With the immense drop in fat cash cattle being sold on a weekly basis the reporting of sale data has changed. A high majority of fat cattle in Canada are being sold through forward contracting or formula (grid systems). Canfax is responsible to collect data from willing producers and report back information to the industry… Read More
Category: Western Canada
As a proud farmer, I love answering questions, discussing issues and listening to concerns about everything agriculture, food and all of the connections in between. Sometimes though, some of those conversations have me thinking for weeks. Case in point: a simple enough question from a young woman left me trying to sort out a tremendously… Read More
A nitrogen-fixing bacteria species that indiscriminately colonizes plant cells is in the midst of an in-field exam. Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus (Gd), a bacteria known for its symbiotic relationship with sugarcane, was selected for research into nitrogen fixation in other crops by Edward Cocking, professor and director of The University of Nottingham’s Centre for Crop Nitrogen Fixation. And, because of a unique ability… Read More
Grain Systems Inc’s (GSI) 40 series bins are now available with four-inch corrugation. The bins, offered in 2.66-inch corrugation since their launch in 2013, still use the optional Z-Tek Roof System, but are designed to be built taller, offering capacities up to 282 000 bushels. “We now have a much more comprehensive bin offering along with… Read More
There were no major surprises for the corn and soybean markets in the USDA report published on Friday, however the wheat ending stocks projections were lower than the trade was expecting. The smaller stocks, together with funds short-covering, have provided some support to wheat futures over the last week, explains Austin Damiani, commodities broker with Frontier… Read More
I was glad to see stories surface this week from scientists at the University of Guelph and elsewhere warning consumers to beware of restaurant food deep fried in oil. They carried out a study showing oil with too many miles on it in the deep fryer gives off some nasty compounds, even if the food… Read More
While some were thinking of turkey and pumpkin pie ahead of the Canadian Thanksgiving long weekend, the grain market got a hold of the USDA’s October WASDE report. The report pushed some volatility in trading and wheat and canola closed in the red for the week, despite their hot start and trend to the upside… Read More
What’s a GMO? What do the letters GMO stand for? Do you try to avoid GMOs? Genetically modified organisms received some mainstream attention this week on Jimmy Kimmel Live. The late night comedian sent a reporter to a farmers’ market to find out how much people actually know about biotechnology and food. We don’t know the complete… Read More
Fall brings two things — harvest and the return of NHL hockey. The NHL season has returned for another season and many of us have been waiting very impatiently since the LA Kings raised the Stanley Cup for the second time in three years this past June. Have you registered for the RealAg Hockey Pool… Read More
Harvest continues to drag out, as farmers in parts of both Western and Eastern Canada cope with some less-than-ideal weather conditions. For this week’s ag news recap, we discuss harvest progress, the upward movement in the markets over the last week, how to communicate complicated science with the public and number of other things that happened… Read More
Nature is cruel. Or, put another way, nature is perhaps the most fair — she, if we can call it a she, cares very little as to the outcome of any change in the environment. There is a consequence to every action, but nature doesn’t judge what is good and what is bad. It just… Read More
The federal government has announced a $7.5 million investment in a new agency that will look after developing and operating a national livestock traceability database. Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz announced the funding for the Canadian Agri-Traceabiity Services in Calgary today. CATS is a not-for-profit corporation that brings together the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA) and Agri-Traçabilité… Read More
Farmers of North America is urgently seeking farmers willing to invest in acquiring a majority stake in CWB (formerly the Canadian Wheat Board.) The “farmer business alliance” has hosted dozens of farmer meetings across Western Canada over the last few weeks — right in the middle of harvest for most potential investors. While the plans that… Read More
Many producers are looking to strip-tillage as an intermediary between conventional and no-till farming systems. Like any tillage system, strip-till doesn’t come without its challenges. In areas with changes in terrain, it can be difficult to remain in position without adjusting the GPS/auto-steer system. Till-N-Plant Offers Strip-Tillage, Fertilizer Application & Planting in One Pass Gaining Ground: Digging Deep on… Read More
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation was launched in 2000, with the merger of the William H. Gates Foundation and the Gates Learning Foundation. “It’s a charitable foundation that’s based on two very important principles,” says Lawrence Kent, senior program officer. “The first one is that every life has equal value. And the second one is… Read More