Innovations in digital agriculture technology continue at a blistering pace in lots of places around the globe. Some of you may wonder, how does Western Canada stack up? As you read through the pages of our July 11 issue of Grainews, the answer should be clear. Numerous stories in this issue attest that ag innovation […] Read more
Editor’s column: Here’s to Prairie ag innovators
New approach to in-bin grain drying
Digital tool can take some of the worry out of harvesting tough grain
Ross Welford is a grain producer who farms 1,200 acres near Maymont, Sask. He always strives to harvest his cereal and canola crops at the best time to achieve optimal grain quality, but that’s not always possible due to weather. “There are times you pull into a field and start going with the combine and […] Read more
High-tech weed control to give farmers a look into how precise spraying can be
Digital tool can be used to predict where weeds will emerge and identify areas with herbicide resistance within fields
Saskatchewan farmer Carl deConinck Smith is a dedicated early adopter who likes to keep on top of the latest innovations in digital agriculture technology. No surprise then that he’s arranged to have some new precision ag tech put to use on his farm this summer. It’s a digital tool developed by Geco Engineering in Vancouver, […] Read more
Market expert urges cautious approach for forward grain selling
That caution is well advised going into this growing season given the state of subsoil moisture across the Prairies. That’s the word from Bruce Burnett of MarketsFarm, which provides expert analysis on the markets and crops grown in Western Canada. As MarketFarm’s director of markets and weather information, Burnett specializes in assessing weather conditions and […] Read more
New tool for anthracnose control in lentils
Zetigo PRM targets disease with a novel mode of action and helps farmers manage fungicide resistance
Anthracnose can be a serious problem in lentils in Western Canada. As Mike Brown, agronomy manager for Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, points out, the disease can result in heavy yield losses due to premature leaf drop and plant death. “Anthracnose is a polycyclic disease, which means it can go through multiple life cycles during the growing […] Read more
AUDIO: How weather could shape your grain marketing options in 2023
Some grain farmers have been cautious about forward selling after the drought of 2021 left to them short of the crop needed to fill their contracts and the cost of buying their way out of them soared. MarketsFarm analyst Bruce Burnett says that caution is well advised, given the state of subsoil moisture across the […] Read more
Prairie insect pest outlook for 2023
Grasshoppers top the threat list but flea beetles, wheat midge, lygus bug, cutworms, bertha army worm and wheat stem sawfly are also risks in some areas
The Prairie Pest Monitoring Network (PPMN) warns grasshoppers could be a problem for producers in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta if hot, dry conditions during the growing season persist into 2023. The network’s annual grasshopper survey is conducted in late summer and early fall by estimating the density of adult insects, usually in ditches along cereal […] Read more
How to control crown rust in oats
In severe cases, it can slash yields by up to 40 per cent. Here are four strategies to help keep that from happening
Something Prairie oat producers need to keep a sharp eye out for this summer is crown rust. James Menzies, a plant pathologist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) in Morden, Man., says you’ll find crown rust wherever oats are grown, except in very arid climates. It’s more damaging than any other oat disease, causing yield […] Read more
Cover cropping on the Prairies
A farmer survey shows many producers are growing cover crops successfully, but more agronomic knowledge and supports are needed
Climatic constraints such as a short growing season or too little fall moisture are often given as reasons why cover cropping may not be a great fit for the Canadian Prairies. A recent farmer survey, though, shows many western Canadian producers are making cover crops work, and are benefitting in ways you may not have […] Read more
Tools to reach 52 bushels per acre canola in 2023
Focus on and execute these five agronomy priorities to increase overall yields and profitability
Last year, the national average canola yield in Canada came in at 38 bushels per acre, according to Statistics Canada. It’s an improvement on 25 bushels per acre in 2021, when drought conditions drove yields down across Western Canada, but it’s still well short of the 52-bushel-per-acre yield target the Canola Council of Canada (CCC) […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
