It's another year of opportunity for barley, says the barley merchandising manager for Viterra. After declining for much of the past decade, the number of barley acres in Western Canada rose slightly in 2015 and is expected to grow again in 2016. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's preliminary projection has barley acreage rising by two percent.... Read More
Category: Tradeshows & Events
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
Cutworm outbreaks are incredibly unpredictable, pest management biologist Jennifer Otani told delegates of Agronomy Update in Red Deer last month. The insect can overwinter as eggs, larvae, or pupae, and scientists don't yet have a good understanding of the survivability of the various stages, let alone the almost twenty species we're dealing with across the... 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
Krone launched its new Big X 770 forage harvester at Agritechnica, bringing updated technology and new style to the Big X lineup. The forage harvester boasts a 16.16 litre V8 engine, and outputs 775 horsepower, with improved safety features, including: additional indicators in mudguards, an extra step on the access ladder, and better overall visibility... Read More
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
Regulatory restrictions are not on the radar in Manitoba, but the province's agriculture entomologist suggests farmers in Western Canada should ask themselves "why?" before using neonicotinoid seed treatments. The Ontario and Quebec governments are restricting the use of insecticide-treated seed in response to concerns about neonics hurting bee health, but there haven't been the same... Read More
The first secret of soybean success really isn't much of a secret, confesses agronomist Ross Bender. It all comes down to the weather, specifically rain in August. But farmers do have an opportunity to impact the remaining production factors that make up the six secrets of soybean success, says Bender, senior agronomist for the Mosaic…Read More
A new report commissioned by SaskCanola says there would be no net benefit to producers from implementing a component pricing system that offers premiums or discounts based on canola's oil content. "There was some discussion a few years ago when crush margins were widening — are farmers receiving a fair amount for the canola they're…Read More