Greg, Cheryl, and Andrew Herle show reporters some vintage farm equipment, which still comes in handy for seeding small plots.

Seed growers keep their eyes on the future

For the Herle family near Wilkie, Sask., choosing which seed to grow is the key to success

The Herle family has farmed for five generations and produced over 110 crops. Since their ancestors first tilled the Prairie soil, they’ve had a front-row seat to agriculture’s evolution. “Change is constant it seems in this industry,” said Greg Herle, commercial farmer and seed grower, speaking to ag reporters and communications people last spring at […] Read more

Most hoping for rain in the forecast

Most hoping for rain in the forecast

With low soil moisture reserves most Prairie farmers are hoping for snow and rain early this year

It would be a hard sell to convince Robert Semeniuk of Smoky Lake, Alta., that 2017 was a very dry growing season. He is the only participant in the January 2018 Farmer Panel who, on his northeast Alberta farm, had to fight with too much moisture from seeding through to harvest. In many other regions […] Read more


Pea Leaf Weevil 2017.

Alberta insect forecasts for 2018

Alberta’s three new pest maps can help you choose your seed varieties for 2018

Alberta Agriculture and Forestry has added its latest 2018 insect population forecast maps to its website. “We usually post two forecast maps in December for wheat pests — wheat midge and wheat stem saw fly — so that growers can make appropriate variety decisions,” says Scott Meers, insect management specialist in Alberta Ag’s Pest Surveillance […] Read more

The annual rebate roundup: 2018

The annual rebate roundup: 2018

Get the most for your hard-earned input dollars by understanding these cash-back plans

Once again, it’s time for the Grainews annual rebate roundup. We’ve talked to experts at 11 different companies to ask what they’re offering in the way of cash-back savings for the 2018 growing season. Three of these companies have no special rebate programs, some have simple programs, and some companies have rebate programs with so […] Read more


Promise of self-fertilizing attracts investment

Promise of self-fertilizing attracts investment

Bayer bets big on a future where crops are designed to fertilizer themselves

There are a lot of efforts underway to optimize and minimize fertilizer use in crop production. Precision agriculture tools are improving the accuracy of where fertilizer is placed so that as much of it as possible reaches the plants that need it. And researchers from at least two Canadian universities — Ottawa’s Carleton University and […] Read more

(Lentils.ca)

Pulse industry’s future remains uncertain with India

CNS Canada — As worries mount in regards to Canada’s pulse exports to India, reports from the country point toward a precarious future. India’s agriculture minister, Radha Mohan Singh, last week announced his country wouldn’t need to import any pulses within two years’ time as it would be able to grow enough for domestic demand. […] Read more


End of Sask. harvest on the horizon, field conditions drier than average

Saskatchewan Crop Report for the week ending October 23

Harvest has all but wrapped up for producers in the province as 99 per cent of the crop is now combined, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s weekly Crop Report. There are still some crops such as flax, soybean and sunflower left to be combined. Harvest weather was favourable for much of the fall, allowing producers to […] Read more

Lentil dal. (PulseCanada.com)

Pulse industry still awaits answers from India

CNS Canada — Almost three weeks since Canada’s pulse fumigation exemption expired in India, the Canadian pulse industry is still in the dark. “We’re just looking to have some clarity as to how Canada/India pulse trade’s going to play out in the long term and with a long-term policy solution,” Gordon Bacon, CEO of Pulse […] Read more


Sask. harvest mostly complete, topsoil, subsoil moisture levels low

Saskatchewan Crop Report for the week ending October 16

Harvest is essentially complete for producers in the province, with 98 per cent of the crop now in the bin, up from 94 per cent last week, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s weekly Crop Report. The five-year (2012-2016) average for this time of year is 94 per cent harvested. There are still some crops, such as […] Read more

(AGTFoods.com)

Lack of notice a worry on India fumigation exemption

CNS Canada — The CEO of Canada’s pulse industry association says he’s starting to become concerned because a fumigation exemption granted to Canadian pulses exported to India remains expired after 12 days. Normally this exemption is renewed within three or four days, said Gord Bacon of Pulse Canada. Bacon said he checks his email every […] Read more