According to new data from Statistics Canada’s 2016 Census of Agriculture, Prairie farmers are renting more and more land. In Manitoba, farmers rent or lease 33 per cent of the farmland, in Saskatchewan 28 per cent and in Alberta 42 per cent. Needless to say, they are not all paying the same rental rates and […] Read more
What’s influencing land rental rates?
An Ontario survey found that close relationships and long rental terms made no difference
Helping our plants to help themselves
One day, farmers may be able to use natural products to fight blackleg and other diseases
New research that could lead to a biological alternative to chemical fungicides began with work into food safety. “We were interested in whether food-fermenting lactobacilli would produce molecules that prevent fungal growth,” says Dr. Michael Gaenzle, who is leading the research into antifungal lipids at the University of Alberta. Gaenzle’s team came across some molecules […] Read more
Sociology and herbicide-resistant weeds
Think weed management strategies are all about agronomy? There are other factors
Would you tell your neighbour how to farm? Not likely. On the other hand, what if this reluctance to “stick your nose in” was creating a real barrier to the adoption of practices that could help slow down the spread of herbicide resistant weeds? Scientists have a word for this way of thinking. They call […] Read more
Incentives spur interest in solar energy
Thanks to solar energy, this farmer received a credit on his mid-winter energy bill
Tim Sawatzky never tires of the sight of the 80 solar panels that make up his 20.8 kilowatt (kW) solar energy system on his farm near MacGregor, Manitoba. He’s happy to talk about how pleased he is with the system, which is already saving him money three months after he installed it. Sawatzky gave his […] Read more
Managing herbicide resistance costs
Farmers considering herbicide resistance strategies are looking at the economics first
There are several reasons many farmers haven’t yet adopted herbicide resistance management (HRM) plans. These include a lack of information, the complexity of different management strategies and limited time. But a major reason is still economics. Many farmers worry about the costs of implementing a resistance management plan, especially if they’re uncertain about the potential […] Read more
A new species of midge lands on the Prairies
Researchers say this new “anonymous” midge is not an imminent concern, but it’s worth watching
An anonymous midge species has been identified in Saskatchewan and central Alberta. The new species is similar to Swede midge (a species already present in Saskatchewan), but to this point does not appear to have caused significant, widespread damage in canola crops. Researchers are still trying to find out more about the as yet unnamed […] Read more
Producing clean bison genetics
New ‘washing’ techniques could benefit cattle industry as well
Genetic research in wood bison may have wider implications for wildlife conservation and for the Canadian livestock industry. Scientists have developed tools using assisted reproductive technologies such as cryopreservation (freezing), artificial insemination (AI) and embryo transfer which could help increase dwindling wild bison populations and prevent the spread of disease. Canadian wood bison is an […] Read more
Tillage is tempting, but treacherous
While tillage can get you in the field faster, it can also disrupt networks in your soil
Many farmers across Western Canada have been struggling with wetter than normal conditions over the past few years. This spring many will again be facing soils that are close to the saturation point and puzzling over how to deal with them. Some farmers may turn to tillage to help dry them out, or at the very least to smooth […] Read more
Poor quality cereal seed on deck for 2017
Cereal quality is down across the Prairies, but pulse and soybean seed looks good for 2017
Farmers across the Prairies will remember 2016 as the year when they had frequent, above-average moisture right through the growing season, delaying both seeding and harvest in many cases. All that moisture means there will be some poor quality cereal seed around for the 2017 season, although the quality of pulses like peas and fava […] Read more
How do I interpret my seed test?
Know what you’re looking for before you take your seed to the lab for spring testing
Following a wet growing season that caused all kinds of disease issues across the Prairies, which reduced the quality of cereal seed in all three provinces, seed testing is coming to the forefront as seed growers and farmers want to find out what they can expect from their seed for the upcoming season. “Although everyone […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
