Often when looking at soil samples, our eyes tend to flick straight to the nitrogen section. Where are N levels? What do we need to apply? Nitrogen is very important in wheat production, but as Jeremy Boychyn, agronomy research extension manager with the Alberta Wheat and Barley Commissions explains, we still need to be keeping… Read More
Category: Crop Production
Because biological crop products are neither fertilizer nor pesticide, there’s no requirement for efficacy proof before a product is released for commercial sales. So long as it doesn’t cause harm to the crop or pose an environmental risk, these biostimulants, stress supporters, and nutrient enhancers are largely sold on a buyer beware market. But that’s… Read More
Saskatchewan soybean production has been a roller coaster ride over the past decade. In 2013, growers planted 170,000 acres of the oilseed. Growing enthusiasm for the crop pushed acres higher to 850,000 in 2017, but since that time weather challenges and poor yields have caused acres to plunge — just over 45,000 acres were planted… Read More
Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) has announced plans to expand its canola crushing facility at Yorkton. The facility’s new capacity will be over two million metric tonnes per year, which is more than double its current capacity. LDC initially opened the Yorkton facility in 2009 and currently employs approximately 120 people. Construction of the additional canola… Read More
There are many variables that determine the success of a crop and crop rotations can be used to maintain and manage nutrient and moisture levels in the soil. Anne Paquette is a masters candidate at the University of Saskatchewan whose thesis is focused on water use efficiency. Research typically shows increased water use efficiency of… Read More
It may not have been the main focus of the federal budget rolled out on March 28th, but supply chains, logistics, and transport did receive some serious nods in the document. Greg Northey, vice president of corporate affairs with Pulse Canada, a member of the Ag Transport Coalition, says that the commitment within the budget… Read More
The weather outside might be frightful, especially for the first week of April, but Wheat Pete’s Word is so delightful! This week on the podcast, host Peter Johnson makes some very important clarifications on sulphur concentration in fertilizer products, talks erosion events and manure application compaction, and throws out a new challenge to listeners regarding… Read More
As with most things that involve technology, machinery companies are working to continuously keep equipment up-to-date and relevant in an ever-changing landscape. John Deere is no different, as they debuted updates to the 8R tractor series at Commodity Classic at Orlando, Florida, last month. One of the stand-out updates to the 8R tractors for model… Read More
After undergoing some major changes through the ’80s and ’90s, business risk management (BRM) programs for farmers across Canada have remained largely the same for the last two decades. While there have been a few tweaks to AgriStability and its siblings in the BRM family of programs, AgriInsurance, and AgriInvest, the risks that farmers and… Read More
Despite there being a lot more hope for rain in the 2023 growing season, the drought that has struck a good portion of North America for the past few years is still very fresh in many farmers’ minds. With that, many farmers are wondering what options are out there to add to the rotation that… Read More
There are several pest species of aphids that attack crops in Canada. Some species are very host-specific, such as the soybean aphid, but others can be found on several plant hosts. Aphids are known to be able to build numbers incredibly rapidly and so require careful scouting during the growing season. To unpack what we… Read More
The Agricultural Industry Electronics Foundation (AEF) held its semi-annual Plugfest at Commodity Classic last month at Orlando, Florida, in order to continue to make technology easier and more transparent to the farming community. The AEF was founded in 2008 by John Deere, Komatsu, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), AGCO, Case IH, New Holland, Claas,… Read More
Misinformation is nothing new. Humans have been stretching the truth since the beginning of time, but the growing amount of misinformation generated today and the speed at which it moves is one of the defining issues of our time, says academic and author Dr. Timothy Caulfield. As a member of the University of Alberta’s Faculty… Read More
Before seed even goes in the ground, farmers are asking the question: how do I make the most of this crop? How do I ensure my yield potential is where it should be? Jeremy Boychyn, agronomy research extension manager with the Alberta Wheat and Barley Commissions, joins us in our latest episode of the Wheat… Read More
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released its much anticipated Prospective Plantings report. Overall, there were no real surprises in the report. The corn planting average is up four per cent from 2022, and the soybean average is up slightly as well. As of early Friday, soybeans were keeping a bullish tone, with… Read More