Although ranching comes with a whole host of risks, vaccinations have the potential to lower that risk substantially. While vaccines may not save every cow in a herd from disease, it does give producers the chance to protect the majority of the herd from several diseases that cause sickness and even death. In this Ruminating with… Read More…

Thanks for tuning in to the last RealAg Radio show of 2024 on this Tuesday edition of RealAg Radio. Host Shaun Haney is joined by: John Ibbitson with the Globe and Mail on his column on how Canada is governing currently as a “failed state”; Becky Vargas with International Dairy Foods Association on the potential… Read More…

It’s the very last episode of The Agronomists for the 2024 season and host Lyndsey Smith is joined by Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson and Ray Dowbenko to discuss the top agronomy stories of the year! On this episode, the trio talk about: Current and future uses of spraying technology in farming production; The mysterious but… Read More…

Thanks for tuning in to this Agronomic Monday edition of RealAg Radio! Host Shaun Haney is joined by RealAgriculture’s in-house agronomist Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson to take a look at the year in review; discussing the good, the bad, the challenging, and a look ahead to the 2025 season. They discuss a number of topics… Read More…

Canada is not a “failed state,” but the longer Justin Trudeau remains as leader of the Liberal party and the Prime Minister, the more like one it becomes, says John Ibbitson in his recent column in the Globe and Mail. A failed state is one with no functioning, national government and by many accounts, Canada does… Read More…

While corn has been grown for over 9,000 years, equipment, processes and even the geography that it is grown in has changed. One of the evolving markets when it comes to growing this nutritious grass plant is in conjunction with cover crops. Cover crops and corn is not a new idea — Indigenous peoples grew… Read More…

Picking rocks from fields has been required back-breaking work since fields have been cleared for farming. The practice protects expensive equipment from being damaged, increases seed to soil contact, and creates smoother fields. Todd Hofmann of Schulte says that he is thankful that the days of hand-picking are long past as he discusses the Spartan…

Thanks for tuning in to RealAg on the Weekend! On this show, host Shaun Haney discusses the mayhem in Ottawa this past week. Haney is then joined by: Aaron Goertzen with BMO on some of the key trends impacting agriculture in 2025; Hear a clip from the latest Mind Your Farm Business with Eugene Ng… Read More…

Thanks for tuning in to this Friday edition of RealAg Radio! Hear the Beef Market Update with Anne Wasko of the Gateway Livestock Exchange. Host Shaun Haney is then joined by Kelvin Heppner and Lyndsey Smith, both of RealAgriculture, and Tyler McCann with Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI) for the RealAg Issues Panel! They discuss… Read Mor…

Effectively controlling grassy weeds in a grass crop is always a challenge, and one that Dan Dall, regional commercial manager for the U.S. Central Plains, and Bailey Jenks, regional commercial manager for the Pacific Northwest, both with Limagrain Cereal Seeds (LCS), know all too well. Dall explains that the CoAXium wheat production system offers …

2024 will go down as a year of market demand that was stronger than could have ever been anticipated. This exceptional demand helped to drive the smaller supply of beef to reach record prices. In this last episode of the Beef Market Update for 2024, Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock Exchange reflects on the past… Read More…

A functional and productive space to get work done and spend quality time with family is how Jordy Stolk of Stolk Farms at Purple Springs, Alberta, describes what his family wanted to accomplish when they started building their farm shop in 2021. The farm, which produces potatoes and rotational grain crops, was established in 1979… Read More…

Every field has a test plot. That’s the modus operandi at McBlain Farms. Tyler McBlain’s grandfather started no-tilling back in the 1980s and was a huge proponent of on-farm testing to determine what agronomic practices work best on the farm and its unique mix of heavy clay and lighter soils. Over the years, the farm,… Read More…

Eight-six per cent of farmers and ranchers across Canada view themselves as good stewards of the land and 46 per cent feel that they can do more to improve environmental outcomes on their operations. These statistics come from a new national survey run by the research firm,Leger and funded by Farmers for Climate Solutions. Farmers… Read More…

From identify theft, to phishing scams, to data breaches and ransom wear, cyber threats are just as real to individual farmers and farm businesses as they are to the general public. Understanding where online and digital threats come from is key to building a solid risk management plan, says Eugene Ng, cyber security expert with… Read More…

Thanks for tuning in to this Thursday edition of RealAg Radio for the Farmer Rapid Fire brought to you by Pioneer Seeds Canada! Host Lyndsey Smith is joined by: Josh Boersen of Gadshill, Ont.; Korey Peters of Randolph, Man.; Daryl Fransoo of Glaslyn, Sask.; and Andrea Stroeve-Sawa of Taber, Alta. Then hear from eastern agronomist… Read More…

It can be a challenge to talk about ranching in Canada without also talking about winter. For half the year, in most parts of the country, there is little that grows. That means that livestock feed needs to be grown within a very short timeframe, and the animals consuming it are fed for a lot… Read More…

