Row of pea seedlings in soil with first seedling in focus

Corporate help for soil health is on its way

The importance of healthy soils is attracting the attention of newer private sector partners

Corporate interest in sustainable agricultural practices has grown in recent years, along with money toback it. Why it matters: Food manufacturers say they want agriculture to use more sustainable practices […] Read more



Variable rate fertilizer being applied during seeding at Steckler Farm in Alberta in 2022.  Photo: Courtesy Olds College of Agriculture and Technology

Making Canada self-sufficient in phosphorus

A proposed project near Hearst could ease this country’s reliance on imports of a diminishing commodity

The demand for increased crop production continues, placing stress on domestic consumption but also in feeding the world. That makes the search for domestic sources of phosphate as much about self-sufficiency as it is food security.



Although CRISPR technology is the most frequently mentioned gene editing technique, the science is relatively young.

Accepting genome editing means society must benefit too

The Council for Agricultural Science and Technology offers recommendations to ensure plant breeding technologies continue to benefit agriculture

The rapid pace of change brought by genome editing tools has created many new opportunities for the agri-food industry, but they aren’t without challenges. Regulatory hurdles must be considered, and […] Read more

The concept of collecting data on humidity, temperature, illumination of acidity, fertilizers and pests without human intervention, the transmission of the obtained data and their analysis to increase the yield

Making efficient use of all that farm data

Just because growers have data doesn’t mean they use it

Launch of the first GPS yield monitors altered the world of on-farm data collection. That was followed by variable-rate technology, precision planting and aerial/satellite imaging. Most growers have now been […] Read more

Some growers want to start field work but it’s still too early for most preparations.

An early view of Ontario fields

An open winter created opportunities for Ontario growers

Warm conditions in January and February sparked many Ontario growers to get a head start on the season by planting some cereals, frost seeding or adding sulphur or nitrogen to […] Read more



Elevated levels of DON caused by gibberella ear rot in 2018 led to creation of the screening report.

Report can help corn growers plan for DON

Inaugural screening report reviews hybrid susceptibility to producing vomitoxin

The 2018 growing season is remembered for corn damage caused by gibberella ear rot infections and high concentrations of deoxynivalenol (DON). There were discrepancies and frustrations over acceptability of harvested […] Read more