Soybean growers in Western Canada and the Northern U.S. have been up early over the last few mornings checking how low temperatures dropped overnight. The thermometer has dipped below the freezing mark in some areas, with damage to soybeans depending on a number of factors, including maturity. As part of this Soybean School West episode,... Read More

In many Canadian communities, fire departments are struggling to recruit and retain qualified staff, largely because the "staff" are actually volunteers. According to the Office of the Fire Commissioner, there are 14 000 firefighters in Alberta alone, with volunteers accounting for 80% of that workforce, in 450 volunteer-operated fire departments across the province. When responding... Read More

Snow and freezing temperatures arrived earlier than welcomed in parts of Western Canada this week. We also saw a bearish market report from the USDA and some new developments surrounding the privatization of the Canadian Wheat Board. It was also a week on the road for the RealAg team, as Shaun, Lyndsey and Bern attended... Read More

Keeping with the bearish trend in the grain markets, the USDA reported higher than expected corn and soybean yields and production in its monthly supply/demand report released on Thursday morning. The average U.S. corn yield was pegged at a record 171.7 bushels per acre, with total production of 14.4 billion bushels. For soybeans, the average... Read More

The possible arrival of the first widespread killing frost in Western Canada this week has implications for livestock producers looking to maximize feed quality for their animals. Freezing temperatures can cause nitrates to accumulate in cereal species grown for greenfeed, which can be toxic to cattle (more info here on the SaskAg website.) However, management... Read More

Today, in Woodstock, Ontario, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and Dave MacKenzie, Member of Parliament for Oxford, announced an investment of $1.6 million to the Canadian Livestock Genetics Association (CLGA) to help open new export markets for Canadian dairy and small ruminants genetics. Last year, the Canadian dairy, sheep and goat industries generated over $120 million... Read More