RAYMORE, Sask. — For 85-year-old Herman Kirstein, nothing beats a fried egg sandwich washed down with ice tea while combining late into the night. He’s working his 70th harvest right now — his favourite time of year. “It’s just so enjoyable,” he said Aug. 22 from his favourite chair on the front porch of the […] Read more
News
Research focuses on irrigated potatoes
Potatoes under irrigation are the focus of a new study by Lethbridge College and the Potato Growers of Alberta. Its focus is on the ways irrigation methods affect southern Alberta’s potato crops and is led by the college’s Willemijn Appels, the Mueller Applied Research Chair in Irrigation Science. The study will use a $397,595 grant […] Read more
Power line contacts up this harvest season: SaskPower
SaskPower is reminding farmers to take care around power lines during harvest after an increasing number of contacts through the growing season. Since April 1, there have been 240 reported incidents of machinery contacting electrical lines. That’s up from 230 at the same time last year. Spokesperson Joel Cherry said despite continuous efforts to remind […] Read more
Cdn dollar likely to remain stable: RBC Capital analyst
Winnipeg (MarketsFarm) – The Canadian dollar remains within a relatively stable range despite uncertainty in the global financial markets. “Even though there’s been a lot happening globally… the (Canadian) currency itself has been very well behaved,” said Mark Chandler, head of Canadian fixed income and currency strategy at RBC Capital Markets. “It’s been trapped in […] Read more
Cattle deaths in Manitoba linked to algae
Blue-green algae thrives in hot and dry weather, and dugout levels are well below normal in the province this year
Several cattle in Manitoba’s Interlake died in late August after drinking water from a contaminated dugout. The most likely cause of death was blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, said Keri Hudson-Reykdal, a veterinarian in Ashern, Man. “This seems to be a big issue this year — lots of dogs affected in Canada and the U.S. in […] Read more
Survival rates are declining for imported queen bees
Researchers say developing more domestic breeds to avoid the necessity of importing bees would benefit Canadian producers
BEAVERLODGE, Alta. — Researchers and technicians in northern Alberta have noticed a peculiar trend with imported queen bees. Some of the international queens aren’t living as long as they used to, they say, suggesting that beekeepers could be better off producing more Canadian breeds. “Usually imported queens can last three years, but now we are […] Read moreCool, wet weather delaying Saskatchewan harvest: report
Winnipeg (MarketsFarm) – Saskatchewan farmers made some harvest progress during the week ended Sept. 2, but the pace remains well behind normal for this time of year, according to the latest provincial crop report from Saskatchewan Agriculture. At 11 percent complete, the harvest was up from six percent the previous week but well below the […] Read more
Trade war bad news for N.D. soybean farmers
Producers in North Dakota are reeling from the loss of a customer base that they spent two decades cultivating
COLFAX, N.D. (Reuters) — North Dakota bet bigger on Chinese soybean demand than any other U.S. state. The industry here spent millions on grain storage and rail-loading infrastructure while boosting plantings by five-fold in 20 years. Now, as the world’s top soybean importer shuns the U.S. market for a second growing season, Dakota farmers are […] Read more
Plant and insect viruses help spread disease
Researchers are better understanding how insect and plant viruses work together to use aphids as a way to spread to other organisms
Aphids and their ability to spread viruses are the bane of many farmers’ production forecasts. Globally, aphids cause billions of dollars in crop damage, and more plant viruses are transmitted by aphids than any other group of insects. But until recently, the complex relationship between the aphid host — a plant virus — and an […] Read more
Increase in biodiesel mandate becomes Man. election promise
Manitoba trucks may soon be burning more biodiesel. Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister has promised to increase the renewable content in diesel fuel to five percent if the Progressive Conservatives are re-elected Sept. 10. Right now, diesel fuel in Manitoba must contain two percent biodiesel. Canola industry associations praised Pallister for the biodiesel commitment, saying canola […] Read more
