Sustainable agriculture Archives - Page 5 of 37

Clayton Robins is among the few farmers happy about the state of his pastures and hay crops, something he partly credits to his pasture management and integration of alternative grazing on annuals. His take on cover crops has earned him a place in the CFGA’s national carbon sequestration project.

Manitoba forage growers tapped for carbon project

The national project is the next step toward the CFGA’s goal of having farmers paid for storing carbon

By Alexis Stockford August 6, 2019

Five Manitoba farmers are helping the Canadian Forage and Grassland Association (CFGA) put a value on carbon storage. Ryan Canart of Miniota, Allan Preston of Hamiota, Matt Van Steelandt of Melita, Jonathan Bouw of Anola and Clayton Robins of Rivers are all recognizable names on the grazing, soil health or regenerative agriculture field tour circuits

Comment, Opinion, Other

Comment: Bring back the PFRA

Soil conservation in Canada has been losing ground despite a general feeling erosion is a problem of the past

By John Morriss May 26, 2019

Some say it saved Western Canada. But the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration, perhaps the most respected government agency in Canada’s history, was dissolved in 2003. It’s time to bring it back. Scientific principles are one thing. Encouraging farmers to use them are another — that requires expertise in ‘extension,’ a word which has unfortunately fallen

Crops, Equipment, Other

The vertical-tillage question defies pat answers

The controversial practice can serve a purpose, but won’t solve soil compaction

By Don Norman April 15, 2019

Vertical tillage is a tricky term to grapple with. It’s less a method of tillage than it is a grouping of implements sold under that banner. It is marketed as a means to deal with soil compaction but in reality the implements marketed under that umbrella do little to address that problem. Yet, in certain

Clubroot affects all cruciferous plants – not just canola (seen here) – which includes brassica oilseeds such as mustard.

Crops, News

Organic farmers don’t get a pass on clubroot

Clubroot can also infect mustard, radish and other brassicas

By Laura Rance-Unger April 10, 2019

Organic farmers are mistaken if they think they will be spared from the clubroot infestation making its way across the Prairies because they don’t grow canola, a crops extension specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture says. Brent Flaten warned growers attending the SaskOrganics annual conference March 29 the disease affects all cruciferous plants, and that includes brassica

Many farmers are keenly aware that the non-farming public has gained considerable market and political power over what they see as “unsustainable” food production practices.

Comment

Comment: If you want to see the future, you need to look ahead

Everyone wants to be seen as sustainable but what does that buzzword even mean?

By Alan Guebert March 20, 2019

To most farmers and ranchers, “sustainable” is a word that, like exercise or vacation, has a dictionary definition and a personal definition. The difference between the two, however, often is the difference between the local fair and the World’s Fair. These folks aren’t alone. Almost everyone and everything from commodity groups to coal companies make

Lady beetle making a meal out of aphids.

Crops, Local news

Participants wanted for on-farm study of flowering habitats

Study will look at impact of flowering habitats for pollinators, natural enemies of pests

By Manitoba Agriculture February 8, 2019

Pollinators and natural enemies of pests may improve the health of agroecosystems. Have you considered practices to enhance them on your farm? If so, we want to partner with you for an on-farm project. Project Establish flowering plants at crop field margins to determine if this habitat increases crop productivity by increasing pollinators and natural

There’s no shortage of problems to solve on the average farm.

Crops

Overcoming ongoing challenges key to success

Farmer panel says finding solutions through trial and error moves operations forward

By Angela Lovell January 21, 2019

Farming is problem solving in action. There’s always a new challenge and there isn’t always a ready solution. Why it matters: Farms always have challenges to face. These farmers say they looked for permanent solutions, some of which evolved over time. What’s interesting is how every farmer chooses to deal with those challenges. At the

“In the dictionary sustainable is a level line. That’s not where we want to be. We’ve got to be beyond sustainable.”

News, Other

Beyond buzzwords: Ag Excellence panel weighs in on ag export targets

Strong trade agreements, addressing labour shortages, reliable infrastructure, sound ag education and public trust are all key ingredients

By Lorraine Stevenson January 14, 2019

Graeme Finn recalls handing a visitor to his farm a handful of soil and asking their thoughts. The Alberta beef producer had World Wildlife Fund representatives there to hear how their Madden-area farm’s grazing practices were benefiting species at risk. “Well, it’s dirt,” Finn recalls them saying. “I said, ‘you’ve got more life forms in

Regenerative agriculture attracts many types of farmers but they all share one goal: building the soil.

Local news, News

Regenerative agriculture creates a sprawling road map

Farmers who want to move past ‘sustainability’ have lots of management advice, but they’re also drawn from a wide range of sectors and every practice may not fit every operation

By Alexis Stockford January 3, 2019

Blain Hjertaas of Redvers, Sask., and David Rourke of Minto, Man., were both well-known faces before their panel at the MFGA Regenerative Agriculture Conference in Brandon late last November. Why it matters: Regenerative agriculture has got lots of time in the headlines, but the movement may look very different for an organic farmer with 3,000

Crops, News

Keeping hemp company

Studying ways to maximize agricultural potential by underseeding hemp crops

By Don Norman December 12, 2018

One Manitoba agriculture research group is trying a few new things with hemp that involve the crop sharing the land. In 2017 and 2018, the Westman Agricultural Diversification Organization (WADO) conducted a study on relay and intercropping with hemp. With most of the data in from that two-year study, WADO’s Scott Chalmers spoke to an

Daily Network News

Women who fed a nation

U.S. grains: Soybeans rise on China demand hopes; corn and wheat rebound

U.S. livestock: Hogs rebound, cattle hit upward limits

Tag Archives Sustainable agriculture