(Dave Bedard photo)

Trade sees record Canadian canola acres as possibility

CNS Canada — Canadian farmers could be set to seed record-large canola acres in 2017, while wheat area is generally expected to be down on the year when Statistics Canada releases its first survey-based acreage estimates of the year on Friday. From a purely economic standpoint, “canola is historically the commodity that pays the bills,” […] Read more



Mixed conditions loom over Manitoba winter cereals

CNS Canada — A mix of freezing and warming conditions put Manitoba’s winter cereals in uncertain condition, following months of promising weather, according to the head of an industry group. Manitoba’s winter wheat and fall rye crops had ample snow cover throughout the winter, which supported crops, but more recently, conditions turned slushy, then froze […] Read more

Understanding temperature inversions

Understanding temperature inversions

Those calm, cloudless days may not be 
the perfect days to get out the sprayer

If you’re planning to spray, beware air temperature inversions on calm, cloudless days. That was the message from Andrew Thostenson during the Canola Council of Canada’s CanoLAB at Vermilion’s Lakeland College this winter. Thostenson is an extension pesticide specialist with North Dakota University. Avoiding pesticide damage during an inversion comes down to understanding how inversions work and recognizing the environmental conditions that cause them, Thost­enson […] Read more


Brandt Industries will buy the Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Canada plant in Saskatoon for an undisclosed sum. (HilcoInd.com)

Brandt buys Saskatoon power generating equipment plant

Tractor and equipment manufacturer Brandt expects to double its manufacturing footprint — and expand into new equipment lines — after closing a deal for a major Saskatchewan plant site specializing in power generation machinery. The Regina-based company on Friday announced it had closed its deal to buy the former Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Canada facility […] Read more

A YourLink tower outside Weyburn, Sask. (YourLink.ca)

Wireless providers ordered to set up alert system

Canada’s wireless providers have until April 2018 to set up wireless public alerting systems on LTE networks. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) on Thursday issued a directive to that effect to all wireless service providers. The alert system would allow emergency management officials to warn Canadians via mobile devices of “dangers to life […] Read more


Photo: Manitoba Government

Manitoba announces new appointments to its disaster assistance appeal board

The Manitoba government has appointed two new members to the Disaster Assistance Appeal Board (DAAB). “The Disaster Assistance Appeal Board plays an important role for Manitobans, providing an independent, non-judicial review of disputed claims,” said , Infrastructure Minister Blaine Pedersen in a release. “The two new members’ leadership skills, volunteer experience and history serving on […] Read more

The Souris River at Minot, N.D. in June 2012. (Cynthia Hunter photo, Fema.gov)

Manitoba’s southwest expecting ‘well above normal’ runoff

Manitoba is expecting normal to above-normal spring runoff except in the Souris River basin, which is looking at “above normal to well-above normal runoff potential.” Levels of spring flooding still depend on future weather conditions, Infrastructure Minister Blaine Pedersen said Friday in the province’s March flood outlook, but the risk of overland flooding is “slightly […] Read more


Seed potatoes loaded for planting. (File photo by Ralph Pearce)

Southwestern Ontario potato planting underway

Close-to-seasonal temperatures and good planting conditions across parts of southwestern Ontario have growers in the Leamington region planting potatoes. According to Eugenia Banks, a special consultant for the Ontario Potato Board, potato planting began Wednesday morning, ahead of a weather system that’s forecast to dump up to 40 mm of rain by Friday. According to […] Read more



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