How much more resilient and productive are soils with higher organic matter content? A quick review of available research and a look at farm fields paints a pretty clear picture of the power of soil organic matter, says University of Minnesota soil extension specialist Jodi DeJong-Hughes. On this episode of the RealAgriculture Soil School, DeJong-Hughes... Read More

Effective scouting and timely decision-making remain the foundation of managing insect pests in canola, particularly when it comes to bertha armyworm and cabbage seedpod weevil. In this episode of the Canola School, recorded at Canola Week in Saskatoon, RealAgriculture’s Amber Bell spoke with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research scientist Meghan Vankosky about how growers can... Read More

Integrating cover crops into cash crop systems doesn’t have to mean adding livestock or completely reworking existing farm practices. Saskatchewan agronomist Kerry Nell says on this episode of Farming Forward that integrating a cover crop successfully requires a practical, low-disruption approach to balance limited water resources, tight seeding windows, and short growing seasons. He's seeing... Read More

On this episode of The Agronomists, host Lyndsey Smith is joined by Aaron Daigh of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and Ian McDonald of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Agribusiness to talk about soil water infiltration and the impact of compaction. Up for discussion: soil dynamics, soil aggregates, the role of macropores, infiltration rates,... Read More

A clean start remains one of the most important steps in a canola production plan, and for many growers that begins with a timely pre-seed herbicide application. In west-central Saskatchewan, Carl deConinck Smith says taking out early flushes of weeds protects valuable soil moisture and nutrients while setting the stage for a more efficient in-crop... Read More

By Michael Bourque When the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) launched its modernization of the Fertilizer Regulations in 2020, it set out to reduce regulatory burden, increase clarity, and support innovation. Some of their early moves were very positive: reducing the number of products that required regulatory review, reducing the frequency of product registrations, and... Read More

This week’s episode of Wheat Pete’s Word features snow complaints, yield highs and lows, and some fascinating developments in nitrogen-fixing wheat. Host Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson delivers updates from the field, research trials, and social media chatter—with his usual blend of insight, storytelling, and agronomic know-how. Smile at someone, shovel snow (again), and read on... Read More

Corn leaf diseases love wet weather, but regardless of the environmental conditions there are always one or two disease pathogens that will thrive during the summer months. On this episode of the RealAgriculture Corn School, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness plant pathologist Albert Tenuta shines the spotlight on five of the most common... Read More