Despite an extremely dry September that played havoc with plant establishment, the winter wheat crop across Ontario appears to be packing plenty of yield potential as it heads into the dormant winter months. RealAgriculture agronomist Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson says the crop is not as big as he had hoped — estimates peg it between… Read More…

Thanks for tuning in to this Wednesday edition of RealAg Radio! Host Shaun Haney is joined by: Brent Preston with Farmers for Climate Solutions on their new study on climate change; Aaron Goertzen, senior economist with BMO on a new report looking at key trends in agriculture in 2025; Dan Dall and Bailey Jenks with… Read More…

What’s the difference between a natural system and a farming system? The harvest, of course! Does that mean we can go “back to nature”? Oh, what a great question, and one that Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson tackles on this final episode of the 2024 calendar year. In this week’s podcast also hear about using cover… Read More…

Lagging productivity, the diving Canadian dollar, precarious U.S. trade, and volatile global news all make the list of the top nine trends impacting agriculture in 2025. Also on the list, says Aaron Goertzen, senior economist with BMO, are increased input costs, high crop carryover, lower interest rates, and a more loose labour market. Each of thes…

Over the decades, attitudes, thoughts and ideas within the forage and grazing community have shifted; however, the passion that ranchers have for the land and their lifelong commitment to learning have not. While at the Western Canada Conference on Soil Health and Grazing (WCCSHG) at Edmonton, Alta., last week, Grant Lastiwka of Renovo Seed spoke… …

There are some tools on the farm that simply make life easier. While the FalCan multi-deck is typically thought of as a round-bale deck, the number of jobs that it can be used to accomplish on the farm are numerous, says Stephen Vandervalk of FalCan Industries. From lifting pivots to put on tires, to harrowing… Read More…

Thanks for tuning in to this Tuesdays with Lyndsey edition of RealAg Radio. Host Lyndsey Smith is joined by RealAgriculture’s Amber Bell to introduce the interviews she gathered from the Western Canada Conference on Soil Health & Grazing held last week in Edmonton, Alberta. Hear from: Grant Lastiwka discussing the conference and how it has… Read Mo…

There’s no shortage of challenges facing Canadian grain producers — seemingly constant railway disruptions, regulatory hurdles, and plant breeding holdups all impact producers’ bottom line. Darcy Pawlik is the new executive director of the Wheat Growers Association, and all these challenges are on the docket when it comes to outlining where the org…

The dairy industry has always been a part of the beef business but today the dairy herd in both Canada and the U.S. plays an increasingly important role in the beef production system. In the U.S., one in five fed cattle now comes from the dairy industry; some of those cattle are full dairy but… Read More…

Pulses, such as peas, lentils, chickpeas, and faba beans, can be an excellent addition to a crop rotation as they fix their own nitrogen and even leave some for the next crop. The crops do have serious challenges, however, including aggressive root rots and diseases that can decimate yields, especially in wetter years. To unpack… Read More…

Thanks for tuning in to this Agronomic Monday edition of RealAg Radio! Host Shaun Haney is joined by Lyndsey Smith of RealAgriculture to discuss upcoming episodes of The Agronomists. Then hear from RealAgriculture’s in-house agronomist Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson to discuss a number of agronomic topics including: Sulphur strategies and application; …

Knowing your soil is critical to understanding a field’s potential and setting realistic yield goals that make economic sense for the 2025 growing season. Heading into a the new year with depressed crop prices, growers will be looking to sharpen their pencils this winter to optimize input investment, including everything from seed and weed control……

Efficiency and safety are everything when it comes time to bring the grain in. Meridian offers a few different augers of varying sizes within the TL line, including the 10- and 12-inch. The company has now also officially launched their new TL1346 hydraulic-drive auger to complement the existing line. Some of the innovations that make… Read More…

Land is a fundamental and finite resource, yet it is easy to overlook its value in our everyday lives. Canada may have an abundance of land, but those acres are under immense pressure to serve multiple purposes—residential and industrial development, food production, biodiversity, carbon sequestration, solar and wind energy generation, recreation, …

Today, on the same day that the Liberal government will present the Fall Economic Statement, Chrystia Freeland submitted her resignation as Finance Minister to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. In a letter dated Dec. 16, Freeland writes: “On Friday, you told me you no longer want me to serve as your Finance Minister and offered me… Read More…

Thanks for tuning in to RealAg on the Weekend! On this show, host Shaun Haney is joined by: Darcy Pawlik, new executive director with the Wheat Growers Association on what is ahead for the association; Jill Sharko with Ag Scouter on a new app to help track agronomy decisions; and, Curt Blades with Association of… Read More…

Thanks for tuning in to this Friday edition of RealAg Radio. Hear from Darcy Pawlik with the Wheat Growers Association to discuss the organization and the issues they are dealing with. Host Shaun Haney is then joined by Lyndsey Smith and Kelvin Heppner, both with RealAgriculture, for the RealAg Issues Panel. The trio discusses a… Read More…

