Even if their ground is still dry, some growers may seed winter wheat and cross their fingers
Reading Time: 4 minutes Recent rainfall across Alberta may have more producers considering winter wheat this year. “With the rains we’ve had lately, there are people who are still optimistic about putting in some winter wheat this year,” Gary Stanford said on Aug. 25, following a week that brought about an inch and a half of moisture to his […] Read more
Recent rains boost winter wheat prospects
Make the best of a bad year with astute grain marketing, say experts
Soaring wheat prices could go higher still, but get advice and be nimble, say market watchers
Reading Time: 5 minutes Drought conditions across Western Canada and elsewhere have driven wheat yields down — and wheat prices up. “I’m having trouble remembering any time in history where we have seen prices for fall delivery ahead of harvest this high,” said Mike Jubinville, senior market analyst with MarketsFarm. “It’s not the all-time record high for wheat prices […] Read more
Hopes were raised but hog producers facing yet another crisis
The sector is seeing the best prices in five years, but high feed costs are a crippling blow
Reading Time: 4 minutes For many of Alberta’s long-suffering hog producers, a short-lived bout of profitability may actually be the final straw. “What could have been a beautiful year for the pork industry is starting to turn into a crisis,” said Darcy Fitzgerald, executive director of Alberta Pork. “Until we get further into the fall, we won’t really know […] Read more
When will it end? If the fall rains don’t come, the hurt will continue
Autumn downpours could turn things around but moisture reserves are greatly depleted
Reading Time: 5 minutes Stephen Vandervalk has seen some tough, dry years on his southern Alberta grain operation since he started farming. But never this dry — and never this tough. “We’re combining the worst crop we’ve ever combined in the history of the farm right now,” the Fort Macleod-area grain farmer said earlier this month. “We’re seeing 10- […] Read more
Renowned U of A wheat-breeding program hanging on — for now
It’s now cranking out new varieties but government cuts threaten program’s revival, says top breeder
Reading Time: 3 minutes Further cuts to post-secondary institutions could lead to the “canola-ization” of wheat breeding. And that’s not a good thing, says one of the country’s top wheat breeders. “I think farmers would say the canola experience is a mistake — letting private enterprise take it over,” said University of Alberta professor, Dean Spaner. “Effectively, they’re breeding […] Read more
Irrigation adds stability in unstable times
The timing is right for a historic investment in Alberta’s irrigation system
Reading Time: 5 minutes By early July, Richard Stamp already knew he wouldn’t be harvesting his dryland acres this year. “Last year, we had a relatively good crop — double what we would expect on it — but this year, we will not be combining it,” said the Enchant-area pedigreed seed grower. “It’s definitely a big difference this year, […] Read more
Know what you’ve got is the golden rule when feed is short
Nitrate levels are higher in drought-stressed crops, so testing feed is an absolute must
Reading Time: 4 minutes Testing your feed should top your to-do list this fall and winter. “Get that crop tested,” said Bart Lardner, a University of Saskatchewan professor who holds a research chair in cow-calf and forage systems. “Know what you’re starting with and know what you’re dealing with in terms of energy density, protein density, and anti-quality factors […] Read more
AMR a battle that producers and the beef sector cannot afford to lose
Antimicrobial resistance in cattle isn’t going away, so proper use of livestock drugs is critical
Reading Time: 5 minutes There’s a microscopic war raging in your soil, and these bacteria will do whatever it takes to protect and expand their territory. “It’s like a little arms race that goes on naturally in the environment,” said Reynold Bergen, science director for the Beef Cattle Research Council. “They’re using antibiotic resistance to defend themselves against each […] Read more
The clock is ticking on old-school ways of weed control
Resistance is rampant and producers need a more strategic approach, including herbicide layering
Reading Time: 3 minutes Time’s just about up. Crop growers won’t be able to spray their way out of problem weeds for much longer if herbicide resistance continues to spread, says one of the country’s top weed scientists. “We’re seeing multiple-herbicide resistance show up in a few different weed species on the Prairies,” said federal research scientist Charles Geddes. […] Read more
Putting Mother Nature’s water filter to the test
It’s called phytoremediation and using native species as filters could be big for the feedlot sector
Reading Time: 3 minutes Walking through the wetlands at Olds College is an education unto itself: Native plants and trees line every path that loops around 20 constructed ponds where waterfowl swim and songbirds flit from cattail to cattail. But the wetlands are also home to something equally important — wetland research. “Managing resources like water is critical,” said […] Read more
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