Canola can be a challenge to harvest if stands are too thin or too weedy or if there’s uneven ripening due to crop stage differences. Green stalks and weeds not only hinder harvest but can cause problems in storage too. In situations like these, many Prairie farmers opt to use pre-harvest aids as a late-season […] Read more
Pre-harvest aids
Know why you apply: tips for assessing the need for pre-harvest aids
How to condition canola with natural air drying and supplemental heat
Seven tips from Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute
Due to its high oil content, canola has a higher risk of spoilage compared with numerous other crops. If it’s too wet or too warm inside the bin, moulds, mites and insects will thrive, leading to spoilage and lost revenue for farmers. Charley Sprenger, a research project lead at Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute (PAMI) in […] Read more
Fertility tips for corn
How to get the most out of your fertilizer dollars
Corn is a crop that needs a lot of nitrogen to grow properly and produce the best yields. With today’s high prices for fertilizer and high crop prices, it’s more important than ever to strike the right balance that optimizes yields and profits while keeping fertility costs under control. “There’s a lot of money at […] Read more
A new way to water crops
Some Prairie farmers are opting for subsurface drip irrigation to boost crop production and increase water use efficiency
They’re a rarity in Western Canada right now, but that didn’t stop Lawrence Vandervalk from installing a subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) system on his farm in Alberta. “Technology doesn’t stand still. Technology keeps moving forward. This is just another step in the progression of irrigation, and I think it’s a big step,” says Vandervalk, who […] Read more
Flea beetles in canola: to spray or not to spray
Scouting your canola fields early — right after crop emergence — should tell you if foliar insecticide is needed or not
Flea beetles aren’t a persistent threat, but they can pose a serious problem for canola producers. Insecticide seed treatments generally do a good job of keeping these voracious insects in check, but if conditions are right, flea beetles can thrive and decimate a canola field in a matter of days. Last year’s drought in Western […] Read more
Blackleg is still a threat for canola
Resistant hybrids may not be enough to keep your fields safe from this canola disease
One of the most common diseases in canola is blackleg. As a fungal disease, it needs moisture to spread but infections still occur in the dry years we’ve been seeing lately in the Prairies. Justine Cornelsen, who was an agronomy specialist with the Canola Council of Canada before joining BrettYoung as agronomic and regulatory services […] Read more
The challenge with large grain bins when storing canola
Fan limitations can make it harder to store canola safely
Grain bins on Prairie farms are generally a lot bigger than they used to be. But have best practices for storage management kept pace? Charley Sprenger, a research project lead at Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute (PAMI) in Portage la Prairie, Man., addressed that question during her Canola Week 2021 presentation on canola storage. “A lot […] Read more
Should Manitoba Ag’s guidelines for target plant populations for spring cereal crops be adjusted?
Study concludes recommendations are good, even for newer, higher-yielding varieties
Choosing the right seeding rate for spring cereal crops is an important consideration for farmers looking for yield results that can maximize the return on their seeding dollars. A dense, uniform plant stand increases the crop’s yield potential, not only by reducing weed competition but also by compensating for plants lost to disease, insects and […] Read more
Find the best prices on petroleum, diesel and propane
A new tool from CXN360 offers easy access to the best fuel prices
Across the Prairies, producers continue to grapple with escalating fuel prices that make it harder to farm profitably — but there could be some relief in sight. PXN360 is a new offering from the company behind the popular online grain marketplace CXN360. PXN360 (the PXN stands for Petroleum Exchange Network) is a new tool from […] Read more
Syngenta releases new grass and broadleaf cereal herbicide
Farmers can address herbicide resistance concerns and avoid rotational crop restrictions with Erebus Xtreme
For Prairie farmers battling problem weeds, herbicide-resistant wild oats are one of the worst as they’re now found throughout Western Canada. One of the best ways to combat herbicide resistance is to rotate active ingredients, which is why Syngenta has introduced Erebus Xtreme, a new cross-spectrum herbicide aimed at helping cereal growers control herbicide-resistant wild […] Read more
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