In February of 2016, I witnessed farmers and ranchers unite across the province in passionate protest against the newly introduced Bill 6, the Enhanced Protection for Farm and Ranch Workers Act. We saw protests from farmers like those you see in France including tractor parades, homemade signs, chanting and, to my guilty pleasure, protest pizza…. Read More
Category: Research
Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR) has announced the appointment of Dr. Mark Redmond as the chief executive officer, effective March 1, 2021. Dr. Gerald Hauer has been the interim CEO since April 1, 2020, and will assist Redmond during the transition. The RDAR Board of Directors is extending their appreciation to Hauer for his leadership… Read More
Planting a new hybrid that you’ve never dealt with on your farm before can be a tricky situation, as it sometimes can feel like you are rolling the dice. Farming isn’t just a game, it’s a livelihood that we need to be able to make profit off of. However, selecting a new hybrid could end… Read More
A new initiative, launched within the main watershed zones in Manitoba, will further develop technologies and best management practices to give Manitoban farmers tools to adjust to climate change following a major funding injection announced Wednesday. On behalf of Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau, MP for Winnipeg South Centre Jim Carr announced up to $5.9 million for… Read More
Adjusting management or adopting new products or varieties carries some risk, but that risk can be managed with an on-farm evaluation. Setting up on-farm trials, however, can be simple and straight forward — or so complicated it’s hard to know if you really learned anything at all. To navigate on-farm trial pitfalls and successes, this… Read More
A recent pulse agronomy webinar hosted by Saskatchewan Pulse Growers (SPG) focused on an emerging chickpea issue found in southwestern Saskatchewan. The presentation was spearheaded by Dr. Michelle Hubbard, research scientist in pulse pathology, who, in conjunction with other researchers, is leading studies on the issue. The as-of-yet unnamed health issue was first observed in… Read More
The Alberta government has been making good on its promises to tighten budgets and revamp how agriculture research is done in the province. Earlier this year, the province announced the Results Driven Agriculture Research program— RDAR — an arms-length government entity that would administer funding and guide agriculture research. Then, last week, approximately 250 Alberta Agriculture… Read More
The Canadian Barley Research Coalition (CRBC) — a collaboration of Alberta Barley, Saskatchewan Barley Development Commission (SaskBarley), and Manitoba Crop Alliance (MCA) formed earlier this year — has committed more than $1.5 million to a barley breeding agreement with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). The funding, spread over five years, ensures that western Canadian farmers… Read More
Agriculture research and extension in Alberta has been through an incredible few weeks, to say the least. In the last month, several research programs have moved to new institutions and over 250 agriculture-based staff have been let go, as promised in the last provincial budget. The huge changes beg the question: what will provincially-funded agriculture… Read More
Recent cuts in Alberta government funded agriculture research has prompted the question: What’s the future of government funded ag research in Canada? Joining host Shaun Haney for this RealAg LIVE! are Kelvin Heppner and Kara Oosterhuis, RealAg’s own field editors from Manitoba and Alberta, respectively. Don’t miss RealAg LIVE! weekdays at 1 pm M/3 pm… Read More