Reading Time: 2 minutes CNS Canada — For sunflowers it was a tough year that began with dry conditions at seeding time, then more dry weather in July and August, only to be topped off by a cold, wet fall. The quality of sunflowers, however, is said to be pretty good in Western Canada. Darcelle Graham, executive director of […] Read more
Cold, wet weather delays Prairie sunflower harvest
Sunflower production seen beating StatsCan estimates
Reading Time: 2 minutes CNS Canada — Sunflowers in southern Manitoba are starting to come off and early indications point to very good quality. Ben Friesen, manager of the sunflowers, flax and bird food division for the Scoular Co. in Winkler, said although only a few samples have come in, what he’s seen so far is promising. Sunflower growers […] Read more
Sunflowers look good overall, bumper crops for some
Reading Time: 2 minutes CNS Canada — Luc Remillard expects to be one happy farmer next week. He’s expecting to get into sunflower fields on land he farms with his father in Manitoba’s southern Red River Valley. “It’s right up there with any bumper crop that we’ve had the valley here,” he said. Remillard, who farms near St. Joseph, […] Read more
Manitoba sunflower acreage set to drop
Reading Time: 2 minutes CNS Canada — The closure of a sunflower processing plant in southern Alberta has Manitoba sunflower growers feeling uneasy this year. “Because of the plant closure there’s quite a bit of delay in delivery of the ’17 crop. So it’s discouraged quite a few guys from growing more (sunflowers),” said Ben Friesen, senior market manager […] Read more
Steady sunflower acreage expected
Reading Time: 2 minutes CNS Canada — Manitoba’s sunflower market is holding steady for the time being, with acres likely unchanged on the year despite shifts in the processing sector. PepsiCo last week announced it will shut its Spitz sunflower seed processing plant at Bow Island in southeastern Alberta and shift its production to the U.S. Meanwhile, Manitoba has […] Read more
Sunflowers down, but not out in Western Canada
Reading Time: < 1 minute CNS Canada — Canadian sunflower plantings will be down in 2017, but perhaps not by as much as the official government estimate. Statistics Canada forecast the country’s sunflower area at only 50,000 acres in its planting intentions report. That would be down from 70,000 the previous year and the second-lowest acreage base of the past […] Read more
The rise of the 777 sunflower rust race
If it seems like rust is becoming a bigger problem for Manitoba sunflower crops, that’s because it is. Researchers have identified a new virulent race of sunflower rust that made up nearly two-thirds of the rust cases in Manitoba during the 2016 growing season. Left unchecked, the disease deprives the plant of nutrients, and can[...]
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Manitoba sunflowers ready for harvest
Reading Time: < 1 minute CNS Canada — Most sunflower fields in southern Manitoba are ready for harvest, but the province first needs to see some drier weather. A handful of fields have seen some harvest activity already, “but the bulk is still to come,” said Ben Friesen, purchasing manager with Scoular Canada at Winkler, Man. “If the sun shines,[...]
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Manitoba sunflowers take beating from storms
Reading Time: 2 minutes CNS Canada –– Manitoba crops have suffered an array of problems due to unfavourable weather this year, and sunflowers are no exception. “(Sunflower) crops would be looking really good if it wasn’t for the storms that have been rolling through Manitoba over the last few weeks,” said Troy Turner, agronomist with the National Sunflower Association[...]
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Shallow roots potential concern for Manitoba sunflowers
Reading Time: < 1 minute Commodity News Service Canada – Sunflower crops in Manitoba are generally in good shape for this time of year, but excess moisture in the key growing areas have kept root systems shallow, which could create problems later in the season, according to an industry participant. It’s still relatively early for sunflowers, with diseases usually not setting in until[...]
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A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
