Most farmers don’t conduct regular new variety trials on their own farms. Typically, farmers take a longterm approach. When the performance of a trusted variety sags, they may consult the Alberta Seed Guide and plant a few dozen acres, or even an entire field, of a newer variety listed within its pages.

If you like to read soil moisture maps in bed (and who doesn’t?), the latest of these may keep you up at night. Recent Government of Alberta precipitation and accumulated moisture maps picture zones of potential trouble. While they aren’t cause for panic, some spots warrant a closer look.

Familiar to most farmers, that blue seed tag indicates a grower has produced the high-quality product that will be used to produce the year’s crop. Seed growers are the foundation of Canada’s agri-food industry, helping to maintain the robust selection of crop varieties farmers rely on to grow the best crops possible.