Herbicides have long been the go-to solution for Prairie grain producers fighting weed infestations. Over time, it has led to widespread resistance development in many weed species and a shrinking list of chemical options for controlling pervasive weeds like kochia and wild oats that have become resistant to multiple modes of action in recent years. […] Read more
Use multiple strategies to control weeds in your crops
Rising herbicide resistance means it’s time to broaden your weed control arsenal with chemical, mechanical and non-chemical methods
Green-on-green tech prepares for airborne launch
A Saskatchewan-based startup is testing precision drone spraying on the Prairies this spring, but there’s no word yet on a regulatory framework to allow full commercialization
There are a growing number of options for green-on-green herbicide spray application technologies available to farmers. Companies like John Deere, BASF and Bilberry are using artificial intelligence and advanced computer vision to develop green-on-green spot sprayers, some of them capable of functioning autonomously. What about an autonomous, green-on-green spot sprayer that flies? It might sound […] Read more
Fungicide timing for wheat leaf disease and FHB
A single fungicide application at the anthesis stage may produce the best results
Prairie grain producers always keep close tabs on the weather during the growing season to see if conditions turn favourable for disease development in their crops. If that happens, there may not be a simple answer to the question of whether to spray or not. And much of that has to do with timing. “The […] Read more
Editor’s Column: Outside-the-box weed control
It’s a frequent refrain on the Canadian Prairies — herbicide-resistant weeds are a growing problem that every farmer needs to take seriously. The alarm bells have been going off for some time, so most everyone in Canadian ag knows this by now. An example of that is a Canola Digest article from Jan. 6, 2023, on […] Read more
Editor’s Column: Where the action is
There is no question spot sprayers are a hot topic in agriculture right now. As Scott Garvey reports in his article in our February 7, 2023 issue of Grainews, a new robotic spot sprayer called Solix from Solinftec, which is headquartered in São Paulo, Brazil, and in West Lafayette, Ind., could be available to Canadian […] Read more
Rebate roundup 2023
Make your crop input dollars go further this year with cash-back rebates and reward programs
With the high price of fertilizer and other crop inputs these days, it’s more important than ever to be mindful of cash-back rebates and other grower reward programs as you prepare for the 2023 growing season. With this in mind, here’s our annual roundup (in alphabetical order) of rebates available to farmers in Western Canada […] Read more
New incentives for farmers to practice 4R
Most everybody knows how important 4R nutrient management is. Applying nitrogen and other nutrients from the right source and at the right rate, time and place ensures crops get all of the nutrients they need while also minimizing losses through nitrous oxide emissions. Many believe 4R nutrient stewardship could also be key to reaching the […] Read more
Halsall: Aim for the home run ball
Every year, farmers play a high-stakes game against Mother Nature and all of the other in-season perils, betting their fields will yield a bounty of profitable crops come harvest. It’s risky, of course, which is why crop insurance is such a vital aspect of risk management for many western Canadian producers. But is crop insurance […] Read more
Take the guesswork out of field operations
Launch Pad is an interactive software tool that optimizes equipment movement
Harvest is a hectic time on any farm, but for operations requiring large amounts of machinery and manpower to bring in the crops before killing frosts, the logistics can be particularly daunting. For Garrett Johner, who farms 35,000 acres of canola, durum and green peas near Macoun, Sask., the solution was a precision ag app […] Read more
New corn varieties for 2023
Twenty-eight new offerings provide good disease resistance and solid agronomic packages and more
Western Canadian farmers planning to grow corn have quite a few options to choose from for next year. BrettYoung, Corteva, Dekalb, DLF Pickseed, Maizex, NorthStar Genetics, Pride Seeds, Proven Seed and Thunder Seed are all releasing new corn hybrids. Please keep in mind the following list includes only brand new offerings for 2023. Brettyoung BY […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
