Micronutrient seed dressings are relatively new in Western Canada. Retailers generally don’t claim that these products will increase yield, but they may add value for some farmers
Micronutrient seed dressings, already well established in the U.S., are starting to appear on our side of the border. Unlike traditional seed treatments designed to combat plant disease, seed dressings are claimed to boost returns — if not necessarily yields — by promoting better emergence and seedling vigour. One product has received official CFIA registration. Other products […] Read moreWhile many farmers are talking about variable rate technology, there are still lots of farmers who aren’t using it in the field yet
It seems that Variable Rate Technology (VRT) has found itself in a middle ground of use at the current time. The technology is there to use, but VRT has yet to have truly caught on as the next big thing in precision farming practices. From my discussions with farmer and agriculture professionals, it seems that the percentage of farmers actually using […] Read moreWhen grain prices were lower, Kevin Bender cut corners, sprayed only heavier weed patches and cut back on rates. Today he sprays at full rate, and often makes two passes
Controlling weeds, doing it right, and keeping up with what’s happening plays a big part in the success of farmers today. Kevin Bender farms west of Lacombe, Alta. Along with his brother and father, Bender farms about 5,000 acres. His portion of this is 1,500 acres, but all three operate as separate proprietorships while working […] Read moreDeveloping crop recommendations is a multi-step process, taking into account field history, hopes for the coming year, and, of course, soil test results
While making crop plans with farmers this winter, we tried to build a complete crop nutrition solution for each crop. Our initial plans focused on macronutrients — mainly, fertilizer rate recommendations based on what was left in the soil and what we needed to add to achieve 2012 yield targets. Field conditions To get an […] Read moreSunflower growers should watch out for downy mildew, especially if spring conditions are favourable for the disease
A 2011 survey of Manitoba’s sunflower fields found downy mildew present in nine out of 11 fields surveyed. “Last year was a bit of a heavy downy mildew year because of the fact that the spring was very wet. The downy mildew in general for sunflower is favoured by wet soil and temperatures around 15 C to […] Read moreIt’s never been more important to make the most of your marketing options. Neil Blue tells you how you can use the basis to improve your bottom line
For crops that have an actively trading futures market, tracking the basis levels and considering basis as a separate part of your pricing decision improve your market analysis, and maybe increase your price. Defining basis Basis is the difference between the local cash price for a commodity and the futures market price for that commodity. […] Read more
