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Over time, some of the links will have lapsed, so we cannot guarantee they all work. Please note that you can download our Media Database (Excel Worksheet) which contains a full description of most articles and allows searching by subject, date, source, etc. We can also provide hard copies of some items. Please contact us for further information. Mild winter tough on over-winter crops Stratford Beacon-Herald | February 5, 2006 The unbelievable warm weather in January has affected golfers and farmers the same way - they're just itching to get out on the land even though it's supposed to be the dead of winter. But Brian Hall of OMAFRA says mild winters are not always a good thing for farmers and the impact can be felt well into the summer and beyond. Mr. Hall who is the edible beans and canola expert at OMAFRA said a strange winter like this can hurt crops that "over winter" such as winter wheat, canola and forage crops. "To be honest, a mild winter like this is not really great. Those crops that over winter prefer a winter that gets cold and stays cold and they really don't like fluctuating temperatures like we've seen this year." Just like people, the crops aren't sure if winter's over and it's time to start thinking spring. "The real problem is, the mild winter impacts dormancy and that will have an impact as to whether winter wheat survives," Mr. Hall said. Extended above-normal temperatures at this time of year can harm agriculture Knight Ridder Tribune | by Dennis Pollock | February 9, 2006 Bad things can happen when higher than normal temperatures cause fruit, nuts or even the bees to arrive early, before all threat of frost is over. An extended bloom period may increase disease pressures for some trees. For farmers right now the picture is mostly rosy - even when it comes to meeting the need for water with which to grow the multi-billion dollars in Valley crops. And the picture probably couldn't get much brighter for beekeepers, who have swarmed the state because of its dependence on beehives - 1.2 million of them - to pollinate the state's huge almond crop. After heavy losses caused by deadly varroa mites last year - 40 percent and upward the bees appear to be in better health this year and they're commanding considerably more from the growers who need them. "This may be the last gold rush for the bee industry," said Lyle Johnston, a beekeeper in Colorado. Global warming a major health risk- scientists Reuters | February 9, 2006 Global warming is already causing death and disease across the world through flooding, environmental destruction, heatwaves, and other extreme weather events. And it is likely to get worse. In a review, the scientists said there was now a near-unanimous scientific consensus that rising levels of greenhouse gases would cause global warming and other climate changes. "The advent of changes in global climate signals that we are now living beyond the Earth's capacity to absorb a major waste products," said Anthony McMichael. They said climate change may already have led to lower production of food in some regions due to changes in temperature, rainfall, soil moisture, pests and diseases. "In food insecure populations this alteration may already be contributing to malnutrition," it said. EU streamlines aid for farms hit by flood, drought Planetark | February 9, 2006 EU states should be allowed to compensate farmers whose crops are hit by bad weather or disease without breaking rules to stop national handouts from distorting the single market, the EU executive said on Wednesday. In a draft law that aims to simplify the ways that Europe's farmers receive subsidies from brussels, the European Commission wants to scrap several eligibility criteria for agricultural state aid while making sure such handouts are better targeted. The EU has strict rules about aid doled out by its 25 member states to particular industries and companies, designed to ensure governments grant assistance that does not give one sector in a particular country an unfair trade advantage. In the last few years, the Commission has found itself fielding requests to approve compensation in cases of fire, drought, and flood, where both animals and crops have been lost. Kenya appeals for $221 million aid as drought bites Planetark | February 9, 2006 Kenya needs $221.5 million in aid to help feed 3.5 million people threatened by starvation due to drought and avoid a "massive humanitarian catastrophe" the government and UN said Wednesday. Kenya and UN aid agencies launched a joint appeal for urgent donor support as Oxfam warned the food crisis in east Africa's most developed country could become its worst in more than four decades. "Failure to quickly fund the Kenyan aid effort could lead to large-scale loss of life and the worst humanitarian crisis since Kenya gained independence in 1963," the charity said in a statement. The Kenyan appeal said 396,525 tonnes of additional food assistance- valued at $221.5 million - was needed to avoid mass suffering for the next 12 months. Grasses helping wheat survive climate change Climatewire | February 8, 2006 Wild grasses that survive well in hot, dry places are helping create new drought-resistant wheat varieties, a science magazine said on Wednesday. Scientists at the International Wheat and Maize Improvement Center (CIMMYT) in Mexico have cross-bred "synthetic wheats" created from emmer wheat and goat grass with conventional wheat to create varieties with up to 50 percent higher yields in drought conditions. The technique was originally