Seeding now rather than waiting for rain may be a viable option for Prairie canola growers looking out on dry fields without much chance of precipitation, the Canola Council of Canada suggests. Facing temperatures in the mid-30s C, and soil moisture down at about the one- to two-inch mark, a few Prairie growers on social […] Read more
Seeding canola into dry soils not out of question: CCC
Controlled traffic farming system can improve soil moisture levels
Once it’s in, a controlled traffic farming system can save time and money, improve yields, and reduce soil compaction
Reading Time: 2 minutes In dry years, every little bit of water in the soil helps — and that’s tough to find in heavily compacted soils. That’s where controlled traffic farming comes in. “The idea was to address the detrimental effects of compaction. We know our equipment keeps getting heavier and heavier, and we know we cover a fair […] Read more
Drought watch kept on Alberta, early spring expected
CNS Canada — Above-average temperatures and limited precipitation could mean parts of the Prairies will struggle with soil moisture heading into the spring, according to one specialist. “The soil moisture that we have in the ground right now is similar to what we went into the winter with,” said Trevor Hadwen, agroclimate specialist with Agriculture […] Read more
Sask. dryness could impact global canaryseed prices
CNS Canada –– Dryness in Saskatchewan could support global canaryseed prices, as the province produces nearly all of Canada’s crop. Canada is the world’s largest producer and exporter of canaryseed worldwide, according to a federal government report. Kevin Hursh, executive director for the Canaryseed Development Commission of Saskatchewan, expects global canaryseed prices will eventually react […] Read more
Prairies’ forage a tale of mixed moisture levels
CNS Canada — Forage crops in Saskatchewan and Alberta are badly in need of rain, while alfalfa is already being cut in Manitoba, a testament to the difference in moisture levels across Western Canada. The majority of the snow in Alberta was gone by the end of March, according to the chairwoman of the Alberta […] Read more
It’s getting dry — is it time to worry?
No, says weather expert, but areas across the province are on Bruce Burnett’s watch list
Reading Time: 3 minutes With warm-weather records dropping like flies and bare fields drying out in parts of the province, is there trouble ahead? Don’t worry yet, says Bruce Burnett, weather and crops specialist at the CWB. “I don’t think that this early-spring weather means that we are necessarily headed for a drought,” Burnett said in a March 20 […] Read more
Soil moisture outlook generally good
Reading Time: < 1 minute The latest provincial soil moisture outlook is generally promising. South of the Trans-Canada, below-normal snowpacks are being offset by above-normal soil moisture levels, said Ralph Wright, manager, agro-meteorological applications and modelling section, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, Edmonton. The situation is reversed north of the Trans-Canada. “One notable exception remains in the extreme northern Peace […] Read more
NASA launches satellite to map soil moisture
Reuters — An unmanned Delta 2 rocket was launched Saturday to put a NASA satellite into orbit that is expected to improve drought monitoring and flooding forecasts. The 39-metre rocket, built and flown by United Launch Alliance, lifted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California at 6:22 a.m. PT, the U.S. National Aeronautics and […] Read more
Soil watchers see areas of concern across Prairies
CNS Canada — Excess moisture reigns supreme as the main hurdle for Prairie farmers when they look ahead to spring — but some areas are still too dry, according to soil experts. “A few areas of southern Manitoba have been drying out. The area around Morden has been drier the last couple of months,” said […] Read more
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