A valuable tool for managing insect pests, such as flea beetles and grasshoppers, is back in the toolbox for 2025. As reported earlier this month, Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) has effectively lifted a two-year ban on spraying insecticides containing lambda-cyhalothrin on crops that could be destined for livestock feed. Lambda-cy products, sold... Read More
Category: Agronomy
A high-quality wheat crop starts before the seed is even planted, by choosing the best seed lot possible. A seed with excellent germination, strong vigour, and freedom from and protection against key pathogens is more likely to achieve strong emergence and a healthy plant establishment. This year's seed quality reflects the growing conditions of the... Read More
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times — that pretty much tells the tale of the 2024 edible bean season in the Ontario and Manitoba growing areas. With a cool, windy spring, Manitoba Ag pulse and soybean specialist Dennis Lange says he never expected to see record edible crops in... Read More
In 10 years of answering your questions, observing farm changes, and navigating agronomy, what has changed for Peter "Wheat Pete" Johnson? Well, he's got a few more grey hairs and perhaps an extra wrinkle or two, but the fundamentals of growing high-yielding crops haven't changed much from episode 1 to 500 of The Word, says... Read More
Manure has been used as fertilizer for a very long time; however, with the advent of fewer mixed farms and access to commercial fertilizer, which is easier to transport and often easier to apply, nearly all farmers have moved away from using manure as the primary source of fertilizer on their operations. That being said,... Read More
Understanding the prevalence of flea beetles in a canola field can make a big difference when it comes to management decisions in that field. This number-one insect pest of canola can quickly multiply in number and — with the right environmental conditions — move from below to well-above an economic threshold in a single day.... Read More
Keeping fields clean is job one, especially with less competitive crops, such as pulses or even corn. But flushing weeds and herbicide-resistant weeds create headaches for growers every spring. Is there a better option than in-crop control? Ladies and gentleman, herbicide layering has entered the chat. For this episode of The Agronomists, host Lyndsey Smith... Read More
The Canadian Alliance for Net-Zero Agri-food (CANZA) has announced a $4 million effort, with backing from the federal government, Maple Leaf Foods, and Nutrien, to develop and scale tools to measure, report, and verify (MRV) soil carbon, potentially unlocking new sources of revenue for farmers. The development of a simple MRV system "will allow farmers... Read More
In spring 2021, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) announced funding to expand its Living Labs initiative to every province. Today, organizations tasked with connecting farmers, scientists, and other stakeholders to advance sustainable, environmentally friendly on-farm practices and technologies are starting to see preliminary results. One such organization is Food Water Wellness Foundation in Alberta. Kim... Read More
Ontario's relatively youthful soils are less prone to micronutrient deficiencies, but there are situations where soil characteristics can lead to low levels of key micros in farm fields, says University of Guelph associate professor Dr. John Lauzon. Speaking at the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association’s MicroSmart Deep Dive meeting in Kingston, Ont., Lauzon noted... Read More