The concept of using biostimulants on crops isn’t new, but farmers remain cautious, realizing all that glitters may not be gold.

Farmers still cautious about biostimulants

Farmer Panel: Some benefits observed, but questions continue about if, when and where they produce consistent results

Western Canadian farmers aren’t exactly stampeding to crop supply retailers looking for biostimulant products that offer to improve crop production. That’s the view of at least a sampling of Prairie producers when asked for this September’s farmer panel on what they think about biological and biostimulant products applied to soil, seed or as foliar treatments. Producers […] Read more

Parrish and Heimbecker’s existing grain elevator at Yorkton, Sask. (ParrishandHeimbecker.com)

P+H to replace eastern Saskatchewan elevator

New facility, loop track to be on line in mid-2022

Agrifood company Parrish and Heimbecker (P+H) plans to build a new and leaner grain elevator at Yorkton, Sask. to replace its 41-year-old facility there. The privately-held Winnipeg grain firm said Wednesday it has already started work on the new build, which it expects to have ready to receive grain in June next year. The existing […] Read more


A Richardson Pioneer grain elevator in Saskatchewan on July 28, 2017. (Scott Prokop Photography/CNW Group/Richardson International)

Richardson building new southwestern Saskatchewan elevator

On-site crop inputs facility to follow

Winnipeg grain firm Richardson International has started work on a new high-throughput grain elevator in southwestern Saskatchewan, to be bookended by smaller elevators it already operates in the region. The company said Monday it began construction work earlier this month at Carmichael, about 65 km southwest of Swift Current, about three km south of the […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Federated Co-op buying into ag retailer Blair’s

Central, southeastern Saskatchewan sites to go into new joint venture

The ag retail arm of the Saskatchewan-based Blair’s Family of Companies is set to go into a joint venture with one of Canada’s biggest co-operatives. Blair’s and Federated Co-operatives (FCL) announced last week they’ve reached an agreement to set up a joint venture which, pending regulatory approvals, will own and operate the seven Blair’s ag […] Read more


File photo of a Richardson Pioneer concrete elevator. (Dave Bedard photo)

Richardson to boost Peace region grain handle

New elevator in progress west of Grande Prairie

Prairie grain handler Richardson Pioneer has started work on a new elevator to expand its access to the southern reaches of northwestern Alberta’s Peace region. The Winnipeg company said Thursday it expects to complete a new high-throughput grain elevator by fall next year on Canadian National Railway (CN) track at Huallen, about 35 km west […] Read more

MAP+MST has high concentrations of both sulphur and phosphorus, so farmers can decrease their application rates to meet their yield goals, while saving time and trips across the field, says Nutrien senior agronomist Cristie Preston.

Nutrien launches new phosphorus and sulphur fertilizer for fall or spring application

Patented technology reduces the size of elemental sulphur particles for faster oxidation and slow release of nutrient all season long

In July, Nutrien announced the launch of its new Smart Nutrition MAP+MST fertilizer powered by Micronized Sulphur Technology (MST), which combines micronized sulphur with monoammonium phosphate (MAP) to give crops consistent nutrition. When applied in the fall, sulphur stays in its elemental form and won’t leach, so it’s available the following spring while freeing up […] Read more


Charles Baron and partners brought FBN to Canada in 2017, buying Saskatchewan-based Yorkton Distributors. (FBN video screengrab via YouTube)

FBN cuts yearly membership fee to zero

Ag e-commerce firm offers free accounts to farmers

E-marketplace Farmers Business Network (FBN) has disposed of the annual membership fee that allowed members access to its various buying groups and services. California-based FBN, which has operated in the U.S. since 2014 and expanded to Canada in 2017, announced Tuesday (Sept. 15) its farmer members may now have “access to a select range of […] Read more

Jason McNaughton says Sollio Agriculture specialists will continue to work closely with swine, dairy and poultry producers.

Sollio Agriculture name comes west

Larger company strengths livestock nutrition business

Western Canadian livestock producers will be seeing a new name at various retailers across the West as the long-operating Standard Nutrition Canada is replaced with the Sollio Agriculture name. Based in Quebec, but now with a reach across the country, Sollio Agriculture is a co-op-structured company providing a wide range of crop input and livestock […] Read more


A farmer walks through a field of maize near Chikuni in the south of Zambia on Feb. 21, 2015. (Photo: Reuters/Darrin Zammit Lupi)

U.S. farming body, Zambian firm partner aim to boost crop yields

Country rebuilding drought-battered ag sector

Lusaka | Reuters — A U.S. non-profit organization has launched a US$40 million joint venture with one of Zambia’s top farm suppliers to boost crop yields and food security as farmers struggle to access finance amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the local company said on Sunday. The chairman of African Green Resources (AGR), Zuneid Yousuf, said […] Read more

How to maximize the efficacy of your crop protection products

How to maximize the efficacy of your crop protection products

For starters, ensure you have adequate water quality

No farmers want to unintentionally alter the efficacy of their crop protection products because of water quality pumped into the tank. However, farmers may do just that if they do not have their farm water source tested every year and take the appropriate actions based on the results of those tests. There are several factors […] Read more