The Canadian Prairies in the 1980s was a dry and windy place to be. Farmers, government and researchers all recognized the critical importance of protecting the most valuable resource required for growing crops. In 1987, the Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association (SSCA) was established to encourage soil conservation. The Save Our Soils program was initiated to...

Over the past decades, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), the largest government funder of crop research, has provided funding in five-year blocks. This has driven much of the research funding in canola to revolve around this timeframe and it was one of the main reasons the research allocation made by Alberta Canola was larger this...

Quality, relevant and up-to-date information is key in making decisions that benefit our farms – economically, ecologically and environmentally. Farmer-led and funded research is crucial to making this happen. As public-funded research has declined over the years, it’s more important than ever for grower-funded organizations to step up and fill the void. STAY CONNECTED. Sign...

Key result: A nine-year AAFC study compares canola in continuous, two-year and three-year rotations and finds that continuous canola costs more and yields less than canola in rotation with other crops. Whole-rotation revenue is similar, but continuous canola is the less sustainable option. Project title, Principal investigators: “Canola Sustainability – Risk Mitigation,” Neil Harker (retired)...

Key result: This Eastern Canada study tested canola in typical Eastern Canada crop rotation systems and found that canola performed well after soybeans and wheat produced its best yields following canola. Project title, Principal investigator: “Canola Rotation Studies,” Claude Caldwell, Dalhousie University Funding: Growing Forward 2 Crop rotation is recognized as one of the best...