
Forages

Canola, Cereals, Corn, Crops, Forages, Hay, Pasture, Peas, Pulses, Soybeans, Spring Wheat, Winter Wheat
Manitoba crops in good shape: Report
Rainfall amounts vary widely
Crops in Manitoba continued to come along nicely, the provincial agriculture department reported for the week ended June 24.

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

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

Barley, Canola, Cereals, Forages, Lentils, Markets, Oats, Peas, Pulses, Soybeans, Spring Wheat, Winter Wheat
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.

Alberta seeding leaps ahead by almost 30 points
Moisture levels still strong despite declines
Spring planting in Alberta made a 27-point jump at 47 per cent complete during the week ended May 13, according to the latest crop report from the province. That's 21 points above the five-year average.

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

Barley, Canola, Cereals, Corn, Forages, Hay, Markets, News, Oats, Peas, Pulses, Soybeans, Spring Wheat, Winter Wheat
Seeding in Manitoba picking up the pace
Most fields still have good soil moisture
Overall spring planting in Manitoba reached eight per cent complete as of May 6, with some areas of the province much further along, the latest provincial crop report said.

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
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.

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