Dairy Barn Flooring Gains Traction as Producers Focus on Hoof Health
In this episode, host Bernard Tobin interviews Adam Stewart of BioRed Agri about the rapid adoption of their rubber flooring solutions for dairy barns, which now account for over 50% of North American sales. Stewart explains how the flooring’s slip-resistant design, built‑in slope, and compatibility with various cleaning systems improve hoof health and reduce lameness, while the accompanying AquaStar and AquaClean water‑bed products keep cows cooler and increase lying time. He also highlights the company’s new Woodstock, Ontario facility, which enhances product availability and support for dairy producers.
CFIA Publishes Updated Plant Breeders' Rights Regulations
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has revised the Plant Breeders’ Rights Regulations to strengthen intellectual‑property protection for new plant varieties. Key changes include narrowing the farmer’s seed‑saving privilege to small grains, extending protection periods for potatoes, asparagus and woody plants...
Cold Planting Calls, Thin Wheat Stands, and Early Disease Alerts | Wheat Pete's Word, May 6, 2026
In this episode of Wheat Pete’s Word, Pete tackles the hot‑button question of whether it’s too cold to plant wheat and soybeans, emphasizing that growers should plant if the soil is workable unless a significant cold rain is forecast. He...
Monette Gets Extension of Creditor Protection and Additional Financing for Seeding
The Alberta Court of King's Bench extended Monette Group's Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act protection until June 19, 2026, giving the agribusiness additional time to restructure. A Scotiabank‑led syndicate approved an extra $50 million CAD in debtor‑in‑possession financing, raising the total DIP...
Investors Are a Threat to Farmland ...and Not Just the Foreign Ones
In this episode, host discusses the growing controversy over farmland ownership and access in Ontario, focusing on how domestic investors and speculators—not just foreign buyers—drive up land prices and push for rezoning. Guest Dean Orr, a master's student and farmer,...
The Day of No More Triffid Testing Protocol Arrives
The EU will end its mandatory sampling and testing protocol for Canadian flax on May 1 2026, removing a non‑tariff barrier that has existed since a 2009 discovery of trace CDC Triffid DNA. The protocol, introduced after the unauthorized GMO was found,...
Prepping the Sprayer for a New Season | Wheat School
In this eight‑minute Wheat School episode, Ridgetown College professor TJ Pullman walks listeners through the step‑by‑step process of readying an Apache sprayer for winter wheat applications. He emphasizes inspecting the plumbing system, checking filters, hoses, end caps, nozzle tips, and...
What Prairie Pest Watch Tells Us, with Amanda Jorgensen | Pests & Predators, Ep 36
In this episode, Alberta Agriculture’s insect management specialist Amanda Jorgensen explains the province’s role in the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network, detailing how seven key pest species—including pea leaf weevil, armyworm, diamondback moth, grasshoppers, cabbage seed‑pod weevil, wheat midge, and wheat...
Upcoming Bill Will Give CFIA and Health Canada a Mandate to Consider Food Cost: Liberals' Spring Economic Update
The Liberal government announced plans to amend the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Act and the Pest Control Products Act so that the CFIA and Health Canada must factor food affordability and security into their decisions. The Spring Economic Update outlined...
Policy Brief: Modernizing Canada's Approach to Agriculture Risk Management
A new policy brief from the Canadian Agri‑Food Policy Institute warns that Canadian producers face escalating risk, with 75% of farmers expecting more uncertainty in 2026. The January 2026 Farmer Sentiment Index shows over three‑quarters of respondents feeling overwhelming stress...
Corn Left Out over the Winter, Manure on Wheat, and Canola Emergence Wins | RealAg Radio April 27/26
In this Agronomic Monday episode, host Lindsay Smith and agronomist Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson discuss three hot topics: the surprising standability of corn left in the field over winter, the risks and timing of applying manure to spring wheat, and...
Precision Planting Offers Spot Spray and Broadcast in a Single Pass
In this episode, Bernard Tobin of AgSolutions.ca interviews Aaron Herman of PTX Trimble about Precision Planting’s new Symphony Vision Duo system, which combines real‑time spot‑spraying with blanket application in a single pass. The Duo uses a primary boom for residual...
