Conference speakers proof of the changing face of modern agriculture

Manitoba Farm Women’s Conference showcases how factors such as the local food movement, new entrants, and women’s changing roles are bringing a new excitement to farming

When Leona Dargis and her four sisters chose to continue to farm after their parents’ death five years ago, they knew they were breaking with convention. The girls, then ranging in age from 15 to 22, were orphaned when a small plane piloted by their father Jean and carrying their mother Joanne crashed Aug. 12,

Wheat and barley varietal research benefits producers

Arecent return-on-investment study commissioned by the Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF) has estimated that investment in wheat and barley varietal research is providing producers with a very high return. This study calculates that on average every producer checkoff dollar invested into wheat varietal research has returned $20.40 in value to the producer. Barley varietal research



More diversified weed management practices needed

Public- and private-sector weed scientists agree integrated weed management, rather than any magic-bullet chemistry, will be the way forward to maintain viable fields against herbicide-resistant weeds. Scientists from across Canada gathered in Winnipeg last week to discuss new research at the Canadian Weed Science Society’s 66th annual conference. Much of the research on the agenda



Rain may curb wheat area in France, Britain

paris / reuters / Recent heavy rains could prevent some wheat from being sown in France and Britain after some rapeseed area was lost in the two major European crop producers, adding further uncertainty to the global supply outlook, analysts said. Germany, however, has seen favourable sowing conditions for both crops, with rapeseed notably expected


Syngenta to enter Prairie canola seed market

Syngenta plans to broaden its canola portfolio beyond chemicals and launch its own new canola seed varieties on the Prairies starting next fall. “This is an exceptional time to be in the canola seed market, given the extent of breeding and varietal development activities going on across the country,” Dave Sippell, Syngenta’s head of diverse

Concern raised about Tordon sprayed in ditches

David Neufeld learned the hard way how persistent this herbicide is 
and now wonders how surface and groundwater are affected

A Boissevain farmer is questioning the safety of a herbicide commonly sprayed on ditch weeds after discovering it makes the compost he uses in his organic greenhouse toxic to bedding plants. David Neufeld got a nasty surprise when his greenhouse tomatoes suddenly died in 2010. A Winnipeg laboratory found the composted horse manure he was


Hemp industry receives federal funds

The Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance will get federal support to finance research into hemp varieties suited to different regions and to promote hemp products on international markets. “Investments like these will help Canadian farmers tap into growing demand for hemp, diversify their businesses, and capture new revenue sources,” said MP Blaine Calkins, (Wetaskawin), on behalf

Monsanto’s dicamba-tolerant soybeans approved

Monsanto Company’s dicamba-tolerant soybean product has received full food, feed and environmental release approval from Health Canada (HC) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). The approval brings Monsanto Canada one step closer to introducing dicamba tolerance stacked with Monsanto’s existing Genuity(R) Roundup Ready 2 Yield(R) trait technology in soybeans. Plans are to commercially brand