At one time we mainly used shovels to move grain. When the auger was invented it was a huge innovation for not only moving grain but also for saving the backs of farmers. At CropWeek there was more augers than you would believe. The auger is no longer the only way to move grain today… Read more »
Category: Seed
CropWeek 2010 – Todd Hyra – Midge Tolerant Wheat Becomes Reality
Wheat midge has great impact on wheat growers in many areas. This year will be the first year that farmers will be able to purchase midge tolerant varieties. There are three different varieties right now and more in the pipeline. It is critical that as an industry we properly manage this great new innovation in… Read more »
CropWeek 2010 – Brian Ellis – The New G40 Graham Seed Treater
Treating your seed has become much more popular through the years as products become safer for the user and the environment. No longer looked upon as snake oil by farmers, seed treatments provide another form of insurance to getting a great yield. Whether it is corn, soybeans, canola or cereals, farmers are seeing the benefits…. Read more »
The Seed Industry Focuses on Innovation
I attended the Canadian Seed Trade Meeting this week in Montreal. Every year the Canadian seed trade gets together to discuss the issues affecting the industry and meet within the industry to discuss business deals. The seed industry has many issues affecting it currently. Between flax exports, potential introduction of transgenic wheat, pollen flow and… Read more »
The Economics of Certified Seed
By Garth Donald, DynagraVRT Farmers look at many costs when they are making a crop plan. But the one thing I always hear from a lot of growers is that certified seed doesn€™t pay year after year. Coming from Manitoba to Alberta back in 1997 I wondered why there were not more seed growers and… Read more »
AgriTrade 2009: Glyphosate Damage & Peas
I was at AgriTrade in Red Deer, Alberta on Wednesday and I talked Sarah Foster from 20/20 Seed Labsabout how they are finding lower germination results in peas this winter due to glyphosate damage. It is essential that you test your saved seed before you make any plans on planting. Planting high quality seed is critical to giving yourself… Read more »
Early Results of Seed Quality From Fall 2009 – Trevor Nysetvold
Trevor Nysetvold from BioVision Seed Lab, talks about some of the early seed quality results from the fall 2009 harvest. Obviously harvest is dragging on for many producers but Trevor says that the early results are interesting. Trevor talks about germination and fusarium results so far. Trevor recommends sampling procedures for farmers to get the… Read more »
Why is Everyone Interested in Wheat Breeding?
As I have noted before on this site, this summer has been very interesting in terms of the changing landscape in wheat research and breeding. Monsanto, Bayer, and Syngenta are all engaged in the wheat breeding game. I have received, many emails from readers, asking the same question. “What will this mean for my farm… Read more »
ILC 2009: Earl Geddes – VP at CWB – Wheat Breeding and the Future of Biotech Wheat
In case you have not been following the story very closely, the debate over biotech wheat is about to restart again. Cereal breeding in North America has been on the downtrend. The past three months have brought wheat breeding investments by Dow Agro, Monsanto and Bayer. These strategic moves are quite obviously being executed so… Read more »
Monsanto Buys Westbred LLC
With this weeks announcement that Monsanto is buying Westbred LLC it is very clear that the biotech industry will have a say in the future direction of the wheat breeding business. As I have mentioned on this site before, pull type traits like drought and nitrogen use efficiency will be big components of the Monsanto… Read more »
Richard Phillips – Executive Director of the Grain Growers of Canada on Biotech Wheat
This afternoon I talked to Richard Phillips, Executive Director of the Grain Growers of Canada about the possible introduction of biotech wheat to the agricultural system. The Grain Growers of Canada were members of the Biotech Wheat Coalition that is trying to push the international community to support biotech wheat. Shaun: Why is the Grain… Read more »
Biotech Wheat Coalition is Formed to Push the Need For Biotech Wheat
Canadian, Australian and American wheat organizations have formed the Biotech Wheat Coalition “in support for more efficient, sustainable and profitable production of wheat around the world”. See the Joint Statment Here As RealAgriculture.com has discussed before the need for biotech wheat is rising and the usual roadblocks are presenting themselves as discussed by the Canadian… Read more »
Breaking Down the Sustainable vs. Conventional Farming Debate
Tuesday on #agchat there was quite the discussion about many agricultural topics (see the Agwired review). The whole goal of agchat is to discuss the five questions posed by the moderator @mpaynknoper. The goal is not to have specifically a pro GMO or organic discussion but rather a pro agriculture discussion with all stakeholders. I… Read more »
Seeding by 1000 Kernel Weight Ensures a Better Plant Stand
This article orginally appeared in the Winter 2004 edition of the Haney Farms Quarterly Traditionally farmers have always thought of planting their crop in terms of bushels per acre. Bushels have been a unit of measure that we have felt comfortable with in the past because it was a function of pounds. For example, one… Read more »
Canola School: Taking Care of Your Canola Seed
In this segment of our Canola School, Matt Stanford of the Canola Council of Canada discusses how you should be caring for the canola seed you purchased. Matt talks about why you should keep a seed sample and a blue tag from every lot of seed to help you if issues arise. I tell customers… Read more »