Although beans are a specialty crop in Canada, they are a vital part of the global diet, Dr. Frédéric Marsolais says. Beans are high in protein, fibre and complex carbohydrates. They’re also a source of antioxidants and several nutrients. “It became apparent that having access to a genome sequence for this crop would be very […] Read more
The bean genome
Researchers have puzzled out the genomes of crops such as soybeans. Now they’re turning their attention to the common bean
Ochap Farms has best year yet
Ochapowace First Nations’ Ochap Farms Ltd. is investing in people and building a farm in southeast Saskatchewan
Shelley Bear is the first to admit she didn’t know a lot about farming. “I knew you put the crop in the field in the spring and you took it off in the fall,” Bear told delegates at the inaugural Indigenous Agriculture Summit, held in conjunction with Canadian Western Agribition in November. Bear is the […] Read more
Guenther: Amid tension in Ukraine, positive change sought for farmers
As seeding progresses in Ukraine, farmers are eyeing input prices, markets and weather, just as their counterparts do in other parts of the world. But Ukraine’s farmers have the added worry of whether conflict in the eastern part of the country will boil over. Last week Russian and Ukrainian officials signed an accord agreeing to […] Read more
New interswitching rules more punishment than policy: CN CEO
Given recent federal moves to regulate Canada’s major railways into moving more grain, Claude Mongeau came to Winnipeg Wednesday feeling “a little bit like a general who lost the battle.” Speaking to the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, the CEO of Canadian National Railway (CN) said he was in town to make the case that “regulation […] Read more
Guenther: Farmers’ cash flow concerns feeding wide basis
Saskatoon | Grainews — Prairie farmers have been feeling the pain of a basis wide as the Saskatchewan sky, and the situation isn’t likely to improve any time soon. “We need to get rail movement to tighten supplies and improve these basis levels,” Cliff Jamieson, grains analyst with DTN, told delegates at the Grain Handling […] Read more
Guenther: West Coast’s grain capacity a question mark
Saskatoon | Grainews –– Western Canada’s rail network isn’t the only piece of the grain logistics puzzle that needs attention, farmers heard here at Wednesday’s Grain Handling and Transportation Summit. “If we did solve the rail problem, we have another large problem, and that’s West Coast terminal capacity,” said Richard Gray, a University of Saskatchewan […] Read more
Guenther: Gears grinding on grain freight co-ordination
Saskatoon | Grainews — The Prairie grain industry and railways are likely to behave like the House of Commons as they try to fix logistics problems plaguing the industry, Perry Pellerin told delegates here at the Grain Handling and Transportation Summit. “There’s going to be a lot of finger-pointing. A lot of badgering. Maybe even […] Read more
Variable rate irrigation
The high cost of variable rate irrigation has limited farmer adoption. But there are times when it can be useful
Variable rate irrigation can boost water use efficiency and may bump yield. But there are wrinkles to iron out before the technology is widely adopted. Variable rate systems include an electronic control panel, a pivot positioning system (usually GPS), and sprinkler control valves. Farmers upload prescriptions to the control panel, which then applies water accordingly. […] Read more
Guenther: Tensions risk holding back Ukraine’s ag potential
When Mike Lee moved to Ukraine six years ago, he didn’t think he’d end up with a front-row seat to a conflict that could tip into outright war. Lee is an agronomist and agribusiness consultant hailing from the United Kingdom. He’s farmed, taught agriculture at Writtle College in the U.K., and consulted in other countries, […] Read more
Crop rotations and soil science
Some see soil as mere dirt. Soil scientists see a complex ecosystem affected by everything from crop rotations to fertilizer
Using DNA technology, researchers are finding that microbial diversity in the sea is huge, said Dr. Marcia Monreal, soil microbiology scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. “But (their results) suggest the diversity in the soil is much larger.” Monreal explained that there is a food chain in the soil that includes bacteria plus other creatures […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
