Reading Time: 6 minutes Grasshoppers have been chewing their way through hay and other crops all over southern and central Alberta. But in some areas, even grasshoppers have nothing to eat in dry pastures and hay fields. That’s the case with southeast Alberta rancher Brad Osadczuk. And he’s not alone. “I think grasshoppers are looking for green vegetation and […] Read more
Drought and infestation woes grow throughout province
Special Areas is latest jurisdiction to declare agricultural state of emergency
Stay up-to-date on insect pests
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Alberta Insect Pest Monitoring Network provides insect management resources to help monitor crop pests in Alberta. It coordinates, manages and carries out seven insect surveys province-wide in Alberta’s field crops to assess presence, abundance and impact to the agriculture industry. The most recent map is the bertha army worm survey results. That and other […] Read more
To best weather drought, focus on what you can control
It comes down to making sure there’s room for recovery while balancing risk and cost
Reading Time: 3 minutes There’s not much that producers can do in the event of drought. They’re hostage to nature and hope for enough rainfall to save their crops. While recent rains in parts of Alberta were helpful, crops will need more moisture this season and there’s no guarantee it will come. But while watching the skies, farmers can […] Read more
Grain grading guide to tighten definition of ‘severely’ sprouted wheat
More changes, clarifications on deck for Aug. 1
A laboratory review of the end-use quality of sprouted wheat will lead to changes in how wheat is graded starting Aug. 1 this year. The Canadian Grain Commission on Tuesday announced changes in store effective Aug. 1 for how Canadian wheat is graded, along with a list of clarifications and new housekeeping rules for the […] Read more
A (very) small solution to big ag problems
Nanotech may be the future of precision crop protection, says Lethbridge scientist
Reading Time: 4 minutes In just a few years, crop spraying could become largely a thing of the past. Nanotechnology may take its place using its ability to target specific crop pests. Farmers hear a lot of such whizzy claims. But a Lethbridge researcher is so confident in nanotech-based crop protection that he’s working to ensure it doesn’t follow […] Read more
Insects posing problems in Saskatchewan crops
Grasshopper, flea beetle damage already reported
MarketsFarm – Although it’s still early in the growing season, some insect pests have already posed a threat to crops in Saskatchewan or could do so in the near future, according to James Tansey, provincial specialist for insects/invertebrate pest management. Among the pests he cited were grasshoppers, flea beetles and pea leaf weevils. Tansey said […] Read more
Best to be scouting for insect pests
'Definitely' watch canola for flea beetles
MarketsFarm — Although it is still relatively early in the crop year, Manitoba entomologist John Gavloski strongly advises farmers to carefully watch their fields for any signs of insect pests. Gavloski couldn’t say for sure if insect damage was going to be bad this year but based on what’s transpired over the last three years, […] Read more
Find out what will be bugging you in 2023
Reading Time: < 1 minute They’re not causing headaches yet, but it won’t be long before crop pests will be a concern. Producers are urged to sign up for the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network’s free weekly e-newsletter at prairiepest.ca. A large number of collaborators and volunteers collect thousands of samples across the Prairies during the growing season to bring farmers […] Read more
Matador, Voliam insecticides back in ‘limited’ release
Revised labels prohibit feeding, foraging of treated crops
Syngenta Canada no longer plans to keep its lambda-cyhalothrin insecticide products off the market in Western Canada this year — but it’s planning to have a smaller supply. The crop chem and seed company announced Friday it will have a “limited amount” of its lambda-cy-based products Matador 120EC and Voliam Xpress available in the West […] Read more
French agency drops fumigant ban on non-EU grain exports
Limit on phosphine won't apply if use required for export
Paris | Reuters — French health safety agency ANSES on Thursday cleared the use of phosphine pesticide in contact with grains exported outside the European Union when importing countries require the process, averting a halt to shipments from the EU’s top grain exporter. In late October ANSES cleared the use of phosphine tablets used for […] Read more
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