Some Prairie farmers are already growing purple wheat under contract. This could be the next new thing for your farm
Researchers are developing specialty wheat varieties which could eventually bring farmers higher premiums. Blue and purple?Blue and purple wheat
COOL retaliation may go beyond U.S. meat imports
Talks aimed at easing or lifting trade barriers for southbound Canadian livestock were more productive Thursday in Mexico City than earlier this week in Washington, according to Canada’s Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. Both nations are currently up against the United States on Washington’s planned changes to its mandatory country-of-origin labelling (COOL) law — and if […] Read more
Ritz sees up to $1B per year in COOL retaliation
Having wrapped up discussions on mandatory country-of-origin labeling (COOL) in Washington, D.C., Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said Canada will consider retaliatory measures of up to $1 billion per year if the U.S. doesn’t comply with World Trade Organization requirements. Speaking Tuesday on a conference call with reporters, Ritz said he and U.S. Department of Agriculture […] Read more
The future of weed control
While high costs are still a hurdle to overcome, bioherbicides are in the works and could be a weapon in the struggle against herbicide resistance
While high costs are still a hurdle to overcome, bioherbicides are in the works and could be a weapon in the struggle against herbicide resistance. Researchers in Canada and the United States are developing bioherbicides that will not only give organic and conventional farmers more weed control options, but also, in some cases, control herbicide-resistant […] Read moreCFIA regulation changes
As the CFIA backs away from regulating fertilizer efficacy, Chris Holpzafel recommends that farmers look to third-party research
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) will stop regulating efficacy for fertilizers and supplements in April 2013. Whether loosening the regulations will benefit farmers by lowering costs and allowing sellers to bring new products to market quickly, or allow some companies to sell products without backing their claims, remains to be seen. As an interim measure the CFIA […] Read moreBenefits behind protein pellets on winter pasture
Supplementing pregnant cows with protein on winter pasture leads to better calf performance, says a professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. A cow’s diet while pregnant affects her calf after birth and in some cases right to slaughter, Dr. Rick Funston told producers at a recent Rancher’s Research Update at Johnstone Auction Mart in Moose […] Read more
Field pea inputs
Plateauing field pea yields have prompted researchers to study how inputs can help. You can’t use everything — get the best bank for your input buck
Researchers want to figure out which inputs, and combinations of inputs, produce the highest field pea yields in different areas of Saskatchewan, says Anne Kirk. Kirk is the research manager at the Western Applied Research Corporation (WARC). The research corporation is running a three-year study, funded by the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, at Scott, Melfort, Swift […] Read moreBeyond no-till
When it comes to managing farming systems, too often the agriculture industry gets hung up on single components of the system at the expense of long-term thinking, says a researcher. “I liken this to driving down the highway, looking at the edge of the ditch to try to keep from going in the ditch. It works […] Read more
Oat markets
In the middle of a long-term decline in Canadian oat production, marketers work to revive the market
Canadian oat acres are likely to drop to a record low in 2013 unless prices jump in the next two or three months, says a market analyst. “We need to stem the long-term decline in Canadian oat acre production. We need to put a bottom on this thing right now,” says Randy Strychar, oat market […] Read moreNew oat varieties coming
Make sure you’re growing an oat variety that’s best suited for your local area and has the disease package you need in the field
When Saskatchewan farmers sit down to select oat varieties, disease resistance will be critical, a crop specialist told farmers at a recent farm show. Researchers are currently working on developing fusarium resistant oat varieties. Fusarium is usually thought of as a wheat disease, but four fusarium species infected oats in 2011. “We haven’t got all […] Read moreCyber-Savvy Farmer
