Sarah Marquis, left and Emily Duncan, masters and PhD students at the University of Guelph.

Clarifying data ownership for higher ROI

Researchers says greater ownership of data could help bring down barriers

University of Guelph researchers say farmers and agribusiness people need greater clarity on data ownership issues when it comes to the adoption of precision technologies. Sarah Marquis and Emily Duncan, a masters and PhD student at the school, presented this thesis at the recent Precision Agriculture Conference and Technology Showcase in London. Why it matters: […] Read more

The SoilOptix sensor shown on an ATV.

Raising the bar on soil testing

SoilOptix maps show soil’s chemical and physical properties

A southwestern Ontario company has developed technology that goes far beyond traditional soil sampling to help growers make better soil management decisions. Tavistock-based SoilOptix’s system delivers high resolution top soil maps that detail in-field variability of soil’s chemical and physical properties. Why it matters: Rising costs and tight margins combined with growing societal pressure around […] Read more

One of the challenges with the tax is that it is on volume and Canadians are used to paying a tax on value. So, even though natural gas was less expensive, they paid about 21 per cent of their gas bill in tax.

Carbon cost increases concern farmers

Farmers in Ontario felt the pain of a new carbon tax on grain drying in a tough year. But the real concern is when the carbon taxes continue to grow over the next two years

Ontario grain farmers spent more than $12 million to pay the federal carbon tax to dry their grain in 2019, mostly drying corn. Grain Farmers of Ontario calculated that the cost was close to double in 2019 compared to a normal year, due to the high moisture levels in the corn crop this year. Why […] Read more

SoilReader can be mounted on any field implement or used in a separate dedicated operation as shown here.

Real-time soil analysis in the field

Don’t bring your soil sample to the lab, take the lab to the field, says the Canadian inventor of the SoilReader

Glacier FarmMedia – It’s a difficult concept to sum up in a few words. A Canadian startup sells a coulter that reads nine nutrient factors while pulled through soil. As the headline states, SoilReader can provide real-time data, on the go, as it is pulled through the field. The nine vital constituents are nitrogen, phosphorus, […] Read more

Brexit might not mean much for Canadian farmers

Brexit might not mean much for Canadian farmers

A new U.K. agreement unlikely to be better than CETA access

Glacier FarmMedia – The United Kingdom says it will seek a stronger commercial relationship with Canada after it leaves the European Union than it currently has under the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). Andy Barr, head of trade and economics at the British High Commission in Canada, is optimistic a better trade […] Read more


Mushroom stems are often trimmed and discarded.

Mushroom waste shown to provide extended food and drink shelf life

Canadian company is using a part of the mushroom that often is discarded, creating value for mushroom growers

A waste product from the mushroom industry is being put to use as a natural shelf-life extender for processed food products. New Brunswick-based food technology company Chinova Bioworks is using a dietary fibre and antioxidant extracted from white button mushrooms called chitosan to produce its trademarked product, Chiber. Why it matters: The stem of the […] Read more

A CN freight train remains halted as train tracks are blocked two km away at Tyendinaga, Ont., east of Belleville, on Feb. 14, 2020.

Ontario farm groups write to PM over rail protests

The movement of many commodities is slowed or halted due to rail service shutdown

Ontario soybean container shipments have ground to a halt, ethanol plants have stopped receiving corn as ethanol movement is hindered and the vast amount of pork that is exported has stopped moving because of the current halt in eastern Canadian rail service. Ontario farm organizations have written to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau requesting help to […] Read more

(CdnAgDay.ca)

Ottawa’s Agriculture Day gathering a sector-wide affair

Agriculture Day celebrations across Canada on Tuesday included a conference in Ottawa with roughly 500 attendees from across the ag sector. Hosted by Agriculture More than Ever, the event aimed to bring together people involved in agriculture, food and agribusiness. “We’re having a gathering to celebrate Canadian agriculture and food and the contributions that we […] Read more


(4-H Canada video screengrab via YouTube)

University students backed by 4-H for leadership

Four students honoured Feb. 10 at Ottawa event

Four Canadian university students inspired in their career paths by their 4-H experiences are getting an extra boost from the organization. The annual Leadership Excellence Awards of Distinction (LEAD), presented Monday during the 4-H Leadership Awards event in Ottawa, aim to recognize 4-H participants who, according to the organization, “demonstrate 4-H values in the way […] Read more

The PrevTech unit being installed in a barn.

New tools aid farm fire prevention

Automated tracking and new fire extinguishing technology could reduce barn fires

New electrical fault detection and fire extinguishing technologies are giving farmers new options to prevent fires. Alarm systems and other technology designed to prevent or extinguish fires have had limited availability for on-farm use. Why it matters: Farms, especially barns, are becoming more valuable so fires have become more costly. Two new technologies recently introduced […] Read more