Four additional seeds per plant can result in a five to ten percent bump in soybean yield — every little bit adds up. That was the message from Tony White, St. Louis-based technology development lead with Monsanto, speaking at the Southwest Ag Conference in Ridgetown earlier this month. “When you look at where we’ve come... Read More
Category: Podcasts
While research shows fungicide applications in wheat and corn can often be justified by higher yields, the yield response to fungicides in soybeans is not as clear cut. Timing of fungicide application might be part of the formula for getting better than break-even returns, says Dave Hooker, field crop agronomist and assistant professor at the... Read More
One more hit out of every 20 at bats — for a baseball player, that’s the difference between an elite .300 batting average and an only-okay .250 average. Over the length of a ballplayer’s career, that extra hit every five or so games will land a player in the Hall of Fame. It’s the difference... Read More
A spokesperson for Canada’s baking industry suggests grain farmers will face increased scrutiny unless further mitigation practices to prevent the presence of mycotoxins and allergens in grain are implemented. “There are issues about mycotoxins and adventious presence (of allergens) that producers need to become engaged on,” said Paul Hetherington, CEO of the Baking Association of... Read More
If the first two weeks of 2015 are any indication for the rest of the year, volatility in cattle markets is the name of the game. From steep drops to quick run-ups yet again, the U.S. cash market and the wholesale side has already shown some real movement. The big questions for cattle producers and... Read More
It's a disease that affects a number of significant crops in Canada, including vegetables, pulses, canola and even some forage species. And last year, some farmers saw particularly high levels of white mould in soybean crops across Ontario. Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, or white mold, makes its mark on plants in lesions that appear water-soaked; white, fluffy... Read More
Change happens fast in agriculture. Just a century ago, Canadian farmers were behind a horse and plow. Today, we talk about cab comfort, the potential for unmanned aerial vehicle spraying, smart phone apps and biotechnology. The seed industry is no different. The process of collecting and testing a sample of seed is continually evolving as... Read More
As part of TWORA for January 15th (yeah — it’s the middle of January already!), Lyndsey denies stealing a megaphone from a plane in Saskatoon and shares some highlights from her time at CropSphere. This week’s podcast also touches on the record shipping year for the St. Lawrence Seaway, fines levied against CN and CP... Read More
While wheat breeders have traditionally focused on improving agronomic and milling characteristics of the crop, there's value to be gained by the wheat industry in focusing on nutrition as well, says a cereal research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. The nutritional characteristics of wheat have generally remained unchanged while yield potential, disease resistance and... Read More
Three days before the early bird deadline and three weeks before kick-off, the 2015 FarmTech Conference sold out. And it's no wonder, really. The event boasts big name keynotes like improv master Colin Mochrie and Canada's Peter Mansbridge, but it doesn't rely on keynotes alone to garner attention. Concurrent speakers are also of impressive calibre,... Read More