO, as Ted Menzies has stepped down due to a “serious health problem.” Menzies, a long-time Alberta farmer and former Member of Parliament, has led the plant science industry organization since January 2014. The health issue was identified in late December. “Ted contributed a great… Read More
The New Year was hardly a day old when we welcomed grandson Andrew Daniel Huston into the family and into the world, at 6:25 p.m. on January 2. He tipped the scales at a healthy 6 lbs., 8 oz., surprising his mother (my daughter) Alicia and his dad Mark with his speedy delivery. Maybe he… Read More
As the calendar spins into 2017, we reflect that the 2016 harvest was one farmers will not soon forget. As spring gets closer, farmers need to consider ensuring they have the appropriate seed quality suitable for planting. Shaun Haney talks to Holly Gelech, Biovsion Seed Labs about the quality of the 2016 harvest from a… Read More
The Canadian Grain Commission has built up a substantial surplus from user fees over the last few years, and the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association is calling for a refund to farmers. Chair Jim Wickett joins Real Ag Radio today to discuss. We also learn about and discuss research in Alberta working on nano biosensors that… Read More
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