Dallas Leduc says a device he has installed in all portable fuel tanks on his southern Saskatchewan farm does exactly what it says it was intended to do — prevents fuel from slopping out through the vented fuel caps, saving fuel and preventing a mess in the back of the truck. It’s not a life-changing invention […] Read more
Stop leaks and spills from fuel slip tanks
Simple device prevents fuel loss and is good for the environment
Canadian Western Agribition goes virtual for 2020
A virtual Ag In Motion in July will show you how it's done
First the Farm Progress Show, then the Calgary Stampede, then Ag In Motion, and now Canadian Western Agribition for 2020 has been cancelled. Whatever is going on out there, this must be serious. I even heard rumours that Christmas 2020 is being postponed until next Easter… (well not really, but you never know.) The impact […] Read more
Seeding strategies benefit pre- and post-harvest weed control
The most effective treatments can involve decisions made at seeding
The early reports from a couple of ongoing field research projects are suggesting some of the most effective treatments for pre- and post-harvest weed control might actually involve decisions made at seeding, say weed specialists. In Saskatchewan, Clark Brenzil, provincial weed specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture, is looking at how narrower row spacing (10 inches) as […] Read more
No turning back as the world Zooms
This face-to-face contact with humans is overrated
If there is one legacy this pandemic will leave us, we may never need to get out of our sweatpants, or leave the house again. In fact, there may never be a good excuse to have live face-to-face contact with another human being (other than immediate family members) ever again. I’ve never been Zoomed so […] Read more
No details yet on beef set aside program
Producers waiting for details on how to access funds
Beef producers across Western Canada wanting to access funds from a federal/provincial set aside program intended to help with feed costs and loss of in come due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will have to wait a little longer. Alberta premier Jason Kenney got the ball rolling May 8, announcing that Alberta was joining the federal […] Read more
Vigilance needed with blackleg on the rise
Adopt best management practices and rotate resistance gene groups
Blackleg in canola hasn’t got out of hand across Western Canada yet, but it is on the rise, says a Canola Council of Canada (CCC) specialist who advises farmers to scout fields and consider rotating into different disease-resistant varieties to reduce the risk of disease buildup. There is still time this spring before seeding to […] Read more
Funds announced for beef set-aside program
Saskatchewan encourages direct-sales directory for consumers
A $17 million contribution from the Alberta Government Thursday is seen as the first step of creating a set-aside program for Western Canadian beef producers forced to hold back finished and feeder cattle due to the slow downs in beef processing capacity. The $17 million is the 40 per cent component of a $40 […] Read more
Hopefully I’m not Zooming on the golf course this year
My game is much like a solitary nature walk, narrated by swear words
It makes sense during this pandemic to cancel many routine gatherings, such as NHL hockey games, the House of Commons, church assemblies, bingo nights and the Olympics. I hope physical distancing requirements don’t impact two of my important summer pastimes — field days and golf. The field day season is just around the corner. There […] Read more
AGvisorPro connects producers to virtual consultants
Technology has increased relevance during pandemic
No one plans or welcomes a pandemic, but Rob Saik says in this unexpected time of isolation and social distancing, a new service he launched in 2019 can help farmers connect with a diverse network of agricultural expertise either online or by phone, at a time when face-to-face personal contact is being discouraged. Saik, well […] Read more
Sponsor needed for mental health connection
As Rob Saik and Patrick Walther have developed the AGvisorPro service to connect farmers with a wide range of experts, one important service gap needing industry support is mental health consulting. Saik, co-founder and CEO of AGvisorPro, says mental health services is one area of advice and counselling he’d like to make available to farmers […] Read more