Insights and Stories of Mark Halsall

May. 5, 2023 at 9:35 am CDT

Something Prairie oat producers need to keep a sharp eye out for this summer is crown rust. James Menzies, a plant pathologist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) in Morden, Man., says you’ll find crown rust wherever oats are grown, except in very arid climates. It’s more damaging than any other oat […]

By Mark Halsall

Mar. 31, 2023 at 9:07 am CDT

Last year, the national average canola yield in Canada came in at 38 bushels per acre, according to Statistics Canada. It’s an improvement on 25 bushels per acre in 2021, when drought conditions drove yields down across Western Canada, but it’s still well short of the 52-bushel-per-acre yield target the […]

By Mark Halsall

Jul. 29, 2022 at 10:12 am CDT

Due to its high oil content, canola has a higher risk of spoilage compared with numerous other crops. If it’s too wet or too warm inside the bin, moulds, mites and insects will thrive, leading to spoilage and lost revenue for farmers. Charley Sprenger, a research project lead at Prairie […]

By Mark Halsall

May. 6, 2022 at 9:39 am CDT

One of the most common diseases in canola is blackleg. As a fungal disease, it needs moisture to spread but infections still occur in the dry years we’ve been seeing lately in the Prairies. Justine Cornelsen, who was an agronomy specialist with the Canola Council of Canada before joining BrettYoung as […]

By Mark Halsall

Feb. 11, 2022 at 10:25 am CST

There’s no shortage of risks when you grow crops for a living. As a farmer, you’re accustomed to coping with weather extremes, weed resistance, disease outbreaks, insect infestations and other threats to your hard-earned yields. But are you doing enough to manage other risks, like safety hazards on your farm […]

By Mark Halsall