There are many ways to gauge growing conditions, estimate yields, and measure exports from overseas, but likely one of the best ways to get a grip on crop production in a foreign land is to ask someone who’s there. Mike Lee, with Green Square Agro Consulting, is an agronomist and crop consultant based in the… Read More
Category: Crop Production
Starting this fall, farmers can expect to see a new company offering services in the field of agronomic advising. The group, logo, and name are new, to be sure, but the people behind the venture have quite a lot of experience. The new company, called Earth Dirt Soil, is set to offer “the kind of… Read More
If you think you’ve got a challenging territory to cover, have you considered being an agronomist in several provinces, nearly 2,000 kilometres apart? That’s what Steph Kowalski, agronomy lead for the Agromart Group, tackles season in and season out as she covers not only Ontario, but much of the Atlantic provinces, as well. Long-distance agronomy… Read More
Each summer, field days are held all over the agriculture areas of Canada. They provide real insight and hands-on learning for growers under local conditions. Recently, Sure Growth Technologies hosted its annual field day on the Aberhart farm, just north of Marchwell, on the Saskatchewan side of the Manitoba/Saskatchewan border. The local joke is that… Read More
There’s no messing around when the lead researcher of the subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) system at Lethbridge College asks for soil for her project. Bins measuring six by three metres and one metre deep were filled with three different, but common topsoil types found in southern Alberta. They include Grassy Lake sand, Lomond loam and Coaldale clay… Read More
After seed is placed in the ground, the yield potential of a crop is often determined by water availability. If it’s too dry, a grower may decide against top-dressing fertilizer or applying a fungicide. In other cases, there might be more soil moisture available to the plants than recent weather or a rain gauge would… Read More
The U.S. government will announce details of its planned US$12 billion trade aid package for the agriculture sector on Monday, according to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. The package, which was first announced in July, will include direct payments to producers to offset the impact of tariffs on U.S. exports. Sources told Agri-Pulse that the preliminary proposal… Read More
The provincial wheat grower commissions in Alberta and Saskatchewan have announced more than $1.6 million in combined funding over three years for over half a dozen wheat-related research projects. “These projects have the potential to bring major benefits to farmers across Western Canada,” notes Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission chair Laura Reiter. “We’re proud to partner… Read More
There has been a different feeling to the air over the last week. The days are getting shorter, the evenings a little cooler, and even the whisper of frost has been heard. That’s the mood as Shaun Haney and Trish Meyers compare notes about changing seasons and what makes it onto the fall ‘to do’… Read More
What’s with this late season rain in Ontario, and what will the impact be with crops in grain- and pod-fill stages? With soybean harvest around the corner, we’re starting to hear more yield estimates or predictions, and the focus is shifting to seeding plans for this fall. On this week’s edition of the Word, our… Read More
Harvest is an exciting time as we see the hard work of the growing season pay off, but it started on a somber note for the friends and family of Brian Williams — a farmer at Milestone, Sask. who passed away last week. Milestone Mayor Jeff Brown says it’s a tough time for the small… Read More
Spring wheat yield and protein reports are starting to come in as combines are rolling across the prairies. All spring and summer the reports from the field have been about variability. This continues into harvest, says Dwight Nichol of DLN AgVentures at Gravelbourg, Sask: “It’s variable. It’s the same here as it is across the… Read More
Because blackleg has been around for a long time, it often doesn’t get the attention it deserves. So we’re shining the spotlight back on this old foe in this episode of Canola School, with Canola Council of Canada agronomy specialist Warren Ward and RealAgriculture Saskatchewan field editor Dale Leftwich. They cover the continued importance of… Read More
Manitoba Beef and Forage Initiatives (MBFI) celebrated the opening of the Learning Centre at its Brookdale Farm north of Brandon on Tuesday. Coinciding with the ceremony, the federal and provincial governments announced $2.85 million to support MBFI’s research over the next five years. MBFI is a partnership between Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Beef Producers, Ducks Unlimited… Read More
The time is now for the federal government to take action and help livestock producers affected by dry conditions with a tax deferral program, according to Todd Lewis, president of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS). Lewis notes feed shortages are top of mind for most producers and there’s plenty of uncertainty right now if… Read More