Reading Time: < 1 minute “We’re getting calls at the Ag-Info Centre from producers who have lost their crop to hail and want to know when they should be cutting what’s left for silage or green feed,” says Barry Yaremcio, beef/forage specialist, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, Stettler. “The answer to this question largely depends on how much the crop […] Read more
When to cut after hail
Spray fungicides before breakfast and herbicides at lunch
Morning may be best for spraying fungicide, but save your herbicide application for midday
Reading Time: 3 minutes Time of day counts when it comes to spraying for weeds and diseases, a study being conducted by Farming Smarter suggests. “If we have a better understanding of which herbicides work better under different conditions, we might be able to come up with a schedule that will maximize our efficacies,” said Ken Coles, the Lethbridge […] Read more
Increased disease pressure, weed competition a possibility for crops this summer
The cool, wet spring could mean increased disease pressure and weed competition later in the growing season
Reading Time: 2 minutes The cool, damp weather of early spring delayed seeding across Alberta, but “it’s still early,” says a crop specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. “Last year, more than half the (canola) acres were seeded after May 20,” said Neil Whatley. “We’ve got lots of time until freeze-up in the fall. There’s no use panicking […] Read more
Crop Season in Review available
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development’s 2013 Crop Season in Review is now available. It presents a review of the crop season and an analysis of crop production statistics for 2013, with topics including insects and crop diseases, forage and pasture, crop production 2013, forage production, 2013, crop production tables and a precipitation map. The review […] Read more
Alberta rancher gets economics lesson in Argentina
Longview rancher Alex Robertson wanted to see a big global competitor for himself, but was surprised by what he found
Reading Time: 2 minutes Winter has its advantages, and Ottawa could be worse. Those were two take-aways from a recent trip to Argentina for Alberta rancher Alex Robertson. The Longview rancher was surprised to see his Argentine counterparts feeding their cattle in one coastal region even though winter there meant a “very damp” -7 C. “Their grasses don’t harden […] Read more
Debunking myths around Canada’s UPOV ’91 legislation
Farmers can still save seed, but end-use royalties aren’t guaranteed, says Plant Breeders’ Rights commissioner
Reading Time: 3 minutes Farmers won’t lose the ability to save and reuse seed under UPOV ’91 and they won’t automatically be paying end-use royalties, the commissioner of Canada’s Plant Breeders’ Rights Office says. “I hope to debunk some of the myths that are out there…,” Anthony Parker told the Prairie Grain Development Committee’s annual meeting in Winnipeg Feb. […] Read more
Traders squeezed as Indian farmers turn stockpile gamblers
Access to low-interest capital allowing some farmers to wait rather than sell at lower prices immediately after harvest
Reading Time: 2 minutes Farmers such as 68-year-old Ghanshyam Gokale are quietly shaking up agricultural commodity trading in India, forcing the likes of top soybean processor Ruchi Soya to shift its business model away from futures contracts and towards the “spot” market. Gokale, and other prosperous growers like him, has stopped selling his crops immediately after harvesting. Instead, he […] Read more
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