Government and Politics in Ontario Agriculture: The Boiler Room (79)

Ag Canada Forecasts Biggest Durum Crop in Five Years

Canada could produce its largest durum crop in five years in 2025. In monthly supply-demand estimates on Wednesday that incorporated remote sensing and climate data up to July 31, 2025, Agriculture Canada estimated this year’s durum crop at 5.993 million tonnes. That is up from the government’s July forecast of 5.571 million and now slightly above the 2024 crop of 5.87 million. If accurate, it would be the largest Canadian durum crop since 2020 at 6.571 million. Ag Canada left its wheat (excl durum) production forecast unchanged from last month at 28.862 million tonnes, down from 29.088 million in 2024. But with the larger durum crop factored in, Canadian all wheat production for 2025-26 is now seen at 34.855 million tonnes, compared to 34.433 million in July and 34.958 million a year earlier. With durum planted and harvested area unchanged from last month, the increase in production is due to an improved average yield estimate of 34 bu/acre. That is up from 31.6 bu in July and m

Secretary Rollins Prioritizes American Energy on National Forest Lands

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins today issued a memorandum announcing a new policy directive prioritizing land use efficiency when evaluating proposals for power generation projects on National Forest System lands. The Secretary’s Memorandum (PDF, 1.4 MB) underscores USDA’s commitment to strengthening American energy production and reducing reliance on foreign energy sources, like foreign adversary-manufactured solar panels, while protecting our lands for future generations. The Memorandum instructs the U.S. Forest Service to develop new screening criteria that measure and prioritize the amount of energy produced per acre of land while ensuring projects are consistent with environmental stewardship, multiple-use principles, and economic benefits for rural communities. Projects demonstrating higher land use efficiency, producing more power with less land disturbance, will be prioritized. “America has the resources and ingenuity to power our future without depending on f

Cyber-agricultural future arrives now

Drones flying over fields to assess crop status. Tractors steering autonomously, guided by soil maps to deliver tailored doses of fertilizer. Robots in the rows harvesting high-value fruits. What was recently science fiction may already be available from a nearby agricultural retailer. The farm of the future is arriving, thanks in large part to Iowa State University researchers Soumik Sarkar and Asheesh “Danny” Singh. “Iowa State has been at the forefront of creating a new discipline, cyber-agricultural systems (CAS), which brings together many areas of expertise to address big agricultural problems and create opportunities for smart, connected and response- agile farms, which could hardly have been imagined a few years ago,” said Singh, G.F. Sprague Chair in agronomy. Cyber-agricultural systems draw from mathematics, engineering and computer science, building on cyber-physical systems that have revolutionized industries like manufacturing, aerospace engineering and transportation.

Manage pigweeds with cover crops

Pigweeds are among the most difficult weeds to manage in row crop systems due to their rapid growth, high seed production and widespread herbicide resistance. During the past two decades, reliance on herbicides for weed management has led to the evolution of resistance in Palmer amaranth populations to several herbicides, particularly ALS -- acetolactate synthase -- glyphosate and PPO-inhibitors. That reality has intensified the need for integrated weed management strategies, including non-chemical practices such as cover crops. Recent research from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln sheds light on how cover crop management decisions such as planting time, species selection and termination timing influence pigweed -- Palmer amaranth, waterhemp, redroot pigweed and smooth pigweed -- suppression. In a comprehensive meta-analysis of 41 field studies conducted across the United States and Canada from 1994 to 2024, researchers evaluated how various cover crop strategies affected the densit

Career Opportunity: Agronomist - Grower Relations

About SaskOilseeds SaskOilseeds is a grower-led organization committed to advancing the success of Saskatchewan’s oilseed industry through research, knowledge transfer, and advocacy. SaskOilseeds collects a levy from registered Saskatchewan canola and flax growers to fund research and knowledge transfer initiatives, advocate for favorable policy at both provincial and national levels, and develop market opportunities domestically and internationally. Our work is grounded in science, fueled by collaboration, and focused on delivering lasting value to producers. The Opportunity We are seeking an Agronomist – Grower Relations to strengthen our connections with farmers, agricultural retailers, independent agronomists, industry partners, and other external stakeholders. This role is responsible for facilitating the extension of research investment outcomes and agronomic resources developed by SaskOilseeds, ensuring timely dissemination of information and reinforcing our position as a tru