It appears nature has once again caught up with technology. Alternaria solani, a fungus that causes early blight in potatoes, has mutated into a new form that is more resistant to stobilurins, a commonly used class of fungicides. More importantly, the mutation is now found in most Canadian potato fields. An Agriculture Canada study, released […] Read more
Robert Arnason
Stories by Robert Arnason
Marketing top priority: CEO
The expression “build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door” is nothing but a myth, according to Markus Schmülgen. Start-up companies in the food industry spend too much money and time on the product and not enough on promotion, said Schmülgen, former business development manager at the Food Development […] Read more
Tax rebates in Man. budget
Manitoba’s NDP government maintained its tradition of safe and bland economic policy with the provincial budget announced March 25, said the vice-president of the Keystone Agricultural Producers. “Basically, this was a typical Manitoba budget with its steady course and no dramatic shifts,” said Rob Brunel. “Most of it was not a big surprise.” However, the […] Read more
Learning on the job
CLANSWILLIAM, Man. – When asked if buying cattle at her first auction was overwhelming, Charlotte Crawley provides a quick and definite answer. “Yes, yes and yes,” said Crawley. “I’m not intimidated anymore, but it was very intimidating to begin with because I had no clue what I was doing.” Nearly four years after that first […] Read more
Man. farmers divided on levy proposal
Farmer opinion is mixed over a Manitoba government proposal that would require every producer in the province to join a general farm group. On the positive side are the province’s hog producers, who feel the proposal will create a system that is more equitable for all farmers. “The pork council fully supports the mandatory checkoff,” […] Read more
Bovine art project offers glimpse of farm life without the smell
Cattle can have distinct character traits. Most are curious, others are shy and a few are just plain crazy. Producers sometimes share tales of their cattle’s personalities and related strange behaviour over coffee, and the stories typically get more detailed and interesting over a few beer. Margaret Chastko has taken a different approach to recording […] Read more
Low rail traffic benefits wheat
In the last few years, strikes, landslides and clogged rail lines made it difficult and occasionally impossible to ship wheat to ports on Canada’s west coast. But this year wheat is moving to port swiftly and easily, thanks primarily to a slowdown in rail traffic, said Mark Thibeault, the Canadian Wheat Board’s senior manager of […] Read more
Eyes predict cattle temperament
The next time a cow jumps over a fence, chases the dog or refuses to go down a chute, take a close look at its eyes. Researchers at the University of Guelph have determined that cattle with a larger proportion of white in their eyes are more likely to be excitable. The scientists discovered this […] Read more
Grain growers on roller coaster – Special Report (story 1)
Terry Wilkinson has trouble believing the glass is half full this spring. “With the U.S. recession, I don’t think we’re going to see the prices (for crops) that we’ve got right now are going to hold,” said Wilkinson, who farms 1,000 acres near Melita, Man. “And the prices aren’t that good right now. So, I’m […] Read more
Weather data cold comfort for frigid Prairies
It’s a familiar refrain on the Prairies: “Cold? Cold? This isn’t cold. I remember the winter of …” However, our elders can’t scoff at how cold it’s been this year. David Phillips, senior climatologist with Environment Canada, says 2008-09 has been a throwback to winters of the 1940s and 1950s. How cold has it been […] Read more