developed 15 years ago and is now beginning to show its worth with climate change, disease and drought threatening a crop that provides the main source of food for two billion people, New Scientist magazine reported. "These relatives of wheat have carried on evolving in very hot, dry places," Jonathan Crough said. CIMMYT has also identified synthetic wheats with other desirable traits such as 50 percent more iron than usual or 80 percent more zinc. Kenya drought fuels Nomad clashes- Oxfam Planetark | February 7, 2006 Drought and food shortages in north Kenya are provoking clashes between nomadic tribes, with dozens already killed and violence set to spread unless more relief reaches them, an aid agency warned on Monday. "The knock-on impact of the crisis risks sparking conflict on a scale that Kenya hasn't seen for almost a decade," said Gezahegn Kebede, head of Oxfam in Kenya. Kenya is one of the worst-affected countries from a drought afflicting east Africa since late 2005. Scores of people and tens of thousands of livestock have died from starvation and related diseases in the arid northern regions. But Oxfam said the death toll from the drought was also swelling from an upsurge in fighting between nomadic-herders over scant water and grazing resources. USDA predicts 12% increase in Pakistan's cotton output Daily Times | by Imran Ayub | February 6, 2006 Agriculture authorities and researchers in the US have predicted more than 12 percent increase in Pakistan's cotton production in 2005-06 because of favourable weather. In a recent report released by the Foreign Agricultural Service of the USDA, it was observed the country's crop did not start well, in almost all the parts of cotton-growing country and spring rains further hit the scope of better production. "The marketing 2005-06 crop forecast is 2.123 million metric tons. This latest assessment is 12 percent higher that the previous estimate as weather remained mild in the later phase of crop growth from mid-August through December 2005. It said potential losses due to heat stress, rains and floods in the earlier part of the season were countered with farmer adaptation of better management practices promoted by the federal agriculture ministry. The future of Russian wheat is blowing Knight Ridder Tribune | by Ben Aris | February 6, 2006 The Arctic cold snap that has swept across Russia in recent weeks could have destroyed a third of Russia's grain harvest this year and has already sent prices soaring on international commodity markets. Russia's "black earth" region along the Ukrainian border is the richest agricultural land in the world and the free market has reversed Soviet mismanagement in the past few years, allowing Russia to become the fifth biggest exporter of grain in the world. Half of Russia's farms are now in profit and typically 10-15 percent of the winter harvest fails to survive the winter. But experts fear a third will be lost to the bitingly cold temperatures this year. "It would be correct to talk about a super-critical situation," Alexander Korbut said. "But it is already obvious that we will have additional losses." Worst affected were the normally balmy regions along the southern Volga, which enjoys a Mediterranean climate and feeds into the Black Sea. The severity of the damage will not be clear until the end of February, but fearing the worst, traders on the international commodity markets have already been pushing up prices. Rotting beets worry growers Chatham Daily News | by Bob Boughner | February 4, 2006 Ontario's multi-million dollar sugar beet industry is reeling over mounting losses caused by spoilage as a result of record mild winter weather. "It's a major concern for the industry for the second winter in a row," Wayne Martin said 23,000 tons - 13 percent - of the 2005 crop remains in the company's piling yard in Dover. Beets are grown in Chatham- Kent and Lambton County. "Beet shipments to the processing plant in Croswell, Mich., were halted last Monday because of quality concerns," he said. "Mild winter weather is affecting stored beets not only in Michigan and Ontario but in the Red River Valley." Martin said 45,000 tons of beets were affected by spoilage last winter. Farmers fought losing battle in 2005 FarmMarket | by Brian Shypula | February 4, 2006 Last year was one of the worst in recent memory for noxious weeds, says Perth County's weed and tree inspector. Marvin Smith said he dealt with 17 complaints, about one and a half times the usual number in a typical year, and issued 11 orders for weed control in 2005. In most cases, farmers were worried about weeds spreading from a neighbouring property to their fields. Soybean crops were the hardest hit, Smith said in an interview. "It was one of the worst in five years," he said. In particular, velvetleaf, a tall weed with soft broad leaves, was a prolific spreader, he said. Weather was the main contributor. Dry early conditions made pre-emergent herbicides ineffective because they need moisture to trigger, Smith said. When rains came late, the weeds shot up unabated UN needs $50 million for food in drought-hit Burundi Planetark | February 3, 2006 The UN's food aid agency appealed on Thursday for $50 million to help feed 1.8 million people suffering from hunger in drought-hit Burundi. The World Food Programme said Burundi faced a worse food situation than in 2005 and it planned to double the amount of aid to 12,000 tonnes per month from 6,000 last year. Like neighbouring countries in eastern Africa, Burundi is battling dwindling food stocks and dry weather. Millions of people across the