Western Crop Innovations (WCI) has announced the appointment of David Hoekstra as its interim executive director....
Marc Zienkiewicz
Marc Zienkiewicz
Marc Zienkiewicz spent a decade working as a reporter, photographer, and finally a managing editor for what was then Canada’s largest newspaper chain. Over the years he received numerous Manitoba Community Newspapers Association awards for his writing and photography, and most recently has won Canadian Farm Writers Federation awards for his writing and podcasting. Believing that it's important to be involved in the industry you work in, he currently is a member of the Seeds Canada Advocacy and Communications Committee. He lives on a quarter-section of land in Brightstone, Man., with his wife Laura and their dog, two cats and two horses.
Grain Farmers Caught in Crossfire as U.S.-China Trade War Escalates
PHOTO: Alberta's Tara Sawyer is chair of Grain Growers of Canada. Tariffs threaten billions in exports, family farms...
Mark Olson Has Departed Western Crop Innovations, New Executive Director to be Announced Soon
Mark Olson has stepped down from his role as interim executive director of Western Crop Innovations (WCI) ahead of the...
Canola Sector Responds to Chinese Tariffs on Canola Meal, Oil
China’s Ministry of Commerce has concluded its anti-discrimination investigation against Canada, launched in September...
RDAR Injects Over $600,000 Into Expanding Silage Crop Regional Variety Trials
Alberta farmers and ranchers will soon have access to expanded silage crop research, thanks to a $650,000 investment...
Photo Highlights from Ag Expo in Lethbridge
Here are a few photo highlights from the North American Seed Fair at Ag-Expo in Lethbridge, Alta., running from Feb....
New Cereal, Pulse and Oilseed Lines Bring Big Yields and New Markets for Farmers
PHOTO: Members of the Prairie Recommending Committee for Wheat, Rye and Triticale hold up their voting cards at last...
WCI Secures Registration Support for Five New Varieties at PGDC
PHOTO: The staff of Western Crop Innovations pose for a photo at the 2024 AgSmart event held in Olds. Western Crop...
Want to go to Ag-Expo in Lethbridge? We’re Giving Away 10 Free Tickets
Our sister publication Seed World Canada is sponsoring the North American Seed Fair at Ag-Expo in Lethbridge this...
Honouring a Canola Champion: Stephen Strelkov Wins 2025 Canola Award of Excellence
PHOTO: Dr. Stephen Strelkov accepts his award last week during the CropConnect Conference in Winnipeg. At last week’s...
Why the European Agricultural Model isn’t All it’s Cracked Up to Be
PHOTO: Bill Wirtz is policy analyst for the Consumer Choice Center. The European approach to agricultural regulation...
One Trench at a Time: How John Conrad Tackled the Western Crop Innovations Transition
PHOTO: John Conrad is Alberta Agriculture's assistant deputy minister of primary agriculture. As one of the key...
U.S. Tariffs “Reckless”, says Alberta Grain Farmer
PHOTO: Tara Sawyer is an Alberta farmer and chair of Grain Growers of Canada. A controversial 25% tariff on Canadian...
How Farmers Can Help Keep Wheat Innovation Alive: Listen to Our CrossRoads Panel Discussion
PHOTO: From left: Alberta Seed Guide editor Marc Zienkiewicz; SeCan western business manager Todd Hyra; University of...
You Can Help Fight Fear With Facts: Michele Payn’s Challenge to Farmers
PHOTO: Speaker and author MIchele Payn addresses the crowd today at the CrossRoads Crop Conference. When Michele Payn...
Alberta Pulse Growers Look Back on a Year of Extremes as APG Marks 35 Years
PHOTO: Alberta Pulse Growers Chair Shane Strydhorst speaks during today's annual general meeting held in Edmonton. The...
Canadian Wheat Research Coalition Commits $11.8 Million to Crop Development Centre
The Canadian Wheat Research Coalition (CWRC) has committed $11.8 million over the next five years to a core breeding...
Alberta Canola Celebrates 35 Years, Elects New Leadership
PHOTO: Front Row - Left to Right: Alan Hampton, Paula Law, Andre Harpe, Christi Friesen, Charles Simoneau. Back Row -...
Amazing Race Canada Winner Tyler Smith on How the Power of Conversation Can Change Everything
PHOTO: Tyler Smith, a survivor of the 2018 Humboldt Broncos bus crash, spoke to the audience at last week's Alberta...
Revolutionizing Farming Through Sensing Technology
A Lethbridge researcher is leading the effort to accelerate the digital transformation of the Canadian agriculture...
What Happens if AAFC No Longer Develops Field-Ready Cultivars? Listen to our Panel Discussion from Last Week
PHOTO: Panelists Jodi Souter Jeremy Boychyn and Loren Comin joined Alberta Seed Guide editor Marc Zienkiewicz for a...
Tan Spot a Growing Threat in 2025
PHOTO: Reem Aboukhaddour of AAFC Lethbridge is uncovering the mechanisms behind the tan spot pathogen’s virulence and...
There are Promising Signs for Pea and Lentil Crops Amid Root Rot Concerns
PHOTO: Plants collected at the mid-late flowering stage in mid-July showing advanced decay and blackening of the tap...
