While pulse width modulation (PWM) offers much to pesticide application – variable rates, individual nozzle control – it’s not without its challenges, namely “gumming up.” “It has a moving part – it’s called a poppet,” explains Tom Wolf of Sprayers 101, on RealAg Radio. “It looks like a little piston moving inside a cylinder. So… Read More
The numbers are out, and according to the Association of Equipment Manufacturers’ May ag tractor and combine report, equipment sales could be much better. Canada “We’re kind of disappointed with the latest Canadian ag tractor and combine reports,” says the Association of Equipment Manufacturers’ Curt Blades. “We’ve started seeing softness across all the categories that… Read More
Ontario’s corn crop — such that it is — is pretty much planted, as most growers are now turning their focus to soybeans. Across the province during the past month, corn was planted into a range of wet, miserable conditions. The question now is how will the seedlings handle the tough going and what can… Read More
On the farm, the variety of pick up trucks is pretty narrow as most farmers are very loyal to the American automakers. Chevrolet, Dodge, or Ford can be found on most farms — is there room for a new entrant? Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla, is promoting the idea of a Tesla pick up… Read More
Canadian-based BRP has announced changes to its line of Defender and Maverick Can-Am off roading vehicles for 2020. According to a news release, the entire Defender series now has an 82 horsepower Rotax engine, 69 lb-ft of torque, and complete frame-up and front-end design changes that will improve the comfort and safety of the ride…. Read More
Within a month of announcing its collaboration with the University of Saskatchewan, Canadian tech startup Transport Genie Ltd., is set to conduct field trials of its smart sensors in Switzerland. The company announced this week that it is working with Swiss-based integrated poultry company Prodavi SA. Starting in June, Transport Genie sensors will be installed… Read More
It’s decision time for many Ontario farmers. As wet, cool weather maintains its grip on the province, do you listen to the markets and plant corn, or is it too late? How many heat units should you drop if you’re sticking with the king? Is it better to plant soybeans? How do you get your… Read More
After months of consultation, the Saskatchewan government introduced new training requirements for driving a semi for a farm or ranch operation. The changes follow the implementation of 121.5 mandatory training hours for Class 1 commercial semi drivers that came into effect March 15, 2019. Currently those that drive truck have to obtain an ‘F’ endorsement… Read More
This week’s Wheat Pete’s Word tackles some timely topics, such as weed control, soybean management, corn challenges, and applying fusarium. Have a question you’d like Johnson to address? Or some yield results to send in? Disagree with something he’s said? Leave him a message at 1-844-540-2014, send him a tweet (@wheatpete), or email him at [email protected]…. Read More
Combine sales in Canada have dropped a whopping 26.7 per cent compared to the same time last year according to the Association of Equipment Manufacturing (AEM) April report. Meanwhile, south of the border, sales for combines were down slightly by 4.2 per cent. When it comes to farm tractors sold in Canada last month, sales… Read More
The Amity brand of seeding tools is reintroducing the Concord brand, a name associated with the initial development of its air seeding technology. Any air drills and air carts that would have the Amity name will now be branded as Concord, starting in the model year 2020. Concord Inc, founded in 1977 by Howard and… Read More
With commodity prices struggling for broad acre crops, the first quarter of machinery sales in both Canada and the United States provide some insight. In Canada (see table below) the first quarter for 2019 shows 2WD tractors are down 6.3 per cent and 4WD tractors are down 34.6 per cent in comparison to the first… Read More
Are you farming vertically? That’s a question Illinois-based agronomist Ken Ferrie believes every grower needs to ask when making soil and field management decisions. At the CropSmart 2019 conference held earlier this year at Kitchener, Ont., Ferrie, who operates Crop-Tech consulting, explained that vertical farming refers to the ability for water to move up and… Read More
Variable seed size, seed costs, and unique seeding equipment can make recommending a canola seeding rate nearly impossible except on a farm-by-farm basis. What agronomists can do is help farmers work backwards from the desired plant stand count to get where they need to be, but what if that number proves very expensive? The Canola… Read More
Nearly every piece of equipment or machinery we use is powered by electronics and proprietary software. While electronics allows for many things — precision and variable rate applications, mapping and data collection, and even remote trouble shooting — it also creates a barrier to being able to fix something when something goes awry. Eric Wareham,… Read More