CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., Jan 31 (Reuters) – – An unmanned Delta 2 rocket lifted off from California on Saturday carrying a NASA satellite to measure moisture in the top layer of the Earth’s soil, data to be used in weather-forecasting and tracking of global climate change. Soil moisture is a variable that binds together all […] Read more
News
NASA satellite to measure water in Earth’s soil sent into orbit
Aggressive herd expansion reverses shrinking U.S. cattle supply
By Theopolis Waters CHICAGO, Jan 30 (Reuters) – Affordable feed and record-high spikes in cattle prices in 2014 encouraged ranchers to increase their herds at a faster pace than previously expected during the past year, analysts said in response to a government yearly cattle report on Friday. Expansion efforts by producers helped turnaround the seven-year […] Read more
Railways appalled at ag shippers’ critical report
Officials with Canadian Pacific Railway have raised a red flag over a recent report on rail performance commissioned by a coalition of agricultural shippers in Western Canada. On Jan. 27, the Ag Transport Coalition — comprised of producer groups and grain shippers — released a report suggesting that the country’s major railway companies are providing […] Read more
In Depth: Crop Week, 2015
Crop Week is a busy time for Saskatoon-based staff at The Western Producer. The producer meetings at Cropsphere, Crop Production Week, and Western Canadian Crop Production Show generate a lot of stories for us. Also, with the inevitable government announcements and the new products and technologies showcased WCCPS, we are simply unable to […] Read more
March canola falls 1.7 percent on the week
Canola futures again beat the general downward trend in crops markets on Friday thanks to the weak Canadian dollar and a bounce back in soy oil. March canola today closed at $453.40 a tonne, up $4.30 and May closed at $449.40, up $3.30. Today’s gain lessened the damage for the week. Between the close last […] Read more
U.S. pork plant program draws criticism, Hormel petition
(Reuters) — Processing lines at some U.S. hog slaughterhouses are moving too fast for inspectors to adequately address contamination and food safety concerns, according to an advocacy group that says it has obtained affidavits from four government meat inspectors. In the affidavits, released Friday by the Government Accountability Project, a “whistle-blower protection” organization, the inspectors […] Read more
Why a falling loonie is good for farmers
The sudden slump of the loonie is helping turn what once looked like a break-even year into something that could push farmers back into the black. The outlook for most farmers is much better than many expected last summer, even with livestock prices falling hard following recent records and crop prices well beneath levels of […] Read more
CME live cattle futures post gains after wild ride, hogs mixed
By Theopolis Waters CHICAGO, Jan 30 (Reuters) – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures finished higher on Friday after an up-and-down session, ultimately supported by short-covering and futures’ discounts to cash prices, traders said. February closed 1.325 cents per pound higher at 154.850 cents, and April up 1.775 cents to 152.275 cents. This week, packers […] Read more
Reduced axle load lowers tractor impact
Soil compaction research finds no advantage to tracked tractors over conventional machines
Tracked tractors don’t reduce soil compaction, says an Alberta government official. Lawrence Papworth of Alberta Agriculture’s livestock production and energy section said many producers think tracks will limit the problem, but research shows otherwise. “In general, there is no difference between soil compaction with track tractors and wheel tractors,” he told a Jan. 20 Manure […] Read more
New variety offers protection against evolving clubroot
Canterra Seeds says CS2000 performs better than existing varieties, which are susceptible to new clubroot strain in Alberta
Canterra Seeds is launching the first hybrid canola that is resistant to the latest strain of the clubroot pathogen. CS2000 has intermediate resistance to the 5X pathotype that was discovered in pockets of one field in the Edmonton area in 2013. Canterra president David Hansen said growers will be able to buy seed in time […] Read more
