Reading Time: 2 minutes Can one small gene really affect an entire crop or does it amount to only a hill of beans? It does matter if we’re talking about pinto beans. “Most beans keep the same look after growers harvest and store them,” said Sangeeta Dhaubhadel, a research scientist at the London Research and Development Centre. “With pinto […] Read more
Successful hunt for ‘P’ gene to pay dividends for bean growers
Darkening pinto bean problem solved by gene discovery, which benefits breeders and farmers
Livestock or pets not considered a risk for COVID-19
Reading Time: < 1 minute There is currently no evidence that animals become sick with COVID-19 or spread the infection. Imports and exports of plants and animals to and from Canada are not currently affected. However, the CFIA will take any necessary action to protect the safety of Canada’s plants and animals. (Updates will be posted at inspection.gc.ca) There have […] Read more
Tax relief offered to livestock producers short on feed
If you’re forced to sell breeding stock but planning to restock, you can defer taxes for a year
Reading Time: < 1 minute Twenty-one counties and municipal districts in Alberta are on the “initial list” of regions where livestock producers can defer taxes because of feed shortfalls. The federal government’s Livestock Tax Deferral Provision program allows producers to defer a portion of their 2018 sale proceeds of breeding livestock until 2019 to help replenish the herd. The cost […] Read more
Two feed supplements lower methane emissions
Feeding wheat to dairy and beef cattle also lowered emissions but the effect was short lived
Reading Time: 2 minutes A recent study has found feed supplements can reduce methane emissions from dairy and beef cattle. Researchers from Canada and Australia conducted the three-year study. “We need to know how feed affects methane production, but we also need to know how it affects other aspects of the farm operation, like daily gains in animals, milk […] Read more
Three recent barley varieties to check out
Reading Time: < 1 minute Here are three recent barley varieties developed by Agriculture Canada breeders. Roseland is a new two-row spring hulless food barley cultivar with excellent bread-making qualities developed at the Brandon Research and Development Centre. It has improved lodging resistance, higher test weight, and better threshability than check cultivar Millhouse and similar flour quality characteristics to Falcon […] Read more
Farm management scholarship available
Application deadline is Sept. 15
Reading Time: < 1 minute Applications are now being accepted for the Robert L. Ross Memorial Scholarship, which gives a Canadian farmer a chance to attend the Canadian Total Excellence in Agricultural Management (CTEAM) program. The program provides farmers the opportunity to learn detailed financial, marketing and human relations management skills, using their own operation as a case study. One […] Read more
Researchers release 15 new potato varieties
Genomic tools are increasingly used to identify favourable traits and speed the breeding process
Reading Time: < 1 minute Reds, a wedge with an edge, and a super storer are among this year’s new potato selections from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Red-skinned varieties made up half of the total selections that Ag Canada potato breeders released earlier this month during their annual release open house. This includes a multi-purpose variety that shows promise for […] Read more
Funding available for green projects
Reading Time: < 1 minute Do you need help making environmental improvements to your farm? Canada’s Agricultural Youth Green Jobs Initiative will provide $1.9 million to help farmers, non-profits, and other organizations hire post-secondary graduates who are 30 years or younger and want to work in agriculture. Projects must offer an environmental benefit, be completed by March 2017, and the […] Read more
Good bugs save you big bucks when wheat midge arrives
Wheat midge has moved into Alberta. but two natural predators will be on your side if you foster their populations
Reading Time: 2 minutes Wheat midge, a non-native pest that feeds on developing wheat kernels, is a serious economic threat to farmers, especially in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. But the pest is now a growing problem in Alberta, including Peace River country, and starting to attack Montana’s wheat crops. However, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researchers know ways to reduce its […] Read more
Recent dry weather slows stripe rust spread
Producers are encouraged to monitor for the presence of the long, bright orange stripes
Reading Time: 2 minutes Seven winter wheat and 18 spring wheat fields were surveyed for stripe rust in the Lethbridge, Vulcan, Newell and Taber counties southern Alberta. The recent hot dry weather in southern Alberta has slowed the rate of spread of the pathogen. Fields in the Vulcan and Newell Counties were showing signs of drought stress. In general, […] Read more
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