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USDA cracks code behind zebra chip
Researchers with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) have identified the pest and bacteria that are causing problems for potato growers.
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New Overall fungicide with iprodine
Makhteshim Agan of North America, Inc. announced registration of Overall 240 SC fungicide for control of Sclerotinia stem rot & Alternaria black spot in canola.
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Food versus fuel debate rages on
With so much corn being diverted to be used in ethanol, poultry and livestock farmers are paying more for feed, even more so because of the drought.
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Solutions to using GMO crops
At the 2012 AAAS annual meeting in BC, a professor from the University of Pittsburgh presented consequences and solutions to current GMO policies.
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Microrganisms can help crops grow
Dr. Chantal Hamel is passionate about organisms humans can’t see with the naked eye. Her goal is to improve crops by managing tiny microorganisms found in soil.
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USDA 2011 yield estimates decrease
The USDA will release the first supply and production estimates of 2012 for various crops, but Reuters has established an estimation based on the current market.
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What are "feedstock logistics"?
The US Department of Energy is promoting "Feedstock Logistics," to introduce biomass feedstocks as well as create added value opportunities from crop residues.
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Wheat Board's end a step closer
Despite attempts to slow down legislation to eliminate the Canadian Wheat Board, it continues to move forward to its third reading before moving to the Senate.
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Stripe rust widespread in 2011
The final disease surveys aren’t in yet, but 2011 will go down as one of the more infectious years for stripe rust in wheat caused by the fungus Puccinia striiformis.
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Staying ahead of nematodes
Before long, a new method for battling nematodes will be available to Canadian farmers, and its arrival will come none too soon.
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Common scab solution
Among all the diseases that can reduce quality and result in economic losses for potato growers, common scab is one of the most difficult to control
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'Re-discovered' switchgrass moth
Scientists are learning more about the life stages and biology of an insect, the switchgrass moth, which may compete with humans for energy crops in the future.
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Young farmers mobilize
On Earth Day (April 22, 2013), the FarmOn Foundation wants young farmers to share their stories using social media.
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Root rot in peas continues to show up
The root rot complex, which includes Fusarium sp., Rhizoctonia solani, and Pythium sp., is becoming more and more common across pea-growing areas of Western Canada.
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Cut waste and grow profit
The Value Chain Management Centre is hosting a forum on reducing food waste on Nov. 19, 2012 at Maple Leaf Foods’ ThinkFOOD! Centre, in Mississauga.
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Improving water management on farms
The Canadian Government has invested more than $250,000 to improve computer models based on beneficial management practices on the farm and in agriculture.
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Introducing the Safe Foods for Canadians Act
The Harper Government introduced the Safe Food for Canadians Act today. The Safe Food for Canadians Act will strengthen the Government's ability to protect Canadian families from potentially unsafe food.
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PrecisionPac explained
DuPont has developed a herbicide technology that provides growers and agronomists with more flexibility for customized weed control.
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Crop rotations and net returns
While today’s high canola prices make short canola rotations very appealing, Anastasia Kubinec of Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives reminds farmers that a more diverse, agronomically sound rotation could actually make as much or more money over the long term.
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The Wheat Board frame of mind
With Parliament voting to end the single desk-selling authority of the Canadian Wheat Board, National Post columnist Lorne Gunter discusses what comes next.
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Wheat market demands grow
The Grain Growers of Canada and the Canadian Federation of Independent Business are supporting the federal government's bid to open markets for wheat and barley.
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Brazil soybean season starts well
The Brazilian soybean crop is looking very good thus far, however analysts in the country do not believe it will be a record, as was the case last year.
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Fungus affects corn
Ear mould is gaining ground in southwestern Ontario, and can affect both ethanol and livestock producers.
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Towards better management of Rhizoctonia
Rhizoctonia is a serious disease issue for many different crops across Canada and around the world. In Ontario soybean fields, it is an increasing problem, with yield impacts ranging from less than five percent to 50 percent.
