Reading Time: 4 minutes The federal government’s latest budget puts up Canada’s agrifood sector as one of six “key areas” to benefit from a new national “Innovation and Skills Plan.” Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau on Wednesday unveiled a budget projecting $330.2 billion in expenses in 2017-18 against budgetary revenues of $304.7 billion, for a $28.5 billion deficit. The […] Read more
Agrifood a pillar in federal budget’s ‘innovation’ plan
7 tips for on-farm research tests
Is that shiny new product likely to work on your farm? To separate the heifer dust from the cream of the crop, farmers need to take a hard look at the research behind the marketing claims. John Heard, soil fertility specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, says the best way to learn about good research “is to[...]
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Manitoba winter wheat in good shape
Group pushes for national wheat research strategy
Reading Time: < 1 minute Commodity News Service Canada — Despite heavy rains throughout July, Manitoba’s winter wheat is in good condition moving into desiccation, the head of an industry group says. The Manitoba winter cereals group is also preparing for an upcoming government program by working alongside other Canadian wheat commissions. “Everybody is still pretty happy. The winter wheat can[...]
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Sweet potato experts win World Food Prize
The foursome has worked to improve nutrition in sweet potatoes
Reading Time: < 1 minute Four scientists who specialized in sweet potatoes were named the winners of this year’s World Food Prize on June 28 for their work to make foods more nutritious. Maria Andrade of Cape Verde, Robert Mwanga of Uganda and American Jan Low, who all are from the Lima, Peru-based International Potato Center, and American Howarth Bouis[...]
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Monsanto to shut three R+D centres next year
Reading Time: < 1 minute Chicago | Reuters –– Agrichemical company Monsanto plans to shutter three research and development centers in 2016 with a loss of about 90 jobs, it said Monday, as it restructures operations to cut costs in a slumping agricultural commodity market. The centers are in Middleton, Wisconsin, and Mystic, Connecticut, both of which focus on seed[...]
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PHOTOS: Youth Ag-Summit: A role for research
Reading Time: < 1 minute Feeding the nine billion-plus people expected to be living on our planet by 2050, from a land base that’s not expected to get any bigger, is the question posed to young “thought leaders” at this year’s Youth Ag-Summit. Grainews and Country Guide field editor Lisa Guenther is in Canberra this week for the event, hosted[...]
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Guenther: Buffalo bean more than floral for cancer researchers
Reading Time: 2 minutes Buffalo beans adorn the pastures, field edges and even kitchen tables of many Prairie farms and ranches — but the pretty plant is now also being picked for its potential properties as a cancer fighter. Experiments show compounds extracted from buffalo bean leaves have potential to fight a class of cancers that includes multiple myeloma,[...]
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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.[...]
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Plotting a course for 2014
This summer’s demo trials will focus on how to mesh traits and crop protection with precision ag technology for even better results
Reading Time: 5 minutes After a long winter and a slow start to spring, everyone is itching to hit the field, and the major seed and chemical companies are no exception. This year, though, they’re moving away from just looking at new active ingredients or new genetics in their R&D plots. Now, they’re also starting to show what their[...]
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