With three shiny, stainless steel counterparts amidst an array of hoses and nozzles, it’s no surprise that JD Skiles Company’s Pit Stop caught our attention last week at Canada’s Farm Progress Show. The Pit Stop is a customizable chemical transfer system that enables applicators to hasten the filling process. The assembly is run by a 13HP electric… Read More
Category: United States
Bourgault introduced its L7550 last week at Canada’s 2014 Farm Progress Show. The new seeder features an optional 20 bushel saddle tank; a staircase, railings and wide catwalk; a hydraulic metering drive that automatically adjusts with changes to ground speed; and a user-friendly hydraulic hitch jack. The cart comes standard with a monitoring system, with up to seven cameras available. It also boasts the… Read More
Grain markets continue to be depressed by favourable crop conditions, especially in the U.S. where the corn crop was most recently rated as 76 per cent in good-to-excellent condition while the U.S. soybean crop was rated as 73 per cent G/E. This is the fifth-best and best ratings for mid-June on record. University of Illinois… Read More
Many people have opinions about what developing countries need to prosper in food production. Some insist on more local autonomy for farmers, and less Western influence. After all, people in what are now considered developing countries survived for thousands of years before Western wisdom arrived, they say. Such thinkers believe we should turn back the… Read More
Farmers can look forward to big changes to Seed Hawk’s seeding system on its 2016 models. Unveiled at the 2014 Canada’s Farm Progress Show, the new system totes modular tanks, sectional control technology, an electronic metering system, a fourth 40 bushel seed tank and larger tires. In an upcoming TechTour episode, Shaun Haney will talk… Read More
Do you make a wish list before you go to a farm show — things to research, questions to ask, items for the Christmas list? Planning ahead isn’t for everyone, but this year even Shaun Haney did his homework before hitting the grounds at Canada’s Farm Progress Show. Joining Shaun at the show is Real… Read More
When it comes to making a decision on your farm, you may be comfortable getting agronomic advice from your peers or the generation that’s gone before, but how many of you have what you consider a mentor for your career as a farmer? The same question applies to those in industry as well — who… Read More
Talking about food and farm practices, there is never a shortage of ideas and opinions. I’m actually starting to wonder if we have surpassed the level of passion for food that politics once took up. After all, with voter turn-out continuously in a free fall, I wonder if instead we now focus on all the… Read More
IP soybeans growers need to take a close look to see if eastern black nightshade is gaining a foothold in their fields. The premium killer is often confused with pigweed seedlings and growers think they have plenty of time and spray options to gain control, says Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food weed control specialist… Read More
The first question during the spray season is likely, what kills this weed spectrum? The second might just be, “How do I clean our my sprayer properly without risking crop injury next go-round?” In this episode of Spray Tips, Tom Wolf, spray application specialist and @Nozzle_Guy, answers not just that question, but also a few… Read More
You suggested it so we decided to listen and start a podcast focused on agriculture machinery. Shaun wouldn’t describe himself as a gear head (remember when he was proud to change a wiper blade on his truck) but he loves to chat machinery so he had to find a willing knowledgeable co-host and after a… Read More
Another day, another petition pushing for a ban of biotechnology in a region. The latest that crossed my desk is one out of Prince Edward Island, seeking support to convert the entire island-province to organic production, banning GMOs and non-organic-approved pesticides. There’s choosing not to consume GMOs (genetically modified organisms) or support conventional agriculture —… Read More
A plant disease caused by the fungus Claviceps purpurea, ergot, is nothing new, nor is its affect on animals who consume it. In fact, humans who ingested the fungus in the middle ages were said to have a problem known as “St. Anthony’s fire,” whereby narrowing of blood vessels would occur, and would often lead to changes… Read More
Chipotle Mexican Grill — you know them from such controversial advertisements as: “The Scarecrow” and “Farmed and Dangerous” — has been urging American farmers to supply more beef that meets their standards. In fact, similar to A&W in Canada (check out Andrew Campbell’s opinion piece on that decision), Chipotle has decided to cross the globe for beef. “The… Read More
Four years of micro-analysis in Uganda and Ethiopia led up to April’s publication by the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) at London University: Fairtrade, Employment and Poverty Reduction in Ethiopia and Uganda (FTEPR) Final Report. The report, a detailed account of various plantations in both countries, suggests that perhaps “Fairtrade” coffee isn’t so fair after all. “Fairtrade may… Read More