kochia in saskatchewan

Kochia’s expanding herbicide resistance puts pressure on no-till systems 

Kochia populations in Saskatchewan and North Dakota are now resistant to group 14 herbicides, leaving fewer options for Prairie farmers

Based on preliminary data from a recent Prairie-wide kochia survey, AAFC’s Charles Geddes suspects Group 14-resistant kochia is now present in multiple fields in Saskatchewan and expects it could soon be confirmed in other regions as well.


the equalizer no-till drill

Lemken brings Equalizer drill to Canada

A South African design begins field trials on this continent

Over the past two decades, Canadian producers have seen several foreign brands stake a claim in North America’s ag equipment market. As a result, there is now a broader group of implement manufacturers competing in our marketplace. That means more choices, which is good news for farmers. Among the newest unfamiliar names to appear on […] Read more

Laura Bennett is a junior assistant manager at Lobethal, a 13,000-acre farm.

Non-wetting soils down under

The same type of soil that’s beautiful on the beach can be tough to farm

During my recent trip to the southern coast of Western Australia I learned about something I didn’t even know existed: non-wetting soils. The coastline in this part of Australia is exquisitely beautiful with white powder sandy beaches and turquoise blue water. This beautiful white sand is also what makes this area so challenging to farm. […] Read more


Tillage can help warm the soil faster for earlier seeding, but it also gives weeds a better environment to germinate.

Tillage systems’ impact on weeds and disease

No-till and minimum-till systems both have agronomic drawbacks and advantages

No-till and minimum-till systems both have their advantages and drawbacks, especially when it comes to managing weeds, disease and insects in next season’s crop. Let’s start by looking at the advantages of no-till systems. Right off the bat, they’re great for soil and moisture conservation — particularly when you’re working on lighter, sandier soils. Growers […] Read more

Tillage for better crop establishment

Tillage for better crop establishment

Q & A with Nutrien Ag Solutions

Q. Can tillage help with better crop establishment or fertility management? A: Crop establishment can be impacted by soil moisture and temperature, especially in areas where more warm-season crops such as soybeans and corn are grown. High soil residue levels act as an insulating layer to the soil and reduce the rate of soil temperature […] Read more


Stripper headers have a rearward-rotating rotor fitted in front of the header.

Stripper headers an alternative for dry regions

Headers offer improved combine performance and soil moisture retention

While there are many options when it comes time to harvest a crop, for some farmers, stripper headers are the only choice. Designed with rotating teeth that lift grain into the combine and leave straw in the field, stripper headers are perfect for harvesting cereals, grass seed and rice, according to Adam Whitaker, product specialist at the U.K.-based […] Read more

Derek and Tannis Axten with their children Kate, 13, and Brock, 11, know if they look after the soil it will produce.

Canada’s OYF: Nominees from Saskatchewan

Derek and Tannis Axten focus on encouraging soil biology

Daring to be different may enrich your spirit, but it can also leave you cash poor. If you’re Derek and Tannis Axten, however, you wind up having your fungicide-free cake and eating it too. While the 2017 Outstanding Young Farmer (OYF) Award winners for Saskatchewan began their farming career on a well-trodden path, the route […] Read more


Farm it like you’re ‘just’ renting it?

Farm it like you’re ‘just’ renting it?

Do farmers look after rented farmland differently than land they own? Should they?

We’ve all heard the term “drive it like a rental” but could that also apply to farmland? Is a farmer more likely to use conservation practices like no-till or variable rate technology, or apply more fertilizer and/or manure to improve the fertility on land he or she owns than on rented land? In April 2013, […] Read more

Measuring soil’s benefits from CTF

Measuring soil’s benefits from CTF

A new test offers a way to measure improvements from controlled traffic farming

It can be called “fractal hierarchical aggregation” or just “fractal aggregation.” Whatever the moniker, the new method of soil health testing promises to offer producers an important metric for assessing soil quality and land stewardship, says Guillermo Hernandez, an assistant professor at the University of Alberta. This spring he published a research paper demonstrating that […] Read more