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Large producers survey has lots to say
A survey is conducted that gauges trends, perceptions and practices among large commercial producers, yet the results and analysis are gathered for the benefit of companies that supply those producers
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The Challenge of Organic
Yorkshire Valley Farms has become Canada's largest and fastest growing organic chicken processor and distributor
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Integrating management practices for anthracnose control
In Ontario and Manitoba, where dry beans are predominantly grown, anthracnose (Colletotrichum lindemuthianum) infection has caused yield and seed quality losses in dry beans for years. Looking back, Chris Gillard, dry bean agronomy and pest management specialist at the University of Guelph’s campus in Ridgetown, Ontario, says a major anthracnose infestation from Race 23 occurred in Ontario in 1977. That caused all sorts of problems with 18 percent of dry bean seed stock infected, a ban on the commercial crop in the US, and very strict seed inspections implemented.
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New control options help growers manage fusarium head blight
Fusarium head blight (FHB) is one of the biggest challenges facing Ontario wheat growers because of its capacity to damage wheat quality. That is according to Peter Johnson, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs cereal specialist, who says Fusarium is always present somewhere in the province in any given year. Johnson reports that “scouting backwards” from heading enables growers to decide when to apply a fungicide in an attempt to reduce disease levels.
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Staying ahead of Asian soybean rust
Asian soybean rust (ASR) has not turned out to be quite the spectre of death that was anticipated in Canada. Still, these are early days for its spread and adaptation to northern North American conditions. It was first sighted in Louisiana in 2004, and only detected in Ontario in 2007, so it is still a relative newcomer. “We’re still in the early stages of the disease developing in North America,“ says Albert Tenuta, plant pathologist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs. “It usually will take a good 10 years or so for us to fully understand what’s going to happen with many of these new diseases and pest problems.”
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The basics of maximum residue levels in soybeans
Ensuring Canadian soybeans do not exceed the maximum residue level (MRL) for any crop protection product used is critically important, and should be regarded as being everyone’s responsibility. “We’re all doing our part throughout the value chain,” says Dave Buttenham, secretary-manager at the Canadian Soybean Exporters’ Association. “It’s extremely important that we continue to do so, to ensure strong global consumer confidence in Canada’s soybean industry is maintained.”
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ESN benefits Alberta potatoes
It has taken a few years, but now there is research showing that slow-release nitrogen can benefit Canada’s potato growers on several fronts.
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Good news for companies; great news for growers
At the request of grower organizations and industry, the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) changed the tank-mix regulations to allow growers to use unlabelled mixes to control insects, weeds and disease, and industry to help them make wise choices when creating an unlabelled mix. The change means that products can be combined as long as they are labelled for use in potatoes and have the same rate and timing of application.
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The world of wireworms after Thimet
With the insecticide Thimet LNL scheduled to be de-registered in Canada in 2012, potato growers are wondering how they will manage wireworms in the future. “Wireworms injure potatoes by feeding on the seed piece, resulting in weak stands and yield reduction. However, the majority of their damage is caused by tunnelling into tubers, which reduces marketable yield.
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The latest on late blight
Managing late blight is an ongoing challenge, but knowing which strain one is faced with controlling can go a long way in minimizing the frustration. There may not be many tools in the fungicide toolbox, but those that are there can be used more effectively if it is undearstood which strain is in the field. Unfortunately, just as growers reach that knowledge a new strain is identified. In 2010, a US-22 strain was identified in Michigan; thankfully, it did not reach Canada. However, it could, and then what will growers be left to do?
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Mycorrhizae in crop rotations
Many crops form arbuscular mycorrhizae, which are the combination of particular fungi with crop roots that enhance the uptake of phosphorus (P) from the soil.
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Cover crops in second-year soybeans
Cover crops can provide a lot of benefits. They protect and improve the soil; increase yields of the main crop; and reduce weed, disease and insect problems.
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Biodiesel ready
As corporate policy, tractor manufacturers understand the importance of biodiesel and its use in their machines.
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Land use experts gather in Guelph
May 21, 2013, Guelph, Ont. – Experts in rural land use from across Ontario gathered last week in Guelph to discuss issues related to managing the critical resource of Canada’s rural and agricultural economies.
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Natural gas infrastructure a priority for Ontarians
May 21, 2013 – A recent survey conducted by the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) has found that Ontario farmers who don’t have access to natural gas on the farm want the infrastructure in place to make it happen.
