Farmers for Climate Solutions holds consultations as it looks for ways in which farms can reduce climate change impact
A new preliminary report from Farmers for Climate Solutions is expected to be released in March and will look at more than 50 approaches and best managements practices that can reduce carbon emissions. The sector-wide report is being developed by a farmer-led task force. Its members include agricultural emissions modellers and agricultural economists. The goal […] Read moreWP100 Research
Railways were vital to settlement of the West
Trains were the only practical way to move people and goods until the arrival of all-weather roads in the 1950s and 1960s
From when the last spike was driven to complete Canada’s trans-continental railway in 1885 to today, the country’s rail system has been the linchpin holding the nation together while opening up the Prairies for settlement by farmers. But as much as the railway was needed to open up agriculture in the West, the railway needed […] Read more
Where did all the service technicians go?
Scan the website of any agricultural equipment, heavy truck or automotive dealership and you’re likely to find a posting on nearly every one looking to hire a service technician. There just aren’t enough of them go around these days. And ag dealerships are among the hardest hit by that shortage. “Without question, this is one […] Read more
Pulses seen as COP28 winner
SASKATOON — A recently concluded global meeting on climate change has created a huge opportunity for pulses, say industry officials. They contend that the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework on Climate Change (COP28) has paved the way for increased global attention and investment in crops such as peas, lentils, chickpeas […] Read more
Producers urged to send carbon tax message
Campaign looks for natural gas and propane receipts so that they can be used to pressure Ottawa to approve exemption
CALGARY — Producers are being urged to join a Canada-wide campaign to send federal politicians the message that carbon taxes on natural gas and propane must be lifted off the necks of farmers and ranchers. The #ShowYourReceipts initiative is encouraging producers to share their natural gas and propane expenses with the Agriculture Carbon Alliance, said […] Read more
Sustainable aviation fuel funded in Man.
WINNIPEG (MarketsFarm) — The Manitoba government signed an agreement Dec. 19 to provide $2.9 million over two years to Azure Sustainable Fuel Corp. for its front-end engineering design study toward sustainable aviation fuel. “The agriculture sector plays an important role in creating sustainable decarbonization solutions that add value to Manitoba by growing revenue and employment. […] Read more
Major agricultural companies change ownership
Acquisitions and mergers continue to change the face of the agriculture industry. A couple of milestone deals were announced just as the year came to a close. The sale of Bourgault Industries based at St. Brieux, Sask., is a blockbuster. The sale price is $640 million for this leader in seeding equipment and a pioneer […] Read more
Soil’s complexity must be understood
It all starts with the soil. To the naked eye, it may appear to simply be dead dirt. But that dirt is actually a thin skin on our planet that is very much alive; a complex ecosystem full of organisms that grow our food. These diverse soil organisms are the original farmers of our world […] Read more
El Nino does strange things with prairie winter weather this year
WINNIPEG — The weather in December, as many Canadians noticed, was abnormal. As an example from the Prairies, the average daily high in Saskatoon was 0.5 C for the first three weeks of the month. That’s eight degrees warmer than the normal daily high for the month of December. Barrie Bonsal, a research scientist and […] Read more
Ag warned of artificial intelligence challenges
Technology leader says agriculture industry has been slow to adopt AI tools but also faces a crisis in public confidence
CALGARY — An expert told a conference of agricultural leaders that Canada must deal with a crisis in public confidence in artificial intelligence, likening it to the monster under the bed. Surveys have shown many Canadians don’t understand AI, and how it can provide a leg up for industries such as agriculture, said John Weigelt, […] Read more
