Want to know what buyers look for in a soybean sample? Or what you don't want to see in your soybeans? This episode of the Soybean School takes us to the Canadian Grain Commission grading lab in Winnipeg. Thanks to Daryl Beswitherick, program manager for quality assurance and re-inspection at the CGC, for taking some... Read More
Category: Crop Production
Farmers still have a bit of time to evaluate their fields for levels of grubs and wireworms, two key pests that will factor in to the need for a neonicotinoid pesticide seed treatment. And that's good news, because the deadline to ordering fungicide-only corn seed is rapidly approaching. Most companies have a mid- to late-November... Read More
The grain and oilseed market started the month of November the opposite of how it ended October, as the market dropped lower on the U.S. harvest catching up to its historical average pace and a stronger U.S. dollar (which can help Canadian exports, hence basis in Western Canada narrowing recently). Lack of consistent rail service... Read More
Saskatchewan's Ministry of Agriculture has released a report outlining the quality profile of this year's crop. Only nine percent of the province's spring wheat crop is projected to be graded number 1 — well below the 10 year average of 39 percent. For winter wheat, only three percent is expected to grade as number 1,... Read More
If you're considering growing barley for the malt market in 2015, the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre has just released its list of recommended varieties for the 2015-16 crop year. The list (find it here) is compiled by the CMBTC's members with input from grain companies, maltsters and brewers. CDC Copeland and AC Metcalfe are... Read More
The first thing Jeff Schoenau likes to do when assessing soil is dig. Schoenau is Ministry of Agriculture Strategic Research Chair and professor at the University of Saskatchewan and he believes digging a soil pit can give a good indication of the vertical distribution of nutrients in a given area. But, as tiring as digging... Read More
In 2015, growers can purchase Nexera canola under a Flexibility Agreement. The Flexibility Agreement allows farmers to produce Nexera canola and sell it as either a commodity canola or, potentially garner a delivery contract with a health premium in the Omega-9 Oils market. "The only request we have of the grower, if he's going to... Read More
New standards for storing and applying seed treatments are set to take effect across Canada in 2017. The new audit-based accreditation system was developed by CropLife Canada and its members “to provide uniform environmental, health and safety practices” at facilities where seed treatments are applied. If a business does not go through the accreditation process,... Read More
Syngenta Canada Inc. has announced the registration of Fortenza seed treatment, a new seed-applied insecticide for early-season cutworm control. The seed treatment can be used in conjunction with foliar products as part of canola growers' cutworm management strategy. Cutworms are an early season pest of canola and be particularly devastating to a crop, as the... Read More
Farm management and variable rate advisory firm Decisive Farming and Canada’s largest Case IH dealer — Rocky Mountain Equipment — have announced an alliance to integrate tech support for variable rate equipment. “There’s always been a gap in the market before this alliance between the variable rate provider and the equipment dealer. This is closing... Read More