One of the biggest reasons pulse and soybean growers need to understand the growth stages of their plants is to determine the correct timing of in-season herbicides and fungicides, which varies by crop and growth stage. The application of chemicals in field peas, for example, is typically determined by what node stage the crop is […] Read more
How to get staging right in pulse and soybean crops
Understand crop stages for best results
What to look for when staging canola and flax crops
Tips for herbicide and fungicide applications in oilseeds
In oilseed crops like canola and flax, timing is crucial for application of herbicides and fungicides to help protect yield. Proper herbicide and fungicide application timing based on the product label often comes down to a grower’s experience and knowledge of what growth stage is appropriate — and what that actually looks like in the […] Read more
Want to reduce pests and increase profits?
On the Dakota Lakes Research Farm, regenerative ag means good soil, good profits
When a group of farmers near Pierre, South Dakota, established the Dakota Lakes Research Farm in 1986, their main focus was on irrigation and water issues. At the recent Regenerative Agriculture Forum in Brandon, Man., Dakota Lakes research and production manager, Dwayne Beck, described how he and his team have focused on better managing the […] Read more
4R on 90 per cent of canola acres?
The Canola Council targets use of 4R nutrient practices on 90 per cent of acres by 2025
The Canola Council of Canada (CCC) wants to see growers utilizing 4R nutrient stewardship practices on 90 per cent of canola acres by 2025. “We have found there is a strong appetite for this from NGOs, and some food companies that have sustainability metrics and want to source sustainably produced products,” says Curtis Rempel, vice-president […] Read more
Redefining agricultural production
Organic, regenerative, sustainable. What do all of these new terms mean?
Agricultural production used to be basically divided into two camps; conventional and organic. The two production styles have clear delineations and are pretty much exclusive of each other. Today the lines between these systems are being blurred as farmers are beginning to embrace sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices. All of these different terms can be […] Read more
Tips and tricks for regenerative agriculture
Producers and agronomists take questions on regenerative ag at a Manitoba Forum
Interested in regenerative agriculture, and how you might implement it on your farm? The Regenerative Agriculture Forum organized by the Manitoba Forage and Grasslands Association in Brandon in November, brought together producers and experts to talk about these subjects. A panel discussion included three farmers, Brooks White, Matt Vansteelandt and Arron Nerbas. White and his […] Read more
Telling the buyers what they want to know
The Field to Market Fieldprint Calculator puts a number on our ag sustainability
With consumers becoming more interested in sustainable agriculture and the food industry looking for sustainable inputs, Canadian organizations came together to make sure our crop industry is ready to respond, with firm answers. “In particular, this group was interested in advancing outcomes-based metrics, where we could measure things like greenhouse gas emissions, soil carbon, land […] Read more
Hedging the Canadian dollar
Hedging currency is another risk management tool for the farm
David Derwin, commodity portfolio manager with PI Financial, has been working with some of his farm clients for many years on currency hedging strategies as a risk management tool. Recently, he has helped bring these strategies into a package called the Currency Ag Strategic Hedging (CASH) program. This program helps protect farmers from a rising […] Read more
The five principles of soil health
USDA researcher says healthy soil needs a systems approach
At the Regenerative Agriculture Forum in Brandon in November, Jay Fuhrer, soil health specialist with the Natural Resource Conservation Service of the USDA, spoke about soil health. Fuhrer has identified five principles of soil health, and how they work to improve soil health and increase productivity. Fuhrer defined soil health is defined as “the continued […] Read more
Testing the cover crop hypothesis
Agronomy researchers are catching up with what farmers are doing in their fields
It’s an exciting time for cover crop research. Last summer, many large-scale cover crop trials were underway across the Prairies looking at everything from cover crop combinations, rotations and planting methods to pollinator strips. One of the biggest ongoing projects, funded by Western Grains Research Foundation, Manitoba Wheat and Barley Growers and Manitoba Pulse and […] Read more
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