Increasing the value of the crop’s various parts, rather than focusing just on seed, could be key to the sector’s prosperity
Glacier FarmMedia – It’s not enough for the canola industry to focus on seed. The next step of growth, according to one seed marketing expert, is about capturing more value for each of the plant’s parts. ”When we think about the whole value chain, we think about the farmer, we think about the crush partner, […] Read more
Jeff Melchior
Stories by Jeff Melchior
Canola sector focuses on new opportunities
Canola Council of Canada head says industry must continue making progress in biofuel, research and market expansion
Glacier FarmMedia – The Canadian canola industry is bigger than ever, but it can’t afford to rest on its laurels, says the top executive of the Canola Council of Canada. President and chief executive officer Chris Davison bases much of that perspective on a new economic impact study of the oilseed. Canola generates an average […] Read more
Sask. canola group makes crop disease its major focus
SaskCanola amalgamated with the Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission this year to become SaskOilseeds
Free disease testing for farmers, field training days for agronomists and farmer-conducted on-farm research trials were the focuses of SaskOilseeds this past year. Research manager Doug Heath outlined the organization’s 2024 activity at Canola Week, held Dec. 3-5 in Saskatoon and online. ”We work on behalf of canola and flax farmers to fund crop research, […] Read more
Canola byproducts tested for use as fish feed
Opening up the aquaculture market to canola could save fish farms millions and create new revenue stream for farmers
A new project out of Alberta could link two distant sub-sectors of agriculture: aquaculture and canola processing. The two-year research project will test the feasibility of using canola byproduct-supplemented fish feed in commercial aquaponics production, said project lead Nick Savidov, a senior research scientist at Lethbridge Polytechnic. If proven viable, the practice could save the […] Read more
Beef-dairy tags face questions
Calves have white DairyTrace tags rather than CCIA yellow tags. Does that make a difference at auction?
Western Canada’s dairy producers are taking a pass on a study to see if their industry-required ear tags are disadvantaging beef-cross calves at market. The now cancelled study hoped to examine whether beef-on-dairy calves, which are given white DairyTrace tags even if they’re bound for beef, would draw lower prices than calves with yellow beef […] Read more
Recommended malting barley a mix of new, old
Glacier FarmMedia – Next year’s recommended malting barley varieties include old maltster favourites and a few newer names. The Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre revealed its 2025-26 Recommended Barley Varieties List Nov. 21. Five varieties made the cut: AAC Connect, CDC Fraser, CDC Churchill, AAC Synergy and CDC Copeland. The centre’s annual recommendations are based […] Read more
Ag sector struggles to parse Trump tariff threat amid increasing fears
Glacier FarmMedia – Speculation about U.S. tariffs hit a new gear for Canadian agriculture sectors in the last week of November. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump had already threatened a 10 per cent tariff on products coming into the U.S. while on the campaign trail. That fostered wariness from many farm groups whose industries are heavily […] Read more
Aviation biofuel plant coming to Minnesota
Glacier FarmMedia – A US$5-billion project close to the Canadian border will manufacture sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) using low-value ag by-products and forest waste. DG Fuels, a U.S.-owned sustainable aviation fuel company (SAF), has chosen Moorhead, Minnesota — about a two-hour drive from the Manitoba border — for its new production facility. According to a […] Read more
High open rates deserve investigation
Glacier FarmMedia – Most Canadian cattle producers pregnancy-check their cows and heifers. According to the 2022-23 Canadian Cow-Calf Survey, 64 per cent preg-check their cows and 68 per cent do the same for heifers. That leaves more than 30 per cent who don’t check and there are several reasons why they should, says a veterinarian […] Read more
Ramp up your social media game
Glacier FarmMedia – Farmers have been told they can turn social media to their advantage for almost as long as the concept has been around. But it’s one thing to hear that and quite another to find time and do it properly. Trent and Dena Lewis own One Mile Ranch, a beef and pork direct-to-customer […] Read more
