By Allan Dawson Glacier FarmMedia staff Better regulations are needed to prevent contamination from genetically modified organisms (GMOs). That’s what the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN) and the SaskOrganics’ Organic Agriculture Protection Fund committee (OAPF) concludes in a report called GM Contamination in Canada: The failure to contain living modified organisms – incidents and impacts. […]
By Laura Rance Glacier FarmMedia editorial director Saskatoon – Organic farmers are mistaken if they think they will be spared from the clubroot infestation making its way across the Prairies because they don’t grow canola, a crops extension specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture says. Brent Flaten warned growers attending the SaskOrganics annual conference March 29 the […]
By Alexis Stockford Glacier FarmMedia staff The University of Manitoba’s farm-based organic wheat-breeding program is ready to start towards commercialization, but the body responsible for recommending new genetics to the CFIA says there is still work to be done. Jamie Larsen, chair of the Prairie Recommending Committee for Wheat, Rye and Triticale (PRCWRT), says a […]
Farmers are pushing the boundaries of roller-crimping winter rye and direct seeding soybeans behind Planting soybeans into a just-terminated cover crop of winter rye is gaining popularity among Ontario’s organic community, as farmers strive to introduce minimum-till strategies into their rotations. No-till planting has so far not become common in any other crops under organic […]
Farmtario – A four-year, multi-location study aims to find organic soybean varieties suited for Ontario and Manitoba. The study, funded through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP), will help find varieties better to grow under organic conditions. “There is still strong demand,” said Rob Wallbridge, organic specialist with Thompsons Limited. Wallbridge was joined by a number […]
By Gord Gilmour Glacier FarmMedia Staff Manitoba Agriculture has released its latest organic crops cost-of-production figures and once again the production system is stacking up well against conventional agriculture. Higher production costs are typically met by higher prices, which more than offset the production lag organic growers can experience, Roy Arnott, a farm management specialist […]
Cornell University – Apple orchards surrounded by agricultural lands are visited by a less diverse collection of bee species than orchards surrounded by natural habitats, according to a new Cornell University-led study, published in the journal Science. In turn, apple production suffers when fewer, more closely-related species of bees pollinate an orchard. Production improves in orchards […]
Ty and Janice Shelton have made significant improvements to their potato yields by properly managing their soil By Jeremy Simes Glacier FarmMedia staff The Shelton family has managed to turn their once sandy soils into something rich and fertile, a testament to their ongoing commitment to improve the land. The proof can be seen in […]
OrganicBiz staff The ‘USDA Organic’ label has become been a point of tension as organic food prices rise. But what does it mean? In the U.S., USDA certified organic foods must be produced under federal guidelines for soil quality, animal rearing and pesticide use. Produce is organic if it’s grown in soil that uses no prohibited substances, such as pesticides, for three years […]
New research considers pesticide-cleansing properties of rice plants America Society of Agronomy – Rice is a staple food crop of 20 percent of the world’s population. It’s also grown on every continent except Antarctica. While it’s an important part of our diets, new research shows that rice plants can be used in a different way, […]
