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Federal ‘climate action’ grants are a huge hit with Alberta producers

Alberta farmers love Ottawa’s “climate action” program so much that applications have been paused until late summer.

“It’s a pretty lucrative program and people were actually aware of it this year,” said Johanna Murray, extension coordinator with Peace Country Beef and Forage Association.

“There were people who didn’t get around to applying last year because the advertising wasn’t as good as it could be, and they couldn’t get on it too quick.”

“I’m not surprised the program is closing early,” added Sonja Bloom, environmental coordinator with the Foothills Forage and Grazing Association. “I know it was quite popular when it opened.”

Those two farmer-led research groups and their sister organizations have been putting on workshops and webinars to help farmers tap into the On-Farm Climate Action Fund. It covers 85 per cent of the cost (up to $75,000 per farm) for projects to implement rotational grazing, cover cropping or more efficient use of nitrogen fertilizer.

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

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.