On June 30, 2025, the Alberta Forage Industry Network (AFIN) will officially close up shop after 15 years, passing its mandate to the Agricultural Research & Extension Council of Alberta (ARECA). Alan Hall, executive director of ARECA, says in an interview with RealAgriculture's Amber Bell that this transition is “a good fit” as ARECA is... Read More
Category: Forage
Increased horsepower, improved automation and more technology are three of the key features John Deere is touting with the launch of its new F8 and F9 Series self-propelled forage harvesters. “A higher-quality forage output with more power, more precision and more uptime, that’s the focus of the new forage harvesters for our customers,” says Bergen... Read More
Cleanfarms, in collaboration with the Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD), is launching a five-year pilot program to support farmers in the Fraser Valley in recycling bale wrap and silage plastics. The project will start this year and run until 2029. Leveraging experience in preparation and collection of agricultural plastics for recycling, Cleanfarms is launching this... Read More
Pastures or hay fields looking a little thin? It could be time to rejuvenate those forage fields! But how, when, and with what? For this episode of The Agronomists, host Lyndsey Smith is joined by Christine O'Reilly with OMAFA and Grant Lastiwka of Renovo Seeds to talk about the role of grazing and hay management... Read More
Dairy farmer Crosbie Williams milks 180 cows in a modern freestyle barn at Pond View Farms in Goulds, Newfoundland. Williams and his brother, Ray, operate one of 19 dairy farms in a province that boasts the largest dairy operations, based on average cow numbers, in the country. Those farms produce 100 per cent of the... Read More
Massey Ferguson says its new Hesston double small square baler is a perfect fit for farmers facing labour shortages and tight harvest windows. With the MF SB.1436DB small square baler, farmers can now produce two rows of bales per field pass. In this report from Commodity Classic at Denver, Colorado, Jessica Williamson, Massey's hay and... Read More
In spring 2021, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) announced funding to expand its Living Labs initiative to every province. Today, organizations tasked with connecting farmers, scientists, and other stakeholders to advance sustainable, environmentally friendly on-farm practices and technologies are starting to see preliminary results. One such organization is Food Water Wellness Foundation in Alberta. Kim... Read More
The microbiomes of animals, on and in crops, and in soil and water are incredibly complex that are intricately interconnected, with each influencing the others in various ways. Dr. Tim McAllister, principal research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, has spent nearly a decade studying microbiomes, referring to them as the one health microbiome or... Read More
It can be a challenge to talk about ranching in Canada without also talking about winter. For half the year, in most parts of the country, there is little that grows. That means that livestock feed needs to be grown within a very short timeframe, and the animals consuming it are fed for a lot... Read More
Over the decades, attitudes, thoughts and ideas within the forage and grazing community have shifted; however, the passion that ranchers have for the land and their lifelong commitment to learning have not. While at the Western Canada Conference on Soil Health and Grazing (WCCSHG) at Edmonton, Alta., last week, Grant Lastiwka of Renovo Seed spoke... Read More