region face the threat of starvation. Authorities in Burundi say 200 people have already died of hunger in northern and eastern areas, and thousands of others have fled to other countries to escape drought. "We are witnessing the same scenario as in 2005, but the situation is more critical in 2006," said Guillaume Foliot of the WFP's mission in Burundi. "The country will stay in a period of serious food shortage until June this year." Rains raise hopes for southern Africa food harvests Planetark | February 3, 2006 Rains have raised hopes for bigger harvests after scorching drought last year left millions in need of food aid, a top UN official said on Wednesday. "The good news is that the rains have been better this year. We will not see widespread famine," UN special envoy James Morris said. Analysts have said it is too early to make accurate harvest forecasts but the consensus is that yields should rise this year. Rains have been drenching parts of Mozambique and other countries in southern Africa in recent weeks. Morris, of the UN World Food Programme, said international aid was still needed to keep the region fed through to the next harvests in April. Around 12 million people in southern Africa, including an estimated 4 percent of Mozambiques's population are expected to need assistance in the coming months. La Nina to affect weather into summer: NOAA Climatewire | February 2, 2006 The return of a La Nina weather pattern this year will likely mean drought in southern and southwestern US states, government forecasters said on Thursday, adding it was too early to tell if La Nina would also lead to more Atlantic hurricanes in 2006. La Nina is an unusual cooling of Pacific Ocean surface temperatures, which can trigger widespread changes in weather around the world. Forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said La Nina could wreak havoc on US weather through late spring, and possibly into the summer. "It's a minimal La Nina right now. It's just crossed the threshold." said Ed O'Lenic, meteorologist with NOAA's Climate Prediction Center. "There is some enhanced uncertainty as we get into the spring," he said. La Nina is forecast to bring dry weather to parts of the South and Southwest from Arizona to Arkansas and Louisiana, NOAA said. The unusual weather pattern will also bring above normal precipitation to the Northwest and the Tenessee Valley area. Drought-resistant GM seeds won't benefit Kenya for the next decade Nation Media Group Ltd. | by Kevin Kelley | February 1, 2006 Christopher Horner, a spokesman for Monsanto, was cited as saying that maize and other biotech crops able to thrive despite scant rainfall will not be planted in the US until about 2010 and that such crops "will be introduced initially in the US well before they become available in other countries." Horner was further quoted as saying that Monsanto is striving to "enable Africa to benefit in more of a parallel fashion rather than a sequential fashion from breakthroughs such as drought-resistant seeds. Kenya may be one of the first African countries where these seeds are introduced." Drought, not cold seen main threat to UK wheat Planetark | by Nigel hunt | January 31, 2006 Britain's wheat crop has escaped any damage from the recent cold snap across Europe, with dry conditions seen as a more significant threat to this year's harvests, analysts said on Monday. "There haven't been any problems (with frost damage). In Ukraine you have a cold wind blowing through and temperatures of minus 20 degrees Celsius. We don't see that sort of cold," Susan Twinning said. Ukraine is one of the grain producers which could face crop damage following a European winter cold snap which has killed more than 00 people and frozen parts of the Black Sea. Twinning said a lack of soil moisture in East Anglia, the East Midlands and the South-East was the biggest current threat to production. Those regions account in total for more than half the country's wheat area. Satellite portrait of global plant growth will aid climate research European Space Agency | January 27, 2006 An ambitious ESA project to chart ten years in the life of the Earth's vegetation has reached a midway point, with participants and end-users having met to review progress so far. harnessing many terabytes of satellite data, the GLOBCARBON project is intended to home the accuracy of climate change forecasting. GLOBCARBON involves the development of a service to generate fully calibrated estimates of land products based on a variety of Earth Observation data, suitable for assimilation into sophisticated software simulations of the planet created by the global carbon modelling community. Researchers have developed complex software models of carbon cycle processes to try and predict future changes, providing vital input for the IPCC. Seed quality variable for coming growing season Western Producer | by Michael Raine | January 26, 2006 Seed growers across the West report that seed quality and quantity for spring 2006 are highly variable and sales remain sluggish. Terry Rempel of Springstein, Man., said the wet weather that plagued much of southern Manitoba last year caused headaches for seed growers this winter. "Small kernels, light weight oats. Some flax that didn't' mature if it survived. The usual fusarium problems we have here. It is a tough year to get a handle on," he said about the Manitoba market. Perhaps the biggest problem comes from a lack of sales. Commercial growers facing poor commodity prices are waiting to make their seed buying decisions. "We find producers are even waiting to see what