With consolidation, mergers, and change at the agri-business level comes adaptation and change at the grower level, too. For BASF, a company that has taken on major brands, such as Invigor and Liberty, stemming from the Bayer/Monsanto deal, sorting out the logistics of getting an expanded product portfolio to growers has been a significant undertaking…. Read More
BASF has retooled how it moves its products to customers and plans to launch the direct-to-retail model in full for the 2020 growing season. Called RetailConnect, the distribution model for seed and crop protection products will work directly with independent retailers across Western Canada. The full roll-out follows what BASF calls successful piloting of RetailConnect… Read More
As most, if not all, producers are currently spraying for weed control, it’s important to keep in mind herbicide efficacy, according to Bethany Wyatt, senior technical service specialists for BASF in Saskatchewan. Wyatt says almost every year some farmers will get impatient, and “jump the gun” when it comes to re-spraying. In this episode of… Read More
A tough fall, winterkill, and a cool, wet spring are adding up to a condensed and busy herbicide application window for growers across Ontario.One of the first challenges is how to manage best all the abandoned winter wheat acres that are likely to be planted as corn or soybeans. On this episode of the RealAgriculture… Read More
Farmers live and work in the real world, so real world events like weather can make a huge difference to a crop. We all know this, but sometimes we forget that the weather in the year prior to the current growing season also needs to be taken into account. Andrew Reid understands that crops grow… Read More
It’s a bitterly cold Monday across much of Canada, however, it’s perfect timing for a guest RealAg Radio host Shaun Haney has lined up for today’s show. Drew Lerner, of World Weather Inc., shares his insight into what farmers may expect from the Canadian weather forecast heading into seeding. You’ll also hear from Jessika Guse,… Read More
Soybean growers will soon have a new tool in the fight against yield-robbing soybean aphids. BASF expects to launch Sefina, a new insecticide it says will deliver control of aphids and white flies in soybean and potatoes, in 2019. BASF Canada horticulture crop manager Scott Hodgins explains that the new insecticide will deliver a unique… Read More
How important is the number of rows on a corn cob? When row numbers shrink from 20 to 18 you could be looking at a 20-bushel per acre yield loss, says Illinois-based BASF agronomist Jeremy Hogan. On this edition of RealAgriculture’s Corn School, Hogan breaks down four components of yield – protecting row numbers, maximizing ear… Read More
Crop input decisions would be made so much easier if only one year’s weather would predict the next. But we know that one dry year doesn’t make a trend, so while 2018 is looking dry in Western Canada will it stay dry for the growing season? Will crop disease be less of a threat because… Read More
Canadian corn and soybean growers have a new tool to tackle resistant and tough-to-control weeds. Zidua SC, a new Group 15 herbicide from BASF, will be available in 2018. Deven Esqueda, BASF corn and soybeans crop manager, says the herbicide is labelled for use in herbicide-tolerant soybeans and field corn. With the active ingredient pyroxasulfone,… Read More
Soybean growers will get their first opportunity to grow Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans in 2017. They’ll also get to see how Engenia, BASF’s new dicamba formulation, performs with the new seed technology. In this episode of Real Agriculture’s Soybean School, we travel to BASF’s research farm at Maryhill, Ont., to check out Engenia Roundup… Read More
Dry conditions can be tough on soybean residual herbicides, but with a little rain, they’re up to the task, says BASF field biologist Rob Miller. He concedes that in a dry year like 2016 in Ontario, residuals can be less effective, “but you’re still seeing the value of residual weed control, especially with burndown. Even… Read More
Canola growers across Western Canada are continually searching for ways to raise yields in the most efficient manner. Growers continue to push to achieve this objective and will even develop production techniques that many people thought was impossible a relatively short time ago. Apparently interest in straight cutting is definitely growing. According to last years… Read More
Corn growers in Western Canada have another option for post-emergent weed control. BASF Canada has announced it’s making Armezon herbicide available for corn on the prairies. Armezon contains a group 27 active ingredient for controlling weeds like wild mustard, barnyard grass and green foxtail. Volunteer canola has recently been added to the label and BASF has… Read More
Plant disease is a somewhat different beast than other crop pests, in that your best offense is a solid defense. It’s rare that any fungicide available to you has any curative effect — the best you can do is slow down development of a disease, once established. Under the heading of ‘better to have it… Read More