The Canadian Grain Commission is considering making changes to Canada's wheat classification system, including the creation of a new class of milling wheat with lower gluten strength. The CGC says it is seeking input on a proposal that would tighten the parameters for the Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) and Canada Prairie Spring Red (CPSR)... Read More
Category: Crops
Reflecting the explosion in soybean acres in the province over the last few years, the Manitoba Pulse Growers Association announced a change to its name during its annual general meeting at the Crop Connect Conference in Winnipeg. Going forward, the group will now be known as Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers. “Our organization has evolved... Read More
Nearly 700 farmers and industry braved a very cold few days to trek to Winnipeg to attend the second annual CropConnect conference. Guests were treated to expanded tradeshow space, engaging and sometimes controversial annual general meetings, dynamic speakers, improv and, well, some of the most burnt coffee this side of the Perimeter Highway. If you... Read More
Although canola's calcium requirements are relatively high (about double the level of sulphur and phosphorous, according to the Canola Council of Canada), deficiencies are rarely seen in western Canada. When deficiencies do occur, it is often as a result of highly saturated soils, which do not allow the plant to take up adequate nutrients. That... Read More
Farmers fought hard (sometimes through deep snow that disappeared soon after) to get the 2014 Ontario corn crop off, but there's as much as 5% of the crop still standing. There's really nothing you can do about the crop being out until the snow finally melts, but farmers who have been keeping eye on their... Read More
Major commodity groups in Ontario have joined forces to make high-profile public pronouncements against the swelling tide of sentiment over their use of pesticides. But at least one organization is not in lock step with the rest Members of some of the largest farm organizations in the province, such as Grain Farmers of Ontario, Ontario... Read More
Moving UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) out of the military and industrial industries and into agriculture has piqued more than a few farmers' attentions. And for good reason — the ability to get a bird's-eye view of thousands of acres in a short time frame has nearly endless potential for field applications, but how do farmers... Read More
Depending on where you farm, between 10% and 21% of Ontario's winter wheat acres went in during the seven day extension granted by AgriCorp last fall. Seeing as the earlier the crop goes in, the higher the yield potential, don't be surprised if 2015 yields aren't stellar. That late planting may also impact stand survivalbility,... Read More
You’ve likely heard it said that we’ve got to stop treating soil like dirt. To take it a step further, Ray Archuleta wants farmers to start thinking about soil as much more than a growing medium and instead consider it a living partner of the farm. Archuleta, a soil-focused agronomist, presented at this year’s SoilSmart... Read More
Crop rotation remains the most powerful tool in the fight against clubroot disease in Western Canadian canola fields, even with new resistant varieties being brought to market. As part of this episode of the Agronomy Geeks West podcast, host Lyndsey Smith caught up with Dr. Stephen Strelkov of the University of Alberta. His work documenting... Read More