The ability to collect machine data wirelessly from farms across Canada is starting to yield practical information that can help farmers become more efficient — evidence that takes colour out of the equation to answer questions like "what's the optimal engine speed of my model XYZ combine during harvest?" or "should I use a fuel... Read More
Category: Crop Production
Optimal seeding rates for faba beans can vary from less than 3 bushels per acre to over 6 bushels per acre due to a wide range in seed size. With spring around the corner, Sherrilyn Phelps of Saskatchewan Pulse Growers stresses the importance of knowing the thousand kernel weight of faba bean seed. "Depending on... Read More
A new canola trait launched by Dow AgroSciences this week has the potential to expand the market for canola meal and change rations used for hog and poultry production. After 15 years of research, Dow has developed canola that yields canola meal with significantly higher protein content — a product more comparable to soybean meal... Read More
Pierceton, Illinois farmer Jamie Scott has been preaching the gospel of cover crops for 10 years. At the recent Innovative Farmers of Ontario annual meeting in London, Scott described how his father was his first and toughest convert. When he told Jim Scott that his idea to plant cover crops on their farm would cost... Read More
A red spring wheat variety that accounted for more than 20 percent of wheat acres in Western Canada in the early 2000s has been chosen as the 2015-16 Seed of the Year West. CDC Teal was developed by Dr. Geoff Hughes and Dr. Pierre Hucl at the University of Saskatchewan's Crop Development Centre and supported... Read More
While the number of CWRS wheat acres on the prairies is expected to drop by around 1.5 million, the trend toward more growing more high-yielding wheat varieties will continue, according to the general manager of FarmLink Marketing Solutions. Meanwhile, pea and lentil acres are expected to rise dramatically (surprise!), but seed supply will be a... Read More
A guest editorial submitted by Cam Dahl, President of Cereals Canada: It is baffling. Egypt is a country facing food shortages yet they are blocking wheat shipments from around the world. Their quarantine agency has decided to impose a zero tolerance for ergot. This is despite the fact that the contracts signed by Egypt’s central... Read More
In this week’s Word, Peter Johnson, resident agronomist for RealAgriculture, covers everything from wheat evolution to fertility, alfalfa agronomy to a rather upsetting article... Have a question for Wheat Pete? Call 1-888-746-3311, send him a tweet (@wheatpete), or email him at peter.johnson@bell.net. Highlights: Weather Dave Phillips predicting one of the ten warmest springs on record... Read More
Barley is a staple of the summer countryside in many parts of Western Canada. Whether it's Alberta beef or a cold Big Rock Traditional Ale, barley plays a major role in the value chain of food and beer production in the west. Even with all those tasty benefits of barley production, barley acres are under... Read More
What do millers want? It’s a question seed companies that develop and market wheat varieties are constantly asking. How large end users such as Mondelez International, the makers of products like Ritz crackers and Oreo cookies, answer that question has huge implications for seed companies such as C&M Seeds and wheat growers across Ontario says... Read More