Photo: File

BASF pegs InVigor canola woes

BASF says they are aware of the issues farmers are seeing in some of their canola varieties. A statement from the company, released in mid-June, noted that some InVigor hybrids “may be encountering various challenges that could be hindering crop establishment this season.” The issue had been noted in “select geographies” in Western Canada, according […] Read more


(CropScience.Bayer.ca)

BASF’s new Canadian stake to include three plants, 300 staff

Among the major players still in the world’s crop protection and seed business, remaining competitive comes at a cost. To be sure, several smaller companies remain in the game — but with marriages now consummated for Dow Chemical and DuPont, and for Syngenta and ChemChina, Bayer’s pending takeover of Monsanto and, now, BASF getting set […] Read more

(Photo courtesy BASF SE)

BASF to harvest seeds, herbicide businesses from Bayer

Frankfurt | Reuters — BASF has agreed to buy seed and herbicide businesses from Bayer for 5.9 billion euros (C$8.7 billion) in cash, as Bayer tries to convince competition authorities to approve its planned acquisition of Monsanto. BASF, the world’s third-largest maker of crop chemicals, has so far avoided seed assets and instead pursued research […] Read more


Mike Nelson’s sprayer not only applied herbicide and fungicide treatments, but also foliar nutrient products on a 160-acre field ear marked for a canola yield challenge.

The Central Alberta experience

Canola 100 Challenge: An Alberta farmer tests practices toward optimizing his canola yield

Central Alberta farmer, Mike Nelson knows his canola fell short of the magic 100-bushel yield mark for the 2016 Canola 100 Challenge, but the experience made it worthwhile for him to consider the contest again. Nelson, who is part of the family farming operation, Nelson Farms, that includes his father Lorne, brother Matt and brother-in-law […] Read more

Harvest of Newfoundland’s first-ever canola crop, a 30-acre field at Pasadena, N.L. was underway Friday. (Gov.NL.ca)

Newfoundland harvests first canola crop

Researchers in Newfoundland are set to test the oil and meal quality of the province’s first-ever canola crop after its harvest on Friday. The 30-acre research plot at Pasadena, N.L., about 30 km east of Corner Brook, “grew exceptionally well, surpassing our researcher’s expectations,” Steve Crocker, the province’s minister of fisheries, forestry and agrifoods, said […] Read more


(File photo courtesy Canola Council of Canada)

Stacked LL/RR canola off the menu for 2016

The first canola hybrid to stack Genuity Roundup Ready and LibertyLink traits in one seed won’t be on the market for this growing season. Just weeks after its Jan. 22 announcement of a limited launch for InVigor Choice LR250 for the 2016 season, Bayer CropScience Canada now says concerns over seed quality and export market access have […] Read more

(CropScience.Bayer.ca)

Bayer postpones plant opening to meet canola seed demand

Frost, wind, moisture and even flea beetles have already devastated Prairie canola crops this season, leading to unprecedented reseeding — and seed companies are struggling to meet the extra demand. Bayer CropScience announced Thursday it will postpone Friday’s scheduled grand opening of its new Lethbridge, Alta. seed processing plant, so staff can focus on meeting […] Read more


canola flowers in a field

New canola seed varieties for 2015

Disease resistance has been top of mind for canola researchers, and will stay that way for some time

A look through the new canola seed varieties submitted by seed companies reveals a focus on disease resistance. Most of the new varieties are blackleg resistant. Some also offer sclerotinia tolerance, fusarium wilt resistance, or clubroot resistance. Disease resistance is likely to remain front and centre in canola. Clubroot grabbed headlines this summer, as plant […] Read more