At the same time, farmers have taken the initiative to prevent theft through increased vigilance and investments in cameras, lighting and more.

Together, these factors seem to be making a little dent in Prairie farm crime. Anecdotally, there seem to be fewer media reports about grain theft and some other types of farm theft this year, and there’s also data from one Prairie province showing some kinds of farm theft are staying steady.

Before we look at that data, though, let’s remember that stats on farm crime are hard to come by.

Police resources are obviously focused on front-line crime prevention and dealing with crimes, leaving less time for detailed analysis of crime categories. Consequently, as Alberta RCMP analysts explain, they can’t determine “whether a theft occurred at a farm, where the farm was located in terms of proximity to an urban center, or specifically what the theft was, without a file review of all of the theft files” in the province (around 7,000 cases in 2024 so far by September).

Similarly, Saskatchewan RCMP reports that providing data on frequency trends and circumstances around farm theft is not possible, as it would require extensive file review.

However, Manitoba RCMP can offer a few insights. Planning analyst Laurel Illchuk did a search related to ‘farm’ in theft data from 2022, 2023 and 2024 year-to-date (YTD) to Sept. 30. However, she notes, with the small number of occurrences, a wide range of theft categories and a short time span, it’s difficult to comment on possible patterns in theft type or geographical area.

Some of the data is a little encouraging. “Overall, the number of farm theft occurrences went from 116 in 2022 to 96 in 2023,” Illchuk says. “The 2024 YTD number is at 76. With three months remaining in 2024, it is possible that the count of occurrences will be relatively the same as last year.”

At the same time, while the offence of ‘other theft under $5,000’ for Manitoba farms has remained relatively constant at 30 in 2022, 21 in 2023 and 21 in YTD 2024, the ‘theft over $5,000’ offence number is rising, from six in 2022 and 10 in 2023 to 12 by Sept. 30, 2024.

“Property that was most commonly stolen was fuel, trailers (utility, boat and other), farm equipment, motors, grain and some copper,” says Illchuk. “Theft of fuel has been declining but the number of various trailer theft occurrences is increasing.”

Occurrences of theft of grain have also declined, she says.

As for ‘theft of motor vehicles’ related to farms across Manitoba, this offence number has declined slightly over the last three years, and even more so with ‘theft of truck’ — 45 in 2022, 35 in 2023 and 24 in 2024 YTD.

That’s not to say farmers should get comfortable: overall, crime in rural areas is growing. In July 2024, for example, the Saskatchewan RCMP stated that compared to 2014, 2023 data shows that some of the rural parts of the province were seeing violent crime rates six times higher than in urban areas.

Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP), a Manitoba general farm group, also noted last year that rural crime is increasing in Manitoba. In Altona, for example, property crime was up 37 per cent in 2023 compared to 2013.

Alberta

In Alberta, to support farmers and others in rural areas, the Alberta Sheriffs service has been expanded in both number and capability.

“Two new rural surveillance teams are working to prevent crime, monitor agricultural theft and collaborate with local law enforcement to share intelligence and resources to keep Albertans and their property safe and secure,” Arthur Green, spokesperson for the ministry of public safety and emergency services, says.

The teams, one covering northern Alberta and one covering southern Alberta, are each made up of one sergeant and seven sheriffs, he says.

These surveillance teams are “helping police” gather intelligence and information on known and suspected offenders and obtain evidence that helps lead to charges in court, he says. Investigations target offenders suspected in a range of illegal activities affecting rural Alberta, such as property theft, drug trafficking and vandalism.

Using phrases like sheriffs “helping police” has, however, led to confusion among members of the public about the official status of sheriff units. In late September, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith clarified that the province now has two police forces: RCMP and Alberta Sheriffs.

Smith also stated at that time the RCMP left her government no choice but to elevate the sheriffs with more training and duties. She said at a municipal leaders’ meeting that “we pay for 1,911 RCMP officers and they have 400 or 500 vacancies. We cannot allow for rural municipalities to be under-policed and so we have trained up our sheriffs so they have the same training as police.” (Note: Alberta RCMP have since stated there are 306 vacancies provincewide.)

Because of RCMP deficiencies, Smith said, the community of Grande Prairie has replaced the RCMP with its own police force, and that about 20 other communities are interested in going that route.

Trespassing and more

And while it seems like a problem from a TV show set a century ago, fugitives of the law are still a concern in Prairie provinces. These criminals can very easily show up on farms to commit theft — or worse, because they are on the run and can get cornered, could be desperate enough to interact directly with farmers, their family members and/or employees.

To address this, earlier this year the Alberta government created FASST (Fugitive Apprehension Sheriffs Support Team) to help police services find and arrest high-priority individuals on the lam. In its first seven months of operation, FASST executed more than 1,300 warrants and made over 300 arrests, Green says.

FASST’s operational jurisdiction includes all of rural Alberta, Green explains. He adds that “members of FASST are also trained and equipped for Rural Alberta Provincial Integrated Defence (RAPID) response functions, meaning they’re available to answer requests for assistance from the RCMP on high-priority calls.” The RAPID Response initiative has also received funding for members of the Sheriff Highway Patrol to be trained and equipped to assist the RCMP with emergencies and high-priority calls. Since the expansion of the authorities of the Patrol in 2021, sheriffs have removed more than 4,700 impaired drivers from provincial highways.

And similarly to how fugitives may trespass and commit crimes on farms, those involved with drug activities are also now present in greater numbers in rural areas and may also impact farmers through theft and other means. The Alberta government said it has therefore also expanded the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods (SCAN) unit, which targets ‘problem properties’ associated with drug trafficking and more.

In October 2024, Smith and Cindy Woodhouse, national chief of the Assembly of First Nations also released a joint statement urging federal support for a national First Nations and Inuit policing program.

Alberta has allocated over $22.5 million to support policing in First Nation communities, including $12.2 million for three First Nation police services. Additionally, the Indigenous and Municipal Police Transition Study Grant is enabling several Indigenous communities to explore policing options that best meet their needs.

Saskatchewan

Similarly, Saskatchewan is now creating a provincial Marshals Service (SMS) with a focus on agricultural crime such as theft of livestock, metal and chemicals, but also gang- and drug-related crimes involving illegal weapons and more.

SMS is expected to start operating as early as mid-2025, with 70 officers plus about 30 support staff in areas such as records management, procurement and logistics.

SMS will have its first regional headquarters in Prince Albert, with locations for field offices now being determined. Chief Marshal Rob Cameron says he and his team are getting closer to final location decisions.

“We used government of Saskatchewan data scientists and also used Statistics Canada information and localized datasets from other law enforcement agencies,” he says. “Our goal is to address organized crime and gang activity, illegal guns, drugs and trafficking, but we’re also looking to cover as much of the province as we can — to look at the provincial crime picture and have as much impact as we can. We want to provide policing enhancements to all areas of the province.”

In terms of how SMS will aim to reduce rural crime, Cameron says it’s the extra boots on the ground that will be a big part of reducing all types of crimes in all areas of Saskatchewan.

He stresses “SMS is also going to be part of a collaborative approach. We’ve been having a lot of meetings about how that collaborations should happen and how the SMS should be used. We’re getting great ideas on how we can be a force multiplier.”

Manitoba

As in Alberta, there are complaints in Manitoba that rural crime is rising because there aren’t enough RCMP officers. Several municipalities, such as Carberry and the Rural Municipality of North Cypress-Langford have asked federal and provincial justice ministers for increased RCMP presence.

In October this year, the Rivers Police Service (serving the town of Rivers and the Riverdale area, about 30 km north of Brandon) was shut down, after a century of operation, without any local input. The area will now be covered by RCMP in the region, but many residents want that local police force restored.

