BRANDON — Drier, with a hint of warmth. It sounds like a description of a fine wine, but it might also be a summary of a fine forecast for many prairie farmers this season. Drew Lerner told farmers in Brandon last week that they could expect a warmer, drier growing season than those of recent […] Read more
News
Weak loonies saves Canadian bacon from surging U.S. hog volumes
WINNIPEG — The recent weakness of the Canadian dollar has helped cushion the blow from ample American hog supply and falling U.S. prices, says a Saskatchewan government livestock economist. Brad Marceniuk says the declining Canadian loonie has helped keep the value of Canadian hogs, more attractive to outside buyers. “Canadian prices are based off U.S. […] Read more
Australian machine will be tested on prairie soil
Harrington Seed Destructor, which destroys weed seeds at harvest, will be studied under Canadian conditions
Researchers continue to explore how destroying weed seeds at harvest could tackle the growing problem of herbicide resistant weeds in Canada. Agriculture Canada has bought a Harrington Seed Destructor, a pull-behind unit from Australia that pulverizes weed seeds when combining. Though the department has yet to take delivery, University of Alberta grad student Breanne Tidemann […] Read more
It’s a slow year for crop pests … unless you live in Foremost
Alberta’s annual insect forecasts show few worrisome areas, with one notable exception
Alberta farmers may have fewer issues with cabbage seedpod weevil this year, except for those near Foremost. Grasshopper forecasts also indicate limited threat, except for those near Foremost. And as for wheat stem sawfly? Yes, Foremost could see greater numbers. The County of Forty Mile in southeastern Alberta has potential to be the insect hot […] Read moreFall phosphorus broadcasting worries researcher
Larger farms and a lack of help in the spring have resulted in more western Canadian producers choosing not to apply fertilizer during seeding. As part of the trend, growers are broadcasting phosphate in the fall to avoid the hassle of handling another product in the spring. University of Manitoba soil scientist Don Flaten worries […] Read more
Soybeans can handle excess phosphorus
Soybeans are tough. They can withstand heat, drought, drenched soils and many other stressors. However, University of Manitoba researchers were surprised to learn that beans have another tough quality: they can tolerate a relatively high rate of phosphate fertilizer next to the seed with little impact on plant stand or yield. The researchers applied 20, […] Read more
Record harvests, falling oil prices bring more affordable food
ROME (Thomson Reuters Foundation) — Record harvests and falling oil prices have helped to push food prices to a four-year low, improving the affordability of food in nearly three quarters of countries surveyed, according to data from the Economist Intelligence Unit. The new Global Food Security Index shows that world food prices dropped 2.8 percent […] Read more
Alta. NDP leader convinced election looming
Alberta’s NDP leader is “absolutely convinced” there will be a provincial election this spring. Rachel Notley said premier Jim Prentice would be breaking the spirit of the law by calling an election 14 months before legislation indicates he has to, but he will proceed anyway. “The driving force behind his decision on timing is actually […] Read more
Japan to cut beef, pork tariffs, expand rice access in TPP talks
TOKYO (Reuters) — Japan is prepared to cut its high import tariffs on beef and pork and slightly ease tight restrictions on rice imports for U.S. producers, in a rush to seal an ambitious Pacific trade deal, Japanese media said on Friday. Tokyo’s reported concessions come as talks accelerate with Washington to strike a bilateral […] Read more
All crops not equal in face of weakening Canadian dollar
WINNIPEG — With the Canadian dollar falling to its weakest levels relative to its U.S. counterpart in six years, the general sentiment holds that it should be good news for exporters, such as Canadian grain farmers. However, any net benefit may depend on what exactly is being exported and who is doing the buying, according […] Read more
