EDMONTON – Polish canola may soon become more attractive to farmers as plant breeders develop new varieties with improved traits, yields and competitive advantages over its Argentine cousins. “We have some hybrids that are doing really well,” says Kevin Falk, the plant breeder who is leading Canada’s Polish canola breeding program at Agriculture Canada’s research […] Read more
Stories by Michael Raine
NAFTA cattle challenge denied; gov’t suit possible
An arbitration tribunal under the North American Free Trade Agreement has thrown out a precedent setting application by Canadian cattle producers that U.S. bans on Canadian livestock violated the agreement. In a decision last week the tribunal ruled that the Canadian cattle producers may have had a legitimate complaint against the American government when the […] Read more
Farmers test canola harvest systems
Whether canola should be straight cut or not is a complex question. Some answers have been found through research by the Wheatland Conservation Area agricultural producers group based at Swift Current, Sask., said Bryan Nybo. “Canola is a difficult crop to straight cut due to shattering. And as the price increases along with input costs, […] Read more
Prairie insect experts watch grasshopper risk
It could be a bad year for grasshoppers in some pockets of Manitoba. John Gavloski of Manitoba Agriculture says that under the right weather conditions the high egg populations that were found in the 267 August surveys in Manitoba have the potential to produce more than 12 grasshoppers per sq. metre. Provincial entomologists are meeting […] Read more
Sask. ag minister wants western agriculture lobby
Bob Bjornerud told Saskatchewan cattle feeders attending their annual meeting in Saskatoon last week that he will establish a western lobby to take agricultural issues to Ottawa. As Saskatchewan’s minister of agriculture, Bjornerud’s cattle-producing constituents face some of the toughest times ever. He said the federal government’s support programs fail to meet many western farmers’ […] Read more
The difference is profit
Small problems in canola production could have big financial consequences next fall, says an agronomist with the Canola Council of Canada. “Five bushels of canola not harvested? That’s what, $65 to $75 (per acre)? You tell me,” Doug Moisey asked producers attending the Saskatchewan Canola Development Commission meetings held during the recent Crop Production Week […] Read more
Where’s our weather heading?
Bob Cormier starts his weather presentation with an apology. “Sorry about not doing something about it, but I can tell you what might happen over the next year,” the Environment Canada meteorologist told producers attending Crop Production Week in Saskatoon Jan. 10. Cormier said prairie producers can expect a cold period of three months or […] Read more
Seed supplies tight for latest varieties
Producers who want to plant top yielding canola varieties or the latest varieties of other grain and oilseed should go shopping soon. Seed growers attending the Saskatchewan Seed Growers (SSGA) annual meeting at Crop Production Week in Saskatoon Jan. 9 said supplies of the most recent releases of herbicide tolerant canola hybrids are tight and […] Read more
Discoveries may ease heat, drought stress
Discovery of a heat stress reduction gene may someday significantly reduce flower abortion in canola. Malcolm Devine of Performance Plants announced the breakthrough Jan. 10 during Western Canadian Crop Production Week in Saskatoon. Performance Plants is based in Kingston, Ont., but also has research facilities in Saskatoon. “We screened thousands of plants looking for those […] Read more
New gene, strategy to fight midge
New midge tolerant wheat will be available to all farmers in 2009 and 2010. Federal seed regulations must first be amended to allow varietal blends to be certified for sale and the grain industry must decide how to protect the insect resistance within the plants. Orange wheat blossom midge damage costs Canadian farmers more than […] Read more
