grain bins

Four simple steps to storing grain safely this fall

Pay attention to sanitation, loading, aeration, and monitoring

This fall when you’re preparing your grain for storage, all you need to do is remember to SLAM. That’s short for sanitation, loading, aeration, and monitoring. The first step — removing any dust or debris from your bins before harvest — is “obviously important,” said Ryan Braun, Canadian sales manager for OPI, a grain storage

(Monsanto.com)

France bolsters ban on genetically modified crops

Paris | Reuters — France is to use a new European opt-out scheme to ensure a ban on the cultivation of genetically modified crops in the country remains in place, it said on Thursday. The European Union’s largest grain grower and exporter has asked the European Commission for France to be excluded from some GM


Martin Entz speaks about organic soybeans near Carman.

Higher seeding rate needed for organic soybeans

Transitioning to organic soybeans is possible with strategic planning

It’s a simple question, one that Martin Entz hopes producers will seriously consider. “Why not grow organic soybeans?” he asked producers gathered at the Ian N. Morrison research farm near Carman late last month for the Manitoba Pulse & Soybean Growers’ annual SMART Day. “Something farmers are always looking for is on-farm diversification, so we’ve

Neal Gutterson (r), head of biotech for DuPont Pioneer says new tools are speeding up the crop improvement process.

Corn and soybeans headed north and west

DuPont Pioneer is among a number of companies that see huge 
growth potential on the western Prairies

Earlier-maturing varieties of corn and soybeans rolling out across the Canadian Prairies will provide new cash crop options and contribute to more sustainable rotations, a senior official with DuPont Pioneer said here last week. While it is widely acknowledged that farmers are squeezing their canola rotations too tightly, setting the stage for a rise in



White head from wheat stem maggot (l), and larva of wheat stem maggot.

Manitoba crop insect and disease update

Summary of conditions as of July 28, 2015

Plant Pathogens: At the Crop Diagnostic Lab there are canola plants coming in with blackleg and sclerotinia. Some soybeans have been showing root rot – rhizoctonia and fusarium. Some sunflower fields are showing basal and mid-stalk sclerotinia. Some flax fields are showing pasmo lesions on stem and leaves. Insects: Levels of armyworms are starting to decline in some fields as


Manitoba Crop Report and Crop Weather report: Issue 13

Manitoba Crop Report and Crop Weather report: Issue 13

Conditions as of July 27, 2015

Generally, the condition of most crop types is rated as good in Manitoba. The continuing hot and humid weather conditions are advancing crops quickly. Harvest of winter wheat and fall rye is expected to start this week. To date, low disease pressure is noted in the winter cereal crops. Thunderstorms of varying severity resulted in

MASC estimates Manitoba farmers planted more canola, wheat and soybeans this spring

MASC estimates Manitoba farmers planted more canola, wheat and soybeans this spring

Acres too wet to seed down dramatically from 2014

Plantings of Manitoba’s three biggest acreage crops — canola, wheat and soybeans — are all projected to be higher in 2015, according to the Manitoba Agricultural Service Corporation’s (MASC) latest estimate. Based on assessing 94 per cent of farmers’ seeded acreage reports filed for crop insurance MASC estimates Manitoba farmers this spring sowed 3.2 million


Manitoba Crop Report and Crop Weather report: Issue 12

Manitoba Crop Report and Crop Weather report: Issue 12

Conditions as of July 20, 2015

Another week of generally good growing conditions continues to advance crops across Manitoba. Localized thunderstorms did result in significant precipitation amounts in some areas of the province, while other areas would still benefit from additional moisture. Disease pressure and insect activity continues to be monitored as the growing season progresses. Click here for the Crop Weather Report for

A farm employee pulls out cornstalks on an 18-hectare operation owned by a retired educator near Livingstone.  hotos: Shannon VanRaes

A mix of pragmatism and fear keeps GMOs out of Zambia

While the debate over GMO labelling continues in North America, Zambians take it for granted that they aren’t consuming products made with genetically modified ingredients

In Zambia, it’s practically everywhere. Maize is in tiny garden plots, on small farms, huge estates, in markets and on dinner plates. Since its introduction to Africa by the Portuguese in the 16th century, maize has become the main staple crop in this region. Two megalithic-size cobs even flank the entrance to the Zambia National