Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay and his staff are looking for ways to reduce the federal agriculture budget by three per cent, in line with what's been asked of other federal departments. That's one of the pieces of information gleaned from a one-on-one interview with Minister MacAulay, recorded Thursday, Nov. 9. MacAulay says he never dreamed... Read More
Category: Crop Production
Field Bindweed is a heavily-vined, troublesome weed that can cause growers headaches when it gains a foothold in soybean fields. On this edition of the RealAgriculture Soybean School, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs weed specialist Mike Cowbrough looks at control options for the perennial pest in both identity-preserved (IP) and conventional soybeans.... Read More
James Hammerton is looking for innovative ways to increase crop production efficiency. Hammerton, who farms with his family at Sweaburg, Ont., first appeared on The Sharp Edge in 2020 to share how he uses a stripper header to harvest and prepare wheat fields for double crop soybeans. In 2023, he returns to the program with... Read More
Mother Nature is not smiling on Ontario corn growers trying to get the '23 crop out of the field. Concern over increasing DON levels is high and dry-down is slow. Plus, there's concern over rutting or compacting the fields if conditions stay wet. That's just one conversation in this week's episode of Wheat Pete's Word... Read More
There's a sense of satisfaction after tile has been installed and a field has a new drainage system. With sufficient outlet for drainage water movement, farmers can look forward to a more manageable, productive field and higher crop yields. But a new drainage system is not a "one and done" type of thing, says drainage... Read More
Aphanomyces is a destructive, persistent root disease of pulses that's wreaking havoc on pea and lentil crops in Saskatchewan, Montana and North Dakota. In the last 20 years, pulses have become a very common rotation crop for these areas, as they do well in dry conditions. However, with the introduction of more pea and lentil... Read More
The majority of senators rejected an amended version of Bill C-234 in a pivotal vote on Tuesday, clearing the path for the proposed on-farm carbon tax exemption to move ahead for third reading and one step closer to Royal Assent. The private member's bill, which was introduced by Ontario MP Ben Lobb in February 2022... Read More
Cruiser Maxx Vibrance all-in-one, pre-mixed seed treatment will be offered by Syngenta on seed potatoes for the 2024 growing season, the company says. Syngenta Canada says the fungicide and insecticide seed treatment provides protection against a broad spectrum of yield-robbing pests, including Fusarium, silver scurf, and Rhizoctonia (black scurf). “Each spring, growers receive potato seed... Read More
Like the Christmas decorations coming out at Costco, it feels like the variety and hybrid line-up decision keeps moving earlier and earlier each year. For some farmers, early decisions are vital in order to secure the exact variety, treatment, and trait package, but that decision is sometimes made before the current-year's data is compiled. To... Read More
Cover cropping is a rare practice for much of North America's Great Plains, as a general lack of moisture has limited their use on a large scale. But that doesn't mean that there aren't producers using cover crops successfully in rotation. In this episode of the Soil School, fellow Prairie dweller Kelvin Heppner tours the... Read More