Touring The Drought Zone

This will not go down in history as one of the big drought years in Saskatchewan. When everything is tallied, 2009 will not rival years such as 1988 and 2002 for crop-related drought losses. In early July, the drought conditions in west-central and northwest Saskatchewan were steadily worsening. Farm group leaders and opposition politicians were

Organic Food No More Nutritious: Study

A new study from Great Britain has revived the old controversy about whether organic food is better for you. The study by a team from the London School for Hygiene and Tropical Health found no major difference in the nutrient content of organically grown food compared to conventionally grown food. Any differences that do exist


Organic Systems Explore Sustainable Options

“Sixty-five pounds of nitrogen per acre is very possible in Manitoba.” – MARTIN ENTZ Researchers tending the fields at the University of Manitoba’s research farm here have another duty to add to their daily roster – moving sheep. A small flock of ewes and lambs has taken up residence on site as part of the

MZTRA Farm Sees Big Benefits From Alfalfa

“It may be one of the methods that we can help the guys in the heavier clay soils down in the Red River Valley move into a reduced-tillage regime.” – LINDSAY COULTHARD It’s hard not to like alfalfa. But Lindsay Coulthard’s feel ings for the nitrogen-fixing legume go a little deeper than most. During a


The Looming Food Crisis?

We are not trying to pick a fight with the scientists and companies who provide the basic research on GMOs, just their pitchmen… their arguments are disingenuous at best and blackmail at worst. We tend to cringe when we hear someone argue that food production is not keeping up with demand. We heard Earl Butz

Glen Nicoll — A Good Friend Passes

Just before press time Monday, we learned that Glen Nicoll, a longtime market columnist for the cattle industry in Manitoba, lost his battle with brain cancer early June 29. This is the second tragic loss that we report in this issue – columnist Paul Beingessner died last week in an accident on his farm in


Canada And U. S. Agree On Organic Standards

Canada can now export certified organic products to U. S. markets without getting American certification, now that both countries have agreed to accept each other’s national standards for organic food. The long-awaited equivalency agreement, announced by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the U. S Department of Agriculture (USDA) June 17, means organic farmers

Alternatives To Traditional Pesticides

Scientists at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) have taken a “national team” approach to the development of biopesticides. A biopesticide is a biological agent, or micro-organism such as bacteria, used to control pesky insects, weeds and plant diseases in place of chemical pesticides. More than 20 AAFC scientists from coast to coast are co-ordinating steps


Herbicide Residues Affect Sunflowers

Some crops are more sensitive to herbicide carry-over than others. Sunflowers can be negatively affected by herbicide residues. Visual damage can vary from mild to severe symptoms, but yield potential and quality can be affected greatly. The following recommendations are from the Guide to Field Crop Protection 2009. For more information and to verify risk,

Screwing Up Plots… On Purpose

“Some of the winter wheat in the plots looks poor now, but it might be OK by July.” – KIM LIVINGSTON-BROWN While most farmers were headed for their fields trying to beat the rain May 12, John Heard and his colleagues were busy preparing to screw up some plots at the University of Manitoba’s Ian