Members rejected proposal to amalgamate with four other organizations, but association says the door is not closed
The Canadian Seed Growers Association has not given up on merging with other seed industry groups to form a national organization called Seeds Canada, says the CSGA’s top executive. The CSGA’s national board and its provincial branches intend to weigh their options before making a decision on whether to pursue a new amalgamation deal more […] Read moreAuthor Archives
Ag listed as culprit in loss of wildlife habitat
World Wildlife Fund says in a report that species considered to be at-risk declined by 59 percent between 1970 and 2016
A global report on the status of at-risk wildlife species lists agriculture as one of 11 primary factors that contribute to the loss of critical wildlife habitat and pose further threats to the survival of endangered wildlife species. The Living Planet Report, prepared by the World Wildlife Fund, looks at the fate of at-risk wildlife […] Read more
Dry weather no reason for farmers to stop worrying about mycotoxins
Many mycotoxins are associated with wet weather, but grain-based aflatoxins and other fungal diseases can thrive in hot, dry conditions
Growing conditions across much of Western Canada have been hot and dry this year, especially in southern and central growing regions during late July and August. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that the grain harvested this fall will be free of deoxynivalenol (DON) or other grain-borne mycotoxins. “Obviously, it’s still pretty early so we haven’t […] Read more
Barley research funded at U of S
The Canadian Barley Research Coalition has signed a new $2.7 million core breeding agreement with the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre. Under the new deal, the CRBC will contribute $2.7 million to the CDC over five years, with the money going toward the development of new barley varieties with improved agronomic, disease resistance and […] Read more
Cash advance interest increases
Farmer participation in the federal Advance Payments Program (APP) is expected to see continued growth thanks to record-low interest rates, higher per-farm eligibility limits and a streamlined administrative process, according to two of the country’s largest program administrators. This year, APP applicants will be eligible to receive up to $1 million per farm — up […] Read more
Low-carbon plan aims for premiums
What does it take to produce a bushel of grain? How much fertilizer, fuel, chemical and carbon? These are questions a new company — Gro Network — hopes to answer. If things go as planned, farmers who participate in Gro Network’s low-carbon grain scoring program will receive premium pricing for every bushel of grain that’s […] Read more
High-tech lab to study insects
The University of Saskatchewan is about to take a huge step forward into the high-tech world of insect management and research. The U of S in Saskatoon announced last week that it has secured funding from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) to establish a biosecure insect research and containment facility on campus. The new […] Read more
Research project tackles salinity management
The goal is to manage salt-affected soil more effectively, maximize production and potentially reclaim damaged acres
Salinity and insanity. The two words sound the same. And in some ways, our treatment of saline soils fits Albert Einstein’s famous definition of insanity — doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome. Continuing to crop those saline patches the same way year after year and expecting a different […] Read moreCereals Canada shuffles leadership roles
The national organization that represents Canada’s cereal grains sector has named a new chief executive officer and a new chief strategy officer. Cereals Canada announced Aug. 17 that Dean Dias will serve as the organization’s new CEO while Cam Dahl will serve as the new CSO. Dias worked previously with the Canadian International Grains Institute […] Read more
I declare my grain is eligible
Canadian grain growers need to follow two basic rules when they sign a grain declaration form. They need to know what kind of grain they’re delivering and they need to declare it accurately. According to the Canadian Grain Commission, most major grain companies have used commercial grain declarations for about a decade. But now, the […] Read more
