The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its October 1 Cattle on Feed Report October 22. Cattle and calves on feed in feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head totalled 11.6 million head, down one per cent year-over-year. This is the second highest October 1 inventory since the series began in 1996…. Read More
Drought by definition, we can likely agree on. But take it on a case by case scenario, and you quickly realize it can mean a million different things. Everyone has a different perspective of dry, and that perception can change depending what year of drought it is. On a grain and oilseed farm, there is… Read More
Natural gas prices have increased in Europe, and China is facing its own issues with coal, leading to energy shortages on both continents. Understanding the likelihood of skyrocketing energy prices in Canada takes some understanding of the factors at work, and to shed light on the situation, Brendan Cooke, policy analyst at Canada West Foundation,… Read More
Widespread drought across the Prairies (and Northern Great Plains) has pushed many livestock producers to source resources for the upcoming winter from elsewhere. But as feed resources move across the country, both in Canada and the U.S., extension specialists warn that noxious weeds might be on the move too, and that livestock producers should be… Read More
This Fit Farmer topic can be likened to when a parent tells their child to eat their vegetables, or how a person knows they should floss their teeth, but never do it. On this episode of the Fit Farmer podcast, hosts Shaun Haney and Gary Chambers talk about stretching and the associated benefits, and why… Read More
UP Vertical Farms, a new indoor farm located at Pitt Meadows, B.C., will launch Canada’s first touchless, high density, indoor vertical farm for growing salad greens. Founded by Fresh Green Farms, the company plans to unveil the first phase of operations in the spring of 2022, with the goal of becoming the world’s largest and… Read More
The Successors is a RealAgriculture podcast series hosted by Kara Oosterhuis focusing on agriculture from the perspective of the up-and-coming generation. How does one tackle farming, and having a full-time job off of the farm? What are some things you can do to keep yourself organized? Why are the relationships of those around you crucial… Read More
To butcher a phrase, not all wheat that turns yellow is lost. Reports of yellow wheat in areas of Ontario has many farmers asking what they can do about it, and the answer — very little — is one of the few downers in this episode of Wheat Pete’s Word. But don’t worry! It’s not… Read More
Drought continues to cause concern when it comes to herbicide carryover in western Canada. On October 19, Corteva Agriscience released its list of products that are considered high risk for carryover, if certain amounts of precipitation have not fallen across the Prairies. A combination of very hot, dry conditions have lead to increased evapotranspiration, which… Read More
The CEO of CN Rail plans to retire this winter, the railway announced on Tuesday, Oct 19. Jean-Jacques (JJ) Ruest will retire as president and chief executive officer, as well as board member for the company, at the end of January 2022 “or such later time as a successor has been appointed to ensure a… Read More
From simply leaving a check strip to replicated trials, field-level data collection and analysis can be overwhelming. For this episode of The Agronomists, host Lyndsey Smith is joined by Jenn Sabourin of Manitoba-based Antara Agronomy, and Aaron Breimer of Deveron, based near Chatham, Ontario. The three talk about field trial set up, data collection, and… Read More
Agriculture in the Classroom Canada (AITC-C), along with its 10 provincial members, has launched a teaching guide with interactive resources for “Guardians of the Grasslands,” a documentary that explores the role that cattle play in the survival of Canada’s grasslands ecosystem. Guardians of the Grasslands in the Classroom will complement the 12-minute documentary through viewing and reflection questions,… Read More
Wild pigs pose ecological and agricultural problems across Canada and into the United States. Every year, this rapidly reproducing, non-native species expands its territory, most recently being discovered in Alberta’s Elk Island National Park. Originally brought into the country to help diversification efforts in agriculture in the late 80s and early 90s, the invasive species, cross-bred… Read More
There’s a lot happening in the cattle markets as we hit mid-October (?!) already. Anne Wasko of the Gateway Livestock Exchange says the markets south of the border have held mostly steady, at around $124 for live cattle in the south, and $124-$125 in the north, while noting the cutout drop-off we are still seeing…. Read More
If you’ve had to go fill your fuel tank recently you’ve likely noticed a significant cost run-up. Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, says on average the price of gas is higher than it has ever been, at an average of $1.45/L across the country. There are numerous reasons for this, but… Read More