Weather is a central topic in many coffee shop conversations, plays a large role in the success or failure of a crop, and is outside of a wheat grower’s control. But that doesn’t mean farmers can’t at least try and out-maneuver Mother Nature. Dr. Brian Beres, senior research scientist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)… Read More
Category: Western Canada
Will the U.S. plant over 95 million acres of corn? Will canola move unfettered into China? What about getting crop out of the Black Sea region? Will that be possible? All of these questions and more are in the commodity pricing mix right now, and Neil Townsend, market analyst with GrainFox, says that investors are working… Read More
Clubroot disease is not only spreading, but also adapting in real-time, as the number of confirmed versions of the soilborne disease that reduces canola yields in Western Canada has climbed to 55 as of this winter. “The growing season in 2024 was quite good for the clubroot disease itself. There were quite a few new… Read More
For Derek Axten, changing nitrogen management on over 10,000 acres first required changing the goal. Shifting from a production-maximizing mentality to a profitability-first and resilience mindset is more fun, he says, though it’s not without its share of challenges. The Axtens have been using several different management tools to make the shift to a soil-health… Read More
Harvested seed quality is heavily influenced by weather conditions throughout the growing season. Summers with drought conditions, as well as heat blast, can lead to an increased occurrence of mechanical damage in pulse seed lots. While the Prairies experienced both last year, the quality of seed going into 2025 is quite stable, says Carey Matthiessen,… Read More
Not knowing what the weather will do is one of the great challenges when farming or ranching. While a producer can do everything within their power to ensure a successful crop, rain—or the lack of it—at inopportune times can spell disaster throughout the growing season. Weather and what it may look like for the coming… Read More
Nothing ventured, nothing gained, but how do you manage to tip the chance of gain in your favour? In agriculture there are many variables that are well out of our control — whether it be ranching, farming or anywhere in between, producers deal with volatile input prices, commodity price fluctuations, and, of course, the weather…. Read More
More than three years ago, the federal government initiated a process to “transform” aspects of Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency. Focused on four main pillars — transparency, real-world data, modernization, and targeted reviews — the process has included convening working groups and holding consultations. CropLife Canada has been part of these working groups and… Read More
The unpredictability of what’s going to happen on the tariff front has put Canadian businesses and government officials in a situation where it’s difficult to know what, if any, steps can be taken to alleviate the uncertainty around U.S. business in the immediate future. With so much up in the air, maintaining cross-border communication is… Read More
Weather for the last half of this winter will likely be much different than what farmers and ranchers experienced in 2024. That’s because the pattern has flipped from the El Nino-influenced conditions of 2024 to a La Nina influence for 2025, says Matt Makens of Makens Weather. In this report, he shares his take on the… Read More