If there were any lingering doubts over whether the grain price party is over, a few hours at this year’s Cereals North America conference last week firmly laid them to rest. Speaker after speaker set the scene for a melancholy outlook. Stocks are at or near record levels for many crops, there is continued growth
Back to the future for grain price outlooks
It's beginning to look a lot like 1983 for global grain markets. How long will the pain linger and what will finally cause them to turn the corner to better times?
Potato beetle resistance brewing in Manitoba fields
Farmers should be scouting early in the season and switching to alternative products if they suspect resistance
Andrew Ronald has spent a lot of time in recent months talking to Manitoba potato growers about a familiar pest problem that could soon be taking on a new prominence. The Keystone Potato Producers Association agronomist says there’s growing evidence that Colorado potato beetle — the most significant insect pest of potato crops in Manitoba
Russet Burbank replacement proves elusive
When American self-taught botanist Luther Burbank turned his attention to the humble potato in the 1870s, he didn’t have much to work with. Originally from South America, European varieties of the starchy tuber that grew well in the challenging climate of New England and Canada were tasteless at best, and unpalatable at worst. The varieties,
PVY control depends on better understanding of aphids
After years of decline, the industry is seeing infections, not only increase but become more difficult to detect
Russell Groves has noticed a troubling trend for potato seed growers in his home state of Wisconsin in recent years. The University of Wisconsin entomologist specializes in insect-transmitted vegetable plant diseases, and he says after a period of decline, potato virus Y (PVY) infections have begun to increase for seed potato growers. “From about theDevastating new potato disease headed north
The disease, which causes brown stripes in potatoes, has spread like wildfire since being found in Texas in 2000
Manitoba growers haven’t seen zebra chip disease yet — but it’s only a matter of time, says John Nordgaard. The transplanted North Dakotan manages a potato operation for Black Gold Farms near Piersall, Texas, which he describes as one of the epicentres for the disease, which results in striped chips that look like a whiteIrrigation challenges highlighted in 2012
After a couple of challenging wet seasons, the spring of 2012 looked like it was off to a good start. Dry, workable soils led to one of the earliest planting completions in the history of the potato business in Manitoba, and growers were looking forward to a successful season. However, that planting season was only
Soybeans still picking up acres
At one time the edible bean workshops would have been the hot ticket at the Manitoba Special Crops Symposium and you’d be fighting for a chair. This year there were just a few scattered groups of growers listening to presentations on everything from harvest methods to seeding techniques and there were likely more empty chairs
Soybean planting protocols still under investigation
Soybean acreage is soaring in Manitoba, but some basic agronomy — such as how, when, and with what to plant the crop — is still being hammered out. Seeding dates and rates, row spacing, and post-seeding rolling practices are the focus of trials being conducted by Brent VanKoughnet of Agri Skills for the Manitoba Pulse
Farm prosperity will depend on income
Farm Credit Canada’s top economist says if you’re a Canadian farmer, you should really be hoping for the best in the Chinese economy. That’s because while population growth catches all the headlines and is credited for growing food demand, it’s looking increasingly like we’ll be able to feed nine billion by 2050. The question is
It’s not the heat — it’s the photoperiod
You can breed soybeans to grow just about anywhere, but whether you’d want to is another question, says an Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada soybean breeder. Elroy Cober told the recent Manitoba Special Crops Symposium that it’s widely expected that Manitoba will take the No. 2 slot behind Ontario in the coming season. “The short-season areas
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