Practise zero tolerance to avoid resistant weeds

If Canadian farmers want to avoid the fate of their U.S. counterparts struggling with glyphosate-resistant weeds such as kochia, waterhemp, and common and giant ragweed, then they’d better practise zero tolerance, says an American weed scientist. “That means no survival rate and no weed seed production,” researcher Jeff Stachler told attendees at the Manitoba Agronomists

Major retailers urged to help end use of gestation stalls

The new owner of a now infamous Interlake hog barn says it will be getting rid of all its gestation stalls within four years. Video secretly shot in the Puratone weanling barn recently drew national coverage — and widespread condemnation — with its graphic scenes of castration and piglets being euthanized by slamming them onto


Brazil GMO planting to increase by 14 per cent

Reuters / Brazil will increase the amount of land planted with genetically modified soy, corn and cotton by 14 per cent this season from a year ago as it shoulders a growing share of the world’s agricultural output, local analytics firm Celeres said Dec. 17. That is more than the 12.3 per cent expansion in



Monsanto offers community funds for 2013

The Monsanto Fund has announced that is now accepting 2013 applications for its Canada’s Farmers Grow Communities program. It provides farmers with a chance to win $2,500 for a local charitable or not-for-profit group. First offered on a Canada-wide basis in 2012, a total of 58 winners nominated by farmers in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan,

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


Farmers ante up for proposed producer-owned nitrogen fertilizer plant

Farmers of North America have raised more than $5 million in the past six weeks for a proposed farmer-owned nitrogen fertilizer plant in Western Canada. The sale of more than 5,000 “risk capital units” (worth $1,000 each) shows there is “overwhelming” support for the project, said Bob Friesen, spokesman for the NFA’s Fertilizer Limited Partnership.

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


DDGS on sale, but buyers wary

Prices for DDGS — dried distillers grains (with solubles) — have come down significantly over the past few weeks, but are still too high when compared to other feed options. “Prices are dropping, but they haven’t dropped significantly enough to attract Canadian buyers,” said Ryan Slozka, senior commodity trader with Rycom Trading, a major importer

Capitalizing on NIRS technology in a commercial feed mill

In the current high feed-price climate, knowing the nutritional value of an ingredient can make a big difference to the cost of feeding a pig. It also allows more accurate formulation so that the pig’s nutritional requirements can be met more accurately, and performance targets met. In recent years, the use of Near Infrared Reflectance