Crops
Reading Time: 3 minutes Southern Alberta’s irrigation system is on the cusp of going very high tech. Now that crop yield monitoring is commonplace and variable-rate crop-input technology making inroads, ag equipment companies and early adopters of advanced technology are setting their sights on micromanaging irrigation. “Variable-rate irrigation (VRI) is certainly here to stay,” said Jeff Bronsch, president of […] Read more
Variable-rate irrigation on the rise in Alberta
Not everyone is convinced the technology is where it needs to be, but advocates say ‘interest is growing exponentially’
Clubroots beating all resistant canolas across Alta.
A study of 27 canola fields across Alberta has found 16 infected with clubroot pathotypes able to cause “high levels” of the disease — in canola plants with clubroot-resistant genetics. What’s more, the clubroot pathogen isolated from “many” of the infected fields in the study was virulent on all clubroot-resistant canola cultivars, the Canola Council of Canada […] Read more
Canada, Philippines to talk about free trade talks
Canada and the Philippines have launched “exploratory discussions” toward a possible free trade agreement, from which Canadian livestock and grain producers could expect to gain. Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Philippines’ President Benigno Aquino announced the discussions Friday in Ottawa during Aquino’s state visit, which ends Saturday. A Canada-Philippines free trade agreement “would strengthen […] Read more
U.S. grains: Crop tour results boost wheat
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures rose on Friday, supported by results from an annual crop tour that projected below-average yields in Kansas, the top production state for the grain, traders said. End-of-week short covering and some bargain buying following a 1.4 per cent decline on Thursday also buoyed prices. Corn and soybeans firmed […] Read more
Major Syngenta shareholders would back Monsanto bid, if higher
London | Reuters — Major investors in Swiss agrochemicals firm Syngenta are confident a deal with Monsanto will come off if the U.S. firm ups its initial US$45 billion bid by at least 10 per cent. After rebuffing the takeover offer announced earlier Friday, Syngenta said the bid fundamentally undervalued the firm and that its […] Read more
Quality, not quantity key to chickpea sales
CNS Canada –– Chickpeas may be relatively small in terms of acreage in Western Canada, but the quality aspects of the country’s crop, especially the larger-calibre varieties, may help command some premiums in the global market. Canadian farmers intend to plant 140,000 acres of chickpeas in 2015, down from the 170,000 seeded the previous year […] Read more
Manitoba New Holland dealers soon all in one chain
Farmer fans of the New Holland brand in Manitoba will soon be dealing with just one company in the province for new and used equipment, service and parts. Brandon-based Mazergroup on Thursday announced it’s signed a letter of intent to buy the assets and operations of Southeastern Farm Equipment — the lone New Holland dealer […] Read more
The big two irrigated crops seeing some competition
Forages and cereals still dominate irrigated acreage, but oilseeds and specialty crops are growing in popularity
Reading Time: 3 minutes Each year, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development publishes a compilation of all 13 of the province’s irrigation districts’ data for the previous year. The latest figures show cereals and forages (pasture, hay and silage crops) still account for two-thirds of the 1,390,000 acres in the districts, but the trend is clear — forage production isn’t […] Read more
Silage varieties for Alberta cattle producers
Reading Time: < 1 minute This year’s version of Silage Varieties for Alberta is now available. Under the umbrella of the Agricultural Research and Extension Council of Alberta, eight applied research groups performed forage testing of various varieties at 12 locations throughout the province. This was the sixth year of tests. “Varieties of barley, oats, triticale and peas commonly used […] Read more
Monsanto, Syngenta hire advisors on possible takeover
London/Frankfurt | Reuters –– Agricultural companies Monsanto and Syngenta are working with investment banks on a takeover deal that would create an industry behemoth with combined sales of more than US$31 billion, three sources familiar with the matter said. Swiss crop chemicals maker Syngenta is working with Goldman Sachs to assess the merits of a […] Read more