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Residual two-pass system helps manage resistant weeds
May 17, 2013, Mississauga – Research from BASF Canada Inc. (BASF) has found there is value in using a residual two-pass system to manage herbicide resistant weeds in GT corn, while increasing average yield by more than 20 bushels per acre.
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Super grains
Two South American grains are being studied for their potential integration into Ontario farms.
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Winning with management
Farm Management Canada has launched a competition to win an all-expense paid trip to the International Farm Management Congress in Poland in July 2013.
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Innovating agriculture
Innovation is key to keeping Canada's agricultural sector strong and strong says the president of CropLife Canada.
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Young passion
Farm and Food Care Ontario has launched a new campaign focused on attracting and inspiring young farmers.
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Growing Forward 2 launches
April 1st marks the official launch of the Growing Forward 2 policy framework for Canada's agricultural and agri-food sector.
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Manitoba revises flood risk outlook
Increased risk for Red, Souris, Pembina, Assiniboine, Saskatchewan, Qu-Appelle rivers and in Interlake, but still lower than 2011 for all rivers except the Red.
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Managing plant nutrients
There are three main sources of plant nutrients available to farmers: commercial fertilizers, livestock manure, and municipal sewage sludge or biosolids.
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CFA reacts to Budget 2013
The Canadian Federation of Agriculture welcomes several measures unveiled in the 2013 Budget, but have concerns about others.
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Insect forecast 2013
Surveys and insect monitoring sites can be found on Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba provincial websites.
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Syngenta mobile website for growers
Syngenta Canada Inc. recently announced the launch of an interactive and user-centric mobile website – m.syngenta.ca – to the agricultural community in Canada.
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Farm policy priorities
Farm leaders met for the Annual General Meeting of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture to discuss policy priorities for the sector.
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Clubroot DNA found in Manitoba
Clubroot, caused by Plamodiophora brassicae, is a serious disease of cruciferous crops including canola, mustard, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and rutabaga.
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Technological innovation
Mark Brock was recently named the 2012 Innovative Farmer of the Year award for his commitment to sustainability and innovation.
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Potatoes and Diabetics
Canadian researchers are moving forward with the creation of new potato varieties, such as those with a low glycemic index and higher fibre content.
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Breaking genetics
Researchers have discovered that soybean root rot breaks Mendel’s Laws of Inheritance.
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Keeping farms safe
Farming can be a very dangerous business, which is why it is important to have clear labels and signs that show where hazards exist and how to deal with them.
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So, where do you work?
Teresa Falk, who works in Agricultural Communications blogs about agriculture issues, farm life, food, family and other fun stuff. Check out her latest blog...
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Farmers hit hard by red tape
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business is putting a spotlight on the negative impact red tape has on Canada’s farmers during Red Tape Awareness Week.
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Understand canola variety data
The Canola Performance Trial (CPT) program provides western Canadian canola growers with comparative data on leading and newly introduced varieties.
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New canola hybrids in the works
In less than four decades, the booming canola industry has emerged from experimental fields in the Prairies to gain significant ground in the world oilseed market.
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Has ‘Peak Farmland’ arrived?
Gains in productivity have brought farmers to what three researchers describe as ‘Peak Farmland’ – the point at which no new land is needed to grow crops
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Canadian food promoted in Peru
Savour Canada event coincides with one of the first shipments of Canadian beef to Peru after market access was restored earlier this year.
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Fall cover favours spring crops
If free nitrogen at 40 pounds per acre doesn’t interest you, maybe the other benefits will, says Manitoba’s advocate for alternative agriculture, Dr. Martin Entz.
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Mixing up wheat resistance
Researchers from the University of Zurich have shown that mixtures of GM wheat outperform monocultures in mildew resistance trials.
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Food choices not based on facts
The Informed Food Philosophy Study was released by Farm Feed Cities, and shows that Canadian consumers are not making educated food-based decisions.
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Government invests in soybeans
The Canadian Government is investing more than $800,000 to help the soybean industry develop varieties suitable for the expanding Japanese market.
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From field to fuel
University of Missouri researchers receive $5.4 million to further biofuel production without increasing food prices.
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Canadian farms becoming larger
In a paper released by the George Morris Centre, they combine new data on total and net returns from farms with existing census data to analyze the trend.
