As Canada approaches a federal election with both leading parties pledging to cut government spending, a new report from the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI) is urging a strategic and transparent review of agricultural programs, not just for savings, but to maximize impact. The report, Review, Restrain, Reset, explores how Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)… Read More
Category: Research
Understanding when a crop is most vulnerable to stress is key to maximizing yield potential. While corn is most susceptible to stress at pollination and cereal crop yield is highly sensitive to stress in the early stages, the most critical period for both making and breaking yield in soybeans occurs late in the growing season…. Read More
Knowing the nutrient status of a crop and the soil it is grown in can give a producer vital information for making management decisions throughout the season. Whereas traditionally growers would take plant tissue and soil samples from their fields to send to a lab for testing, ATP Nutrition has developed a diagnostic tool that… Read More
Weather is a central topic in many coffee shop conversations, plays a large role in the success or failure of a crop, and is outside of a wheat grower’s control. But that doesn’t mean farmers can’t at least try and out-maneuver Mother Nature. Dr. Brian Beres, senior research scientist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)… Read More
Manure has been used as fertilizer for a very long time; however, with the advent of fewer mixed farms and access to commercial fertilizer, which is easier to transport and often easier to apply, nearly all farmers have moved away from using manure as the primary source of fertilizer on their operations. That being said,… Read More
The Canadian Alliance for Net-Zero Agri-food (CANZA) has announced a $4 million effort, with backing from the federal government, Maple Leaf Foods, and Nutrien, to develop and scale tools to measure, report, and verify (MRV) soil carbon, potentially unlocking new sources of revenue for farmers. The development of a simple MRV system “will allow farmers… Read More
Eleven canola research projects will receive a total of $3.4 million in funding as part of the 2025 intake of the Canola Agronomic Research Program (CARP). The three Prairie provincial canola grower associations — Alberta Canola, SaskOilseeds, and Manitoba Canola Growers Association — are contributing over $2.3 million. Another $764,000 is coming from the Western… Read More
When it comes crop nutrition, the macronutrients dominate both the management discussion and the fertilizer bill. That focus is certainly justified as primary macronutrients — nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium — play a critical role in ensuring a successful crop. Farmers are also rewarded when they pay attention to secondary macronutrients, including sulphur, calcium and magnesium…. Read More
Even the highest quality equipment begins to wear down over time. Fixing and eventually replacing that equipment can be expensive and difficult on farms and ranches. The same is true for non-profit agricultural research and extension organizations. In February of 2024 the province of Alberta announced a capital grant as part of the spring budget… Read More
There’s a noticeable gap on the Ontario winter farm conference calendar for 2025, as the Innovative Farmers Association of Ontario (IFAO) has now confirmed that it will not be hosting its annual conference in February. The IFAO has a long history in the province and is synonymous with the adoption of no-till and good soil… Read More