Plans for January 2024 in Saskatoon are now a mere shadow of the glory years. | File photo

Saskatoon farm show shadow of its former self

For those seeking top agriculture-related speakers each January, Saskatoon used to be the leading prairie location. Gradually, that distinction has been lost to events in the neighbouring provinces. For years, Saskatoon hosted Crop Production Week with big and small crop commissions holding annual meetings along with speaker programs. The meetings coincided with the Western Canadian […] Read more

Wind warnings have been frequent this winter in southern Alberta with gusts of more than 100 km-h in some locations. The strong winds are quick to destroy flags and move anything that isn’t heavy or nailed down.  |  Mike Sturk photo

Weather outlook unpredictable

Drew Lerner’s 2017 weather forecast for Western Canada came with a larger-than-usual caveat. “This is the absolute worst time for me to come up and speak to you guys because everything is in flux,” the president of World Weather Inc. told delegates attending CropSphere, an event held Jan. 9-11 in Saskatoon. There is no El […] Read more

The quality of winter wheat grown in Western Canada is excellent, but consistency of supply has been an ongoing challenge.  |  File photo

Could earlier fall seeding boost winter wheat?

Winter wheat production in Saskatchewan appears to have stabilized, but acreage is still well below historical levels. Officials with the Saskatchewan Winter Cereals Development Commission say 260,000 aces of winter wheat were planted last fall. That is on par with 2014 but well below 2013 levels, when Saskatchewan wheat growers planted more than 600,000 acres. […] Read more


The University of Saskatchewan's Crop Development Centre  has announced another major funding agreement to support its plant breeding programs. | saskwheatcommission.com screencap

SaskWheat, SeCan, U of S sign research deal

The University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre has announced another major funding agreement to support its plant breeding programs. CDC has signed a multi-year funding agreement with the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission and SeCan. The deal will see SaskWheat and SeCan commit as much as $3.5 million in cash and in-kind contributions over 10 years. […] Read more

For the next two or three years at least, established standbys such as Metcalfe and Copeland will likely remain the most widely produced malting barley varieties in Western Canada. |File photo

New barley varieties slowly gaining traction

A handful of newer malting barley varieties are beginning to gain traction among brewers and foreign buyers of Canadian malt and malting barley. But as usual, acceptance is slow and it will take time to develop stable, established markets. For the next two or three years at least, established standbys such as Metcalfe and Copeland […] Read more


Saskatchewan agriculture minister Lyle Stewart announced a $7 million funding package to a meeting at CropSphere. | Michael Raine photo

Sask. crop research receives $7 million

Forty Saskatchewan crop research projects got the good news about funding yesterday in Saskatoon. “Funding for these projects ensures the long-term success of this industry and the province,” Saskatchewan agriculture minister Lyle Stewart said while announcing the $7 million funding package to a meeting at CropSphere. ALL of our CropSphere/Crop Week coverage is available here […] Read more

WP reporter Brian Cross talks winter wheat with the chair of the Sask. Winter Wheat Development Commission. |Brian Cross photo

VIDEO: A number of factors affecting winter wheat acreage

Dale Hicks, chair of Sask. Winter Cereals Development Commission talks about winter wheat acreage, the factors affecting that acreage, the impact and spread of fusarium and more at Crop Production Week, Jan. 11, 2016 in Saskatoon. ALL of our CropSphere/Crop Week coverage is available here



There was a full house for Marlene Boersch's crop market outlook on Jan. 13, 2015 during Cropsphere. | Robin Booker photo

Cropsphere/Crop Production Week

One of the biggest weeks in western Canadian grains and oilseeds brings together nearly every facet of production and association in the industry. Crop Week, CropSphere and Crop Production Show unite to make Saskatoon one-stop shopping for farmer information and organization business January 11 through 15. Western Producer’s staff, along with the rest of the […] Read more

By using many plant varieties in his cover crops, Garry Richards said he is able to reduce the inputs needed on his farm, including fertilizer, herbicides and fungicides. | Robin Booker photo.

Video: A cover crop cocktail that builds soil

On his farm in Bangor, Sask. Garry Richards uses what he calls a cover crop cocktail, which is a cover crop that has many plant species in it. For example, one of his blends is, in pounds per acre: 1.0 turnip, 1.0 radish, 2.0 buckwheat, 2.0 sunflower, 5.0 millet, 25.0 peas, 2.0 annual ryegrass, 25.0 […] Read more