The battle of the new MCOOL rules continue to raise concerns on both sides of the border. Groups like NCBA, AMI, CCA and more are battling the US Government in its quest to make MCOOL a long term reality. Obviously with the US government shut down the last two weeks, nothing is happening. MCOOL seems... Read More
Category: Western Canada
Side band? Top dress? Add micros or not? When it comes to wheat production many farmers are looking to closely match crop needs with fertilizer applications, but exactly how to meet those needs brings up a host of questions. Never fear, as Peter Johnson, cereal specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, is... Read More
There are hormones in your food! What’s worse, they are in you! Alarmed yet? You shouldn't be, and I'll tell you why, plus why I'm done with marketing gimmicks and done with A&W Canada. Yes, there are hormones in your food, but are they something to fear? A&W certainly thinks so, with a new campaign... Read More
Winter is in the forecast for some regions of Canada and the United States, and as harvest wraps up, it's time to start thinking about storing your equipment. If you're completely knackered from the go-go-go of harvest, sit down, have a cup of coffee, read this and then begin delegating. As tempting as it is... Read More
Today's Statistics Canada numbers of 2013 production confirmed what everyone already new — Canadian farmers have a heck of a harvest in the bin (or headed there shortly). So while the production figures are perhaps old news and bearish, there is one very cool tidbit of information in the list: canola production, for the first... Read More
The Canadian Grain Commision (CGC) launched two online, dichotomous keys to help producers identify stored grain insect pests today. I took a test run of the keys, and found them to be fast, simple and totally within my budget (free) --- so, nothing like their paper counterparts. A dichotomous key is relatively simple to use,... Read More
Post-harvest spray applications are an effective way to deal with hard-to-control perennial and winter annual weeds like Canadian thistle, foxtail barley and dandelion. But, whether you're dealing with frost, labour shortages or incredibly dry conditions, spraying in the fall can be a challenge. A dry fall can not only limit the active growth of weeds,... Read More
Sometimes, people who understand agriculture – farmers, for example – are reluctant to enter into a public forum to talk about the profession they love. Other times, they’ll stand up and speak voluntarily, as leaders of their commodity organization or farm group. But on at least one occasion, others still will actually pay for the... Read More
A couple days ago, I posted the question: Do you know where your check-off dollars go? It's interesting, that such a simple question can result in such diverse feedback. I heard from organizations who were offended by my article and those who admired it and used it as a means to reach audiences they may... Read More
Fall is a great time to get effective control of some nasty perennial and many winter annual weeds. Fall weed control is especially important ahead of — or shortly after — winter wheat planting. The reality is, however, that many farmers skip this weed control window. Just like skipping a pre-plant burn-off in the spring... Read More