The province is looking at various solutions and has decided so far to roll out a ‘peace officer’ program for municipalities to use as they see fit. There’s also a Citizens on Patrol Program (COPP), which boasts about 40 chapters so far in rural Manitoba. A COPP chapter was launched in February at Vita, a southeastern community presently policed by nine RCMP officers at the Emerson-Morris detachment, about 45 minutes’ drive from Vita.

Successful applicants, once trained and provided with high-visibility vests and signage, patrol and submit information on suspicious activity to local police. CTV reported in February 2024 that residents in Grunthal, which had started a COPP group three months before, were already noticing a reduction in criminal activity.

The Association of Manitoba Municipalities has called for more funding for municipal police, and KAP has been actively seeking commitments from various levels of government to address the problem of rural crime for a long time.

“Increasing the resources allotted to law enforcement, including RCMP and the relevant municipal bodies, to address rising crime rates should be the top priority for government,” KAP president Jill Verwey says.

There continue to be reports of all types of items stolen from farms in many rural areas, she says, “whether it be vehicles, grain, livestock, equipment, and break and enters into the homes of producers, where their personal possessions and valuables are stolen. We are committed to working with our members, law enforcement and other government bodies to assist in tracking these instances to hopefully identify any patterns or common trends to reduce their occurrences.”

KAP is also working with members on crime prevention.

The key to success

While police forces are being enhanced across the Prairies, farmers and other property owners should be — and are — taking their own actions to protect their property and themselves from criminals.

Those farmers who are keeping themselves out of the statistics understand the simple key to success: multiple layers of protection. Multiple barriers reduce the chances of a criminal’s success and increase the chances of being caught, causing thieves to go elsewhere.

Carolyn McTighe, RCMP Southern Alberta district crime prevention liaison, advises that rural property owners should invest in good lighting, in particular LED motion-activated lights, as well as security cameras and sturdy disc locks for sheds and other outbuildings.

“Maintaining a secure property perimeter is also important, so the installation of fencing and lockable gates is always ideal in limiting unauthorized access,” she says. “It is also essential to store equipment and fuel securely, and make regular checks of your property, so you can ensure that there is no overgrowth of vegetation, which may obscure visibility. Clear security signage around the property can also act as a strong deterrent, as it indicates CCTV surveillance or the presence of other security measures.”

Saskatchewan RCMP advise the same ideas, but for farmers specifically, they highlight the need to make trespassing unattractive and suggest installing monitored security or alarm systems.

“Transport hay bales and livestock to locations where monitoring can happen, if possible,” a spokesperson says. “Move all equipment indoors. If this is not possible, store it in a well-lit area visible from your house but out of sight from the main roads. Keep an inventory of your equipment that includes descriptions, serial numbers, makes, models and pictures.”

Remember also to closely check locks regularly. Thieves have learned to cut off padlocks and replace them with similar locks of their own, coming back at another time to do the actual theft.

You could put inexpensive custom-made stickers on your padlocks, or use locks that are bolt cutter-resistant.

To prevent vehicle theft, never leave valuables inside, and always remove keys (and any garage door openers), then lock the doors. You should also install an electronic anti-theft system if your vehicle does not have one, and/or use a physical system such as a steering wheel lock.

Many farmers have already put in multiple barriers against grain theft, including camera systems (including 180- and 360-degree cameras) that send alerts if movement is detected or if there is tampering. Make sure your camera feeds have good lighting (flood lights that come on with motion detection) or use infrared cameras. Today’s cameras can be set to automatically zoom in, record to a cloud network and much more.

Reduce entry points to your grain storage area to on by installing fences, deep ditches or some other type of barrier at other points. Turn off the electrical unloading systems at your bins after use and check regularly for signs of tampering,

If you don’t know your current neighbours, get to know them and establish a solid reciprocating relationship to watch over each other’s properties, especially if one of you is away.

Lastly, make it easy for employees or family members to look after security. Create a document detailing how to check each blocked access point, check locks at all lock locations (including pictures and serial numbers of locks), how to check camera systems, and so on.

Report it all

All police forces also implore farmers and everyone else to report all crimes, even if they are small. This gives officers a clearer picture of the types and numbers of crimes occurring in their areas and to adjust accordingly.

And do it right away. As Verwey says, “it is imperative that farmers work with law enforcement and report these crimes when they take place.”

The post More heft against theft appeared first on Grainews.

An example of that is the “Optimizing Wellness on the Farm” presentation by Kim Moffat at CrossRoads 2023, a crop production conference held in Edmonton, Alta., in January.

Moffat has a background in psychiatric nursing and is a certified crisis counsellor with 30 years of counselling experience. She spoke to Grainews prior to the Crossroads 2023 conference about what kind of advice she has for farmers to help them manage stress.

In Moffat’s view, early 2023 is the right time for farmers to have frank, honest conversations with themselves about the state of their mental health.

“Given the droughts over the past few years and the huge disruption COVID brought to everyone’s lives, it’s time we all ask ourselves, how are we really?” she said.

“Many of us suffered some significant losses and stress over the last few years. These losses included the deaths of loved ones, missed celebrations, disconnection from loved ones and the ongoing stress due to year after year of severe crop conditions. Many of us feel like there was no time to really process what was happening, and now we are seeing the results of that lack of processing and chronic stress play out in ourselves and our families.”

Mental health studies

Moffat noted two national surveys focusing on the mental health and well-being of producers (published by the University of Guelph in Ontario in 2016 and 2021) highlighted the need for Canadian farmers to make mental health a priority. 

The surveys were part of research spearheaded by Briana Hagen and Andria Jones-Bitton that aimed to uncover sources of stress for farmers and the effects of those stresses. Other objectives were to increase the rate at which farmers seek out stress management resources as well as to help build better mental health services for those in agriculture.

The research found farmers were less likely to seek help for their mental health challenges compared with non-farmers. This was attributed to a number of factors, including the stigma around mental health, the belief that self-reliance is sufficient, the cost of counselling, a lack of flexibility with counselling services and perceptions that counsellors don’t understand how farming works.

Moffat said some of these potential barriers have been reduced significantly. For one, the availability of online and telephone-based help has increased dramatically — one silver lining of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Higher rates of alcohol consumption during the pandemic could have made matters worse for farmers dealing with stress, anxiety and depression. “It’s not uncommon for people to feel overwhelmed with the stress and trying to find someone to talk to can sometimes be a challenge when we are not thinking clearly,” said Moffat.

She acknowledged dealing with the multiple stressors and challenges in farming these days is far from easy. Moffat said part of the answer is for farmers to recognize so much about farming is outside of their control and to focus on things they are able to change.

“It all starts with producers taking stock of their lives and determining what is working and what needs to change,” she said. “Recognizing that many aspects of farming are not within our control, it’s important to notice how much time and energy we can needlessly spend worrying over things we have no ability to change.”

Warning signs

According to Moffat, raising self-awareness can help farmers see some of the warning signs of increasing stress. “By paying attention to their behaviors, feelings and thoughts, farmers can recognize when they need to increase or change their coping strategies,” she said.

Some of the warning signs you should watch for in yourself and others around you could include:

• Difficulty in concentrating on tasks
• Irritability
• Feelings of overwhelm and panic
• Drinking alcohol more often
• Overeating
• Using drugs to calm yourself or just feel normal
• Difficulty sleeping or not feeling rested after your normal sleeping duration
• Other physical symptoms such as stomach pain, chest tightness and headaches

Fortunately for farmers, there is a range of simple strategies available for improving day-to-day mental health. These include daily exercise and eating well (omega-3 fatty acids and many other supplements can aid in brain function and building resilience), relaxation activities such as getting a massage or taking a short drive to see a favourite view, and looking at how tasks might be better organized or delegated to others. Curtailing social media use may be a positive step for some. There are many other suggestions online — choose those you are relatively sure will help, or sound like they may be worth a try.

