Reading Time: 3 minutes The law of supply and demand may usually prevail, but it’s having a bit of trouble working in the Canadian sheep industry. “The No. 1 challenge we face is a shortage of supply,” said Miles Kliner, general manager of Sungold Specialty Meats in Innisfail. “That has been going on for 15 to 16 years. We […] Read more
Shortage of Canadian supply drags on demand for sheep
Applying fungicide by air
If you choose an aerial applicator to apply your fungicide, be aware of timing and water volume
Reading Time: 3 minutes Dr. Tom Wolf, researcher and owner of Agrimetrix Research and Training, says aerial applicators are “tremendously important.” “They apply spray under conditions that a ground rig can’t — for example, with soil moisture. They cover much more area than a ground rig ever can so they can be more timely. ”Jill Lane, executive director of […] Read more
Where water leaves the farm
Improve your productivity by starting where water leaves your farm, and then work backwards
Reading Time: 4 minutes In the chase for higher yields and improved production, farmers have tapped into everything from precision ag systems to a return to cover crops. Now comes a concept that might not only boost yields and enhance soil health, it might also alleviate some of the pressure on farmers that starts with surface run-off heading into […] Read more
Beneficial insects can reduce the economic threat if wheat midge arrives
Two natural predators can help with wheat midge problems if you foster their populations
Reading Time: 2 minutes Wheat midge, a non-native pest that feeds on developing wheat kernels, is a serious economic threat to farmers, especially in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. But the pest is now a growing problem in Alberta, including Peace River country, and starting to attack Montana’s wheat crops. However, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researchers know ways to reduce its […] Read more
Satellites and ag drones link up
By targeting their strengths, these two technologies can complement each other
Reading Time: 5 minutes For “eye-in-the-sky” technology, the last three years have seen some stunning advances, especially in the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and satellite imaging systems. Yet while both made headlines about the same time in 2011, both also had limited success on the farm, as is often the case when new technologies first get into […] Read more
Pest Patrol: Weed control update on vetch
Can I do anything to get rid of vetch before seeding soybeans?
Reading Time: < 1 minute In my last column, I discussed my optimism for vetch control in soybeans using a few different pre-plant burn-down herbicides. Specifically, I had been impressed by some preliminary results when either flumioxazin (found in Valtera, Step-Up, Fierce and Guardian Plus) or saflufenacil (found in Eragon, Integrity and Optill) was mixed with glyphosate and the adjuvant Merge. […] Read more
WGRF investment dollars in research making the difference
Farmer funding has helped with the development of many well-known cereal varieties at the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre
Reading Time: 4 minutes Another growing season is well underway at the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre (CDC), thanks in large part to farmer investments furnished through the Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF). Wheat and barley breeders at Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre along with about 45 research technicians and field workers plant, maintain, monitor and harvest about 150,000 […] Read more
Testing the quality of the 2014 wheat harvest
Here’s how Cigi figures out if your wheat will make good bread
Reading Time: 3 minutes Helping customers make wise buying decisions is an important part of customer service. This is especially true when buyers are purchasing significant quantities of a commodity produced thousands of kilometres away — like wheat grown in Western Canada for example. For over 10 years, Cigi (Canadian International Grains Institute) has completed an annual harvest assessment, […] Read more
Shelterbelts: a habitat for beneficial insects
Even if ripping out an old shelterbelt could help you work more acres per hour, it may leave you worse off
Reading Time: 5 minutes Back in the Dirty ’30s, farmers planted shelterbelts in a desperate bid to slow those drying winds and keep them from blowing our precious topsoil east. Now, at almost 100 years old, these wind-breaks have grown into stands of mature trees that continue to serve that purpose well. Not only do these shelterbelts curb wind […] Read more
Cut canola later, combine slower come harvest
Canola harvest losses can be a lot worse than you think. Swathing later is one way to boost yield. Refining your combine ground speed and other settings is another
Reading Time: 4 minutes Canola growers are leaving a lot of yield on the table. Or, more accurately, they are leaving a lot of yield “off” the table and on the ground at harvest. Estimates put losses from the harvest process alone at two to five bu./ac., on average. Early swathing adds to that total. Growers have two key ways […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
