Category: Agronomy

Spring is coming, and it always seems to creep up a little quicker than anticipated. After the year that was 2019, many producers are wondering how they are going to best deal with their soils moving into the season. Many across the Prairies that traditionally put down fall fertilizer or do tillage operations in the... Read More

Data collected between 2008 and 2015 by Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corp suggests many farmers in the province are using tight rotations, or no rotation at all (coyly referred to as a "canola-snow" rotation). "The tight rotations that we are talking about — canola, wheat, canola, wheat — are in the northeast of the province and... Read More

A Manitoba tile drainage pipe-manufacturing facility is back in the hands of its original owners. Winkler, Man.-based Precision Land Solutions (PLS) announced today that it has re-acquired the high density polyethylene pipe-making plant at Winkler from Prinsco, which has operated pipe-manufacturing facilities across the U.S. since the 1970s. PLS originally established the plant in 2012,... Read More

Wide vs. narrow rows — which is best for top yields? As always, it depends. It depends on the crop you're growing, your climate, and the architecture of the variety or hybrid you choose. There are other factors too, as discussed in this episode of Wheat Pete's Word, with host Peter Johnson. Available equipment, what... Read More

The University of Calgary's School of Public Policy (SPP) has announced the creation of the Simpson Centre for Agricultural and Food Innovation and Public Education. The Centre is named after Calgary rancher and businessman John Simpson, who contributed more than $5 million to establish the school. “Several years ago, the school launched an initiative to... Read More

One of the questions that come up this time of the year, when it comes to the growing season, is — what do the pest forecasts look like for 2020? Boyd Mori, assistant professor in agricultural entomology, at the University of Alberta, was at FarmTech in Edmonton, Alta, and broke down the top 5 insects... Read More

Crop planning is well underway in the Prairies, and you may be in the middle of choosing what crop will go where. Of course, there are many things to consider, but looking at your soils is a large part — especially if you are growing pulses. Nevin Rosaasen, policy and program specialist with Alberta Pulse... Read More

Weed surveys conducted in the Canadian Prairies since the early 2000s have tracked the incidence of herbicide resistance over time, and it's not looking good. "In general, what we're seeing is herbicide resistance is increasing on the Prairies," says Charles Geddes, research scientist, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. "Currently, we're sitting at — in Saskatchewan —... Read More

Sweet potatoes are grown on 2,300 acres across Canada, and with breeding efforts now producing varieties adapted to Canadian growing conditions, the crop boasts the potential for greater profits and sustainability. Leading those research efforts is Valerio Primomo, a vegetable breeder based at Ontario's Vineland Research and Innovation Centre. At the recent Ontario Certified Crop... Read More