Is there room for improvement in Canada’s seed regulatory system? Absolutely.

Comment: A seed regulatory system that inspires trust shouldn’t be undermined

The system can be improved but not by muddying the waters with differing sets of standards

Reading Time: 3 minutes Instead of replicated trials, farmers will have to rely on re-tweets to figure out the best varieties for their farms if Seeds Canada has its way in changing the regulatory framework for variety registration in Canada. In an article on the seed regulation review in the Nov. 1 edition of this paper (‘Seed regulatory review […] Read more

After confirming herbicide-resistant wild oats in a field, Jay Schultz plans to diversify his crop and chemical rotations.

A bad year for crops has been a good one for weeds

Dry conditions have allowed weeds — including 
herbicide-resistant ones — to thrive in many fields

Reading Time: 3 minutes Although dry conditions made weed control a challenge during the 2015 growing season, late-summer moisture and an early harvest may give farmers a decent chance to control perennial weeds. “I’ve heard it said that 80 to 90 per cent of successful weed elimination comes from a competitive crop,” said Matt Gosling, an agronomist in the […] Read more


Brandon Gibb takes a picture of himself while using his quadcopter to survey his farm near Pincher Creek.

Drones earning their keep on the farm

Farmers like Brandon Gibb are making profitable use of their cheap and easy-to-use unmanned aerial vehicles

Reading Time: 3 minutes From counting plants per square foot to measuring grain loss behind the combine, farmers spend a lot of time close to the ground. Sometimes, however, the best farm decisions are aided by a perspective from higher up. Drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in agriculture are making headlines, and for a couple of thousand dollars […] Read more