"The number one cure for high prices is high prices" That also was a pretty good reflection of the mood surrounding the Saskatchewan Stock Growers annual general meeting this week. There is great optimism for the rancher heading into the fall run as I expect feeder cattle to have strong prices attached to them. Whether... Read More
Category: Western Canada
Jason Casselman, agronomist with Dunvegan AG Solutions Inc., near Rycroft, Alta., recently sent in these images of crop progress in the Peace region. After a very dry year in 2011, the area did get decent snow cover leading to better spring seeding conditions than last year. Timely rain this weekend (about an inch and a... Read More
Over the last 10 years, the thoughts and the strategy behind fungicide application have changed dramatically. Whether it's new information brought to light by research or changing external circumstances, the process behind how farmers make fungicide decisions has evolved. Over the short term, some of those external changes that have influenced decision making involve the... Read More
Kevin Elmy, Friendly Acre Seed Farms, farms near Saltcoats in east central Saskatchewan. Once again the region is dealing with some wet weather. If Eastern Saskatchewan was to get a major dump of rain, the reality is not a good one for farmers in the area. Farmers in SE and central Saskatchewan have really had... Read More
Eliminating weed competition is critical to corn development during it's initial growth stages. Weed pressure during that growth period can decrease yield significantly depending on the intensity and duration of that pressure. Timing your herbicide application properly can ease back weed pressure while keeping your crop from being damaged. Depending on the herbicide you use,... Read More
There is no silver bullet solution when it comes to fusarium. The disease is widespread and can be devastating if it's left unchecked or handled incorrectly. When it comes to management and control of the disease, the best bet any producer has involves an integrated approach. That approach involves three key steps that together give... Read More
The global economy continues to be quite tentative. The situation with Greece and the implications for the eurozone as well as the slow recoveries in North American markets and elsewhere have investors walking on eggshells. Agriculture doesn't seem to be exempt from that vulnerability either. Markets have been quite volatile, with commodity prices bouncing up... Read More
The flea beetle is a menace to canola crops. Typically seed treatments like Helix Xtra and Prosper have controlled flea beetles with ease and uncontrollable populations were relatively rare. The feeding of seed treatment protected plants controlled the crucifer flea beetle which was great for farmers. The striped flea beetle has been showing up in... Read More
What kind of weather can we expect this summer out west? There seems to be a little bit of confusion surrounding that point. Some weather services have been forecasting hot and dry, others have been saying cooler than normal. Considering the way the predictions for winter and the actual winter went this year, you can... Read More
Recently it was announced that Tom Wolf's research program will be cut completely by Ag Canada. The reaction from agronomists, manufacturers and farmers has been quite strong. So strong that some of the industry associations are trying to save the program. When word got out tweets started to fly just like this one. Tom Wolf's... Read More