Reading Time: 3 minutes Even with no-till, grain farming depletes soil carbon levels, says a University of Alberta researcher. “If you increase crop production above ground, you decrease carbon production below ground,” said Barry Irving, manager of the university’s ag research stations. “When you take production from below ground and move it above ground, that’s great for agriculture — […] Read more
There are (giga) tonnes of benefits from properly grazed grasslands
Light to moderate grazing can enhance soil carbon levels by as much as 40 per cent — if the land is managed properly
BHP Billiton puts off decision on Prairie potash mine
With its Saskatchewan potash mine project about 70 per cent dug, major Australian mining firm BHP Billiton now says it won’t be seeking board approval to bring the mine into production in 2018. The company had said in May it expected its mine at Jansen, Sask., about 70 km southeast of Humboldt, to start producing […] Read more
Watch for nitrate accumulation after a hailstorm
Water and nutrients, including nitrogen, are pushed into non-legume crops after hail damage
Reading Time: 2 minutes There are many things to consider when salvaging a damaged cereal, oilseed, or hay crop after a hail event. One of them is nitrate accumulation, which occurs in a plant when it is injured and unable to convert nitrate to protein efficiently after a hailstorm. In non-legume crops, water and nutrients are pushed into the […] Read more
U.S. northern Plains ranchers welcome hay lottery
Reuters — Hundreds of livestock ranchers in the drought-stricken U.S. northern Plains are embracing what organizers say is the first lottery designed to provide some much-needed relief to their operations. The prize? Tons and tons of hay. Ranchers in North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana have been suffering through the region’s worst drought in 30 […] Read more
NAFTA negotiators hone in on origin rules, dispute settlement
Washington | Reuters — U.S., Canadian and Mexican negotiators on Friday began digging into some of the thorniest issues in modernizing the North American Free Trade Agreement, including rules of origin for goods produced in the region, services trade and a controversial dispute settlement system. A copy of the NAFTA negotiating agenda obtained by Reuters […] Read more
Dry conditions continue to reign in south, six per cent of crops harvested
Alberta crop conditions as of August 15
Reading Time: 2 minutes Dry conditions continued in the Southern Region and some parts of the Central Regions, with a few areas receiving a brief reprieve. A portion of the North East Region received up to 70 to 90 mm rain, while most of the Peace region had less than 5 mm of rain. Provincially, crop growing conditions did […] Read more
Options weighed for AgriRecovery in B.C. fire zones
Officials in British Columbia are now gauging what sorts of damages and expenses can be covered through an AgriRecovery plan for ranchers and farmers affected by wildfires. The federal and B.C. governments announced Wednesday they’re “working together to quickly assess the extraordinary costs farmers are incurring and what additional assistance may be required to recover […] Read more
Harvest weather outlook offers reasons to cheer
CNS Canada — Farmers on the Prairies can expect decent weather for this harvest season, according to Drew Lerner, meteorologist and founder of World Weather Inc. Most farmers will experience periodic showers, he said, but shouldn’t be subjected to the continual drizzles and sheets of rain that caused heartaches last year. “Most of the Prairies […] Read more
Klassen: Strong demand surfacing for feeder cattle
Western Canadian feeder cattle markets were quite variable over the past week. Auction barns in Manitoba and Saskatchewan remain in holiday mode. However, markets are coming to life in Alberta. Certain ranchers are starting to sell early bloomers and there’s no shortage of demand for these yearlings. In east-central Alberta, a couple of small groups […] Read more
Drought-related livestock tax deferral zones widen again
More ranchers in five provinces may now be able to defer some of their taxable income from their livestock sales in 2016 due to drought. The federal government on Aug. 4 announced its final list of drought-designated regions where the livestock tax deferral provision will be allowed for the 2016 tax year, and has included […] Read more
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