Soybeans, lentils and peas are no longer special. Pulse and soybean acres continue to expand on the Prairies, and the crops have become almost standard practice on thousands of farms. As more producers switch to pulses and soybeans, more of them are using inoculants to achieve the full benefit of the crops’ ability to fix […] Read more
Robert Arnason
Stories by Robert Arnason
Monsanto initiates new rules to preserve Bt corn
Monsanto Canada is taking steps to ensure corn producers are planting sufficient refuge acres to protect the effectiveness of its insect control technology. “Planting a properly configured refuge when using corn hybrids with in-plant Bt insect control is absolutely critical to protecting the long-term viability and effectiveness of these technologies,” Chris Anderson, stewardship lead for […] Read more
Large projects slow to go
Tendering is not suited for wind energy development because it discriminates against projects with one or two turbines, said the president of the Canadian Wind Energy Association. Robert Hornung said contractors are familiar with the tender process, where government asks for proposals and the best bid wins a contract to build a bridge or section […] Read more
Bigger winds breed bigger builds
The basic rule in business that bigger is better also applies to the wind energy business, said Bob Spensley, a spokesperson for Sequoia Energy in Winnipeg. “If projects are only going to be awarded based on price, I don’t think those small projects can compete,” said Spensley, managing director of community partnerships for Sequoia, a […] Read more
Environmental group warns of global phosphorus shortage
The world should be more worried about running out of phosphorus than oil, says Vivek Voora, a project manager for the International Institute of Sustainable Development in Winnipeg. “The peak phosphorus issue does get compared to peak oil often,” said Voora, co-author of a IISD study released last week titled Peak Phosphorous: Opportunity in the […] Read more
U.S. grows too many table potatoes
Idaho farmers grew a fantastic crop of potatoes last year, producing 131 million hundredweight, up 12 percent from the 116 million cwt. grown in 2008. However, the massive crop has provoked a controversy among North American potato growers because fresh potato prices have plummeted in the United States in the last year. “In general, they […] Read more
Forage industry plans national association
The Canadian forage industry will soon have a new national body to represent its interests at home and abroad. Forage producers, exporters, processors and provincial associations have joined forces after 16 months of planning to create the Canadian Forage and Grasslands Association. “We’re incorporated and the association is moving ahead,” said Wayne Digby, executive director […] Read more
Farmer waits for dryer approval while crop moulds
When Perry Sytnyk bought a new grain dryer last fall, he thought he was purchasing insurance to make sure his canola crop wouldn’t heat in the bin. But over the last two months, Sytnyk, a grain producer near Shoal Lake, Man., figures he’s lost $40,000 worth of canola to spoilage because provincial inspectors said two […] Read more
Grain-rich diet cited in lameness issues
Lameness is the international dairy industry’s third biggest health problem in terms of economic impact, according to a fact sheet on Manitoba Agriculture’s website. It affects 35 percent of dairy cattle in Canada and 46 percent in the United States. Dan Undersander, a forage agronomist at the University of Wisconsin, said the main cost of […] Read more
Diet, milk production studied
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin are attempting to prove that dairy producers can feed higher percentages of grass without compromising milk production. Last year, they took seven percent alfalfa and seven percent corn silage out of the total ration and replaced it with 14 percent Italian ryegrass. The researchers eventually determined that adding fibre, […] Read more
