Ontario has announced up to $2 million in funding to support marketing efforts to encourage more consumers to eat and purchase Ontario pork. The province will provide Ontario Pork with up to $2 million for support of marketing and promotional activities encouraging more people to choose local Ontario pork wherever they eat or shop. The… Read More
Month: November 2014
With harvest all but done in Western Canada and producers finally getting into corn in the East, farm show and meeting season has arrived. Several Real Ag team members are attending Agri-Trade in Red Deer this week, as Kelvin Heppner touches base with Shaun Haney at Westerner Park on this week’s ag news podcast. Kelvin also has more from the… Read More
If you’re considering growing barley for the malt market in 2015, the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre has just released its list of recommended varieties for the 2015-16 crop year. The list (find it here) is compiled by the CMBTC’s members with input from grain companies, maltsters and brewers. CDC Copeland and AC Metcalfe are… Read More
Transport Canada has announced a pair of exemptions that should make it easier for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to be used for commercial purposes. There’s been growing excitement about using UAVs in agriculture, but until now, a Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC) from Transport Canada has been required for non-recreational flights. To accommodate commercial opportunities, Ottawa… Read More
The first thing Jeff Schoenau likes to do when assessing soil is dig. Schoenau is Ministry of Agriculture Strategic Research Chair and professor at the University of Saskatchewan and he believes digging a soil pit can give a good indication of the vertical distribution of nutrients in a given area. But, as tiring as digging a… Read More
By Lilian Schaer for AgInnovation Ontario The light emitted by an innovative new LED bulb designed for poultry farmers can help chickens lay more eggs. AgriLux was developed through research led by Dr. Grégoy Bédécarrats from the University of Guelph’s Department of Animal and Poultry Science. A partnership with Thies Electrical Distributing in Cambridge, Ontario… Read More
Things have changed quickly in society, maybe faster than ever. For example, I don’t know about you, but when I was growing up, science was definitely not cool. One of my contemporaries (age-wise), a top-notch, internationally respected environmental toxicologist, reiterated that for me recently during a discussion about occupational choices. “I didn’t become a scientist… Read More
With the recent rally in soybeans looking like it might be over, there could be some major downside to oilseed prices, according to the chief economist for AgResource Company. Bill Tierney, speaking at the Cereals North America conference in Winnipeg last week, called the rally “seemingly inexplicable,” as there were no significant changes in U.S…. Read More
In 2015, growers can purchase Nexera canola under a Flexibility Agreement. The Flexibility Agreement allows farmers to produce Nexera canola and sell it as either a commodity canola or, potentially garner a delivery contract with a health premium in the Omega-9 Oils market. “The only request we have of the grower, if he’s going to sign a Nexera Flexibility Agreement, that he… Read More
New standards for storing and applying seed treatments are set to take effect across Canada in 2017. The new audit-based accreditation system was developed by CropLife Canada and its members “to provide uniform environmental, health and safety practices” at facilities where seed treatments are applied. If a business does not go through the accreditation process,… Read More
Genetic resistance to clubroot is breaking down in western Canada, Bt traits are losing efficacy in the States and weeds such as palmer amaranth and kochia are swiftly becoming resistant to glyphosate. Is biotechnology really offering sustainable solutions to agricultural woes? According to Maurice Moloney, group executive, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization in Australia, though western Canadian farmers… Read More
“It’s all about doing more with less,” says Mark Futcher. Futcher is the marketing manager of automatic milking systems for DeLaval, and he sees adoption of technology as a way to increase efficiencies on the farm. One of Futcher’s focuses is FOSS & DeLaval Solution’s Herd Navigator System, a technology designed to identify milking cows in need of… Read More
Syngenta Canada Inc. has announced the registration of Fortenza seed treatment, a new seed-applied insecticide for early-season cutworm control. The seed treatment can be used in conjunction with foliar products as part of canola growers’ cutworm management strategy. Cutworms are an early season pest of canola and be particularly devastating to a crop, as the pest… Read More
With record prices and strong profits over the last year, are we on the verge of seeing renewed excitement about pig production in Canada? The previous decade was filled with challenges, but with pork prices where they’ve been over the last year, there should be some incentive to build new barns, or at least fill… Read More
What’s the Old Wives’ Tale regarding fog? Or is it hoarfrost? Does it matter? That’s the burning issue co-hosts Shaun Haney and Jim Hale kick off this edition of the Kickin’ Tires podcast with, but don’t worry, they get into some much more machinery-related discussions after that. From what the used combine market may look… Read More