Pulse of the Prairies

Demand for pulses during the 2020 growing season have been quite strong and in this podcast episode Andrea Lauder, Communications Manager chats with Chuck Penner of LeftField Commodity Research about how likely demand for Canadian pulses will continue to be, what impact the market in India will have on demand, and what market opportunities growers should watch for. 

Harvest across Saskatchewan has been progressing at a rapid rate due in large part to the hot, dry weather we experienced in August. In this podcast Sherrilyn Phelps, Agronomy Manager talks with John Ippolito, Crops Extension Specialist, Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture in the Kindersley area about how pulse harvest has looked so far this year, what tips to keep in mind when storing pulse...

In a recent research study led by Pulse Canada and supported by SPG it was found that substituting beef burgers with 1/3 lentils benefited overall environmental footprint and nutritional content at a reduced cost. In this podcast episode Amber Johnson, Director of Marketing and Communications chats with Denis Tremorin, Director, Sustainability with Pulse Canada about the ways this research can not...

Mental health has become a more prominent topic in the agriculture community. The Do More Ag Foundation has been working to reduce the stigma of mental health and to provide producers with resources they may need. In this episode Amber Johnson, Director of Marketing and Communications chats with co-founder Lesley Kelly about how Do More Ag came to be, the importance of the Foundation to her person...

Breeding pulse varieties suited for Saskatchewan growing conditions and climates has brought a lot of success for Saskatchewan pulse growers. In this episode Saskatchewan Pulse Growers' (SPG) Executive Director Carl Potts chats with Director of Research & Development Dave Greenshields about the changes coming to pulse breeding, how SPG will remain part of the pulse breeding process, and how th...

Dr. Michael Nickerson, Professor and Ministry of Agriculture Strategic Research Program (SRP) Chair in Protein Quality and Utilization at the University of Saskatchewan chats with Dr. Constance Chiremba, Pulse Science Cluster Program Manager with SPG about his research into protein composition of pulses, processing capabilities for pulse crops, and future areas of growth for pulse-based proteins i...

Sherrilyn Phelps, Agronomy Manager with Saskatchewan Pulse Growers shares pulse seeding tips and resources to help growers prepare for spring seeding of their pulse crops. Calculating seed size, ideal seeding dates for pulses, and balanced fertility for a newly seeded pulse crops are some of the topics touched upon.

Greg Bartley, Director, Crop Protection & Crop Quality with Pulse Canada talks about the Keep it Clean! program, what maximum residue limits (MRLs) are, what happens if pulses exceed MRLs in international markets, and what role growers can play in ensuring that crop protection products they use on their crops don't impact international market access for pulses.

Peas and lentils have faced export barriers over the last two years, but slowly Canadian ending stocks are being drawn down to normal levels. Analyst Marlene Boersch of Mercantile Consulting Venture Inc. discusses the pea and lentil markets, where growers have opportunities to move their product, and also where there are areas of concern regarding ongoing market access issues. 

Jessica Weber, Research Manager with the Western Applied Research Corporation and Sherrilyn Phelps, Agronomy Manager with Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, discuss ways that growers can maximize their pea and lentil yields this growing season by considering things such as seeding rates,  weed control, and fertility management for pulse crops.

Weeds are a significant barrier to pulse production in Saskatchewan. Increased herbicide usage has meant there's a growing number of resistant weed species. We sat down with Dr. Chris Willenborg with the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan to discuss his five-year, SPG-funded weed research program which has studied ways to best manage weeds in pulse crops. From improved...

Everywhere we turn, we are hearing more and more about plant protein. Who is driving this food trend, how long will it last, and what opportunities does it create for Saskatchewan pulses? Join us as we discuss consumer's growing interest in plant protein with Marie Molde, Food Industry Expert and Registered Dietitian with Datassential, a food trends and market insights company. 

Challenging weather is delaying harvest across the province and causing negative impacts on quality. How will these and other factors influence markets? Join SPG Communications Manager Andrea Lauder as she connects with market analyst Chuck Penner, Founder of LeftField Commodity Research, to talk market conditions for peas and lentils this fall.