Brussels | Reuters — The European Commission proposed measures on Wednesday to support farmers hit by the coronavirus restrictions, including aid to store surplus dairy and meat products. Under the […] Read more
Potatoes
EU sets out COVID-19 support for farmers
Moves meant to stabilize markets
Local propagation a sweet potato opportunity
Reliance on North Carolina propagators could present challenges for Canadian growers
Ontario’s sweet potato sector might not be large, but researchers at the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre says market opportunities in domestic propagation could help drive lucrative growth in the […] Read more
Plummeting french fry sales have potato growers re-evaluating
Restaurant closures slash demand, though 'chip sales have been great'
French fry sales are down across North America as tens of thousands of restaurants have closed during COVID-19, meaning the potato industry has to adapt quickly. Companies that turn potatoes […] Read more
Potato seed handling critical to production
Seed, soil and planter factors contribute to efficient emergence
Potato seed choice and preparation, planter setting, and creating the best seed bed all drive better plant emergence. Steven B. Johnson with the University of Maine told the 2020 Ontario […] Read more
Saskatchewan crop insurance deadline pushed to mid-April
Governments offer farmers 'flexibility'
The month-end deadline for Saskatchewan farmers to finalize contracts with the provincial Crown crop insurance agency for 2020 has been moved to April 13. Provincial Agriculture Minister David Marit and […] Read more
Fungicide reductions challenge potato growers
Spraying programs could double in cost in 2020
Regulatory changes by the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) are limiting fungicide options for Ontario potato farmers. That means more cost and more chance of resistance, says Darin Gibson with […] Read more
Crop input availability should be normal despite COVID-19
Farmers should take steps to limit risk of future disruption, says GFO CEO
Barring some changes to business interaction behaviours, producers should be able to access production inputs as usual this growing season – but accessing seasonal labour is another story. Why […] Read more
Unseasonal rain, hail damage winter crops in India
Crop quality issues may pressure prices
New Delhi | Reuters — Unseasonal torrential rains and hailstorms have damaged the winter-planted crops of millions of Indian growers, inundating wheat, potato, chickpea and rapeseed farms in large parts […] Read more
Sandhill Cranes continue to cause damage
A resolution to allow seed treatments for control of Sandhill Cranes was passed at the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association annual meeting. The cranes dig up seeds and other […] Read more
Making better spraying decisions with low-cost, early fungal disease detection
Spornado is being tested across Canada, especially in higher value vegetable crops
It was a call from a client looking for a low-tech method for early detection of a fungal disease in potatoes that charted a new course for Toronto microbiology lab […] Read more
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