The eBee Ag unit is lightweight (roughly 750 g) but can follow a detailed flight plan without remote controls. (Ralph Pearce photo)

Pearce: UAV system adds immediacy to crop diagnostics

When Felix Weber brought the Swinglet Cam to market about three years ago, the capability for “reading” a crop’s progress through different imagining cameras was considered revolutionary. Adoption of the technology has been slow, though, with early innovators spreading the message. This year, senseFly, manufacturer of the Swinglet Cam, has introduced the eBee Ag system, […] Read more

Late seeding keeping mustard bids firm

CNS Canada — Wet weather and a few other challenges are posting some early-season headaches for mustard growers, particularly in Saskatchewan, but three industry watchers say they’re still optimistic this year’s crop will be a successful one. Early-season estimates pegged mustard acreage in 2014 at 450,000 acres in Canada, with 350,000 of those in Saskatchewan […] Read more


Acres too wet to seed on June 9, 2014, between Elva and Melita, Man., about 150 km east of Estevan, Sask. (Photo by Sylvia MacBean for the Manitoba Co-operator)

Wet soils slow seeding in SW Manitoba

CNS Canada — Wet soil conditions continued to cause problems for farmers in southwestern Manitoba during the week ended Monday, with some areas reporting only 10 to 20 per cent of planting was complete. Edward, a rural municipality in the province’s southwestern corner, declared a state of emergency Thursday with about 65 km of roads […] Read more



Seeding nearing completion in Alberta

CNS Canada — Seeding in Alberta is nearing completion, with about 90 per cent of the crop reported in the ground as of Friday, despite the southern part of the province starting about two weeks later than normal. “Although it was a late start to the year, we had really good conditions for people to […] Read more

Sclerotinia apothecia are very small, about half a centimetre, requiring growers to look closely while scouting. (Photo courtesy Canola Council of Canada)

Factors line up for sclerotinia in 2014

To spray or not to spray? It’s a tougher question when it comes to sclerotinia in canola than for most other crop diseases. Last year, the high levels of sclerotinia many forecasters called for didn’t materialize. This year’s disease levels, and farmers’ decisions about going to the expense of spraying to control it, will mainly […] Read more






(CropChatter.com)

CropChatter: Warm soil means fast emergence

With most soil temperatures across Manitoba now averaging over 10C, and the good soil moisture, crops — and weeds — are emerging quickly, the provincial ag department warns. Most crops seeded in the stretch around May 16 to 18 are up and out of the ground — even larger-seeded and heat-loving grain corn and sunflowers, […] Read more


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