Who would be the best to lead a “high level delegation” to China to sort out the canola issue?
On Tuesday morning while in Winnipeg, Prime Minister Trudeau stated that “we are looking at the possibility of sending a high level delegation to China.” The Prime Minister is facing stiff criticism from western Canadian farmers for the lack of apparent action and response on the canola matter. This critique will only heighten with the… Read More
‘It’s our livelihood at stake‘: farmers react to China’s decision to stop buying Canadian canola
The news that China has blocked not just Richardson International’s exported canola, but all Canadian canola seed has sparked outrage among farmers across Canada. “It’s very frustrating to be shut out of our largest market. This is why you need your national organizations and your federal government constantly nurturing these relationships to keep trade functioning,”… Read More
Canadians say new Food Guide doesn’t fit their taste preference
Following the recent release of Canada’s Food Guide, Dalhousie University launched a survey to judge awareness, understanding, and affordability of the new guide. Led by Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, senior director at the Dalhousie University Agrifood Analytics Lab, the study suggests that although more than one-quarter of those surveyed say the new Food Guide recommendations are not affordable,… Read More
Canadian dairies raise the bar on reproduction
Reproduction performance on Canadian dairy farms is getting better but there’s still room for improvement. That’s the message Mark Cason, EastGen Genetics reproductive solutions manager, shared with producers attending the Western Canadian Dairy Seminar at Red Deer, Alta., earlier this month. Carson’s insights are based on analysis of CanWest DHI herds greater than 150 cows from… Read More
Supply management groups await budget details on $3.9 billion in compensation
The federal government has earmarked nearly $4 billion in compensation in its next budget for those involved in the supply-managed sector. Now, dairy, chicken, and turkey groups are waiting for the specific details on how the money will be doled out. “What I see here in the budget is something that, where the government is… Read More
Trade Wars vs Weather (Depends Who You Talk To) — this week in the grain markets
Grain markets worked through the third week of March with weather headlines drowning most of the Chinese trade issues in the U.S., but it was the opposite in Canada. In outside markets, global stocks and bond yields fell on Friday as fresh data points have amplified some thinking about a weakening world economy. On Thursday,… Read More
Beef Market Update: Lean hog futures, spring moisture, and waiting on export numbers
While we anxiously await early 2019 statistics, the final 2018 export numbers are in and, when it comes to beef, the numbers are solid. In this week’s Beef Market Update, Gateway Livestock Exchange’s Anne Wasko joins stand-in host Lyndsey Smith to talk about what’s lifting live cattle prices. You don’t have to look much farther… Read More
Time for a Code of Practice for grain production
By Cam Dahl I was on a speaker’s panel a few weeks back with a farmer who said he never wanted to hear the word sustainability again. I understand the sentiment but we, as an industry, are going to be hearing that word more and more from customers and consumers around the world. Farmers shy… Read More
Canada needs to start talking tougher on global issues
The Canadian government needs to start being honest with itself and farmers. Talking a tougher game would be a great start. China has hijacked the Canadian canola industry. Until someone proves to me otherwise I will continue to say that China’s cancellation of a major grain company’s export license is political. Pretending that this is… Read More
China refuses purchases of all Canadian canola; Canola Council disappointed issue can’t be resolved quickly
Many questions still remain around why Chinese authorities blocked all canola export shipments from Richardson International about two weeks ago. For quite some time, China has been a major importer of Canadian canola. China’s imports account for roughly 4o per cent of of all Canadian exports of canola seed, oil, and meal. The Canola Council of Canada… Read More
Beyond rotating modes-of-action: preventing herbicide resistance with cultural controls
Herbicide resistance will sneak up on you if you don’t change up your management practices from time to time. Steve Shirtliffe works to help farmers develop strategies to keep resistance issues at bay. He is a professor at the University of Saskatchewan, and I caught up to him at the recent CropConnect conference at Winnipeg,… Read More
Wheat Pete’s Word, Mar 20: Tillering strategies, keeping soil covered, and help for sandy knolls
The first day of spring has brought with it a flood of calls and questions on managing the wheat crop as it wakes up — and host Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson couldn’t be happier. In this week’s Wheat Pete’s Word, we have to start with some incredibly sad news out of Nebraska, where farmers and… Read More
MPs hold emergency meeting to discuss blocked canola shipments
Over the weekend, Members of Parliament held an emergency meeting to discuss the restriction of canola shipments from Richardson International to China. The news of the blocked shipments broke about two weeks ago, and China import officials say the revoked cargo was due to ‘hazardous pests’. Brandon-Souris MP, Larry Maguire says other MPs wanted this emergency… Read More
Resistance Management School: What’s the risk level on your farm?
Quite often, growers discover herbicide resistant weeds on their farm after an effective herbicide fails to take out a targeted weed. After some testing and reviewing past herbicide application records, growers might realize that the resistance problem is the result of repeated use of a particular herbicide or a history of not following best management… Read More
Corn School: Corn agronomy for western Canadian conditions
Corn is moving into new territory — mainly west and north — but the agronomic information farmers in these new areas rely on is still largely based on data from places such as Illinois and Iowa. This has provided a basis for new corn farmers to get started, but there are a lot of differences… Read More
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Viterra becomes second business to face canola export ban to China
March 26 2019
Effective immediately, China’s General Administration of Customs has banned Viterra’s shipments of canola to the Asian country. This announcement...Read more
Prime minister to meet Richardson International CEO
March 26 2019
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Latest RealAg Radio
RealAg Radio, Mar. 25: Freeland in D.C., weed resistance, and latest sprayer technology
March 25 2019
RealAg Radio is back for another week and host Shaun Haney has a great line up for agronomic Monday. Guests for today’s show include: Jessika Guse...Read more