Perils Of Broadcast Seeding Outlined At Crop Tour

A Carman-area canola field offers dramatic proof that agronomists weren’t kidding last spring when they advised farmers not to broadcast seed canola unless they could follow up with harrows. Provincial weed specialist Nasir Shaikh said the field was aerially seeded with a Clearfield herbicide-tolerant variety by air and the producer was able to cover part

The Trouble With Broadcast Seeding

With minimal acres seeded the first week of May 2011, the later-than-normal seeding is the talk of the coffee shop. But it’s too soon to panic. Data from the Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation shows that from 2005 to 2010 more than 1.2 million acres of spring wheat and canola on average are seeded in the


Sowing Soybeans — Air Drill Versus Planter

Seeding soybeans last year with a planter instead of an air drill resulted in slightly higher yields, but with a lot less seed, a study commissioned by the Manitoba Pulse Growers Association found. “Use 15 per cent less seed and get another two-bushel (an acre) yield advantage you’re in pretty compelling territory to say, ‘I

FAO Warns On Oil As World Food Prices Hit Record

Global food prices hit a record high in February, the United Nations said March 3, warning that fresh oil price spikes and stockpiling by importers keen to head off popular unrest would hit already volatile cereal markets. Rising food prices are a growing global concern, partly fuelling the protests which toppled the rulers of Tunisia


How Much Are You Losing?

Canola growers lose up to five bushels per acre out the back of their combines. That skims a lot of profit off the top and adds to volunteer canola costs in following years. Manitoba Canola Growers Association and the Canola Council of Canada will host a Combine Performance Clinic at the Keystone Centre in Brandon,

Deere To Help Indian Farmers Mechanize

Deere &Co. is making 500 tractors available for use by farmers in the Indian state of Gujarat to help them mechanize their farms and potentially increase crop yields, the company says in a release. John Deere, in partnership with the local government, will open small agricultural implement resource centres across Gujarat, making tractors available to


Between-Row Spraying Good Option, But Challenges Must Be Overcome

Spraying herbicides between rows to hit the weeds and not the crop could give producers more bang for their weed-control buck, but more research is needed, says Agriculture Canada research scientist Tom Wolf. Inter-row spraying has caught on in Australia, where farmers use hooded sprayers to apply non-select herbicide between rows. Wolf, an expert in

In Brief… – for Jan. 27, 2011

Saudis to raise wheat reserves:Saudi Arabia plans to increase wheat reserves to one year from six months in around three years, the head of the grains authority said Jan. 16. The kingdom would increase grain storage capacity by 550,000 tonnes in four cities within three years to reach that goal, Waleed ElKheriji told reporters. Last


More Money For Rural Bridges

The province is promising to help municipalities fix aging bridges, some of which are now well over a half-century old and in dire need of upgrades or repairs. The pledge came from Premier Greg Selinger during a brief appearance at last week’s Association of Manitoba Municipalities convention. But the premier offered few details on the

Diesel Engine Prices Will Jump

As of January 2011, diesel engines over 175 horsepower installed in new farm equipment destined for the U. S. market must comply with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Interim Tier 4 emissions standards, which is the next step in further reducing exhaust pollutants in off-road vehicles. Tractors arriving on dealers’ lots in Canada will be