Moffat said regularly speaking with a trusted family member or friend about how things are going is also important to reduce stress and keep it manageable. Everyone has stress in their lives, and even regular short texts or emails to loved ones near and far can help us feel connected and better able to handle what the day might throw at us. In turn, offering what support we can manage to others can give us positive feelings related to accomplishment, connection and more.

Farmers who are struggling should also consider getting assistance from those who are trained and experienced in assisting others with improving their mental health. Moffat said she recognizes that stigma around mental health is still a barrier for many, but she highly encourages farmers to talk to professionals about their stress level, sources of stress and how to best manage stress.

“It is well worth the investment of time for farmers to take care of themselves, so that (they) can be resilient in the face of difficult times and enjoy all the fruits of (their) labour,” said Moffat.

“The inclusion of mental health-related presentations at most agricultural conferences is an excellent indication people are ready to get more information about stress and use that information wisely on a consistent basis.”

Moffat provides counselling services for farmers through in-person, online and telephone appointments. For more information, go to kmoffat.com. Other helpful resources for improved mental health include the Do More Agriculture Foundation and The Farmer’s Toolbox.

Business plans and mental health

Farm Management Canada published a mental health report in 2020 called “Healthy Minds, Healthy Farms: Exploring the Connection between Mental Health and Farm Business Management.”

The national research project highlighted how creating and following a written business plan is an effective coping mechanism that can help reduce stress for farmers. In fact, 88 per cent of the study participants who followed a written business plan for their farms reported the plan had contributed to their peace of mind. 

At the same time, however, the study found that only 21 per cent of participants regularly followed a written business plan. 

Farm Management Canada says a farm business plan should start with assessing the farm’s current business situation against the vision and goals of the farm and everyone involved. The benefits of this process include the following: 

• It gets everyone excited about the journey ahead.
• It enables identification of different strengths and potential opportunities, but also areas of weakness and unknowns.
• In the face of inevitable challenges, it provides guidance that helps curb natural feelings of uncertainty and overwhelm.
• It allows positive coping mechanisms to surface during the process of revisiting the plan to go over options. These mechanisms include financial analysis to work out the best solutions, examining the most likely and worst-case scenarios and asking for help from farm business advisors.

Farm Management Canada has resources available for helping farmers create successful business plans, which you can find at fmc-gac.com.

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BASF

Voraxor Complete provides a pre-seed burndown of broad spectrum control, including activity on grassy weeds and enhanced residual activity on key broadleaf weeds. This product includes Tirexor, Kixor and Zidua SC.

Gowan Canada

Insight is a new herbicide with the novel active ingredient Tergeo for use in spring wheat and corn as a pre-seed burndown application. Insight is a Group 14 PPO inhibitor, the first to have a registration for control of wild oat. Insight also controls volunteer canola, kochia (including glyphosate-resistant biotypes), wild buckwheat, lamb’s quarters and other broadleaf weeds.

Insight must be applied with a methylated seed oil surfactant and may be tank mixed with glyphosate.

Nufarm

Nufarm is offering a new selective in-crop broadleaf herbicide for cereals called TruSlate Pro, targeting weeds like cleavers, kochia, Canada thistle, wild buckwheat and others. It can be tank mixed with both Group 1 and Group 2 grassy weed herbicides. This product has a wide window of application (three-leaf stage to just before flag-leaf stage) for wheat, barley and/or oats.

 Venim is another new post-emergent herbicide for broad spectrum broadleaf and grassy weed control in soybeans, field peas, dry beans, imi-tolerant lentils and sunflowers. The active ingredient in this product is imazamox, and it’s similar to Davai and Solo herbicides already on the market today.

 Berserk is another new herbicide from Nufarm. It is a selective post-emergent product for the control of broadleaf weeds in peas, soybeans, corn, dry beans, forage legumes and grasses. The active ingredient in Berserk is bentazon, similar to Basagran.

Nutrien Ag Solutions

New Sentrallas herbicide has a built-in adjuvant and a wide window of application for barley, oats and wheat (spring, durum and winter wheat). It can be sprayed from the two-leaf to the full flag-leaf stage of growth in durum wheat, spring wheat, barley and oats. In winter wheat, it can be sprayed from the three-tiller stage to just before flag.

Weeds controlled by Sentrallas alone (it can also be mixed) are annual smartweed (green smartweed, lady’s thumb), chickweed (one- to six-leaf), cleavers (one- to four-whorl), corn spurry, cow cockle, hemp-nettle, kochia (including Group 2), Lamb’s quarters, redroot pigweed, Russian Thistle, stinkweed, wild buckwheat (one- to five-leaf) and wild mustard.

UPL Agrosolutions

Rancona Trio is listed as a fungicide seed treatment. It has a new designation to control early season aphanomyces root rot in peas and lentils, and is labelled for cereals and pulse crops, including faba beans. It combines three fungicides that provide both contact and systemic activity to control a broad spectrum of seed and seedling diseases.

The post New herbicides and fungicides for 2023 appeared first on Grainews.

According to Mario Tenuta, a University of Manitoba soil scientist, harmful soil nematodes can reduce yields by siphoning off the contents of roots and stems, robbing the plants of energy and weakening their defences against crop diseases and other pests.

“They also compromise root function,” says Tenuta. “The galls and lesions they cause reduce water and nutrient uptake and can allow secondary pathogens to enter roots and cause disease. Some nematodes vector plant viruses.”

What’s worrisome about harmful nematodes is you may not realize you have them in your fields. Tenuta explains there are a wide range of symptoms, and next to viruses, nematodes are probably the most difficult infection to diagnose. Other symptoms aside from root galls and lesions include:

• Root rot
• Lack of fine roots
• Stem swelling and twisting
• Dwarfing/stunting
• Chlorosis

Here is an up-to-date look at nematodes that are a present or potential threat in the Prairies in pulses and other crops.

Tenuta says there are reports of P. neglectus causing reductions to spring peas and lentils in the Pacific Northwest. He notes it’s a potential pest for other crops as well.

“In soils with very high populations of the pest, it can reduce potato yield, but levels need to be very high. It’s also a pest of canola and wheat in Australia. Our research has shown it very much enjoys soybean and to a lesser extent chickpea,” says Tenuta. “It is recommended to examine the roots of those crops in field areas that are puzzling to sort out productivity problems. Look for black and brown lesions on roots. Get a soil nematode analysis done.”

Stem and bulb nematode (Ditylenchus dipsaci)

D. dipsaci is a serious issue for garlic producers throughout Ontario, Quebec and the northeastern United States. It infects about 500 plant species in total around the world. In terms of its potential threat on the Prairies, this pest favours yellow pea and is also a risk to dry beans.

Stem and bulb nematodes were seemingly found by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in some yellow pea fields in Saskatchewan, southern Alberta and southwestern Manitoba in 2004. However, analysis of pea samples by Tenuta’s lab determined the nematodes were not in the peas but instead in weed seed, specifically in creeping thistle seed (a common weed in yellow pea fields in the Prairies). Through molecular analysis, Tenuta and his team also found the species was not D. dipsaci but the stem nematode of thistle (Ditylenchus weischeri).

Because D. dipsaci favours garlic, however, it remains a threat to pulse crops on the Prairies. It was found in 2014 in two garlic fields near Winnipeg, Man., caused by infected garlic bulbs imported from Ontario the previous fall.

“There are surprisingly more garlic growers on the Prairies than you’d think,” Tenuta says.

