Crop Management
Farm group says country is already preparing to use river ports now that Black Sea Grain Initiative has been cancelled
Crop Management
New option could make AgriStability simpler
Changes could be coming for AgriStability participants after agriculture ministers agreed to an optional new model at their annual meeting in Fredericton. Federal agriculture minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said this should make the program simpler and more responsive. Few details are available, but provinces could choose to use a cash or accrual accounting method, she said […] Read more
World may be facing wheat shortage this year
Wheat is finally becoming a “sexy” crop after years of being the ugly duckling, says an analyst. Stephen Nicholson, global grains and oilseeds strategist for Rabobank, said a series of supply side threats is making things exciting. Canada’s crops are withering in the fields. MarketsFarm is forecasting 30.4 million tonnes of all wheat production, well […] Read more
When tillage and zero-till work together
Alberta researchers study the potential benefits of combining strip tillage with precision planting in canola fields
Eliminating tillage in fields except where it counts could help prairie canola producers improve soil health while reducing wind and water erosion, says a scientist in Alberta. Strip tillage combined with precision planting is being studied on crops grown at Farming Smarter’s research fields just outside Lethbridge, said research technician Carlo Van Herk. “It’s a […] Read more
Counting heads, narrower rows may help wheat yields
It takes a lot of math to grow a high-bushel wheat crop — number of heads, spikelets per head, grains per spikelet and more. However, Phil Needham said spending some time thinking about these and quantifying them can help growers get the best from their seeds. The U.K.-born, U.S.-based agronomist told the SaskWheat semi-annual meeting […] Read more
Researchers encourage plants to be co-operative
Discovery of co-operative traits could be used in modern breeding programs to provide efficient ways to increase yields
Plants compete. They grow tall and spread their leaves to reach sunlight and outshine other plants. Roots will spread deeper and wider in search of water and nutrients, entangling themselves with neighbours’ roots. But a recent experiment by researchers at the University of Zurich and Agroscope, Switzerland’s centre of excellence for agricultural research and affiliated […] Read more
Sask. requests AgriRecovery assessment
The Saskatchewan government has asked for an AgriRecovery assessment due to drought. The assessment will determine what help livestock producers could receive. “Many producers across Saskatchewan are facing extraordinary costs to ensure their animals are taken care of,” said agriculture minister David Marit. “We need to move quickly to consider all relief options, including an […] Read more
West coast dock workers revoke strike notice
VANCOUVER (Reuters) — Dock workers on Canada’s Pacific coast said they have revoked a strike notice issued for Saturday after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau directed a crisis meeting to pursue all options to ensure the stability of supply chains as he stressed the critical role of port operations. The strike notice revoked had been issued […] Read more
At Ag in Motion: New ‘Soil Champions’ team to promote soil health
A new group of “Soil Champions” has been formed to promote the benefits of soil health. This new committee, announced Wednesday, will work to ensure the care and protection of Canada’s agricultural soil through education, knowledge transfer, forums for collaboration and other activities. “There’s evidence of a link between soil health and healthy people,” Soil […] Read more
AIM: Significant yield drop expected
MarketsFarm has released its first yield estimates for Western Canada’s crops and the outlook is grim. Analyst Bruce Burnett just recently completed a crop tour covering most of Saskatchewan. “Unfortunately, I don’t have a lot of good news on the crop front,” he told growers attending the Ag in Motion show in Langham, Sask. “There […] Read more
