From new developments in Canada’s latest case of BSE to the need for more investment in rail infrastructure, here’s a quick audio snapshot of this week’s ag news — the TWORA podcast for February 19th, 2015: Mentions: CFIA Investigation Unveils Birthdate of Alberta BSE Case Corn School: My Standing Corn is Turning Black — Is it… Read More
Category: Tradeshows & Events
Whether in the NHL or in farming, successful teams know how to work together and communicate. Having captained the Calgary Flames to the Stanley Cup in 1989, hockey Hall of Famer (and moustache legend) Lanny McDonald has a good idea what it’s like to lead a team that accomplishes its goals. Filmed on the Brandon stop of the… Read More
Reflecting the explosion in soybean acres in the province over the last few years, the Manitoba Pulse Growers Association announced a change to its name during its annual general meeting at the Crop Connect Conference in Winnipeg. Going forward, the group will now be known as Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers. “Our organization has evolved… Read More
Nearly 700 farmers and industry braved a very cold few days to trek to Winnipeg to attend the second annual CropConnect conference. Guests were treated to expanded tradeshow space, engaging and sometimes controversial annual general meetings, dynamic speakers, improv and, well, some of the most burnt coffee this side of the Perimeter Highway. If you… Read More
Case IH launched its 2015 Maxxum line at the 2015 Cattle Industry Convention in San Antonio, with what the company is calling “an aggressive new look.” The lineup includes 4-cylinder models with 116-145 rated engine horsepower (HP), and one 6-cylinder, 145HP tractor: the Maxxum 150 (the name chosen for differentiation). Some of the upgrades and… Read More
In 2015, AGCO Corporation will be offering its Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) Program to dealerships across North America. “Farmers are savvy businesspeople, and particularly in a down market, they are squeezed to maximize their net profit,” said Eric Lescourret, AGCO director of commercial strategic initiatives, in a release. “Key areas of focus for farmers are capital… Read More
Introducing Fleckvieh genetics into holstein operations can significantly improve the strength, fertility and productive life of dairy animals, says John Popp of Big Bear Genetics. As one of the exhibitors at this year’s Canadian Dairy Xpo, Popp showcased the results of a few Fleckvieh/Holstein crosses, ranging from 50% – 87.5% Fleckvieh, as well as one calf with… Read More
How often do you assess a dairy cow’s body condition score? Sure, you’re looking at your cows everyday, but changes like weight loss can go unnoticed exactly because you see them every day — the change may be too subtle to pick up on. Why would you want to be assessing and recording body condition… Read More
Layoffs in the oil industry and supporting sectors are leading people to look for jobs elsewhere, but agricultural employers shouldn’t rely on an influx of available labour, according to the head of an online agriculture job board. Eric Spell of AgCareers says it’s too early to say if low oil prices will help address the labour shortage in the… Read More
It’s an age-old question — which is the best dairy breed? Like most farming questions, the answer is rarely a simple A or B and is more likely to be a qualified “it depends,” but Elliot Currie, with the University of Guelph, headed up a project recently to try and answer the question of which… Read More
Moving UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) out of the military and industrial industries and into agriculture has piqued more than a few farmers’ attentions. And for good reason — the ability to get a bird’s-eye view of thousands of acres in a short time frame has nearly endless potential for field applications, but how do farmers… Read More
Who’s had the biggest impact on your farming career? Is global warming real? The anecdotal evidence is pretty clear, given that it was plus temps during FarmTech this year, but we all know what anecdotes are worth. In this episode of Talking to Farmers, shot at Farmtech ’15, the Real Agriculture team (of one, that would… Read More
What started out as a local equipment show in Kentucky in 1966 has grown and evolved over 50 years to become the National Farm Machinery Show — the largest indoor show of its kind in the United States. Real Agriculture’s Shaun Haney is in Louisville, Kentucky, right now covering the massive event. He had a… Read More
Millions of dollars can be spent on marketing, but to build a strong brand, you still need a good product. Having a high-quality product is what helped the Cooper sports equipment brand reach a 70 percent market share in hockey globally and a 30 percent market share in Major League Baseball, explains Donald Cooper, who now… Read More
No matter where you go in the world, farming happens. It can look very different, of course — from state-of-the-art rooftop greenhouses, to expansive, scrub pastures in Australia, to scratching out barely enough to eat from a tiny plot of land in Kenya. If agriculture looks so different, what’s there to learn from seeing how… Read More