(Thinkstock photo)

Nitrogen looking cheap across Prairies

CNS Canada — Farmers in Manitoba may be looking to fill up on nitrogen fertilizer this fall as prices reach lows not seen in over a decade. “One retailer I talked to said it was the cheapest nitrogen prices in 15 years,” according to Dan Mazier, president of Keystone Agricultural Producers. Prices also seem to […] Read more

(Staff photo)

Canada’s antitrust watchdog clears Nutrien merger

Canada’s Competition Bureau will put up no reasons why PotashCorp and Agrium shouldn’t be joined in Nutrien. The federal antitrust regulator on Monday issued a “no action” letter on the all-stock merger-of-equals that Saskatoon’s PotashCorp and Calgary’s Agrium proposed in September last year. The two companies, when merged, are to be headquartered in Saskatoon under […] Read more


(Screengrab from Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation video via YouTube)

Ontario watershed study shows overapplication of phosphorus

Farmers in one Huron County, Ont. watershed are applying almost exactly the nitrogen needed by their crops, but more than 30 per cent more phosphorus than is needed. University of Guelph researchers reached the conclusions by analyzing multiple years of data collected by the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority during in-person interviews with farmers in the […] Read more

(Fertilizer Safety and Security Council)

Farmers wait for fertilizer prices to fall amid oversupply

CNS Canada — As more fertilizer plants are built around the world and U.S. corn acreage shrinks, the typical thinking holds that prices for urea and nitrogen should fall, but that hasn’t been the case so far for Canadian farmers. “They’re more on the steady side,” said Todd Lewis, president of the Agricultural Producers Association […] Read more


fertilizer spreading tractor

Most common fertility questions

Rigas Karamonos answers the fertilizer questions he’s hearing from farmers

At CropConnect in Manitoba in February, Dr. Rigas Karamanos gave his 868th presentation to farmers. He’s been counting. And, he said, it’s the 35th time he’s been asked to give a talk on “contemporary fertility issues.” He used his time on the CropConnect agenda to talk about the issues he hears farmers raising. Fertilizing for […] Read more

Changing nitrogen use to avoid taxes

Changing nitrogen use to avoid taxes

Nobody likes the idea of a new tax. Especially when it could impact the way we farm

[Updated: April 9, 2017] When Dr. Mario Tenuta braved icy roads to drive from his home in Winnipeg to Weyburn, Sask., to speak at the Indian Head Agricultural Research Foundation (IHARF) Soil and Crop Management Seminar, he wasn’t planning to make many friends. The University of Manitoba soil scientist had come to make farmers aware […] Read more



(Dave Bedard photo)

Agrium, PotashCorp in merger talks

Canadian fertilizer giants Agrium and PotashCorp confirmed Tuesday they’re in “preliminary discussions” toward a possible merger-of-equals. Calgary-based Agrium and Saskatoon-based PotashCorp emphasized in separate statements Tuesday that no decision has yet been made on whether to go ahead with such a merger and no agreement has yet been reached. “There can be no assurance that […] Read more


New Wheat crop

In-crop nitrogen fertilizer application

Agronomy Management: In-crop N application is becoming more popular. But is it a good fit for your farm?

Many farmers in Western Canada band their nitrogen (N) fertilizer before seeding or place all fertilizer in a side or mid-row band at the time of planting for their cereal and oilseed crops. Both are very sound practices. After seeding, most of the N fertilizer will slowly convert from ammonium nitrate (NH4+) to nitrate nitrogen (NO3-), the form […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Fertilizer prices look to rise by late summer

CNS Canada — A rise in prices for soybeans and other crops could make fertilizer more expensive in the coming months, according to a major player in the industry. In the May market report from the Mosaic Co., the company credited the rally in agricultural commodity prices, the strengthening of key currencies and various Indian […] Read more