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

Today, at the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference in Regina, Saskatchewan, Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart announced a nearly $3.8 million investment in livestock and forage research. "Investments in research help keep our livestock industry growing and strong," said Stewart. "The knowledge that will result from the projects receiving funding will ensure our farmers and ranchers remain... Read More

On-farm efficiency is certainly a hot topic in today's agricultural climate. But are we getting a little too keen for speed in the sprayer? We've heard often the importance of patience while seeding (check out the Canola School on seeding speed/depth from 2013), but sprayers are often exceeding 15mph in the field. This can have... Read More

The risk of herbicide carry over can sometimes be overlooked when changing cropping plans or trying something new, but herbicide residue can have a drastic impact on susceptible crops, sometimes as long as years after application. Chemical breakdown times vary, subject to soil temperature and moisture. For some chemicals, susceptible crops can be seeded shortly... Read More

Concerned about soil compaction? You’re not alone. Soil structure and health is increasingly on farmers’ radars for very good reason — the more researchers uncover about soil, the more links we have connecting soil quality to everything from crop yield, to nutrient run-off risks and erosion problems. The unfortunate thing about compaction, says Jodi DeJong-Hughes,... 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

Do you plan on taking a nitrate-nitrogen soil samples this spring, before planting? The test for nitrate-nitrogen levels can provide key information in how much fertilizer should be applied for a growing corn crop. And, making that decision gets easier and easier. The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) has a handy... Read More