Canola seed’s small size makes it sensitive to deep seeding. Both uniform placement and depth tend to improve emergence and seedling survival rates, which is crucial considering the high cost of seed. It’s not just about seed cost, though. It’s about creating a better environment to produce a stronger crop. Swedish machinery manufacturer Väderstad believes […] Read more
Väderstad makes canola seed singulation possible
PowerShoot technology offers precision, improved canola stand establishment
How to get top dollar for your oat crop
What millers look for and the agronomic practices to get there
Over the past 10 years, oats have gone from being somewhat of an afterthought to one of the more lucrative crops grown on the Prairies. Oats are a useful crop to have in the rotation as they are cold tolerant and can be planted earlier than other crops. They also fetch a fairly good price […] Read more
Want to plant oats in 2020? Here’s how to improve your yields
Start with variety and field selection, fertility and plant population
Oat production in Canada increased 21 per cent between 2018 and 2019, according to Statistics Canada. This increase is due, in part, to higher harvested area, but also to record yields. And since markets remain stable and strong, and the average provincial price of oats in the Prairie provinces is currently strong, interest will likely […] Read more
Väderstad introduces central-fill functionality
Väderstad’s new Tempo L planters come with central-fill functionality
The company is excited about the launch of central-fill functionality, as it will further increase the capacity of its Tempo L range of planters. Instead of filling in each of the row units, central-fill functionality means growers will only have to fill the 3,000-litre central seed hopper. Working as a pressurized system, seed is constantly […] Read more
Making malt barley: six tips for success
Top malt barley growers offer their advice to get your barley crop to make malt
Barley produced for malting must meet strict quality standards before acceptance by end users. A crop that doesn’t make malt will be sold off as feed, often at considerable economic loss. Two large-scale malt barley producers share their tips on which management practices they employ to ensure their crop makes malt. John Burns is part […] Read more
Tips for adding peas to your farm in 2020
Frost tolerance and early planting may be the advantages that lead you to peas
With pea-processing giant Roquette planning to begin operations at its new plant in Portage la Prairie, Man., in mid-2020, growers may be thinking about increasing pea acreage year this. Peas offer several benefits, but the crop does present some challenges as well. Manitoba Agriculture provincial pulse specialist Dennis Lange explains. If the summer is hot […] Read more
Steyr unveils zero-emissions hybrid tractor
Austrian company’s diesel-electric hybrid Konzept tractor raised eyebrows
Austrian machinery manufacturer Steyr drew a lot of attention at Agritechnica 2019 when it unveiled its diesel-electric hybrid Konzept tractor. The Konzept tractor is a study on what the future of tractor production could be and addresses top-of-mind issues such as environmental sustainability, efficiency, connectivity and comfort. At the heart of Steyr Konzept is a […] Read more
New barley breeding efforts aim for a replacement for AC Metcalfe
Breeders have recently focused their efforts on the craft brewers
Aaron Beattie is a barley breeder at the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre. Beattie is looking for a replacement for AC Metcalfe. AC Metcalfe is a high enzymatic variety, so it’s suitable for large-scale brewers. A new variety, CDC Fraser, is also high in enzymes and offers more in terms of disease resistance and […] Read more
New malting barley variety acceptance an uphill battle
While the industry works to market new varieties, farmers seed the old standbys
Farmers choosing malt barley seed in the spring of 2019 would have seen CDC Copeland and AC Metcalfe at the top of the list of recommended varieties published by the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre (CMBTC). CDC Copeland was registered 20 years ago, in 1999. AC Metcalfe was registered in 1997. While the list includes newer varieties, barley […] Read more
Saskatchewan bugs to watch for in 2019
Low survey results in 2018 could be good news for Saskatchewan farmers this season
The 2018 pest survey results for Saskatchewan look like good news for the 2019 season. Grasshopper, pea leaf weevil and diamondback moth populations were all low in 2018. Large numbers of Bertha armyworm moths were caught in the Outlook and Watrous areas, but these do not necessarily predict 2019 populations. Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture integrated […] Read more
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