Glacier FarmMedia – We’ve talked in recent years about the top end of Kubota’s tractor offerings as the brand has added new and more powerful models. Those new higher-horsepower tractors, along with expanded implement lines, have been a high-profile part of the company’s widely known desire to become a significant player in the mainstream agricultural […] Read more
Kubota adds to its legacy L series
Compact utility tractor line expands with new models
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
Alternative fertility products offer solutions
Biosolids, digestates, composts and other products can be cheaper, high fertility solutions
Could Ontario’s farm sector simultaneously save money, reduce food waste and improve its collective carbon footprint? Representatives for biosolids and other alternative fertilizers think so. While different products bring different considerations and cautions, alternative fertilizers can bring agronomic and environmental benefits. Alternative fertility products offer crop producers a cheaper option to traditional fertility products, says […] Read more
CanSpot ASF testing to expand to provincial processing plants
Early based detection aimed at limiting disease transmission
As the threat of African swine fever (ASF) creeps closer to North America, CanSpot ASF is ramping up its programming. CanSpot ASF is a risk-based early detection program aimed at limiting ASF transmission, and reducing its spread. “Canadian and provincial governments, along with members of the pork industry, have made significant investments to reduce the […] Read more
Winnipeg lab designated for African swine fever
World Organization for Animal Health designates CFIA facility as a reference laboratory to deal with the disease if it appears
Glacier FarmMedia – Canada now has a laboratory officially recognized as a world leader in African swine fever (ASF). The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) said last month that the National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease in Winnipeg will be a reference laboratory to deal with ASF. “(Reference laboratories) are internationally recognized centres of […] Read more
Three common soil compaction mistakes
Avoid these missteps to keep compaction from getting worse
Glacier FarmMedia – With the advent of mechanized agriculture, farms became a great deal more productive than they were in times past. However, the large machines that ply farmers’ fields today can be hard on the soil and cause issues with compaction. Why it matters: Soil compaction can be a serious form of soil degradation resulting […] Read more
Microbe protects honeybees by boosting nutrition
Science Notes: Specific microbe thrives in royal jelly
Indiana University researchers have identified a specific bacterial microbe that, when fed to honeybee larvae, can reduce the effects of nutritional stress on developing bees — one of the leading causes of honeybee decline. Humans rely on honeybees for food security. Because they will pollinate almost anything, honeybees are extremely useful for agriculture. But over […] Read more
How to reduce the risk of farm theft
Top tips to deter thieves and protect your property
Farmers reported an increase in theft across rural Ontario this spring. Now, many are keeping a closer eye on their property and are looking for new ways to keep their assets secure. Although more thefts seem to be occurring during the day and while people are on site, Scott Smith, a registered insurance broker and […] Read more
Canada losing ground in ability to export, analyst warns
The country has dropped from having the world’s 10th best trade infrastructure system to 32nd in the last 12 years
Glacier FarmMedia – Foreign customers are losing confidence in Canada’s ability to move its products to market, an expert on international trade told an agricultural conference in Alberta. “Over the past 12 years, Canada has gone from having the 10th best trade infrastructure globally to currently being ranked — any guesses — 32,” said Carlo […] Read more
Comment: The dangers of big data extend to farming
If agriculture data isn’t protected, a handful of powerful companies will shape food production for their own benefit
Most internet users are by now aware of the vulnerability of their personal data. When the news broke that tech companies misuse and manipulate our personal data, there was a widespread “techlash” against the corporate giants Facebook, Amazon and Google. The explicit motive for data harvesting is the prediction of consumer wants and needs. And […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
