Marcel van Staveren (left), shown here along with his harvest crew, has already planned out most of his acres for 2016.

Seeding decisions made, now waiting for spring

Farmers planning to hold their rotations steady with no major swings

Now that combines are shut down for the season, western Canadian farmers have a pretty good idea of what they will be growing in 2016, say producers contacted for the November Farmer Panel. They all plan to leave a bit of room for last-minute decisions — depending on markets and spring seeding conditions — but […] Read more

Researchers are still learning about how plants communicate. One day, research looking at modifying plant behaviour could be used to increase crop yields or combat weed growth.

New research shows plants talking

Plant researchers are finding a surprising amount of unseen communication among plants

Farmers know well the issues that can arise with their crops. One of the biggies is insects eating plants. What’s interesting, though, is that recently more studies are being done on how plants communicate with and to the environment around them. While research on plants has been happening for thousands of years, says Dr. James […] Read more


Irrigation key to Alberta’s economy

Irrigation key to Alberta’s economy

Study shows that irrigated agriculture contributes $3.6B to Alberta's GDP

A new study claims that irrigation agriculture is increasingly vital to Alberta’s economy, and irrigation farmers are key contributors. “The Economic Value of Irrigation in Alberta,” a study commissioned by the Alberta Irrigation Projects Association (AIPA) and funded through Growing Forward 2, claims that combined annual sales of irrigation crop and livestock products generated about […] Read more

McDonald’s touts profitable sustainability

McDonald’s touts profitable sustainability

Chain restaurant rep says McDonald's is committed to Canadian ag's long-term success

Sustainable agriculture must be pre-competitive.” This phrase was repeated several times by Jeffrey Fitzpatrick-Stilwell, McDonald’s Canada’s senior manager for sustainability, during a seminar at the University of Manitoba on September 28. Fitzpatrick-Stilwell’s lecture, “McDonald’s Perspective on Sustainable Food Systems,” was put on by the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, and sponsored by the National Centre […] Read more


Dow enlists a new stacked trait

Dow enlists a new stacked trait

Dow is registering Enlist seeds, corn and soybeans tolerant to glyphosate and 2,4-D

The biggest new development on the horizon for Dow Seeds corn and soybeans is the Enlist weed control system. Enlist corn and soybean seeds will be tolerant to both glyphosate (Group 9) and 2,4-D (Group 2). “We’ll be adding the additional tolerance of 2,4-D to the glyphosate trait that’s already in corn and soybeans,” says […] Read more

Hand and harvester

Weather helping crops develop, cereal crop harvest progressing well

Saskatchewan Crop Report for the week ending August 10

Producers now have four per cent of the 2015 crop combined and five per cent swathed or ready to straight-cut, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s weekly Crop Report. Sixty-two per cent of the fall rye, 34 per cent of the winter wheat, 19 per cent of the field peas and 17 per cent of the lentils […] Read more


This farm property near Tilston, Man. was ripped up after a tornado raged through the area on July 27.

Be ready for severe summer storms

Some violent weather may have already crossed your path, but storm season is far from over

Everybody likes to talk about the weather. Nowhere is weather talked about more than in Canada. Everybody has had a conversation that starts out with the question: “Hot enough for you?” Farmers especially take weather seriously — after all fortunes are gained and lost due to the weather. Rain, hail, frost, wind, and snow all […] Read more

Anthrax detected in northern Alberta

Anthrax detected in northern Alberta

Two cases confirmed from two separate beef cattle farms in the Fort Vermillion area

Alberta Agriculture and Forestry has been notified of confirmed cases of anthrax in two separate beef cattle farms in the Fort Vermillion area. Given these findings and recently confirmed cases in Saskatchewan, producers are reminded to be on the look-out for anthrax. The recent hot, dry weather has led to conditions that are favourable for […] Read more


Alberta Crop Report

Alberta Crop Report

Crop conditions as of July 21, 2015

Over the past week most of the province received upwards of 20 mm of rain, which helped dry areas and somewhat alleviated moisture stress on cereals and oilseeds crops. Localized areas around Calgary, Red Deer, Rocky Mountain House, Valleyview/High Prairie and Smoky Lake received over 50 mm of precipitation. Scattered hail storms were reported in […] Read more

There is always something new out there…The Ag In Motion farm show near Saskatoon this week was the “Pot of Gold” in terms of discovering what is new or is coming down the pipeline with new farm machinery, production technology and advances in crop development. Above, Leeann Minogue, editor of Grainews interviews, centre, talks with Kent Gulash, district sales manager with Dow AgroSciences about new DAS canola varieties that are entering the market this year, as well as other leading hybrid varieties still in development. Looking on is Loralee Orr, DAS communications leader. 

PHOTOS: Ag in Motion: Photo gallery wrap-up

A few more final sights from Western Canada's Outdoor Farm Expo

There is always something new out there…The Ag In Motion farm show near Saskatoon this week was the “Pot of Gold” in terms of discovering what is new or is coming down the pipeline with new farm machinery, production technology and advances in crop development. Above, Leeann Minogue, editor of Grainews interviews, centre, talks with […] Read more


Upcoming events