Corrected, Nov. 24, 2014 — Farmers looking for a new cereal crop to slide into the rotation will have their pick of 14 new varieties, plus a winter wheat that is widely available for the first time this year. Researchers are doing interesting things with cereals these days. Dr. Jamie Larsen, rye breeder with Agriculture […] Read more
New cereal varieties for 2015
There are 14 new cereal varieties on the market this year, including some with fusarium resistance
New soybean varieties for 2015
Seed companies shortening maturity in a bid to see varieties where no soybeans have gone before
Farmers will have their pick of new soybean varieties to seed next spring, and seed companies are offering more and more early-maturing varieties. BrettYoung’s Akras R2 is “early enough to be suited to production in Saskatchewan and western and northern areas of Manitoba,” Rene Mabon, agronomic and regulatory services manager wrote in an email. And […] Read more
New flax seed varieties for 2015
Seed companies offering one new flax variety; two varieties from last year are seeing a wider release
Flax growers have one new flax variety to consider this year, plus two others that are seeing a wider release. The seed’s not in the bin yet, but in August Statistics Canada was putting flax production at just over 908,000 tonnes this year. That’s a fair gain over 2013’s 712,000-tonne harvest, as reported by Dave […] Read more
New canola seed varieties for 2015
Disease resistance has been top of mind for canola researchers, and will stay that way for some time
A look through the new canola seed varieties submitted by seed companies reveals a focus on disease resistance. Most of the new varieties are blackleg resistant. Some also offer sclerotinia tolerance, fusarium wilt resistance, or clubroot resistance. Disease resistance is likely to remain front and centre in canola. Clubroot grabbed headlines this summer, as plant […] Read more
Wild weather and loose wheels
For an ag reporter driving on Prairie roads to get to the story, sometimes a little bit of on-the-spot help from strangers is more than welcome
I was on my way to Ravenscrag, Saskatchewan, on the last day of May this year when my wheel flew off. I’d just driven through the Elrose Hills, rolling knolls dotted with oil tanks, and was watching the sky, wondering if it was going to rain. Then I realized that wobble in my Chevy Tracker […] Read more
Clock ticking on FNA-led group’s proposed play for CWB
Farmers of North America (FNA) executives are pleading for more time from the federal government to help farmers hammer out a deal to buy the former Canadian Wheat Board. FNA has created a new organization, Genesis Grain and Fertilizer LP, to build a farmer-owned grain handling and fertilizer sales and distribution company. As of Tuesday, […] Read more
Using ecological systems
Diversified, long-term crop rotations can pay off for Prairie farmers with strong management skills who are prepared to invest the time to carry them out
Updated Sept. 19, 2014 – Canadian farmers have good management skills, but those skills aren’t being rewarded in the conventional system, says a Manitoba researcher. “On well-managed organic farms, or ecological farms, I’ve seen farmers really being rewarded for their management skills,” says Dr. Martin Entz of the University of Manitoba. Entz says there is […] Read more
Power Pin Inc. expands product offering
For over 25 years, Power Pin Inc. has been building tractor-implement hitches. Now they’re offering a new line of products, under their Hit-N-Hitch division, for trucks and trailers. “It’s a complete on-road system for trucks and trailers,” says Gary Wilson, sales manager for Power Pin’s Hit-N-Hitch division. “Everything we learned in the last 25 years […] Read more
Carbon in your soil
Carbon levels vary across the Prairies. The ideal amount depends on yield expectations and the local climate
Great civilizations, including the Mayans and Mesopotamians, have been built on productive agricultural systems, underpinned by fertile soil. And as soil quality eroded, so did these civilizations. But when it comes to soil organic matter, it seems Western Canadian farmers have learned from the past. People have known for centuries that dark soil is generally more […] Read more
Watch for lygus bug damage on faba beans
The insects leave a black spot which is discounted by export customers
Central Alberta farmers planning to sell low-tannin faba beans for export will need to beware of lower tolerance levels for lygus bug damage. Snowbird is a low-tannin variety of faba beans commonly sold into the human market overseas. Parkland Alberta Commodities, a grain buyer based in Innisfail, Alberta, set the tolerance level for lygus bug-damaged […] Read more
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