Seeder Setup Is Key to Max Canola Emergence | Canola School
In this episode of Canola School, Amber Bell talks with Justin Neninga of Alberta Canola and the Canola Council of Canada about optimizing seeder setup for maximum canola emergence. They cover key practices such as calibrating seed rate to achieve...
How to Whack Waterhemp | Soybean School
In this Soybean School episode, Dr. Isabel Aiklin of the University of Guelph explains how to identify and manage herbicide‑resistant waterhemp, a highly aggressive pigweed that can cost soybean yields by 20+ bushels per acre. She details key visual differences...
Ontario Plans to Tighten Rules on Farmland Ownership, Expand Farming in the Clay Belt
Ontario’s government has introduced the Protecting Ontario’s Food Independence Act, 2026, which includes a Farmland Security Act to curb foreign acquisition of provincial farmland. The legislation also seeks to streamline regulations for the agri‑food sector and open Crown land in...
U.S. Department of Justice Launches Criminal Probe Into Beef Industry Practices
The DOJ has opened a criminal investigation into the beef industry's pricing practices, focusing on concerns that packers may be manipulating cash‑less, formula‑driven pricing systems like gridding. Host Sean Haney explains that ranchers worry about reduced price discovery and packer...
Monette Group Files for Creditor Protection
Monette Group, one of North America’s largest private farm operators, entered creditor protection on April 21 2026 under Alberta’s Companies' Creditor Arrangement Act, with a stay of proceedings until May 1 2026. The filing covers 18 affiliated entities and includes parallel Chapter 15 applications in...
Beef Imports, Red Tape Reductions, & a New Canola Processing Facility | RealAg Radio, April 21, 2026
The episode examines Canada’s stalled progress on red‑tape reduction and regulatory reform, featuring Pierre Patel of CropLife Canada who critiques the federal government’s weak response to a House of Commons report with 26 recommendations. It also covers concerns from the...
CFIA Could Move Forward with Proposed Livestock Traceability Changes ... But Will It?
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has placed a formal pause on publishing its proposed livestock traceability regulations after strong opposition from national cattle groups and a wave of social‑media backlash. The draft rules, already cleared through Gazette 1, could still...
Getting Comfortable with Discomfort Is Where Real Progress for the Farm Begins
In this episode of Real Agriculture, host Amber Bell interviews Kimberly Lyle of Solutionary Leadership about the power of leaning into discomfort to drive personal and farm growth. Lyle emphasizes that confronting fear—whether public speaking or other challenges—allows us to...
Make Your First Pass Count in Pulses
Bayer’s Delaro® Complete fungicide is positioned as the optimal first‑pass treatment for pulse crops, offering broad‑spectrum disease control when applied early in the season. The product blends fluopyram (Group 7), prothioconazole (Group 3) and trifloxystrobin (Group 11) at full label rates, delivering high...
U.S. Progress on Drone Spraying Offers a Roadmap for Canada
In this episode, Amber Bell interviews Dr. Steve Lee of Auburn University about recent U.S. research on drone pesticide application. Key findings include that flying drones just five feet higher and using 200‑micron droplets instead of 300‑micron can cut downwind...
Poll: What Group Chat Apps Do You Use?
RealAgriculture field editor Lyndsey Smith posted a poll on April 17, 2026 asking readers which group‑chat applications they use for work, farm and social purposes. The poll highlights a growing trend of news outlets, organizations and informal groups turning to chat‑based platforms...
How "Medium Rare" Nodules Feed Nitrogen Success | Soybean School
In this Soybean School episode, Bernard Toble visits Snowglin Farms to discuss soybean inoculation with Lallemont Plant Care experts Nikki Burnett and Joe Vink. They explain why inoculants—living rhizobia microbes—are essential for nitrogen fixation, especially in new or stressed fields,...
New Data Sheds Light on Financial Picture Behind AAFC Closures
The Canadian government plans to cut about $20 million USD in annual operating costs by shutting down seven Agriculture and Agri‑Food Canada (AAFC) research sites. In 2024‑25 those facilities cost roughly $30 million USD to run, representing about 13% of AAFC’s total...
