Reading Time: < 1 minute It was a year when breaking the rules paid off for canola producers. Seeding deep and seeding late frequently produced better results than seeding early and shallow, which is rarely the case. And reseeding paid off, too. “There were a lot of things that worked this year that I hope you don’t do next year,” […] Read more
It was a year like no other for canola crops
For producers, it’s wait and pray time for rain
Pastures and hayfields have been hardest hit but AFSC analyst still expects a ‘slightly below-average crop’
Reading Time: 3 minutes The conditions across Alberta can be summed up in three words: It’s awfully dry. “As of Tuesday, we’ve been getting some moisture here in central Alberta, which has been a nice break, but I don’t know how general that moisture has been,” AFSC risk analyst James Wright said in an interview June 12. “We haven’t […] Read more
Things not going as hoped? That’s normal, says crop specialist
Whether it’s production conditions or markets, producers need to have a Plan B
Reading Time: 2 minutes Preparation is key when dealing with the unexpected, says provincial crop specialist Harry Brook. “There’s always a lot of talk about ‘normal’ when talking about cropping and agriculture,” said Brook. “Advanced planning and adjustments are needed to avoid possible devastating results when ‘normal’ doesn’t occur. Whether it applies to spring weather conditions or markets or […] Read more
Brace yourself — winter annual weeds worse than usual this year
Dry conditions earlier this spring gave winter annuals an edge and for some growers, it’s too late to manage them
Reading Time: 2 minutes The dry conditions of early spring could lead to a spike in winter annual weeds. “Winter annuals could be a problem,” said Neil Harker, research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. “We really haven’t had a lot of spring moisture, so the ones that were already established, like stinkweed and flixweed and winter annual cleavers, […] Read more
Fatigue during spring seeding is dangerous, work safe
Know the warning signs and set sensible limits
Reading Time: < 1 minute Seeding and the spring work frenzy puts you at greater risk of serious injury due to fatigue. “Too many farmers push themselves, especially during the really busy times,” said Kenda Lubeck, farm safety co-ordinator with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. “Too often, it is a case of wanting to finish a field even though fatigue […] Read more
Dawson: Moisture may trigger more Man. crop claims than frost
Excessive moisture in Manitoba from the Victoria Day long weekend might result in more crop insurance claims than frost. “From our perspective the amount of rain and snow that came with this storm is probably as big a concern as the frost itself,” David Van Deynze, Manitoba Agricultural Services Corp.’s manager of claim services, said […] Read more
Guenther: Reseeding already considered in parts of Sask.
While farmers in northwestern Saskatchewan are getting seed into the ground, warm weather tops their wish lists. Frost is “going to be our biggest enemy here, coming up this weekend, I think,” said Geoff Schick, assistant location manager for AgriTeam Services at Glaslyn, Sask., about 65 km north of North Battleford. As of Friday, weekend […] Read more
Prairie farmers set fastest planting pace in a decade
Winnipeg | Reuters — Western Canada’s farmers are sowing crops at the speediest pace in about 10 years, which bodes well for an early, large harvest this autumn. More than half of the region’s farmland is planted, compared with the usual pace of one-quarter, due to dry conditions, said Bruce Burnett, weather and crop specialist […] Read more
Warm weather aids seeding, but winter still lingers
CNS Canada — A late spring snowstorm will delay seeding operations in northern Saskatchewan, but better weather across most other areas of the Prairies is allowing producers to make headway getting this year’s crop in the ground. Up to 30 centimetres of snow fell in and around Saskatoon on Saturday and Sunday, knocking out power […] Read more
ICE weekly outlook: Canola drifts downward in rangebound trading
CNS Canada –– ICE Futures Canada canola contracts chopped around in sideways trading during the week ended Wednesday, before settling slightly lower. Activity was volatile with values generally staying within a $10 range, analysts said. Gains in the U.S. soy complex were responsible for much of the support canola saw over the five-day period, along […] Read more
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