Farmers Edge has signed a four-year agreement with global reinsurance company PartnerRe to bring precision farming technology together with ag insurance. Under the agreement announced this week, the two companies plan to work together to develop new insurance products for the agricultural market. While Canadian farmers have access to government-run, subsidized crop insurance programs, as […] Read more
Farmers Edge to use data to edge into insurance sector
BASF’s new Canadian stake to include three plants, 300 staff
Among the major players still in the world’s crop protection and seed business, remaining competitive comes at a cost. To be sure, several smaller companies remain in the game — but with marriages now consummated for Dow Chemical and DuPont, and for Syngenta and ChemChina, Bayer’s pending takeover of Monsanto and, now, BASF getting set […] Read more
Heat LQ cleared for pre-harvest use in wheat, barley
Wheat, durum and barley growers have a new pre-harvest herbicide option now that BASF has received Codex maximum residue limits (MRLs) for its product Heat LQ. While “there were probably some wheat acres already harvested,” according to Dan Packer, BASF’s cereals crop manager, this agreement will provide an additional pre-harvest option for farmers who still […] Read more
Saskatchewan budget seen as costly touch for farms
Saskatchewan’s general farm organization is consulting its farmer members on less-discussed features of last month’s provincial budget, while warning them to brace for impact from new budget-related costs. The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan last Monday wrapped up its latest round of spring district meetings, at all six of which APAS general manager Duane Haave […] Read more
Minogue: Back to school for hands-on learning
On the first day of Saskatchewan Agriculture’s annual Crop Diagnostic School about 100 ag retailers, agronomists and farmers gathered in Swift Current to get a hands-on look at common real-world crop problems. Anyone working in agriculture today has 24/7 access to online information about crop disease and pests, but there is no substitute for seeing […] Read more
DuPont Pioneer expands Saskatoon research facility
DuPont Pioneer announced the expansion of its Saskatoon multi-crop research facility at an open house on Friday. The expanded facility will house breeding programs for canola, soybean and “ultra-early maturity” corn. “DuPont Pioneer is focused on developing early-maturing products, and high-yielding products for Canadian farmers,” said Bryce Eger, president of DuPont Pioneer Canada. DuPont Pioneer […] Read more
Minogue: Wanna start a cereal seed company?
It’s clear from where the Prairies’ cereal growers’ groups sit that it’s time for farmers to get more involved in wheat and barley breeding — and they have a new report in hand suggesting ways to do so. Options in the report, from the newly-formed Wheat and Barley Variety Working Group, range from improving the […] Read more
Minogue: Campaigning heats up Sask. commodity board elections
Elections at the commodity association board level in Saskatchewan, often known for a landslide lack of interest, may get goosed this year with candidates investing bigger stakes in their campaigns. Ballots have been mailed out and board elections are now underway for the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission (SaskWheat) and the Saskatchewan Barley Development Commission (SaskBarley). […] Read more
Saskatchewan farm groups talk transportation
Transport review won't be complete until after the election
Saskatoon — Grain transportation should be an election issue, says Cam Goff, chair of the Saskatchewan Barley Development Commission, which hosted the Farmers’ Forum on Grain Transportation here Monday along with the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission. The forum coincided with Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz’s announcement in Winnipeg of […] Read more
Minogue: Biotech gets its due at international rapeseed forum
Saskatoon — How important is biotechnology to Prairie farmers? On his farm, Saskatchewan farmer Maurice Delage says, the net profit from canola is about $100 per acre, making it his most profitable crop most years. Delage, who now farms at Indian Head and was CEO of Aventis Crop Sciences (now Bayer CropScience) in North America […] Read more
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