Glacier FarmMedia – Running new fancy planters is fun. Working on dirty, used ones is less fun. But huge problems can be avoided if farmers take time to ensure their equipment is set up the way it’s supposed to be. “If we don’t do good maintenance, it’s going to defeat that technology,” said Dustin Weinkauf […] Read more
Poor machinery maintenance defeats good tech
Most profit-killing problems that plague high-tech planters can be traced to simple, easily addressed mechanical issues
How to expand production and slash emissions
A recent report concludes that carbon sequestration is the key to producing more crops while reducing greenhouse gases
Glacier FarmMedia – Canadian farmers can play an even greater role in the global food powerhouse while reducing overall greenhouse gas emissions, a team of economists and analysts argues in a new report. From today’s 93 million megatonnes of annual emissions, Canadian agricultural emissions will grow to 137 million by 2050 if current farm production […] Read more
Opinion: Farmers can play a role in staving off political stupidity
Glacier FarmMedia – When democracy works, politicians of all stripes have lots of opportunities to stave off stupidity. This is the sort of policy stupidity they might commit when in power if they weren’t clued in to the nightmarish consequences of their actions. To help with that, farm and other organizations work hard to provide […] Read more
Opinion: World given opportunity to revive rules-based trade
Glacier FarmMedia – A couple of years ago, rules-following free traders like Canada seemed to be sadly out of step with the march of history. China was beating down on countries like Canada and Australia for daring to anger it, nakedly weaponizing trade for political ends. The United States was coming to the end of […] Read more
Keeping weigh scales accurate means regular upkeep
Industry professional says the machines shouldn’t be taken for granted
Farm scales are so well designed that they are often taken for granted. That’s great, so long as they’re working. But when farmers and agricultural businesses forget about them, problems can literally build up. “If it’s got mud and whatnot, or cows are tracking in debris and it’s building up between your approach and your […] Read more
Opinion: Populist politics can have negative impact on debt crisis
Glacier FarmMedia – Crop and other commodity markets are off their highs, but don’t expect the commodity bull market to go away soon or for its impacts to fade. Prices for food, fuel and other indispensable commodities are still high enough to tip numerous nations into financial trouble, economic hardship, hunger and political strife. A […] Read more
Demand remains high for Canadian soybeans
Markets for livestock feed, vegetable oil and human food consumption continue to surge, leaving sector in optimistic mood
Glacier FarmMedia – Despite wobbly production, Canadian soybeans continue to ride a wave of promising future demand. Markets for livestock feed, vegetable oil and human food continue to surge, Soy Canada’s annual meeting heard. Why it matters: Opportunities for Canadian soybeans are plentiful but export challenges remain. “We’re seeing incredibly strong demand for what we […] Read more
Opinion: Inflation is brewing up a spending hangover
Glacier FarmMedia – Man, beer has gotten expensive. That was one of the things I thought the other evening when I met a colleague for a couple of brews on a pleasant patio. We were drinking fancy local brews rather than off-the-shelf main market brands, and those are more expensive, but still, beer ain’t as […] Read more
Opinion: Farmers could teach other Canadians about facing risk
Anybody who’s farming today has faced multiple crises and survived them
Glacier FarmMedia – Hog farmers face high feedgrain prices, multiple animal disease threats, increasing restrictions on how they operate and a public that sometimes treats them with hostility. Grain farmers face high fertilizer prices, dry soils, higher machinery costs and rising interest rates. Yet both sets of farmers, at least the ones I interact with, […] Read more
Beef producers squeezed while packers profit: new study
Farmer share of retail prices falls to 39 from 41 per cent, retailers drop to two from eight and packers rise to 59 from 51
Glacier FarmMedia – If Ontario beef producers feel they are getting squeezed into losses despite high beef prices, new analysis indicates they could be right. But it isn’t the grocery retailers who are gobbling up the profits, analyst Kevin Grier’s work suggests. Both ends of the beef supply chain are getting squeezed hard, while the […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
