The Manitoba government is trying to reduce amount of nutients being spilled into its rivers and lakes and so plans to ban winter manure spreading starting in 2013. “When we entered office, we recognized that decades of poor planning, abuse and neglect of our lakes, rivers and wetlands had to stop,” said conservation minister Stan […] Read more
Robert Arnason
Stories by Robert Arnason
Corporate help needed to fight resistant weeds
Effective marketing and sales teams at agri-chemical companies may be a driving force behind the burgeoning resistance to Group 2 herbicides. “Part of the company, on the biology and development side, they understand resistance,” said Francois Tardif, a weed science expert from the University of Guelph in Guelph, Ont. “But those companies are like a […] Read more
Harvest woes boost oat price
The December oat contract on the Chicago Board of Trade closed at $2.40 per bushel Oct. 9, reaching its highest level since early July. The mini-rally began in early September, when the December futures contract was trading slightly more than $2 per bu. Market watchers believe the rally is partly explained by corn futures, which […] Read more
Higher prices may offset drop in honey production
Alberta’s honey production was well below average this year because of the cold spring and dry conditions in the province’s honey heartland, the northwest and Peace River regions. Alberta beekeepers produced 105 to 110 pounds per hive this year, less than the provincial long-term average of 140 lb. per hive, said provincial apiculturist Medhat Nasr. […] Read more
Combat nitrogen losses with enhanced products
Grain farmers often have to sort through a lot of products that claim to increase yields and make life easier. Many actually work, but how can farmers know which are right for them? When it comes to trying enhanced efficiency fertilizers, Cynthia Grant, a soil fertility expert with Agriculture Canada, said it depends on whether […] Read more
Bees play big role in food
It’s hard to understand how important bees are to food production in Canada, but Peter Kevan, a professor of environmental sciences at the University of Guelph, has a nice way of summarizing their role. “One bite in three that we actually eat comes to us through insect pollination and honeybees are particularly important,” said Kevan. […] Read more
Hemp acreage on rise in Man.
Chris Dzisiak has a simple reason for producing 350 acres of hemp – it makes economic and agronomic sense. “In the end you’re growing it because there are contracts available,” said Dzisiak, who farms northeast of Dauphin, Man. Hemp diversifies his farm and provides other benefits as well, he added. “It’s about integrated pest management, […] Read more
Next Man. premier advised to take middle of the road
Gary Doer’s replacement needs to know that most Manitoba voters are moderates, says Kelly Saunders, a political science professor at Brandon University. On Oct. 17, Manitoba’s NDP will choose a new leader and premier of the province. “Politics in Manitoba tends to be pretty middle of the road. We’re not Alberta and we’re not even […] Read more
Buckwheat struggles with low demand, prices
It’s hard to say who’s having a worse year in Manitoba – the Winnipeg Blue Bombers or buckwheat growers. Earlier this year, West-Can Agra in Plum Coulee, one of the major buyers of buckwheat in Manitoba, went out of business. Then Japanese buyers decided to take a hard line on price, which effectively shut the […] Read more
Field trials prove speed of herbicide resistance
Field trials in Saskatchewan indicate that weeds can rapidly develop resistance to Group 2 herbicides, a result that is particularly concerning for pulse growers in Western Canada, says Hugh Beckie, a plant scientist at Agriculture Canada’s research centre in Saskatoon. Beckie and French colleague, Xavier Reboud of the University of Bourgogne, determined the level of […] Read more
