A “little potato” crop at six to nine tons an acre in central Alberta does not need the same extra moisture as seed potatoes and can be planted directly into standing canola stubble in the spring.

‘Sustainable’ ag systems for Prairie croplands need clearer definition

The word “sustainable” has become one of the most misused words in agricultural information systems. What we have to realize on Canada’s Prairies is that “sustainable” really means farmers maintain the status quo for good, achievable, economic agricultural practices on their cropland. What may be sustainable agricultural systems for Eastern Canada or the north-central United […] Read more

John Gehrer delivers up to 1,000 litres of diesel per day with an electric car.

Searching for sustainability in agriculture

A southern Manitoba farmer’s quest for a “greener” farming system has left him with more questions than answers — and feeling a bit hypocritical

In 1888 Bertha Benz drove her homemade car on a 212-km round trip to Mannheim and Pforzheim in Germany. The fuel tank was 4.5 litres, and there were no gas stations along the way. There were probably no paved roads either and the reliability of the car was unproven. It might have been easier to […] Read more


The Klein family (l-r): Amy, Connor, Beckham, Luke, Mackenzie, Sylvia, Pat. Janelle (on tire) Eythan, Vicky, Wanda, Gage, Kalissa (on tire), Evan, and Cassie. Up top: Christina, Lily, Ace and Emery.

Retiring back to the Klein farm

Emery Klein's journey has brought him full-circle to mixed farming in central Alberta

The Prairie Farms feature is an ongoing series that highlights western Canadian producers and their farm operations. These producer and farm profiles will share the strategies, tips and experiences that have helped Prairie farmers be successful. Along with crop production strategies, this Q-and-A series will look at the personalities and lifestyles of farmers across Western […] Read more

FuelPositive's highly efficient proprietary ammonia separator is one component of its green ammonia production system.

On-farm green ammonia production

Manitoba farmers set to try new ag-tech innovation from FuelPositive

Manitoba farmers Curtis and Tracy Hiebert, like many Prairie producers, rely on anhydrous ammonia for much of their fertilizer needs. Squeezed by ongoing price hikes and supply shortages in the anhydrous ammonia market, they decided to try something new — to produce it themselves, right on their own farm. That’s possible, thanks to some cutting-edge […] Read more


A picture is better than 1,000 words. Here is a young canola crop neatly placed between the
12-inch-high wheat stubble from the Nerbas farm last year. The wheat stubble will have
caught snow to help provide better germination for the shallow-seeded canola and it
shelters the canola from wind.

Les Henry: Fuzzy thinking about soils and agricultural performance

What constitutes sustainable on a farm depends on soil climatic zone and what is feasible for the area

There seems to be a constant barrage of media comment about agriculture by folks who have little contact with real farms and little formal training in an agriculture faculty or school. Much of the discourse talks about sustainable agriculture, resiliency, regenerative agriculture and particularly soil health. There is not much detail about what the terms […] Read more

What is sustainable agriculture?

What is sustainable agriculture?

Prairie farmers have adopted some of the most sustainable practices among agricultural producers in the world

No, sustainable agriculture is not organic farming, wildlife management, having a mixed livestock and grain system or anything else. It is efficient, effective, common sense crop production. In recent years, Prairie farmers have adopted some of the most sustainable practices among agricultural producers in the world. Contrary to the naysayers who rant about the destruction […] Read more



Dwayne Beck, research and production manager at the Dakota Lakes Research Farm, spoke at the Regenerative Agriculture Forum in Brandon, Man.

Want to reduce pests and increase profits?

On the Dakota Lakes Research Farm, regenerative ag means good soil, good profits

When a group of farmers near Pierre, South Dakota, established the Dakota Lakes Research Farm in 1986, their main focus was on irrigation and water issues. At the recent Regenerative Agriculture Forum in Brandon, Man., Dakota Lakes research and production manager, Dwayne Beck, described how he and his team have focused on better managing the […] Read more


Sustainable agriculture is both a philosophy and a system of farming.

Redefining agricultural production

Organic, regenerative, sustainable. What do all of these new terms mean?

Agricultural production used to be basically divided into two camps; conventional and organic. The two production styles have clear delineations and are pretty much exclusive of each other. Today the lines between these systems are being blurred as farmers are beginning to embrace sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices. All of these different terms can be […] Read more

Closeup of a plowed field, fertile, black soil.

The five principles of soil health

USDA researcher says healthy soil needs a systems approach

At the Regenerative Agriculture Forum in Brandon in November, Jay Fuhrer, soil health specialist with the Natural Resource Conservation Service of the USDA, spoke about soil health. Fuhrer has identified five principles of soil health, and how they work to improve soil health and increase productivity. Fuhrer defined soil health is defined as “the continued […] Read more