Do you read your grain contracts from front to back? If so, you’re one of the few who do. A University of Manitoba study found only 17 per cent of Canadian farmers read their whole grain contracts — and that’s a mistake, says a grain industry expert. “For every grain buyer out there, the terms […] Read more
Three things to read in your grain contract
Free grain-grading program arms farmers to better market their crop
The Canadian Grain Commission’s sampling program takes the guesswork out of grain grading
Reading Time: < 1 minute Of all the things a farmer can’t control, grain grading seems to cause the most headaches after harvest. “You all make your decisions during the year of what you’re going to seed, how you’re going to seed it, and what fertilizers and chemicals you’re going to use to try and maximize the profitability on your […] Read more
Making the Grade: Does your grain have what it takes to hit No. 1?
The word ‘subjective’ comes up a lot — here’s what you need to know about main grading factors for canola, wheat, and malt
Reading Time: 5 minutes After a summer of battling drought, insects, and hail, will your grain make the grade this harvest season? That’s what nearly 100 producers set out to find at a recent workshop hosted by the province’s canola, wheat, and barley commissions. And what they discovered at the Making the Grade workshop is that small things can […] Read more
Landscape crops lucrative for Alberta growers
Two central Alberta farmers have branched out into a fast-growing niche market — landscape plant production
Reading Time: 6 minutes The grass really is greener when it comes to landscaping crops — and the ornamentals smell pretty sweet, too. “The market as a whole has been growing 10 per cent a year for the last 20 years, and the economic forecasts show that it’s only going to increase,” said Joel Beatson, executive director of Landscape […] Read more
Watch what you spray — or the entire grain industry could pay
Grain buyers are testing pesticide residues like never before
Reading Time: 2 minutes When it comes to pesticide residues, the world is watching like never before. “Everybody is looking more at food safety and health safety — there’s more scrutiny all the time with all the chemicals that we’re using,” said Jim Smolik, assistant chief commissioner of the Canadian Grain Commission. He cited China as an example. The […] Read more
Doing the right thing — and getting paid for it
ALUS program shares cost of stewardship projects with farmers
Reading Time: 4 minutes Like most farmers, Kevin Ziola wants to be a good steward of the land — but it’s been tough for the third-generation farmer to balance his conservation efforts with his bottom line. “As a cattle farmer, I believe it’s important to work with nature, not against it,” said Ziola, who runs 200 head of cattle […] Read more
In deciding when to desiccate, crop maturity trumps harvest timelines
The Canola Council of Canada’s Spray to Swath calculator shows just how long to wait after spraying a desiccant or other pre-harvest chemical
Reading Time: 2 minutes In desiccation — as in life — success is usually defined by maturity. “Whatever product you’re using, make sure you’re using it when the majority of the plants in the field is physiologically mature,” said Harry Brook, crop specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. “You get into problems when they’re immature. It doesn’t preserve your […] Read more
Start small when straight cutting canola for the first time
Reading Time: < 1 minute This year’s thin canola crop may force some producers to take their chances with straight cutting. “Typically we recommend a well-knit, even crop — something that the wind won’t shake, rattle, and roll — so that we prevent shattering and loss,” said Keith Gabert, Canola Council of Canada agronomist. “This year will be a little […] Read more
Crack open some pods before swathing canola this year, says agronomist
The ideal time to swath canola is when 60 per cent of seeds have changed colour — but 30 per cent is more realistic for large acreages
Reading Time: 3 minutes Keith Gabert is already dreading phone calls about swath timing in canola. “It’s going to be a hard job to figure out where your canola crop is going to be at for swathing, especially on some of those thin stands,” said the Canola Council of Canada agronomist at the Making the Grade workshop in late […] Read more
Measuring harvest loss the first step to managing it
Save big bucks by measuring harvest waste, calculating the loss, and adjusting harvest management practices accordingly
Reading Time: 3 minutes In a drought year like this one, when every bushel counts, the last thing a producer wants to do is to leave grain on the ground. But harvest loss — to the tune of up to five bushels an acre — is a costly problem for growers across the Prairies. And more often than not, […] Read more
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