Patience is a virtue, but it’s not an easy one to practice, especially when it involves waiting for saturated fields to dry up so you can get out and seed this year’s crop. Last fall left many Prairie fields already saturated thanks to late fall rains and early snowfalls, and after a winter with heavy […] Read more
Coping with all those wet spring soils
After last fall’s moisture, spring seeding is going to require patience and flexibility
The profit potential of selective grazing
High stocking density, short-duration grazing helps put carbon back into the soil
No matter where he speaks in the world, Ian Mitchell-Innes carries a message to beef producers about achieving optimal animal performance, reducing costs, and ultimately becoming more profitable. Animals instinctively know where they can get the highest level of energy — from the top third of the plant, Mitchell-Innes, a South African rancher, told producers […] Read more
Farmers a hit on international crop missions
Buyers of Canadian grains had some questions that only actual producers could answer
If you want to know about Canadian agriculture you ask a farmer. That was the simple reality that farmers who accompanied industry experts on the 2016 Canadian Wheat New Crop Missions learned fast. “Meeting a producer, and seeing and hearing how the wheat they are buying is grown, stored and delivered are essential parts of […] Read more
Managing your hail damage
Hail rescue products show little impact in new trials; hail timing is the key damage driver
[Updated: March 28, 2017] The Prairies suffered a record number of hail events in 2016, which means hail insurance claims are also at record levels, with more than $528.6 million paid out to western Canadian farmers. Manitoba has set records for hail insurance claims two years running. The Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation (MASC) received 3,747 […] Read more
The brave new world of Prairie wheat
A look at the research funding and marketing development behind this rotation staple
Wheat is a staple crop in most Prairie farmers’ rotations, and it’s not likely to be displaced any time soon. It’s still one of Canada’s most important crops, and contributes more than $11 billion to the Canadian economy every year. Although wheat prices may not always get farmers excited, the potential for the crop does, […] Read more
Wheat research on the Prairies
A roundup of wheat research that will bring new varieties suited for the Canadian Prairies
According to Genome Canada’s website, wheat accounts for 20 per cent of all calories consumed throughout the world, and as global population grows, wheat productivity needs to increase by 1.6 per cent each year. At the same time, climate change is causing temperature and precipitation changes that challenge established patterns. So there is also a need to […] Read more
Wheat research in the pipeline
Not happy with wheat in your rotation? One of these projects will brighten your future
Following is a roundup of some of the major wheat research and breeding projects across Manitoba, Alberta and Saskatchewan that address priority areas such as increasing yield, improving disease and pest resistance, agronomics and tolerance to drought and excess moisture, as well as end-use qualities. Better wheat under stress Two projects are looking at improving […] Read more
Genes can control pre-harvest sprouting
Manitoba researchers are using new technology to solve an old problem
Pre-harvest sprouting of cereal seeds in the field is directly linked to the seed’s dormancy level. Plants produce different compounds that regulate physiological processes, including seed germination and dormancy. When seeds are dormant, even if they have adequate moisture, heat and oxygen, they simply won’t germinate. One of the factors which prevents seeds from germinating […] Read more
The farmland cost factor
Fixed costs come out of the gross margin (gross revenue minus operating costs). Ideally the margin over operating costs should be around 35 per cent of gross revenue, with equipment costs at 12 per cent, owner withdrawals at five per cent and land costs at 18 per cent of gross revenue. But as land purchase […] Read more
Production costs for spring planning
For farmers in southern Manitoba, soybeans are pencilling in well for this spring
Across the Prairies, new cost of production figures and calculators for 2017 are appearing on provincial websites to help producers make sound production, management and marketing decisions. On the marketing side things look a little rosier than they did this time last year. “When you look forward to September 2017, it doesn’t look as bad […] Read more
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