Four summer events on organic farms in Manitoba
There’s no better way to learn about organic production than to check out organic farms for yourself. There are a number of events this summer that provide the opportunity to meet successful organic...
View ArticleTallgrass prairie restoration reaps big benefits for soil
Northern Illinois University – Summer is abloom at Nachusa Grasslands, where the warmth of July is igniting an explosion of color. Purple coneflowers point to the sky. Big bluestem grass sways in the...
View ArticleCompost, wood-mill waste an organic alternative to fumigation
UBC release – Material currently thought of as garbage may be the answer to preventing root disease in cherry orchards without the use of fumigation, according to new research from UBC Okanagan. PhD...
View ArticleScientists compare soil microbes in no-till, conventional tilling farming...
Next-generation sequencing was used to unravel soil health mystery and pave the way for sustainable practices American Phytopathological Society – In recent decades, growers have increasingly been...
View ArticleThe making of a green manure mix
By Alexis Stockford OrganicBiz staff For organic grain farmers without livestock such as Carnegie Farms north of Brandon, green manure has become a mainstay for nutrient management. Visitors to the...
View ArticleResearchers investigate how to boost organic hemp yields
Nutrient management is important for getting better and more consistent yields By Allan Dawson OrganicBiz staff There were a lot of guesses why one plot of organic hemp looked so poor compared to...
View ArticleConventional farming wins on several key fronts: U. of Minnesota study
By Commodity News Service Canada A meta analysis of 164 scientific papers that compared crop yields, land use, pesticide use, and fuel use between conventional and organic farming systems, suggest...
View ArticleRourke Farms explores organic equipment options
Rourke Farms near Minto, Man., put equipment options to the test this year as the farm started the process of becoming certified organic Manitoba Co-operator – When Rourke Farms decided to go organic,...
View ArticleCan organic no till work in the field?
Environmental benefit is part of organic market value, but organic weed management usually means tillage, commonly considered a black mark for soil health. Is there a middle ground? By Alexis Stockford...
View ArticleOrganic Alliance says crop insurance needs an update on organic production
Manitoba Co-operator – Organic farmers in Manitoba hope a new working group will help solve long-standing crop insurance issues. The body will have members from both the Manitoba Organic Alliance (MOA)...
View ArticleIncrease seeding rate to control weeds in organic flax
A University of Saskatchewan study found that was the most effective tool OrganicBiz staff Upping the seeding rate was the single most effective tool for increasing yield and suppressing weeds in flax...
View ArticleAbrasive weeding has potential for organic agriculture
Extension.org – Abrasive weeding is a non-chemical weed management tool where weed leaves and stems are abraded by small grits propelled by compressed air. This abrasion results in defoliation, stem...
View ArticleOrganic research looks at potential for climate change mitigation through...
By Lorraine Stevenson and Laura Rance OrganicBiz staff New research looking at soil organic carbon adds to a growing view organic systems are both more energy efficient and store more soil carbon....
View ArticleMASC under fire at organic insurance update
Organic insurance has been a long-time sticking point for both producers, who say the program has significant flaws, and MASC, who say the program already loses money By Alexis Stockford OrganicBiz...
View ArticleOrganic growers have bigger economic cushion
Lower costs and higher prices make organic producers more economically resilient according to provincial figures By Lorraine Stevenson OrganicBiz staff Organic growers can still turn a tidy profit in...
View ArticleSpring fallow eyed as organic solution for a prickly problem
Can spring fallow and late-seeded soybean help put an end to thistle for organic growers? By Alexis Stockford OrganicBiz staff Organic trials in Quebec hint at a better way to deal with thistle, but...
View ArticleIt’s not your grandparents’ farm
Ag Days talk highlights advancements being made to support modern organic farmers By Lorraine Stevenson OrganicBiz staff It’s often said Grandpa’s farm was organic — just because he used no chemical...
View ArticleRobotic weeders. Coming to a farm near you?
American Society of Agronomy – The future of weeding is here, and it comes in the form of a robot. The growing popularity of robotic weeders for specialty crops has grown partly out of necessity, says...
View ArticleOntario grower goes commercial with organic potatoes
Isaiah Swidersky offers a careful answer when asked if organic potato production is a risk worth taking. “To some degree it is, but there’s a reason I haven’t expanded it to 200 or 300 acres,”...
View ArticleFarmer-based plant breeding fills organic variety need
By Alexis Stockford OrganicBiz staff Martin Entz of the University of Manitoba sees little difference between a farmer breeding bulls, an industry alive and well in Manitoba, and breeding crop...
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