sort of coverage they will get from crop insurance. They want to be able to minimize their exposure to the market this year so until crop insurance programs give them indication of coverage levels, they don't want to start making cropping choices," Rempel said. Tomato growers, prices are finally recovering from Wilma: Consumers should benefit from the harvesting of tomatoes from South Florida, which affects the entire tomato industry Knight Ridder Tribune | by Wendy Victora | January 24, 2006 Folds who think Northwest Florida escaped Hurricane Wilma last October haven't tried to buy tomatoes lately. The late-season storm caused a temporary shortage of tomatoes, which translated into prices as high as $3.99 a pound in some stores. Some restaurants cut back or stopped using tomatoes when prices more than doubled. But prices are expected to begin dropping, now that South Florida farmers are harvesting what they replanted after Wilma, according to a press release from Florida Agricultural Commissioner Charles Bronson. "They overcame staggering odds to get back on their feet and are now bringing in the crops they promised," Bronson said. Non-risky business: New technology improves ranch management ARS News Service | January 24, 2006 Does the grass seem greener on the other side? That may change soon, thanks to new technology developed by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) that predicts forage growth, allowing ranchers to make more informed management decisions. At the ARD Great Plains Systems Research Unit (GPSR) in For Collins, Colo., soil scientist Gale Dunn and range systems modeler Allan Andales are developing a database that will analyze historical and simulated data. The database will predict future forage growth and help ranchers decide how many animals to graze on native range. The new database is based on GPFARM, a computer simulation model developed at GPSR to help central Plains farmers and ranchers make management decisions. Spanish farmers fear for water supplies PlanetArk | by Julia Hayley | January 23, 2006 Cloudless skies over much of Spain on Friday may cheer tourists and hikers ahead of the weekend, but farmers are deeply concerned as the country faces the second year of what could be a prolonged drought. Rain in recent weeks, even if way below the historical average for the month, has been enough to moisten the soil for sowing winter wheat and barley, which need no irrigation. "Sowing conditions for wheat and barley were good and there's plenty of humidity in the soil," said a spokeswoman for the farmers' association ASAJA. "But water levels are very low and I don't even want to think what problems there will be for crops like maize for fruit and vegetables that need irrigation," she added. Farmers do not usually plant maize until March or April so it is too early for them to decide how much to sow, ASAJA speciallist Jesus Rivera said. Drought forces beef cow liquidation Ontario Farmer | January 24, 2006 A withering drought stretching from southwestern Arkansas to southeastern Oklahoma and across Texas is forcing beef farmers to start selling off their breeding herds. Agriculture Online reports areas from Dallas-Ft. Worth through San Antonio have come off their driest year in 111 years of weather records and there is no sign that the drought will let up soon. Since October, the region is six-12 inches shy of normal in terms of precipitation totals. Wildfires are a constant threat. Further south, the El Paso region has had no rain for 90 days. Agriculture officials say there has been no massive selloff of breeding stock yet, but it's starting to happen. Sales of cows, especially older animals, are increasing at area auction yards. With hay prices on the rise in the area, analysts say that trend will accelerate in the coming weeks. Cotton producers nervous over drought Associated Press | by Betsy Blaney | January 21, 2006 Little rain has fallen on producer Ronald Thuett's cotton patch, leaving a parched, hardened ground on the South Plains that prevents him from doing winter work such as tilling soil. If the National Weather Service's prediction of a drier-than-normal trend through March holds, the producer on the world's largest contiguous patch could face difficulty when planting begins. "If it's this dry in April, we're going to be in extremely bad shape." Thuett said, "Everybody's concerned." With 85 practically dry days, Lubbock tied a 1922 record on Friday for the most consecutive days of no measurable rainfall. Record temperatures and windy conditions have dried soils further. The last measurable rainfall in Lubbock came on Oct. 27. West Texas isn't the only region in the state grappling with drought. Prolonged drought, low humidity and high winds around the state left many areas of North and East Texas vulnerable to fire Keeping an eye on soil moisture - from space SPARKPlug | by Sarah Fischer | January 20, 2006 Science, soil, and space - it's all coming together for University of Guelph researchers trying to use soil moisture levels to help determine long-term weather trends and climate change. Advanced space technology, along with a land-based soil network led by Prof. Aaron Berg, Dept. of Geography, will be used to monitor climate change and the impacts on water supply. A satellite, due to be launched by 2010, will keep an eye on the amount of water stored in the Earth's soil. "Soil moisture levels can play a critical role in determining long-term climate and weather trends," says Berg. "The combination of the satellite and a ground observation network will allow us to produce