Nitrogen prices across the Prairies have topped $500 per tonne for urea and with these near record prices and low commodity returns comes the temptation to cut application rates. However, cutting fertilizer rates below optimum levels will limit yields. Spring soil testing has never been as important as it is when nutrient prices sail into […] Read more
Production — page 104
Test soil before reducing fertilizer rates
Ways to tackle hidden saline problem
Salt is secretly sapping prairie soils and along with it the Canadian economy. Secret soil salinity, which lies hidden in the crop’s root zone, affects 22.25 million acres of prairie farmland, according to Agriculture Canada. Assuming those fields were planted to traditional cereal and oilseed crops, the problem would cost the Canadian economy as much […] Read more
Tile drainage pays dividends
MACGREGOR, Man. – Canola on Almassippi, which is loamy, fine sandy soil in Manitoba, averaged five to 10 bushels an acre in the rainy conditions of this past summer. While some fields were not even that lucky, a few did hit the 15 bu. mark. However, adjacent tile-drained fields on the same soil averaged 50 […] Read more
Soil permeability: It’s all in the numbers
Deciding whether it’s economically viable to tile drain is not simply a matter of looking at a muddy field and saying, “I sure as heck want to fix that.” Crop value is an obvious factor that goes into the equation, but another factor that may not be as well understood is soil permeability. Soil that […] Read more
Salvaging saline water, soils
Nestled in the hills of California’s San Joaquin Valley, a tranquil pond invites flocks of ruddy ducks, pintails, and shovelers to feed at its shores. The water is crawling with the larvae of brine flies and midges that these waterfowl love. But this pond doesn’t constitute the ideal refuge. White, encrusted salts can be seen […] Read more
Land rental agreements should be reviewed annually
With harvest done and fall work wrapped up, many farmers and landowners are considering their land rental arrangements for next year. Landlords are concerned with receiving a fair return on their land and ensuring that the tenant is a good steward. Tenants are worried that they could lose the rental property if the neighbours offer […] Read more
Seed dormancy model gives inside scoop
Uniform seedling emergence is critical to stand establishment and production in forage crops, but a lack of comparative data between what happens in the lab and in the field made seeding practices more of a trial and error process, until now. A recent Agriculture Development Fund research project conducted by the University of Saskatchewan has […] Read more
New Product
Grain grading system SGS Canada will provide certified grade determination using its Accu-Grade grain grading system. The grain sample documentation and shipping system includes pre-paid shipping from anywhere in Western Canada. Grading results will be returned by mail, fax or e-mail within 10 days. Samples are clearly and concisely listed on an SGS grade advice […] Read more
Liquid cart performs many tasks
WAPELLA, Sask. – In the late 1990s, Dwayne Wolf from Wapella, Sask., was using a Flexi-Coil air seeder with a tow-behind tank for seed and dry fertilizer. He wanted to add more seeding capacity by using the air tank just for seed and switching to a liquid fertilizer program, so he built his own tow-between […] Read more
Chilean producer renews soil, farm profits
NISKU, Alta. – Carlos Crovetto says the soil was already worn out in 1953 when he took over the Chequen Farm in the mountains 400 kilometres south of Santiago, Chile. “This is why agriculture was hardly a profitable activity,” the successful Chilean farmer said during the Direct Seeding Advantage workshop held in Nisku, Alta., on […] Read more
