PHOTOS: The case for cutting N2O fertilizer emissions

PHOTOS: The case for cutting N2O fertilizer emissions

The federal government wants farmers to cut nitrous oxide emissions by 30 per cent

Reading Time: < 1 minute The charts included in this gallery are from a federal government document that lays out the case for cutting GHG emissions from fertilizer use in Canada by 30 per cent by 2030. It can be found at the Government of Canada website at ‘Share ideas: Fertilizer emissions reduction target.’

As always, it's a good idea to regularly scout your fields to see the type and severity of any insect pressures.

Grasshopper numbers up last year, but outbreak may not occur

Hopper numbers tend to go in a two-year cycle and so this may be a ‘low’ year, says forecast

Reading Time: 2 minutes Not surprisingly, grasshoppers loved last year’s dry conditions, especially in the south, says a provincial outlook for the pest. “In southern Alberta, dry summers are resulting in increasing grasshopper numbers,” says an article from the provincial Ag Ministry detailing last year’s grasshopper survey and this year’s outlook. “This is especially true in the counties south […] Read more


Malt barley academy kicks off next week

Malt barley academy kicks off next week

Reading Time: < 1 minute For the first time ever, the well-respected Producer Malt Academy is being held in Alberta. The two-day course (to be held March 23-24 in Red Deer) is being put on by the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre in collaboration with Alberta Barley. The event features a number of presentations by well-known experts on barley selection […] Read more

Agronomy conference recap now available online

Agronomy conference recap now available online

Reading Time: < 1 minute Slides from presenters at Agronomy Update in January are now being posted online. So far, there are slides from presentations on weed control, the “lygus apocalypse,” effect of heat and drought on pests, fungicide application, soil sensors, how pulses impact soil health, fertilizer considerations for 2022, cover cropping, herbicide carry-over, herbicide-resistant weeds, pulse research, secondary […] Read more


Food bank volunteer organize food donations

Drive Away Hunger food drive sets new record

Reading Time: < 1 minute Buoyed by the participation of a host of companies in the ag and food industry, this year’s Drive Away Hunger collected enough food and cash for more than 36 million meals, nearly double its goal. The campaign, which supports food banks and feeding programs across the country, was started by Farm Credit Canada nearly two […] Read more

2021 was a very robust year for Canadian ag

2021 was a very robust year for Canadian ag

Reading Time: < 1 minute Canadian farmers contribute nearly $140-billion to the economy, says a new snapshot of the sector from AgCanada. “Despite COVID-19, the drought in Western Canada, the flood in British Columbia and other trade disruptions, the overall agriculture sector saw growth in 2021 and is expected to continue to perform well in 2022,” the department said. It […] Read more


A woman holds a sign during a protest against Russia's invasion of Ukraine, at Trafalgar Square in London, Britain Mar. 4.

Fallout from Russian invasion could last all year

Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Pork is warning its producers that feed costs could stay high throughout the year because the invasion of Ukraine by Russia has not only halted the country’s grain exports but disrupted trade patterns. “China’s need to fill the grain market void left by Ukraine is expected to push prices higher,” the organization said in […] Read more

Veterinarian shortage a ‘complex issue’

Reading Time: < 1 minute The province’s decision to fund a major expansion of the U of Calgary’s vet school is a major step forward, but not a quick fix for the shortage of large-animal vets, says the outgoing president of the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association. Addressing the shortage was a key goal for Pat Burrage, who spent most of […] Read more



Pea weevil damage dropped in 2021

Pea weevil damage dropped in 2021

Reading Time: < 1 minute Pea leaf weevils don’t like drought either, last year’s survey of the pest suggests. “The highest damage ratings were in a few fields around Edmonton,” Alberta Agriculture reports. “There were a couple of hot spots in southern Alberta, but nothing like we have seen in previous years.” But spring conditions are key and a stretch […] Read more