Insect pests aren’t always true pests. Hard as it may be for farmers to imagine, sometimes the insects do more good than harm. That was a key message from an April online seminar on insect control in canola organized by the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences. The three panelists — Alejandro […] Read more
When a pest isn’t a pest
Finding flea beetles and lygus bugs in canola fields doesn’t necessarily mean they’re a problem. Sometimes lygus bugs can even benefit the crop
Keeping aphids in check, online and off
Improvements could come for a smartphone app targeting the cereal pest, but you can also take steps to help the pest’s natural predators
Cereal Aphid Manager is a useful smartphone app for farmers looking to control one of the main pests in wheat, barley, oat and rye crops in the Prairies. The tool’s scientific developer, Tyler Wist, believes it’s time to hit refresh on the mobile app first released six years ago. Cereal Aphid Manager helps farmers and […] Read more
AI assistance for ranchers
A high-tech tool aims to help users make better management decisions around grazing practices
Nowadays, it takes more than just horsepower to drive some of the best ag tools. Artificial intelligence is becoming a leading force in driving innovation that not only helps boost efficiency and productivity for producers but also can make their farms more sustainable. A high-tech startup called Enriched Ag maintains there are fewer AI-powered tools […] Read more
Curb risk from moisture stress for less
A Manitoba agronomist offers up some tips for farmers on a budget
With swings between wet and dry extremes in recent years, Prairie farmers have seen more water stress problems in their fields. Not only do they make crops less productive, but they can also crank up the stress levels for farmers. “Historically, our two main risks in crop production long term have been excess moisture and […] Read more
How to make P management more sustainable
Phosphorus deficits are a problem on many Prairie farms. A Manitoba crop nutrition expert explains why — and has suggestions for what can help
Phosphorus has always been an essential nutrient in crop production. Maintaining the right P balance — ensuring there’s enough of it to sufficiently feed crops, but not too much of it so it runs off fields or seeps away to contaminate water bodies — is an ongoing challenge for Prairie farmers. Manitoba crop nutrition expert […] Read more
Weed alerts on the southern front
A North Dakota weed expert cautions Prairie farmers about kochia, waterhemp and Palmer amaranth and their evolving herbicide tolerances
Of all the things shared by Prairie farmers on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border, an abiding love of their land, fretting over the weather and a no-nonsense, ‘get ‘er done’ attitude are among those that come to mind. Unfortunately, this also includes weed problems. Weeds know no borders, of course, so when weed trouble […] Read more
New cereal varieties for 2024
Seven new options are on the market for Prairie producers
Farmers in Western Canada have seven new cereal varieties to choose from for next year. Here is a look what FP Genetics, SeCan, SeedNet and Stamp Seeds have to offer. Please note the following list includes only brand new offerings for 2024. FP Genetics Durum: AAC Schrader is the first durum in the Canada Western […] Read more
Stamp out smut
Crop diseases: Disease prevention tips are available for barley producers
Smut is one of the most common diseases in barley and can be found anywhere the grain is grown. There are several distinct kinds, each caused by a specific fungus and producing slightly different effects. While smut affects other cereals, it’s particularly a concern for Prairie barley growers because of its impact on quality as […] Read more
Artificial intelligence, real diligence
Understanding the opportunities — and the risks — with AI applications in agriculture
Farmers are learning more and more about the upside of artificial intelligence in agriculture these days. Benefits include lower input costs, plant breeding improvements and optimized production that contribute to higher yields and additional farm revenue. According to Dan Lussier of Enterprise Machine Intelligence and Learning Initiative (EMILI), AI is also helping producers make better […] Read more
Testing high-tech at farm scale
How Innovation Farms reduces digital ag risks for farmers
High-tech innovations aimed at improving farming are being developed all the time — and while there are always some producers keen to try out new tech, that’s certainly not the case for everyone. Many farmers will prefer to wait and see — which is where places like Innovation Farms come in. Enterprise Machine Intelligence and […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
