Joshua Faulkner is a firm believer in the power of on-farm research to influence policymakers and agricultural practices. As program co-ordinator for the University of Vermont Extension Center for Sustainable Agriculture Farming and Climate Change, he says multiple-scale monitoring, evaluation and modelling from paired watershed studies and small-scale plots could guide state and federal policy […] Read more
Tag Archives Environment — page 14
Watershed studies trickle down, but slowly
Vermont researchers testing flows from tens of thousands of acres in on-farm research program
Resilience in variable conditions critical for Ontario corn hybrids
Claims suggesting better management and climate change are the main drivers of higher corn yields are, if true, likely only relevant in ideal conditions
A recent study published by University of Lincoln Nebraska (ULN) researchers suggests today’s high corn yields are a direct result of better management and changes in, rather than improved genetics. Not everyone is convinced. According to Liz Lee, professor of plant breeding and genetics at the University of Guelph, the lack of stresses considered, time […] Read more
Soybeans have a role in climate smart agriculture
Research priorities will focus on increasing yields and reducing climate impact
Soybean production could play a significant role in meeting not only economic, but also environmental sustainability goals. Soybean researchers are already pivoting to try to meet the language set out by federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) Ministers of Agriculture last November, including greater focus on carbon impacts. Why it matters: Industry stakeholders are looking to […] Read more
Agriculture emissions reduction a complicated task
New report says agriculture produced 10 per cent of Canada’s greenhouse gases in 2018 but there is no simple solution
Glacier FarmMedia – There is no simple solution that will allow Canadian farmers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while continuing to grow food to help feed a hungry world, says an environmental soil scientist. Why it matters: Taking a one-size-fits-all approach to reducing GHG emissions from agriculture will not work, according to a new report. […] Read more
Farming for the climate
U.S. growers embrace cover crops while eyeing low-carbon future
Illinois farmer Jack McCormick planted 350 acres of barley and radishes last fall as part of an off-season crop that he does not intend to harvest. Instead, the crops will be killed with a herbicide before McCormick plants soybeans in the same soil. The barley and radishes will not be used for food, but Bayer […] Read more
Opinion: Cattle production victim of widespread story telling
Glacier FarmMedia – Cows aren’t the new coal and they aren’t the new Tesla. Catchy as a recent Time Magazine headline, “Cows are the new coal”, may have been, it isn’t true. But it does fit nicely into a well-crafted and biased narrative that now plagues the cattle industry. Carbon is used by plants to […] Read more
Dairy farmers can adapt to climate change
Science Notes: Warming climate worsens nutrient pollution but lengthens growing season
Dairy farmers in the northeastern region of North America are facing a warming climate that exacerbates nutrient pollution but lengthens the growing season. However, they can reduce the environmental impact of their operations and maximize revenues by double cropping and injecting manure into the soil, rather than broadcasting it. That’s the conclusion of a team […] Read more
Know your weather terminology
Understanding what different terms mean can help prevent loss
Polar vortex, snowmageddon, thunder snow. Such terms likely conjure scenes of wild and chilly weather but what do they actually mean? Knowing the parameters used to determine the names of these and other systems might, quite literally, help farm businesses weather storms with fewer hardships. Why it matters: Understanding weather system terms can allow for […] Read more
Agronomy research grows on local, international level
Veritas Farm Management takes a multi-faceted approach to farm profitability, environmental study
Ontario agricultural service provider Veritas Farm Management continues to grow from its Chatham-Kent roots and now has projects in data-based agronomy across North America. Established in 2010 and acquired by Deveron in 2015, the company’s role as an independent, data-based agronomy consultant has expanded to include projects with Michigan State University, American agricultural retail companies, […] Read more
Ireland looks to seaweed in quest to curb methane from cows
While there’s lots of interest in the method, it’s years away from mass production
Reuters – Scientists are combing Ireland’s west coast for seaweed to feed to cattle and sheep after research showed it could stop them breathing out so much climate-warming methane. The project, co-ordinated by a state agriculture body, is tapping into the country’s growing seaweed harvesting industry, which is seeking new markets as it revives centuries-old […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
