canola in manitoba

Farmer interest growing in plant biostimulants

Companies hope to fill an existing 'knowledge gap' about the purpose of these products

Glacier FarmMedia — At 2 p.m. on July 17, Ryan Bonnett and many other people at the Ag In Motion farm show near Langham were seeking a place in the shade. The temperature was around 30 C and the word “hot” came up in most conversations at the show. The afternoon temperature was also on […] Read more

Photosensitizers are expected to help control "soft-bodied" insects such as aphids, Loveland's Francisco Manzano says.

Nutrien buys into biocontrol

How did the seller — oil company Suncor — wind up in crop pest control?

Glacier FarmMedia — Photodynamic inactivation is not a phrase used in everyday conversation, but it could become an effective control of insect and fungal pests in agriculture. “Photodynamic Inactivation (PDI) of micro-organisms using natural photosensitizers has shown itself to be a powerful tool to combat bacteria and fungi (in crops),” says a 2019 paper published […] Read more






seeding near lethbridge 2011

Prairie soils’ organic carbon climbing

Data from StatCan and AAFC highlight positive changes made in agriculture since the 1980s

Glacier FarmMedia — For much of the last five years, the federal government has been setting targets for Canadian farmers to reduce nitrous oxide emissions from fertilizer and methane emissions from cattle. The government has provided funding to help producers cut methane and nitrous oxide emissions from primary agriculture, while constantly beating the drumbeat of […] Read more


Treating and not treating alternating strips of pasture with insecticides has been found to keep grasshoppers in check — while helping to maintain populations of the pest’s natural predators.

Reduced-area pest spraying can still hit moving targets

The RAAT method can cut insecticide use in half and still kill most grasshoppers on pasture

Glacier FarmMedia — Grasshoppers, as their name suggests, hop from place to place in grassy fields. Taking advantage of that natural behaviour, University of Wyoming scientists have devised a way to control grasshoppers on pastures with smaller volumes of pesticides. The method is called Reduced Agent and Area Treatments (RAAT), in which farmers apply an […] Read more

The Canadian Grain Commission building on Main Street in Winnipeg. (File photo)

Grain commission revokes GFI licenses 

Global Foods and Ingredients shut down operations May 7 

The Canadian Grain Commission has revoked six licenses for Global Food and Ingredients, a plant-based and plant protein company with facilities in Saskatchewan.


Yellow peas. (Victoria Popova/iStock/Getty Images)

GFI closes Saskatchewan operations 

Global Food and Ingredients, a plant-based and plant protein company with facilities in Saskatchewan, has announced a “wind down” of its business operations. A May 7 news release on the GFI website says the company cannot service its outstanding debts.

Health Canada had previously decided that gene edited crops are safe, so, in most cases they will be treated the same as crops developed through traditional plant breeding methods.  Photo: File

CFIA declares gene editing safe for livestock feed

Glacier FarmMedia – Leaders in Canada’s grain industry are praising the Canadian Food Inspection Agency for confirming gene edited crops are safe to use as livestock feed. Today, the Canola Council of Canada, the Canada Grains Council and Cereals Canada “applauded” the CFIA for its new guidance on gene editing. “This is a ground-breaking day […] Read more