The use of pressurized water as a cutting tool has come full circle. It was used extensively to power away earth during the 1850s California Gold Rush. Now, after being adapted and refined to carry out high-tech, precision cutting of metals and other industrial materials indoors, the technology has turned back to the ground. Why […] Read more
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Waterjet use on planters eliminates coulter-soil contact
Aquatill concept remains in testing phase, but may offer options for no-till farmers
Is 3D grain bin monitoring tech for you?
Electromagnetic imaging is pricey but the technology can reveal hot spots anywhere in a bin
Three-dimensional bin monitoring is one of the more talked-about new ag technologies. Proponents of this type of grain monitoring — more formally called three-dimensional electromagnetic imaging or 3D EMI — claim it can spot potential trouble anywhere in the bin and alert producers before grain even begins to spoil. There’s also a safety factor out […] Read more
Tariff relief for Canada’s farmers at issue in Quebec election
Montreal |Reuters – Quebec farmers want further relief from a global tariff dispute ahead of Oct. 1 elections in the mostly French-speaking Canadian province, which has seen a recent rise in nationalist sentiment. Quebec’s ruling Liberals, centrists but separate from the federal Liberal party, launched their campaign on Thursday. They trail in polls behind the center-right Coalition Avenir Quebec […] Read more
Opinion: Brief lull before next political storm
Capital Letters: Parties are going into election mode
It’s the dog days of summer in Ottawa these days. Most of the city is on vacation, with bureaucrats and political junkies alike taking advantage of the slower pace to escape the city – and the heat – for time spent at the family cottage, lake or campsite. Don’t expect the calm to last forever. A […] Read more
Case IH redesigns corn headers for narrow row spacing
New headers target five key performance areas
Case IH additions to its 4400 Series line of corn headers is intended to appeal to growers who use 20- or 22-inch row spacings. “We took a clean-sheet approach to our new narrow row corn headers,” said Case IH’s Kelly Kravig, in a news release. “The new design focuses on five key performance areas to […] Read more
Losing one quota, managing another
Dutch dairy farmers are now free to produce all they milk they want — if they buy quota to produce more phosphorus
Dutch dairy farmers were excited when the European Union removed milk quotas in 2015. For years the Netherlands had been hitting its quota, so with quotas removed, it was thought dairy farmers would finally be able to expand, and they did. However, the growth happened too fast, and that has led to new problems. Why […] Read more
A different kind of added crop value
A film crew is using a Perth County field of miscanthus for a movie shoot
Farmers diversify into niche products for a variety of reasons, but it’s unlikely any would be to provide the setting for a full-length horror movie. But for miscanthus grower Scott Abercrombie, that’s exactly what happened when producers of a planned adaptation of a story by famous horror writer Stephen King were invited by the Ontario […] Read more
Dicamba drift problems continue in farm states
Fewer instances of dicamba drift onto non-target crops are being reported this year in the United States, but it continues to divide agriculture community
Aaron Hager has seen many changes in American agriculture in his 25 years at the University of Illinois. As an extension specialist and weed scientist, he saw the introduction and controversy around genetically modified crops and the emergence of herbicide resistant weeds. But nothing compares to the battle and nastiness over the last 12 months […] Read more
Filtering phosphorus from drainage water
New phosphorus-runoff reduction initiative focused on finding tech solutions that work at the farm level
Every farm is different and what technology works on one may not suit the other. According to representatives from farm groups, environmental groups and municipal governments, understanding this truism is critical to finding solutions to Lake Erie’s algal bloom troubles. Why it matters: Investigating phosphorus filtration technologies for drainage systems and ones that work at […] Read more
It’s official; spending time outside is good for you
More physical and social activity may partially explain the findings
Living close to nature and spending time outside has significant health benefits, according to new research from the University of East Anglia in Norwich, U.K. A new report reveals that exposure to greenspace, something that farm families have in abundance, reduces the risk of type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, premature death, preterm birth, stress, and […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