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B.C. farmers get help with grain
British Columbia farmers will be able to select new grain varieties to suit growing conditions due to an investment from the B.C. Grain Producers Association.
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New chemfallow herbicide broadens choice
At press time Distinct herbicide was in the final stages of registration. If registered in time for the 2012 chemfallow or post-harvest season, the new chemistry will be an important tool for managing herbicide resistance and improving broadleaf weed control.
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Winter pea and lentil
Pulse crops bring many advantages to cropping systems in Western Canada, including environmental, agronomic and economic advantages.
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Intensifying field pea rotations
Field pea is regularly grown in rotation with wheat and other cereals in Western Canada. Generally, the recommendation is for three consecutive years between pulse crops to minimize plant disease risks.
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Understanding autosteer in 2012
Many farmers now have autosteer, and rely heavily on it. Others, not so much. For those who are interested in adding GPS autosteer to a tractor they already have, or interested in buying a tractor already equipped, here’s the background you’ll need.
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Chemfallow chemistries
With Group 2-resistant kochia a given throughout much of Western Canada, and Group 2 glyphosate-resistant kochia identified in numerous fields in southern Alberta, farmers and weed scientists are having to reassess their chemfallow weed control programs.
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Helping consumers buy Canadian
As part of the Harper Government’s effort to strengthen the economy, a new initiative will help consumers more easily identify and buy Canadian.
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World Wheat Production and Markets
With Western Canadian farmers getting prepared to market their future wheat crops without a Canadian Wheat Board as it presently exists, a review of the world wheat situation is in order.
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Digging into rooting depth
A popular notion may not be correct, after all. Many people think that in wet years, crop roots do not grow deep into the soil because all the soil moisture the plant needs is near the surface.
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Effect of seeding date on yield
Seeding dates vary across regions and between years, depending on weather, soil temperatures and other factors. There is a lot of research that shows an earlier seeding date usually translates into a higher yield potential for
many crops.
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CTF 2011: A year in review
We completed year one of both the CTF (Controlled Traffic Farming) project and also implementation of controlled traffic on our farming operation in 2011.
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Who needs strip tillage?
Researchers studying the strip-tillage option in Manitoba and North Dakota say the jury is still out on whether it’s a good choice – but the writing is on the wall.
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Crop rotation considerations
Crop rotations are designed to maintain crop and soil health to ensure long-term sustainability. Crop sequences deal with the effects of previous crops on current crop choice.
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Chemical serendipity or part of the plan?
A fungicide that was originally developed for cereals and potatoes has also become an effective tool for managing disease in corn. Meanwhile, a treatment for aphids in tree fruits has been found to work well against other insects in vegetable crops.
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Are high commodity prices here to stay?
It seems that higher commodity prices are here to stay, with a growing world population and a burgeoning middle class resulting in an increased demand for food and for higher-quality foods. But do higher prices mean that farmers will be able to enjoy an easier ride in 2012?
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There is nothing like a plan
Afew years ago, every agricultural meeting had a session on marketing plans. Now that commodity prices are much higher than they were back then, the experts don’t seem to focus on marketing with the same fervour.
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A clear trend for edible beans
For several years, edible bean growers have had to deal with the prospect of anthracnose being a problem, particularly for growers of white beans.
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Protecting winter wheat yield
The value of winter wheat continues to increase, so farmers are devoting more acreage in Ontario to growing it, and maximizing yield is an important concern.
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The value of windbreaks
Although the idea of windbreaks has been around for decades, the practice of planting value-added windbreaks is still relatively new. Todd Leuty, an agro-forestry specialist from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) explains that windbreaks are perhaps one of the greatest tools a farmer can use to protect topsoil from the elements.
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A new era in grain marketing
With the end of the Canadian Wheat Board’s single-desk selling, producers will be selling their high-quality wheat and malt barley in an open market for the first time in more than 60 years.
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Kitchen-Sink Study analyzes soybean inputs
When they throw the “kitchen sink” at soybeans, researchers find narrow rows and foliar fungicide give the best bang-for-the-buck. For maximum soybean yields, these two factors are standing out as essential in a three-year, six-state research project that has been focused on improving soybean yields.