Verticillium Stripe: Why Soil pH and Disease Presence are Related
As canola farmers prepare for the spring planting season, attention turns to a potential issue creeping into the province — verticillium stripe. While this disease isn’t yet widespread in Alberta, its presence in neighbouring provinces and specific areas of southern Alberta is cause for concern.
Future-Proofing Wheat Breeding in Canada: Stay Tuned for our CrossRoads Panel Discussion
On Jan. 29, the Alberta Seed Guide will host a panel discussion at the CrossRoads Crop Conference in Edmonton on the...
Disease Trends in Canola, Pulses and Wheat are Already Shaping the 2025 Planting Season
AS FARMERS PREPARE for the 2025 planting season, disease patterns seen in 2024 in canola and pulses offer a bit of...
Farm the Best, Leave the Rest: Boosting Profitability can Come From an Unlikely Strategy
PHOTO: Strathmore’s Graydon Garner employs off-site watering systems for his cattle, part of creating a sustainable...
It’s Not Santa who Delivers New Seed Varieties: Takeaways From our AgSmart Panel Discussion on New Breeding Technologies That Benefit Farmers
PHOTO: Farmers can't simply send Santa a wish list for new crop varieties with certain agronomic traits. Those...
Alberta Canola Seeks Grower Support for First Service Charge Increase in 20 Years
Alberta Canola is urging canola growers to approve its first service charge increase in over two decades. The proposed...
Why we Have to Act Now to Future-Proof Wheat Breeding in Canada
Canada’s wheat industry is at a crossroads. For decades, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) has been the...
A New Kind of Plant Breeder
Jodi Souter’s company J4 Agri-Science is showing that private plant breeding startups have a crucial role to play in...
Alberta Grains Announces Leadership and Board Updates Following AGM
Following Alberta Grains’ Annual General Meeting, held last week during the Prairie Cereals Summit in Banff, Alberta,...
At 79 , Ed Lefsrud is Focused on the Road Ahead
The founder of Lefsrud Seed talks about the importance of expanding the seedgrower community and inspiring the next...
CSGA Opens Up its Membership to the Wider Seed Community
In a special member meeting held today in Calgary, the Canadian Seed Growers Association (CSGA) approved the...
Bad-Smelling Wheat is the Next Weapon Against Midge
Imagine you’re a tiny wheat midge, buzzing around in search of the perfect place to lay your eggs. As you fly over a...
We’re Gathering in Downtown Calgary to Draw Up a Map for the Future of Plant Breeding in Canada
We're at the interprovincial seed growers meeting in Calgary hosted by the Alberta-British Columbia Seed Growers, and...
Why Should You Invest in New Genetics? Watch our Panel Discussion to Find Out
Featured photo: Last week's panel discussion at the CrossRoads Crop Conference featured Alberta Seed Guide Editor Marc...
There’s a Revolution Going on in the Hybrid Rye Space and Alberta is Playing a Big Role
ABOVE: SU Performer hybrid fall rye from Saaten-Union. Photo courtesy FP Genetics Hybrid rye seed production is in...
We Need More Than Just Checkoff Dollars to Bring New Seed to Farmers
The funding landscape for seed development is more complicated than it used to be. While producer levies are crucial,...
Yukon’s Farming Frontier is Open for Trailblazers
Do you think the Peace River region is about the furthest north one can farm? Not so fast. Yukon is flipping the...
The Blue Book is Getting Even Better
PHOTO: Craig Lester is the new coordinator for the Alberta Blue Book. After the provincial government decided to...
Progress of the 2024 Harvest was Well Above Average
Alberta’s 2024 harvest season has reached near completion with 99% of all crops harvested, marking a significant...
How Kim Kenward Built One of Canada’s Biggest Portfolios of Molecular Tests to Benefit Farmers
This article is from our sister publication Seed World Canada. For profiles of four other seed testing innovators...
Genetic Tweaks can Make Oats More Nutritious, Increase Shelf Life
Health-conscious consumers and oat product producers will find new hope in the latest research out of McGill...
Lisa Greenan is Changing the Rules of Seed Testing
This article is from our sister publication Seed World Canada. For profiles of four other seed testing innovators...
Janek Bartel says Seed Testing is Becoming Revolutionized
This article is from our sister publication Seed World Canada. For profiles of four other seed testing innovators...
What Value does Certified Seed Bring to the Farm? We Asked a Farmer
When it comes to making decisions about seed on the farm, Henk Kamper, a seasoned grower in southern Alberta, knows...
Harvest is Virtually Complete as Farmers Enjoy Dry Weather
The provincial harvest has advanced by an additional 5 per cent over the past week, now standing at 96 per cent...
Farmer, Seed Grower Tom Jackson is Being Remembered as an Individualist who Pushed the Envelope
ABOVE: Tom Jackson in the 1960s on the family farm in Sherwood Park, Alta. The seed community has lost a legend who’s...
Harvest Nears Completion as Farmers Push Through the Final Stretch
The past week has been productive for Alberta farmers, with the provincial harvest reaching 91% completion for major...
85% of Major Crops Harvested Despite Heavy Rainfall
Harvest operations across the province made significant strides over the past week, despite being slowed by rainfall...