As Tom Wolf of Agrimetrix Research and Training points out, when the wind picks up or, perhaps, changes direction, this can throw a wrench into a spraying operation. This may mean returning to the field when conditions are more favourable for spraying, or perhaps switching to another product that is not as risky for the […] Read more
How to improve the productivity of your spray program
New soybean varieties for 2022
Good disease packages, stress tolerance and strong standability are just a few of the features on offer
Western Canadian Prairie farmers who want to try a new soybean variety in 2022 will have lots to choose from with 31 soybean options being rolled out for the coming growing season. Here’s a look at what’s on tap from Dekalb, Corteva, Croplan, Maizex, NorthStar Genetics, Proven Seed, SeCan, Sevita International, Syngenta and Thunder Seed. […] Read more
New corn varieties for 2022
Varieties with excellent early season vigour, high yields, good drydown and more are on offer
Next year there’ll be 23 new corn options in the offing for producers in Western Canada. BrettYoung, Corteva, Dekalb, Horizon Seeds, Maizex, NorthStar Genetics, Pride Seeds, Proven Seed and Thunder Seed are all releasing new corn hybrids for the coming growing season. Please note, the following list includes only brand new releases for 2022. BrettYoung […] Read more
New cereal varieties for 2022
Twenty-one new options for farmers in Western Canada
There are lots of new choices for cereal growers in Western Canada this winter. Twenty-one wheat, barley and oat varieties are coming to market for next year, with many of them featuring improved resistance to fusarium and rust diseases. Please note, the following list includes only brand new releases for 2022. Alliance Seed Oats: CDC […] Read more
New canola varieties for 2022
Fifteen brand new canola hybrids hit the market
Western Canadian producers have 15 new canola hybrids to choose from when they start seeding next year. Six of them include the TruFlex trait, which allows farmers to get more time in the sprayer by widening the window for applying glyphosate. Please note, this list only includes brand new canola offerings for 2022. BASF InVigor […] Read more
Soil compaction could squeeze your yields
A look at the direct and indirect effects of compaction in your fields
For years, soil compaction wasn’t something Jeff Hamblin gave a lot of thought to. The Manitoba producer had heard about how the seasonal freeze-thaw cycle in the Red River Valley and elsewhere in the Prairies acted to naturally alleviate farmland soil compaction, but it wasn’t until he started investigating some problem areas in his fields […] Read more
Three common soil compaction mistakes
Avoid these missteps to keep compaction from getting worse
With the advent of mechanized agriculture, farms became a great deal more productive than they were in times past. However, the large machines that ply farmers’ fields today can be hard on the soil and cause issues with compaction. Our cover story of this issue of Grainews provides some suggestions for preventing or reducing soil […] Read more
The value and benefits of tile drainage
Here’s how this practice can make your farm more profitable
Installing drainage tile on farmland comes with a hefty price tag, costing anywhere from $900 an acre up to $1,400 an acre or more by some estimates. Like for any large capital expense, producers need to weigh the decision carefully before moving ahead with this kind of project. Ultimately it comes down to dollars and […] Read more
Move soil to where it’s needed most
Landscape restoration can restore productivity on eroded knolls and hilltops
You could say it’s an old idea that’s new again. The idea is taking topsoil from where it has accumulated in low areas and putting it on badly eroded knolls or hilltops to increase the productivity of a field. University of Manitoba soil scientist David Lobb maintains that’s something farmers in hilly regions of China […] Read more
How to protect and save your topsoil
Erosion can be a problem even in zero-till fields. Here are some strategies to stop soil loss
Tillage and not wind or water is the biggest source of soil loss on farmers’ fields. David Lobb, a soil scientist at the University of Manitoba, says for decades people mistakenly thought the eroded knolls or hilltops in fields were caused mostly by wind. “What causes the severe soil loss on hilltops is tillage erosion, […] Read more
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