Oat growers across the Prairies have a number of foliar diseases to watch out for in their fields: crown and stem rust and septoria leaf complexes. Oats can also harbour a lot of different species of fusarium but, to date, fusarium hasn’t become an issue to the point where it has impacted oat yield or […] Read more
Managing disease in oat crops
Fungal diseases, bacterial diseases and viral diseases each need different management
Reducing inputs through intercropping
In Part 2 of a 2-part series, a panel of farmers discuss the benefits of intercropping
Many producers who adopt intercrops and cover crops are looking to increase soil and plant health and reduce the need for inputs such as synthetic fertilizers. That effect often becomes clearer the longer they manage the system. The three producers on a panel at an Intercropping Workshop in Brandon, Man., last November shared how they […] Read more
Cash advances eases interest rate pain
The federal government's Advance Payments Program offers interest free farm loans
Over 10,000 producers use the Canadian Canola Growers Association’s (CCGA) cash advance program every year. The program advances around $1.5 billion annually, mainly to grain and oilseeds operations. CCGA is one of largest administrators of the Advance Payments Program (APP) to Western Canadian producers. The APP is a federal government program made available through Agriculture […] Read more
Controlling volunteer canola in soybeans
New research in Manitoba finds fall tillage can reduce the volunteer canola seed bank
Volunteer canola is difficult to control in soybean because the two crops are often resistant to the same herbicides, leaving few chemical control options available to growers in Western Canada. That causes more than a few headaches for soybean growers, especially as research shows that Prairie canola seed harvest losses on average are around six […] Read more
Intercropping lets farmers do more with less
Intercropping helps farmers increase profits on fewer acres. Part 1 of a 2-part series
It’s interesting how many farmers adopting regenerative agricultural practices, like intercropping and cover crops, are either downsizing their operations, thinking about downsizing or have taken the pressure off in terms of looking for more high-priced land to expand (either to buy or rent). The three producers on a panel at an Intercropping Workshop in Brandon, […] Read more
What pulse growers can do if the taps turn off
A dry season in 2019 will make things difficult for Prairie pulse and soybean growers
Like many grain farmers across Western Canada, pulse and soybean growers had a tough 2018 from a weather standpoint. Many began the 2018 season seeding into soils with below-average soil moisture, then struggled with hot, dry weather throughout the season. That had a significant impact on yields. To top it all off, a number of […] Read more
Consumer demands driving oat research
From shakes for cancer patients to high-protein vegan foods, oats have potential
Health conscious people are in “the know” about the benefits of eating oats and oat products. Oats truly are a super food, high in dietary fiber that many studies suggest can help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and colorectal cancer. At the University of Alberta’s Department of Agriculture, Food and […] Read more
Two new oat varieties from Oat Advantage
These two oats varieties are Ore: they’re re-designed and re-imagined
It’s taken 10 years, and a lot of hard work and persistence for Saskatchewan oat breeder Jim Dyck of Oat Advantage, to launch his two, new oat varieties that are getting oat growers and miller excited. The two varieties — named ORe 3541M and ORe 3542M — will be available through SeCan. They’re are both […] Read more
Farmland values and rising interest rates
As interest rates rise, farmers are wondering, ‘it this still a good time to buy land?’
On most farms land is the largest farm asset, which means it can also account for the largest portion of farm debt — especially for farmers just starting out, taking over from the previous generation or expanding the business. What can farmers do, in the face of more potential interest rate hikes, to make sure […] Read more
Is it too expensive to borrow money?
When the neighbour’s land is for sale, are interest rates too high to say 'yes?'
The best time to figure out whether or not you can afford to borrow more money probably isn’t when you get a tip off that the neighbour wants to sell some land at a really tempting price. But inevitably, it’s when faced with those kinds of situations that producers take stock of where they are […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
