Bernie McClean's annual crop rotation includes canola, CPS wheat, malt barley and oats.

Extending rotations, in the field

Part 1 of 3: How real farmers are extending their rotations

There seems to be no shortage of articles, presentations and research exhorting farmers to lengthen rotations. Longer rotations benefit everything from weed control to disease suppression in crops. But what are farmers doing to maintain or extend rotations? Grainews spoke to three farmers to find out how they’re managing their rotations. And while each farmer […] Read more

Tetrastichus julis, a parasitoid wasp whose larvae develop within cereal leaf beetle larvae can kill a substantial number of cereal leaf beetle larvae.

Beneficial insects versus four major pests

There are more than just pests in 
those sweep nets; don’t sweep it all away

Many insect pests feed on cereal crops and canola. But for every pest in the field, there are dozens of predators feeding on them. Knowing which beneficial insects feed on the major pests can help growers make better management decisions. University of Toronto postdoctoral entomologist Vincent Hervet explains. 1. Cereal leaf beetle The cereal leaf […] Read more


Rotating from cereals to pulses can help lower your seed and soil-borne disease pressure.

Cereals clean up before a pulse crop

Planting a cereal crop can help set up your next pulse crop for success

Cereals are more than just a rotational crop between your canola and lentils; they can play a key role in setting up next year’s pulse crop for success by helping clean up your fields of weeds and soil-borne disease. When you look at weed control and resistance management, cereal crops offer the broadest range of […] Read more



farm equipment seeding

Getting info and seeding early

It is the time of year to gather knowledge and make your plans for the coming season

January is the busiest month of the year for ag trade shows, conferences, updates and industry meetings. You could spend the entire month traveling across the Prairies attending sessions. I attended the inaugural Cereals Innovation Symposium in Red Deer, Alta., hosted by the Alberta Wheat Commission, and heard some very interesting speakers. Scientists talked about […] Read more

(Richardson Pioneer via YouTube)

Richardson won’t renew canola, flax, soy funding

One of Canada’s biggest grain companies is stepping out of three Canadian oilseed industry organizations — and taking its funding when it goes. Winnipeg-based, privately-held Richardson International has announced it will not provide funding in 2018 for the Canola Council of Canada and the Flax Council of Canada, nor will it renew its funding commitment […] Read more


What does the harvest mean for the market?

What does the harvest mean for the market?

A look at the post-harvest impact on Prairie canola, wheat and malt barley markets

By October 12, snow was already falling for the second time in two weeks and harvest was only about 80 per cent complete in the Central Alberta area. Other that than, the fall for the most part was amazing and has allowed farmers across the Prairies to get the harvest off in record time. Harvest […] Read more