Many Alberta farmers were rocked by wild weather this summer, with overall claim activity 25 per cent above average, according to the Canadian Crop Hail Association. The association’s latest report stated that although insurance companies saw more normal claim volumes from Alberta in August, storms struck southern Alberta early in the season. Central Alberta was […] Read more
Claims for storm-damaged crops above average for Alta.
Guenther: Late-season flea beetles are next spring’s problem
The growing season is winding down, but pest insects are still feeding in parts of the Prairies. Here’s an overview of what farmers, agronomists and entomologists are seeing in the fields — and what farmers can do about it. Late season flea beetles showing up Scott Meers and Shelley Barkley of Alberta Agriculture and Rural […] Read more
Hail tapers off on Prairies
Saskatchewan hail claims have slowed over the last two weeks, but some farmers were hit a second or third time this year, according to the Canadian Crop Hail Association. An Aug. 5 storm nailed farmers in southeastern and southwestern Saskatchewan, netting hail claims from many communities, the insurers’ association report noted Monday. Farmers as far […] Read more
Storing grain using tarps and bags? Prepare the ground in advance
Tarping dry grain on the ground is OK for a day or a week, Dr. Chelladurai Vellaichamy says, but not any longer. Chelladurai Vellaichamy is a Ph.D. student in biosystems engineering at the University of Manitoba. Vellaichamy and his colleagues have been researching canola storage in grain bags for three years, with support from the […] Read more
Bertha not yet at threshold in Alta. fields
Alberta agronomists are seeing bertha armyworms in the field, but the pest hasn’t reached economic levels in most areas yet. Agronomists across the province shared information Wednesday during a weekly Twitter chat organized by Shelley Barkley and Scott Meers of Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. Meers and Barkley scouted about 25 fields in the Vegreville […] Read more
Alta. crop hail claims reported above normal
Hail is wreaking havoc in Alberta this summer, forcing farmers to file many more hail claims than normal to date, according to the Canadian Crop Hail Association’s latest report. About 300 claims in the province stemmed from a July 20 storm that ran from Rimbey to Alix, the association said Tuesday. A July 27 storm […] Read more
Saskatchewan insects – hoppers aren’t only around during drought
Despite wet weather, grasshoppers are plaguing Saskatchewan farmers this summer. Saskatchewan Agriculture’s most recent crop report notes grasshopper problems in every region except the east-central and west-central parts of the province. Dr. Julie Soroka, entomologist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, said the economic threshold for grasshoppers is eight to 12 hoppers per square metre, but […] Read more
Weevils, grasshoppers on Prairie farmers’ radar
As this year’s crops develop on the Prairies, several pests are growing right along with them. Cabbage seedpod weevils, grasshoppers and alfalfa weevils are all on farmers’ radar right now — and wheat midge may be, soon. Here’s a look at the insect situation across the Prairies: Cabbage seedpod weevils are popping up in Alberta […] Read more
Guenther: Rush at seeding left less-than-ideal crop treatment window
Whether cereal growers plan to treat for leaf disease or fusarium head blight, fungicide timing is essential — but this spring, in which many acres were seeded in a very short stretch, complicates matters. Kristina Polziehn, technical specialist with BASF, says farmers in such a situation with a lot of acres to cover may need […] Read more
Lakeside beef plant in reputation-rebuilding mode
Officials at JBS Canada are working to rebuild the food safety reputation at their Lakeside beef packing plant after last fall’s massive meat recall from the plant under the XL Foods banner. The 2012 recall was the largest beef recall in Canadian history. A federally-appointed review panel recently released a report blasting both XL Foods […] Read more
Canadian Cattlemen Presents: Depth of Field
