Reading Time: 3 minutes Two root rot pathogens are teaming up to wreak havoc in Alberta’s pea fields. “Before 2016, I thought that we were just dealing with fusarium root rot in the brown soil zone, but 2016 completely changed that hypothesis,” said Syama Chatterton, plant pathologist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. “We saw a lot of aphanomyces root […] Read more
Root rot pathogens deliver one-two punch to pea fields
Find ‘your own reasons’ to make your farm safer, says expert
Finding time is often the biggest hurdle, but farm safety expert Donna Trottier says the key is to start small and build on that
Reading Time: 4 minutes It’s been one year since Alberta’s controversial farm and ranch safety legislation came into effect, and the jury is still out as to whether the act is actually making farms across the province safer. But preventing agriculture-related injuries is “pretty complex,” and legislation alone can’t bear that load without some support from training and education, […] Read more
Chuck the crystal ball — protect your downside
If you’re worried about missing big rallies and don’t like delivery commitments, then consider options, says David Derwin
Reading Time: 5 minutes David Derwin has one piece of advice for farmers wondering where markets will go in 2017: “Expect the unexpected.” “A lot of the marketing advice out there is about trying to guess where the market is going to go, and I think too much time is spent there,” said Derwin, an investment adviser with PI […] Read more
ONE FOR THE BOOKS: Lessons learned, and a look ahead
‘Don’t wait for the perfect day’ is one of the key lessons from 2016, and sticking to rotations may be one for this year
Reading Time: 6 minutes Allison Ammeter didn’t see the inside of a combine in October. As harvest carried on across the province, Ammeter was left waiting and wondering when the rains would stop and whether she and husband Mike would finish harvest before the snow started flying. They didn’t. “We got not quite two-thirds done, which is fairly average […] Read more
Canola may soon be able to text you when it needs to be sprayed
Nano-biosensors are more accurate than checklists at determining when to spray for sclerotinia
Reading Time: 2 minutes An Alberta researcher has found a tiny way to solve a big problem for canola farmers — using nano-biosensors to detect sclerotinia stem rot in the field, eliminating the need for visual scouting. “Sclerotinia stem rot is one of the most devastating diseases in canola farming, and scientists have worked very hard to try and […] Read more
Believe it or not — urban men are in better health than farmers
Stress and constantly working take their toll, but there’s a free and proven program that helps farmers enjoy healthier, better lives
Reading Time: 5 minutes You take good care of your land, your equipment, and your animals. But do you take the same care with your own health? Farmers tend not to think of themselves as a ‘tool’ that needs regular maintenance, says the program manager of Sustainable Farm Families Alberta. Combines, for instance, go into the shop before every […] Read more
Get ready for super-efficient cattle — and a better relationship with consumers
Top researcher says big data and genomics are game changers, but winning the trust of consumers is equally key
Reading Time: 3 minutes In the ever-changing landscape of Canadian agriculture, efficiency is the new watchword. “If we can increase efficiency of production by about five per cent in Alberta, we can save producers about $100 million a year — even if only one-third of livestock producers adopt those efficient improvements,” said Erasmus Okine, vice-president of research at the […] Read more
Want to keep those resolutions? This young man knows the secret
Future paleontologist Holden Heppler has the recipe for achieving goals: purpose, passion, and a community of supporters
Reading Time: 3 minutes With holiday dinners behind us and a fresh year ahead, our minds often turn toward our New Year’s resolutions — those promises we make (and just as quickly break) to do better this year. Well, 16-year-old Holden Heppler has a surefire way to stick to those resolutions. “There’s one road to success, and that road […] Read more
It likely wasn’t your greatest year, but 2016 was definitely eventful
Weather was the big story but it was also a year when pulses took centre stage, farm groups came together like never before, and sustainable beef hit a milestone
Reading Time: 9 minutes Stepping back and looking at the year gone past is a great way to prepare for the one ahead. For most producers, 2016 was a grind with a distinct shortage of highlight reel moments. But the world always moves forward and there were many significant changes that took place over the last 12 months. Here […] Read more
Plants’ secret chemistry could change the way you farm
Science is discovering plants produce their own pesticides and warn each other of threats — but tillage, spraying, and even breeding can disrupt these defences
Reading Time: 5 minutes A war is being waged in your fields. Every day, your crops are fighting for their lives against insects, diseases, weeds, and weather. And their best line of defence isn’t the chemicals we spray or the traits we breed into them. It’s their sense of smell. “Anything that anybody has ever done to any plant […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
