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

Finding good employees can be challenging for many Canadian farmers. The task can be even more daunting for livestock farmers when you consider the fact that the job applicant could be an animal rights activist intending to gather video evidence of animal abuse that will be posted on the Internet or turned over to the... Read More

Monsanto says it has received import approval from China for its Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans, meaning growers in Canada and the U.S. will have access to Xtend varieties for the 2016 growing season. “We are pleased to bring Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans to the market,” said Brett Begemann, Monsanto's President and Chief Operating... Read More

The China National Chemical Corporation, also known as ChemChina, has reached an acquisition agreement with Syngenta to purchase the entire company for US$43 billion. After months of speculation about a possible sale and several attempts by rival Monsanto, the proposed acquisition of the Swiss crop input and seed company was announced early February 3. “We... 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