Government says previous program was financially unsustainable, but an industry player says the new plan won’t work
Saskatchewan’s new net metering program for solar energy is designed to fail and will squeeze out opportunities for residential and farming customers, says Bradyn Parisian, Owner of Mo Solar Company. SaskPower plans to launch a revamped version of the net-metering program on Nov. 1 after being criticized for cancelling the previous program, which was popular […] Read more
Robin Booker
Stories by Robin Booker
Work starts on drone spraying rules
The PMRA does not allow crop protection products to be applied by aerial drones; experts say more research is needed
When the Canadian Aerial Applicators Association got wind that Don Campbell had been approved by Transport Canada to emit fluid from a drone, the group decided he needed to be stopped. “Just because Transport Canada has approved them as an unmanned aircraft for flying, that does not mean that they have been approved by the […] Read moreCurrent ‘race to apathy’ era not welcome
Social justice advocates argue a defining characteristic of the globalization era that began in the 1980s is an international trade environment that promotes a “race to the bottom.” Some of the developing countries that have been subject to this pressure are now huge economies that have much more power to shape their relationships with western […] Read more
From corn to canola, new planter streamlines
Decatur, Ill. — The largest Great Plains planter equipped with the company’s new 5000 series row units was on display at Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Illinois. The PL5800 is a 40-foot, bulk-fill with a telescoping tongue, which enables the planter to stay close to the tractor when working in the field. It also allows […] Read more
New drones dealing with spray drift
Vertical takeoff and landing, conventional aerofoil, high capacity UAV unmanned aerial vehicle unique design
Drones designed to spray broad- acre agricultural crops usually use fine droplets with a low water-to-chemical ratio to try and make up for their limited fluid carrying capacity. This greatly limits their use, because extremely low water volumes are off-label and fine droplets are prone to drift, where they might take out a neighbour’s crop. […] Read more
VIDEO: New tire design looks flat, delivers elevated performance
DECATUR, Ill. — The AgriCup tire debut during the American 2019 Farm Progress Show had a few farmers scratching their heads. “Are those tires supposed to look like that? I think they need some air,” said a show attendee at the Galileo Wheel booth to company co-founder Avishay Novoplanski. The AgriCup is built with more […] Read more
Video: Claas adds tracked tool to box
Decatur, Ill. — Following the commercial launch of the Axion 900 and 800 series tractors in the United States and Canada this summer, Claas displayed the next big development for this tractor line. “Here is the Axion TT, or the tracked version,” said Drew Fletcher, tractor product manager for Claas of America during the Farm […] Read more
Video: At 1,600 gallons and 132 feet the Hardi ‘I’ is smart and big
Decatur, Ill. — Hardi closed the gap between its high-end and mid-level trailed sprayers with the new Navigator I. Twin Force booms, which create an air curtain to help control drift in non-optimal spray conditions, are only available in the higher end Commander lineup. But many of the other bells and whistles that used to […] Read more
Fast flowing floater feeds fertilizer
Decatur, Ill. — With the capacity to spread more than 850 pounds per acre at 10 m.p.h., the new RoGator AirMax pneumatic fertilizer spreader provides another option for Canadian growers to “send it.” “Before, 500 lb. was maybe the top end of that limit. This has really opened up the capacity of this machine,” said […] Read more
Listening is best medicine in tough times
There is no need to list the curveballs this crop year has thrown at Canadian producers. Farmers know how hard it’s been. Each of the weather and market hurdles have kept thousands of you up at night as you run through scenarios of what might happen next and what you can do to pull through. […] Read more
