Timing is everything ,and the snow that has fallen again this week on parts of Western Canada could not have come at a worse time. Many growers woke up Sunday and Monday to a fresh blanket of one inch to a foot of snow, depending on where you farm. Whether it’s the loss of grade,… Read more »
Category: Weather
Wheat Pete’s Word, Oct 3: Soybean standstill, toxin problems, and strip till answers
There are not one, but two Alert! Alert! Alert! segments in this week’s Wheat Pete’s Word, and that’s just how she goes in a wet, snowy, long, drawn out harvest. Host Peter Johnson is talking wheat storage woes, mycotoxin trouble, and strip tillage tips and tricks in this early October edition of the Word. You’ll… Read more »
Hope for better harvest weather rests with El Niño
Patience is in short supply for Western Canada’s farmers slogging through a tough harvest, but those waiting for a change in weather are just going to have to wait longer, according to Drew Lerner, of World Weather Inc. “The atmosphere is very unsettled right now,” Lerner says. “There is a lot of cold air coming… Read more »
Forage specialist says to be cautious of nitrate accumulation
Unwanted snow that blanketed parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan in the month of September has left many farmers at a standstill near the more-than-halfway point of harvest for the year. According to Karin Lindquist, forage and beef specialist with Alberta Agriculture, the frost could be also be a concern for nitrate accumulation. “What happens is,… Read more »
Clashing systems to dampen Ontario’s harvest weather window
Farmers in Ontario can anticipate active weather to continue well into October, says Drew Lerner, of World Weather Inc. While eastern Ontario is still cleaning up from last week’s F3 and F2 tornadoes, parts of southern Ontario are experiencing nearly nightly weather alerts. Is this what we’re in for for harvest? Lerner says that cool… Read more »
Frustration mounts over long dry down of western Canadian crops
The 2018 harvest in Western Canada started early for many, given the hot, dry conditions earlier in the summer, but September has turned ugly — but in very different ways in different regions . While some are struggling with snow and wet conditions, still others are getting frustrated with a crop that was roaring to harvest,… Read more »
APAS, SCA say livestock tax deferral leaves out too many producers
The Canadian government has announced a new livestock tax deferral program which covers some, but not all, major cattle areas within the country. Although both the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) and the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association (SCA) agree it’s a good start, neither believe it will cover everyone who needs the program. “Livestock producers… Read more »
Corn School: Will wet weather bring late-season disease?
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs plant pathologist Albert Tenuta is gearing up for his annual pre-harvest corn disease survey, and he’s optimistic leaf disease will not have a significant impact on the 2018 corn crop. Some growers have raised concerns that a rainy late July and August could lead to a flood… Read more »
Watch for the dangers of heat stress during harvest
Harvest is underway across Canada and the heat is as variable as the crops this year. In parts of Ontario, the third week of August was the coolest (21.2 degrees) since June, according to The Weather Network. Further east, New Brunswick has been hit with high temps. along with a mix of storms, which have… Read more »
APAS calls for tax deferral program ASAP
The time is now for the federal government to take action and help livestock producers affected by dry conditions with a tax deferral program, according to Todd Lewis, president of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS). Lewis notes feed shortages are top of mind for most producers and there’s plenty of uncertainty right now if… Read more »
Preventing heat stress in a long, hot summer
In the words of country music star Keith Urban: “It’s going to be a long, hot summer.” That’s according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), whose recent global report states 2018 is shaping up to be the fourth hottest year on record. 2016 remains in the top spot for the hottest year with… Read more »
Wheat Pete’s Word, July 11: Peduncles, double crops, and chewing vs. sucking insects
It’s July and that means two things: sunburns and field tour season! Our apologies for this week’s Wheat Pete’s Word being posted a day late, but it was actually a field tour (and plot harvest) that pushed host Peter Johnson right to deadline. We promise it’s worth the wait, however, as this week’s episode is… Read more »
What you see is what you get — David Phillips’ summer weather forecast
After a scorching hot week in Ontario that ended with some much needed rain for parts of the province, will we see a return to more average temperatures? That’s the question Shaun Haney puts to Environment Canada’s David Phillips, and the answer might not be what you want to hear. With warmer than normal weather… Read more »
Keep your cool: How are you getting work done in extreme heat?
As someone who has already managed a mild heat stroke this summer, let me say this: it happens fast and can have dire consequences. Canada Day here in the Ottawa area pushed the thermometer to 47 degrees C with the humidex. Because we have livestock, some things still have to be done every day, and… Read more »
Wheat School: Assessing the impact of drought in winter wheat
Much of Ontario’s winter wheat has fallen victim to hot, dry, June growing conditions, and yields will likely suffer, reports RealAgriculture agronomist Peter Johnson. On this episode of the Wheat School, Johnson describes how drought-like growing conditions that brought high temperatures (34 degree days, 24 degree nights) and high winds for the better part of a… Read more »