Hands experimenting with wheat in a laboratory

Opinion: Barriers continue to fall for genetically modified wheat production

Glacier FarmMedia – Is genetically modified wheat finally ready for prime time? Researchers at Agriculture Canada in Lethbridge have planted their first greenhouse plots of wheat with genes edited to better receive and use sunlight. Wheat is particularly suited for gene editing because its hexaploid (six parent) genome contains genes from three ancestral grasses. It’s […] Read more

The Agra GPS CRG receiver is RTK capable and includes a JD-Bridge that allows John Deere displays to autosteer different brand machines including Claas, Agco and CNH.

GPS receiver unlocks RTK precision

System designed to work with any base station that surveyors use

Glacier FarmMedia – Farmers that need RTK precision have another option with the launch of the Agra GPS CRG receiver. Andrew Clayton of Agra GPS said the new receiver is the first one outside of John Deere’s products that is compatible with Deere’s GPS system. “It supports all four satellite systems and comes with RTK, […] Read more


Decades after its debut, the Big Bud still attracts a crowd at farm shows. At 1,100 h.p. this Williams Brothers owned 16v-747 was largest ever made and spends its winters outside Big Equipment in Havre, Montana.

Big Bud tractor designed for easy repair

The new machine has a 1.5-inch thick frame, C-18 engine with a horsepower range from 640 to 750 and CAT 988 HD axles

Glacier FarmMedia – Big Bud tractors will roll off a production line this year for the first time since 1991. “We’re going back and building a new run of tractors again. Our primary reason is we think that there’s only a few major (tractor manufacturers) left in the industry, and they’re making it difficult for […] Read more

InnerPlant codes the plants to emit a fluorescent protein with a specific colour to be picked up by optical cameras on farm equipment or surveillance tools.

The secret messages of plants

New traits enable plants to signal up to seven separate issues by emitting coloured fluorescent proteins on their leaves

Glacier FarmMedia – Crop traits are being developed that will enable plants to signal when they’re exposed to specific stressors in a way that can be instantly detected by satellite or equipment-based cameras. Shely Aronov, chief executive officer of InnerPlant, she said this new data layer these crop traits enable will help farmers to become […] Read more

The CEMIS 1200 ISOBUS terminal controls automated steering, online documentation, ISOBUS and TASK controller applications, and section control.

Claas, Trimble develop new GPS steering system

New system from Trimble and Class uses one user interface

Glacier FarmMedia – Trimble and Claas have developed a new GPS steering system for Claas tractors, combine harvesters and forage harvesters. The joint development includes satellite-based steering, precision farming and the ISOBUS infrastructure, including task management. Frank Buschmeier, Trimble’s marketing director, said the agreement was focused on improving the user experience within the cab. “Having […] Read more


The rusty grain beetle is a pest that feeds on stored wheat, rye, corn, barley and millet. Owners of stored products including grain, processing facilities and warehouses may be able to use other insects to control the damage done by this pest.

Beneficial bugs protect stored grain 

Biocontrols prevent bug infestations in processing and grain facilities

Glacier FarmMedia – Intentionally placing bugs in grain and food processing facilities to help manage pests is a tough idea to swallow in Canada, but the practice has been used in Central Europe since the mid-1990s. Vincent Hervet, an entomologist with Ag Canada in Winnipeg, conducted a literature review on the use of biological controls […] Read more

The Soiltech Wireless sensor can be placed on the ground to act as a localized weather station by measuring temperature and humidity. It can also be buried to monitor moisture and temperature.

Soil tech firms allow sensors to work together

Ceres Imaging and Soiltech Wireless say the recent agreement allows their technology to validate each other in the field

Glacier FarmMedia – Ceres Imaging and Soiltech Wireless have an agreement that enables the two systems to work together. Soiltech Wireless offers a cellular-based wireless sensor and Ceres Imaging uses in-field sensors, advanced analytics and high-resolution imagery to provide a macro-level look at crops. Ehsan Soltan of Soiltech Wireless said the company’s wireless sensor monitors […] Read more

Deere’s fully autonomous 8R tractor is used for tillage operations. It relies on multiple Deere products designed to automate decisions that operators previously had to make, including tillage depth.

Tillage implements equipped with depth sensor

John Deere’s new TruSet Active system uses an ultrasonic sensor that constantly measures frame height and tillage depth

Glacier FarmMedia – John Deere has updated its TruSet product with a sensor that increases the accuracy of the automatic tillage depth system. The improved system, called TruSet Active, will be on all John Deere equipped TruSet tillage tools for model year 2024, including 2230 Field Cultivators, 2330 Mulch Finishers, 2660VT Vertical Tillage tools and […] Read more


John Deere’s lineup of strip-till rigs includes two three-point-hitch models and three drawn models capable of applying anhydrous and both dry and liquid fertilizer.

John Deere brings new equipment to strip-till market

Five models of Deere-branded strip-till implements capable of fertilizer applications will be available this winter

Glacier FarmMedia – A new lineup of John Deere-branded strip-till rigs is expected to be available this winter. The tillage implements are produced by Environmental Tillage Systems, which sells them under the brand name SoilWarrior. The Deere-branded models are called John Deere ST, including ST12 and ST16 Integral that attach to the three-point hitch, and […] Read more

The Pest Management Regulatory Agency is developing guidelines for getting remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS) on the label of crop protection products, but stakeholders say the process is taking too long. In this photo a DJI T40 sprays a crop.

Drone spraying still grounded by rules

Many producers see drones as a lower-cost alternative but a full set of rules are needed before widespread use can occur

Glacier FarmMedia – Spray drone technology is rapidly evolving, but regulations that allow drones to apply crop protection products are struggling to get off the ground. The Remotely Piloted Aerial Application System (RPAAS) working group was formed to help connect individuals and organizations that are generating the data required to make drone applications legal in […] Read more