Autonomous farming platform DOT has found its own path with a new partner. Raven Industries has acquired controlling interest in the DOT with Seedmaster’s Norbert Beaujot of Regina retaining the balance of the ownership. The move will give DOT access to greater capital through the publicly traded Raven, as well as to the South Dakota […] Read more
Stories by Michael Raine
The RX may be a prescription for traction with a light touch
It’s a 410 horse, factory, four-track, fixed frame and it’s green and yellow. The new, and somewhat anticipated, 8-series, tracked tractor from Deere is seeing a lot of attention from the farming world since its end of October debut. John Deere has been developing the machine for several years and released it conjunction with an […] Read more
Raven Industries buys autonomous DOT technology
Autonomous farming platform DOT has found its own path with a new partner. Raven Industries has acquired controlling interest in the DOT with Seedmaster’s Norbert Beaujot retaining the balance of the ownership. The move will give DOT access to greater capital through the publicly traded Raven, as well as to the South Dakota company’s engineering […] Read more
How to be a situationally aware farmer
Are you a situationally aware farmer? Surviving in Canadian agriculture has required this. Or, some might postulate that being completely unaware might be what allows farmers to remain in the business. Most people, economists included, would suggest that the barrier to entry for most agriculture is so high that only existing farm families can remain […] Read more
Creative director’s work recognized
For the past 26 years, I have had the pleasure of working with a skilled graphic journalist. And for many of those she has been garnering not only the appreciation of you for her visual storytelling, but also her peers in the industry. The editorial staff at The Western Producer belong to several professional associations. […] Read more
Interns get inside view of ag journalism
Part of any good journalism education is an internship with a larger news organization. It’s an opportunity to put the skills and experience gathered over several years of university or college to work in a real-time environment. The Western Producer has had many interns in the more than 25 years I have been here. Often […] Read more
Made in the laboratory you say? Pity
Meat without animals. Coffee without beans. Milk without cows. OK, the last one we have had for a while. Farmers have been ranching almonds, oats, soybeans, rice, hemp, peas, cashews and coconuts for years. Those little milking machines are so cute. There are farmers making base products for those milk-like substances, just like milk, most-times […] Read more
Input Capital wins appeal
Canola-streaming contracts are not as “unconscionable” as a judge thought last year, according to other judges who have reviewed a recent case. The Saskatchewan Court of Appeals sent a case between a farmer and Input Capital Corp. back to a lower court last week. Macoun, Sask., area farmer Terry Gustafson’s dispute with farm finance provider […] Read more
Farmers face tilted market
Looking across the southern border has always created a sense of frustration for farmers on the Canadian Prairies. American farmers have long had it better. Americans’ provide more financial support for their producers. Average farm acreage in Canada has always been larger than in the U.S. neighbouring states because margins were smaller north of the […] Read more
New sprayer technology and size helps address application challenges
A cold dry season turns wetter, and wetter, and wetter, slowing application processes, eventually requiring aerial
“Spraying? It was long. It was drawn-out,” said Larry Woolliams. The Airdrie, Alta., farmer started the year with late and cold conditions, a bit short of moisture and staring down 9,000 acres of land to crop to seed this spring. With a new sprayer this year, he was hoping for the best, “but you always […] Read more
