Weed control is often focused first on out-competing the pest. Some escape, of course, so “control” shifts to decreasing the weed seed bank. There are limited ways to eliminate those weeds with mature seeds at harvest, but recent work in Australia and here in Canada is focused on destroying weeds at the combine. According to… Read More
Like with human health, maintaining or creating healthy soil is more about doing lots of things right vs. adding one product. And, just as with human health, there’s no magic pill to solve a problem — anyone who tells you there is, is probably selling something. Dr. Don Flaten, soil scientist at the University of… Read More
Have you ever wondered how countries that buy Canadian wheat learn about each crop-year’s characteristics? The story of each crop begins with the harvest sample program, involves a careful analysis of the crop, and continues with crop missions to countries such as Singapore, Ecuador, China, and Mexico. Cam Dahl, president of Cereals Canada, and Gary Stanford,… Read More
It’s not the forecast anyone in Ontario wants to hear. While some are still finishing up 2019 harvest — a season hampered by a cool, wet spring, a drought, then a nasty fall — weather guru Drew Lerner, of World Weather Inc, says farmers may have to be just as patient in 2020. On the… Read More
Before being released in Canada, hemp cultivars go through an approval process very different from other crops. Unlike wheat or canola, for example, lines are not required to undergo a certain amount of trialing in Canada before they can be grown here. That’s not to say there aren’t processes in place to vet cultivars before… Read More
The Competition Bureau has filed an application to order grain company Parrish & Heimbecker (P&H) to sell either their elevator at Moosomin, Sask., or their newly-purchased elevator at Virden, Man. The application cites the recent acquisition by the company gives P&H control of the two elevators which are along a 180 km stretch of the… Read More
Is 100 bushels per acre a reality for Ontario soybeans? If so, what can Ontario growers do to push soybean yields to the next level? Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs soybean specialist Horst Bohner believes one of the keys to making the yield jump is getting more nutrition into the soybean plant…. Read More
The Alberta Barley Commission and Alberta Wheat Commission recently integrated their management teams, and now, for 2020, they’re looking for direction by members on whether amalgamating the board of directors should also happen. “That would be a combined Alberta Wheat and Barley Commission,” says Tom Steve, general manager of both the commissions. “I think it’s… Read More
Changing weather patterns played havoc with corn planting and harvest in 2019 and they also affected insect cycles and how pests impacted the crop. Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs entomologist Tracey Baute notes that the cold, wet spring had a big impact on western bean cutworm (WBC). A significant reduction in early-season… Read More
If you’re a farmer on the prairies, there’s a good chance falling number at the elevator was brought up at least once over harvest. With that in mind, this episode of RealAgriculture’s Wheat School is focused on better understanding falling number and what — if anything — you can do when it comes to variety… Read More
Fungicides play a key role in helping manage disease in pulse crops across the Prairies. But growers need to be vigilant to prevent fungicide resistance and ensure they have the tools required to fight yield-robbing diseases, says Alberta Agriculture and Forestry pulse research scientist Robyne Bowness Davidson. On this episode of RealAgriculture’s Resistance Management School,… Read More
Shorten soybean maturity, plant early, add a seed inoculant, topdress humic acid, bump up the sulphur, and add in some 20-inch rows — it’s all part of what makes Dan Petker a ‘Real’ wheat farmer, says RealAgriculture agronomist Peter Johnson. On this Wheat School episode, Johnson travels to Port Rowan, Ont., to get the scoop… Read More
The World Trade Organization (WTO) was created to add stability to global trade by upholding certain rules between trading partners. The organization has been criticized for being too slow, and, at times, ineffective. But the WTO exists for very good reason, says Brian Innes, past president of CAFTA who also is the head of public… Read More
A new soybean pest has hit the radar screen, and it could be a threat to soybean growers across Canada. Gall midge was first detected in Nebraska in 2011 and has since been confirmed in Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota. On this episode of RealAgriculture’s Soybean School, OMAFRA entomologist Tracey Baute explains that the midge… Read More
It’s December 18th, have you checked your corn bins lately? Host of Wheat Pete’s Word, Peter Johnson has more than a few public service announcements this week, and one of them is all about high moisture corn turning into big blocks of ice (and, conversely, yucky heated hot spots) in the bin. But before we… Read More