The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has published the third and final update on the rules for gene-edited crops, in a decision being praised by Canadian grain industry. Section 1.9, Basis for the proposed guidance, states the key messages that are of most concern to producers: “The CFIA’s opinion of the scientific literature is that gene editing technologies do not pose unique risks of harm to human or animal health or the environment compared to other plant breeding technologies,” the guidance states. “As a result, feed ingredients derived from gene-edited plants are regulated like all ..read more

Frequent rains and wet soils across the province have slowed or prevented field work, according to the latest crop conditions report for the week of May 2, 2024, from Field Crop News. Soil compaction is likely to be an issue this year, especially for farmers trying to get manure spread ahead of spring planting. Fertilizer has been moving out to farms with storage. Retailers are full and ready to apply product once soil conditions are favourable. With wet soil conditions, there is concern about loss of nitrogen (N) through denitrification where fertilizer has been applied, especially in winter ..read more

Producers know cover crops can provide an array of benefits, such as improved soil health and decreased disease, insect and weed problems. But in the short term, the costs of buying the seed and planting the cover crop can be a barrier to adoption of this practice. A southern Ontario project is evaluating some legume-based cover crop options to see if they might help overcome this barrier. “If we can make cover crop use a little more economically feasible in the short term – for example, if the cover crop provides a nitrogen credit to the next crop or if the cover crop is harvested as forage ..read more

Through the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network (PPMN), growers across the Prairies have access to extensive tools and resources for assessing insect pest risk and making informed management decisions. Established in 1997, PPMN provides growers with insect pest monitoring and management information, including weekly in-season updates and maps showing the distribution and relative abundance of priority insect pests. The network also employs models to predict when insect pests will be active, aiding farmers in timing their on-farm scouting during the growing season.  “A new five-year project la ..read more

After being granted registration in 2022, AB Standswell barley is readily available to farmers, for the 2024 season. Mastin Seeds has secured the marketing rights to the six-row variety, developed by the Field Crop Development Centre, now headquartered at Olds College. “It’s a bushy semi-dwarf, good for both grain and forage,” explains Bob Mastin, who farms and sells seed at Sundre, Alta., in a press release, noting the variety has a plumper seed and smooth awn, which makes it ideal for swath grazing, greenfeed, or silage. With the recent drought years on the prairies, Mastin says the water us ..read more

The Alberta Agricultural Moisture Situation Update is developed by the drought modelling team and published frequently as appropriate during the growing season, and less frequently during winter months. In the April 25 edition, the team report conditions have been relatively warm and dry, with precipitation ranging from 0 mm across most of the agricultural lands to just over 10 mm across the far northern portions of the province. | READ MORE ..read more

Crown rust in oats is a royal pain. It’s a worldwide problem wherever oats grow, except in dry, arid areas. Crown rust, caused by Puccinia coronate var. avenae f. sp. avenae, is economically significant in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba and eastern Saskatchewan. “Crown rust is the most widespread and damaging disease of oat,” says Jim Menzies, a plant phytopathologist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Morden, Man. “Yield losses can range from 10 to 40 per cent or higher in severe epidemics, and it can cause losses in grain quality as well.” In 2022, crown rust was at epidemic levels on the e ..read more

Light rains and cool temperatures throughout April slowed field drying and limited opportunities for early planting of field crops. While it is generally too wet for field work, conditions are variable depending on rainfall received. Winter wheat stands look good across most of the province, and winter canola survival has generally been good.  | READ MORE ..read more

Reassessing nutrient management strategies under drought conditions to determine the most economical approach can be challenging. Researchers in Saskatchewan wanted to investigate whether split applications of nitrogen (N) in spring wheat might be more economical than the commonly recommended practice of banding all of the N beneath the soil surface at seeding.  “In some areas of Saskatchewan, dry conditions have persisted for a couple of years, raising questions about nutrient management and the opportunity to improve economics with different strategies,” says Mike Hall, research coordi ..read more

I was reading a release the other day from Cereals Canada about its annual New Crop Trade and Technical Missions initiative, and what jumped off the page was how well-respected our wheat is around the world. Quoting what they heard from purchasers of Canadian wheat, the release says customers refer to Canadian Western Red Spring as the “gold standard” of wheat and an anchor in their wheat blends. It also says Canadian Western Amber Durum has been called the “Ferrari” of durum wheat. This is high praise indeed for Western Canada’s largest crop, of which we export approximately 75 per cent ..read more