RealAgriculture's Podcasts

Thanks for tuning in to this Agronomic Monday edition of RealAg Radio! On today's show, host Shaun Haney is joined by RealAgriculture's resident agronomist, Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson, to discuss a number of topics including: grasshoppers, dandelion roots, and early bean emergence. We will then hear an interview Kara Oosterhuis had with Lyle Jensen of... Read More

A European corn borer (ECB) population in part of eastern Canada appears to have developed resistance to a Bt protein commonly used in North American corn hybrids for preventing damage from the pest. On April 27th, the Canadian Corn Pest Coalition reported a sample of ECB collected near Truro, Nova Scotia, showed reduced susceptibility to... Read More

Thanks for tuning in to RealAg on the Weekend! On this episode, host Shaun Haney is joined by Kody Blois, chair of standing committee on agriculture to discuss recommendations for supporting Canadian agriculture. As well as Carmen Prang, Saskatchewan Wheat to talk about seed testing and an update on the use of Lambda-cy products. We... Read More

The rule of thumb for planting soybeans in Western Canada has generally been to wait until the soil is 10 degrees C — often after canola is in the ground, but there are a number of reasons, including historical yield data, that suggest the crop would benefit from earlier planting. This Soybean School episode, recorded... Read More

A lower seeding rate, narrow rows and attention to detail. They’re all management practices grower Jeffrey Krohn employs to grow high-yielding winter wheat on his Elkton, Michigan farm. Krohn’s strategy helped him win top honours in the 2022 Great Lakes Yield Enhancement Network (YEN). When all the results were tabulated, Krohn finished first in both... Read More

Thanks for tuning in to this Friday edition of RealAg Radio! On today's show, host Shaun Haney is joined by Lyndsey Smith and Kelvin Heppner, both of RealAgriculture, and Stuart Person of MNP, for the RealAg Issues Panel. Stay tuned for a BONUS segment! They discuss many topics, including: The land rental rate report published... Read More

Several government departments, consultations, and decisions are converging to clear a path for gene-editing technology to be approved as a breeding technique for conventional crops. That’s right, if the last hurdle can be cleared — approval of gene-edited plants for livestock feed — a variety or cultivar produced with gene-editing techniques would be considered non-novel... Read More

Record yields in 2022 after a late start are raising some questions about the assumption that earlier is always better for planting corn in Manitoba and other northern growing areas. Historical averages in Manitoba show a downward trend in yield with each week that passes in May, but the 2022 crop set a new bar... Read More

Thanks for tuning in to this Thursday edition of the Farmer Rapid Fire on RealAg Radio brought to you by Pioneer Seeds Canada! Host Shaun Haney is joined by: Charlene Wattam of Renfrew, Ont.; Patrick Dunphy of South Pinette, P.E.I.; Landon Friesen of Crystal City, Man.; and Jim Hale of Lancer, Sask. We will also... Read More

If a farm has the capacity to buy land, it’s often stymied by the lack of land for purchase, not an unwillingness to take on the work or the debt. It’s still surprising to learn that about 40 per cent of land being farmed in Canada is being rented, according to Farm Credit Canada (FCC).... Read More

Wheat. A mainstay of crop rotations globally and a huge part of the Canadian export market, wheat has not had a great run the last few weeks. To unpack all that’s going on with this market, we go to Brian Voth, founder of Intellifarm Inc., based at Manitoba. First, Voth says we need to check... Read More

Holstein Canada has launched a new app to make it easier for producers to submit genomic test samples and complete registration for Holstein animals directly from their mobile phone or tablet. Holstein Canada education and extension specialist Murilo Carvalho says the ConneXXion app was designed in response to producer requests for technology to help simplify... Read More

Across the Prairies, there’s no doubt that you’ll see a few grasshoppers over the course of the summer — especially when it is hot and dry. However, if the conditions are right, you’ll see grasshoppers feeding early in the season and sometimes even find eggs in the field. Lyle Jensen, of AgroPlus Inc.,  says as... Read More

A properly calibrated planter can make a key contribution to corn yield but could the planter wheels be causing yield-robbing soil compaction? Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs corn specialist Ben Rosser says it’s important for growers to be aware of soil compaction on or around corn rows during planting. On this episode... Read More

