Genuine, authentic, caring…when was the last time we heard these words being used to describe a politician? Yet as I travel around meeting people throughout the riding these are the words people use when they talk about Kathleen Wynne.
A couple weeks ago I was at Breakfast on the Farm, which Premier Wynne attended, and I was…
DuPont Pioneer will invest $100,000 in rural safety across Canada over the next year, with the launch of FIRE, the Funding Initiative for Rural Emergencies. The program - launched today following its first donation to the Howick Fire Department in Howick,…
Carrot/Onion/Potato and Sugar Beet growers can learn from their cash crop growing neighbours and gain the knowledge they have been seeing for years.
Yield monitors have long been only available for conventional cash crop growers, until now. Innovative technology from Northern Equipment Solutions supplier Greentronics, now allows veggie growers to monitor/map and obtain vital yield data.
Growers can now visualize and gain the knowledge about problem areas, and about high…
The new Ontario government believes in a strong, sustainable future for the horse racing industry in this province. We have a plan, guided by the report of the Horse Racing Industry Transition Panel, for a way forward that will put the industry on a sustainable path – and while we’ve already made a lot of progress, we know there is more work to be done.
We have committed up to $180 million to support the industry over the next three years as it adapts to a…
The official opening of a new $10 million state-of-the-art greenhouse facility at the Southern Crop Protection and Food Research Centre (SCPFRC), part of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada was held Thursday afternoon. Researchers discussed how Canadian farmers stand to benefit from research focused on improving crop quality, productivity, and disease and insect resistance, to be done at the newly constructed greenhouse.
I could not believe it: A frontal thunder storm system had barely crossed southwestern Ontario to reach our Guelph-area farm, and Peter Johnson was already tweeting advice to farmers – how to deal the inevitable soil crusting problem which pounding rain would cause, preventing the emergence of recently planted soybean seeds/seedlings.
That incident is far from unique. Late May frosts triggered early Saturday morning tweets from Johnson, Mike Cowbrough and several other field staffers…
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) scientists in Guelph, Ontario are studying the nutritional benefits of Ontario-grown quinoa and amaranth as part of a project to determine the potential for introducing these South American grains to Ontario.
This year has been declared “The International Year of the Quinoa” by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.
,br> New 80PT model Samco planter. 8 row pull type planting maize corn with degradable mulch film to warm the soil in early spring. see our website for more information.
Added by OntAG Admin on May 18, 2013 at 4:49pm —
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By older I mean about 50-plus, including old-timers like me who can still learn new skills. Younger people can ignore the following advice; they’ve mostly discovered what I’ll be saying, years ago.
I have long ignored the idea of social media. I saw no reason to inform others about my daily trivia, or to know the same about them. But then, thanks to two daughters, I discovered Twitter. It’s marvelous.
For sure, Twitter can be about trivia, and often is. But it’s also a… Continue
By Nathan Stevens May 10, 2013 The first proposed budget under our new Premier holds many positive commitments for agriculture and rural Ontario. The CFFO is pleased that there are commitments to the key issues that the organization raised in its budget submission on the need for fiscal discipline, the need for a focus on innovation, and the need for regulatory modernization. However, there are some areas of concern as…
New technology tools are eyed as farm efficiency helpers. That’s exactly what draws farmers to drones (also referred to as unmanned aerial vehicles). The greater speed at which drones can survey or spray agricultural fields continues to advance. “It’s amazing how fast surveying or spraying gets done,” said Matt Herman, who along with his wife, Julie, owns Herman Ag Services in southeastern Illinois. Services offered include custom drone application, plant nutrition and agronomic consulting. Another advantage to agriculture drone use: It’s much less expensive compared to hiring crop-duster planes, said Herman, who also operates a diversified 500-acre farm with corn, soybeans and wheat. A new University of Missouri Extension publication, “Economics of Drone Ownership for Agricultural Spray Applications,” introduces cost-estimating tools for farmers and custom operators curious about investing in drones. “These tools enable producers to calculate their own drone application costs ba
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape agriculture, grain farmers are seeing significant improvements in efficiency, profitability and sustainability. AI-driven tools optimize planting, fertilization and harvesting while also helping farmers navigate market fluctuations. However, with increased reliance on digital technology, cybersecurity threats pose a growing risk to modern farm operations. Implementing AI alongside strong cybersecurity practices ensures a resilient and productive future for grain farmers. AI-powered tools analyze soil health, moisture levels and weather patterns to guide planting decisions. Smart sensors provide real-time data, helping farmers determine the best seed varieties and planting densities for maximum yield. By optimizing seed placement and soil inputs, AI reduces waste and enhances efficiency.
Kent Shannon says there is always something new when it comes to spring planting. That includes machinery and planting practices, he says. Shannon serves as an Extension ag engineer with the University of Missouri. “For example, one of the things we are seeing more and more is soybeans getting planted earlier,” he says. “I know there are some that have already been planted. This is a newer practice in Missouri.” Shannon says most major machinery manufacturers will have new equipment on the ground this spring. “They are always tweaking something as it relates to the planter,” he says. Shannon says John Deere is featuring newer displays this year along with some other items. Precision Planting is another company Shannon says is working on new equipment.
Tariffs and retaliatory actions by trading partners are causing “uncertainty” throughout the ag industry, and economic experts during NDSU’s Agricultural Market Situation and Outlook Webinar on April 4 discussed the impacts of the tariffs on agriculture, as well as the new proposals for shipping and vessels, especially for Chinese vessels, that would charge upwards of $1 million for entry into the U.S. ports. Steel and aluminum Tariffs on steel were set at 25 percent and will continue at that percentage indefinitely, according to Bryon Parman, NDSU ag finance specialist. “The exemptions for a lot of the carve-outs for steel manufactured products like stamped bumpers and things like that are going away,” he said. Aluminum tariffs have risen from 10 percent to 25 percent across the board, and the top country the U.S. imports aluminum from is Canada. While the U.S. imports about 24 percent of the steel it uses, it imports a larger share of aluminum.
Being autonomous on the farm seems to have different meanings based on who is discussing the topic. Autonomy on the farm has often been associated with automated adjustments while working in the field or decision-making aided by technology based on nearly instantaneous information gathering. Other people may talk about taking farmers’ hands off the wheel entirely. “Some companies, like John Deere, AGCO and others, are targeting or foresee the future of automation where the farmer doesn’t need to be in the tractor,” said Naveen Uppalapati, research scientist at the University of Illinois I-FARM’s Farm of the Future. While certain advances, such as the combination of GPS and autosteer, have made some aspects of driving easier, the growth of autonomous technology doesn’t necessarily mean farmers will be able to sip coffee in their living rooms as the combines roll in the field. Uppalapati said putting the operation totally in the hands of machines is a very far-away view of how autonom