"If you can't measure it, you can't manage it." While this business principle seems to apply more to hard numbers and bushels per acre, it applies just as perfectly to rangeland production. Beyond just grass tonnage or pounds of growth per acre, there are several other outputs of rangeland production that should be assessed, measured... Read More
Category: Crop Production
Do you wash your seeder out when you're done planting? Have you taken the pressure off your tank lids? Are the chains, bearings and grease-points protected from the elements? A few weeks ago we published an article addressing what you need to do to prepare machinery for storage (including a section on preventing rodent infestations... Read More
For many farmers, seeing corn production top 200 or 250 bushels an acre simply leaves them wondering, "Why can't wheat get over 100, 150 bushels an acre?" Winter wheat can, and certainly spring wheat does now and again, but not consistently enough to pull the averages up even into the high 90s for many farms.... Read More
After watching the throne speech yesterday I quickly remembered back to a conversation that I had with Gerry Ritz back in January at Farmtech regarding Canada implementing UPOV 91. (Canada's plant breeder's rights system is currently based on the 1978 convention). On several occasions Minister Ritz was very confident Canada would conform to the UPOV... Read More
Research is often seen as an investment in new technology development, in whirring instruments or the roar of equipment. That might make it easy to forget that new technology results from new knowledge. And knowledge is key to preserving and advancing modern family farms. That reminder comes courtesy of Mildmay, ON dairy farmer Ralph Dietrich.... Read More
As the growing season winds down, it's time to think about the best parts of winter — planning for next season and conferences! (My version of "best" my differ from yours). One of the highlights of the conference season has to be FarmTech, where farmers are challenged to evaluate their current production practices and, perhaps,... Read More
2013 was a big year for western Canadian cereal crops, and with big yield can come big problems with toppling over. Lodging risk is a complicated mixture of genetics, a nutrient imbalance, nutrient deficiency, improper seeding rate or a combination of these factors. Having all those things in check is key, but if you still... Read More
Swede midge larvae and symptoms were spotted in much of northeastern Saskatchewan this summer, concerning producers and agronomists alike. This isn't the first time there has been concern over their movement, however. Three adult midge were found in Saskatchewan in 2007, only seven years after first being identified in Ontario, where their spread has been... Read More
A clean start at planting can mean a fall herbicide application, even well into October if conditions are right. Fall weed control is the equivalent of a pre-plant burn-off for winter wheat, for one, but it's also the best time to get a hold of several weeds, including perennials like dandelion and constantly germinating Canada... Read More
The Canola Council of Canada released a report today that demonstrates the recent growth in canola’s contribution to the Canadian economy, pegging it at $19.3 billion. "Demand for canola is growing as the world seeks healthier oils and more protein. Producers and industry are meeting that challenge and canola has become a powerful engine in... Read More