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‘Signal molecules’ stimulate pulses
It’s silent, but there’s definitely a dialogue going on under your feet when pulse seed is germinating, says Jeff Bennett, agronomist with Novozymes BioAg Canada, Saskatoon.
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Flax production revisited
Everything in moderation. That’s the message coming from researchers who have tried over the years to identify best practices that can help flax growers optimize flaxseed yields.
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Hulless barley: challenges and prospects
Hulless barley has many positive characteristics for feed, food and malt uses. Yet according to the Canadian Wheat Board’s 2011-12 Variety Survey, hulless barley is estimated to account for less than one percent of the barley grown in Western Canada.
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Banking on residual phosphorus
Conventional wisdom dictates that phosphorus fertilizer is tied up in the soil rapidly, leaving much of it unavailable for crop uptake. However, recent research looking at the long-term availability of phosphorus is changing that perception.
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New oilseed crop may soon take off as a bio-jet fuel
Through efforts on many fronts, a crop originally from east Africa is approaching commercial production in Western Canada. The crop is Brassica carinata, called carinata or Ethiopian mustard, and it is a cousin to canola that’s suited to the hotter and drier parts of the Prairies.
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Ontario agri-food exports soar
In 2011, exports of Ontario agri-food reached a record high of $10 billion, helping give the economy a needed boost and creating jobs during difficult times.
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The new AgAnnex
Welcome to the new portal for the Annex Business Media agriculture magazines where we provide readers with a one-stop multimedia platform for agriculture news.
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Viterra deal progresses
The Saskatchewan government wants to know how a proposed takeover of grain handler Viterra by a Swiss company will affect...
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Safety is a farm business risk
Approaching risk management with ROI analysis can help farm managers implement new programs to help reduce risk, but also potentially increase returns.
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Miscanthus genome map complete
Ceres, Inc. and the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences have completed the genetic map for Miscanthus, a valued energy crop.
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Preserving Midge Tolerance
Manitoba wheat growers are playing an important role in preserving the sustainability of midge tolerance technology that is growing in popularity across the province.
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And the winner is…
The reason pickup trucks are so popular in Canada can be traced directly to the nature of business we do in this wide, vast country. Primary industries such as forestry, mining, farming and construction, along with the businesses affiliated with these sectors, are widespread and demand the use of trucks – but we all know it goes deeper than that.
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Removing those last moisture points
Knowing how to manage moisture in your grain bins is very important, especially now that more and more growers are building on-farm grain storage systems.
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What’s New in Pea, Lentil and Chickpea varieties?
New varieties are being introduced for the 2012 growing season, or are being released in commercial quantities for the first time this year. Information on Crop Development Centre (CDC) varieties at the University of Saskatchewan comes from Dr. Bunyamin Tar’an, Dr. Bert Vandenberg and Dr. Tom Warkentin, pulse crop plant breeders.
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Nitrogen credits from chickpea
There is no reason to be alarmed. Just because research has shown that chickpeas do not fix as much nitrogen (N) as is exported in the seed, this doesn’t mean that chickpeas are bad for soil fertility or that you shouldn’t grow them.
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2011 Canadian pulse crop report
Customers in international markets can learn about the quality of Canada's pulse crops through the Canadian Grain Commission's annual harvest and export reports.
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Massey Ferguson again sponsors the WNFR
Hesston by Massey Ferguson is going back to its roots by sponsoring the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in 2011 and plans to continue this sponsorship in the years to come
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Soil test N and nitrogen fertilizer management
Soil testing is an important tool for developing fertilizer recommendations. However, soil testing has become more complicated as cropping systems and rotations have changed, and the use of legume crops and manure has increased.
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Heritage wheat in organic production
In Saskatchewan, heritage wheat varieties are typically grown for specialty markets and can include hulled wheats (hulls attached) such as spelt (Triticum aestivum var. spelta), einkorn (T. monococcum) and emmer (T. dicoccum) or free-threshing wheats such as Red Fife (T. aestivum) and Khorasan (KAMUT®) wheat (T. turgidum, ssp. turanicum).