“We need to be vigilant in spotting the nematode in garlic. Look for rotting bulbs and send samples to a lab for a check.”

Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) has been moving northward through the United States for many years. It is already well established in Ontario and will eventually spread to all soybean growing areas of Canada, like it has in the United States.

Survey efforts led by Tenuta and his colleagues that began in 2012 led to SCN being detected for the first time in Manitoba in 2019. There was another confirmed case in July 2021.

Tenuta says SCN is now in five rural Manitoba municipalities — Thompson, Norfolk Treherne, Rhineland, Emerson-Franklin and Montcalm. “Given the large gap between regions with positive identification, it may be present in other areas as well,” he notes.

As for all nematodes, identifying SCN is difficult. There are no distinct, above-ground symptoms and at low levels of infection plants may still appear healthy. At high levels of infection plants may appear stunted and chlorotic or necrotic, which could be due to many other factors. Digging up the roots is the best way to identify this pest. The most high-risk areas of a field are generally low-yielding areas, approaches and field edges, low spots, shelterbelts and high pH areas.

Tenuta recommends scouting for SCN from mid-July through September, during the nematode’s reproductive stages until maturity, by gently digging up soybean roots and examining them for cysts. It’s recommended to soak the roots in water first to avoid breaking off any cysts that may be present. Early on, cysts are white and lemon shaped. They’re also much smaller than root nodules and may require the use of a magnifying lens. “They pop between fingernails like a zit,” says Tenuta.

He adds growers can manage SCN through rotating to non-host crops and controlling host weed species. Tenuta’s list of host crop plants for SCN includes:

• Adzuki bean
• Alsike clover
• Bird’s-foot trefoil
• Black bean
• Common vetch
• Cowpea/black-eyed pea
• Cranberry bean
• Crimson clover
• Crown vetch
• Great northern bean
• Hairy vetch
• Kidney bean
• Lespedeza
• Lima bean
• Lupines
• Mung bean
• Navy bean
• Pea
• Pinto bean
• Soybean
• Snap bean
• Sweet clover

The list of host weeds for SCN includes:

• American vetch
• Carolina vetch
• Common chickweed
• Common mullein
• Field pennycress
• Hemp sesbania
• Henbit
• Hop clover
• Milk vetch
• Mouse-ear chickweed
• Pokeweed
• Purple deadnettle
• Purslane
• Shepherd’s purse
• Wild mustard
• Winged pigweed
• Wood vetch

Other ways producers can manage soybean cyst nematodes are by growing SCN-resistant varieties and reducing tillage. Tenuta says because the nematodes spread easily and rapidly, growers should thoroughly clean soil from equipment, vehicles, soil sampling gear and clothing. SCN eggs can survive for several years in the absence of a soybean crop.

Cereal cyst nematode (Heterodera avenae)

Cereal cyst nematodes have been found to reduce yields of wheat, barley and oats in the Pacific Northwest states of Idaho, Oregon and Washington, and even east to Montana. Being a cyst nematode, these nematodes look similar to SCN. Look out for them to establish most likely in southern Alberta first.

Stubby root nematode (Trichodorus and Paratrichodorus)

These nematodes have a wide range of host crops including corn, soybean and sorghum. They are found throughout the United States and in many areas of Canada. They can damage crops when they’re in soil in high populations. But the most damage they inflict comes from vectoring viruses of crops. For example, corky ringspot of potato caused by the tobacco rattle virus is vectored by stubby root nematodes (the virus is transmitted as the nematodes feed on potato roots).

Root lesion nematode (Pratylenchus penetrans)

This nematode affects potatoes and corn but has an extremely wide host range. This includes sugar beet, wheat and oat as well as three pulse crops — field pea, faba bean and chickpea. Fortunately, P. penetrans hasn’t been found in the Prairies yet, Tenuta says, but this could change as growing seasons get longer. A longer growing season increases the chances of the pest going through enough life cycles in one year to establish permanently in a field.

Pin nematode (Paratylenchus)

Tenuta’s lab, the Soil Ecology Laboratory at the University of Manitoba, has been working with Saskatchewan Pulse Growers and Michelle Hubbard, a plant pathologist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Swift Current, Sask., to determine if pin nematodes are involved in the mysterious disease affecting chickpea fields in southern Saskatchewan. They have been found in extremely high levels in the affected region and greenhouse work has shown these nematodes can reproduce on chickpea. Research is continuing to see if pin nematodes are causing the chickpea disease.

Control products

Nematicides are used to control nematodes. There really hasn’t been a need for nematicide use in the Prairies up to now, Tenuta says. However, with concerns over harmful nematodes building in the Prairies, it is good to know there are control options.

According to Tenuta, control options include a few older nematicides in carbamate and organophosphate groups. Newer products include fluensulfone, fluazaindolizine, fluopyram and cyclobutrifluram nematicides as well as fungal metabolites, plant immune stimulants and biological control groups of various soil bacteria or fungi.

The post Plant parasites appeared first on Grainews.

For some farm business strategies, we checked in with Hollie Rudy, a territory manager with Nutrien Financial who also farms with her family in Iowa. Nutrien Financial, which is affiliated with Nutrien Ag Solutions, entered the Canadian market in 2022, offering various financial services for farmers. Here’s what Rudy had to say.

Don’t wait

Rudy says it’s best to look at your financial position now so if you decide to participate in various incentive programs, you can do so while they are still available. “A lot of times we farmers wait and then we miss out on incentives for seed or limited time offer financing programs.”

Some farmers may be hesitant to lock into programs and capitalize on early incentive opportunities because they don’t feel prepared to make these decisions before the programs or opportunities have expired. To feel more ready, Rudy advises consulting with your accountant and other financial partners as soon as possible to get that sky-high view of your operation.

This can be done by looking at your tax position, analyzing depreciating assets and examining whether you need to make business investments such as large equipment purchases. You can also look at how grain contracts factor in and how they affect cash flow on your farm. It’s also a good idea to review contributions to your retirement savings plan.

“If we lock in our production costs, seed and fertilizer, we may of course avoid shortages but it’s very important from a financial perspective in two ways,” says Rudy. “We gain savings (through incentive programs) but it also helps us to look forward.

“If we know our costs of production now for 2023, we have a better idea of what our capital management strategies need to be, how better to plan the timing of grain marketing (and) how to factor in what investments we need to make,” she adds. “Anytime you can take advantage of early programs and secure those lower input prices early, you should do it.”

Consider all options

Shop around and make notes of what’s available from all of the seed companies and financial companies, says Rudy. It can be a big mistake to simply do what you did last year or make decisions without knowing all of your options.

Be clear on cash

Rudy notes while it certainly can be wise to take advantage of great deals for seed that require payment in cash, if you are getting cash from an operating loan, you need to factor the cost of borrowing this cash into the input price.

“If you are using cash from an operating loan, that is likely a variable-rate loan, so you need to look at how fast you will be able to pay that back and how much the rate could increase before it’s paid off,” she says. “You’ll only know the true cost of borrowing that cash after it’s paid for, so you need to work with your financial team members to understand cash flow and get it paid at speed.”

Understand your borrowing rate

Farmers should look at all of their financing options and aim for a good overall blended rate, says Rudy.

“There tends to be a misconception out there about what a truly blended rate means,” she explains. “I just worked with a grower where we did a commitment to buy seed, with payment due next fall using fixed-rate borrowing. If you’re combining rate financing with some low- or no-cost programs, then you need to realize that the fixed rate of interest you are paying for all of your inputs is actually much lower when you look at your big picture.”

Rudy also reminds growers it’s always worth inquiring about extended payment terms, if needed. Some payback leniency is always a good idea, she says, and nowadays due to more financing competition, options to pay early or pay later are being offered more readily.

