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Cutaway of Plant and Roots in Dirt
Columns, Crops

The broad basics of your soil’s pH

Soil pH is complex, and has different impacts on the availability of different nutrients

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Farmers frequently ask “What does soil pH really mean?” and “What effect does pH have on availability of nutrients in the soil?” Both are excellent questions! The effects of pH are complex and vary with different nutrients. However, some broad generalizations are useful to keep in mind when understanding soil pH and making nutrient management […] Read more
Mosaic’s mine shaft tower from its K3 facility in southern Sask. Photo: Greg Berg
Crops, Reuters

Mosaic sees sliding fertilizer sales; cost-cutting boosts profit

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Fertilizer sales look to slide through the rest of the year, U.S. producer Mosaic Co. said on Tuesday, as greater shipments into key markets by rivals in Belarus and China boost competition. The world’s largest producer of finished phosphate products reported a bigger-than-expected quarterly profit, helped by cost-cutting. Fertilizer prices have fallen as the strong […] Read more
A farmer in Western Australia, John Warr has taken on distribution responsibility for Agri-Spread products in both Australia and North America.
Machinery

Australian spreader distributor comes to Canada

Agri-Spread’s Australian distributor is now also taking on the North American market

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When he went looking for a new dry-product spreader for his farm in Western Australia, John Warr says he found a lot he liked in the Agri-Spread models manufactured in Ireland. “We used to run an Australian brand of spreader but it wasn’t meeting our expectations,” he explains. “We wanted something that would go down […] Read more
(Photo courtesy Agrium)
Crops, Markets

Slowdown in sales softens fertilizer market

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CNS Canada — A lack of buying throughout North and South America has put fertilizer prices under pressure, but so far, no one is lining up to capitalize on the weakness, according to an industry watcher. “Farmers aren’t in the mood to buy fall fertilizer. I think they’re more uncertain this year than they normally […] Read more
One acre of land, six inches deep, weighs about 2,000,000 pounds.
Columns, Crops

Soil sampling and soil testing

Fall is generally the most convenient time for soil testing. Plan now for effective testing

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In the last issue of Grainews Les Henry wrote a great article on soil testing. I couldn’t agree more that soil sampling and testing is a great tool to assess the soil nutrient levels in your fields so you can wisely plan your fertilizer program for next spring. Here are some of my thoughts on […] Read more
Dry product spreaders built by New Leader are capable of much more accurate spread patterns than older, PTO driven models could ever achieve.
Machinery

New Leader demos a broadcast spreader

Technology has caught up with dry product spreaders, resulting in much better spread patterns

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In past years, the uses for dry-product broadcast spreaders have declined. Aside from forage growers, most producers have turned to more targeted fertilizer placement alternatives. But with the introduction of slow-release nitrogen products and the difficulty of handling large amounts of fertilizer in the short spring seeding season, many are re-examining their placement alternatives. So broadcast […] Read more
(Dave Bedard photo)
Crops

Richardson to build in S. Alta. inputs market

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Prairie grain handler Richardson International is moving to shore up its presence in southern Alberta’s crop inputs market with a new dealership. The Winnipeg company announced Wednesday it will build a new crop inputs centre at Three Hills, about 65 km east of Olds, starting this fall to open and begin operating next spring. “The […] Read more
This photo and the one further down are of the canola on my “breaking” land — recently broken land (this is only the second time its been under a seed drill). The pictures were taken on July 27, 2015. In fall 2014 the soil test N in this field was only 20 lbs./acre to one foot but the zero to six inch level organic matter was 6.5 per cent. The “normal” areas in this field got 94 lbs. N/acre as anhydrous. This area got only the 20 lbs. N/acre as broadcast 21-0-0-24. Obviously, mineralization is providing much of the N. My zone fertilization plan involves telling the custom applicator to leave out the breaking and salty ground. It works!
Canola, Columns

Soil: Test the right pound of ground

If you don’t measure what you have, you can’t know what to add. Know the basics of taking soil tests

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First, some general tips around soil testing. The first thing to note about soil testing is that it is an index — it is not like a dipstick in a crankcase. A soil test (index) rates a soil as very low to excessive and is one piece of information to guide fertilizer use. But, use […] Read more
Applying your nitrogen in the fall
Cereals, Crops

Applying your nitrogen in the fall

Agronomy Management: Fall application can be more convenient, but effectiveness varies, depending on conditions

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Applying nitrogen fertilizer at the time of planting in spring is usually the best option for most Prairie farmers. But that means applying a lot of product, which can really slow down the seeding process. Getting the seed in the ground at the optimum time is important, and delays can reduce crop yield potential. Some […] Read more
Euan Evans, plant pathologist points out the value of providing a crop the whole nutrient package to optimize yields.
Crops

Soil testing more relevant than ever

If you don’t know what nutrients are in the soil it’s hard to meet your crop’s needs

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To optimize crop yields, Ieuan Evans, a well-known western Canadian plant pathologist, urges farmers to get back to the basics — do a soil test and follow the recommendations. Evans, speaking to farmers at the Ag In Motion farm show near Saskatoon in July says farmers have been advised since the beginning of modern agriculture […] Read more

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