A bertha armyworm gets its fill on a canola seed pod.

Controlling bugs with seed treatments

Technology has given western Canadian farmers access to a wide range of options when it comes to insect control in canola. Crucifer and striped flea beetles, wireworm, cutworm, root maggot, cabbage seedpod weevil, bertha armyworm and diamondback moth are just some insect pests that can be particularly problematic for both crop health and farmers’ bottom […] Read more

Canola field in bloom near Mervin, Sask on July 7, 2016. Crops are looking very good in northwest Sask.

Crops looking good, but fusarium risk is high

Weather conditions see many Saskatchewan farmers spraying fungicides

As crops in north-western Saskatchewan edge closer to maturity, Ian Weber is knocking on wood. “I’m at the point I don’t want to see bugs and hail would be really bad. Because I think we’ve got a monster coming in. Things look good,” said Weber, sales manager with Warrington AgroDynamic of Mervin. The Mervin-Turtleford area […] Read more


Crop emergence has generally been good in the northwest, local ag retailers report.

Guenther: Sask. farmers near end of seeding, optimism abounds

Saskatchewan Crop Report rates crops as good to excellent overall

As Saskatchewan farmers wrap up the last bit of seeding, there’s abundant optimism for this year’s crop. “Our moisture conditions are good right now,” said Dave Shepherd, location manager for AgriTeam in Glaslyn, in north-western Saskatchewan. The crops, he added, are “looking really good.” West of Glaslyn, things are progressing nicely, said Ian Weber, sales […] Read more

Grasshopper numbers are climbing in Alberta. They can thrive in dry weather.

Be on your guard for grasshoppers

Grasshopper numbers are up in Alberta. Warm dry weather will give them an edge

Grasshoppers were found in higher numbers in 2015 in Alberta. Unfortunately, the same is expected for 2016, says Scott Meers, Alberta Agriculture insect management specialist. The Peace region, the extreme north and northwest areas of Alberta, are expected to have high grasshopper numbers. Farmers west of Edmonton also saw high populations last year and the […] Read more


Emerging cereal crop in a field between Mervin and Glaslyn.

Sask. farmers nearing the finish line for seeding

Emerging crops see threat of flea beetles, cutworms

Farmers across Saskatchewan are wrapping up seeding earlier than normal. As of May 23, 81 per cent of acres were seeded, compared to the five-year average of 59 per cent, according to the latest Saskatchewan Crop Report. Farmers in the northwest had 84 per cent of the acres seeded. In the Turtleford and Glaslyn areas, […] Read more

The diamondback moth is one of the more common insect pests that can reduce yield in mustard crops.

Weeds, disease and insects in mustard

In the final part of a 4-part series on mustard agronomy, Ross McKenzie turns his attention to pests

Weed control is generally my greatest concern when growing mustard. Weed competition can greatly reduce mustard yields by competing for available light, nutrients and moisture. Although mustard seedlings are not very competitive with weeds, there are ways that growers can reduce the early effects of weeds: burndown of weeds in fall and/or early spring before […] Read more


flea beetles on a canola pod

Keys to flea beetle control in canola crops

Agronomy tips... from the field

The important thing to understand about flea beetles is that they overwinter as adults — and it’s those adults that do all the feeding on your seedlings come the spring. Your canola crop is most vulnerable to flea beetle feeding from the cotyledon stage at emergence up until it reaches the three- or four-leaf stage. […] Read more

What’s it take to produce new pesticides?

What’s it take to produce new pesticides?

Farmers know a lot about using pesticides. Here’s a chance to learn about how chemical companies dream them up, produce them and market them to you

Have you ever wondered how chemical companies create and launch new pesticides? How much it costs them, how they decide what it will cost you and how they come up with those names? Well, we were wondering the same thing at Grainews, so we talked to Kelly Bennett. Bennett manages Dow AgroSciences’ cereal broadleaf herbicides […] Read more



"We’re finding very few bertha armyworm moths, which means we're not expecting any trouble with them this year."

Good news on berthas but watch for hoppers

In his weekly Call of the Land report, Alberta Agriculture insect management specialist Scott Meers says there is good news on bertha armyworm in the province this year. “We’re finding very few bertha armyworm moths, which means we’re not expecting any trouble with them this year,” he said. Only three traps have been found with […] Read more