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Insuring intercrops in Manitoba
Crops, Features

Insuring intercrops in Manitoba

Manitoba farmers can now insure intercrops and also get incentives to grow them

By
In response to requests from producers for some kind of insurance on unconventional crops such as quinoa or multi-species crops like intercrops, Manitoba Agricultural Insurance Corporation (MASC) has introduced a new insurance product for what it calls ‘novel crops.’ At a recent intercropping workshop at Brandon in November, Robert Manastyr spoke on behalf of MASC […] Read more
Residual herbicide and crop injury
Columns, Crops

Residual herbicide and crop injury

When the worst happens: what questions to ask and how to soil test for a bioassay

By
Your cereal, oil seed or legume crop clearly shows that it has been significantly damaged by herbicide application or residual herbicide that was applied to cropland one or more years previously. You are considering possible legal action. What do you do next? First of all, you just don’t take a few photographs, complain about significantly […] Read more
Sunset in wheat field, late afternoon in wheat field - dusk in the cereal field
Columns, Crops

Copper: For peat’s sake!

Think peaty soil isn’t worth farming? Just add copper to get better results

By
Peat is nature’s natural organic compost. As a field crop amendment, peat has a lower carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C:N), 60:1, than straw or cattle manure — that’s around 80:1. Canada has 270 million — yes, million — acres of peat lands, making up 25 per cent of the world’s peatland supply. Peat is harvested right across […] Read more
Soybean and flax intercrop example.
Crops, Features

Reducing inputs through intercropping

In Part 2 of a 2-part series, a panel of farmers discuss the benefits of intercropping

By
Many producers who adopt intercrops and cover crops are looking to increase soil and plant health and reduce the need for inputs such as synthetic fertilizers. That effect often becomes clearer the longer they manage the system. The three producers on a panel at an Intercropping Workshop in Brandon, Man., last November shared how they […] Read more
Is it possible to do a better job with less land?
Crops, Features

Intercropping lets farmers do more with less

Intercropping helps farmers increase profits on fewer acres. Part 1 of a 2-part series

By
It’s interesting how many farmers adopting regenerative agricultural practices, like intercropping and cover crops, are either downsizing their operations, thinking about downsizing or have taken the pressure off in terms of looking for more high-priced land to expand (either to buy or rent). The three producers on a panel at an Intercropping Workshop in Brandon, […] Read more
Producers can typically achieve good control of pasmo with fungicides, and breeding projects are underway to improve disease resistance in new varieties.
Crops, Features

Spring flax for pasmo: when and what

Wait until the early flowering stage to make your pasmo spray decisions in flax

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Pasmo is the wallflower of flax: it’s always at the party, but typically doesn’t take centre stage. But even though it doesn’t usually rank as the disease with most economic impact, flax can still take a hit from pasmo. The Flax Council of Canada says severity can range from traces to 60 per cent of […] Read more
A Prairie farmer who pays provincial wheat and barley check-offs or ships grain by rail is already paying a de facto end point royalty for variety development in Western Canada.
Crops, Features

Bring back the Western Canadian Deduction

Ensuring producer funding for variety development is fair, transparent and market driven

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I attended the value creation meeting in Edmonton on December 6, 2018. I went as a farmer, seed grower and a person deeply interested in the policies that shape the success of the cropping industry in Western Canada. As a professional writer, I am used to reporting what other people have to say about an […] Read more
Tractor spraying soybean field
Columns, Crops

Avoiding herbicide mis-use

Herbicides have made it easier to feed the world, but beware of residuals and improper use

By
Herbicides are an integral and essential aspect of modern productive farming. Without our effective and efficient herbicides our dollar costs for food production would be double or triple what we now pay. Can your even visualize hand weeding agricultural and horticultural crops? As a youth I earned pocket money hand hoeing turnips and beets and […] Read more
Paying for new crop variety research
Crops, Features

Paying for new crop variety research

Consultations around new producer funding models for variety development are underway

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Throughout November and December 2018, officials from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) consulted in Winnipeg, Ottawa, Saskatoon and Edmonton about a new framework for plant- breeding institutions to collect a return on their investment for the varieties they develop. The consultations began with some discussion on the concept […] Read more

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