In theory, the application of a plant growth regulator to wheat should result in shorter, stronger plants that are less prone to lodging, enabling higher yield potential. In reality, it's not that simple. "I wish it was a nice black and white, straightforward story, but it certainly isn't," says Sheri Strydhorst, who's done extensive work... Read More
Category: Podcasts
Cattle prices may not be where they were a year ago, but ranchers are generally still an optimistic bunch at current levels. Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock joins us in the middle of her busy winter meeting circuit for this latest edition of the Beef Market Update. Domestically, the volatile Canadian dollar continues to play... Read More
Maybe it's due to news traveling faster on social media than it used to, but there have been a fair number of reports of canola heating in the bin this winter. Producers who find themselves in these unfortunate situations are often left scratching their heads wondering why it happened. Was it harvested too early? Was... Read More
Employees need clear expectations and timely feedback. It might sound simple, but those are the two keys to creating a farm culture where the business gets the most out of its talent and where employees feel like they're doing a good job, says Barb Dartt, a Michigan-based farm business consultant. "We tend to underestimate the... Read More
The proposed sale of Syngenta, new StatsCan stocks estimates, the signing of the TPP, the launch of Xtend soybeans — here's a trip through this week's Canadian ag news with Kelvin Heppner: Poll: Do you look forward to driverless tractors?
It was another busy (and fun) few days for the RealAgriculture crew covering Farmtech last week. We had our very own studio, set up on the tradeshow floor — right next to the beer and coffee. We spent the week racing from the studio to the hall where keynote speakers made us laugh (and cry),... Read More
The winds of change have blown through Canada. No longer is Alberta on top of the Canadian economic machine. Ontario is no longer the manufacturing super power. The word 'Conservative' cannot be found in the name of any governing provincial party and no one is joking about the attitude of Saskatchewan. "Excellence is not a... Read More
In this week’s Word, Peter Johnson, resident agronomist for RealAgriculture and host of this weekly podcast, answers questions around weather, rotations and fertility. Have a question for Wheat Pete? Call 1-888-746-3311, send him a tweet (@wheatpete), or email him at peter.johnson@bell.net. Highlights: Recognize that food is everyone's business. If you've farmed today, thank a consumer.... Read More
Forget the silver bullet, whether it's some nonexistent piece of machinery or the latest snake oil crop input. In reality, the key to boosting a farm's bottom line is incremental improvements that add up. Kristjan Hebert (@kristjanhebert) is a farmer from Fairlight, Saskatchewan and a proponent of the "five percent rule" — a philosophy advanced... Read More
There's a balance that must be struck in any farm succession plan. Mom and dad (the retiring generation) need enough money to retire and enjoy what they've earned, while the succeeding generation needs to start with enough to maintain a viable business. As Jacquie Gerrard of Backswath Management explains, farm succession conversations should start with... Read More