Crop Management
With lentil acreages expected to be up this year, getting on top of any anthracnose infestation early and with the latest tools should be top of mind for producers, says Kate Hadley, a marketing agronomist with Bayer. “Lentil acres are going to be up over last year,” Hadley said. “It seems like everyone’s seeding some […] Read more
Crop Management
New products and old practices recommended
Improved moisture this year means growers may need to dust off practices and products they haven’t used in a while
Recent rain has increased the need for pulse producers to get re-accustomed to disease management practices used in a season with adequate or high moisture that may have been set aside in recent dry years. “Moisture continues to be top of mind as a concern, but these spring rains definitely have been helping,” said Lori […] Read more
First new fenugreek varieties in decades in the works
WINNIPEG — It’s been more than two decades since a new fenugreek variety was released in Western Canada. So, over the last while, most fenugreek growers have relied upon a single variety of the pulse crop. To add to the genetic pool, scientists with Agriculture Canada in Saskatoon are developing new varieties for the small […] Read more
Delays on drone spraying approvals frustrates farmer
At least one farmer is champing at the bit for Canadian regulatory approval of sprayer drones. The Saskatchewan producer, who asked to remain anonymous, uses drones primarily to apply fungicide in pre-harvest grain. Related story: Should farmers use drones to spray? He said he has reached out to the federal Pest Management Regulatory Agency on […] Read more
Should farmers use drones to spray?
Producers are eager to adopt DIY aerial spraying, but a slow, careful approach if warranted, says sprayer expert
A number of farmers across Western Canada are using unmanned drones to spray crop protection products, and they’re doing it undeterred by a lack of regulatory approval, say ag drone experts. Markus Weber, president of Alberta-based LandView Drones, sells drones for agricultural applications, including crop spraying. Up until a few years ago, farmers were primarily […] Read more
Black Sea region expected to produce more flax
The crop is faring better than others in Russia's drought-hit regions, and acreage is anticipated to be higher than last year
SASKATOON — Black Sea flax growers are hoping for a rebound year. Acreage is expected to be up in Russia, although there are no official numbers yet, said Sergey Pluzhnikov, head of sales for Temporia Capital Company and founder of Russian Pulses Analytics. Related stories: Russian farmers planted 3.46 million acres of the oilseed last […] Read more
Prices in the used ag equipment market are softening
Ag equipment buyers were willing to take almost anything they could get their hands on when the COVID-19 pandemic severely hampered manufacturers’ ability to deliver new machines to customers. That, combined with strong farm commodity prices adding to the demand, drove up the price of used equipment considerably. But now that manufacturing has returned to […] Read more
Law to prevent lockouts stalled in Senate
Federal budget outlines plans for consultations on equipment interoperability and the right to repair machinery
Canadian short-line agriculture equipment manufacturers raised the alarm recently over some major brand original equipment manufacturers locking their onboard digital systems on selected machines. The move effectively prevents short-line manufacturers from connecting their attachments to those machines, which effectively locks them out of the market. It has particularly affected Canadian short-line manufacturers who build combine […] Read more
Aphanomyces soil test gets refined
A still-developing test to tell producers how bad the aphanomyces spore load is in their fields is gaining polish, thanks to more farmers across Canada sending in samples. Knowing the spore load of a field could be a powerful planning tool. The soil-borne disease has a reputation for being both hard to manage and long-lived. […] Read more
Why did Caterpillar sell off the Challenger line?
Former Cat CEO Glen Barton explained distribution challenges helped prompt the sale in a conversation after his retirement
In early 2002, Caterpillar sold the Challenger belted tractor line it had developed to Agco, just 16 years after it introduced it to the market. However, some Caterpillar dealers in Canada continued to sell the Challenger, and because of the Cat-built drive train, the tractors continued to carry a Cat decal on their sides for […] Read more
