Diane Houlachan's Page

Midwest Farmers Continue Moving Corn and Soybean Planting Dates Earlier

Across the U.S. Midwest, corn and soybean producers are steadily shifting planting dates earlier.

Ontario Pig Producer Disease Advisory -- PED and PDCoV Risks Rising This Winter

Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea (PED) and Porcine Deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) remain serious threats to Ontario swine operations, particularly during the winter months.

New rules boost water storage and conservation

New and expanded Water Act exemptions will increase water availability, improve conservation, support agricultural production and help protect communities from future emergencies. Currently, many dugouts are sized too small to capture available water because of a 2,500 cubic metre exemption limit. Effective immediately, farmers and ranchers can fill their dugouts up to 7,500 cubic metres – triple the previous limit – provided the water is used for agricultural purposes. This change helps protect them from future droughts and supports strong agricultural operations. “Albertans asked for practical improvements to make more water available, and we’re delivering. These changes make it easier for farmers, businesses and communities to access and store water. It’s good for communities, the environment and the economy.” Grant Hunter, Minister of Environment and Protected Areas “Reliable access to water is essential for Alberta’s farmers and ranchers, especially as they manage drought ris

Calf Health Management — What Does the Science Say?

Sometimes two research studies will ask a similar question and get different results. That doesn’t mean that one is right and the other is wrong, or that it’s a coin toss, or that research is pointless – it just means that details and context are important. If we want to know whether a particular management practice helps prevent scours in beef calves, large-scale studies that measure signs of scours, treatment and recovery rates in beef calves are more helpful than studies that compare rectal temperatures or white blood cell numbers in a few dairy calves. This is where “systematic reviews” are helpful. A systematic review clearly defines what kind of existing studies will help answer a specific question. Then it finds all the published studies that meet those criteria, reviews them, and identifies what they all agree on. Systematic reviews are extremely helpful when trying to make recommendations to real-life producers. Claire Windeyer and a team of veterinary researchers from the U

Ag Minister Launches National Consultations to Shape the Next Agricultural Policy Framework

Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald has kicked off consultations to shape Canada’s Next Policy Framework, which will guide federal–provincial–territorial support for the agriculture and agri food sector from 2028 to 2033.