Have a good team around you

Good farm business managers already know a farm business team of experts is a must. “Relationships are important,” says Rudy. “You need tax people, input dealers, equipment dealers, lenders. Incorporate the experts you need into your operation.

“Don’t fix what’s not broken but you should always be looking at how you as a team can make your situation better,” she advises. “You’re always doing that with crop management, so do the same with grain contracts, borrowing and other aspects of the business.”

Rudy urges farmers to look for ways to make the business side more efficient, so their efforts in crop production are not wasted. “Financial efficiency is one of the things that we can do better as farmers. The long-term financial stability of a farm business is all about maximizing profitability. And if you are financially stable, then you are also ready if you want to grow or if life throws a curveball.”

The post Five tips for better year-end financial planning appeared first on Grainews.

Companies offering new biologicals are claiming these products increase root mass development and structure, enhance root and plant growth, improve plant establishment and yields, increase nutrient use efficiencies, allow better tolerance of plants to environmental stressors, and control of diseases, insect pests and weeds. The following is a roundup of some new products already on the Canadian market as well as a few coming down the pipe.

Lalfix Start Spherical Granule

Lalfix Start Spherical Granule from Lallemand is a new inoculant that combines two unique rhizobia strains with a plant growth-promoting bacterium, which increases root mass and enhances phosphorus solubilization.

The inoculant is now available for application in peas, lentils, soybeans and faba beans. The high-porosity granule structure makes it dust-free, with no bridging and reduced bulk density for better soil coverage.

Amalgerol Essence

Hechenbichler, based in Austria, has a new formulation of its well-established product Amalgerol, which has been available in Canada and Europe for decades. Amalgerol Essence, is currently being trialled in several crops (canola, peas, lentils and soybean) in Canada. It’s used as a foliar application that can be tank mixed with in-season herbicide and fungicide products.

The ingredients in Amalgerol and Amalgerol Essence help plants combat stress by promoting root growth and reducing the production of molecules following exposure to environmental stresses that cause damage and reduce plant productivity, according to the company.

There are seven major active ingredients in Amalgerol Essence — amino acids, which help activate stress responses and induce antioxidant defence systems inside plants; antioxidants, which help destroy harmful molecules that cause plant cell damage following frost, drought and heat exposure; naturally derived potassium and nitrogen; herbal extracts that promote plant health; plant hormones derived from seaweed extracts that help induce growth of crops particularly in root tissue; alginate derived from seaweed, which has water retention properties and functions as a soil conditioner; and organic carbon, a source of nutrition for soil microbes that are responsible for breaking down straw and converting it to organic matter.

EnVoy biostimulant

From the Acadian Plant Health Division of Nova Scotia-based Acadian Seaplants is a new highly concentrated biostimulant called EnVoy. According to the company, this product supports improved yield and defends against yield-robbing factors by supporting root growth and plant establishment, boosting nutrient use efficiency and helping plants increase tolerance to environmental stressors like drought, heat, chill and salinity.

Specifically, EnVoy improves plant establishment, root structure and mass and optimizes plant nutrient availability throughout the growth cycle. It also contains natural chelators that bind to micronutrients leading to improved uptake and translocation within the plant. EnVoy also promotes antioxidant production, which aids in stress tolerance and improves photosynthesis by increasing chlorophyll production for better vegetative growth, helps regulate water loss through stomata in times of drought and increases plant salt tolerance, says the company.

Envita and Utrisha N

*Envita from Syngenta is a nitrogen-fixing bacterium that was launched last year. Corteva Agriscience’s Utrisha N is a new nitrogen-fixing bacterium that was launched in 2022. For detailed information on these products, please see the features in Grainews called “A new source of nitrogen” and “Can biological crop inputs for cereals and oilseeds work?”

Coming to market

KGS Group of Winnipeg, Man., in collaboration with University of Manitoba researchers, has developed two bio-inoculant strains of bacteria that make soil phosphorus more available to the crop and stimulate plant growth. It will be for use in canola, wheat, corn and perhaps soybeans. The product in development, KGS-3, also shows some antifungal properties.

In the pre-registration phase is TerraMG, a patented liquid product that will help control key diseases, insect pests and weeds. It was developed by MustGrow Biologics in Saskatoon, Sask., and has a two-part formula derived from food grade mustard seed.

The company says there is potential for this technology to be applied globally as a pre-plant soil biofumigant to treat soil-borne diseases and insect pests, and as a post-harvest biopesticide for storage and food preservation. The technology is safe and not hazardous as the two key components are separated and not active until combined in the field. This makes storage, shipping and use safe, but also extends shelf life to more than three years.

*Update: NexusBioAg was changed to Syngenta.

The post New biologicals on the market appeared first on Grainews.

“It’s possible to hold water back and use it when we need it in a more deliberate and strategic way,” he says. “Farmers on the Prairies often have to juggle too much water in the spring and increasingly too little water during the growing season during periods of drought. There are limits, but we can do a better job to manage water with our crops if we make some investments in infrastructure.” 

However, it’s not just the risk of increased drought incidence and severity that forces farmers to look at more sophisticated water management systems, says Lobb. 

“Cropping practices and crop genetics have also changed so much, which also puts pressure on water availability. Farmers used to leave fields fallow for a year, and this would give them enough moisture for a good crop the year after instead of, usually, two poorer crop years. But, of course, they aren’t doing this as much anymore, so there is more stress on the system. The other thing that has changed is the nature of the crops. Wheat yields have increased two to three times in the last 40 years, which also increases the demand for moisture.” 

The promotion of cover crops is also a concern.

“If you plant these, they are, of course, going to remove soil moisture, so you have to think about whether you can add an additional crop in the system with the crops you are already growing,” says Lobb. “I think this is why there is some reluctance to growing cover crops in some areas of the Prairies, like some parts of Saskatchewan where it’s semi-arid.” 

Bigger scale and sophistication

It’s now common on farms across the Prairies and some parts of the United States to see controlled drainage structures, which serve an important purpose in the spring. 

“These structures are very widespread now, used anywhere with a tile drain system,” he says. “It’s essentially a gate at the header tile that allows water to be held in the field as long as possible —until you need to seed.” 

Oftentimes this water is drained — whether the farm has surface drainage or tile drainage — into ditches and/or into municipal drainage systems, and is lost to farmers. 

Because regulations in some areas don’t allow drainage, and because farmers want stored water for their livestock and other on-farm uses, farmers have built retention ponds. 

Use of these ponds by some farmers in the spring, however, already represents an increase in the sophistication of water management, says Lobb. 

“You only need to have dry ground for about two weeks before you seed, so you can hold the water in the drains until that point, leaving the deeper soil levels moist,” he says. “This shows a more active view of water management than we’ve seen in times past.” 

However, Lobb would like farmers to consider taking things further. 

“I have been suggesting last year and this year the idea of having larger ponds and using the water in them more deliberately for crops later in the season — like Joel Classen and his family did last year,” Lobb says. “It’s a different scale and level of sophistication that can provide some solid benefits with soil moisture and a good return on investment.” 

The Classen family owns CM Classen Farm and Northern Plains Drainage Systems in Elm Creek, Man., in the Red River Valley. More than 10 years ago, the family constructed a large reservoir of 30 acre-feet in partnership with the La Salle Redboine Conservation District so water from the tile drainage system could drain effectively, even when the municipal drainage system was at full capacity, which often occurred in the spring. 

Drought: The mother of invention

In August 2021, with the drought in full swing, the Classens decided to pump water from their retention pond back into the fields through the drainage tiles to save some of their yields from disaster. 

This is called backflood irrigation or subsurface irrigation. 

