Crop Management
Last week on a stage in Las Vegas, John Deere’s first autonomous tractor that farmers could order debuted without an acre of dirt in sight. It wasn’t a farm show or a dealer event. It was at the Consumer Electronics Show. Long known for more than consumer electronics, that event has evolved into a showcase […] Read more
Crop Management
Recon system keeps close watch on spray quality
Malfunctioning or partially plugged sprayer nozzles can be difficult to detect, costly and embarrassing when they act up beside a busy road. Intelligent Ag recently launched a product called Recon Spray Sense that help alleviate these concerns. “It’s the first time that anybody’s really doing any kind of monitoring right at each individual nozzle,” said […] Read more
JCB puts extra lift on its ag handler line
After a few years of building telehandlers focused on the farm market, the company has boosted its mid-sized line-up
JCB has added a new 538-70 agri telehandler to its Loadall range. The 538-70 model is a seven-metre machine that slots into the Loadall Series III line-up with 3,800-kilogram maximum lift capacity and slightly more than seven metres of lift height, placing it between the current 532-70 and 542-70 models. At 3,000 to 3,800 kg, […] Read more
Picturing the sound of a bug’s wings
A co-founder of a unique insect sensor that’s placed in agricultural crops recently won an IEEE Data Mining Award. Eamonn Keogh of FarmSense won the award, and he said data mining is typically done in research fields such as neuroscience, astronomy or in areas with readily accessible data sets like consumer trends. “No one had […] Read more
Farmers receive new insurance options
Farmers Edge founded a new company called DigiAg Risk Management that offers parametric products, insurance and group benefits plans. Parametric insurance provides pre-specified payouts based upon a trigger event, and because Farmers Edge has access to data sets from broad-acre farms, the new company is positioned to monitor triggering events in the agriculture sector. Wade […] Read more
China to produce 40 percent more soybeans by 2025 in self-sufficiency drive
BEIJING, Jan 13 (Reuters) – China said it would raise domestic soybean output sharply in the next four years, in a drive to boost self sufficiency in supply of the oilseed, according to an official document released on Thursday. The country has set a goal to produce about 23 million tonnes of soybeans by end […] Read more
U.S. corn imports affect barley price
Growers might want to delay pricing their 2022 barley crop, says an analyst. “With corn pushing higher, we don’t think there’s a major rush on the new crop pricing,” Marlene Boersch, managing partner of Mercantile Consulting Venture, told farmers attending the Saskatchewan Crop Organizations 2022 conference. “We would like to see around $6.50 (per bushel) […] Read more
Good value available on old, new crop canola: analyst
Growers should seriously consider selling old crop canola and locking up some new crop production at today’s values, says an analyst. Marlene Boersch, managing partner of Mercantile Consulting Venture, said $23.50 to $24 f.o.b. the farm for old crop canola and $17.50 to $18 for new crop are good values depending on location. “These are […] Read more
ICE canola futures dip on pressure from stronger Canadian dollar
WINNIPEG, Manitoba, Jan 11 (Reuters) – ICE canola futures dipped on Tuesday for a second straight day, pressured by a stronger Canadian dollar. March canola lost $2.50 to $1,028.10 per tonne. March-May canola spread traded 1,949 times. U.S. soybean futures edged higher ahead of Wednesday’s key U.S. Department of Agriculture reports, which will include updated […] Read more
Farmers shouldn’t expect major spring wheat rally
Growers who are holding their breath for US$24 spring wheat futures need to exhale, says an analyst. “Not a chance,” said Chuck Penner, owner of LeftField Commodity Research. That is the level that futures values achieved in 2007-08 but the circumstances were far different back then. The Canadian Wheat Board was a major player at […] Read more
