Protecting their crops is always top of mind for farmers. And crop protection companies are constantly developing new products and formulations to address disease challenges and other threats that arise every year. The following are some new fungicides producers in Western Canada can look for in 2022. BASF Sphaerex Registered for use on wheat, barley, […] Read more
New fungicides for 2022
Tools to manage resistance development, ergot suppression and more
Rebate roundup 2022
These cash-back plans can help you get the most for your hard-earned input dollars
As we all know, farming can be an expensive business. No surprise then when opportunities arise to save some cash on crop inputs, almost any farmer is going to sit up and take notice. With this in mind (in alphabetical order), here’s our annual roundup of rebates available to western Canadian producers for the 2022 […] Read more
How to manage fertility for pulses after a dry year
Soil test and understand how nitrogen fixation can be affected
When it comes to fertility planning for pulse crops, western Canadian farmers might want to consider soil testing this spring. That’s because there’ll likely be higher amounts of residual nitrogen left over and greater variability in nutrient levels due to last year’s drought, which curtailed crop uptake and nutrient utilization in many fields. “It’s important, […] Read more
Two new pulse varieties for 2022
Red lentil and yellow bean varieties on offer
Western Canadian farmers have two more pulses to choose from this year, courtesy of the Crop Development Centre (CDC) at the University of Saskatchewan. The brand new varieties, a red lentil and a yellow bean, are available through Rudy Agro, SeedNet and Saskatchewan Pulse Growers. CDC Sunburst is a new variety of yellow bean, which […] Read more
Use Delta T values for successful spray operations in hot and dry weather
It’s a better indicator than relative humidity for gauging evaporation rate
In many parts of the Prairies last summer it was hot and exceptionally dry as drought conditions persisted through the season. One of the consequences for farmers was spray operations with pest control applications may have been less effective than usual. Tom Wolf, a sprayer expert and scientist at Agrimetrix Research and Training in Saskatoon, […] Read more
A new source of nitrogen
Biological products like Envita and Utrisha N enable crops to harvest nitrogen from the air
It’s an essential element for plant growth, but nitrogen in the air all around us has been unavailable to major crops grown in Western Canada — at least until now. New biological products have arrived in the marketplace that enable crops like wheat, canola, soybean and corn to harvest nitrogen from the air. First on […] Read more
Increase fertilizer efficiency to reduce emissions
Soil nutrition experts discuss how to go about it
In a bid to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the Trudeau government took steps in 2021 to lower emissions from on-farm fertilizer use. These measures included setting a voluntary emissions reduction target of 30 per cent from 2020 levels by 2030, which has some producers worried their farms may suffer if it means having to cut […] Read more
The great 2022 seed scramble
Book your seed and lock in prices as soon as possible, warn seed growers’ associations
To say 2021 wasn’t a very good year for seed growers in Western Canada is putting it lightly. The combination of drought conditions and unrelenting summer heat across much of the Prairies hurt seed production and has some farmers scrambling to secure the seed they need for the coming growing season. “It hit crops hard […] Read more
Four tips for FHB spray applications in wheat
To prevent outbreaks consider spray preparation, double nozzles, coarser sprays and lower booms
Fusarium head blight (FHB) is one of the most destructive wheat diseases in Western Canada, affecting the yield, grade and end-use quality of infected crops. Fungicides can be very effective in preventing FHB outbreaks, as long as they’re applied on time and sprayed the right way. Tom Wolf, a sprayer expert and scientist at Agrimetrix […] Read more
Ten tips for spraying in windy conditions
Here’s how to optimize pesticide coverage and reduce spray drift risks
Farmers have several things they must think about when choosing the right time to spray. Important considerations include application windows and time of day, but the obvious question is — is it too windy out? “The wind speed is really the single most important factor that everyone uses to determine whether it’s safe to spray […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
