Herbicide resistance will sneak up on you if you don’t change up your management practices from time to time. Steve Shirtliffe works to help farmers develop strategies to keep resistance issues at bay. He is a professor at the University of Saskatchewan, and I caught up to him at the recent CropConnect conference at Winnipeg,… Read More
Corn is moving into new territory — mainly west and north — but the agronomic information farmers in these new areas rely on is still largely based on data from places such as Illinois and Iowa. This has provided a basis for new corn farmers to get started, but there are a lot of differences… Read More
If you live in the west, chances are you’ve either tried or thought about adding soybeans into your rotation. With seeding just around the corner, Kristen MacMillan, research agronomist with the University of Manitoba, spoke to farmers at this year’s Crop Connect conference held at Winnipeg, Man. Included in her talk were two main topics: one, … Read More
Besides being the most beautiful crop the Prairies grow, Michelle Beaith, agronomist with Saskatchewan Flax, is encouraging farmers to think about growing the oil and fibre crop this season and in the future. “It’s a good alternative,” she says. “It has a lot of unique diseases. You can break that disease cycle, whether it be… Read More
The images from smartphones and dashcams are seared into the minds of most Canadians. The May 2016 fire that started out as a plume of smoke on the horizon moved into Fort McMurray, Alta., with such speed, fury, and persistence it became became known simply as”the beast.” The person who was in charge of fighting that… Read More
Rural crime has become more and more of a problem in the past couple of years, and a big topic of conversations at CropConnect this year. For one breakout session, lawyer Lisa Labossiere, of Myers LLP, went over recent court cases pertaining to rural crime involving farmer interaction to help ensure farmers understand what they… Read More
Just like that, the sixth annual CropConnect conference has come and gone. Held at Winnipeg, Man., a total of nine producer groups help put on the big show, including: the Manitoba Canola Growers Association, Manitoba Corn Growers Association, Manitoba Flax Growers Association, Manitoba Pulse & Soybean Growers, Manitoba Oat Growers Association, Manitoba Seed Growers Association,… Read More
The Winnipeg Jets were playing against the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night in Winnipeg, Man., however, born and raised farm kid, Kevin Cheveldayoff took time off in the afternoon of game day to speak to producers and others in the agriculture industry. To close out the 6th annual CropConnect conference, the general manager and vice-president… Read More
How western Canadian farmers manage canola fertility in no-till systems, how canola impacts subsequent rotational crops, and side-banding nitrogen impacts, are all areas that Dr. Cynthia Grant spent much of her career focused on. Grant, a retired senior research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) based in Brandon, Man., was honoured this week with the 2019… Read More
If you were lucky enough to be at the sold out CropConnect conference this year, one keynote speaker was sure to leave you feeling refreshed and full of energy. If you weren’t able to attend, have no fear, as you’ll still be able to feel energized from CFL legend Michael “Pinball” Clemons as he shares… Read More
Farmers, as a rule, like to farm. They like to put seed in the ground, watch it grow, and harvest it, or raise livestock and put up feed. Some farmers like to do other things: work in the shop, attend conferences, or maybe serve on boards. Somewhat more rare, though, are farmers that like to… Read More
The first part of the winter was quite mild and rail transportation has been very good to this point. Now, the weather has cooled, and question is how will the numbers look as we move forward? The Canadian Canola Growers Association (CCGA) is one of the groups that monitors transportation issues on the part of… Read More
With increasing cases of herbicide resistance, machines designed to destroy weed seeds at harvest could be a valuable tool. But like any technology that is not yet widely adopted, there are also some lessons to be learned and challenges to overcome, as researchers with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada confirmed last year. 2017 marked the first… Read More
As planting decisions are finalized, the risk of iron deficiency chlorosis (IDC) is one of the factors soybean growers in Western Canada and the Northern Plains are keeping in mind after unprecedented yellowing due to IDC in many areas last year. A wet 2016 growing season followed by a dry start to 2017, left elevated… Read More
Soybean growers in Western Canada have not yet had to face a soil-borne pest that has hurt yields in other soybean growing regions, but it’s only a matter of time. Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) has steadily spread north along the Red River and has been found in soils on at least two farms near the… Read More