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The productive top layer of Prairie soils is relatively thin. Once it’s lost, it can take years to recover
Once topsoil erodes, it is slow to recover. Research indicates that “the estimated loss of a quarter inch would take over 10 years to replenish, assuming no further erosion occurs,” says Murray Lewis, land resource specialist with the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Saskatoon Research Centre. Erosion is an ongoing issue that will always require management. […] Read more
Researchers agree that the most effective way to control the spread of clubroot is to sanitize machinery. This is effective, but time consuming
Whether you’re trying to keep clubroot from infecting your soil in the first place, or stop it from moving from field to field, there are strategies to use
By the time you find a patch in your field that’s infected with clubroot, Clint Jurke, agronomy specialist with the Canola Council of Canada told delegates at the International Clubroot Workshop in Edmonton in June, “that disease has probably already been in the field for years.” In fact, it’s likely already spread to the rest […] Read moreBee deaths are getting a lot of attention. New research shows this mystery could be linked to seed treatments
After Ontario recorded 240 bee kills last year, involving 40 different beekeepers, it’s no surprise that the issue of bee deaths has been front and centre in the media or that there is confusion about the various research reports that have been unearthed. Shrinking numbers of honey bees across Europe and North America has prompted […] Read moreSome pesticides will take longer to break down than others; the outcome will depend on both the pesticide and the environment
Canada uses over 35 million kilograms of pesticide active ingredients per year,” says Dr. Annemieke Farenhorst, a soil science professor at the University of Manitoba. Farenhorst studies the persistence and transport of agrichemicals — including pesticides — in soil, water, and air. Some active ingredients break down more quickly than others. Pesticide break down How […] Read moreWestern Ag Labs’ Plant Root Simulator Probe offers farmers a unique way to look at crop nutrient needs
Farmers can get more value out of soil test reports by digging deeper, according to an agronomic soils specialist
Look for some hidden values out of that soil report. Don’t just look at the obvious,” said Mandy Huska, an agronomic sales specialist at Taurus Technology. Huska spoke to farmers at Cavalier Agrow’s plot tour in July. Here are seven tips for sampling soil and interpreting test results. 1. Look for patterns Weeds can signal specific […] Read moreForegoing video games for farm work has encouraged the children at Spring Creek Farm to take up careers in agriculture
Spring Creek Farm, a 480-acre mixed farm, five miles south of Cypress River in Man., has been in the Wood family for three generations. Greg Wood and Lisa Clouston are very proud that all four of their grown children have an interest in agriculture. “We encouraged them to follow their dreams and passions, no matter […] Read moreIntercropping can boost profits and provide agronomic benefits. But before jumping in feet first, farmers need to think through the process
Intercropping involves growing two or more cash crops in the same field. Farmers may also grow a cover crop over green manure. While some might assume intercropping is more suited to organic production, that’s not the case. “Under these conventional systems, with the right crop combination, you would get over-yielding,” says Dr. Martin Entz of the […] Read more
