The bacterial disease Goss’s wilt has become more prevalent in Manitoba corn fields, but its severity is depends on local weather conditions
Goss’s wilt is a bacterial disease which causes leaf and vascular blight. It can result in severely wilted plants and significant yield loss. Plants damaged by hail, wind or sand-blasting are susceptible to infection by the bacteria, which overwinters in corn stubble. Wet weather and high humidity favour development of the disease. “The severity varies […] Read moreWith new varieties for areas with shorter growing seasons, lots of farmers are considering soybeans for the first time in 2012. Brad Eggum has some production tips you can use
Western Canadian farmers have always had a keen interest in growing new crops. Pulses and oilseeds were few and far between 30 years ago where I farm in southeast Saskatchewan. Since then farmers have actively participated as new crops have been tested and refined to meet our environment and slowly worked into our mainstream rotations. Today pulses and oilseeds are the main drivers of […] Read moreBetter yields come from healthy soils. Of five main attributes of highly productive fields, four are a direct result of optimum soil health and not agronomic decisions. Here’s what you can do to build better soil
In an effort to find out why certain fields or areas of fields consistently produce higher yields I discovered that there are certain field characteristics which contribute to the ability to produce more yield. The characteristics of consistently high production areas are: elevated levels of soil biology; better water infiltration; lower bulk density; deeper topsoil […] Read moreIt’s not the best fit for every situation, but variable rate herbicide application could lower your chemical bills
Ty Faechner, executive director of the Agricultural Research and Extension Council of Alberta (ARECA), says variable rate herbicide application can offer several benefits. Faechner has studied variable rate herbicide application, and ARECA runs projects looking at on-farm precision agriculture research. Variable rate herbicide is ideal when weeds are patchy, rather than evenly distributed throughout a field, Faechner explains. Farmers or custom […] Read moreThe CWB program will no doubt need some adjustments over the coming months and years, but farmers like what they see so far
The new CWB may not be perfect, but Western Canadian farmers contacted for this Farmer Panel generally like what they see in the agency that becomes one more grain marketing company in a new open marketplace on August 1, 2012. As one farmer pointed out, the change that has taken place over the past year […] Read moreKnowing your farm’s rate or return on equity and assets is helpful in determining when to re-invest in the farm
A year ago, for this same Farm Finance issue of Grainews, I wrote an article encouraging grain farmers to update their net worth statement as soon as possible after harvest with current grain inventory, payables, receivables and so on. The idea is to get a clear snapshot of your financial position early and do a […] Read more
