Plants communicate. So much so, that they actually sense weed competition and reduce yield potential even before they emerge from the ground. It may sound like science fiction, but it's just one of the many scientific facts that University of Guelph weed scientist Dr. Clarence Swanton has helped prove during his 35-year career. Over the... Read More
Category: Crop Production
A difficult harvest will push farmers to figure out ways to allow a little more harvesting done or protect what is already in the bin. Getting grain fit to store safely is always a challenge, but if a dryer is at capacity or not an option, can supplemental heat be enough? Rene Deschamps, with Ag... Read More
Joining four other like-minded grower organizations, Winter Cereals Manitoba Inc (WCMI) is exploring potential amalgamation. WCMI directors Doug Martin and Allan Olinyk have jumped on and joined the farmer-led steering committee consisting of other directors from the Manitoba Corn Growers Association (MCGA), Manitoba Flax Growers Association (MFGA), National Sunflower Association of Canada (NSAC), and the... Read More
While corn yields are quite good across much of Ontario, the level of DON — a mycotoxin produced by gibberella infection — in some of the tonnage coming off fields is just too high to easily market the grain. There's been much frustration over testing procedures at the elevator, questions on crop insurance, and conflicting... Read More
Air seeders are getting bigger at the same time that farmers are applying more total product per acre. Is the distribution system that worked well on a 36-foot air seeder up to the task of evenly distributing 300-plus pounds of seed and fertilizer across an 86 foot air drill? Not likely. Dale Leftwich, RealAgriculture's Saskatchewan... Read More
La Coop fédérée has concluded its acquisition of the grain and crop input assets of Cargill in Ontario — an acquisition slightly delayed after the Competition Bureau ruled against the company's original proposal. Earlier this fall, the bureau identified four sites that would have to be sold off by La Coop in order for the... Read More
What if you could take a scan of your grain bin and know the condition of each bushel inside that bin? And what if you could do this even if the bin held 500,000 or even a million bushels? Grain Viz has taken technology originally designed for breast cancer research and brought it to the... Read More
Grain Farmers of Ontario plans to purchase grain baggers to assist in "short term storage of corn for farmer-members." The producer organization, representing Ontario's 28,000 barley, corn, oat, soybean and wheat farmers, met with Ernie Hardeman, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, late last week to address the high DON corn crisis in Ontario.... Read More
Ontario's agriculture minister is asking the province's corn growers who have high vomitoxin levels in their crop to focus efforts on harvesting their good corn first. Late last week, Minister Ernie Hardeman called together industry stakeholders to look for solutions and creative ideas to help manage escalating mycotoxin levels in the crop that has turned... Read More
MacDon is well known for its header offerings for cereal and pulse crops but, until now, it has not had a presence in the corn industry. That is all about to change. MacDon recently acquired Harvest Tech which the company says will help expanded its product line into some additional areas. RealAgriculture's Dale Leftwich had... Read More