New York | Reuters — A U.S. government weather forecaster on Thursday warned that much-watched El Nino conditions are likely to last another nine months, potentially roiling global crops and commodities prices. The National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center projected a more than 90 per cent chance that El Nino would continue through this winter […] Read more
U.S. forecaster sees El Nino likely into N. Hemisphere spring
Smoke provides cover to dry Sask. fields, real clouds preferred
CNS Canada –– Over 100 forest fires burning in northern Saskatchewan — and the resulting smoke cover — may be bringing a little relief from dryness to growers further south. But silver linings are tarnished at best, as a dry outlook for July means the province won’t move past its drought concerns anytime soon. Forest […] Read more
Guenther: Manage risks around weather-stressed pastures, forages
Mother Nature has dealt a weak hand to many northwestern Saskatchewan livestock producers this year as frost, a cool spring and dry weather have hit pastures and hay stands. But there are still a few strategies for producers to make the best — and avoid the worst — of what the weather has left them. […] Read more
Sask. extends greenfeed seeding deadline
Livestock producers in parched areas of Saskatchewan now have until mid-month to seed insured acres to cereal greenfeed. The federal and provincial governments on Thursday announced an extension of Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corp.’s deadline for seeding greenfeed to July 15, from June 30. Producers signed up for crop insurance will now be able to seed […] Read more
Learn how to benefit from sainfoin
A new sainfoin variety called AC Mountainview will allow producers to add alfalfa to their pastures without fear of bloat
Reading Time: 2 minutes A new variety of sainfoin is the focus of an upcoming training session in Lethbridge on July 21 and 22. “AC Mountainview has the ability to regrow more quickly than older varieties,” said Grant Lastiwka, a provincial forage and livestock business specialist. “Having a non-bloating, early growth and good regrowth legume is certainly something that […] Read more
Pasturing cattle on insured hayfields
Reading Time: < 1 minute This spring has experienced low precipitation rates and windy conditions in many parts of the province that may be contributing to poor forage growth. Some Agriculture Financial Services Corporation clients may wish to pasture insured hayfields prior to haying being general in the area. Clients wishing to pasture their insured hay acres prior to haying being […] Read more
Cancer-fighting drugs in your pasture?
University of Lethbridge researchers have already found one native plant — buffalo beans — that offers early promise
Reading Time: 2 minutes Plants you see every day in your pasture could contain valuable components for cancer-fighting drugs. Scientists from the University of Lethbridge recently found that buffalo beans, a plant commonly found in pastures in the south, contain compounds that may be beneficial to people fighting cancer. “We’ve always been interested in my lab in looking for […] Read more
Ag chem sector defends 2,4-D over cancer classification
North America’s crop herbicide sector is defending one of its classics against a new classification from the World Health Organization’s cancer research agency. The WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) on Monday released its classification of “possibly carcinogenic to humans” for 2,4-D herbicide, along with new classifications for now-defunct insecticides DDT and lindane. […] Read more
For producers, it’s wait and pray time for rain
Pastures and hayfields have been hardest hit but AFSC analyst still expects a ‘slightly below-average crop’
Reading Time: 3 minutes The conditions across Alberta can be summed up in three words: It’s awfully dry. “As of Tuesday, we’ve been getting some moisture here in central Alberta, which has been a nice break, but I don’t know how general that moisture has been,” AFSC risk analyst James Wright said in an interview June 12. “We haven’t […] Read more
The damage to crops is done — but how much worse will it get?
It’s not a writeoff yet, but recovery potential is limited and a late harvest seems inevitable, says crop expert
Reading Time: 3 minutes After one of the “driest Mays on record,” producers across the Prairies are wondering how their crops are going to fare this growing season. It’s not looking good. “The crops are going to be substantially smaller than they have been over the past few years,” Bruce Burnett, CWB crop and weather specialist, said in an […] Read more