Irrigation Archives - Page 6 of 13

The SWOT spacecraft is moved into a transport container inside the Astrotech facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base on Nov. 18, 2022. (Photo: USSF 30th Space Wing/Chris Okula)

NASA to conduct first global water survey from space

Data would bolster weather and climate forecasts

By GFM Network News December 14, 2022

Los Angeles | Reuters — A NASA-led international satellite mission was set for blastoff from southern California early on Thursday on a major Earth science project to conduct a comprehensive survey of the world’s oceans, lakes and rivers for the first time. Dubbed SWOT, short for Surface Water and Ocean Topography, the advanced radar satellite […] Read more

File photo of steam rising from the top of a grain dryer. (Diane Kuhl/iStock/Getty Images)

General, Machinery, Weather

New farm fuel carbon tax rule to return to Commons

Further carbon pricing exemptions clear ag committee, with sunset clause added

By Dave Bedard, GFM Network News November 18, 2022

A bill that would exempt more farm fuels from Canada’s federal carbon pricing scheme has cleared the Commons’ ag committee and returned to the House of Commons to seek a third and final vote. C-234, a private member’s bill sponsored by southwestern Ontario Conservative MP Ben Lobb, appeared before the Commons’ standing committee on agriculture […] Read more

The Fossen family of Rock Creek, B.C. — Doug and Erika and daughters
Adele, Jade and Reine operate Bar 7 Ranch. Their commitment to
sustainable ranching practices earned them recognition with The
Environmental Stewardship Award (TESA) presented by the Canadian
Cattle Association.

Cattleman’s Corner, Pasture

Rotational grazing key to ranch success

The plan is to use each pasture only once during the grazing season

By Canadian Cattle Association November 15, 2022

For the Fossen family of south-central British Columbia, applying proper stewardship to forage and water management on their private land as well Crown range pastures not only benefits the environment but ultimately makes good business sense for their ranching operation. As the second and third generation on the Bar 7 Ranch near Rock Creek in […] Read more

Reuters

China to step up investment in rural infrastructure

By GFM Network News October 25, 2022

Beijing | Reuters – China will accelerate investment in rural infrastructure to improve its ability to ensure food supply while also stabilizing the economy, according to a plan published by the agriculture ministry on Tuesday. The plan, backed by eight ministries and government agencies, comes amid slowing growth in the world’s second-biggest economy, due to […] Read more

Nate Horner, shown here speaking Oct. 4, 2022 at Southland Trailers at Lethbridge, was named Oct. 21 as Alberta’s minister of agriculture and irrigation. (Alberta government video screengrab via YouTube)

General

Alberta reorganizes ag portfolio for returning minister

Horner to handle agriculture and irrigation file

By Dave Bedard, GFM Network News October 22, 2022

Both Alberta and Quebec have re-upped with their incumbent agriculture ministers in cabinet shuffles this week — but incoming Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s shuffle will also streamline that province’s ag portfolio. Chosen by Alberta’s governing United Conservatives (UCP) on Oct. 6 to replace outgoing premier Jason Kenney, Smith on Friday announced Kenney’s incumbent minister of […] Read more

Retired winter wheat breeder Rob Graf describes some of the benefits of his new winter wheat variety AAC
Coldfront. With improved yield and an improved disease package, it is a variety that appears to have a good fit
across Western Canada.

Crops, Features

Improved varieties on the ground and in the pipeline

AAC Coldfront fires on all cylinders — it’s high yielding, has high quality, good standability and improved winter hardiness

By Lee Hart October 6, 2022

Rob Graf wrapped up his career as a plant breeder with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada on a high note this summer as he introduced another new top-performing winter wheat variety that appears to have a great fit in all crop regions across Western Canada. At a field day on Stamp Seeds’ farm at Enchant, north […] Read more

In August 2021, the Classen family used the water in their reservoir to backflood the tile drainage system to save some of their soybean crop, which was wilting and under extreme stress. They saw big results within 24 hours.

Crops

Take a ‘deliberate’ approach to water management

Backflood irrigation combined with tile drainage supported some of Joel Classen’s soybean yields through one of the driest summers on record

By Treena Hein October 6, 2022

To prepare for future drought, Prairie farmers could consider using large ponds with controlled drainage structures and tile drainage for a “much more deliberate water management approach,” says David Lobb, a professor of soil science at the University of Manitoba. “It’s possible to hold water back and use it when we need it in a […] Read more

So far this season there have been no sick calves partly because conditions were dry. The scour “bugs” always seem to thrive in muddy conditions. The calves are old enough now to not be so vulnerable to the serious effects of scours, however; they don’t get as dehydrated as younger calves, and are more able to handle it.

Cattleman’s Corner

Finally some rain to get irrigation started

By Heather Smith Thomas June 17, 2022

April 26 This past week has been cold and windy. The creek is still very low. None of the high snow is melting yet and it may be days before we get more flow in the creek for irrigating. On Thursday, Jim drove to Missoula to pick up his twin sister, Melanie, who flew from […] Read more

Olds College president Stuart Cullum announces a new partnership with Saskatchewan Polytechnic. (Liam O’Connor photo)

Crops, Machinery

Partnership gives Prairie ag students new 800-acre opportunity

Saskatchewan farmland bequest expanded Smart Farm eastward

By GFM Network News June 6, 2022

Students from Saskatchewan Polytechnic and Olds College will be getting more opportunities to collaborate with each other on a large scale. The two institutions have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) which entails both schools working together for five years on various programs, notably Olds College’s Smart Farm operation. The partnership comes as a result […] Read more

File photo of barrels on display in a Nova Scotia vineyard. (Tashka/iStock/Getty Images)

General

Wastewater regulation eased for Nova Scotia on-farm processing

By GFM Network News May 26, 2022

Nova Scotia has introduced regulatory changes that allow on-farm processing operations to better manage wastewater on their smaller scale. The changes, which took effect May 11, come at the request of the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture (NSFA) — which has said that owners of small farm-level processing facilities shouldn’t be treated the same as […] Read more

GFM Network News

U.S. livestock: Cattle slip back, hogs gain

U.S. grains: Soy futures post biggest monthly gain in nearly five years on China trade optimism

Farm gate milk price to rise in 2026

Irrigation