Can tillage fit into a no-till system?

Can tillage fit into a no-till system?

Some zero-tillers are now looking to tillage to manage disease and weed issues

A large majority of farmers in Western Canada have adopted zero-till systems — with the exception of those in the Red River Valley who are dealing with heavy, wet clay soils where tillage is just a fact of life. Most farmers understand the many benefits of zero till, such as prevention of soil erosion, better […] Read more

barley - Glen Nicoll

Reduce your malt barley risk

Plant barley on field pea stubble, limit fungicide and reduce nitrogen application

What are the biggest risks on producers’ radars when it comes to growing malting barley? Some might say yield losses, some might say disease, and some might say reduced kernel quality or high protein levels — or a combination of all of these problems and more. New research customizes malting barley systems based on producers’ […] Read more


Changes coming to capital gains taxes

2017 federal tax rules changes are right around the corner. Are you prepared?

If you are a farm business owner considering a sale of capital assets such as land or quota in the next few years, there are some proposed tax changes coming into effect that you should know about today. Two changes have been approved as of the March 2016 federal budget announcement. These will take effect […] Read more

Alberta Ag found grain bag storage to be the most expensive of the options studied. However, it is a good solution for farmers who only need temporary storage.

Grain storage value comparison

An Alberta Ag report crunches the numbers to help you make bin buying decisions

As farms increase in size and average yields increase, farmers are considering adding new storage facilities or replacing older ones. There are a number of different options. Corrugated bins have long been a familiar sight on Prairie farms and represent the tried and true method, according to Ryan Furtas, a research economist with Alberta Agriculture […] Read more


Officially open in May 2016 the Northgate Commodities Logistics Centre is moving 100 railcars per week and has capacity for 2.7 million bushels of grain storage.

It’s built… and they’re coming

Grain is moving south at Northgate where an abandoned Sask. hamlet once stood

A new Canadian-built grain export terminal at Northgate in southern Saskatchewan is booming these days. Actually, the Northgate Commodities Logistics Centre about 60 km southeast of Estevan hasn’t seen too many slow days since the first railcars started rolling south in January 2015. Officially opened in May 2016, the 2.7 million bushel capacity grain terminal […] Read more

For every specialty crop, there is a special process to becoming a contract grower.

Lock in sales with a special contract

Looking for a way to differentiate your crop from the rest of the pack?

Are you looking for ways to change your marketing situation? Differentiate your product from everything else at the elevator? Signing special contracts with specific companies is one way to do this. Avena Food pays its contact holders premium prices for gluten-free oats. Warburtons, a U.K. bread company, pays premiums for specialty wheat grown by contract holding […] Read more


Flying drone and green wheat field

PHOTOS: Do it with drones

Harvest timing, fertilizer application, elevation mapping — drones are putting new information in farmers’ hands

Farmers are buying drones, but often they can’t use the technology to its full potential, says Matt Johnnson. And new drone operators need to research the options available and safety requirements before flying, he adds. Johnson owns M3 Aerial Productions, based in Winnipeg. A math teacher by profession, he started using drones for real estate […] Read more

Native grass prairies and sunset

Forages and grasses for marginal land

Permanent cover crops can increase fertility in "problem soils" over time

Jeff Schoenau has a word for agricultural areas currently in annual production that fail to deliver a return on expensive inputs: “heartache land.” It’s better known as “marginal” land, and it can be defined as land with soil that has limitations including poor water-holding capacity and water availability to roots due to sandy texture or […] Read more


Building up the soil in your fields

Building up the soil in your fields

Changing your crop rotation and management can change the content of our soil

New research is showing that it is possible to make new, nutrient rich, productive soil on your farm without waiting for eons, simply by changing your crop rotation and management. The research, led by Dr. Stuart Grandy at the University of New Hampshire, is revising our conventional understanding of how soil organic matter (SOM) is […] Read more

Cover crops can help increase production by keeping soil cool, retaining moisture, and feeding the microbes and earthworms that build a healthy soil.

How to plan your first cover crop

Before you choose a cover crop mix, make sure you know what you want it to do

Cover crops are becoming more popular. But how do you plan your first cover crop? The first part of the planning process is setting goals, says Kevin Elmy, owner of Friendly Acres Seed Farm at Saltcoats, Saskatchewan. Elmy has been growing cover crops for seven years and now grows and sells cover crop mixes. “With […] Read more