Developing an inoculant strategy

Developing an inoculant strategy

If you’re growing soybeans, you should have a plan to get them inoculated

Soybeans can biologically fix 50 to 60 per cent of their nitrogen, with the rest coming from soil reserves. Bradyrhizobium japonicum is a bacteria specific to soybeans that causes nodule development on plant roots, working symbiotically with the soybean plant to fix nitrogen. Because this rhizobium is not native to Canadian Prairie soils, soybean growers […] Read more

Corteva Agriscience, which spun off from the merged Dow and DuPont in 2019, got its canola seed breeding lab and research station in Saskatoon from the Dow AgroSciences end of the merger. (Video screengrab from Corteva.ca)

Supercluster backing canola protein production

The federally-backed research and development “supercluster” set up to boost Canada’s protein industries is funding work to wring more and better proteins out of canola seed. In Saskatoon on Wednesday, federal Industry Minister Navdeep Bains announced the Protein Industries Canada (PIC) supercluster has approved a new $27.6 million project to breed high-protein canola hybrids for […] Read more


Herbicide “layering” strategy delivers multiple punches

Herbicide “layering” strategy delivers multiple punches

Effective for weed control and reduces risk of herbicide resistant weeds surviving

Corey Loessin has for several years been delivering the one/two and sometimes multiple punches through the pulse crop weed control program on his northwest Saskatchewan farm. Primarily growing red lentils and yellow peas near Radisson, northwest of Saskatoon, Loessin says his main objective is to use different products with varying modes of action to control […] Read more

Roquette’s plant-based protein products include Nutralys T70S, billed as a plant-based, texturized protein that “guarantees a unique fibrous texture and great use adaptable to several types of meat substitute” such as burger patties, chicken-type filets and sausage. (Roquette.com)

Beyond Meat locks in Roquette pea protein supply

Plant-based protein firm Roquette has been booked to “significantly” increase the amount of pea protein it provides to expansion-hungry U.S. faux-meat processor Beyond Meat in the next three years. Los Angeles-based Beyond Meat on Tuesday announced a “multi-year pea protein supply agreement” with France’s Roquette, renewing a “longstanding partnership” between the two firms. No specifics […] Read more


(Video screengrab from Limagrain.com)

Limagrain to launch plant-based protein food next year

Paris | Reuters — French agricultural co-operative Limagrain on Tuesday said it is launching a new legumes business that aims to deliver plant-based food products from next year, betting on the fast-growing plant protein sector and a trend towards eating less red meat. Many large agricultural companies, including Archer Daniels Midland, Cargill and France’s Roquette […] Read more

(Subway video screengrab via YouTube)

Subway, McDonald’s expand Beyond Meat rollouts in Canada

Major fast-food chains McDonald’s and Subway are both expanding their rollouts of plant-based Beyond Meat products in Canada, beyond the range of their initial tests. McDonald’s Canada announced Wednesday it will expand the test marketing of its “P.L.T.” burger from its 28 stores in London, Ont. to also include 52 in Kitchener-Waterloo, Guelph and surrounding […] Read more


Will and Cindy Lowe farm near Kyle, Saskatchewan. These are their four children.

Meet your farming neighbours: The Lowes

Meet Will and Cindy Lowe from Kyle, Saskatchewan

Every farm has its own story. No two farms (or farmers) are exactly alike. Everyone got started in a different way, and every farm has a different combination of family and hired staff who make the decisions and keep things running. But, in general, even after you consider all of the details, farmers are more […] Read more

U.S. grocer Kroger’s plant-based burger patties are sold under its in-house brand, Simple Truth. (Kroger photo via Brandfolder.com)

Major grocers roll out plant-based burgers, undercut Beyond Meat

Chicago | Reuters — Cashing in on rising demand for imitation meat, major retailers including Kroger and Walmart recently began to carry Beyond Meat’s plant-based burgers and sausages. Now, several stores are creating similar products that will compete with Beyond Meat. Kroger Co., the biggest U.S. grocer, on Wednesday rolled out its own line of […] Read more


Green lentils. (Savany/iStock/Getty Images)

Pulse weekly outlook: Drop in India’s production may lead to lower duties

MarketsFarm — There’s a possibility the government of India could lower its import duties on pulses, including those from Canada, according to reports. With India’s monsoon rains having continued longer than usual, production of the country’s kharif (summer) pulse production fell by almost two million tonnes. Prior to the monsoons, market expectations called for 10.1 […] Read more

Green lentils. (Savany/iStock/Getty Images)

Pulse weekly outlook: Balance sheet tightening

MarketsFarm — Canadian pea and lentil production failed to live up to earlier projections, according to the latest survey data from Statistics Canada. While both crops are still forecast to be above their year-ago levels, the tightening supply expectations should underpin prices. Canada’s 2019-20 lentil crop was pegged at 2.17 million tonnes in the government […] Read more