By Darcy Pawlik In hockey, when pressure mounts and the ice tightens, good teams don’t panic. They don’t dump the puck and hope someone else sorts it out. They make clean passes, keep possession, and stay in control of the play. Canadian agriculture is at one of those moments. Over the past several weeks, much... Read More
Category: Research
Verticillium stripe continues to challenge canola growers across the Prairies, and new research at the University of Manitoba is working to better understand how the disease behaves and how it can be managed. Harmeet Chawla, assistant professor at the University of Manitoba, joins RealAgriculture's Amber Bell for this episode of Canola School, outlining several applied... Read More
The Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) is moving to a new leadership model, announcing the appointment of a general manager and a revised organizational structure designed to strengthen collaboration and decision-making across the organization. In a news release, OSCIA confirmed that Julie Henderson has been appointed to the newly created role of general... Read More
No-till soybean systems often push growers to bump seed rates 10 per cent or more to compensate for cooler soils, wetter springs, and heavy residue — but that isn’t always the most efficient way to achieve a strong stand. In this episode of the RealAgriculture Soybean School, University of Guelph researcher Dr. Josh Nasielski and... Read More
Alberta’s push to re-centre agricultural research around producer priorities has been anything but conventional. Five years after Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR) was launched amid controversy and structural change, outgoing chair Dr. David Chalack says the organization’s impact comes down to governance, trust, and speed. In this one-on-one conversation at RDAR's showcase, Dr. David Chalack... Read More
D'Arcy Hilgartner is stepping into the role of board chair at RDAR (Results Driven Agriculture Research) as the organization continues to sharpen its focus on delivering practical research to Alberta producers. A long-time board member, Hilgartner says the priority remains clear: ensuring research investments translate into measurable value on the farm. Hilgartner, who has served... Read More
It's time to rethink how we fund plant breeding. While much of Canadian agriculture has evolved to meet today’s demands, the model for funding plant breeding is lagging—and risks falling behind entirely. That’s the concern raised by Jason Reinheimer, global head of cereals and pulse research at Limagrain Field Seeds, in this episode of the... Read More
The Alberta government has expressed concern following a federal announcement that could see several Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) research stations shut down, including the Lacombe facility. Speaking at the Crossroads Crop Conference in Edmonton, Alta., Alberta’s assistant deputy minister of primary agriculture, John Conrad, says the province is still absorbing the news but is... Read More
Dear Members of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, I own and operate a grain farm in central Alberta, a mere one-hour drive from the AAFC Research and Development Centre in Lacombe, AB. I understand that this station is one of seven across Canada, that will be closed along with the loss of 665... Read More
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) has confirmed plans to close seven federal research facilities across the country, including the Lacombe Research and Development Centre in central Alberta. The move is part of a broader federal expenditure review that will eliminate hundreds of positions, with over 100 jobs affected at Lacombe alone. AAFC says the changes... Read More