Black swan: An unpredictable and rare event typically with severe consequences. Last month, I took part in my first real-time, multi-day, digital farm show since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Ag in Motion Discovery Plus, which was held live July 21-25 (and was the first venue of its kind in ag), was attended by thousands of […] Read more
Editor’s Column: A strong business IQ will be critical in navigating this black swan cycle
Editor’s Column: What you can do now to mitigate the risks and challenges associated with later harvests
Does this fall harvest scenario seem familiar to you — the crop is a little tough so the farmer thinks he or she will wait a week to see what the weather does in hopes of taking the crop off dry. And then the bad weather rolls in. Now the farmer is stuck because the […] Read more
Editor’s Column: Ag in Motion goes digital with the launch of Discovery Plus
Many of the events you and I would be attending this year — crop plot tours, conferences and outdoor farm shows — for the latest production tips, equipment, demonstrations and product launches have been cancelled, and in a few cases rescheduled to a future date yet to be announced. Furthermore, meetings normally held in person […] Read more
Editor’s Column: Seeding great ideas
One of the highlights of being the editor of Grainews is hearing from you through phone calls, emails and social media. I have appreciated your well-wishes, insights, suggestions, feedback and ideas for future stories. I’ve picked out a few examples to share with you. A southern Alberta farmer emailed me this month to suggest there […] Read more
Horsch introduces the Omnis FT Tillage Tool
New tool offers uniform water infiltration, soil warming and residue and soil blending
Horsch has announced an expansion of its North American primary tillage line with the launch of the all-new Omnis FT Tillage Tool. Engineered and built at the company’s Mapleton, N.D., facility, the new concept in primary tillage incorporates innovations pioneered by Horsch — a global manufacturer of seeding, planting, tillage and application equipment — both […] Read more
Editor’s Column: Agriculture is getting the job done
As the health and economic crisis deepens in Canada and around the world, food security, production and the value chains that support the agriculture industry have moved into the spotlight. A food crisis added to this pandemic would cause even more suffering here and abroad. During this time of increased focus on agriculture, I have […] Read more
Editor’s Column: Agriculture rises to the occasion for COVID-19
As our April 7 issue of Grainews went to press, there were more than 2,500 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Canada, about 17 times that number in the United States and upwards of 330,000 worldwide. In a matter of weeks, the way we conduct business and our daily lives has been altered dramatically, as it […] Read more
Editor’s Column: Somebody pinch me… I must be dreaming
Hello Grainews readers! My name is Kari Belanger and I’m so thrilled to be taking over from Leeann Minogue as editor of Grainews. It happens to be one of my favourite agricultural publications, so being its editor and its champion is particularly important to me. I have known Leeann since she took on the role […] Read more
Lack of crop growth may be due to an insect, not a seeder miss
When you’re checking for pests, this insect’s wily ways could give you the slip
For Scott Hartley, an insect pest management specialist at the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, it’s an all-too-familiar story. A producer notices areas in the field where growth is slow, plants are dying back or missing altogether. The damage is often put down to a seeder miss or poor germination, poor nutrition or environmental conditions, or […] Read more
Detecting wireworms on your farm
Using bait can help you get a better estimate of the scope of your wireworm problem. Making a bait ball For one ball: Mix one to 1-1/2 cups of oatmeal or wheat flour with two tablespoons of honey and up to 1/2 cup of water to form a ball Tie up ball in a mesh […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