It’s a practice that has been used for field crops that are tile drained in some parts of the United States — and in southern Ontario, says Lobb. 

Joel Classen explains how he did it on his farm. 

“We had some water in our reservoir and I’d done some research, and we just went ahead and tried it. We used most of the water in the reservoir and backflooded the whole system, which is about 160 acres. We don’t have a way of backflooding certain areas. It was all soybeans and we saw big results within 24 hours. The crop was wilting and under extreme stress.” 

Lobb did some plant height measurements and while no one measured yield differences, Classen says pod counts were about double in the plants on top of tiles (and about four feet to either side) than plants farther away. 

With 40-foot spacing of tiles, the irrigation only reached about 20 per cent of the field. Therefore, in the fall of 2021, Classen and his family added more tile. 

“We now have 20-foot spacing and we’re ready to try backflooding again during the next drought with greater impact,” says Classen. “And we’ll do it sooner. From what I understand, we should have put water back in ahead of the drought stress getting so severe.” 

Backflooding provides options

While backflooding of tile drains isn’t going to provide all of the moisture needed, to Lobb and Classen it still represents a powerful tool. 

“Collecting all the excess from 100 acres and storing it in a large pond might only let you irrigate 20 acres, it’s nothing close to a 1:1 matching, but you can be selective in how you use the water, how much and in which fields,” Lobb says. “It gives you options and it gives you some peace of mind. I think awareness of the idea is growing.” 

“There’s definitely been a lot of interest in what we have done, and we’ve had many discussions with other farmers about adding more tile drainage,” says Classen. “It boils down to whether it makes economic sense. Soil type is a factor and, of course, how many drought years you have going forward.” 

Building a new water storage system and all of the infrastructure that would allow for controlled collection and backflooding to any or most of a farm’s field could cost up to $100,000. 

“It may be worth it because it would make waterlogged land more productive and allow for irrigation by backflooding possible to get a better yield for crops such as corn, which demand more water. But most farm infrastructure change comes through cost-sharing programs, and if that isn’t present, it’s tough to make the investment by yourself,” says Lobb. 

Although it takes planning and money, a backflooding system could pay off in the end. “I think the return on investment is very fast. It could be a few years depending on the yield bump,”says Lobb. 

The success of tile drainage in Western Canada is well known, “and using it to do subsurface irrigation is one more way to get value out of it,” Classen adds.

The post Take a ‘deliberate’ approach to water management appeared first on Grainews.

In total, they lost about 1,600 bushels of canola — the harvest from 40 acres — from their farm, which is located about 230 kilometres west of Winnipeg. The canola was worth about $40,000 at the time.

“My brother saw a truck pull into the driveway where this bin is located and whoever was in that truck was scouting,” Wedderburn says. “They came back that night. We had the auger in the bin.

“It’s a really big hit and if I was just starting out at grain farming and had a $40,000 theft, I’d be broke.”

In Wedderburn’s view, farmers don’t consider how much value is stored in their grain bins — and don’t realize how vulnerable they are to theft.

Like anyone would be, Wedderburn was shocked. He thought he lived in a community where something like this would never happen.

After thinking about it, he considered the theft might have been carried out by a fellow farmer. That year, some farmers couldn’t meet contract requirements and were left in the lurch. Wedderburn says he wouldn’t be surprised if the canola theft had been committed to make up the difference in a contract.

“There were a lot of farmers in that position last winter,” he says. “And canola was the most valuable crop.”

You are not alone

Wedderburn says he has seen it reported in the media that grain theft is not an issue because it doesn’t happen very often. However, Wedderburn disagrees. “I hear about it all the time,” he says.

This year, it has been reported a farmer near Alexander, Man., had grain stolen, as did another in the municipality of Argyle.

In early May, near Ponteix, Sask., RCMP reported a theft of 1,300 bushels of durum seed. And even hay bales have been stolen in the recent past in both Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

According to RCMP in Manitoba, one complaint has been filed in the Wasagaming area for grain theft. The theft was canola worth about $35,000 at the time, says RCMP Manitoba media relations officer Sgt. Paul Manaigre.

In 2022 so far, he says Swan River RCMP received a report of a theft of approximately 53,000 litres of grain. In addition, about $165,000 worth of grain was stolen from a Sioux Valley-area farmer and about $20,000 worth of wheat was stolen from a farmer in the Boissevain area.

However, there may be more victims out there.

“It’s impossible to ascertain the true numbers of grain thefts as it is quite likely others may have fallen victim to theft but have not noticed the missing volumes when it comes time to the emptying of their bins and the selling of their product,” notes Manaigre.

Farmer opts for grain confetti

Manaigre urges farmers to consider the use of what’s called grain confetti or markers, which go a long way in preventing grain theft. The grain confetti have unique code numbers and are mixed into the grain. At the elevator, staff calls the maker of the markers to confirm the grain being unloaded actually belongs to the person who is unloading.

The first thing Wedderburn did after discovering the theft of his grain was to put Manitoba-made Cropgard grain markers in the remainder of the bin. “I will also put it in my bins this fall,” he says.

Country Graphics, based in Rosenort, Man., has been making Cropgard for 40 years and it’s the only business making the markers in the province. Cropgard consists of quarter-inch squares of food-safe paper on which unique code numbers are printed with vegetable-based ink. These are mixed with the grain. Each box order is sufficient to treat 50,000 bushels and costs under $200.

Country Graphics manager, Valerie Schellenberg, says she has never heard of the theft of marked grain. In 2021, Cropgard sales increased, likely due to higher commodity prices, she says. In total, Country Graphics sold 160 boxes, more than three times the average in past years.

Grain markers are a good deterrent because while stealing grain thieves also steal thousands of pieces of evidence that can be used against them. Thieves need to be aware the grain contains markers, which is why each box of CropGard includes five large warning decals to be placed on and around the bin.

“Some farmers ask for additional decals,” says Schellenberg. “These are good quality, fairly aggressive decals and are about eight by five inches in size.”

Some companies that make grain monitoring cables also offer a theft deterrent option. In addition to providing temperature alerts, the system provides the option to receive alerts if your grain handling equipment is started or stopped. Some companies, like Tri-States Grain Conditioning (which is based in Iowa but serves Canadian customers), also allow you to configure alerts during harvest to monitor truck loading and unloading at your bin sites.

More tips and strategies for grain and farm security

There are several strategies you can take to prevent grain or other types of farm theft.

Like other forms of theft, grain theft takes planning and preparation. A strategic approach employing multiple security measures can decrease your risk of being a victim of theft. Every form of security you use on your farm adds another deterrent layer for thieves, making your farm not worth the effort and the risk of getting caught.

Read over the farm security tips below and then examine your property from a thief’s perspective. Make a farm security plan and execute it.

Security locks: a thief’s strategy

The variety of locks available to you is greater than ever. Bolt cutter-resistant locks may cost more but are well worth it. Keep in mind thieves will scout a location as the first step to stealing from your farm. Their second step is to cut off padlocks with bolt cutters and replace them with locks of their own, which makes it much quicker for them to carry out the theft. This means you need to check every lock regularly to make sure it’s yours.

Install or purchase more cameras

Wedderburn is putting up more cameras. “The thief at my bin was loading for over an hour,” he says. “At least the police can have that footage if this ever happens again.”

If your grain bin is in an area with cellular coverage, you will be able to connect with the camera and receive alerts if there is movement in the camera view (or if the camera is tampered with). There are many 180- and 360-degree cameras available and night vision cameras use infrared light to take images in the dark. Cameras can be set to automatically zoom in, record to a cloud network and much more.

Light it up

Invest in a good lighting system at your bins. Like cameras, lighting systems now come with a wide range of options to provide better security. Flood lights can be set for motion activation, remote control and more. Make sure your camera feeds have good lighting if they are not infrared cameras.

