forage research plots in Quebec

Evaluating forage performance in different environments

Research on the Record with Reynold Bergen

About 20 years ago, Doug Wray drove in from Irricana, Alta., for an informal meeting at the Alberta Beef Producers’ office, where I worked at the time. He asked why the beef industry didn’t fund more forage breeding. Back then, the usual beef industry response to forage breeding proposals was “Let the government and forage […] Read more


two people conducting a prescribed burn of grasses

Reintroducing fire to Saskatchewan pastures

Prescribed burns can be effective at 
revitalizing native grasslands when done right

Pastures evolve over time. Woody plants and shrubs, which cattle can’t eat, may encroach on natural grasses. Invasive species, such as Kentucky bluegrass, may also move in, cutting into native grass productivity. One way of managing this is through fire. At the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference, Eric Lamb and Renny Grilz presented recent research regarding […] Read more

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Saskatchewan few points short of wrapping up spring planting

Topsoil moisture levels down

Farmers in Saskatchewan have virtually wrapped up their spring seeding for 2025, with the provincial agriculture department reporting the crops were 97 per cent planted as of June 2. That's up nine points on the week, three ahead of this time last year and two above the five-year average.



bales of alfalfa in an open field

Five things to consider when selecting alfalfa varieties

Research shows penny-pinching doesn’t pay off

When shopping for the right alfalfa variety, it’s usually well worth splurging for a top yielder, retired University of Wisconsin-Madison professor and forage expert Dan Undersander says. Undersander ran 298 alfalfa yield trials between 1985 and 2016. Results clearly showed penny-pinching doesn’t pay off when it comes to choosing a variety. “Out of those 298 […] Read more



Forage brassica growing in a demonstration plot.

No recipe, only guidelines, to cover crops

There are many factors to consider when growing cover crops

More farmers and ranchers are looking at cover crops for many reasons, ranging from animal health, to reducing erosion, to capturing moisture. But how can people make them work on their operation? Kevin Elmy sees the benefits of a more hands-on approach to cover crop management. Through Cover Crops Canada, he talks with farmers and […] Read more


First Manitoba crop report says seeding slightly ahead of pace

First Manitoba crop report says seeding slightly ahead of pace

Soil moisture conditions very from region to region

Spring planting in Manitoba registered at three per cent complete in the provincial agriculture department’s first crop report of 2025. Manitoba Agriculture released the report on April 29, noting planting progress was two points ahead of the five-year average.

a drone flying over a farm field

The sky’s the limit with Ducks Unlimited drone seeding program

Seeding forages into marginal areas has benefits for the farmer, the land and local wildlife

When seeding forages in marginal areas, there might be a new way to do things — from the air. Many producers have marginal land on their operations that have poor yields and are uneconomical. For years, Ducks Unlimited Canada has urged seeding those areas to perennial forages.  A recent project with drones could make that […] Read more