Sunflower Quality Poor

Manitoba’s sunflower crop turned out relatively poor this year, as growing conditions led to low yields and caused disease problems. As a result, premium prices are available for good-quality sunflower seed, and the tighter supplies will likely cause some processors to import more U. S. sunflower seed. Oilseed sunflowers in the Red River Valley and

Alliance Purchases Parent Seed Farms

Alliance Grain Traders Inc. (AGTI) has announced the purchase of Parent Seed Farms, a longtime merchandiser and processor of dry edible beans in St. Joseph, Manitoba. Alliance is a large pulse-trading organization with 14 facilities in Canada, the U. S., Turkey and Australia, and owner of SaskCan Pulse Trading, based in Regina. Alliance also recently


Late-Harvested Crops Require Careful Attention

With several crops still in the field, farmers must decide what to harvest first, at what moisture content and how to store for long-term quality. Sunflowers can hold out longer than swathed canola if the sunflowers are disease free and in good shape. And flax is less likely to shell out than canola. Some crops,

Harvesting Wet Soybeans

You want your beans in the combine, not on the ground. After a tough growing season for soybeans there are two more hurdles – harvest and drying. When racing to get the soybeans off keep the combine groundspeed reasonable. It helps keep the cutterbar low which reduces losses. The best beans are often lowest on


Pleasant Surprise

Early last spring I looked over the flower seed assortment. There were many envelopes with self-harvested seeds more than three years old. These would go out for the birds. I tossed them onto the ground between the deer-proof fence and the row of mature trees. Weeks later, there bloom the healthiest, greenest and prettiest specimens,

Sippell Named CSTA President

Dave Sippell, president of Syngenta Seeds Canada, was named the 71st president of the Canadian Seed Trade Association (CSTA) following the association’s annual meeting in Whistler, B. C. Sippell said the seed trade will face the challenge of feeding the world’s growing population as competitors because “that makes us more efficient and effective, but as


Insect Control In Canola — Without Malathion

Insects in stored canola will not feed on sound, healthy seeds. However, moisture-loving fungus feeders such as foreign grain beetles, psocids and mites may be found in canola if it’s in poor condition. Primary stored product insects such as rusty grain beetle, red flour beetle and saw-toothed grain beetle can occasionally be found in stored

Burning Suggested As A Weed Control Method

“It won’t be 100 per cent effective but it will obviously reduce the number of weed seeds.” – GARY MARTENS A new study has cast a fresh light on the method of controlling weeds through burning – not the plants themselves but the seeds they leave behind. “Fire is capable of sharply reducing the probability


Cool Soil Temperatures Canola Sprouts

Across the Prairies this spring, canola emergence is very slow and in some fields, uneven. Research has shown much lower and slower canola germination at low temperatures. Soil temperatures above 5C have little effect on the time to 50 per cent germination; however, the number of days to 50 per cent germination increases dramatically at

If It’s Too Wet To Drive Across, It’s Too Wet To Seed

Business Development Specialist – oilseeds Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development Delayed seeding due to flooding or wet conditions may have you considering broadcast seeding your canola by floater or aerial application. In general, broadcast seeding is not recommended. This includes seeding canola by aircraft onto very wet fields: if it’s too wet to drive