A follow-up to a story we first brought you last July about a new online tool being developed by soil scientists at the University of Manitoba to make fusarium head blight (FHB) risk management in cereal crops easier for Prairie farmers. Paul Bullock, a senior scholar with the U of M’s department of soil science, […] Read more
Online fusarium management tool due out this spring
Preliminary tests of the online tool showed a good level of accuracy
Old equipment, new life: Cost-effective tech upgrades
An ag tech expert talks about how existing farm machinery can be upgraded to perform at the same level as new equipment
What’s old can be like new again, says the president of a Saskatchewan company that specializes in helping producers outfit older farm machinery with the latest in precision farming technology. Matthew Yanick, who founded Rocanville, Sask.-based MY Precision Ag, spoke at the recent Manitoba Ag Days farm show in Brandon about the benefits of equipping […] Read more
Plan now for a farm’s future
FCC business advisor Tim Lang offers advice on what families need to consider in transition planning
With Canada’s farm population aging, it stands to reason transition planning would be a high priority for farmers in this country. But that doesn’t appear to be the case. Despite 60 per cent of Canadian farmers being age 55 or older, fewer than one in 10 have a written transition plan, according to Farm Management […] Read more
Seeding rate may help manage flea beetle populations
A recent study investigated the effect of plant density on flea beetle populations in canola crops
Flea beetles have become Public Enemy No. 1 when it comes to canola. Yield losses of 10 per cent are common and it’s estimated the troublesome pest costs growers in North America more than $300 million annually. Results of a study recently conducted in Western Canada could help growers better manage flea beetle populations in […] Read more
Rebate roundup 2024
Cash-back rebates and rewards programs provide growers with much-needed certainty
Canada’s crop input market faces multiple challenges and growers will look to get the most bang for their buck when purchasing fertilizer, seed and pesticides for 2024. Grainews aims to make that process a little easier with its annual rebate roundup feature that examines some of the cash-back rebates and other reward programs available to […] Read more
Grasshoppers: Brace for impact
The past year was bad for grasshoppers on the Prairies and 2024 could be worse, experts warn
It’s still the middle of winter, but it’s never too early to think about grasshoppers. That was one message delivered at last month’s Canola Week annual meetings in Calgary, which brought together canola industry leaders from across North America. Meghan Vankosky, a field crop entomologist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada based in Saskatoon, spoke during […] Read more
Weed-fighting tool gets a closer look
A recent AAFC study looked at the effectiveness of harvest weed seed control technology
Mechanical weed seed control at harvest has been around for a while in Australia, but it’s a relatively new technology in Canada and adoption rates remain comparatively low. A recent study conducted in Western Canada looked at the efficacy of that technology and the role it could play in alternative weed control strategies as concerns […] Read more
Beans mounting a comeback?
Expected prices could make some Manitoba growers take a closer look at dry beans in 2024
Could dry beans be poised to make a comeback in Manitoba? While it’s difficult to say with certainty, the latest Manitoba Agriculture estimates for crop production costs in the province for 2024 suggest it’s possible. Pinto beans are ranked No. 1 in terms of profitability among all field crops, according to the guide’s budget estimates, […] Read more
Crop residues’ rewards versus risks
Leaving crop residue after harvest can be beneficial — but poses some challenges
John Berger marked the completion of his 57th harvest on his family farm near Nanton in southern Alberta this fall. By most accounts, it was another productive year on Berger’s 5,000-acre grain farm. Still, something didn’t sit quite right with the long-time farmer. Whenever he toured the nearby countryside post-harvest, he noted many farm fields […] Read more
Share concerns, build relationships with MPs, lobbyist says
Stay informed and hold representatives to account regardless of affiliation, farmers hear
“Meet with your member of Parliament annually. That’s how you inform politicians. That’s where you can gain some real momentum and leverage. It only takes one MP to stand up at caucus and say I visited my constituents and this is the big issue,” said Dave Carey.
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
