Prairie farmers wanted for wheat survey

Mar 13, 2023

The Canadian Wheat Research Coalition wants to know about usage of midge-tolerant wheat

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

An ag research body is asking Prairie farmers to participate in a survey.

The Canadian Wheat Research Coalition wants farmers in Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan to complete the Midge Tolerant Wheat Grower Survey

The 12-question survey asks farmers questions like if they planted midge-tolerant wheat in 2022, if they plan to do so again in 2023 and their level of midge pressure in 2022 compared to 2021.

Midge-tolerant wheat varieties include AAC Broadacres VB, AAC Chiffon VB and AAC Whitehead VB.

It’s estimated that based on wheat priced at $10 per bushel, producers can achieve $70 per acre in yield and grade benefits by planting midge-tolerant wheat, the Midge Tolerant Wheat Stewardship Program says.

The data collected from the survey will be used to manage the program, which the Canadian Wheat Research Coalition operates.

Some farmers could see higher populations of wheat midge in 2023 compared to previous years.

In Saskatchewan, for example, the 2023 Wheat Midge Forecast Map “shows increased numbers of wheat midge compared to the relatively low counts for the 2022 forecast.”

Farmers are encouraged to scout fields to determine if a pesticide application is necessary.

“To determine midge populations and, if necessary, timing of an insecticide application, growers are urged to monitor conventional wheat fields during the susceptible period – when the wheat head becomes visible as the boot splits until mid-flowering (anthesis),” Saskatchewan’s map says.

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.