With climate change, the potential and need for water management has grown dramatically, but we’re still a long way away from making most of these water management and risk reduction potentials a reality.
Worry about recession weighs down commodity markets
It seems markets have got into a funk worrying about the potential for a recession and are betting that demand for commodities, including crops, will be restrained. Crop markets have also replaced the panic caused by Russia invading Ukraine with a more calm assessment. Prices for most major crops have returned to levels similar to […] Read more
Mustard acres expected to increase this year
Analysts say the market could experience over-supply problems if the anticipated acreage produces even an average crop
Scott Cunningham, general manager of Schlüter & Maack Canada, thinks a safer bet is around 600,000 acres, which is still a healthy increase over last year’s 555,000 acres.
Bigger farms may prompt uncomfortable questions
Clearly, this is a trend that isn’t likely to go away, so it’s important for the agricultural sector to figure out how it should be managed.
Engaging with public good way to boost understanding of ag
One of the most enduring memories I have from elementary school is when a classmate brought a dairy calf for show and tell. I still remember that day nearly 40 years later: how the calf’s tongue felt on my fingers and how interesting it was to hear my classmate’s father tell us about their dairy […] Read more
GHG debate needs debit-credit balance
The home plate in baseball is 17 inches wide. I listened to a presentation by the University of Saskatchewan agricultural economist Richard Gray at the end of March. In his submission, he suggested there was an error in greenhouse gas emission accounting. Kevin Hursh mentioned this in his column on page 11 of the April […] Read more
When anything can happen and probably will
Our language, and how we say things, has borrowed much from the world of sports. Sayings such as “a win is a win,” “we gave it 110 percent” and “take one for the team” are commonplace. One of my favourites is used as an attempt to cover all our bases (see, there’s another one): “any […] Read more
Farm expansion becomes increasingly difficult
People often decry the monumental obstacles faced by a young person wanting to start farming. They make starting a farm sound like some fundamental right. It isn’t. Neither is owning your own home in a big city.
Wheat midge risk remains
Wheat midge populations are influenced by many factors, including parasitism, overwintering conditions and spring moisture conditions.
Varroa mite resistance to Apivar is increasing
Replacement products must be able to kill varroa mites without harming honeybees or affecting food safety for humans
Rod Scarlett, executive director of the Canadian Honey Council. “It is quite possible that the life expectancy of this particular chemical might only be a couple more years.”
