Irrigation has long been a cornerstone of southern Alberta agriculture, but tighter water supplies and rising complexity are reshaping how producers and districts manage every drop. In this episode of the Final Mile podcast, Shaun Haney speaks with John Kolk of Kolk Farms and Chris Gallagher, general manager of the Lethbridge Northern Irrigation District (LNID),... Read More
Category: Agronomy
Harvesting corn in the spring can reduce drying costs, but it’s far from risk-free. Success hinges on managing snow impact, understanding quality trade-offs, and planning ahead to protect yield potential. In this episode of Corn School, RealAgriculture agronomist Peter Johnson visits a field near Stratford, Ont., where corn has overwintered. He says the situation mirrors... Read More
Herbicide-resistant weeds continue to spread across Ontario, but agronomists warn that two species — waterhemp and Palmer amaranth — are raising the most concern as the 2026 growing season approaches. At this week’s Ridgetown Agribusiness breakfast meeting, agronomists, scientists, and ag retailers highlighted the rapid expansion of waterhemp, the emerging presence of Palmer amaranth, and... Read More
It’s a classic early April juggling act—frosty mornings, slow-to-arrive spring warmth, and just enough field opportunity to keep everyone guessing. This week, Peter "Wheat Pete" Johnson digs into frost applications, lingering corn harvests, and the big agronomy questions rolling in as the season tries to get going. From nitrogen timing to sulphur strategy and soil... Read More
Rising fertilizer prices and ongoing questions about supply have many Ontario growers watching the market closely this spring. But according to insights shared at the first Ridgetown Agribusiness breakfast meeting this week, availability—not price—may be the more important factor shaping fertilizer decisions as the 2026 planting season approaches. Southwest Ag Partners agronomist Jason Van Maanen... Read More
On this episode of The Agronomists, your host Lyndsey Smith is joined by Edgar Hammermeister of Western Ag Professional Agronomy and Marshall McDaniel of lowa State University to discuss predicting soil release of N — what factors influence the release? What tools help us judge or predict it? How do we build that N reserve... Read More
With pulse crops requiring little to no added nitrogen, growers have a unique opportunity to focus on phosphorus, potassium, and sulphur (PKS) to drive yield and support long-term soil fertility. At the same time, questions around spring moisture, yield potential and crop prices add another layer to fertility planning. In this episode of RealAgriculture’s Pulse... Read More
UPL Corp is offering pulse growers a new option to manage aphanomyces root rot, a soilborne disease that continues to pressure pea and lentil production across Canada. The company says its Rancona Trio seed treatment, when used in combination with Belmont 2.7 FS, is the only product in Canada currently providing control of the disease.... Read More
Double cropping soybeans in Ontario has long been a high-risk play, especially as you move north—but new research suggests variety selection could shift the odds. In this episode of the RealAgriculture Soybean School, host Bernard Tobin is joined by Horst Bohner, soybean specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness, to discuss how... Read More
Getting seed off to a strong, uniform start remains one of the biggest yield drivers, and John Deere is rolling out new planter technology aimed squarely at improving emergence consistency while also fine-tuning input management. At Commodity Classic in San Antonio, Texas, Anthony Styczinski, marketing manager for planters and air seeders with John Deere, outlined... Read More