Rethinking Wild Oat Control as Herbicide Resistance Climbs | Wheat School
In this Wheat School episode, agronomist Troy Basaraba discusses the escalating problem of herbicide‑resistant wild oats in wheat, noting that roughly 75% of Manitoba fields now show resistance to one or more herbicide groups. He explains that resistance arises from...
Do You Want a Plan or a Crisis? Connecting the Older and Younger Generation in Farm Transition
In this Real Agriculture episode recorded at the Advancing Women’s Conference, senior wealth advisor Sandra Misenko‑Merkley discusses the critical importance of financial succession planning for farm families. She emphasizes the need for a multidisciplinary team—including accountants, lawyers, and insurance strategists—to...
Smarter, Integrated Pest Management of Canola with Boyd Mori | Pests & Predators, Ep 35
In this episode, Dr. Boyd Morey of the University of Alberta discusses integrated pest management (IPM) for canola, focusing on the role of seed treatments, foliar insecticides, and natural predators such as ground beetles and spiders. He highlights recent research...
Fendt Brings Low-RPM Efficiency and Operator Simplicity to 500 Vario Gen4 Tractors
In this episode, Bernard Tobin chats with Blake Bullinger at the Commodity Classic about Fendt's new 500 Vario Gen4 tractors, which feature the Agco PowerCore 5.0 engine delivering 134–174 hp and a low‑RPM (≈1,400 rpm) high‑torque concept. The tractors use Fendt’s VarioDrive...
The Economics of Nitrogen, a Phosphorus Squeeze, and the Science Fair | Wheat Pete's Word, Apr 15, 2026
In this episode of Wheat Pete's Word, Pete discusses the stark regional weather variations across North America and their impact on wheat and corn planting, highlights a looming phosphorus fertilizer shortage due to mine closures in Brazil and Morocco, and...
Managing Cold Stress in Canadian Crops
Cold stress in Canadian fields delays germination, heightens disease risk, and can cut yields by up to 15 %. Early planting extends the growing season but introduces frost, compaction, and pathogen challenges. Corteva Agriscience offers two biological products—Bio‑Forge™ Premier and Fortified Stimulate™...
Corn School: Still Standing — Lessons From Spring Corn Harvest
In this Corn School episode, Peter Johnson of WheatPeteRealAgriculture.com discusses the practice of leaving corn in the field over winter for a spring harvest, noting that moisture levels can drop from 17% to 13% without drying costs, potentially saving up...
Rising Prices Mask Weakening Demand in Canada's Food Manufacturing Sector
In this episode, Farm Credit Canada’s new Chief Economist Craig Johnston breaks down the 2026 Food & Beverage Report, highlighting that while sales are projected to rise in 2026, they are driven by higher prices rather than volume growth, which...
How Do You Plan to Fund Your Retirement?
The Real Agriculture blog asks farmers how they intend to finance their retirement, highlighting a cultural reluctance to discuss the topic. While some producers have detailed plans, many lack a concrete strategy and risk financial insecurity in later years. The...
Ontario Agronomists Warn of Rising Waterhemp Pressure and Emerging Palmer Amaranth Risk
Ontario agronomists warned that herbicide‑resistant waterhemp has entrenched itself across southwestern Ontario and is expanding into new counties, while Palmer amaranth—first detected in 2023—poses an emerging threat. University of Guelph research shows waterhemp can cut corn yields by 19% and...
Tracking Lameness and Body Score with AI-Powered CattleEye
In this episode, Jerome Boyer discusses CattleEye, an AI-powered system that uses overhead 2D cameras to monitor dairy cows for lameness and body condition scores. The technology captures multiple data points, processes them with AI algorithms, and provides early alerts—detecting...
Bushels & Bytes, Ep 5: Chute-Side Data Is Reshaping Livestock Health Management
In this episode, Dr. Kelvin Booker of Telus Agriculture discusses how chute‑side data and digital tools are transforming livestock health management by treating the herd as a production unit rather than focusing on individual sick animals. He explains how early...
