Crop Management
The introduction of the AF11 twin-rotor Case IH combine in February may have been a bit of a shock to longtime enthusiasts of the red brand. The twin-rotor concept had been strictly a New Holland design feature until then. Combine design has been one of the major differences when it comes to machines offered by […] Read more
Crop Management
Anhydrous tanks require farmers’ full attention
Brian Downie, who handles the regulatory side of Shur-Gro’s anhydrous ammonia operations, says he would feel comfortable standing next to any nurse tank currently in service in Canada. The ag industry weeded out some problem tanks when more robust testing was implemented about a decade ago, he said, but today, he’s confident in the required […] Read more
Make the most of a pause from pulses
Growers forced by disease to eschew peas and lentils have options to stay productive while the threat abates
It’s a bitter pill to swallow, but pulse producers across the Prairies have come to expect it. If there is aphanomyces root rot in a field where peas, lentils or other susceptible pulses are grown, there is little choice but to rotate crops without those pulses until the disease is gone. That can take six […] Read more
Disease management comes down to basics
With resistance still an elusive research goal, rotation of both crops and fungicides remains the best tool against disease
Identifying and managing diseases is crucial to yield and grain quality. Spraying technology, chemical application and new seed varieties help in the battle for healthy crops, but fungi, bacteria and other microorganisms continuously adapt, becoming resistant to genetic defences and crop protection products. So, what are the latest threats? Green and yellow peas, chickpeas, lentils, […] Read more
Faba bean research means high protein, less gas
UPDATED – March 25, 2024 – 0825 CST – Glacier FarmMedia – Let’s get the obvious part out of the way. By separating “the good stuff” (protein, starch and dietary fibre) from faba beans, a University of Alberta researcher has improved on a process that minimizes human flatulence from eating them. That issue has long […] Read more
Anti-dumping case may affect pea flow
SASKATOON — A U.S. antidumping investigation regarding Chinese pea protein could change trade flows for Canadian yellow peas in 2024-25, say traders of the commodity. In a preliminary determination handed down Feb. 8, the U.S. Department of Commerce hit two Chinese manufacturers with an anti-dumping duty of 280 percent and the remainder with a 122 […] Read more
Farmland value growth slows
Glacier FarmMedia – Farmland is still getting more expensive, but not quite as quickly as in recent years, according to the latest farmland value report from Canada’s biggest agricultural lender. Farm Credit Canada put average national farmland value growth in 2023 at 11.5 percent, down from 12.8 percent in 2022. Related stories: Understanding farmland values […] Read more
Chlormequat prompts U.S. lawsuits
WINNIPEG — Fifteen to 20 percent of oat growers in Western Canada apply a plant growth regulator to their crops. That isn’t an exact number — more of a ballpark estimate of how many farmers use chlormequat, which is branded as Manipulator. That use has prompted two class action lawsuits in California against General Mills […] Read more
Combine to customer – photo essay
For years, Cereals Canada’s Combine to Customer program has given farmers an inside look at the complex processing technologies and industries that take farmers’ grains and turn them into premium food products. Western Producer reporter Ed White joined a group of farmers from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Prince Edward Island to see what they […] Read more
Opposition to gene edited crops ‘getting weaker’
Researcher says public is likely to accept gene editing technology because of its beneficial applications for public health
WINNIPEG — The amount of money and human resources directed at gene edited crops is staggering, says Kevin Folta, a University of Florida plant scientist. China, India and other nations are dumping billions into the technology in efforts to improve agricultural productivity and sustainability. “Colleagues of mine who are over there (China), their labs are […] Read more
