It’s nearly the middle of March, but it feels more like May in many parts of Western Canada. Spring-like days with temps in the double digits for much of the southern areas of Alberta and Saskatchewan seem to have buoyed cattle markets, as it’s likely grass will be abundant and soon. That’s the latest Beef… Read More
Nearly 700 farmers and industry braved a very cold few days to trek to Winnipeg to attend the second annual CropConnect conference. Guests were treated to expanded tradeshow space, engaging and sometimes controversial annual general meetings, dynamic speakers, improv and, well, some of the most burnt coffee this side of the Perimeter Highway. If you… Read More
Last week, the U.S. released its cattle inventory numbers for January 1, and, as expected, there was some growth of the cattle herd. The numbers were slightly higher than anticipated, but still make for a historically small cattle herd. What does it mean for cattle supplies going forward? And will the Canadian numbers follow the… Read More
This week, TWORA‘s guest host with the gruff voice, Debra Murphy, gives highlights of some of the news from the Alberta Beef Producers and a recent funding announcement at the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference. She also hears from Lyndsey and Shaun, who were out of the office this week on adventures to tropical Alberta and the state… Read More
It’s no wonder that Western Canada is watching what’s unfolding in Ontario closely. That province’s government’s move to closely regulate neonicotinoid seed treatments, even after changes in corn and soybean planting showed significant reductions in bee health risk, has many in the agriculture industry wondering what this means for pesticide access moving forward. In this… Read More
We’re staring down the barrel of the dreaded New Year’s Resolutions — you know, where you swear off treats, chocolate, booze and anything else fun hoping to whittle a few pounds off the midsection. Of course, if you’re like most people, you probably did the exact same thing last year, to no avail. The reasons… Read More
The first public consultation meeting regarding impending neonicotinoid seed treatment regulations got underway yesterday in London, Ontario. Real Agriculture’s Ontario field editor Bernard Tobin was there to cover the event. The meeting format may have surprised some, as opportunities for individuals to speak were kept to a minimum. Instead, government officials from both the agriculture… Read More
Bigger is better. Go big or go home. The push for excess in all things, it seems, knows no bounds. But how big is too big? Or is that the wrong question to ask? From combines, seeding units and land bases, to suburban houses, fast food meals and the cars we drive, there’s been a… Read More
If your name is Kelly Daynard, you’ve likely been very, very busy over the last few months. That’s because Farm & Food Care Ontario, the organization Daynard is communications manager for, is rolling out several huge projects right now, while simultaneously supporting other provincial chapters of the organization to get off the ground. From the… Read More
Hearing yourself on the radio or — gulp — seeing yourself on TV can cause cold sweats for some. An estimated 75% of us fear public speaking — now add in that the public discussion may be recorded and broadcast and it’s no wonder not everyone volunteers to speak to media. Of course, there are… Read More
Using glyphosate as a harvest aid and weed management tool most certainly has its place on the farm, but it carries a measure of risk, as well. Go in too early and not only can you rob the crop of yield, but the resulting seed may also end up damaged by the chemical application. Related:… Read More
You probably noticed myself and Lyndsey tweeting rapidly last week using the hasgtag, #momentumtour. We joined the Monsanto Momentum Tour on the Brandon stop and had a great time. Monsanto is touring across the prairie provinces to show growers the latest in its two trait releases. Here is our wrapup from Brandon, and as usual… Read More
If you can’t see the embedded player above, click here to hear this interview. It’s that time again — when Lyndsey Smith and Debra Murphy finally remember to do a wrap up of the week that was on Real Agriculture! Lucky listeners are in for a serious treat this week, as Smith and Murphy spend… Read More
I promise at some point to jump off this Rotation Bandwagon and start talking about something else agronomy-related, but for now, humour me while I beat this ailing-but-still-alive-but-just-barely horse. Where was I? Oh, yes. Rotation. In my last podcast, featuring Randy Kutcher, we learned many things about plant pathology — how genetic resistance to a… Read More
There seems to be a stigma around exercise in many rural communities: if you’re working hard, you won’t need to run (making those who do actually appear lazy). Perhaps it’s a belief stemming from our ancestry. Farmers worked the land on the end of a rough plough, threshed and stooked with little help from machines… Read More