CNS Canada –– Excessive rain and high humidity over the past few weeks are causing major problems for haying operations in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. “We should be well underway in our progress and I think we are far behind right now,” said Leanna Rousell, executive director of the Saskatchewan Forage Council. The majority of Saskatchewan […] Read more
Rain causes extreme haying delays
Get to know your pasture, says forage and beef expert
Identify all the species, consider what works or can be utilized, encourage biodiversity, and keep litter at optimal levels
Reading Time: 3 minutes When you manage your plants properly, you’ll have healthier soil and animals. This was the main message from provincial forage and beef specialist Karin Lindquist for attendees at the recent Grazing School for Women. “To manage your plants, you need to know what plants you have,” said Lindquist. So get a good camera and some […] Read more
U.S. GMO food labeling bill passes Senate
UPDATED, July 7, 2016 | Reuters — The U.S. Senate on Thursday approved legislation that would for the first time require food to carry labels listing genetically-modified ingredients, which labeling supporters say could create loopholes for some U.S. crops. The Senate voted 63-30 for the bill that would display GMO contents with words, pictures or […] Read more
Canada thistle: Meet your worst nightmare
Every rancher hates this hard-to-control weed, but stem mining weevils just eat them up (from the inside)
Reading Time: 3 minutes Every year, Canada thistle takes a big bite out of the productivity of Alberta forage and grasslands. But an increasing number of producers is biting back — in a wholly natural way. In late August, the West-Central Forage Association will once again import hundreds of cartons of little black bugs from an insectary in Montana. […] Read more
Creep feeding an option if your pastures are hurting
A good creep ration could increase the value of a calf by $50 to $200 if prices stay around $2 a pound
Reading Time: 2 minutes It’s another tough year for pastures, and producers wanting to stretch limited forage supplies should consider creep feeding calves throughout the summer, says a provincial beef and forage specialist. “It’s possible that pastures will run out much earlier than normal,” said Barry Yaremcio. “In general, 70 per cent of total forage growth occurs before the […] Read more
Sugar is sweet for increasing cattle gain
Reading Time: < 1 minute Cattle that consume forages with higher sugar content have higher rates of gain, improved performance, and better rumen health. In a Beef Cattle Research Council webinar, two forage experts give tips for increasing sugar content in forage, such as cutting forages in late afternoon as sugar content peaks 11 to 13 hours after sunrise and why […] Read more
Agrium to buy Cargill’s U.S. ag retail business
Chicago | Reuters –– U.S. grain trader Cargill has agreed to sell its ag retail business in the United States to crop input seller and distributor Agrium, the companies said Wednesday. Calgary-based Agrium, North America’s largest retail seller of crop inputs such as seed, fertilizer and pesticides, will acquire 18 ag retail locations in Nebraska, […] Read more
EU bows to pressure, gives member parliaments say in Canada trade deal
Brussels | Reuters –– The European Commission bowed to pressure to give Europe’s parliaments the right to ratify a landmark free-trade deal with Canada, a decision meant to address public concerns but which could wreck Europe’s broader trade strategy. In the face of popular suspicion about secretive trade deals benefiting big companies, Commission President Jean-Claude […] Read more
Spanish man charged with lying in PotashCorp trading probe
Reuters — A U.S. grand jury has charged a Spanish investor with lying to regulators probing insider trading ahead of an August 2010 hostile bid for PotashCorp, even though he had been cleared of charges over his own trading. An indictment announced on Friday by federal prosecutors in Chicago charged Luis Martin-Caro Sanchez, 42, of […] Read more
Crops conditions mostly good, precipitation ranging excessive to dry
Alberta crop conditions as of June 28
Reading Time: 2 minutes June saw highly variable amounts of precipitation fall in the province from near excessive amounts of 150-250 per cent of normal in the Peace region, to above average quantities of 100-200 per cent in the North West, to below average of 50-100 per cent in the North East, and dry conditions to the Central and […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