Choose future bin sites carefully

Consider carefully where you place new bins. When possible, place bins near your home or the home of a trustworthy friend or family member, or along a busy road.

Create a single entry point

A single entry point to your grain storage area is a very good idea. Remove other access points with fences, deep ditches or other kinds of physical barriers.

Get friendly

It’s time to get to know your neighbours if you don’t already. Establish a mutual relationship where you keep an eye out for each other in general, but especially when you are away.

Turn it off and secure it

Be sure to turn off the electrical unloading systems at your bins. Farmers should also check their stored grain regularly for signs of tampering, offers Manaigre.

Train others

Make sure employees or family members know what to do when checking grain bins for tampering or to check locks to ensure they haven’t been swapped out by thieves. That is, make up a simple sheet with the lock locations, what blocked access points should be checked and so on. Make it easy for others to do the job right.

Report suspicious behavior

If you do see something unusual, call your neighbours but also don’t hesitate to call local police. You can also call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Farmer takes action

Wedderburn is still hopeful the thieves who stole his grain last December will be tracked down. “The police have some leads and I’m not giving up on it,” he says.

The farmer has another idea that will benefit farmers across the province. “I want to start some kind of a focus group,” he says. “Politicians, police, farmers — get everyone together. I’ve sent letters to my MLA. There is nobody in policing in the province who is educated about grain theft, no one dedicated to this type of theft, and we need at least one person in the province who knows what they are doing and knows how the grain industry works. There was a woman who used to work with the RCMP and broke a grain theft case a few years ago and I put the local police in touch with her.”

The post Tips to prevent grain theft on your farm appeared first on Grainews.

If not adequately protected, data and the software involved in operating business systems can be accessed and/or manipulated by malicious parties, which is why cybersecurity — protecting data and operating systems from ransomware and other cyberattacks — is getting more attention in farm circles.

Producers learned how to better protect their farm businesses in a webinar series early this year hosted by Glacier FarmMedia, which was based on an ongoing project aimed at enhancing cybersecurity capacity in Canada’s agriculture sector. The Community Safety Knowledge Alliance is involved in the four-year project, which ends in 2024, and is funded by Public Safety Canada’s Cyber Security Cooperation Program.

A poll conducted in conjunction with the webinar series found that participants thought cybersecurity was a real farm business risk and a priority for producers. However, while participants noted cyberattacks are happening to people they know (and one participant had been the subject of a ransomware attack), they didn’t necessarily think an attack would happen to them. Poll participants also reported they didn’t always know where to start when it came to cybersecurity, and they needed more information about what to do to protect themselves.

During the series, cybersecurity expert Ritesh Kotak, Janos Botschner, lead investigator at the Community Safety Knowledge Alliance, and Lenore Newman, director of the Food and Agriculture Institute at the University of the Fraser Valley, discussed the threats posed by cyberattacks on agribusinesses and they offered some advice on how to deal with them.

Botschner acknowledges figuring out how to protect farm data and operating systems can be overwhelming for farmers, like any business owners. That’s why he urges producers to take things one step at a time.

“The survey showed that self-confidence among the participants in handling a cybersecurity attack is not very strong and that’s understandable,” he says. “This is a journey. Take practical steps and continue to deepen your awareness as time goes on so that you can be on the lookout for new potential challenges.”

Ransomware attacks

One challenge could be coping with ransomware, a software program that locks out access of a business or organization to its own data, with access to the data returned only when a ransom is paid in digital or untraceable currency. Kotak says ransomware attacks in the agri-food industry have become more common — the 2021 attack against international meat processor JBS is one example.

Kotak says until recently cybersecurity has been largely a reactionary concept. That is, businesses and institutions react to ransomware demands and other types of cyberattacks instead of actively working to prevent them. Because of the growing threat, however, business leaders throughout the food value chain are thinking much more about cybersecurity and putting more protections in place.

Most cyberattacks are financially motivated, but malicious parties may also be motivated to attack farm businesses for other reasons, like disrupting supply chains during international conflicts, or perhaps animal welfare activism, Kotak says.

The webinar panelists conclude large-scale agri-food businesses may be bigger targets for cyberattacks than most Canadian farm businesses, but they’re also more likely to have better cybersecurity. However, for less reward — but also less work — attackers are turning to smaller businesses in every sector, which may not have adequate protections in place. And that could include your farm.

If your farm business is struck by a ransomware attack, Kotak doesn’t recommend paying the ransom because there’s no guarantee you’ll get your data back if you do pay, and paying may encourage repeat ransomware attacks.

Kotak says a better strategy is to develop and implement a cybersecurity plan that includes contingencies for restoring farm business data from backup systems and patching the gaps the attack has revealed. Learn from the incident, he says, and continue to back up your data and take other actions to protect your farm business.

Phishing expeditions

We’ve all seen them — phishing emails that are very specific and authentic-looking, which ask you to do something you shouldn’t, like reveal login credentials or passwords. Phishing emails can come from an unknown email address or from familiar but hacked email accounts, which prompt you to click on a link. The link may prompt you to enter personal or financial information, or clicking it may allow ransomware or some other form of malware to access your systems.

Botschner says it’s critical to train yourself, your family and your employees to recognize phishing emails.

“Over 90 per cent of attacks rely on manipulating victims, such as clicking on a link in a phishing email or on human error, like failing to notice a threat,” he explains. “Always take time to read emails and ensure they are authentic, and that links are verified as safe. This is especially important at busy times of the year on the farm when you are distracted and tired. Everyone in your family and all of your employees should be doing the same.”

Botschner and Kotak point out a vendor’s email system can be hacked, and, therefore, the email address is recognizable, however, the email is from a malicious party. If you receive something like a request to input your data on a new payment platform, reach out to the vendor to ensure it’s a genuine request. Vendors may not be aware they have been hacked.

Any vendor websites where sensitive information from your farm business is shared or financial transactions are completed should have a padlock next to the URL or have a web address that begins with https (the letter h in https stands for secure).

Kotak suggests farmers should also ask their vendors about their cybersecurity levels. “When you sign up with a new service, one of the questions you want to ask is, ‘Who owns my data? That is, if I end up leaving the service, does the vendor keep copies of it, and, if so, where is it housed, or do I get my data back? Also, does the vendor have access control processes in place, and is data encrypted? Do they do third-party cybersecurity audits?’ If they are not upfront about their policies or say they are working on them, if they are not transparent, that’s a red flag.”

It’s important to preserve evidence of ransomware attacks and other cybercrimes and to alert law enforcement officials and others who will be affected by the breach, conclude the webinar panelists. While random phishing emails are common and can be deleted without further action, an email from a hacked business email account should be reported to local police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

You could also consult with a lawyer or cybersecurity expert about additional action you should take to protect yourself legally — particularly if customer data you hold (like credit card information from a farm gate shop) has been breached, in which case you would need to file a breach report.

A moving target

Kotak stresses cybersecurity is an ongoing activity, not something where you can check a box and consider it done.

“It’s not an, ‘I’ve downloaded some sort of security software and I’m secure,’ situation,” he says. “You have to continually work on it. It’s a moving target. If you have some sort of antivirus software, good — but that’s where it begins, not where it ends. You have to think about the threat factors, think about data security and keep your systems up to date.”

The webinar panelists recommend producers try to put together an official cybersecurity policy and standard operating procedures for everyone involved in the farm business.

This can be as simple as a written plan that outlines important dos and don’ts, which could include things like phoning a vendor when a business email requests a change in payment method, instructions on how and how often you need to back up critical data and make sure software is updated, or the necessary steps to get your farm systems up and running after a disruption.

