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If someone comes knocking on your door to propose a variable rate perscription, be sure you’re ready to ask some hard questions before you sign up.
Columns, Crops

Precision ag may not work on your farm

In the field, precision ag does not yet live up to the hype that has surrounded it

By
If we go into a farm meeting and ask how many are using auto steer almost all hands go up. If you ask how many are using variable rate only a few respond. The uptake has been slow and many techies think that farmers are slow adopters. Guess what folks: if it works farmers are […] Read more
Smart Solutions collects all the data on seeding operations, for example — what and when it was seeded, fertility, in-crop treatments all by field and by soil zone.
Crops, Features

So much more than just a rain gauge

Farmers Edge weather info 
service connects the dots of 
precision farming data

By
If you thought GPS and auto steer was a step forward in farming, check out the precision farming package Farmers Edge is launching this spring in Western Canada based around its on-farm, “field-centric,” precision weather data system. The weather station is just part of an overall integrated data collection package called Smart Solution. Weather information […] Read more
Swathing this perennial rye grass left deep ruts in a wet field.
Crops, Features

Coping with all those wet spring soils

After last fall’s moisture, spring seeding is going to require patience and flexibility

By
Patience is a virtue, but it’s not an easy one to practice, especially when it involves waiting for saturated fields to dry up so you can get out and seed this year’s crop. Last fall left many Prairie fields already saturated thanks to late fall rains and early snowfalls, and after a winter with heavy […] Read more
Columns, Crops

The need for better record keeping

Reporter's Notebook: It’s not one of agronomy’s most exciting issues, but it’s a need that’s not going away

By
At CanolaLAB in Vermilion in February, record-keeping kept popping up during the agronomy sessions. Murray Hartman of Alberta Agriculture and the Canola Council’s Dan Orchard facilitated an interesting session on plant stand establishment. Target plant stand recommendations have dropped a little, but before farmers cut seeding rates, they need to know how many plants are […] Read more
Fertilizing for optimum economic yield requires less fertilizer than fertilizing for maximum yield.
Columns, Crops

Maximum versus optimum economic yield

Agronomy Management: Often, aiming for maximum yield doesn’t give you the maximum bottom line profit

By
Is your farm most profitable when you achieve maximum yield or optimum economic yield? There can be substantial differences in the amount of inputs needed for maximum crop yield compared to the economic optimum yield. Applying a higher level of inputs may give you maximum yield but often won’t provide the greatest profit per acre. […] Read more
Iuean Evans, A.K.A. “Dr. Copper”.
Crops, Features

Earlier seeding has advantages

Seed according to conditions to optimize moisture, 
root development and nutrients

By
It is difficult to have a conversation with plant pathologist and soil fertility specialist Dr. Iuean Evans without hearing the word “copper” and the important role it can play in development of a healthy, high yielding crop. But he also has recently noted that early-bird agronomic practices are important for optimizing soil available nutrients and […] Read more
Getting the dirt on 4R nutrient stewardship
Crops, Features

Getting the dirt on 4R nutrient stewardship

Fertilizer Canada’s 4R nutrient stewardship research tour delivers valuable information

By
In the ever-changing world of farming, information is a more valuable commodity than the finest canola crop. Consequently, the recently launched webinar series “Across Canada Tour of 4R Nutrient Stewardship Research” sponsored by Fertilizer Canada is must-see viewing. The tour began last month in Alberta, where co-presenter Dr. Miles Dyck offered an overview of 4R […] Read more
Blooming rapeseed field at sunset
Canola, Crops, Features

Back to the agronomy basics in canola

Experts advise growers to focus on quality seed and nitrogen before less conventional inputs

By
Canola growers have been asking agronomists questions about promoted products. Do they work? And if so, are they worth the additional cost? Two researchers, Murray Hartman, oilseed specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, and Neil Harker, research scientist, weed ecology and crop management, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, conducted a study to test the inputs that […] Read more
Replace that pencil with an online calculator
Crops, Features

Replace that pencil with an online calculator

Take your homework from page to screen. Online calculators can help you add up production costs and estimate profits

By
If you need help planning for the upcoming crop year, there are plenty of online tools on provincial government websites to help. Some of them are in downloadable, customizable Excel spreadsheet format; and others are downloadable software that can producers can save to their computer and customize. With different soil and climate conditions, each Prairie […] Read more
Rigorous research should be conducted in Western Canada to test products or practices before promotion to Prairie farmers.
Columns, Crops

Yield boosting production information

Agronomy Management: Just because someone tells you something doesn’t mean it’s true. Base your choices on good sources

By
At this time of year, the popular press is loaded with promotional information in the form of advertising and news articles, touting the benefits of all kinds of crop yield boosting products. These may include: soil conditioners; nonconventional or speciality fertilizers; wetting agents and surfactants; biological inoculants and activators; and plant stimulants and growth regulators. […] Read more

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AgCanadaTV: In case you missed it; your national ag news recap for April 10, 2026

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