Spraying for the lesser clover leaf weevil is not only easier on pollinators but also provides more effective pest control
Forage and seed producers heard about the benefits of night spraying for red clover crops during the Saskatchewan Forage Seed Development Commission’s recent annual meeting. The commission conducted two on-farm experiments of night spraying in June 2021. Graham Parsons, pollinator biosecurity specialist with the Saskatchewan agriculture department, identified the pollinators that benefit from nighttime pesticide […] Read moreNews
Forage seed sector faces challenges
Markets were an important issue for producers and experts at the Saskatchewan Forage Seed Development Commission’s annual general meeting in White Fox, Sask., held last month. Members from different growing regions across the Prairies and from around the world spoke about what the markets were like for producers in their areas. Dale Risula, provincial specialist […] Read more
More farm security measures suggested
A new report from the House of Commons agriculture committee recommends stronger defences when it comes to diseases like avian influenza, BSE, foot and mouth disease and African swine fever. The report, Protecting Against Animal Biosecurity Risks: The State of Canada’s Preparedness, included seven recommendations to combat existing and future disease concerns. The committee’s interest […] Read more
U.S. corn growers get good aviation fuel news
Government approves a calculation that allows ethanol-based sustainable aviation fuel to be eligible for tax credits
REUTERS — U.S. president Joe Biden’s administration said last month it will recognize a methodology favoured by the ethanol industry in guidance to companies looking to claim tax credits for sustainable aviation fuel. It marks a pivotal win for the powerful U.S. corn lobby. However, the administration will also update the methodology by March 1, […] Read more
Wool harvest – photo essay
Members of the Granum Colony sheared more than 950 sheep over a day and half in mid-December at the colony’s new barn 10 kilometres east of Claresholm, Alta., and 25 km from the colony. The wool will be shipped to California. One of the benefits of the new location is the Claresholm solar farm, where […] Read more
Global fertilizer supply chain hits another snag
Drought in Brazil prompts producers there to use less fertilizer, denting sales in an industry already facing challenges
SAO PAULO, Brazil (Reuters) — Brazil’s drought is causing farmers there to delay fertilizer purchases for their upcoming corn-planting season, denting sales for global fertilizer suppliers in the world’s top corn-exporting country, executives told Reuters. Brazil’s soybean harvest is already delayed and that hold-up may push back planting for the main corn season that follows […] Read more
Research explores plant breeding predictability
Study indicates that the role of background mutations demands greater reassessment when developing new varieties
For about 80,000 years, evolution has shaped cherry-sized tomatoes that first originated in Ecuador. Farming and crop breeding led to bigger, sweeter varieties as they spread in popularity and diversity of uses. Now, CRISPR gene editing can create new mutations with even greater improvements on desired traits. But none of these mutations, whether natural or […] Read more
Oats prefer side-banded nitrogen
WINNIPEG — Side-banding nitrogen and seed-placing phosphorus pays off for oat crops, new Saskatchewan research shows. “We’ve determined that side-banding nitrogen is better for oat yields,” Brianne McInnes, operations manager for the Northeast Agriculture Research Foundation, said in an interview at the Prairie Oat Growers Association annual convention. Side-banding rather than mid-row placement gave an […] Read more
Vital root hair growth gene discovered
Root hairs function as an extension of a plant’s root tips. They increase the surface area of plant roots, helping them extract more water and nutrients from the soil. Recently, scientists at Washington State University discovered a gene that drives the growth of root hairs. The gene causes faster-growing, denser webs of root hairs to […] Read more
Interest rate relief expected
Canada’s largest agricultural lender says Canadian farmers can expect to see interest rate relief in the coming year. In a macroeconomic snapshot released in December, Farm Credit Canada said it expects to see rate cuts totalling 75 basis points (three quarters of a percent) in the latter half of 2024. That’s despite strong economic performance […] Read more
