The organic industry is often asked, “but can organics feed the world?” The question seems to imply that “organic” is a warm and fuzzy idea or a trendy menu item, but certainly not a realistic system for addressing world hunger. As the world population hits seven billion, perhaps it is time to give the question […] Read more
Tag Archives Production — page 3
Can organic production feed seven billion people?
Side dump trailer wears many hats
FARGO, N.D. – The quest for a more efficient way to transport bulk agricultural products and byproducts often sends farmers to a construction equipment dealer. The latest crossover from construction to agriculture is the side dump trailer. There have been concerns over the years about this machine’s inherent instability, but the Jet Company of Iowa […] Read more
It’s not easy being green when choosing how to renovate
Renovating is part of the human condition. Whether it was adding branches to the temporary hut, putting more thatch on the roof or enlarging our one-room soddy, we have been renovating ever since we developed shelter. Environmentally conscious construction often focuses on new buildings, but maintaining and renovating an existing building can be more green […] Read more
Harvest: I bet you’re glad it’s over
Maybe you’ve had a busy harvest or maybe you didn’t have much of a crop to harvest. In either case, you are putting your combine away for the winter and it still needs tender loving care, whether it’s a 20-year-old machine or a two-year-old with all the gadgets. I’ve seen engine bearings in a tractor […] Read more
Soil study digs deeper into carbon sequestration
The scientific debate over whether plowed soil sequesters the same amount of carbon as no till doesn’t apply to the Canadian Prairies, says an Agriculture Canada researcher. Studies over the last 20 years have shown that zero tillage sequesters more carbon than plowed soil, but some soil carbon experts, including John Baker of the University […] Read more
Tillage not critical to carbon sequestration
Alberta producers who practise zero tillage have been paid millions of dollars over the past few years as part of an emissions trading scheme in the province. The Alberta Offset System has compensated them for conservation tillage because the management practice is supposed to hold more carbon in the soil, reducing the amount of greenhouse […] Read more
Price of offsetting emissions
Companies that emit more than 100,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases per year have been under the gun in Alberta since July 1, 2007. They must either reduce emissions intensity by 12 percent annually, relative to baseline levels, or offset their production. Emissions intensity is measured relative to economic output, so a decrease in emissions may […] Read more
Site simplifies ag info
It’s not always easy for farmers to find answers to their agronomic questions. The information is available in scientific journals, but access can be formidable. Even if farmers do find the articles, the scientific language can be laborious, making these publications difficult to read even for other researchers. “The information is often contradictor y, which […] Read more
Manure rules force soil sampling regulations
SPRINGFIELD, Illinois – There’s a reason why advances in soil sampling technology are flying at us left and right: manure. There were a number of new soil sampling machines on display at the recent InfoAg conference in Illinois. When asked why these machines are now in such a competitive market, the consensus of the manufacturer […] Read more
Man. insect report lists pest, virus expectations
Weather and insect populations go together like soup and marriage, horse and sandwich, love and carriage. “The weather certainly has an impact on insect populations. It affects different insects in different ways,” said John Gavloski, Manitoba provincial entomologist. The cool wet spring followed by a hot dry summer affected the 2011 insect population and is […] Read more
