Crop Management
Farmers can monitor their tractor’s performance from the smartphone, including engine r.p.m. and coolant temperature
John Deere updated its TractorPlus smartphone app for compact utility tractors and it’s also offering a new Smart Connector that plugs into the tractor’s service advisor port and automatically connects the app to the tractor. The Smart Connector enables the app to connect to the tractor via Bluetooth for both IOS- and Android-based phones to […] Read more
Crop Management
Listening in on insects leads to identification
Sensor uses artificial intelligence and a sound detector based on a curtain of light to monitor bugs in the field
A California-based startup has developed an insect monitoring system that classifies insects by the sound they make. “When the bugs arrive, we sense them with our unique sensor, and we can tell right away the sex and species of that insect,” said Eamonn Keogh of FarmSense. “That information is pushed to the cloud and you […] Read more
Alberta helps fund start-up program in Olds
Agricultural startups in Alberta are about to get a shot at the world stage thanks to Olds College and a global Silicon Valley innovation and investment program. “This is Silicon Valley meets Olds College meets rural Alberta meets farming,” said Doug Schweitzer, provincial minister of jobs, economy and innovation. “I couldn’t think of a better […] Read more
Soybean yields recover in Manitoba
After three disappointing years, Manitoba soybean growers finally have something to celebrate. Yields are better than expected in much of the province, with many growers achieving bushel per acre yields in the 40s and 50s. “Yield reports ranged from 35 to 60 bu. per acre with many producers noting that their yield expectations were being […] Read more
Bright picture painted of Alberta agriculture
Alberta crop yields are estimated to be seven percent above average and livestock sales in the province might also reach a record high of $6.9 billion, the provincial agriculture department reports. As well, the food processing sector is expected to exceed the usual with products totalling $14.8 billion, the province said Monday. Agriculture minister Devin […] Read more
Feds ponder more self-reliant food production
Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau is exploring how to make Canada’s food more autonomous. In a Sept. 24 interview, Bibeau pointed to her minority Liberal government’s pledge in the Throne Speech to further support the food value chain. That could mean a review of food infrastructure across the country, according to Bibeau. “I don’t want to […] Read more
Agri-Trade backs away from November show
The Agri-Trade Equipment Expo has cancelled its 2020 show, which was to be held Nov. 11-13 in Red Deer. Citing travel restrictions by corporations that would impede exhibitor participation and attendance, show organizers said in a statement earlier today that cancelling was a difficult decision. Despite COVID-19, they had announced earlier this month that the […] Read more
Prices remain higher than normal as farmers’ off-combine sales surge
Cereals, oilseeds and pulse crops are expected to continue to move quickly through the grain-handling system, keeping pace with the unusually rapid shipments we saw this summer. Analysts say lingering concerns that a second wave of COVID-19 could disrupt supply chains later this year have prompted international grain buyers to secure supplies earlier than usual. […] Read more
Wireworms prove tricky to keep under control
New product is welcome because populations have been building in some parts of the Prairies due to lack of solutions
Wireworms are not easy to study. A particular field probably has more than one species of wireworm, they live for several years and they can tunnel a metre down into the soil, making them hard to find. That means it’s difficult for scientists to answer some basic questions about wireworms. Like, how many wireworms will […] Read more
Prairie fall rye acres may take a hit this year
Less demand for whisky and rye bread due to the pandemic and this year’s disappointing crop seen as reasons for drop
Fall rye acres could drop in Western Canada as COVID-19 cuts demand for whiskey and reduces restaurant sales of rye bread. Plus, rye yields were all over the board this summer and some producers were disappointed by their 2020 crop. “To be honest, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. Some guys had exceptional yields […] Read more