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Sustainable Management of Cereal Leaf Beetle
The cereal leaf beetle is an invasive Eurasian pest of cereals including wheat, oats and barley recently discovered in western Canada. It has been established in North America at least since 1962, and since then it has expanded its geographical range significantly.
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New Canadian dairy industry website
A new website launched by Canada's dairy industry takes the bull by the horns when it comes to setting the record straight on the country's supply management system for milk.
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Corn planting dates and yields
The spring of 2011 was a tough, tough spring to get seeds in the ground,” says Mike Cowbrough, weed management program lead with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA).
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Nexera canola: healthy premiums and oil
Demand has been growing for Dow AgroSciences’ Nexera canola because of the oil’s special qualities, which include natural stability and high levels of heart-healthy omega-9 fatty acids.
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Wet, dry and other soybean choices
Whether it’s online or from a printed source, soybean specialists advise that the safest choice can best be made by looking for a blend of maturity, yield and stress tolerance.
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Farm optimism at an all-time high
Optimism among Canadian producers and farmers is at an all-time high, according to the fifth annual Farm Credit Canada national Vision panel survey.
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Canadian farmers going high-tech
Canadian farmers are just as likely to purchase a smart phone or tablet as other Canadians, according to a report released by Farm Credit Canada.
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Harper government outlines AIP
Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz outlined the $50 million Agriculture Innovation Program, to aid the introduction of industry-led science and technology.
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Increasing glyphosate resistance in Ontario
Every year, the number of glyphosate-resistant weeds in Ontario gets larger, a lot larger. Dr. Peter Sikkema, a professor of field crop weed management at the University of Guelph’s Ridgetown Campus, is mapping these hot spots.
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Where do agronomists come from?
Tail-end boomers across the country are watching as veteran agronomists begin to retire and they are wondering where new agronomists will come from.
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Ontario’s sulphur situation
Interested in starting a debate within agricultural circles? Just mention sulphur. “There are lots of opinions on whether it needs to be added to soil now or in the future, where, how much and in what form,” says Keith Reid, soil fertility specialist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC).
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Minimum tillage a smart move
More soybean farmers are using no-till, and this practice, added to the stronger, denser corn stalks that are the standard now, means growers are facing excessive residue issues.
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Rootworm resistance to Bt corn
In July 2011, Iowa State University researchers reported finding field-evolved resistance to Bt corn by the Western corn rootworm (WCR) in some Iowa fields.
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Tillage erosion: it happens
In the summer of 2009, brothers Ivan and Brian DeJong decided to move about three inches of topsoil up an eroded sidehill on an experimental basis.
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Liquid starter fertilizer rates too low
Starter fertilizer is usually applied close to the seed, so that after germination and during early growth the seedling will have access to a source of fertilizer nutrient that will encourage improved growth.
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Soybean pest expected soon
Be afraid. Be very afraid. And prepared. Soybean cyst nematode or SCN, has not yet been confirmed in Manitoba as of mid-August 2011.
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Cutworm review
Cutworms, belonging to the family of moths called Noctuidae, naturally occur across the Prairies at varying levels.
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Keeping weeds off balance
Herbicide-tolerant (HT) weeds have been on the radar screen for many years, but the big elephant in the room for canola growers is glyphosate-resistant weeds.
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What is new in canola?
Top Crop Manager has assembled a list of new varieties and hybrids that are being introduced in commercial quantities for the 2012 growing season, including new clubroot- and sclerotinia-resistant varieties.
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Speed kills
In the rush to get canola seeded at the optimal time, or even at all, seed placement is often compromised by speed.
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Addressing the soil K decline
Despite the fact that Canada is one of the world’s foremost potash producers, soil test potassium levels in Eastern Canada have declined in recent years.
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New DON toxin standards awaited
From field to plate, growers and processors all along the wheat products value chain are worried about the potential outcomes of Health Canada’s review of deoxynivalenol (DON) toxin standards. And it is no wonder.
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There’s a problem in the country
The planting and seeding season is cause for such anticipation and optimism that, too often, those involved in the agri-food and agri-business sectors are challenged when it comes to spotting emerging issues taking shape beyond their horizons.