A few more steps farmers can take to beef up their cybersecurity include the following:

• Always update your software. Newer versions generally have better security features.
• Put a reputable antivirus software program in place.
• Consider using a VPN (virtual private network), which encrypts data, with your farm network and your mobile devices. Do not use public Wi-Fi for any personal or farm business use without protecting yourself (for example, by using a VPN).
• Understand what data and systems are critical to your business and start by focusing on these. Ensure you are making regular data backups and work with an IT company to understand how to access these backups to restore your data and systems should the need arise.
• Have a reliable IT company you can contact if you need help. For instance, consult with a company to ensure you have an adequate firewall for your computer network to protect you from fraudsters and hackers.

The post How to protect your farm business against cyberthreats appeared first on Grainews.

Experts warn if Saskatchewan comes out of a dry cycle in 2022, C3 weeds, such as wild mustard and wild oat, could do better this year than the C4 weeds (kochia, green foxtail, pigweeds, lamb’s quarters and Russian thistle) that have been predominant during the dry, hot conditions of the last few years.

And, in Manitoba, due to precipitation last fall and, in some areas, many feet of snow over the winter, there may be heavy weed germination — and weed control early in the season will be critical. Below are the full details by province.

Alberta

Among serious weed concerns in Alberta is kochia, which did well without much moisture last year. “Areas where kochia were prolific may well increase infestations in 2022,” reports Shaun Sharpe, a research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. “New patches may be forming in new parts of the field or neighbouring fields where tumbleweeds may have blown. Approaches and compacted areas may be potential areas of invasion and spread.”

He adds glyphosate resistance is becoming widespread in kochia so growers should look at including additional effective modes of action in the tank where possible, for example, Groups 6 and 14 products.

In addition, Sharpe cautions there is a lot of kochia reproducing in Alberta along roadsides, grid roads and field margins and around sloughs. “Please consider ‘closing the back door’ by controlling (the weeds in these areas), if possible, as early as possible, and removing their opportunity to invade into farmland,” he says. “Early control is better because some herbicide-resistant traits can move in the pollen, not just with the tumbleweed.”

Saskatchewan provincial weed specialist Clark Brenzil highly recommends preventing the growth of kochia by planting perennial forages in ditches and even in saline (or otherwise non-productive) areas in fields. Please see the story “How to scout for herbicide-resistant weeds” here on Grainews for more information on this management strategy.

However, some areas in Alberta received moisture late in the growing season, and Sharpe says these regions may favour overwintering weeds such as later-emerging false cleavers, Canada thistle, shepherd’s purse and narrow-leaved hawk’s-beard.

“Canada thistle has some degree of glyphosate tolerance and, once established, it can regenerate from below ground,” he warns. “These plants should be emerging and growing early, so pre-seed burn-down may be an important herbicide timing. Depending on the degree of shatter and yield loss due to poor environmental conditions of harvest 2021, volunteer crops may be a problem as well.”

As always, Sharpe also urges growers in Alberta and beyond to watch out for “weird-looking” pigweeds — Palmer amaranth and waterhemp. Early detection of these extremely invasive weeds is critical.

Also, wild oat is a constant threat with its wide distribution and some biotypes have Groups 1 and 2 resistance. “Herbicide layering strategies will be important to control wild oat in-crop and encouraging canopy closure can help suppress later-emerging flushes,” Sharpe adds.

Saskatchewan

As expected, kochia also did well in Saskatchewan in 2021. Brenzil explains in the big picture, weed populations change on individual farms over time, and will change in terms of what’s dominant due to weather patterns. The dry conditions experienced for the last few years mean weeds with “C4” physiology have become predominant in the province. (For more information about C3 and C4 plants, check out the 2018 Grainews story called “Untangling C3 and C4 plants.”

C4 weeds, which are recognized as more tolerant to drought, such as kochia, green foxtail, pigweeds, lamb’s quarters and Russian thistle, can close off their leaf stomata (tiny openings that allow CO2 to enter) to stop water loss and utilize captured CO2 to a much lower concentration within the leaf for photosynthesis, meaning they will grow for longer through hot, dry days than “C3” or cool-season plants. However, Brenzil says if Saskatchewan comes out of a dry cycle in 2022, C3 weeds, such as wild mustard and wild oat, could do better this year.

With respect to snow, Brenzil reports while there’s ample in the northern and eastern (black soil zones) parts of the province, the southwest is still wanting for moisture much the same as southern Alberta. He says how much this snow will contribute to soil moisture levels is yet to be seen.

Whatever the growing season conditions, he reminds growers when using herbicides to use multiple modes of action and best management practices to ensure good weed control. “As always, use integrated crop management and a good seeding rate with ample fertilizer to get the crop growing well so your crop relies less on the herbicide,” he says. “Enable your crop to do most of the work.”

Manitoba

Provincial weed specialist Kim Brown-Livingston says many areas of Manitoba had a moist fall last year, which resulted in a lot of weed growth and volunteers using up moisture and nutrients. “Last fall, I recommended spraying instead of cultivating so that moisture loss wouldn’t be even worse, and some growers just let the winter kill the weeds,” she notes. “Overall, I don’t think we’re going into a lot of tillage but hopefully a clean seedbed.”

Additional moisture arrived in Manitoba this winter, which Brown-Livingston describes as “more snow than we’ve seen in years. There are feet of snow on many fields and others have at least inches of snow at this point in late February, with more to possibly come. For the first time in several years, we’ll have a lot of weed germination and we need to be ready for weed control first thing. The weed seeds are always there.”

This moisture could mean a proliferation of weeds, in general, in farmers’ fields. She recommends this year growers scout fields regularly for all weeds typically found on their farms.

Herbicide residue carry-over, as serious issue

Sharpe, Brenzil and Brown-Livingston all strongly caution growers about the increased potential for herbicide residue carry-over in 2022 due to the limited moisture in 2021.

Many herbicides are broken down by microbes in the soil and the microbes require moisture and heat to do that. In Manitoba, Brown-Livingston reports while there was some rain in early June and then late August and September, its timing didn’t help with breaking down herbicide residue in the soil there.

Crop injury from residue not only affects yield and crop growth, but weed growth can be supported if the crop isn’t competitive, says Sharpe.

Herbicide residue will also limit crop options, says Brenzil. Also, because of the dry conditions in 2020 and 2021, “growers may have to think about herbicides applied two or, even, three years ago,” he cautions. Brenzil urges growers to check with manufacturers of the residual herbicides used in 2020 and 2021 for assistance in selecting rotational crops that are more tolerant to residues of the herbicides used.

Supply chain worries

On top of herbicide resistance, residual herbicide and spring weather, growers also should be concerned about herbicide availability. “There are concerns about the supply chain for herbicides not just in North America but Asia as well,” Brenzil reports.

“Glyphosate products from Bayer and other companies could be in short supply this year. Bayer’s glyphosate production is being impacted in terms of limited availability of the ingredient caustic soda. Bayer had initially estimated a three-month delay with glyphosate production, and is trying to find alternative manufacturing options, so it’s hard to say what will happen. Growers need to have a plan A, B and C for crops and corresponding herbicide choices.”

Brown-Livingston advises growers to order herbicide, buy it and take it home as soon as they can. “Hopefully, in the spring, we’ll have enough herbicide for the spring and also for the in-season applications as well,” she says.

Like Brenzil, she warns growers to “be careful to have product for your spring burn-off products for the crop rotation you are planning. And if you have to change rotation options, be prepared with products for that.

“And don’t hoard herbicides like toilet paper. Work with your local supplier to order what you need and only what you need. There is no tolerance this year to order from multiple suppliers and then cancel a bunch of it at the last minute.”

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