There’s plenty of excitement for both economic and environmental reasons about the potential for biological nitrogen fixation for corn and other crops that don’t fix their own nitrogen, but a soil scientist from North Dakota State University says farmers and agronomists should be asking several key questions before counting on added organisms to supply N… Read More
Category: Western Canada
The Saskatchewan government is committing $15 million in funding over five years to the Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) at the University of Saskatchewan. “Investing in research activities undertaken by GIFS and similar institutions is the first step toward enabling Saskatchewan’s producers to not only stay competitive, but proving that they remain among the… Read More
Canadian farmland values increased at a lower rate in 2023 compared to 2022, but still posted a double-digit average increase at 11.5 per cent. The national average was 12.8 per cent in 2022, according to the FCC Farmland Values Report. The highest average provincial increases in farmland values were observed in Saskatchewan, Quebec, Manitoba and… Read More
In the ever-evolving world of agriculture, understanding the sentiment among Canadian farmers towards their financial future is more crucial than ever. Recent data from RealAgristudies Canadian Farmer Sentiment Index sheds light on this very topic, revealing both optimism and concern in different sectors of the industry. Broadly speaking, the sentiment around future farm financial performance… Read More
There’s a long list of known ways in which wildfire smoke can negatively affect corn and other crops, but could the overall effect of the smoky haze in summer potentially be positive for yields? It’s a complex question to answer, says Dan Quinn, extension corn specialist with Purdue University, in this Corn School episode recorded… Read More
The chief commissioner of the Canadian Grain Commission says he will retire at the end of April. Doug Chorney informed staff at the CGC of his decision earlier this week. Chorney, who also farms at East Selkirk, Man., has served as a commissioner at the CGC for the past seven years. He completed a three-year… Read More
Grower groups and the federal government have partnered on providing funding for wheat research to the tune of over $20 million over five years. With over $11.2 million in funding coming from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership AgriScience program, a further $9.3 million will come from: Manitoba Crop Alliance… Read More
Loralee Orr has been named as Canada Commercial Leader for Corteva Agriscience. Orr will remain based at Corteva’s Canadian head office at Calgary, Alberta, where she will lead the organization as it delivers a pipeline of new seed and crop protection solutions to Canadian farmers in the years ahead. Orr takes over from Jeremy Dirks,… Read More
Scientists and plant breeders have their sights set on root rots, given the risk that one in particular — aphanomyces — poses to pea and lentil production in Western Canada and the Northern Plains. Federal funding for a new five-year Pulse Crop Research Cluster, leveraged by funding from farmer check-off organizations, was announced earlier this… Read More
When Ryan Jespersen sits down with the Prime Minister of Canada, what answers does he get? Last week, we all got to hear some speaking-note-free answers from Justin Trudeau on Jespersen’s show, Real Talk. While he didn’t get to ask ALL the questions he wanted, the Edmonton-based host did tease out some insight from the… Read More
The fertilizer market of yore could be relatively dependable for ebbs and flows in pricing. There were general seasonal highs and lows that storage-savvy farmers and retailers could use to their advantage. But in the last five years, on-farm storage has been as much about secured access as it has been about cost. The year… Read More
After rolling through a boom and bust cycle over the past few years, the oat market is searching for stability in both supply and demand heading into the 2024 growing season. Record high prices and seeded acres in 2022 led to a dramatic decline in prices and production in 2023. Acres are expected to increase… Read More
Did you always know what you wanted to be when you grew up? For many, their career arc is not necessarily what they planned. Many who start in one field discover and become fascinated with another. Others identify opportunities and switch gears accordingly. Some people just fall in to a job they love. When deciding… Read More
The federal and Manitoba governments are committing up to $60 million to complete upgrades to the Hudson Bay Railway and to begin redevelopment of the Port of Churchill. The funding, which will go to the Arctic Gateway Group, was announced by Premier Wab Kinew and federal minister Dan Vandal in Churchill on Friday. “The Port… Read More
Cover crops can be a non-starter in dry areas of the Prairies — or are they? A lack of moisture is definitely a concern when working to establish cover crops; however, over the long term, farmers Derek and Tannis Axten of Axten Farms at Minton, Sask., are finding covers build soil water holding capacity. That’s… Read More