The upper ridge that has been in place over much of B.C. and Alberta over the last few weeks looks to remain in place, at least for a few more days. There are some indications of a shift in the overall weather pattern towards a warm and wetter setup. As predicted, an area of low […] Read more
Prairie Forecast: Above-average temperatures to continue
Covering the period from May 17 to 24, 2023
Prairie Forecast Update: Forecast on track
Forecast issued May 14, 2023, covering the half-week stretch from May 14 to 17, 2023
The weather models have been remarkably accurate for this time of the year. The big weather picture remains the same. There is a large, persistent ridge of high pressure over far Western Canada with an equally persistent trough of low pressure over Eastern Canada. This means western regions will continue to see sunny, dry and […] Read more
Fairs, exhibitions concerned over new traceability proposals
Event volunteers may lack skills needed, association says
The Canadian Association of Fairs and Exhibitions (CAFE) says proposed federal regulations regarding livestock traceability are putting animal events across the country at risk. Their concerns centre around new directives centred around moving and tagging which they say would affect Canada’s 5,000 fairs, rodeos and other events. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has proposed that […] Read more
Anti-viral technologies can reduce pathogen transmission in the greenhouse
Pandemic battle to reduce COVID transmission gave researchers a unique opportunity to study anti-viral potential in tomatoes
Three new anti-viral technologies could help prevent the transmission of both COVID-19 and a plant virus that affects tomatoes in commercial greenhouses. That’s according to a recent Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG) research project to refine and apply technologies used in other industries to greenhouses to test their effectiveness at inhibiting virus transmission. The project […] Read more
TFW program in good shape despite PSAC strike
Concern is rippling through Canada’s agriculture sector as the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) labour disruption drags on. PSAC represents 155,000 workers, most of whom walked off the job on April 19 after failing to reach a new contract deal with their employers. PSAC members have been working without a contract since June 2021. […] Read more
Buy or rent? Land rent-to-price ratio can help farmers decide
FCC sees current ratios on farmland as (roughly) stable
Higher interest rates don’t seem to be affecting the ratio between land values and land rental costs — at least, not yet. Farm Credit Canada’s latest analysis of farmland rental prices says they’re roughly maintaining their traditional linkage, says J.P Gervais, the organization’s chief economist. “We were curious to see whether that would bring up […] Read more
Potato industry looking to diversify mini-tuber production
With closure of SPUD Unit, industry considers options
A well-known Ontario potato breeder is looking to enlist participants in the production of potato minitubers. Peter VanderZaag, a potato breeder with Sunrise Potato in Alliston, Ont., gave a presentation on minituber production at the Ontario Potato Conference March 2 in Guelph. With the impending closure of the University of Guelph’s SPUD Unit in New […] Read more
Emergency registration approved for Captan
An extension of a 2022 emergency registration will help pepper growers manage anthracnose
Ontario pepper growers will be able to control strains of Anthracnose in their fields this year after an emergency approval of Captan. ADAMA Canada has obtained an emergency registration for Captan 80 WSP, a fungicide that has proven effective in managing Anthracnose including the new Colletotrichum Scovilei strain. “We know that Anthracnose can devastate a […] Read more
World could face record temperatures in 2023 as El Nino returns
New record highs 'more likely than not'
Brussels | Reuters — The world could breach a new average temperature record in 2023 or 2024, fuelled by climate change and the anticipated return of the El Nino weather phenomenon, climate scientists say. Climate models suggest that after three years of the La Nina weather pattern in the Pacific Ocean, which generally lowers global […] Read more
U.S. forecaster sees 62 per cent chance of El Nino developing during May-July
Argentina, parts of U.S. could benefit; Asian crops may not
Reuters — A U.S. weather forecaster on Thursday predicted a 62 per cent chance of the El Niño phenomenon developing in the Northern Hemisphere during May-July, and a strong chance toward end-year, likely compounding risks to crops across the globe. “The coastal warming in the eastern Pacific may foreshadow changes across the Pacific basin. Therefore, […] Read more
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