man checking moisture content in a canola bin

Check your canola bins ASAP

The CCC says buyers are reporting a sudden surge in heated canola

Baby it’s cold outside, but your canola bins could be hot — dangerously hot. That’s why the Canola Council of Canada (CCC) wants farmers to check their bins right away. “Canola delivery points report a spike in heated canola over the past couple of weeks,” the CCC said in its Canola Watch email Nov. 28.



What’s new? At Ag Days, plenty

New products are always interesting and there are always plenty to check out at Manitoba Ag Days. Some equipment dealers will have additional signage at their booths that indicate they have opted to include their products in the 2013 New Products feature and will be vying for the annual best new product award presented at

Cold winter temperatures naturally control insects in grain

Warm weather during the 2012 grain harvest benefited producers, but it also benefited insects that feed in stored grain, says Brent Elliott, infestation control and sanitation officer at the Canadian Grain Commission. However, cold winter weather can help producers control insects. “Now that winter’s here, producers need to reconsider how they’re managing insects in their

Nutraceutical firm seeks borage growers

Borage has been prized for its curative powers since ancient times. In Roman times, the naturalist Pliny regarded it as an antidepressant, and a famous herbalist from the 16th century wrote that a syrup made from borage “comforteth the heart, purgeth melancholy, and quieteth the phrenticke or lunaticke person.” For Prairie farmers who may fit


Large Canadian presence at Big Iron

The 32nd Big Iron farm equipment and services show here is like a huge handshake between U.S. and Canadian farmers and equipment manufacturers that do business across the 49th parallel. More than a dozen Manitoba- and Saskatchewan-based companies were exhibiting at the annual event, which typically marks the last of the summer shows in the

CGC warns to watch for storage pests

The Canadian Grain Commission is warning farmers that the warm summer across the Prairies has increased the risk of insect infestations in stored grain. “This year we’ve had a mild winter followed by a warm summer. In these conditions, insects, such as the rusty grain beetle and the red flour beetle, can increase in number

Watch for deadly blue-green algae blooms in ponds and watering sites

The algae is actually a photosynthetic bacteria that thrives with warm weather, 
calm winds and abundant nutrients, particularly phosphorus and nitrogen

Livestock producers should watch for green to blue-green scum in fresh water supplies. “Algae blooms cause major disruptions, not only because of their offensive odour and appearance; but because they can be fatal to livestock, pets and people,” says Roxanne Johnson, a water quality associate with North Dakota State University’s extension service. “Not all algae


Organic hemp a money-maker

Manitoba organic farmers could be reaping excellent returns from the “green buffalo,” according to the co-founder of the world’s largest vertically integrated hemp food-processing facility based in Winnipeg. Only five per cent of the 7,000 acres of organic hemp seed contracted each year by Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods and Oils comes from its home province,

New Big Iron is more efficient and environmentally friendly

Ag Days is a signature venue for agricultural equipment manufacturers and is the place where Prairie farmers often get a first peek at new products. A lot of the Big Iron on display for 2012 will be showcasing not just equipment, but some new, factory-installed technology to help make farmers more efficient and environmentally friendly.