The incredible drought of 2021 in Western Canada will have a long-term impact on many farms and ranches, but fallout from trying to keep livestock in the breeding herd is impacting farmers out east, too. Mary Robinson, president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA), says that while the total amount isn’t huge, farmers who… Read More
Category: Weather
Due to last year’s extreme drought across many areas, straw was at a premium which may have tipped the scales in favour of baling for some producers. This year, much of the Prairies are in a different situation and farmers may be hurting themselves in the long run if they choose to bale off straw… Read More
Why are corn hybrids that typically reach eight and nine feet tall coming up as much as two feet short? It’s a question many Ontario growers are asking this year as the crop pushes through grain fill. On this episode of the RealAgriculture Corn School, PRIDE Seeds agronomist Matt Chapple digs into the “short corn”… Read More
How can growers set themselves up for high yields when planting winter wheat this fall? Typically, the conversation revolves around planting early, phosphorus, weed control, and planting depth, but RealAgriculture agronomist Peter Johnson says growers need to add a new management consideration to the conversation — heads per square foot. On this episode of the… Read More
How much fertilizer do farmers lose when they apply nitrogen in season? Is volatilization a significant problem? Could 4R nutrient management and urease inhibitors help? On this episode of the RealAgriculture Corn School, University of Guelph researcher Josh Nasielski shares what he and his collaborators are learning about the best way to minimize in-season losses using… Read More
With numerous global variables still affecting commodity market prices, putting on blinders and bringing the focus down to individual operations may be the wisest way to navigate the uncertainty. Grain markets are still under the influence of several major unknowns including the Russia-Ukraine war, how much grain China will actually export, and Taiwan strait tensions,… Read More
What if you could tell a disease was present before seeing the physical symptoms of it spreading through a crop? That’s what BioScout is looking to bring to producers with what they are touting as the world’s first automated spore trap. Lewis Collins, CEO of BioScout, was on site with his team at Ag in… Read More
Minister of Agriculture for British Columbia, Lana Popham, says the province is enjoying a relatively good growing season this year, in spite of the disaster that was last summer of forest fires across much of the province and fall flooding in the Fraser Valley. “When you drive through the Fraser Valley now, you know, I… Read More
Nothing about drought is fun or easy, especially when you’re gearing up for your next seeding season with less than ideal soil moisture conditions. However, research is being done on how farmers could adjust their seeding rates to best maximize their wheat yields following a drought. On this episode of RealAgriculture’s Wheat School, we are… Read More
The path of least resistance right now for these grain markets seems to be to the downside. That has more than a few analysts shaking their heads, and maybe going a little gray from all the volatility and the stress. Chip Flory, host of AgriTalk, says that there’s all sorts of wild things happening —… Read More
Growers in the western provinces are right on the cusp (if not in) prime fusarium season, and knowing the ins and outs of the fungus can give you a leg-up and allow you to get out ahead of the potential problem. There are several factors to consider when dealing with fusarium, including history of the… Read More
Wheat harvest is underway in Ontario and many cash crop farmers are wondering whether they should plant those acres to soybeans and take advantage of double cropping. Double crop soybeans are always an opportunity for many growers, says AGRIS Co-operative agronomist Dale Cowan, but it’s important to understand the risks. In 2021, he notes that… Read More
Andy Kieraszewicz never thought the sandy soils on the former tobacco land he farms at Rodney, Ont., could ever average more than 200 bushels of corn per acre. But a fervent commitment to rebuilding organic matter in the drought-prone areas across the 1,000-acre operation has the farmer now consistently producing eye-popping yields he didn’t think… Read More
Up to one million in funding is now available for maintenance on natural and constructed agricultural drainage projects. Previously, the Water Security Agency (WSA) only provided funding for natural watercourses. “Obstructions in natural and constructed watercourses can cause flooding and erosion problems and be a significant cost burden to producers and local governments,” says Jeremy… Read More
What’s in store for the 2022 soybean crop as plants move through the vegetative and reproductive stages? Will it be a white mould year? On this episode of the RealAgriculture Soybean School, BASF agronomist, Ken Currah, looks at the stark contrast between the 2021 and 2022 growing seasons and how it could impact disease management… Read More