As farmers plan for the upcoming season, they need to do their part to make certain their grain will be ready for market, come harvest time. “Market access issues in general are becoming a bigger issue globally,” said Ian Epp, an agronomy specialist and lead on market access and pesticides with the Canola Council of […] Read more
‘Keep it Clean’ program aims for more than just good advice
Program seen as 'one stop shop' for ensuring marketability of grains
Avoiding residues is now two clicks away
Reading Time: < 1 minute Producers can ensure the chemical sprayed on their canola or pulses won’t leave unacceptable residues by adhering to the pre-harvest interval — or PHI — found on the product’s label. Often referred to as the “spray to swath” interval, the PHI is the number of days that must pass between spraying pesticides or desiccants and […] Read more
In the weeds: Canadian farmers can’t stay ahead of herbicide resistance
The problem is huge, rapidly getting worse, and non-chemical weed control is becoming a necessity
Reading Time: 4 minutes Farmers won’t be able to spray their way out of this — Canada is now third in the world when it comes to weeds able to survive pesticides that used to kill them. “We’re quickly being overrun by herbicide-resistant weeds,” said federal research scientist Charles Geddes. “There have been difficult herbicide-resistant weeds in the past, […] Read more
If this is the future, it can’t come soon enough
Unless you love writing cheques for inputs, you’ll want to cheer on the work of these three scientists
Reading Time: 7 minutes Grow more with less — that’s the goal of three Alberta researchers whose work could revolutionize the way we grow cereals. “Canadian agriculture will be facing quite high demand for food production because of the growing global population and reduction in arable land,” said federal research biologist Alicja Ziemienowicz. “We’re trying to give you the […] Read more
Dispose of unwanted pesticides and livestock meds this fall
Reading Time: < 1 minute Farmers in the Peace Region and central Alberta can safely dispose of unwanted agricultural pesticides and equine/livestock medications at one of the designated collection sites this fall. Obsolete or unwanted agricultural pesticides (identified with a Pest Control Product number on the label) will be accepted. Livestock medications that are used by primary producers in the rearing […] Read more
Pesticide collection program a success again
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta farmers returned 70,737 kilograms of obsolete and unwanted pesticides and 2,162 kilograms of livestock and equine medications during CleanFARMS’ obsolete collection campaign last fall. The program, which took place at 20 participating ag-retail locations in southern Alberta in October, was the third CleanFARMS collection in the province, but the first to accept both pesticides […] Read more
What happens above changes the world below
Tilling, spraying, fertilizing, and even grazing can have big impacts on the microbial world
Reading Time: 2 minutes Many conventional agricultural practices generate a homogenous soil habitat — and that’s not a good thing, says soil ecologist Jeff Battigelli. “Basically, you just keep knocking things down. It’s not allowed to get very complex; there is a simplified community structure, with very few species,” said Battigelli. Homogenous soils need constant human intervention and resources […] Read more
CleanFARMS collection begins this week
Reading Time: < 1 minute CleanFARMS is collecting obsolete pesticide and livestock medications this week at 20 locations across the southern part of the province. Farmers can drop off their obsolete materials at a designated collection site at no charge. The products will then be transported to a high-temperature incineration facility for safe disposal. Pickups will occur at four locations […] Read more
Alberta beekeepers oppose Ontario neonic lawsuit
Beekeepers here are speaking out against lawsuit, saying it’s better to work with chemical companies
Reading Time: 2 minutes Alberta beekeepers are taking a stand and speaking out against a lawsuit filed by their Ontario counterparts against the makers of the controversial neonic pesticide. “We’re not being impacted by neonics. If we are, it’s very subtly,” said Grant Hicks, president of the Alberta Beekeepers Commission. “We’re not seeing any damage to our hives.” While […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