Ontario Fertilizer Supply Looks Stable but Logistics and Timing Could Be Challenging, Say Retailers
Ontario’s fertilizer market entered the 2026 planting season with a relatively comfortable supply outlook, though global nitrogen prices stay high. The province can only store a fraction of its annual need, so most product arrives just before peak demand, creating...
The Agronomists, Ep 236: Nitrogen Release From Soil with Edgar Hammermeister and Marshall McDaniel
In episode 236 of The Agronomist, Edgar Hammermeister and Marshall McDaniel dissect how soils release nitrogen and why predicting that release is notoriously complex. They highlight the influence of organic‑matter quality, soil texture, moisture, and temperature on mineralization rates, and...
Pulse School: Balancing P-K-S Fertility when Margins Are Tight
In an April 1 episode of Wheat Pete’s Word, Pulse Canada’s Shane Stridehorst explains how pulse growers can manage phosphorus, potassium and sulfur (PKS) amid soaring fertilizer prices and tight margins. He stresses that pulses need no nitrogen, allowing farmers to...
New Seed Treatment Combination Aims to Manage Aphanomyces in Peas, Lentils
UPL Corp introduced a new seed‑treatment combination to combat aphanomyces root rot in peas and lentils. The Rancona Trio treatment paired with Belmont 2.7 FS is currently the only Canadian solution offering disease control. Aphanomyces can cut yields 60‑84% and cause up to...
Air Tractor Acquires Thrush, Bringing Together Major Spray Plane Brands
Air Tractor Holdings announced the acquisition of competitor Thrush Aircraft, uniting the two largest manufacturers of aerial application planes. The companies will continue operating as separate entities with distinct dealer networks and production lines in Texas and Georgia. The merger...
Make the Most of Managing Yield with Syngenta's Stacked Cereals Line Up
Syngenta agronomist Marijke Vanderlaan urges prairie wheat growers to treat wheat as a premium crop, not just a rotation. She highlights planting date as the top yield driver, backed by Yield Enhancement Network data, and stresses the often‑overlooked role of...
Cattle Sector Seeks Workable Path Forward on Traceability
In this episode, Lindsay Smith interviews Tyler Fulton, president of the Canadian Cattle Association, about the CCA’s stance on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s proposed livestock traceability regulations. The CCA opposes the new rules, arguing they are costly, redundant with...
John Deere Planter Updates Target Emergence and Input Efficiency
In this episode, John Deere’s Anthony Stosinski outlines the 2027 planter upgrades, highlighting Exact Depth control from the cab, FurrowVision imaging, and automated downforce adjustments to improve emergence and residue management. He also explains the new dual‑product fertilizer system that...
Wheat Pete's Word, April 1: These Agronomy Answers Are No Joke!
In this April 1 episode of Wheat Pete’s Word, Pete discusses the hidden impacts of global events on agriculture, such as a missile‑hit chemical plant in Israel and fertilizer shortages in Ireland, before highlighting a remarkable winter‑wheat crop in the Pacific...
UFA Completes $48.2 Million Acquisition of AgraCity Assets
UFA completed a $48.2 million acquisition of AgriCity’s crop‑protection assets, including a finished fertilizer blender at Belle Plaine, registrations, IP and a packaging facility in Saskatoon. CEO Fred Toon emphasized that the deal uniquely guarantees farmers who were owed product by...
Canola School: Flea Beetles Bite, Cutworms Hide — What Growers Need to Know
In this Canola School episode, Dr. Boyd Morey, an associate professor at the University of Alberta, explains early‑season threats from cutworms and flea beetles and how growers can scout and manage them. He outlines scouting methods—looking for shot‑hole damage and...
Canadian Cattle Association No Longer Backs Traceability Changes; Will Convene Task Force on Disease Preparedness
The Canadian Cattle Association (CCA) has formally withdrawn its support for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s proposed amendments to livestock traceability regulations under Part XV of the Health of Animals Regulations. While the CCA still endorses traceability as essential for...
Struggling to Work with Family on the Farm? Clear Expectations Can Help
In this Real Agriculture episode, HR consultant Nicole Davis discusses the unique challenges family‑run farms face when working together as spouses, relatives, and employers. She highlights how farms often overlook employment‑law risks and the importance of clear standard operating procedures...