Recent cuts in Alberta government funded agriculture research has prompted the question: What’s the future of government funded ag research in Canada? Joining host Shaun Haney for this RealAg LIVE! are Kelvin Heppner and Kara Oosterhuis, RealAg’s own field editors from Manitoba and Alberta, respectively. Don’t miss RealAg LIVE! weekdays at 1 pm M/3 pm… Read More
This week marks a “difficult” time in Alberta for the public sector working in agriculture. By the end of this week, it’s estimated that over 250 people will have lost — or will be in the process of losing — their jobs with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, with the layoffs being on the agriculture side…. Read More
Alberta Agriculture and Forestry has reached an agreement to transfer key research programs to the University of Alberta (U of A), expanding its agriculture research capacity. The $3.7 million grant will assist in the transition of critical agriculture research programs and researchers. Devin Dreeshen, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, says that the U of A… Read More
The Ontario government, through the Agricultural Research Institute of Ontario (ARIO), and the University of Guelph will spend $6.5 million to build a new Field Crop Services building on the Ridgetown campus. The new build will house agronomy research services and modernize the field crops research operations on campus, while also reducing operating costs. Ridgetown… Read More
Alberta Agriculture and Forestry’s field crop development centre is changing its location, and how its research is conducted. Now to be housed at Olds College — through an initial $10.5 million grant over three years, funded through Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR) — the barley breeding program will continue to develop and introduce new varieties… Read More
The government of Alberta is investing in research capacity at the Lethbridge College through the Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR) program. Details are currently being finalized for a $2-million agreement that will see the Alberta Irrigation Technology Centre (AITC) and the Brooks Greenhouse transitioned to Lethbridge College. The agreement will have the post-secondary institution manage… Read More
A team of researchers at the University of Guelph are studying why Canadian baristas sometimes have problems foaming milk for their customers’ lattes, and it starts with on-farm milk handling. Dr. David Kelton, Dairy Farmers of Ontario Dairy Cattle Health Research Chair, graduate student Hannah Woodhouse, and animal bioscience undergraduate student Mikayla Ringelberg are studying… Read More
The Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer has released a preliminary review of the federal government’s five superclusters, originally rolled out in 2018. The premise of the supercluster program was set out in the 2017 federal budget, where $918 million of government funds would be doled out over five years for five innovation clusters. The… Read More
Fixed and flex soybean varieties can have a great fit on your farm depending on the soil type and row spacing. Last year RealAgriculture’s Bernard Tobin, and Pride Seeds agronomist Matt Chapple discussed fixed and flex corn varieties. In this episode of Soybean School, the two are back in the field looking at how many… Read More
It’s time for Day 6 of the virtual Ontario Diagnostic Days! This week we’ll look at effective sprayer applications with a focus on fungicides. We’ll call on Ontario researchers and extension specialists to tackle everything from identifying disease and selecting control products to evaluating spray coverage and choosing the right application method. The line-up includes… Read More
It’s time for Day 4 of the virtual Ontario Diagnostic Days! This week we focus on soil snippets — a series of soil management insights delivered by a host of Ontario soil researchers, agronomists, and extension specialists. The lineup includes Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs soil management specialists Anne Verhallen and Sebastian… Read More
A three-year trial conducted by Farming Smarter on grain corn production under dryland conditions in four Alberta locations is yielding some interesting results. The trial at Lethbridge, Vauxhall, Bow Island, and Medicine Hat, was conducted between 2015 and 2017, and included agronomic factors that may affect dryland grain corn production, including plant population, row spacing,… Read More
The annual Ontario field crop diagnostic days held at Ridgetown, Elora, and Winchester are going virtual! The organizing committees of these three highly successful in-field education and learning events are again partnering with crop researchers and extension, along with support from RealAgriculture and a host of sponsors in 2020. We would like to thank the… Read More
Are Ontario farmers doing a better job of getting phosphorus to stay put on their farms? Over the past decade, farmers, agronomists, researchers and governments have ramped up efforts to reduce the amount of phosphorus leaving farm fields and creating environmental challenges in areas such as the Lake Erie and Sainte-Claire watersheds. University of Waterloo… Read More
The Canadian Wheat Research Coalition (CWRC) and the Canadian Barley Research Coalition (CBRC) are urging Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) to continue important wheat and barley research activities at AAFC’s western Canadian research stations in 2020. The commissions are saying urgent action is required to save the 2020 AAFC field, lab, and greenhouse activities for… Read More