Hog production in Western Canada had a rough go this week. First, Big Sky Farms entered receivership — for the second time in less than four years — then, just yesterday, Puratone Corporation filed for creditor protection. It is not a good time to be a hog farmer, with reported losses per hog ranging from... Read More
Category: Crop Production
Western Canadian farmers struggling to feed livestock in the very dry 2002 growing season were helped out by their eastern counterparts when an ad hoc program dubbed "Hay West" sent thousands and thousands of tonnes of hay to those in need. This year, western Canadian farmers are returning the favour with Hay East 2012. Livestock... Read More
The current livestock feeding environment is not sustainable, according to John Oliver. Casualties continue to mount in the hog industry as major producers fall as a result of the high price of corn. The cattle industry is not immune to skyrocketing input costs either, as feedyards deal with the same issues around high commodity prices.... Read More
In the first part of our interview with MAFRI Cereal Specialist Pam de Rocquigny we spoke about some of the critical elements involved in seeding winter wheat: 1. What kind of stubble you're going to seed into. 2. How deep you should seed. 3. Weed and volunteer crop control. SEE MORE WHEAT SCHOOL. In this... Read More
It seems farming equipment gets bigger and bigger every year, but instead of only striving for bigger, Canada-based Jaylor developed its line of mini TMR mixers to suit any sized operation. From a self-contained mini unit, to a tractor-mounted version or even a pick-up truck ready mixer, Jaylor's line of mini mixers has a size... Read More
One of the things farmers learn very early is that you can't control every variable involved in growing your crop, so you should focus on what you can control. When planting winter wheat, there's no telling what the season will bring, so you focus on making the best choices available to you from the start.... Read More
The western prairies have been described as a sea of canola. Floating somewhere adrift are crops like flax. Crops that are full of potential, but are at risk of falling to more profitable crops like canola and soybeans. Keeping these fringe crops afloat to develop some of that potential means finding better cropping systems. One... Read More
A successful no-till system starts or stops at the combine. This according to Phil Needham of Needham Ag Technologies. As Phil explains, it's the even spreading of the residue out of the combine that will allow for uniform depth at seeding and uniform emergence as well as other benefits to your crop. SEE MORE WHEAT... Read More
There is pressure building in the halls of Washington to rescind the mandatory ethanol mandates. With tightening supplies of corn creating higher feed prices for livestock producers and higher food costs for consumers, the pressure mounting in Washington is real. To this point though, according to Kevin Grier of the George Morris Center, nothing has... Read More
Do you remember the story of the little red hen? No one would help her plant the seeds, harvest the grain, grind the grain and bake the bread, but everyone was willing to eat the bread when it was all said and done. That's a little bit like the story of certified seed. Everyone wants... Read More