Capturing carbon is one thing, but as many farmers are aware, quantifying the amount of carbon being sequestered can be a tricky feat. Hebert Grain Ventures (HGV), of Fairlight, Sask., has joined the Canadian Alliance for Net-Zero Agriculture (CANZA), and will work with researchers from the University of Saskatchewan on a national case study. The... Read More

Thanks for tuning in to this Wednesday edition of RealAg Radio! On today's show, host Shaun Haney is joined by Brian Voth, with Intellifarm, to discuss what’s happening in the markets. We will also hear some of our listeners’ feedback from our social media platforms, as well as the top ag news stories, including a... Read More

Water, water, water — in this episode of Wheat Pete’s Word, the topic of water comes up several times. From ancient lakes, to wet weather, to the erosive power of water, to mixing order for spray solution, water is a hot topic this week. Also on this week’s Word, host Peter Johnson says nay to... Read More

Growers spend the winter making sure the equipment is ready, the seed variety is selected, and the inputs are budgeted for. Some may forward sell crops, while others want to hold off and store it in their bins. Farmers work hard to make sure seeding timing is correct, and the soil conditions are fit. But... Read More

Should growers plant soybeans in narrower 15-inch rows or should they go wide and plant at 30 inches? Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs soybean specialist Horst Bohner has been listening to the debate for years, and rather than taking sides, he likes to focus on the fact that growers can choose an... Read More

Working together towards a common vision is the driving force behind 3Gen Organics, one of the country’s biggest and most progressive family-run organic farming operations. On this episode of Profitable Practices, we visit with Brett Israel, near Wallenstein, Ont, to learn how three generations of the family have worked together to carve out a market... Read More

Thanks for tuning in to this Tuesday edition of RealAg Radio! On today's show, host Shaun Haney is joined by JP Gervais of Farm Credit Canada, to discuss land rental rates. Haney is then joined by Greg Northey of Pulse Canada, on the changes needed for inter-switching and improving railway productivity. Thoughts on something we... Read More

Some Prairie pests coast in on wind, but several pest populations overwinter in the area. It’s these pests that can run in cycles, ebbing and flowing with conditions and predator populations. Knowing what pressure was like — and where — the year previously can be very helpful in anticipating pest problems. For this episode of... Read More

Early season weed control, tank mix tips, troublesome weeds, and a whole lot more are the focus on this episode of The Agronomists. Host Lyndsey Smith is joined by Mike Cowbrough of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), and Tammy Jones of Corteva Agriscience. This episode of the Agronomists is brought... Read More

Thanks for tuning in to this Agronomic Monday edition of RealAg Radio! On today's show, host Shaun Haney is joined by RealAgriculture's resident agronomist Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson to discuss a number of topics including: the (torrential!) rain out in Ontario, spinner spreaders, managing sandy soil, and much more! We will then hear an interview... Read More

Creating new varieties of any crop type is never a speedy process. Over the years of development, the end goal can shift so much so that selection priorities must shift as well. In the case of peas, root rot pressure, including from aphanomyces, has been an emerging concern. Ascochyta was the key disease focus for... Read More

Thanks for tuning in to RealAg on the Weekend! On this episode, host Shaun Haney shares an interview Lyndsey Smith had with Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, to discuss the agricultural impacts from the federal worker strike and the importance of the Indo-Pacific region on trade. Then, you’ll then hear an interview with... Read More

Thanks for tuning in to this Friday edition of RealAg Radio! On today's show, host Shaun Haney is joined by Lyndsey Smith and Kelvin Heppner, both of RealAgriculture, for the RealAg Issues Panel. They discuss many topics, including: Impacts from the federal strike; The timing of the StatsCan acreage report survey; Senior leadership change at... Read More

Many edible bean growers target the first week of June as the optimal planting window for the range of bean types that make up the category. On this episode of the RealAgriculture Edible Bean School, Hensall Co-op field marketer and edible bean grower Dave Louwagie shares tips on prepping the seedbed and the planter for... Read More

