Reading Time: 2 minutes Producers should consider a number of factors before deciding to terminate hay land in the spring in order to seed an annual crop. “Traditionally, forage stands have been terminated in the fall by using one of three approaches — tillage only, herbicide application combined with tillage, and herbicide application followed by direct seeding into sod,” said […] Read more
Spring termination of hay land brings challenges
Fall is the better time as spring termination will delay seeding and will result in moisture loss
U.S. Midwest floods to weigh on diesel demand come harvest
Putnam County, Ill. | Reuters — A disappointing planting season due to massive flooding in the U.S. Midwest this spring is expected to have spillover effects on diesel demand during harvest season, analysts and traders said. Heavy storms that lingered over the Midwest left millions of acres unseeded and put crops that were planted late […] Read more
Soil degradation the forgotten issue
Reducing tillage and summerfallow hasn’t fixed a problem that is costing farmers billions every year
Reading Time: 3 minutes Soil degradation in Canada is causing a huge economic loss — but few people are paying attention. That includes farmers, even though degraded soil is significantly reducing their yields, according to University of Manitoba soil scientist David Lobb. “Soil erosion accounts for a loss of about 10 per cent,” he said. “Farmers are only getting […] Read more
Converting hay land to crops in spring is challenging
Fertility, soil moisture, herbicide applications, and a substantial seeding delay must all be considered
Reading Time: 2 minutes Producers should consider a number of factors before deciding to terminate hay land to seed an annual crop. “Traditionally, forage stands have been terminated in the fall by using one of three approaches — tillage only, herbicide application combined with tillage, and herbicide application followed by direct seeding into sod,” said provincial crop specialist Mark […] Read more
Stop fighting Mother Nature — because you’re going to lose
Most farmers in Alberta still love tractors more than biology and are heading for big trouble, says Dwayne Beck
Reading Time: 3 minutes Like a voice crying in the wilderness, Dwayne Beck has been beating the drum of soil defence as the foundation for a healthier farming system for decades. To some, the longtime research manager of the Dakota Lakes Research Farm is a wise prophet and caretaker. For others, his message is radical and uncomfortable — something […] Read more
Rain, rain don’t go away: How to capture more moisture on your land
When it comes to retaining rainfall, seeing is believing — and new infiltration tool does just that
Reading Time: 3 minutes Drought is a four-letter word in Alberta right now — but also proof that it’s critical to make the most of any moisture we get. “If we’re getting the types of rain we normally get, water infiltration probably isn’t that big of a deal,” said Ken Lewis, conservation co-ordinator with Red Deer County. “But in […] Read more
Farming every acre doesn’t pay when the wind is howling
Producers are being urged to ‘rethink’ shelterbelts and how they preserve moisture and protect soil
Reading Time: 2 minutes Alberta farmers are being urged to “rethink” shelterbelts — and soil conservation experts agree. Zero till hasn’t made shelterbelts obsolete and this year’s dry conditions have shown the value of having something to disrupt the flow of hot winds blowing over fields, said Toso Bozic, Alberta Agriculture’s agro-forestry specialist. “Planting new windbreaks needs to be […] Read more
Seed Hawk to take parent firm’s name
For Saskatchewan seeding, planting and tillage equipment maker Seed Hawk, the company name is changing but the brand remains the same. Seed Hawk, which has been 100 per cent owned by Swedish equipment manufacturer Vaderstad since 2013, has been renamed Vaderstad Industries effective Tuesday. The two companies said the name change “reflects the fuller integration […] Read more
Carbon credit program ain’t what it used to be
A rising carbon tax should put more money in farmers’ pockets, but participation rates have gone down
Reading Time: 5 minutes Greenhouse gases were on the minds of many Alberta farmers a decade ago when no till offered good cash from selling carbon offset credits. Fast-forward to 2017 and things have changed. Although there is still a lot of participation in the province’s carbon credit trading and sequestration program, many believe it has become too demanding, […] Read more
Farmers who know the ropes stay with the program
It takes time and effort to fulfil the record-keeping requirements for the carbon trading program
Reading Time: < 1 minute It’s difficult to track exactly how many farmers participate in the province’s carbon trading program. The tonnage of carbon traded by producers has been constant in the last few years, but there’s likely been a drop-off since 2012 when the ability to claim historical carbon credits ended, said a greenhouse gas agrologist with Alberta Agriculture […] Read more
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