In 2018, Agriculture Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency launched Canada-wide consultations to determine if new seed royalties are needed and supported by stakeholders in the Canadian agriculture sector. | File photo

Survey finds little appetite for seed royalties

Prairie farmers are in no mood to pay additional fees when they save and replant seed that was grown and harvested on their own land. That’s one of the key findings of a producer survey on seed royalties. The survey, which sought producer opinions on new seed royalty collection mechanisms, was conducted over the past […] Read more

Average CWRS (13.5%) wheat prices were up by C$9 to C$12 per tonne, according to price quotes from a cross-section of delivery points compiled by PDQ (Price and Data Quotes). | File photo

Western Canadian wheat: Good gains for red spring, durum eases

WINNIPEG (MarketsFarm) – Wheat bids in Western Canada were mostly higher for the week ended Oct. 17. There were strong gains in Canadian Western Red Spring Wheat (CWRS) and Canada Prairie Red Spring (CPRS). Meanwhile Canadian Western Amber Durum (CWAD) was steady to lower. The Canadian dollar gained almost nine-tenths of a cent during the […] Read more


Wet weather, including heavy snow in some regions, continued to keep farmers off of their fields across much of Western Canada, but producers were actively delivering canola and other grains. | File photo

Canadian canola deliveries hit weekly record

Winnipeg (MarketsFarm) – Canadian farmers made record deliveries of canola into the commercial pipeline during the second week of October, according to the latest Canadian Grain Commission data. Wet weather, including heavy snow in some regions, continued to keep farmers off of their fields across much of Western Canada, but producers were actively delivering canola […] Read more

The overall harvest progress increased to 69 percent done, from 55 percent the previous week. That compares with the five-year average of 88 percent for this time of year. | File photo

Better weather helps Saskatchewan harvest: report

Winnipeg (MarketsFarm) – Relatively warm and dry conditions allowed Saskatchewan farmers to make some harvest progress during the week ended Oct. 14, although operations continue to run well behind normal, according to the latest report from Saskatchewan Agriculture. The overall harvest progress increased to 69 percent done, from 55 percent the previous week. That compares […] Read more


The potential for farmer losses is larger than normal this year because of variability in crop quality, inconsistent crop development and the potential for sprouting, staining and mildew in cereals.  |  File photo

Grain grading not well understood

A farmer says inaccuracies in grain grading and dockage determination could cost growers millions of dollars

A Saskatchewan farmer says prairie grain growers are at risk of losing big money — potentially hundreds of millions of dollars every year — because no one is asking tough questions about the way grain is graded and sold in Western Canada. Grain growers across the West sell tens of millions of tonnes of grain to commercial […] Read more

Although the Omnis FT was designed for fields that have already had crop residue taken care of, the machine can be fitted with optional coulters to handle trash.  |  Ron Lyseng photo

Horsch debuts new primary tillage tool

As better corn headers and straw choppers leave a cleaner surface and eliminate the need for residue-busting tillage implements, cultivators can get back to the job of performing primary tillage. That’s the premise behind Horsch’s new Omnis FT primary tillage line being launched this fall, says company rep Jeremy Hughes. He said the Omnis FT […] Read more

Changing metering plates from 2,000-5,000 seeds up to 45,000 takes a quarter turn of the fastener.  | Robin Booker photo

From corn to canola, new planter streamlines

Decatur, Ill. — The largest Great Plains planter equipped with the company’s new 5000 series row units was on display at Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Illinois. The PL5800 is a 40-foot, bulk-fill with a telescoping tongue, which enables the planter to stay close to the tractor when working in the field. It also allows […] Read more


The side-shift hydraulic cylinder allows the tractor driver to shift the packer three feet left or right for safer packing along the edges of a bunker. The largest Max Pack is 13 feet wide and weighs 10,000 pounds when filled with water. The rollers at the two corners allow the packer to work right up against the bunker wall without causing damage to the bunker or the packing equipment.  |  Ron Lyseng photo

Tighter packing equals better silage

WOODSTOCK, Ont. — The tighter you pack your silage, the longer it will last and preserve its quality. It all comes down to squeezing out as much air as possible. A dedicated roller behind the packer tractor squeezes out more air and packs the silage tighter, according to Zuidervaart Agri-Import in Mitchell, Ont. Zuidervaart was […] Read more

The Euro Bagging company says its system preserves silage for up to 18 months, due in part to the fact that it designs and builds its own triple-layer bags, which include protection from solar UV radiation. |  Ron Lyseng photo

Czech silage bag with foil preserves feed 18 months

WOODSTOCK, Ont. — Bagging silage may have advantages over bunker storage, but that edge disappears in a hurry if the bag is ripped and the content exposed to the atmosphere, water or rodents. A company in the Czech Republic has an answer to the problem — simply build a better bag. Euro Bagging builds silage […] Read more