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 moreWP100 Research
Producer moves on after serious farm accident
Farmer learned invaluable lessons, which he now passes on to others, after he was caught in a swather reel 20 years ago
A beautiful July day is perfect for swathing. Friday, July 20, 2001, was no exception. Ernie Penney, who operates a mixed farm just outside Moose Jaw, went out before 9 a.m. to swath hay. The day before, Penney had battled the new-to-him used 800 self-propelled John Deere swather that kept plugging on the fine hay. […] Read more
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
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
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
Fed-up Ontario farmer seeks move to Prairies
WINNIPEG — Rob Glover is done with Ontario. The 33 year old would like to own and operate a farm near his hometown of Peterborough, but the math doesn’t make sense. To purchase 100 acres and run a small herd of beef cattle, the price tag for the land could be $1.5 to $2 million […] Read more
Is Canadian agriculture a greenhouse gas giant or an economic engine?
WINNIPEG — Farming may be Canada’s economic engine or a significant source of greenhouse gases that threaten the planet. It all depends on who you ask. Two reports were released in early December, one from the National Farmers Union and the other from Grain Farmers of Ontario. The NFU report focused on greenhouse gas emissions […] Read more
Clean energy decision could soon impact oilseed markets
June promises to be momentous for the oilseed market, including canola, and for the future of bio-based diesel and aviation fuel as American lawmakers make several important decisions. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency last week sent to the White House its final rule regulating biofuel blending for 2023-25. The first public release of the EPA’s […] Read more
