I’m a fan of ag research. When I’m reporting on new ag research, I do my best to figure out how the study was set up and whether there are any major flaws. I try to communicate this to readers. I have one of Les Henry’s columns on farm research taped next to my computer, […] Read more
Respectable research reporting
It’s harder than you might expect to report accurately on the latest agronomy research
CTA report shows mediocre grain movement
Overall, Canadian Pacific (CP) fulfilled 73 per cent of its hopper car orders the week of January 10 to 16, according to the Ag Transport Coalition’s latest report. That number contrasts to Canadian National’s 95 per cent order fulfillment for the same week. The Ag Transport Coalition reports that CP also started the year out […] Read more
Researchers put PGRs to the test
Alberta researchers find that PGRs impact different wheat varieties in different ways
The perception that all hard red wheat varieties respond equally to plant growth regulators doesn’t hold up in the field, according to an Alberta Agriculture and Forestry researcher. “We’ve looked at several different hard reds that have a height reduction, but they don’t have the improvement in standability that we need,” Dr. Sheri Strydhorst told […] Read more
VIDEO: New yield-boosting seed treatment on the horizon
Show me the data! What farmers should look for when buying new inputs
Monsanto is banking on biologicals to be the future of ag inputs, company officials said during a media event at Crop Production Week in Saskatoon this winter. Monsanto has partnered with Novozymes to develop, test, and release new biological products. One of the first products to come out of that business relationship is QuickRoots, a […] Read more
Ag reporting gets more glamorous
Film premieres are not usually on the list of events that farm reporters are asked to cover
Film premieres are rare events for farm journalists. I’ve been told by better-dressed people that farm journalists are not known for their fashion sense, so perhaps that’s the reason. So naturally I couldn’t pass up a chance to attend the License to Farm premiere at the Roxy Theatre in Saskatoon. If you haven’t seen the […] Read more
Studying soil responses to sulphur
U of S researchers look at responses to sulphur fertilizer in different soil zones
Will farmers see a yield bump from sulphur, given that most soils aren’t severely depleted? How tolerant are crops to sulphur fertilizer in the seed-row? How long does it take for plants to use sulphur? Those were a few of the questions Dr. Jeff Schoenau, University of Saskatchewan soil scientist, set out to answer at […] Read more
Only an optimist would take this on
Not everyone would have the nerve to start tackling our tough-to-solve wild boar problem
I aspire to be a relentless optimist. I don’t mean that in a Pollyannaish sort of way. I like energetic optimists who get stuff done, such as Teddy Roosevelt and his national parks. I admire optimists with enough grit to figure out a way to climb over or under or around big obstacles. It’s very […] Read more
Saskatchewan’s elite hunting team
Meet the Saskatchewan hunters from Saskatchewan Crop Insurance's wild boar education plan
It’s a crew that comes from all walks of life — farmers, government employees, and semi-retired men. They come from all over the province. And once they get the call, they have 24 to 48 hours to assemble. Then they attempt to eradicate very intelligent, potentially dangerous animals that are invading farmland. While it may […] Read more
You asked for it, you’ve got it
Reporter's Notebook: Lisa Guenther starts out the new year by giving Grainews readers what they want
I’ve decided to start out the New Year by writing at least one Grainews column that is focused on what readers want, rather than whatever is rattling around inside my head. Based on subscriber feedback and our own marketing material, it seems our readers want advice on everything from dealing with gossip to making easy […] Read more
Wild boar cause trouble on farms
There are many feral wild boar across the Prairies, but few of us will ever actually see them
Michael Hicks likes to talk about wildlife. The Glaslyn-area farmer still chuckles about the time he watched a black bear stand as high as it could on its hind legs, longing for out-of-reach oats in a grain truck. But just after Thanksgiving, Hicks’ game camera recorded something new in his pasture near Thunderchild Reserve, in northwestern […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
