Weed control in organic soybeans can be challenging but new technology is helping Brandon Jantzi and his family keep it clean at Janlan Farms near Baden, Ont. On this episode of The Sharp Edge, Jantzi and Maizex Seeds agronomist Henry Prinzen dig into the farm’s weed control strategy, which is designed to deliver high-yielding organic… Read More
Category: Organic
This post is part of a series of short introductions of Students of Agriculture. From undergraduates, to PhDs, or those learning out in the world, this series will share snippets of different journeys in agriculture education. Know a student with a neat story? Send Lyndsey a message ([email protected]) to have them recognized as a Student… Read More
A steam-sprayer company is currently conducting trials researching the efficacy of steam-spraying to new depths, which so far, has produced promising results. The X-Steam-inator is a spraying system that utilizes steam to kill weeds and thanks to research being done in Yuma, Arizona, could produce a sizeable increase in production. Ron Gleim, founder and CEO… Read More
A Saskatchewan-based, Indigenous owned and operated company is harvesting organic wild rice along with cultivating a sense of community pride, profit, and support. NWC Wild Rice Company is comprised of three different Indigenous groups: Metis, Dene and Cree, and was created in 2019 to establish a voice for the harvesters, opposed to having the product… Read More
Protein Industries Canada (PIC) has announced a partnership that will develop and commercialize non-GM soybean protein ingredients. Canada Protein Ingredients Ltd (CPI), DJ Hendrick International, Agrocorp Processing, Semences Prograin, and Synthesis Network have partnered to produce high-quality soybean protein ingredients. The $27.3 million project will result in an innovative proprietary process to produce soybean ingredients… Read More
Much of the Canadian demand for organics is met by imported products. To address this, the Canadian Organic Growers (COG) is launching a federally-funded project to help get more Canadian consumers buying organics produced locally by Canadian organic farmers. With a grant of $640,000, COG will develop a strategy to identify and find solutions to… Read More
Typically, it’s tough to grow organic soybeans without turning to tillage for weed control. When done well, organic yields can rival conventional production, but it comes at a cost — from equipment and labour requirements to long-term soil degradation. There are production systems, however, that are proving to deliver yield without these drawbacks. In the… Read More
The federal government this week announced it will provide $992,131 to the Canada Organic Trade Association to develop market opportunities for organic products, and build on the “Canada Organic Brand.” The funding announcement was made by Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Marie-Claude Bibeau at Cooperative Alentour in Sherbrooke, QC, on Friday, when she also took… Read More
Canadians are set to celebrate Canada’s Agriculture Day February 12, with gatherings, conferences, celebrations, and sharing what’s happening on the farm. The day is all part of the “share our story” philosophy — that agriculture’s customers have simply lost touch with how food is grown and produced, and that if farmers share more, they’ll earn back… Read More
The Organic Council of Ontario (OCO) has received funding to develop a data strategy specific to Ontario’s organic industry. The funding, awarded through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership program, will support a study to identify the most relevant data gaps in the organic industry, assess current and potential data tracking and collection points, and plan for a sustainable… Read More
Do you ever look back, “Those were the good old days?” We all have periods in business when there is a golden age. A period when competition might be reduced, margins are great, demand is strong, and we perhaps assume the good times will roll forever. Realistically, we know that they don’t. The Wall Street… Read More
Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay kicked off the second leg of his “Growing Canadian Agriculture” tour today in Mara, B.C. by meeting with organic farmers. MacAulay announced an $8.3 million commitment to the Organic Federation of Canada at his first stop. The organic research cluster, which will receive an additional $4.4 million in industry contributions, will focus… Read More
What do you get when you connect two ‘city kid’ filmmakers, a world-class chef, and nine farmers and their families? You get Before The Plate, a genuine behind-the-kitchen-door, on-the-farm look at how food is produced in Canada, and the passion and commitment chefs and farmers apply to their craft. The driving force behind the film… Read More
In another move towards automation, Claas has unveiled a system for automatic steering of cultivators in row crops. The Culti Cam uses a high-resolution camera to detect rows, and then adjusts the position of the implement, centring it between rows, independent from the tractor’s steering. Using colour and 3D surface information, Claas says the camera software… Read More
Are you willing to change your mind when you discuss agriculture and food issues with people who don’t agree with your point of view? On some level, most people in agriculture engage in conversations with family, friends, and colleagues on a range of issues – everything from conventional versus organic agriculture, to the right to… Read More