While there have been a few days lately where cattle values have ended the day in the green, the trend is still headed lower. And quickly. Cattle futures are now at levels we haven't seen since the fourth quarter of 2010. "We haven't been here for a long time. We really weren't expecting these levels... Read More
Category: Podcasts
There are revolutionary developments happening in the world of molecular biology that could soon make their way to the farm or field. That is, if society allows it. Chances are you've seen a headline containing the terms 'gene editing' or 'CRISPR' in the last year or two. It likely involved a scientist excited about how... Read More
The impact of a carbon tax is on the minds of many Canadian farmers. It’ll be up to the provinces to decide how federal carbon pricing applies to agriculture, as we’ll hear from the federal agriculture minister. There are pros and cons to cover crops, while harvest is a mess in much of Western Canada... Read More
Frost over the Thanksgiving weekend has put an end to the growing season, and should help with drying down soybeans, as Peter Johnson kicks off this week's Word with an update on soybeans and corn. From there, he offers some timely advice on fall burdock control, disease considerations in cover crops and — of course,... Read More
The Manitoba government is planning to implement a carbon pricing system with the goal of reducing emissions, but what it will look like has yet to be determined. Unlike her colleague from next-door Saskatchewan, Manitoba's minister of sustainable development did not walk out of the federal/provincial/territorial environment ministers meeting in protest last week when Prime... Read More
For a peek at the future of the U.S. dairy industry and the potential impact of the November presidential election, who better to ask than Orion Samuelson? The dean of U.S. farm broadcasting, who grew up on a Wisconsin dairy farm, has been on the air at Chicago’s WGN Radio since 1960 and offers a... Read More
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shared his directive for a national price on carbon on this week. Farmers and farm groups are concerned agriculture and food could be hard hit by a tax on carbon emissions... Ontario farmers are also concerned rising hydro rates will hurt competitiveness... What are the odds the Trans-Pacific Partnership goes ahead... Read More
In a world where we're bombarded by Facebook memes and sensational headlines skewing our perceptions about food and health, it's hard for complex, science-based messages to get the attention they deserve. Legitimate scientific work based on replication and the peer review process tends to be complicated, tedious, and, often, boring. Dr. Joe Schwarcz, director of... Read More
As we roll into October, some later-seeded soybean yields are coming in better than expected, but there are still some disappointing stories where growers in the driest areas aren't even bothering to harvest their beans. Meanwhile, decisions have to be made for fall weed control and wheat planting as the days get shorter. Peter Johnson,... Read More
Farmers and farm groups are voicing concerns about the impact the carbon tax announced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will have on farming and food production in Canada. Trudeau said the government will require provinces meet a minimum federal price on carbon of $10 per tonne in 2018, rising to $50 per tonne in 2022.... Read More