Reading Time: < 1 minute Here is a three-part way to help control fertilizer costs. “Soil testing is one of three tools you can use to make your fertilizer dollar stretch further,” said provincial crop specialist Harry Brook. “The other two tools in the box are the Nutrient Use Calculator and the AFFIRM fertilizer program, both available free from AF.” […] Read more
Finding the right fertilizer balance
Irrigation technology centre has a wide range of research
Whether it’s research on potatoes, sugar beets, infrared sensors or nozzles, the goal is to get more crop per drop
Reading Time: 4 minutes Just outside of Lethbridge, where ideal location, expertise and cutting-edge technology meet, we find the Alberta Irrigation Technology Centre (AITC). The centre was established in 2000 as a partnership between Alberta’s irrigation industry and the provincial and federal Agriculture Departments. “The main focus of the centre is to support improved water conservation, efficiency, and productivity […] Read more
Expert suggestions for the best on-farm research
Here are some key considerations to get the best results from your on-farm trials
Reading Time: 2 minutes When it comes to on-farm research, the key things to remember are preparation, location, and repetition. “The rigour you have to use goes up considerably if you want to turn it into research,” said Dan Heaney, research and development vice-president with Farmers Edge. Long, narrow configurations work better than block configurations for check strips, Heaney […] Read more
Economic study shows irrigation pays big dividends
Irrigation adds about $3.6 billion to the provincial economy each year and has the potential to do even more
Reading Time: 2 minutes In these tough economic times, irrigation is a good news story. Irrigation in Alberta is attracting businesses, creating jobs, generating revenue for governments, and bolstering the economy. How do we know this? The Alberta Irrigation Projects Association commissioned a study to look at exactly that. While people in the irrigation industry understand the benefits and […] Read more
Drought years are proof that there’s more ‘crop per drop’
Two very dry years show that investments by both farmers and irrigation districts have greatly increased water-use efficiency
Reading Time: 3 minutes They were the two driest growing seasons in recent times — but when you look at water used for irrigation, 2001 and 2015 are very different. Last year, the amount of water diverted by the Eastern Irrigation District (EID) was almost 200,000 acre-feet less than in 2001, even though the number of acres under irrigation, […] Read more
New version of CropChoice$ available
Reading Time: < 1 minute The 2016 version of CropChoice$ is now available. The free crop-planning and risk management software program provides producers with the ability to choose from 40 different crops, and evaluate eight different scenarios. Producers can use their own costs and land rental prices to build their crop plan, or use the AgriProfit$ budgets already built into […] Read more
Eight tips for growing flax
Agronomy researcher Chris Holzapfel shares what he’s learned about growing flax
If you count each research plot as a crop, Chris Holzapfel – a research manager for the Indian Head Agricultural Research Foundation – has grown more crops in a few years than most farmers have a chance to grow in a lifetime. Holzapfel’s research includes several different crops, but at a recent Saskatchewan Oilseed Producer[...]
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Double-resistant canola variety now available
But the first variety with ‘multigenic’ resistance is not a silver bullet, experts warn
Reading Time: 2 minutes A new hybrid canola cultivar that offers double resistance to clubroot has been registered and is now available to farmers. Proven Seed PV 580 GC was developed by University of Alberta canola breeder Habibur Rahman and Crop Production Services (CPS). It carries a resistance gene from Mendel, a European winter canola cultivar, and a second[...]
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You’ll love this year’s prices — and next year’s yield bump
Studies have found crops grown after pulses have some eye-popping yield increases and other benefits, too
Reading Time: 3 minutes Record-high prices have many producers taking a closer look at pulse crops — but the full benefit may not be seen until next year. “There are some real advantages to crops that follow pulses in the rotation,” said Mark Olson, unit head for pulse crops at Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. “It’s widely documented in research[...]
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Green manure crops can put more green in your pockets
If organic producers can look past having a year out of crop production, green manure plow-down crops can pay off
Reading Time: 3 minutes For organic grain producers, your best investment is the crop you never harvest. “I can never stress green manure plow-down enough. It is your most valuable crop,” said Steven Snider, who runs an organic grain operation near Edberg. “Part of your farm should be soil building with a green manure plow-down. Don’t cheat yourself on[...]
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