GUELPH, Ont. — Some farmers decide to generate electricity solely for economic gain, but Korb Whale said it was strictly a farming decision for him and his parents. Selling power to the grid allowed this seventh generation Ontario dairy producer to steer the future of the farm in a direction that better matched the family’s […] Read more
Crop Management — page 608
Bio-gas production motivated by family’s philosophy
CWB sees more canola, less wheat than StatsCan
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (Reuters) — CWB, formerly known as the Canadian Wheat Board, said on Thursday that Western Canadian farmers harvested more canola and less wheat than Statistics Canada estimated in October. CWB director of weather and market analysis Bruce Burnett estimated canola production at 16.81 million tonnes, up from Statistics Canada’s guess of 15.963 million […] Read more
Prairie producers happy with 2013 soybean crop
The soybeans on Cortney Solonenko’s farm performed admirably this year, despite a late seeding date, cool weather in July and a late harvest. Solonenko, who farms near Stornoway, Sask., just finished harvesting 160 acres of beans in the last week of October. He seeded two varieties in the spring, and the earlier maturing variety was […] Read more
Lanworth raises world corn, soy outlooks on big U.S. crops
CHICAGO (Reuters) — Crop forecaster Lanworth raised its outlook for global corn and soybean production on Wednesday due to better-than-expected yield reports from elevators in key growing areas of the United States. Lanworth said it expected world corn production of 958 million tonnes for the 2013-14 crop year, up from its previous estimate of 955 […] Read more
BASF challenges EU ban on fipronil pesticide
RANKFURT (Reuters) — German chemicals group BASF said it launched a legal challenge against the European Commission’s ban of BASF’s insecticide fipronil, imposed in July on concern its use as seed treatment is linked to declining bee populations. BASF has filed legal action with the General Court of the European Union because “valid scientific studies […] Read more
Farmer builds world’s shortest high clearance sprayer
Apache AS710 sprayer | Indiana farmer Nathan Rowings constructed a fully operational mini model
Nathan Rowings liked his first Apache AS710 so much he decided to build himself a second one from scratch, although only one-tenth as big as the original. Both sprayers have mechanical drive with a three-speed shift-on-the-fly transmission, hydraulic steering, three-section hydraulic fold-out booms, 64 nozzles that spray liquid, a suspension with shock absorbers, big disc […] Read moreDragline dangers: are you in the kill zone?
High pressure, high volume | Slurry hose systems have their advantages along with hidden risks
GUELPH, Ont. — Dragline hose systems that feed slurry injection implements can carry 2,500 gallons per minute at 130 pounds per sq. inch, powered by 550 horsepower engines. It’s a potentially fatal combination, said Ben Puck of Puck Custom Enterprises in Iowa. Each dragline setup has a main pump at the slurry source and up […] Read moreTiming key with slow release nitrogen
ESN-coated urea | There’s still time for applications, although official warns against broadcasting
Wheat fields with seed-placed Environmentally Smart Nitrogen-coated urea have yielded up to seven bushels per acre more than fields with conventional urea methods. The field scale tests were conducted in conjunction with provincial agriculture departments, universities and research centres in all three prairie provinces, said Alan Blaylock, agronomy manager with Agrium Advanced Technologies. Although it’s […] Read moreFarmers must be aware of toxic gases
GUELPH, Ont. — A farmer joked out loud that surface crusts on his manure pits were so thick he could drive across with his skid steer loader. A few people in the group laughed along politely, but many others on the tour bus slowly shook their heads in silence. The brief incident, which occurred during […] Read more
Major U.S. farm showsjoin forces
Two of North America’s largest agricultural events will join forces in 2016. Commodity Classic, a large grain industry conference that is owned by the American National Corn Growers’ Association, will begin a joint event with the Ag Connect Expo and Summit farm machinery and technology show owned by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. The first […] Read more
