News and updates

What a joy to be at a live field day! A day full of sunny skies, good jokes, and informative presentations! Our Lethbridge Plot Hop was a phenomenal success, and we're beyond happy to have spent it with fantastic people. Getting people back in the field..

Mike Gretzinger, Farming Smarter Research Coordinator and Ryan Bonnett of Stoller Enterprises talk about the efficacy and reality of biostimulants in field scale applications.

Environmental factors can affect the way nitrogen fertilizers work in a crop particularly when surface applied.
Surface applied ammonium-based fertilizers such as urea or urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) can lose nitrogen through ammonia volatilization

This is a convoluted FHB study to explain, but here we go. Led by Randy Kutcher, Plant Sciences Professor, USask College of Agriculture & Bioresources, the study aims to find optimum crop rotations for control of Fusarium Head Blight (FHB).

Board Director Adrian Moens is far too modest when it comes to talking about his contributions to Farming Smarter. His long-standing association with Executive Director Ken Coles means Adrian watched Farming Smarter grow from its infancy.

Kochia enjoys a dry, hot year. There is less competition from the crops. Due to the lack of precipitation this year, many crops have experienced inhibited growth which leaves more resources available to the pesky weed.

If you're spending that money, you want to know it's going to work - but how do you know if you need to spray your crops before it's too late?

Gurbir Dhillon Ph.D. took the Long Road to Tipperary… well, Lethbridge actually. He started in India where he grew up and attended the Punjab Agricultural University to earn his BA.

Above ground and below ground biomass are strong indicators of crop health and yield potential.

Field Tested is up and rolling again for the 2021 research season with 23 on-farm trials located across Southern Alberta.

Meet the man that is the silent backbone of the shop, keeping everything up & running - Toby Mandel, Farming Smarter Site Manager. Anyone that owns equipment needs a Toby. He can build, weld and maintain all the working parts needed to run just about anything in top shape.

Most of the nitrogen in soils occurs in the form of organic molecules. Inorganic nitrogen forms generally account for 1-2% of total soil nitrogen unless land managers apply large amounts of nitrogenous fertilizers to soils.

Using precision agriculture tools can help identify and respond to kochia pressure in farmers' fields. Farming Smarter's herbicide resistant kochia research project is now entering its third field season.

Ben Van Dyk, Farming Smarter Board Treasurer, calls himself a workaholic, but, really, he's a philanthropist extraordinaire.

Pea Leaf Weevil populations in southern Alberta remain at levels that could cause concern in 2021 particularly in areas that had extensive damage in surveys last year.

Farming Smarter updated its Strategic Plan over the winter to adjust to some of the major changes brought on in 2020.

The two main species of flea beetle pests in canola are the crucifer (P. cruciferae) and the striped flea beetles (Phyllotreta striolata).

Listen while Liam & Mike talk about growing quinoa in Canada. Where it works, what to think about and why it's an interesting novel crop to consider for your farm.

Corn production is exploding across the prairies and especially southern Alberta. The south with its hot, dry summers and irrigation suits grain corn as well as silage, but grazing corn, a system that's unique to western prairies, also expanded.

Producers spend considerably more time, money and resources on proper nitrogen management in crop production systems than any other mineral because it's a critical element required for plant growth.

Kubota Canada needed a partnership to put a Great Plains precision planter through its paces. Farming Smarter Field Tested offered to use one of these planters for our field scale trials.

If a Golden Retriever were a human, it would be Carlo Van Herk! He is the friendliest face and the most energetic member of the crew. You can count on him to bring an uplifting presence to the workplace and a cheerful attitude to the long days in the field.