Reading Time: 3 minutes Each new year tells its own tale and offers a new mix of tough cropping decisions, with the hope of a perfect growing season and higher yields. Weed and disease management are constant challenges for growers, however, particularly with changing species, the risk of resistance and the impact of weather throughout the growing season. The […] Read more
New crop protection products for this summer
New Technology: More options provide greater grower flexibility
Pearce: Stripe rust in winter wheat is Ontario’s biggest threat
Reading Time: 3 minutes Normally, stripe rust in winter wheat isn’t a huge problem for growers in Eastern Canada, and particularly in Ontario — at least, not at this stage of the growing season — but the 2016 growing season isn’t shaping up to be “normal” either. For now, the immediate challenge before growers is to get out and […] Read more
Soybean cyst nematode frustration
Nematodes continue to rob farmers and frustrate agronomists, but a new biological seed treatment may soon help
Reading Time: 7 minutes It almost plays like a riddle. First are these clues: first confirmed here in 1988; called a disease by some and a pest by others; often ignored until it’s too late; and, impossible to eradicate. Of course, there’s another clue which should be a dead giveaway. It steals more bushels than any other soybean threat […] Read more
Pearce: Ontario crop conditions a tale of two scenarios
Reading Time: 2 minutes When it comes to getting a handle on current crop conditions in Ontario, it really depends on who you ask. Conditions and progress in the southern portion of the province vary — some considerably — compared to those in eastern Ontario, particularly where it comes to planting corn and soybeans. If there’s one common theme […] Read more
Learning from organic agriculture
These conventional farms are adapting techniques from organic agriculture — with a little time and care
Reading Time: 10 minutes Agriculture is always in search of the next innovation, but as most growers learn — some, the hard way — there is no silver-bullet solution. If you’re going to change things for the better, it’s going to take time, effort and likely a departure from the norm. Yet with lower crop prices, growers are also […] Read more
Watch out for bollworms
Old World bollworm may be a severe threat to agriculture in North America
Reading Time: 4 minutes Asian soybean rust, aflatoxin in corn and Palmer amaranth are but three examples of disease and weed species that have made huge news in the U.S. but haven’t yet crossed the border into Canada in a big way. It makes it difficult to issue a credible alert about a new pest threat called Helicoverpa armigera […] Read more
If it’s wheat, spray for fusarium
This disease has become a perennial issue — and it will be for years to come
Reading Time: 5 minutes With today’s tight margins, there are times when it can make sense to play the odds in order to cut spray costs, at least until there’s visible damage to the crop. But with fusarium head blight in wheat, it’s just not advisable. Peter Johnson believes it’s time to adopt the same caution with fusarium as […] Read more
The crop disease to watch for
Heading into 2016, all eyes are on northern leaf blight
Reading Time: 4 minutes With spring in the air, now is the time for a quick reminder of some of the diseases that are likely to challenge corn growers in 2016. Northern leaf blight is turning into one of those diseases that growers are simply going to have to deal with on an annual basis. You’re already doing this […] Read more
No till goes dairy farming
In many ways, it’s been an easy transition for this dairy family
Reading Time: 6 minutes The Loewiths don’t describe themselves as a crop innovators, but they’re certainly not hesitant to glean advice from others and, with some careful consideration, adapt a practice or an approach to the conditions on their farm. So, while the move to no till in a dairy operation might seem a little different to some, with […] Read more
Ready for takeoff
Here’s a new take on how aerial applicators use high speed hopper-fill technology to keep their planes in the air
Reading Time: 5 minutes Paul Hodgins had already been doing a good bit of business as an aerial applicator, answering calls from chemical companies and performing test-plot applications as well as applying fungicides for growers. In between, too, more calls were also coming in to air-seed cover crops, along with some requests for air-seeding winter cereals. Now, with lower […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
