Ontario Agriculture

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AALP Class 14 North American Study Tour - July 10, 2012

We welcome a lost sheep back to the fold

Michel Dignard, who could not be with us for the first three days of the tour met us in Newark and we are all very happy he did make it for the balance of the program.  Our bus left Newark this morning with a full schedule of visits to a number of organic and sustainable agricultural operations in Pennsylvania.

Our first stop was at Peace Tree Farm operated by Lloyd and Candy Traven.  The family business has been in operation for 31 years.  The large greenhouse operation is specializes in unique and hard to find plants which include cuttings and organic herbs. Peace Tree is very innovative using modern technology.  Lloyd’s expertise is demanded at various conferences around North America each year.  Technology here includes a computerized and automated watering system. The AALP group had a fascinating tour with a man who has the green thumb to complement his technology.

Our second stop this morning was to a sustainable cattle ranch operation, Tussock Sedge Farm.  Our hosts Henry and Charlotte Rosenberger explained their operation including their connection with PASA Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture.  The name of their farm is taken from the sedge (a type of grass) that is used to prevent soil erosion at the nearby creeks. They see their operation as preserving the farm land. The beef operation is a rotational grazed 90 cow and calf Angus & Devon cross cattle which are grass fed. 

Our final stop was Lundale Farm Foundation and Turning Roots Farm, a project linking farmland and new farmers.   These new farmers were looking to developing a CSA model with an educational component.  The operation has been set up as a sustainable, biodynamic and organic operation.  They are building relationships with local restaurants for their products as well as selling at farmers markets’ while also looking into roadside sales as a face to face marketing goal.

Community Share Agriculture provides consumers with direct access to local and organic foods grown by an organic farm.  The CSA model in most cases provides a family with fresh produce on a weekly basis of typical seasonal produce.  The box can have a variety of produce and varying quantities depending on weather, seasonality and other variables known in farming.  The CSA box program usually runs from May-November and is pre-paid in advance or on a weekly basis depending on the farm.

Todd Austin, Andrew Miller, Paul Vickers - Class 14

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Comment by Melanie Williams on July 12, 2012 at 4:05am

Sounds great! It would be interesting to see how Turning Roots Farm compares to Ontario programs such as FarmLINK and what ideas could be shared.

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

Drones expedite field surveying and spraying

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

AI brings cybersecurity risks for farmers

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.

Planter developments enhance seed success

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, proposed shipping costs, lead to uncertainty in ag industry

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.

Autonomous tech helps with cover crops, precision jobs

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

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