Crop Management
Ag Systems gives seeds plenty of breathing room
The first Ag Systems customer averaged a four to five bushel wheat benefit and a three to four bushel soybean benefit compared to his neigh-bours. LeRoy Richard has sold all four of his prototypes, and they’re all in use on farms today. His first prototype was a 30-foot unit purchased by distant relative Larry Richard, […] Read more
Crop Management
New drill takes multi-tasking to the max
One frame fits all | Different machines attach to Ag Systems’ master frame, saving producers money
The Ag Systems drill has all the bases covered. It can switch between no-till drill, double disc drill, shank drill, strip till, corn planter, tillage tool, aerator and coulters for sizing corn residue. The frame is engineered to allow all these in-ground options to be switched quickly. The operator simply pulls one mounting pin for […] Read more
Strict safety regulations inspire new machinery
Grain vacs | Increased safety with lots of power and suction
FARGO — Stricter safety regulations in the United States that govern people working in bins have prompted equipment innovations such as a grain vac capable of pulling grain 30 metres. “OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) really clamped down on the practice of people entering bins with sweeps,” said Peter Kingma of the grain handling […] Read more
Brit dryer reduces fire risk, energy use
Airflow is key | Grain rides on bed of air to allow maximum circulation
BRANDON — A new continuous flow horizontal dryer designed for low temperature with high airflow reduces energy costs and fire risks. The Double Flow, built by the Alvan Blanch company in England, can take canola from 25 percent moisture down to nine percent in a single pass at 85 C. Sunflowers at 20 percent moisture […] Read more
Flexible rotations can benefit growers
Go with the flow | Varying crops can take advantage of nutrients and moisture and avoid disease and insects
MINOT, N.D. — Don Tanaka could never understand why most northern Plains producers locked themselves into a fixed rotation of two or three crops. “Cropping systems that are not flexible to change will be unsustainable,” the recently retired U.S. Department of Agriculture researcher wrote in Agronomy Journal in 2007. He said this was particularly problematic […] Read more
Soil contact focus of disc ripper
Uniform residue | Organisms better able to break down trash into organic matter
FARGO, N.D. — As corn acres increase, so too does the need for tillage implements to handle that tough Bt residue. Some engineers have smashed, slashed and obliterated the stubborn stalks and roots, while others evenly blend the residue into the top few inches of soil. Jim Balstad of Wil-Rich Manufacturing is in the latter […] Read more
Several new crop cultivars up for registration approval
Members of the Prairie Grain Development Committee could have a heavy agenda on their hands when they meet in Banff next month to discuss the merits of Western Canada’s newest publicly developed crop lines. Plant breeders from Agriculture Canada’s wheat breeding programs have as many as 16 new wheat cultivars that could potentially be brought […] Read more
Wheat eager to partner up in research
Much uncertainty surrounds the future of wheat breeding in Canada. However, a few things are becoming crystal clear, according to experts who discussed the topic during Crop Production Week in Saskatoon. For starters, private companies will become more involved in developing and marketing new wheat varieties in Canada. In addition, governments, seed companies and producer […] Read more
Long-term research has benefits when studying sustainability
Patience is a virtue for scientists and producers as they search for ways to farm sustainably. Agriculture Canada scientist Reynald Lemke told the Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association meeting at Crop Production Week in Saskatoon that sustainability isn’t a new concept. He said scientists in Western Canada have been wrestling with sustainable agriculture since sod was […] Read more
Sask. company turns mustard into biopesticide
Would you like some mustard with your strawberries and tomatoes? Organic fruit and vegetable growers now have that option. Jay Robinson, co-founder and general manager of Mustard Products and Technologies, told a meeting during Crop Production Week in Saskatoon that his company has found a way to use mustard seed as a biopesticide, including a […] Read more
