U.S. Department of Agriculture researchers looked at the long-term effects of three cropping rotations in Montana — summer fallow-wheat, no-till continuous wheat and no-till wheat-pea. After crunching the data, they concluded that the wheat-pea rotation is the most sustainable. | File photo

U.S. researchers confirm no-till, pulse benefits

U.S. Department of Agriculture study finds that a no-till wheat and pea rotation is the most environmentally sustainable


WINNIPEG — American scientists have confirmed what Canadian farmers already know — zero tillage is good for the environment and for crop production. U.S. Department of Agriculture researchers looked at the long-term effects of three cropping rotations in Montana — summer fallow-wheat, no-till continuous wheat and no-till wheat-pea. After crunching the data, they concluded that […] Read more

Keystone Agricultural Producers is looking for other commodity group partners on a soil health roundtable following Senate report calling for more action on soil health improvement.  |  File photo

KAP to pursue soil health roundtable

Keystone Agricultural Producers is looking for other commodity group partners on the conservation-based initiative

Glacier FarmMedia – Keystone Agricultural Producers plans to establish a soil health roundtable, encouraged by the recent release of a Senate report on the health of Canadian soils. The report, “Critical Ground: Why Soil is Essential to Canada’s Economic, Environmental, Human and Social Health” was released by the Senate’s agriculture and forestry committee in June. […] Read more

This Sprague’s pipit was found during last year’s Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association bird survey.  |  Cameron Meuckon photo

Bird survey focuses on regenerative farming

Manitoba initiative looks at how regenerative agriculture affects bird populations, species at risk as well as biodiversity

Bird experts across the province have partnered with the Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association to conduct its second annual bird survey. Tim Poole, species at risk biologist with the provincial government, and Marissa Bedard and Meredith Stoesz from Important Bird Areas, recently wrapped up field visits to nine regenerative agriculture farms operated by members of […] Read more


A side-by-side comparison of a tilled, left, and no-till field is part of a trial on Jade Leicht’s organic farm.  |  Janelle Rudolph photo

Organic producers attempt to make no-till work

Soil microbiology, diversity and nutrient cycling among considerations if farmers want to ditch the iron, consultant says

Producers went back to biology class during a recent SaskOrganic’s field day in Spalding, Sask., and biodiversity was one of the lessons. Kevin Elmy, cover crop consultant with Imperial Seed, urged producers to design systems that will increase species diversity. A truly diverse system, he said, should include a legume, grass and a forb to […] Read more

Susterre CEO Michael Cully is shown with the company’s high pressure water jet unit that fits onto planters and opens up residue and the soil for the rest of the seed placement system.  |  John Greig photo

Water jet cuts through no-till residue

Long-term use of no-till can be a challenge in high-residue crops, leading many to throw some tillage into their fields at a regular interval. A company with roots in Australia, Canada and now the U.S. has a solution, a jet of high-pressure water to carve open the soil so that seed openers and placement technology […] Read more


The good news is that canola-based SAF qualifies for the base blender's credit of US$1.25 per gallon because it was previously approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as an eligible feedstock. The bad news is that it does not qualify for the additional 50 cent per gallon blender's credit that is up for grabs. | File photo

Canola feels there is room for improvement in U.S. SAF tax credit

The industry plans to continue lobbying the U.S. government for better access to the sustainable aviation fuel program

SASKATOON — Canada’s canola industry had a mixed reaction to new sustainable aviation fuel tax credit guidelines coming out of the United States. The good news is that canola-based SAF qualifies for the base blender’s credit of US$1.25 per gallon because it was previously approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as an eligible feedstock. […] Read more

Planting cover crops and reducing tillage are key to the USDA’s plan to slash agriculture’s 10 per cent contribution to U.S. greenhouse gas emissions as the U.S. pursues net-zero by 2050. | File photo

U.S to incentivize climate friendly farming

Farmers offered money to adopt practices that store carbon in the soil, but experts doubt the approach will be effective

WASHINGTON (Reuters) — President Joe Biden’s administration is offering farmers money to adopt practices that store carbon in the soil to fight climate change, but soil science experts and a review of U.S. Department of Agriculture research indicate doubt that the approach will be effective. Planting cover crops and reducing tillage are key to the […] Read more