Lower commodity prices will likely lead farmers to adopt technology and practices that maximize fertilizer efficacy, says the head of a North Dakota-based precision ag machinery manufacturer. Speaking at the AgriInnovation Forum in Winnipeg last week, Howard Dahl, president and CEO of Amity Technology, said he sees a period of tighter margins driving producers to... Read More
Category: Agronomy
Yesterday, the Ontario premier's office and the ministry of the environment and climate change revealed its plan to restrict the use of neonicotinoid seed treatments. The goal, referred to as "aspirational," is to reduce the number of Ontario corn and soybean acres planted with the seed treatment by 80% by the year 2017. The details... Read More
The Ministries of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and Environment and Climate Change announced today plans aimed at reducing by 80% the number of acres planted to corn and soybeans using neonicotinoid-treated seed by 2017, a level of reduction that equates to a de-facto ban, according to farm groups. The province says it will consult... Read More
Whether it’s your favourite ag website, the radio or newspaper, Twitter, your area sales rep or the local ag extension office, farmers in Canada and most developed countries have many sources to turn to for expertise. Never mind scarcity, information overload is often a problem. But imagine farming without electricity, without a computer, without the... Read More
Why do we speed when we know it’s wrong? Why do we text while driving? Why smoke, when we know it’s bad? Why continue overusing traditional chemistry herbicide applications when we know they’re causing problems? That’s what Canadian weed scientists want to know. They’re getting frustrated with what seems to be farmers’ general unwillingness to... Read More
Potentially containing a mycotoxin known as DON (deoxynivalenol), fusarium-affected wheat can be a challenge to market, and a safety hazard to handle. But, new work suggests sorting tactics could help improve sample quality. Rex Newkirk is the vice president of research and innovation at Canadian International Grains Institute (CIGI) and has been heavily involved in... Read More
31-33% moisture: that's when corn reaches physiological maturity, or black layering, according to Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). But, harvesting corn above 28% can result in damage to the grain, difficult marketing and the burdens of attempting to dry in storage. This late in the season, stalk quality may make the... Read More
Several incredibly important and effective crop fungicides, including those that suppress fusarium in cereals, could be banned from use in the European Union soon. While this is an immediate concern for European farmers who could lose access to certain insecticide and fungicide classes, the ramifications for Canada could translate to over a billion dollars in... Read More
Welcome to the first episode of an exciting new four-part series on Real Agriculture — Beyond the Bushel. In this series, we'll take you on an in-depth exploration of the wheat and barley value chain in Western Canada. While wheat is a very familiar crop, and one that grows well over much of the world,... Read More
Bill C-18 — the proposed legislation that includes changes to plant breeders' rights — continues to move through Parliament, despite the New Democrats saying they'll vote against it. During the Report Stage in the House of Commons on Monday, Opposition Agriculture Critic Malcolm Allen introduced 51 motions to delete all 51 clauses of the bill... Read More