Reading Time: 3 minutes Planting conditions in the falls of 2013 and 2014 were difficult, to say the least. Only 800,000 acres of winter wheat were planted in 2013 (with roughly 675,000 acres harvested last year) and about 600,000 acres planted last fall. Early assessments done in the spring labelled many of those fields as, at best, “decent.” Winter […] Read more
New in winter cereal crops
A few tough years for winter wheat have led to some great new opportunities
Mycorrhizal fungi a potential yield booster in potatoes
Potato Guide: A relative newcomer to the fields, the benefits are hard to ignore
Reading Time: 4 minutes An intensively farmed crop such as potatoes always demands diligence in production. In addition to irrigation and finding suitable rotation crops, growers are constantly looking for an upper hand in dealing with nutrient issues and measures aimed at improving soil health and overall production. That might be where there’s an intriguing fit for a relatively […] Read more
Pearce: Cereal seed firm pressing certified seed issue
Reading Time: 2 minutes It’s no secret that the cereal sector has had a tough time trying to convince growers to purchase certified seed, but companies such as C+M Seeds are actively making their case. Palmerston, Ont.-based C+M, during its annual Red Wheat Industry Day on Thursday, brought growers an extensive breakdown of updated plant breeders’ rights (PBR) in […] Read more
PHOTOS: Compact, utility tractors are tough and ‘big at heart’
Machinery Guide: Kubota M6, Kioti PX, John Deere 6R, McCormick X6, New Holland T6 and Case IH Farmall 100A Series' tractors
Reading Time: < 1 minute Size always matters when it comes to tractors. But that doesn’t always mean bigger is better. In fact, smallest is often best, especially with the incredible technology, nimbleness and gutsy flexibility of today’s small tractors. Six different series of compact and utility tractors are included in this month’s MachineryGuide, with the manufacturers offering the same […] Read more
The neonic debate on the future of bees gets real
With tough new regulations on the books, even some beekeepers are calling for compromise
Reading Time: 8 minutes Two months have passed and it seems the adage, “time heals all wounds” just doesn’t hold up. Instead, we’re further into the debate on neonicotinoid seed treatments, but farmers seem no closer to a solution. They may even be a step backwards. There is still no compromise with the beekeeping sector, or with provincial politicians […] Read more
Pearce: GFO goes informative rather than inflammatory
Reading Time: 3 minutes It’s not that farmers in Ontario aren’t frustrated and angry concerning legislation aimed at curbing the use of neonicotinoid seed treatments. They are. However, during a protest Friday in front of Ontario Deputy Premier Deb Matthews’ riding office in London, executives with the Grain Farmers of Ontario and roughly 35 farmers took a more proactive […] Read more
PHOTOS: Dramatic changes for tractors in the 120- to 220-horsepower range
Machinery Guide: Case IH Farmall 100A, New Holland T6, McCormick X6 and John Deere 6R Series
Reading Time: < 1 minute Only six months have come and gone since our last look at tractors in the 120- to 220-horsepower range, and yet the field of models, configurations and options has changed dramatically. In less than a year, three different manufacturers have launched new looks, new features and new designs in these smaller, yet durable lines. The […] Read more
Sainfoin: a new forage legume for Ontario livestock producers
Its non-bloating qualities make it a perfect companion to long-standing favourites, or it works well on its own
Reading Time: 4 minutes Mention the term “forage legume” in Eastern Canada, and just about any producer will mention alfalfa or clover. Livestock producers can likely name off another 10 or 12 species, like birdsfoot trefoil, alsike, timothy, orchardgrass or meadow bromegrass. But few will mention sainfoin, well-known in Western Canada but a relative newcomer to Ontario and Quebec. […] Read more
Making the case in the neonic debate
Can agriculture afford to lose to the non-science of neonic opponents? The costs would be even higher than you probably think
Reading Time: 13 minutes Here in early 2015, it’s becoming a recognized pattern in agriculture: another day, another article, another proclamation and another call for action, all revolving around farmers’ use of neonicotinoid seed treatments and the alleged damage this does to bees and bee colonies. To say there is an abundance of information on this topic is one […] Read more
The many facets of the neonicotinoid issue
The neonic debate is not a one-issue, one solution scenario
Reading Time: < 1 minute Whoever you talk to in agriculture today, most people agree this is not a one-issue, one-solution scenario. As Dr. Cynthia Scott-Dupree has stated this is more like a 1,000-piece puzzle. Making the case in the neonic debate The following are just some of the aspects involved in the neonicotinoid debate that may or may not […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
