Crop Management
The National Farmers Union wants Health Canada to follow the precautionary principle and impose a five year moratorium on neonicotinoid seed treatments. Ontario farmer and NFU director Nathan Carey said today that the moratorium is necessary because neonicotinoids are a threat to bees and natural ecosystems. “In calling for a five year moratorium on the […] Read more
Crop Management
NFU wants neonicotinoids banned for five years
EU issues warning on potential health risk from insecticides – Updated
LONDON, Dec 17 (Reuters) – European health authorities warned on Tuesday that two insecticides, including a widely-used one made by Bayer, may affect the developing human brain and should be more tightly controlled to limit human exposure. The products – acetamiprid and imidacloprid – belong to popular class of insecticides called neonicotinoids, which have recently […] Read more
Corn growers like Advance payment program changes
Changes to the Advance Payments Program should benefit farmers and commodity groups that administer the program, says Theresa Bergsma, Manitoba Corn Growers Association general manager. Earlier in December federal agriculture minister Gerry Ritz announced several modifications to the cash-flow program, which helps producers meet short-term financial obligations like input costs. The changes include: • Commodity […] Read more
Russia unfazed by lagging grain restocking program
MOSCOW, Dec 16 (Reuters) – Russian Agriculture Minister Nikolay Fyodorov played down concerns about low state grain stocks on Monday, which could leave the government with little ability to sway domestic grain prices in the event of a harvest failure next year. Russia, one of the world’s key wheat exporters, uses its state grain stocks […] Read more
Chinese men try to steal U.S. seed technology
By Carey Gillam KANSAS CITY, Mo. Dec 12 (Reuters) – Three Chinese nationals – including one who attended a gala dinner for the then-vice president of China – have been charged in two separate cases of trying to steal seed-technology, trade secrets under development in the United States, authorities said on Thursday. After a two-year […] Read more
Directors elected for Sask. wheat, barley commissions
The ballots have been counted and the new boards for the Saskatchewan wheat and barley commissions elected. Representing wheat producers for the next four years are Rod Flaman of Edenwold, Ken Rosaasen of Saskatoon, Bill Gehl of Regina and Glenn Tait of Meota. Three directors will serve two-year terms: Dan Danielson of Saskatoon, Laura Reiter […] Read more
Trouble looms with shorter canola rotation, warns expert
An Agriculture Canada researcher issued a cautionary message last week to an audience of canola industry members. Neil Harker said the two-year canola rotation that dominates the Prairies comes with inherent risks that threaten future production of the crop: increased levels of disease and pests and the breakdown of variety resistance. “I think we’re at […] Read more
Video: Mapping potential profits using satellite data
GIS mapping | Data from soils and yield mapping can be used to determine if it is economically beneficial to fix problems
Field mapping has turned from telling tales about soil quality, topography, salinity and yield to proclaiming profitability. Precision field maps, with their multi-coloured measurements, are well known to most farmers, despite only being used by a minority of growers. Kevin Pattison’s field maps have taken on the colours of money. The Alberta precision agronomist is […] Read moreDiscern nitrogen requirements to maximize yield, protein
A major hamburger chain once popularized the saying: “where’s the beef?” This fall, I have heard a similar refrain from farmers. They are asking: “where’s the protein?” There have been few disappointments with this year’s harvest, but protein levels may be one. Higher protein wheat almost became a liability last year. Premiums all but disappeared […] Read more
Adding copper can prevent lodging, increase yields
Lodging in this year’s crop could have been caused by a lack of copper in the soil. Agri-Trend agronomist Ieuan Evans told last week’s 2013 Farm Forum Event in Saskatoon that using copper on soil can prevent crops from lodging and increase yields. Copper is a micronutrient that is essential to forming lignin, which contributes […] Read more
