Woman reading food labelling

Comment: Are you at risk?

Risk assessment, not blind fear of hazards, lets us all live our lives

Should GM be labelled? Is organic healthier? Does glyphosate cause cancer? Do you put your kids at risk if you feed them meat or is the caveman diet the way to go? Your good friend and neighbour thinks Gwyneth Paltrow is right about all this stuff, is she correct? All of these questions, and a

Alfalfa weevil larvae.

Hail and fungicide timing, alfalfa weevil levels seen high

Manitoba Insect & Disease Update for June 14

Recent hail events in the province have left producers wondering whether or not they should be using a fungicide at the herbicide timing. Flea beetles in canola, and cutworms continue to be the main insects of concern, although for both concern is diminishing as canola advances to stages less susceptible to feeding from flea beetles, and some cutworms larvae turn to pupae. Alfalfa


Seeding nearly complete at 90 per cent, Northwest areas slowed by wet conditions

Manitoba Crop Report and Crop Weather report for May 29, 2017

Moderate to cooler than normal temperatures last week. Strong southerly winds on Wednesday caused soil blowing and drifting on soils with dry topsoil and poor crop residue. Low to moderate rainfall amounts reported in most regions with the highest precipitation in the North West where some fields are excessively wet and will require days of

Oddly shaped tubers are a risk from both glyphosate and dicamba exposure. NDSU research shows both chemicals can affect tuber production.

Dicamba drift a new danger for potato growers

Glyphosate has always been an issue, but new Xtend soybeans will likely see more dicamba applied

Crop damage caused by herbicide drift should be a risk on Manitoba potato producers’ radar this year. Soybean producers are gearing up to plant Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans following European Union approval last summer. The soybeans are tolerant to both glyphosate and dicamba herbicides. But dicamba drift can cause irreparable damage in neighbouring potato


Glyphosate-resistant kochia is the latest warning sign for Manitoba farmers.

Herbicide resistance quietly growing problem in Manitoba

Multi-pronged weed control strategies that go beyond chemicals are urged by researchers

Farmers may lose the war against herbicide-resistant weeds if they don’t start using other forms of control besides chemicals, a University of Manitoba weed scientist says. Herbicide resistance, common in other countries, is starting to appear in Western Canada and it’s just a matter of time before it becomes prevalent here too, Rob Gulden warns.

Now is the time for fall weed control. Cleavers, a problem weed in canola, is moving east in Manitoba.

Fall is a great time to control perennial weeds

Winter annuals are also ripe for cleanup at this time of year

It’s time to control winter annual, biennial and perennial weeds. “The perennials are going to start moving things down to the roots (including weed-killing herbicides),” Manitoba Agriculture’s weed specialist Jeanette Gaultier said in an interview Sept. 14. “So it is the perfect time now to be thinking about perennial weed control.” And there are no


With the crop coming off, grain value chain members are reminding growers to prevent herbicide residue issues and even naturally occurring toxins from hurting our international reputation.

A ‘clean’ harvest key to smooth trade

Take precautions against pesticide residues and naturally occurring toxins in grain

As farmers harvest this year’s crop they’re also being reminded that the eyes — and analytic testing equipment — of the world are on them like never before. Making sure they’re dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s during this critical time will help protect markets, avoid trade disputes and prevent lawsuits. “There is more

Canola seed colour change.

Consider straight combining canola to better manage harvest

Canola Council of Canada says it’s a good strategy if you have more acres 
than can be swathed at the ideal time

Straight combining canola can help farmers better manage harvest, but it won’t necessarily result in higher yields. “Compared to optimal swath timing, straight-cut yields are going to be similar over the long term,” Angela Brackenreed, Canola Council of Canada’s eastern Manitoba agronomy specialist told the Eastman Crop Talk webinar Aug. 4. “We are certainly leaving


Dairy farmer Markus Legge is coping with the European “dairy crisis” by lowering costs and increasing his margins through organic milk production.

German agriculture under the microscope

International Agriculture: Farmers are pursuing sustainability against a backdrop 
of increasing public scrutiny

Rommerskirchen, Germany – Here are our ‘plant protection’ products,” Willi Kremer Schilling told a delegation of foreign journalists as they entered the fortress-like warehouse at the Buir-Bilesheimer Agricultural Co-operative. “I never say ‘pesticides,” he said. “These are ‘medicines’ for plants.” Willi is one of the 1,150-member co-op’s farmer-directors and he proudly hosts tours of its new

combine harvesting

Keep an eye on the customer while on the combine

Incredibly low tolerance levels and better testing make pesticide label adherence more important than ever

Warren Buffet, once quipped, “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” This is something worth thinking about as we start to prepare for harvest. Canada has a strong reputation for consistently delivering safe, high-quality grain to our customers both