With the US market moving higher this week, Canadian producers have also enjoyed some higher fat sales as well. Immediately the resulting question is whether or not there is follow through in this market or will the price slowly slide down. The United States has done well exporting beef this year with its weaker dollar.... Read More
Category: Western Canada
Traceability has become a word that farmers are much more familiar with over the past ten years. Many farmers used to think that their responsibility ended at the farm gate. Many would say that this is no longer the case while some people content all of this is about pushing liability down the value chain.... Read More
By Shaun Haney It has always been the practice in agriculture if more than one sibling decides to take over the family farm that the farm will be split into separate entities. I know that in my own family's case in the late seventies, my grandfather and his brother split the farm into two separate... Read More
It is that time of year when farmers are placing their orders for soil sampling with fertilizer retailers and professional agronomists. When you decide to soil test it is essential that you request the proper depths and analysis of those depths in order to make the right fertilizing decisions. Many producers fall into the trap... Read More
The smell of a liquid manure spreader (better known as a honey wagon) is very familiar in many rural areas of Canada. Liquid manure spreaders are very popular in hog and dairy operations. Many people argue that once incorporated, liquid manure is highly beneficial in comparison to its solid manure alternative. In talking to farmers... Read More
Globally, we€™re in a position where demand for wheat is surpassing supply. Figures from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT) show wheat demand growing by 1.5 per cent per year, while annual production is increasing by only 0.9 per cent. With the global population expected to rise to over 9 billion by 2050,... Read More
At this time of year many canola growers try to figure out if they are going to apply fertilizer in the fall of wait till the spring. I think that many producers make this decisions based on the price of fertilizer in the fall or the need to reduce spring work. There are some more... Read More
Distiller dried grains (DDG's) have quickly become a very important part of a beef ration and increasingly at dairies. Created by the ethanol industry DDG's have allowed many livestock feeders to diversify the feeding ration. When DDG's first came to the market the supply and delivery logistics of corn DDG's to Canada was a major... Read More
Whether you have a dairy or a beef operation you have probably had to make the decision between a paddle mixer or auger feed box. Whether you own a Harsh, RotoMix or a Keenan you need to weight the benefits and disadvantages of each. What I tend to find in discussing this issue with many... Read More
As we discussed with Dana Omland from Palmerston Grain last week, the USDA report shocked the market. With corn yields being revised lower in the US, many producers are wondering what is the deal with the next year of commodity prices. Will we see a repeat of 2007 or a quick trade and then the... Read More