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Les and Loree Wedderburn farm near Rivers, Man. Last December, thieves stole 1,600 bushels of canola worth about $40,000 from a grain bin. The Wedderburns were shocked by the theft because they thought they lived in a community where something like this would never happen. Since the theft, the Wedderburns have taken measures to deter and prevent an incident like this happening again.
News, Practical Tips

Tips to prevent grain theft on your farm

Grain theft can happen to you. These strategies will make it harder for thieves to steal from you

By
In December 2021, Les Wedderburn and his wife, Loree, who farm at Rivers, Man., were victims of grain theft. They are among many victims of this type of theft stretching back decades across the Prairies. In total, they lost about 1,600 bushels of canola — the harvest from 40 acres — from their farm, which […] Read more
Wheat fields being harvested
News

Protect yourself from developing respiratory problems

Grain dust may be commonplace on farms, but respiratory problems don’t need to be

By
It’s harvest season and that means two things are common sights on farms across the country — combines and grain dust. Just because grain dust is a regular occurrence on many farms doesn’t mean you should ignore it. In fact, grain dust can wreak significant havoc and long-lasting damage on your lungs with repeated exposure. […] Read more
Get your farm finances on track to reduce stress
News

Get your farm finances on track to reduce stress

Tips to help get you out of financial trouble and improve your mental health

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Mental health among farm families is much written and talked about in the media these days — and rightly so. Over the last couple of years, western Canadian farmers have been hit by record-setting droughts and other hardships while they cope with the lingering effects of the pandemic. In Alberta, there was an excess of […] Read more
David Lobb, a U of M soil science professor and researcher, considers soil organic matter and crop yield the two main indicators of soil health. He says soil organic matter levels are vital to crop production. Lobb blames the loss of topsoil and organic matter primarily on erosion.
Crops, News

The biggest bang for your buck? Improve soil organic matter

Soil organic matter is vital for crop production and soil health — here’s what it does, why and how to improve it on hilltops and knolls

By
If you can tackle only one thing on your farm to enhance crop yields, let it be ways to improve soil organic matter. That may be somewhat of an oversimplification considering all of the factors that affect yield, but protecting and, where needed, improving soil organic matter levels may deliver the biggest bang for the […] Read more
Photo: getty images
News

There’s still a place for swathing in canola operations

If you didn’t plant a shatter-tolerant variety, you’re going to have to swath. But swathing can play a crucial role in other cases as well

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Straight cutting is no longer merely an option for harvesting canola — it’s become “the” harvest option. In many cases, the one-pass alternative has replaced swathing completely. “The decision to straight cut canola has been increasingly made for farmers in the past eight years,” says Dane Froese, oilseed specialist with Manitoba Agriculture. “The advent of […] Read more
Stuart Chutter, product coordinator for Alberta’s Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC), says research has shown the leading factor to reducing the risk of yield loss on the farm is high soil organic matter. One day, crop insurance rates may reflect that.
News

What’s the relationship between soil organic matter and crop insurance?

Adjusting insurance premiums based on soil quality factors is an idea now being discussed

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This is all just in the thinking stage right now, but the day may come when farms that can demonstrate production practices that maintain high levels of soil organic matter may qualify for reduced crop insurance premiums. It is a concept being pondered right now by Alberta’s crop insurance agency, the Agriculture Financial Services Corporation […] Read more
Pre-harvest aids
Crops, News

Pre-harvest aids

Know why you apply: tips for assessing the need for pre-harvest aids

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Canola can be a challenge to harvest if stands are too thin or too weedy or if there’s uneven ripening due to crop stage differences. Green stalks and weeds not only hinder harvest but can cause problems in storage too. In situations like these, many Prairie farmers opt to use pre-harvest aids as a late-season […] Read more
Farm thefts on the rise
Features, News

Farm thefts on the rise

Community action is the first line of defence

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Crime isn’t just a big city problem. Farms can be vulnerable to thieves, particularly if they don’t have any security features to help ward off intruders. Country Guard Security, based in Devon, Alta., specializes in protecting farms and acreages against property crimes and has clients across Alberta. The owner, Guy Spiro, who set up the […] Read more
News, Wheat & Chaff

Safety days aim to keep farm kids safe and healthy

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Progressive Agriculture Foundation (PAF) Safety Days are an educational initiative designed to make farm and ranch life safer and healthier for children and their communities. The program provides training and resources for local communities to conduct one-day safety and health programs, with age-appropriate activities that are hands-on, fun and safe for children.  At the PAF […] Read more

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