WINNIPEG — In the 1970s and early 1980s, Jack Nicholson was a major star in Hollywood. He was the leading man in iconic movies such as The Shining, Chinatown and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Nicholson was still acting in the 1990s and 2000s, but he had more success as a supporting actor — […] Read more
Robert Arnason
Stories by Robert Arnason
Weed seeds may ride the rails
WINNIPEG — About eight years ago, Aaron Hager warned farmers in Alberta about palmer amaranth. Hager, a University of Illinois weed scientist, spoke to growers at a conference in the Peace River region. He explained that palmer, a pigweed that grows to two metres or higher, could be viable in Alberta and other parts of […] Read more
Microbes matter during pasture restoration
Research finds that the relationship between alfalfa genetics and microbes in the soil can alter growth of the plants
WINNIPEG — Choosing the right alfalfa variety can make a difference, possibly a huge difference, when producers are rejuvenating a pasture. After several years, the productivity of a pasture will decline and many ranchers choose to over-seed or sod-seed alfalfa to revive the pastureland. Farmers will likely select a high-yielding alfalfa variety that is adapted […] Read more
VIDEO: Study seeks more information on pod shatter resistance
University of Manitoba researchers test canola cultivars to identify genetic material that has tolerance to pod shatter
WINNIPEG — The pod shatter resistance trait for canola has been on the market for more than a decade. Bayer CropScience released the first commercial canola hybrid with it, InVigor L140P, in 2013. Private and public breeding programs followed Bayer’s lead, introducing their own versions of canola with pods that are less likely to shatter […] Read more
Alternative weed control: death by sandblasting
Federal researchers experiment with abrasive weed management and determine baking soda might be the best option
WINNIPEG — Baking soda is the Swiss Army knife of household chemicals. It can be used as a replacement for toothpaste, to make cookies and cakes fluffier and to remove odours from the fridge. Andrew McKenzie-Gopsill, an Agriculture Canada scientist in Charlottetown, has discovered yet another use for baking soda — as a weed killer. […] Read more
FCC increases focus on agriculture, food tech investment
FCC Capital is the next step in Farm Credit Canada’s effort to invest in funds dedicated to the agri-food technology sector
WINNIPEG — After peaking in 2021, global investment in agriculture and food technology had a tough year in 2023. Funding for ag tech and food technology firms hit a peak of US$53 billion in 2021, then dropped to $31 billion in 2022 and sank to $16 billion in 2023. “There’s no way to sugar coat […] Read more
Foreign workers lose support
WINNIPEG — A majority of Canadians believe that the country takes in too many temporary foreign workers. In an Angus Reid poll released last week, 56 percent of respondents said Canada brings in “way too many” or “too many” temporary foreign workers. When broken down by political affiliation, supporters of the federal Conservative party are […] Read more
Canola crush productivity doubles in 20 years
Farm Credit Canada report on food manufacturing finds grain and oilseed milling productivity grew by 107.4 per cent
WINNIPEG — When compared to other parts of Canada’s food industry, oilseed crushing is a superstar. From 2003-23, the productivity growth in grain and oilseed milling was 107.4 per cent. In comparison, productivity growth in Canada’s dairy processing industry during the same period was only six per cent. Those figures come from a Farm Credit […] Read more
Southern U.S. Plains hope for canola comeback
Plans to retrofit an oilseed plant in Kansas to crush both soybeans and canola raise optimism for the winter crop
WINNIPEG — The resurrection of canola in Oklahoma and Kansas may begin this fall. Farmers in America’s southern Plains are once again thinking about canola because a major player is retrofitting an oilseed plant in Kansas to crush both soybeans and canola. Scoular, an agribusiness with headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska, and annual revenues of about […] Read more
Is white cockle toxic for cattle? Nobody knows
WINNIPEG — Kim Brown was on a quest in August and part of September. Manitoba’s provincial weed specialist was searching for an answer to the following question: is white cockle, a weed sometimes called white campion, safe for cattle to eat? Brown asked weed scientists and livestock nutrition experts with Agriculture Canada and at universities […] Read more
