It's been two years since the federal government first announced its 30 per cent fertilizer emissions reduction target. That means more than 20 percent of the timeframe for farmers, agronomists, fertilizer suppliers, and researchers to work toward meeting the goal by 2030 has already expired. The clock is ticking, but there's been very little progress... Read More
Category: Western Canada
Thousands are being honoured with the Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee Medal, in celebration of the late queen's 70th anniversary of Her Majesty's accession to the Throne. This week, ceremonies are being held across Canada to commemorate those deserving across many different industries, agriculture included. Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and... Read More
When it comes to balancing nitrogen cost, with type, with application set up — is there an easy way to save some money? Yes, and no, says Peter "Wheat Pete" Johnson in this week's Wheat Pete's Word podcast. N fertilizer choice does depend on planting or seeding set up, for one, and row spacing and... Read More
Many are familiar with certain forms of counselling — counselling on mental health, addictions, career, etc. But what about nutritional counselling? For this episode of the Fit Farmer podcast, host Gary Chambers is joined by registered dietician Georgie Fear to discuss the importance of eating properly, and what it can do to fuel your body... Read More
In theory, variable rate (VR) technology should result in more efficient use of a farm's resources, whether that's a lower fertilizer bill, improved crop uniformity, or other potential benefits. So why, since most seeding tools are capable of using prescription maps, are adoption rates of VR not higher? And will we see a new wave... Read More
On December 12, 2022, the Canadian government launched public consultations on the creation of a Sustainable Agriculture Strategy (SAS). The strategy — which would be separate from the agricultural policy framework agreements signed by the federal, provincial, and territorial governments every five years — is intended to "provide a coordinated approach to improving the agriculture... Read More
The Canadian Farmer Sentiment Index launched in September, asking nearly one thousand farmers a wide-range of questions on how they felt about marketing capacity, the direction of the agriculture industry in general, and the capability of governments to navigate the current political landscape. Now, in our first look at how sentiment may have changed after... Read More
Those looking for a challenge need to look no further than trying to grow the best crop of dry edible beans. Whether in Manitoba, Ontario, or further afield, dry beans offer a real possibility of tidy profit, but the crop is most certainly not for the faint of heart. To get through some of the... Read More
On November 2, 2022, Alberta farmers who submit a levy to the Alberta Wheat Commission and the Alberta Barley Commission voted in favour of amalgamating the commissions. Tara Sawyer, chair of Alberta Barley, was at the commissions' annual event, Prairie Cereals Summit, held at Banff, Alta., where she discussed the path going forward which, as... Read More
Climate change is a hot topic of discussion to the chagrin of some industries and the excitement of innovators. Agriculture is an industry at the centre of much of the climate action talk, with an expectation to evolve and adapt. This year agriculture in Saskatchewan was on stage at COP27, the United Nations' climate change... Read More