Over eight hundred people crowded into TCU Place at the end of CropSphere to have an informal consultation on impending changes to Canada’s seed royalty structure. Usually, the end of a conference is marked by a thinning crowd as the last speaker takes the stage, but not this time, as the last item on the… Read More
It’s not often that we here at RealAgriculture have a chance to spend some quality time one-on-one with mainstream media pundits. But at the Western Canadian Crop Production Show this week, news lead Jessika Guse managed to wrangle radio host John Gormley to sit down with RealAg Radio host Shaun Haney to talk provincial politics,… Read More
When the RealAgriculture team attends major events, such as Crop Week in Saskatoon, we like to get together and compare some notes on the event. Sometimes we do a wrap up, and sometimes we make lists, because who doesn’t like a good list? This week Shaun, Jessika, and Dale were all in Saskatoon to take… Read More
The Saskatchewan Canola Development Commission (SaskCanola) awarded Zenneth Faye its Canola Influencer Award earlier this week at the commission’s annual general meeting. Faye is being recognized for his pioneering work in Saskatchewan farm organizations and value-added industries. He served on the commission’s board and the board of the Saskatchewan Canola Growers Association in its early days. He… Read More
According to Michael Landsberg, when he first went to his family doctor about his depression the doctor said, in effect, “You’re ok, I see you on television.” Many people make the same mistake that the doctor did. That’s because you can’t diagnose mental illness with an Xray or a thermometer. Landsberg, a former sports broadcaster… Read More
Agriculture minister Lawrence MacAulay attended CropSphere at Saskatoon, Sask., on Tuesday where he announced funding for four new science clusters. The clusters will represent barley, wheat, diverse field crops, and soybean, and are funded under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP). The federal government will invest $39.3 million and along with $28.4 million in contributions from… Read More
Should you plant soybeans before corn? The answer is yes if you’re a believer in big data and its ability to help you make better farm management decisions. Earlier this month at the SouthWest Agricultural Conference at Ridgetown, Ont., University of Wisconsin-Madison soybean extension specialist Shaun Conley made his pitch to have farmers put corn on… Read More
From an environmental standpoint, Ontario experienced a perfect storm in 2018 that produced an epidemic of gibberella ear rot in corn and resulting unprecedented DON levels. Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs field crop plant pathologist Albert Tenuta compares the conditions that created the classic silk channel infection in corn hybrids to what… Read More
It’s not the greatest news to start of the winter learning season — corn growers need to be on alert for a new leaf disease making its way towards Canada. Speaking at the Southwest Agricultural Conference, Martin Chilvers, field crop pathologist with Michigan State University, says tar spot has moved swiftly out of Indiana and… Read More
When your livelihood depends on the weather, it seems like it’s never too early to start getting a handle on the forecast. James Garriss, historic climatologist with Browning Media, was a guest presenter at the recent SouthWest Agricultural Conference at the University of Guelph’s Ridgetown campus. RealAgriculture’s Bernard Tobin had a chance to chat with… Read More
New funding has come through for the Ontario Soil Network (OSN). The funding, from the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, is designated to support 40 farmers’ participation in the 2019 peer-to-peer leadership and learning program. Following a successful pilot in 2017-18, the OSN 2019 program will be overseen by the Rural Ontario Institute (ROI) and is supported… Read More
As we move in to a new year and new farm season, there are all kinds of things that need to be assessed, reassessed, and evaluated. If setting business goals for the year ahead is on your to-do list, you may want to consider joining a formal peer group. If the idea of sharing farm… Read More
Those within agriculture are always looking for ways to communicate to those outside of agriculture just how many rewarding careers there are in the industry. University of Guelph students David Westerveld and Brendan McDougall are two such “non-farm kids” who are turning interests in veterinary medicine and technology into agriculture-related jobs. Selected as “future influencers”… Read More
It’s fundamentally understood by most countries around the world that competition is a good thing. It forces countries to be innovative and focused on the competitive factors within its control to be the best they can be as a nation — things like infrastructure, tax and trade policy, and natural resources. Canada has its strengths… Read More
In order for Canada’s farmers and agriculture industry to adapt and welcome new technology, the rules and regulations governing the industry must be predictable, fair, and enabling. Pierre Petelle, president and CEO of CropLife Canada, says that a predictable and fair regulatory environment means that Canada remains an attractive market for new products, varieties, or… Read More