Health Canada has proposed banning two of the most commonly used neonicotinoid insecticides (neonics) used in Canadian agriculture in the next three to five years following a review of their impact on aquatic insect species. The proposal published on Wednesday would end outdoor agricultural and turf uses for clothianidin, and all outdoor agricultural and ornamental uses… Read more »
Category: Agronomy
Wheat Pete’s Word, Aug 15: Corn disease risks, a sudden potash deficiency, and cloudy conditions
As the summer days stretch and the forest fire smoke settles in over huge areas of the country, farmers are wrapping up wheat harvest in the east and starting harvest in earnest in the west. Late-season agronomy typically centres on harvest management, but diseases and insects are still lurking, especially in the corn crop. In… Read more »
Wheat School: How do we fund wheat research?
Over the last decade, the average yield increase for corn tips the scale at five bushels per acre, per year. During the same period wheat yield gains have averaged a meagre one bushel per acre, per year. What is the future of wheat if it can’t match the yield gains of crops like corn and… Read more »
Veteran agri-coach Elston Solberg encourages young agronomists to ‘think like a plant’
Agriculture has a knack for keeping you humble. Just when you figure one thing out, you realize behind every door there is an entire room of unknowns. Sure Growth Technologies recently had their field day at Aberhart Farms, just north of Marchwell, SK. One of the presenters was Elston Solberg, currently a senior agri-coach with… Read more »
Corn School: Will double-cob corn deliver bonus yield?
If you’re seeing double in your corn crop this year, you’re not seeing things. Double-cob stalks are showing up in many fields this season and farmers want to know — will these bonus cobs amount to anything, and why are they even there? Those are two questions Steph Kowalski, agronomy lead for the Agromart Group,… Read more »
Weed clipper designed to target towering weeds
Mechanical weed control in-crop is usually reserved for row crops, but Bourgault Tillage Tools wants to change that with the company’s introduction of the BTT Weed Clipper. Designed to drive in to any growing crop, at any stage, the weed clipper is essentially a suspended mower that clips and mulches weeds growing above the crop… Read more »
Soybean School: Feeding for Yield
How do you turn a 55-bushel soybean crop into a 65-bushel crop? Timely planting? Better weather? Choosing the right variety? A little luck and better management will always put more bushels in the bin, but if growers want to push yields to the next level, they need to better serve the crop’s nutrient needs, says… Read more »
Early plant nutrition management: It’s not “just” vegetative growth
Mike Dolinski has seen a lot of things over the years as an entomologist and senior Agri-Trend coach. Opinions that come and go, scientific consensus that changes, and sometimes catchphrases that catch on, even if they are misleading. At the recent Sure Growth Technologies field day near Marchwell, Sask., Dolinski drew a bead on the… Read more »
Wheat Pete’s Word, Aug 8: An early end to flowering, water volumes, and weed control fails
This season’s hot weather and wild rain (and lack of it) is having a surprising impact on the soybean crop, says Wheat Pete’s Word host Peter Johnson. That’s where we start with this week’s episode. From there, Wheat Pete answers your questions on seeding rate, good coverage for insecticide applications, cover crop establishment, and so… Read more »
City kids connect farmers to consumers in ‘Before the Plate’
What do you get when you connect two ‘city kid’ filmmakers, a world-class chef, and nine farmers and their families? You get Before The Plate, a genuine behind-the-kitchen-door, on-the-farm look at how food is produced in Canada, and the passion and commitment chefs and farmers apply to their craft. The driving force behind the film… Read more »
Soybean School: Trade the hula hoop for boots and a measuring tape
What’s the gap between your soybean seeding rate and final stand count? It’s a key management consideration if growers want to get a handle on what’s happening in their fields and increase yields, says Syngenta agronomic sales rep Marijke Van Andel. When growers discover there’s a 20 percent gap between seeds planted and the final… Read more »
Agronomy Geeks, Ep 4: Scott Meers
Some people are bean counters, but Scott Meers chose instead to be a bug counter. Now, let’s start off by saying that Meers, insect management specialist for Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, absolutely knows that not all insects are bugs. But when it comes to extension and making insect management accessible, Meers knows full well that… Read more »
InVigor planning to roll out canola seed count packaging in 2020
The concept of buying seed based on number of seeds, rather than weight, is certainly familiar for farmers who grow corn and soybeans, but it’s a new approach for canola. InVigor — which changed owners this week, from Bayer to BASF — plans to introduce seed count packaging to the canola market in 2020. “Starting… Read more »
Xarvio launches weed identification app
What if you could just point your phone at a weed and the phone would tell you what you were looking at? At one time it was a huge breakthrough to be able to take a picture of a weed and send a text message to an agronomist. It still is in fact, but sometimes… Read more »
Corn School: In-crop drag hose application gives more bang for your manure buck
Ever consider applying manure on corn in-crop using drag hose application? Many growers are scared off by the idea of dragging a hose over growing corn plants, but if your timing is right you can limit population loss, reduce compaction, and increase nutrient use efficiency, yield, and profitability. That’s the message Ontario Ministry of Agriculture,… Read more »