Farmers welcome funding for healthy soils, clean water

Aug 08, 2023

The environment is important to all of us, but it’s particularly key for farmers and their businesses. That’s because we need healthy soils, and clean air and water to grow the crops and raise the livestock that provide the food, fuel and fibre we all depend on.

This makes environmental stewardship a core part of our jobs as farmers, but as it’s also a responsibility we carry on behalf of society, it’s a job we can’t do alone.

That’s why it was great to see two separate announcements from the provincial government recently for programming to enable research and projects that support water quality and soil health.

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Video: Winter Canola Trial in Mississippi | Can It Work for Double Cropping? | Pioneer Agronomy

Can winter canola open new opportunities for growers in the Mid-South? In this agronomy update from Noxubee County, Mississippi, Pioneer agronomist Gus Eifling shares an early look at a first-year winter canola trial and what farmers are learning from the field.

Planted in late October on 30-inch rows, the crop is now entering the bloom stage and progressing quickly. In this video, we walk through current field conditions, fertility management, and how timing could make this crop a valuable option for double-cropping soybeans or cotton.

If harvest timing lines up with early May, growers may be able to transition directly into another crop during ideal planting windows. Ongoing field trials will help determine whether canola could become a viable rotational option for the region.

Watch for:

How winter canola is performing in its first season in this Mississippi field

Why growers chose 30-inch rows for this trial

What the crop looks like as it moves from bolting into bloom

Fertility strategy, including nitrogen and sulfur applications

How canola harvest timing could enable double-cropping with soybeans or cotton

Upcoming trials comparing soybeans after canola vs. traditional planting

As more growers look for ways to maximize acres and diversify rotations, experiments like this help determine what new crops might fit into existing systems.