Columns & Production Tips

Every nutrient, whether macro or micro, is essential to attain a yield goal of any crop, and soil testing gives you an accurate answer to reach this objective.

No such thing as a free lunch when it comes to crop nutrition

Yields can suffer if soils are deficient in any crop nutrient

By Ieuan Evans June 16, 2020

When I worked as a plant pathologist for Alberta Agriculture in the 1970s, I was surprised to find only 10 per cent of Prairie farmers have ever had their soil tested for crop nutrients. How could they grow a cereal or canola crop without knowing what plant nutrients — nitrogen (N), phosphate (P), potassium (K) […] Read more

The articles I’ve written that stick with me the most are those that inspired you to respond to them.

Columns, Marketing, Markets

What can I say, but thank you

Reflections on 12 years as a columnist

By Brian Wittal June 12, 2020

Looking back through my files as I write my final column for this publication, I discovered the first article I wrote for Grainews dates back to 2008. When you say “2008,” it doesn’t seem that long ago, but the math tells another story! It’s been 12 years of you, the readers of Grainews, taking the […] Read more

Keeping grain in good condition will help grain flow without issues when unloading, reduce risks to workers, maintain grain quality and better ensure you get the best price for your grain.

News, Wheat & Chaff

Avoid entrapment incidents with proper grain storage

By Canadian Agricultural Safety Association June 8, 2020

As farmers, you understand the importance of proper storage of your crops. High temperatures and humidity levels can drastically impact grain quality. But how is this a safety concern? This past year, we experienced a very wet harvest season and crops were put into storage in wet conditions. Once spring weather arrives, the grain will […] Read more

Columns, Hart Attacks

No turning back as the world Zooms

This face-to-face contact with humans is overrated

By Lee Hart June 5, 2020

If there is one legacy this pandemic will leave us, we may never need to get out of our sweatpants, or leave the house again. In fact, there may never be a good excuse to have live face-to-face contact with another human being (other than immediate family members) ever again. I’ve never been Zoomed so […] Read more

Crops, Wheat & Chaff

Plan for fall weed control as part of your post-harvest workload

By Kelly Bennett June 4, 2020

It’s spring and, as usual, time is tight before seeding. Everyone knows how beneficial pre-seed applications can be for top-yielding crops by eliminating early weed competition and saving moisture and nutrients for vigorous seedling development. But, how can you benefit from early-spring weed control when there’s never enough time? One option is to start even […] Read more

The couple’s largest capital asset will be their personally owned farmland.

Columns

Farm Financial Planner: Retirement income and inheritances

How to create a retirement plan and leave a legacy for your children

By Andrew Allentuck June 3, 2020

In central Manitoba, a couple we’ll call Jack, 57, and Susie, 54, have found themselves in a crisis. The couple left active farming and now rent their land to a neighbour. Sixteen years ago, Jack got a city job and sold 480 acres of the farm, half its original 960 acres, to pay debts and […] Read more

Editor's column, Wheat & Chaff

Editor’s Column: Ag in Motion goes digital with the launch of Discovery Plus

By Kari Belanger June 3, 2020

Many of the events you and I would be attending this year — crop plot tours, conferences and outdoor farm shows — for the latest production tips, equipment, demonstrations and product launches have been cancelled, and in a few cases rescheduled to a future date yet to be announced. Furthermore, meetings normally held in person […] Read more

When scouting pea leaf weevil, it’s important to start looking early in the season, as newly emerged peas are the most vulnerable to damage. Begin at field edges and work your way into the field. Typical damage includes “c”-shaped notches in the leaves.

Crops, Wheat & Chaff

Pea leaf weevil management: early identification key

Q & A with an expert

By Lane Blanke May 28, 2020

Q: When and how should I scout for pea leaf weevils? A: The pea leaf weevil, an invasive species, has caused notable damage and yield loss in pulse crops across the Prairies. Identifying and managing the pea leaf weevil early in the growing season is key to minimizing damage and protecting your yield potential. Adults […] Read more

What we did not realize was canola had the rooting and uptake ability to suck the soil P to very low values.  A few years of big yields with big N and big water and P becomes the limiting factor.

Canola, Columns, Crops

Les Henry: A recipe for 65 bushels per acre of canola

Some lessons learned many years later

By Les Henry May 27, 2020

When cleaning visuals from talks of years gone by, I stumbled on one from 1978 — the year canola was born. It showed what it took to produce 65 bushels per acre of canola in garden patch agriculture (i.e., small plots). In 1978, the highest average RM yield of canola in Saskatchewan was 29 bushels […] Read more

Cows with calves head to the bunk for rations, as spring pasture is still some days away.

Cattleman’s Corner, Columns

Foaling and seeding season still ahead

Last calf of the season from a reluctant mother

By Heather Eppich May 26, 2020

March stayed cold and the cold remained clear into April. By mid-March we had two-thirds of the cows calved out and they were all doing great. The last third of calving turned out to be exciting and stressful. On March 20 Gregory found a heifer calving but quickly noticed that the feet were not right. […] Read more

GFM Network News

Women who fed a nation

U.S. grains: Soybeans rise on China demand hopes; corn and wheat rebound

U.S. livestock: Hogs rebound, cattle hit upward limits