Reading Time: 3 minutes A lot of what determines what Canadian farmers pay for phosphate fertilizer and how readily they can get it happens outside of Canada’s borders. According to Stephen Case, chief executive officer and president of Fox River Resources, Canada has become completely reliant on phosphate sourced from other countries like the U.S., Russia and Morocco. He’s […] Read more

Martison Phosphate Project aims to make Canada self-sufficient in phosphorus

Getting acceptance for gene editing
The Council for Agricultural Science and Technology offers recommendations to ensure plant breeding tech continues to benefit agriculture
Reading Time: 2 minutes The rapid pace of change brought by genome editing tools has created many new opportunities for the agri-food industry, but they aren’t without challenges. Regulatory hurdles must be considered, and the tools must benefit society as well as the agriculture industry.

Dealing with your farm data
Just because growers have data doesn’t mean they use it
Reading Time: 3 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – Launch of the first GPS yield monitors altered the world of on-farm data collection. That was followed by variable-rate technology, precision planting and aerial/satellite imaging. Most growers have now been accumulating data for 20 years or longer, and many have resolved to keep that data in the hopes of finding value from […] Read more

New seed treatment designed to boost cereal crops
Product centred on enhancing phosphorus solubility and improving early vigour
Reading Time: 2 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – Boosting nitrogen use to reduce nitrogen-based fertilizer applications, has been a feature of several products in the past five years. Lalrise Start SC liquid inoculant aims to improve another key nutrient. The seed treatment designed to enhance phosphorus solubility has received full commercial registration and will be available in spring 2024 for […] Read more

Pearce: Autonomous platform makes Eastern Canada debut
It’s been dubbed “the future of agriculture” and for the first time, farmers in Eastern Canada had the opportunity to see the Dot A-U1 Power Platform with in-field demonstrations at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show. The precision ag system, designed by Dot Technology Corp., attracted considerable attention going through its paces during the annual ag showcase, […] Read more

Pearce: Multiple modes of action an emerging reality for fungicides
As growers face more challenges from weeds, diseases and insects, many researchers, agronomists, advisers and farmers have shifted thinking from “control” of pests to “managing” them. Some of this trend is attributable to single-mode-of-action products and a reliance on one or two chemistries or technologies — but the adaptability of weed, disease and insect species […] Read more

Pearce: New system improves on rinse-and-repeat for sprayers
When Dr. Jason Deveau talks about sprayer cleanouts, he knows it’s not a happy subject. During the 2017 edition of Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show at Woodstock, Ont., Deveau, the application technology specialist for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) at Simcoe, spoke to farmers about a new continuous-rinse system. In some […] Read more

Pearce: Heavy rains cause losses in Ontario potato fields
After a month of good growing conditions and positive reports amid sporadic news on disease potential, word from one of Ontario’s potato-growing regions is that roughly 1,000 acres of potatoes have been lost due to flooding. Drenching rains in midwestern Ontario have left both commercial fields and variety plots ruined. Rainfall amounts from June 22 […] Read more

Pearce: Tests negative, weather positive for late blight in Ont. potatoes
Aside from concerns regarding drier conditions in different potato-growing regions of Ontario, some growers are testing for late blight. Spore traps near Delhi came back negative recently — but did indicate an increase at the end of the experiment. Eugenia Banks, a consultant for the Ontario Potato Board, stated such a “signal” might indicate an […] Read more

Pearce: Rain expected to stall Ontario potato planting progress
Rainfall expected for much of southern Ontario is expected to narrow what’s been a relatively early planting window for Ontario’s potato growers. Two weeks ago, the reports from the Ontario Potato Board were full of warm temperatures and dry soils, and growers, particularly around Leamington and Delhi, took full advantage. One farmer in the Delhi […] Read more