quality data on soil moisture levels to pass on to weather experts." Pollinator loss threatens crops and medicinal plants SciDev.Net | by Talent Ngandwe | January 20, 2006 Biodiversity "hotspots' such as South Africa's shrublands, and rainforests around the world, may lose some plant species forever because animals that pollinate them are dying out. As research published this week shows, this could affect the lives of millions of people in the developing world. The study says pollinators such as bees and some bird species are declining globally because of habitat loss, pesticide use and invasive species. As pollinator numbers fall, plants will increasingly compete for their services, raising concerns that more may need to be done to protect biologically rich areas. Lead researcher Jana Vamosi said that the decline in pollinators will have a serious impact on agriculture, as most food crops are dependent on effective natural pollination. Without it, flowers cannot develop into fruit, crop yields diminish and seeds -essential for the propagation of the species - fail to develop. Crops that cope with climate change BBSRC Press Release | January 20, 2006 Scientists at the UK's leading plant science centre have uncovered a gene that could help to develop new varieties of crop that will be able to cope with changing world climate. Researchers funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) in Norwich have identified the gene in barley that controls how the plant responds to seasonal changes in the length of the day. This is key to understanding how plants have adapted their flowering behaviour to different environments. The John Innes Centre researchers have discovered that the Ppd-H1 gene in barley controls the timing of the activity of another gene called CO. When the length of the day is long enough, CO activates one of the key genes that triggers flowering. Canadian researchers solve 45-year old mystery SeedQuest | January 20, 2006 Genome Canada and Genome Prairie-funded researchers have discovered a receptor for the hormone abscisic acid (ABA), the major hormone involved in a plant's response to environmental stresses. The results appear in today's edition of Nature. Dr. Robert Hill, a molecular biologist at the University of Manitoba, confirmed that a protein known as FCA, acts as a receptor for ABA, solving a mystery that had eluded the scientific community for 45 years. Although researchers know ABA helps plants survive environmental stresses such as drought, salt and cold, they had been unable to identify the receptor until now. "The discovery has many biological implications, including the prospect of greater crop yields," says Dr. Hill. Piled grain may lose its value Western Producer | by Karen Briere| January 19, 2006 The mild prairie winter has been good for people but not so good for grain. A combination of warm temperatures and moisture is leading to insect infestation and mould. Grain piled on the ground last fall and left uncovered is at risk of contamination from deer droppings and rodent damage. The Canadian Grain Commission said if producers aren't vigilant in checking their bins and grain piles, they may be disappointed when it comes time to sell. Grant McLean, a crop specialist, said some producers are complaining about insects. He heard before Christmas that one grain terminal turned away 10 trucks because the grain was infested. Woodbeck said the presence of insects like rusty grain beetles causes other problems. "Grain is a fabulous insulator. Insects will start reproducing. Just through their own activity they will create more moisture and more heat." That leads to moulds and more insects. Without a prolonged spell of -30 to -40 C to kill them, the bugs will live without problems or go dormant until it warms up again. Farm-saved hybrid canola doesn't pay, research finds Western Producer | by Ian Bell| January 19, 2006 Researchers have found that certified hybrid canola seed offers an advantage over farm-saved hybrid seed, according to findings released last week. The research was prompted by producer interest in saving seeds from the farm to help keep production costs in line. The conclusion was that the savings typically were not enought to offset lower yield when compared with hybrid canola grown from certified seed. "There's a loss in vigor and there's a loss in productivity and in most cases that loss exceeds any potential savings that you might have," said Stewart Brandt, a crop management agronomist with Agriculture Canada's research farm at Scott, Sask. "I think that growers are taking a risk when they use farm-saved seed." Research examines causes of droughts Western Producer | by Karen Morrison | January 19, 2006 Having grown up on a farm near Biggar in one of Saskatchewan's driest regions, climatologist Elaine Wheaton knows first hand about the impact of drought on the Prairies. She brings that background to her work at the Saskatchewan Research Council and as part of a new research team analyzing the physical characteristics and processes involved in droughts. The drought research initiative, jointly let by scientists from the University of Saskatchewan and McGil University, will focus on the 1999-2004 drought and seek better ways to predict the next one. Wheaton said the study will examine how severe it was and what was affected in areas such as agriculture, tourism, wildlife and watersheds. Wheaton said the study will examine how severe it was and what was affected in areas such as agriculture, tourism, wildlife, and watersheds. |
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