A group of 13 commodity and farm organizations representing grain shippers are calling on the federal government to move ahead with a commitment to bring back extended interswitching in the Canadian rail system. The 2023 federal budget included a promise to implement an 18-month pilot trial for extended interswitching. Interswitching allows a shipper that’s served... Read More

If ever there was to be an all-good-news edition of the Beef Market Update, it may just be this week. Anne Wasko, of the Gateway Livestock Exchange, runs through the numbers south of the border, in the finished and feeder markets, and all the way down to grass cattle and the news is good to... Read More

Stacking bales or loading a TMR are just two of the dairy farm tasks the new Weidemann T7042 telehandler is designed to tackle. The German-based manufacturer showed off the first T7042 on Canadian soil earlier this month at the Canadian Dairy XPO at Stratford, Ont. In this video interview, Weidemann business development manager Vincent Nicoletis... Read More

While she’s new to the role of president, Erin Gowriluk is already quite familiar with the organization she’s leading, as she’s spent the past decade working for organizations that are members of the Canada Grains Council. “I’m new to this role, but not new to the Council,” she explains, discussing her new gig with RealAgriculture’s... Read More

Thanks for tuning in to this Thursday edition of the Farmer Rapid Fire on RealAg Radio! Guest host Lyndsey Smith is joined by: Sandi Brock of Staffa, Ont.; John-Wiebe Dykstra of Salisbury, N.B.; Shaune Harty of Foremost, Alta.; and Keith Fournier of Lone Rock, Sask. Thoughts on something we talked about on the show? Connect... Read More

The average Canadian dairy cow milks for about 2.8 lactations. That’s better than the global average of 2.5, but this country’s cows could last longer and produce more if dairy farmers did a better job of listening to their cows, says CowSignals founder Joep Driessen. A veterinarian who co-founded the CowSignals business in The Netherlands... Read More

While the energy markets should be focused on supply and demand fundamentals, nagging economic factors and volatility in geopolitics are getting all the attention right now. That’s according to Phil Flynn, author of the Energy Report, who says banking stress in the U.S. and overseas, inflationary costs, and continued unrest in Ukraine and Sudan is... Read More

Where should growers place fertilizer in strip-till strips to best protect the seed from injury while optimizing nutrient uptake? Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs corn lead Ben Rosser says Ontario does have “safe rate” recommendations for in-furrow and 2″x 2″ planter banding but no guidelines are currently available for strip-till fertilizer placement.... Read More

Inputs play an important role agronomically, but they can also be a significant cost to any operation. Getting the most out of each dollar is important. One of the first input costs after seed itself is spent on seed treatments. Shad Milligan of Syngenta Canada joined the latest episode of the Wheat School to discuss... Read More

Thanks for tuning in to this Wednesday edition of RealAg Radio! On today's show, guest host Lyndsey Smith is joined by Jon Driedger with Leftfield Commodity Research to discuss the StatsCan survey report and the grain markets. We will also hear from Phil Flynn with an energy market report. Then hear an interview Bernard Tobin... Read More

Fields are warming up, greening up, and getting fit to plant — but it seems no matter where in Canada you farm, it’s cool to cold and not warming up in a hurry. For this week’s episode of Wheat Pete’s Word, host Peter Johnson has some updates regarding early wheat management, some tips on the... Read More

Statistics Canada (StatsCan) says wheat acres across Canada will be the highest they’ve been in more than twenty years, while area planted to canola, corn, barley, and soybeans will also climb in 2023. However there’s an asterisk beside those numbers, as the agency also announced a major change to the methodology behind its seeding intentions... Read More

Thanks for tuning in to this Tuesday edition of RealAg Radio! On today's show, guest host Lyndsey Smith is joined by Erin Gowriluk, president of the Canada Grains Council, to get her thoughts on the challenges ahead for the industry. We will also hear a recorded interview from yesterday with Remi Gosselin, of the Canadian... Read More

For many areas of Western Canada, the soil is still quite cool, or only just beginning to warm up. However, just because there’s not a lot of biological activity going on in the soil, doesn’t mean the risk for soil-borne disease goes away. As Shad Milligan of Syngenta explains in our latest Wheat School episode,... Read More