Six national crop organizations are distancing themselves from the federal government’s Sustainable Ag Strategy (SAS). RealAgriculture has confirmed the Canadian Canola Growers Association, Canola Council of Canada, Cereals Canada, Grain Growers of Canada, Pulse Canada, and Soy Canada have informed the government of their withdrawal from the SAS ad…

Farmers across Western Canada can expect to see plenty of new John Deere C-Series air carts rolling through fields in spring 2025. The company had 30 of the air carts in action across the Prairies and the western U.S. in 2024 and farmers will see the full lineup in the upcoming year. The C-Series includes… Read More…

Underpaying employees will result in less productivity, but simply paying people more doesn’t motivate employees as much as you might think, says Tom Wall, the Dairy Coach. Plenty of farms struggle with finding and retaining good people, but Wall says that’s at least partially to do with not having a people plan. We have production… Read More…

It’s the unfortunate reality of rising interest rates, down markets, and just plain bad luck, but some farmers will experience having their loans and mortgages called in by their lender. Facing a financial crunch can be stressful, emotionally-charged, and difficult. Eric Olson, national leader of farm management consulting for MNP, says that farmer…

Thanks for tuning in to the Farmer Rapid Fire on RealAg Radio, brought to you by Pioneer Seeds Canada! On today’s show, guest host Lyndsey Smith checks in with: Mark Burnham of Cobourg, Ont.; Luke Barron of Schomberg, Ont.; Ron Krahn of Rivers, Man.; and, Kristjan Hebert of Fairlight, Sask. Plus, hear from western agronomist… Read More…

It’s not a surprising trend, as farmers have indicated that equipment is one place they’re trying to cut expenses, but sales of nearly all equipment classes on both sides of the border continued their downward slide in November. To break down the latest numbers put out by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), host of… Read More…

Thanks for tuning in to this Wednesday edition of RealAg Radio! Host Shaun Haney is joined by: Mike North with Ever.Ag on dairy prices and market moves; Tom Wall with The Dairy Coach on retaining top employees; Curt Blades with Association of Equipment Manufacturers on November machinery sale numbers; and, Don’t miss the top ag… Read More…

Trading nations face many hurdles as they work to develop global markets for the agricultural products they produce. In an era of increasing protectionism, a quick take on the business of world trade would likely conclude that politics and domestic concerns stand as the biggest hurdle to gaining access to global agricultural markets. But that’s… Re…

In the non-supply managed dairy market in the U.S., fluid milk prices ebb and flow more like grain or cattle prices. There are seasonal peaks and valleys and many of the same adages hold true, such as “the cure for high prices is high prices.” Mike North of Ever.Ag spoke with Shaun Haney at the… Read More…

Biologicals have tremendous potential to help growers manage the stresses that impact corn throughout the growing season. Questions remain, however, on how to deploy these products, which include living organisms, bacteria, amino acids or plant extracts, in the pursuit of higher corn yields. AGRIS Co-operative agronomy strategy manager Dale Cowan h…

Diversity can mean many things to many people and when it comes to a grower diversifying variety choices, the goal is to mitigate risk, push yields, and maximize profit on every acre. Speaking to RealAgriculture’s Shaun Haney at the National Association of Farm Broadcasters’ convention in Kansas City, trait and disease diversification are two items…

How long do you think the impact of tillage erosion lasts? A few years? A decade? Try several decades! Work out of Manitoba is assessing how conservation tillage adds back what tillage erosion takes away, but the preliminary findings are that tillage erosion is very hard to reverse. That’s part of this episode of Wheat… Read More…

In Episode 18 of Truth About Ag podcast, co-hosts Kristjan Hebert and Evan Shout sit down with Jordan Kambeitz of Kambeitz Farms, a fifth-generation operation dating back to 1899. They tackle the realities of modern farming, from the importance of investing in team dynamics and building a strong culture to the growing demand for traceability—connec…

Thanks for tuning in to this Tuesdays with Lyndsey edition of RealAg Radio! Host Lyndsey Smith is joined by: Shaun Haney in conversation with Bill Prybylski, on his plans as the new president of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan; Amber Bell talking to Dr. Louis-Pierre Comeau with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada on the Soil Bio…

A cascade of geopolitical events is helping shape current agricultural markets and the deluge of developments also promise to move markets into the New Year. Leading the surge is the Trump administration’s tariff policies and the potential impact on North American trade. In this report, RealAgriculture’s Shaun Haney and Steve Nicholson, Rabobank’s …

There are no shortage of issues when it comes to agricultural policy in Canada, and advocacy is important to ensure that farmers’ voices are heard. The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) held its AGM last week and welcomes new president Bill Prybylski. In this interview with RealAgriculture’s Shaun Haney, Prybylski says he’s …