FarmCash program sees strong interest

May 17, 2023

The Federal Government's Advance Payments Program is delivered through the Alberta Wheat Commission's FarmCash program and is open to all producers across Western Canada.

Under the program, producers can access cash advances on over 50 commodities including crops, livestock, and honey.

Jason Lenz is committee chair for FarmCash and says they've been running the government's Advance Payment Program for about four years and this year have seen a significant increase in applications.

"We have seen very positive growth in our program throughout the four years and this year in particular. I think that's probably the result of high crop input prices and some of the changes to the program that have been made over the last year and a half."

Under the 2023 program, producers across Western Canada can qualify for up to $1 million with the first $350,000 interest-free.

Source : Pembinavalley online

Video: Root Exudates, Soil Biology, and How Plants Recruit Microbes | Field Talk Friday

Field Talk Friday | Dr. John Murphy | Root Exudates, Soil Biology, and How Plants Recruit Microbes

Most of us spend our time managing what we can see above ground—plant height, leaf color, stand counts, and yield potential. But the deeper you dig into agronomy, the more you realize that some of the most important processes driving crop performance are happening just millimeters below the surface.

In this episode of Field Talk Friday, Dr. John Murphy continues the soil biology series by diving into one of the most fascinating topics in modern agronomy: root exudates and the role they play in shaping the microbial world around plant roots.

Roots are not passive structures simply pulling nutrients out of the soil. They are active participants in the underground ecosystem. Plants constantly release compounds into the soil—sugars, amino acids, organic acids, and other molecules—that act as both energy sources and signals for soil microbes.