A cross-border initiative between the Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO), Michigan State University, Michigan Wheat Program, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), and the University of Guelph will see the creation of a Great Lakes Yield Enhancement Network (YEN) for wheat growers. Announced June 9, the Great Lakes YEN is part… Read More
When it comes to growing crops, every drop of water counts. Irrigation researchers at Lethbridge College have long been working on optimizing the amount off water needed to grow crops in a variety of fields, but new funding will allow the team to get a more accurate view of how much moisture is present below… Read More
When’s the best time of day to spray herbicides? Morning, noon, or night? University of Guelph weed scientist Dr. Peter Sikkema says that every herbicide has a time-of-day effect but generally speaking, growers get the best weed control at 3:00 pm in the afternoon. That’s Sikkema’s conclusion based on time-of-day efficacy trials he conducted using… Read More
Ontario corn growers appear to be sitting on strong yield potential as the the crop shakes off the effects of cool late May weather. Early planting and some timely, albeit limited, rains across the province have propelled the crop forward. With herbicide application expected to wrap up this week, growers will then turn their attention… Read More
National Insect Appreciation Day, which falls on June 8 this year, is an online celebration for insect enthusiasts, amateurs, and entomology professionals, promoted by the Entomology Society of Canada. John Gavloski, provincial entomologist for Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development, recently joined Lyndsey Smith to talk about the day and how to show your appreciation (and… Read More
A spring of extremes — first cold, dry and windy, then hot, dry and windy — has resulted in weeds getting a head start in many soybean fields in the soybean-growing areas of Western Canada. While wind and cold temperatures delayed burnoff applications at the start of the season, questions about when to spray in… Read More
The winter wheat in Ontario is ready to be staged for fusarium head blight (FHB), and with such an impactful disease, we figured it was important to bring some guests on to talk about it! Taking us on this journey with host Lyndsey Smith is Joanna Follings, cereal specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture,… Read More
BASF has announced a new brand for its hybrid wheat lines, called Ideltis. Officially launched June 7, the company says its hybrid wheat is intended to provide farmers with “higher and more stable performance in yield and quality.” “Ideltis stands for our commitment to hybrid wheat and the transition of the wheat crop system in the… Read More
Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development is advising that due to dry conditions in parts of the province over the past few years, livestock producers will temporarily be allowed to cut hay on Crown lands not normally designated for agricultural use. Non-agricultural Crown lands can be made available for agricultural use, under certain circumstances. The Agricultural… Read More
Saskatchewan’s push towards developing value-added processing industries has been accelerating in recent years. Just this year, three canola crush plants have either been announced as new builds or expansions. But canola isn’t the only agri-processing moving ahead, as Red Leaf Pulp recently announced its plans to build a wheat straw-based pulp mill at Regina, Sask…. Read More
Last week’s insect alert of weevil hitting second-year alfalfa fields has now been expanded to include the potato leafhopper and more acres. Leafhopper can be especially hard on newly-seeded alfalfa, even if it is a resistant variety. The resistant trait is not expressed in the first growing season, explains Peter Johnson, resident agronomist for RealAgriculture…. Read More
Winter canola isn’t actually that new of a crop to Ontario — there were certainly some acres produced in the 80s and 90s — but there’s been a resurgence in the last five years with increased availability of a new variety. Meghan Moran, OMAFRA canola and dry edible bean specialist, joins Bernard Tobin in a… Read More
The federal government has released more information regarding the $50 million that was earmarked in the federal budget to help farmers switch to more energy efficient grain dryers. Speaking from a farm near Saint-Pie de Bagot, Québec on Friday, Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said the application process for the grain dryer portion of the $166… Read More
Canola is an adaptable crop, but stressors such as frost or wind shear can make flea beetle damage more serious or staging the crop more difficult. Ken Wall, grow team advisor with Federated Co-operatives Ltd., joins Kara Oosterhuis in the field for this episode of the Canola School to talk about the impact of the… Read More
Several reports of poor regrowth on second- or later-year alfalfa in the Niagara and other Ontario regions seems to be caused by one culprit: alfalfa weevil. Agronomists are reporting scouting fields that have already reached threshold for the pest (see photos below). Because of early season heat, some established fields of alfalfa were cut relatively… Read More