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Winter wheat can be an option for unseeded acres
Making the best of a bad situation, several options exist for farmers with unseeded acres heading into late June. These could include generating cash flow with green feed, de-watering the land with a crop like flax or clover that would be terminated before the winter, or chemfallowing throughout the summer to prepare land for winter wheat. “It is hard to say what will happen this year, but after 2010, the experience of many farmers was that maybe instead of trying to seed too late, they could chemfallow the land and seed to winter wheat,” says Kevin Hardy, a Ducks Unlimited winter wheat specialist at Yorkton, Saskatchewan.
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Understanding N mineralization
Nitrogen (N) mineralization is the wildcard in the game of crop production. It is unpredictable, varies year to year, and is highly dependent on environmental conditions, yet contributes significantly to crop yield.
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Soybeans for first-year growers
First-time soybean growers are likely to be popping up this spring across Manitoba, particularly in the Red River Valley, says Brent Reid, recently retired farm production advisor for Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives (MAFRI).
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Keeping pace with keeping track
If any lesson was learned after recent outbreaks of food-borne illness, it is: the faster the problem is traced, the sooner it can be fixed and confidence in the food system can be restored.
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How early is early for soybeans?
More game plans aimed at boosting soybean yields are including early planting as a standard part of the strategy. Ongoing research in Ontario supports the idea that planting soybeans in early May, if the conditions are fit, can produce a few extra bushels per acre. “We have enough data to recommend early planting,” says Horst Bohner, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs soybean specialist. “When you look at what they have done in the US and what has provided extra yield, early planting has come to the table with consistent results.”
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Let them eat fabas
Faba bean has plenty of good attributes: it is high yielding under cool, moist conditions, excellent at fixing nitrogen, and high in protein.
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Some points to remember about sunflower desiccation
For farmers with sunflowers in their 2011 cropping plan, it is recommended they take a bit of time this winter to work through the options for drydown next fall. Natural drydown is ideal; however, the sunflower fields of southern Manitoba and Saskatchewan are likely to have less than ideal conditions, and desiccation may be needed.
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Monitor combines guidance and live video
Growers should have seen this one coming: auto-steer has become mainstream in modern farming. Digital camera technology has become professional in quality and mainstream for consumers.
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Could green manuring fit into growers’ cropping systems?
The terms “cover crop” and “green manure” are sometimes used interchangeably, but usually a cover crop refers to any crop type grown specifically to provide ground cover, and a green manure is a legume cover crop grown to fix nitrogen and increase soil fertility.
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Compaction: Is it really a problem?
Generally speaking, soil compaction may be caused by farming operations, equipment, tillage and livestock, and under some conditions may reduce crop yields.
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Detecting hidden insects in wheat
Feb. 23, 2011 – In Canada, it is prohibited to sell grain that contains live insects. However, some grain storage pests develop inside the kernels as larvae, making them difficult to detect.
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Understanding lime
Although regular application of lime is needed on only about 10 to 12 percent of Ontario soils, it is important for those farming the other portion to know when and how best to apply lime occasionally.
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Getting back to the basics
Technology is a wonderful thing, but it can distract from some of the essential principles and practices; in a metaphor, seeing the forest, but not the trees. Is there a need for growers to get back to fundamentals and brush up on good agronomics?
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Harnessing nature’s ability to evolve
As is the case with many crops, some wild potato species are more resistant to insect pests than modern varieties. “This is mostly because of the natural chemicals found in the leaves,” says Dr. Yvan Pelletier, an entomologist at the Agriculture and Agri-food Canada’s (AAFC’s) Potato Research Centre (PRC) in Fredericton, New Brunswick. “Beetles like the Colorado potato beetle try a bite or a few bites of the leaves of wild species, but then stop because of the noxious taste.”
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Old crop, new uses
The lowly potato has long been a basic commodity on tables around the world: its peelings have fed livestock and its starch has made countless collars stand straight. Now, a changing world population, and the knowledge that most of our crops have many uses other than food, could elevate the potato to a higher status.
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What is new in potato varieties?
It is not often that a new variety is so impressive that growers are asking when they can get seed. In 2010, there were a couple of varieties developed by a new generation of breeders who are continuing family traditions of growing and breeding with an eye to the future. One variety is Tebina, and the other is #30-2010, which became known as “Wow” in all the trials.
