Storing grain on the farm can be a good marketing strategy because, if managed carefully, it can increase a producer’s profits, but it’s important to have a handle on your storage and opportunity costs to assess if it’s actually going to put money in the bank. The capital costs of storage vary depending on whether […] Read more
A marketing strategy for storing grain
Is it worthwhile to store your grain on the farm while you wait for commodity prices to rise?
Is rotating your herbicides enough?
Integrated weed management can slow herbicide resistance, but rotation is just one piece
Integrated weed management (IWM) is not rotating herbicides or modes of action. IWM is combining one of more different weed management techniques, such as chemical, cultural, physical or biological weed control. Some IWM methods are easy to implement, such as making sure you select good, certified seed that will grow vigorously and out-compete weeds. Seeding […] Read more
Is it fusarium or drought stress?
Drought can cause white heads in cereal crops. But so can fusarium
Some forecasters are predicting a hot, dry summer across much of western Canada, which means farmers could see some signs of drought stress — such as bleached heads — in their cereal crops. But how can they be sure these symptoms aren’t the result of something else, like fusarium? “In a lab, we can tell […] Read more
Don’t jump the gun on pest control
It’s never a good idea to overreact when you see insects on your crops because jumping the gun, and spraying if it’s not really necessary, can do more harm than good. “Seldom, if ever, do preventative insecticides actually pay us,” says Scott Meers, insect specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. “When we spray just to […] Read more
Drought-tolerant alfalfa studied
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) researchers have discovered a gene in alfalfa that could help to make the crop more drought resistant. A team of researchers, led by Dr. Abdelali Hannoufa at AAFC’s London Research and Development Centre in Ontario, working in collaboration with industry partner, Forage Genetics International in the United States, discovered the […] Read more
Are seed treatments worth the cost?
Ask the Experts: Seed treatments come at a price, but some say they add enough benefits to pay that bill
Some farmers consider seed treatments an insurance policy to try and ensure their crop has every opportunity to germinate and establish healthy plants. Others see them as another added cost they don’t need, especially if they haven’t had any serious disease issues for a while. Invariably though, once a farmer has had a disease problem […] Read more
Should I grow the latest new crop?
Angela Lovell asks the experts whether or not getting in on a hot new trend is a good idea
Niger, quinoa, fenugreek. These are just a few of the new crops starting to appear on a very small number of acres across Western Canada, but the biggest question farmers should be asking about them is — who’s going to buy them? “With any new crop, farmers should make sure they’re not listening to marketing […] Read more
Weed control in a dry summer
Dry summer weather could mean a whole new slate of weed control challenges
When it comes to weed control, no two seasons are the same. This year, many forecasters are predicting a hot, dry summer. What challenges will this bring? For one thing, some weeds that thrive better under hot, dry conditions, says weed expert, Robert Blackshaw with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Lethbridge, Alberta. “Some weeds that […] Read more
Oleic soybeans not ready for the West
High oleic soybean varieties and their high premiums will not be in the West soon
High oleic soybean varieties may not be coming to Western Canada any time soon, but if and when they do, they will offer growers a bit of a premium. “We have a long history in southern Ontario of growing IP (identity preserved) soybeans or soybeans for special end use markets, and some of those markets […] Read more
Soybean research underway
From variety development to agronomy advice, soybean research is bringing new options
In 2015, soybean acres in Manitoba increased by more than four per cent over 2014, to 1.34 million acres. “We have doubled our soybean acres in Manitoba over the past five years,” says Kristen Podolsky, production specialist with Manitoba Pulse & Soybean Growers (MPSG). “That has been a direct result of their ability to tolerate […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
