Youth Ag-Summit: Granddaughter of the revolution

Youth Ag-Summit: Granddaughter of the revolution

Grainews/Country Guide field editor Lisa Guenther meets with Norman Borlaug’s granddaughter Julie Borlaug. Norman Borlaug, who died in 2009, is credited with starting the “green revolution” of the 1960s. In this video, the younger Borlaug talks about the activities of the institute that now bears his name — and what she sees as the future […] Read more

Youth Ag-Summit: Mentoring future farmers

Youth Ag-Summit: Mentoring future farmers

Grainews’ Lisa Guenther spoke to organizers at this week’s Youth Ag-Summit in Canberra, Australia about why mentoring future farmers is important — and what they expect the summit’s youth delegates to take away from the event.


Youth Ag-Summit delegate Samba Ouma of Kenya, giving his acceptance speech Thursday night. (Lisa Guenther photo)

Youth Ag-Summit: Two to represent at UN meeting

Two delegates from the 2015 Youth Ag-Summit will be jetting to Rome in October to take part in a meeting of the United Nations’ Committee on World Food Security. Australia’s Laura Grubb and Kenya’s Samba Ouma were selected from 80 nominees. Ouma and Grubb are now charged with presenting the Canberra Youth Ag Declaration — […] Read more

(Lisa Guenther photo)

YOUTH AG-SUMMIT: Food challenges in focus

Feeding the nine billion-plus people expected to be living on our planet by 2050, from a land base that’s not expected to get any bigger, is the question posed to young “thought leaders” at this year’s Youth Ag-Summit. Grainews and Country Guide field editor Lisa Guenther is in Canberra this week for the event, hosted […] Read more


French durum player on fact-finding tour of Canada

Saskatchewan durum growers may have an unexpected visitor this summer. Since early May, Quentin Renault has been visiting farmers in Saskatchewan’s durum basket as part of a two-year study into Canadian durum. Renault is a development officer with Durum SAS, a French company that markets French durum. Durum SAS also buys Canadian durum as needed […] Read more



NW Sask. sees patchy canola, better cereals

Spring has been tough on many canola crops in northwestern Saskatchewan. “Canola — it’s kind of hit and miss. They’re just all over the place,” said Stephanie McMillan, an agronomist with AgriTeam Services at Glaslyn, Sask., about 90 km south of Meadow Lake. One field might have some plants at the two- to four-leaf stage, […] Read more



Farmland south of Turtleford benefited from recent rain. (Lisa Guenther photo)

Guenther: Rain drops in on NW Sask.

Farmers and ranchers in northwestern Saskatchewan received much-needed rain late last week and over the weekend. Tom Brown raises cattle and is a crop reporter for Saskatchewan Agriculture and the reeve for the Rural Municipality of Mervin. His farm at Turtleford, about 80 km east of Lloydminster, received 11 mm of rain on Thursday night, […] Read more

Late blight has cost potato growers worldwide billions in damaged crops. (Scott Bauer photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Soil bacteria may offer weapon against late blight in potatoes

Potato producers may soon have a new ally in their battle against late blight, and it’s right under their feet. Researchers have discovered bacterial strains in the soil that show promise as disease controls. Some bacteria suppress or inhibit late blight by over 90 per cent, according to an Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) release. […] Read more