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Improving sanitation tools to battle bacterial ring rot
Bacterial ring rot is one of the most difficult infectious potato diseases to combat. Growers rely on sanitation of potato storages and equipment for prevention. With advances in microbial science, new sanitation products and better testing technologies, now is an opportune time to update and improve Canadian sanitation strategies and tools for ring rot control.
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What is the hallmark of good breeding?
Potatoes are a complicated crop and breeding new varieties is equally complex. Very few varieties have stood the test of time as consumer taste changes, disease pressure evolves, and breeders are challenged to meet the needs of growers and the markets they serve.
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The Truck King Challenge: the Crowning event
For 2011, the Canadian Truck King Challenge was a heavy duty event, taking advantage of the fact that three Detroit builders each unveiled a new Heavy Duty pickup truck in the past year; a rare occurrence.
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Mobile solutions for the field and farm
Mac, Windows, BlackBerry, Android: the choices are wide, not to mention confusing. For growers wanting to go beyond basic cellphone service in the field and getting hooked up to the Internet, there are some exciting technologies to choose from.
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Solid-seeded versus row-crop soybeans
Some headway was made in 2010 toward finding good advice for southern Manitoba soybean growers on the subject of planters versus air seeders, or row-crop versus solid-seeded.
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Breaking the Guinness world record for wheat yield: 232 bu/ac
Now this is intensive farming. Chris Dennison of Oamaru, New Zealand, set a Guinness world record for wheat yield in 2003 at 15.015 t/ha (223 bu/ac), since surpassed by another Kiwi farmer, Michael Solari, with 15.636 t/ha (232.64 bu/ac) on March 8, 2010 at Otama, Gore.
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Why controlled traffic farming?
Controlled traffic farming (CTF) is a bit like tramlines on steroids. CTF not only keeps sprayer operations on tramlines, but all other field operations on those same tramlines, year after year.
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New market for off-grade canola
In the heart of canola country, canola producers have a new market for their crop. CanPro Ingredients Ltd, located on the outskirts of Arborfield, Saskatchewan, about 265 km northeast of Saskatoon, is a canola crushing plant with an added twist.
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Fertilizing soybeans: is it needed now?
Several factors during the past few years may have left some farms with soil that is more nutrient deficient than the growers who own them would generally have believed. That could soon lead to problems with soybean health and yield.
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Hiring business management advisors on the farm
As an agricultural banking specialist at Scotiabank, Jay Cunningham talks to farm people on a daily basis about their business plans for their farm. One of the trends he is seeing is a small but growing proportion of farmers who are hiring business management advisors.
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SCN management update
Providing soybean cyst nematode (SCN) resistance in a broader range of varieties and using more sources of resistance are the main goals of the latest soybean breeding efforts to help farmers manage this destructive and expensive pest.
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Success in satisfying buyers
When genetically modified (GM) soybeans were introduced, the industry went wild, but not all international buyers were equally enthusiastic.
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On the threshold of transformation
Genomics, the study of an organism’s complete DNA sequence, is poised to transform the life sciences, including agriculture, forestry, human health and the environment
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A new go at processing hemp
A new go at processing hemp
North America’s first hemp fibre factory and a hemp oil extraction facility are being built in MN
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What is new in canola seed?
Top Crop Manager has assembled a list of new varieties that are being introduced in commercial quantities for the 2011 growing season. The information is provided by the respective canola seed companies. Growers are encouraged to look at third party trials for further performance and agronomic information. Talk to local seed suppliers to see how new varieties also performed in local trials.
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Managing nitrogen for carbon credits
Alberta Environment is getting closer to adding another crop-based carbon credit protocol to its climate change toolbox, and Ontario agricultural groups want to know if they should pursue a similar scheme.
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The ‘buzz’ about insecticides
Crop farmers, and well-informed members of the general public, know that the use of agricultural chemicals is needed to prevent insects from eating the crop.
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Reliance on stacked-trait corn hybrids
Ontario corn growers have been relying more and more on stacked-trait hybrids, hybrids that have more than one genetically modified (GM) trait, since the first ones became available about a decade ago. And the popularity of stacked-trait hybrids will likely continue as more traits and new combinations of traits are added to the stacks.
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