Saskatchewan Agriculture

Producers need to frequently monitor stored kabuli chickpea seed to preserve its value. “Pulse crops such as chickpea have large seeds that may require time for the interior moisture to equalize throughout the seed,” said Ray McVicar, a special crops specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture. “This is known as ‘going through a sweat.’ There is the […] Read more

October is a good month for fall weed control, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture weed control specialist Clark Brenzil. “September isn’t the best time to control winter annual weeds because many more will germinate before freeze-up,” he said. “The best timing for an application of inexpensive phenoxy herbicide – 2,4-D and MCPA – is in October, […] Read more

According to the Canada Grain Act, there is zero tolerance for primary insects – those that feed on whole grain – in grain delivered to elevators. Prevention is the easiest, safest and least expensive way to achieve an insect-free state. Before storing grain in the bin, for example, storage and transport facilities should be thoroughly […] Read more

Growers who think they produced an exceptionally good durum crop this year might consider entering the Canadian Wheat Board’s first ever Master Durum Grower competition. The deadline for entries is Oct. 15. The first-place winner will get an expense-paid weekend for two in Montreal, which will include an opportunity to tour a commercial pasta processing […] Read more

Frost and drought can cause nitrates to accumulate in the stems of forages. It can also cause panic in beef producers. But Jim Armstrong, a livestock agrologist with Saskatchewan Agriculture in Tisdale, said nitrates in forage can be used to advantage. It’s just a matter of management. “Some of the forage nitrates resulting from frost […] Read more

There’s money to be made in deer, says Stan Hall, president of the Saskatchewan White Tail and Mule Deer Producers Association. Saskatchewan’s hunt farms can take all the white-tailed and mule deer the province’s producers can supply. The province could also supply animals to hunt farms outside its borders. “In the United States, hunt farms […] Read more

Now is the time for producers to start checking their canaryseed for aphids. If an insecticide is necessary, it should be applied at early heading, usually in late July or early August. Later spraying is worthless because aphids do little economic damage after the soft-dough stage. Ray McVicar, special crops specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture, said […] Read more

Many older combines do not adequately spread cereal straw during harvest. This results in concentrations of straw that plug seeding equipment and cause uneven fertility, moisture and soil temperatures. A 1978 design for a straw chopper-fin modification can easily solve that problem. “The straw chopper-fin modification is an old design that’s as practical today as […] Read more

Studies by the Western Canadian Wild Boar Association, whose mandate includes the establishment of “an orderly wild boar marketing plan,” have led to the creation of the Canadian Shield Wild Boar Co-operative. The chair of this new generation co-operative, Slawko Kindrachuk, says the marketing plan includes the creation of a meat classification system similar to […] Read more

New, tighter grading standards are causing researchers to reassess the economic threshold to spray for wheat midge. Canadian Grain Commission tolerance standards now limit wheat midge damage in durum to two percent in No. 1, eight percent in No. 2, 15 percent in No. 3 and 40 percent in No. 4. Standards for red and […] Read more