Columns & Production Tips

Nels Hansen homesteaded along the South Saskatchewan River. He and his daughter Beulah both survived the flu pandemic of 1918.

Lessons from 1918: looking after your health and safety during COVID-19

By Robin Anderson April 24, 2020

Growing up on my family’s farm in rural Saskatchewan, there were plenty of stories told about my pioneering ancestors, the ones who homesteaded what is now my uncle’s 115-year-old family farm on the shores of the South Saskatchewan River (now Lake Diefenbaker). And no story made more of an impression than how these settlers managed […] Read more

News, Wheat & Chaff

How safe is your farm? Use this assessment tool to find out

By Canadian Agricultural Safety Association April 23, 2020

Working day in and day out, it’s easy to go into autopilot. We all do it. However, it can lead to unwanted consequences in a hazardous environment. Documenting the potential hazards on your farm, being aware of the risks, and putting controls in place can go a long way in protecting yourself, your workers and […] Read more

Lime improves alfalfa crop in Peace River Country. This photo was taken from Farming Acid Soils in Alberta and Northeast British Columbia by P.B. Hoyt, M. Nyborg and D.C. Penney.

Columns, Crops

Les Henry: Acid soils. A wake-up call

At the farm level, soil test, soil test, soil test

By Les Henry April 23, 2020

This piece came about because of a technical session I attended at scientific meetings in Saskatoon in July 2019. Rick Engel of Montana State University presented a paper showing soils on the Highwood Bench near Fort Benton, Mont., that had become so acidic crops like lentils and sunflowers would barely grow. The soils were at […] Read more

Crops, Wheat & Chaff

Pre-seed weed control is important this spring

By Kelly Bennett April 22, 2020

Weed control will be a different challenge this year. With little fall weed control and good moisture, fields will have an abundance of overwintered annuals, such as cleavers, flixweed, narrow-leaved hawk’s beard and volunteer canola, alongside spring emergence of other annual and perennial weeds. These overwintered annuals are a particular challenge as they are often […] Read more

Columns

Farm Financial Planner: How young farmers can fulfil financial needs now and in the future

Make a long-range plan to buy a house, educate your children and plan retirement

By Andrew Allentuck April 16, 2020

A couple we’ll call Molly and Frank, who are 30 and 33 years old, respectively, farm 1,400 acres of grain and pasture in Manitoba’s Interlake district. They have a new child, Emma, and are looking ahead to the time they will retire. That could be three decades in the future, but, though distant, the exercise […] Read more

Sulphur pollution has been greatly reduced in recent years, so much so that some croplands now require sulphur for specific high-demand crops.

Columns, Crops

Why is there no mention of sulphur?

The reasons behind this nutrient’s anonymity

By Ieuan Evans April 14, 2020

Sulphur (S) is one of the big four macronutrient fertilizers required by both plants and animals. Calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) could be added to this list but for reasons unknown they are given a lesser role in crop production in North America. When I was first involved in agriculture in the 1950s, nitrogen (N) […] Read more

Columns, Marketing, Markets

How grain companies are changing the numbers: Part 2

Know grain handling and cleaning charges to negotiate better prices

By Brian Wittal April 14, 2020

In my last column, I discussed how total grain production and total grain exports have not increased dramatically over the last five years. So why are grain companies building new facilities over this same time period? Grain handling is a volume and numbers business. If grain companies don’t handle the volume, they need to “change […] Read more

Columns

Toban Dyck: No lightning strike, no eureka moment — only incremental growth

Lessons learned from AAFC research scientist Robert Conner

By Toban Dyck April 13, 2020

I asked Dr. Robert Conner to choose one eureka moment in his 38-year career as a research scientist and describe it to me. It was a simple question. His answer was unexpected. I had the distinct honour of interviewing Conner, an Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research scientist, for an article I was writing for Pulse […] Read more

Safety is a part of everything farm managers and labourers do at  Stamp Seeds.

News, Wheat & Chaff

Southern Alberta seed farm embraces culture of safety

By Erin Kelly April 13, 2020

Much has changed at Stamp Seeds since it was founded by Richard and Marian Stamp more than 40 years ago. “Our farm keeps changing as agriculture keeps changing. We have a pretty dynamic farm; there’s never a day that goes by without something exciting happening,” explains Richard. “But that is also why it’s been important […] Read more

Columns, Weather

Les Henry: Weather and climate – more actual data

Climate data questions current frenzy about global warming crisis

By Les Henry April 9, 2020

Regular readers will recall my earlier column that provided annual and monthly temperature for Swift Current, Sask., from a complete record back to 1886. The data was compliments of a long line of dedicated scientists at the Swift Current Federal Ag Research Station. In this piece, we will expand the data to two other sites […] 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

Columns

Lessons from 1918: looking after your health and safety during COVID-19

How safe is your farm? Use this assessment tool to find out

Les Henry: Acid soils. A wake-up call

Pre-seed weed control is important this spring

Farm Financial Planner: How young farmers can fulfil financial needs now and in the future

Why is there no mention of sulphur?

How grain companies are changing the numbers: Part 2

Toban Dyck: No lightning strike, no eureka moment — only incremental growth

Southern Alberta seed farm embraces culture of safety

Les Henry: Weather and climate – more actual data

AgCanadaTV

AGCanadaTV: In case you missed it; your national ag news recap for Sept. 5, 2025

Cyber-Savvy Farmer

Latest Market News