MarketsFarm — Late-season rains wreaked havoc on the 2019 harvest season but were helpful in restoring topsoil moisture to key growing regions in the Prairies. Since snow coverage has been variable across the Prairies so far in 2020, however, the growing season may get off to a rocky start. “If we take a look at […] Read more
Tag Archives Other — page 92
Variable Prairie weather makes for uncertain spring ahead
If nothing else, a rainy harvest season helped replenish topsoil moisture
Sweets, alcohol, not meat common to high carbon households
Science notes: Frequency of restaurant meals were also influential in Japanese study
Families with higher carbon footprints are likely to consume more confectionary, alcohol, and restaurant food, according to a new study by Japanese and European researchers published in One Earth. Considering the spectrum of traditional to urban lifestyles across Japan, associate professor Keiichiro Kanemoto of the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature in Kyoto, Japan, and […] Read more
Ecological Farmers Association celebrates 40-years
Current president looks to a future of widespread acceptance
The Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario (EFAO) marked its 40th anniversary during its annual educational conference in December in Belleville. But it is also looking ahead, as the ideas that it has espoused, regenerative farming and farm-level research and cooperation gain popularity. Why it matters: The EFAO has provided training and farmer-to-farmer networking for 40 […] Read more
New solar panels grab light from above and below
Potential solution towards balance between crop growth and electricity generation capabilities
Electricity is a major expense for Canadian greenhouse growers. At the same time, large greenhouse facilities offer potential to produce renewable solar energy — but the challenge to date has been how to do that without impacting the growth and productivity of the crop inside. A potential solution from Ontario solar panel manufacturer Heliene is […] Read more
Robot automates hard-to-fill jobs in agriculture and turf
The RomeIO robot is being tested in many uses in agriculture where labour is scarce
A local start-up has developed a compact, rugged autonomous robot that can automate a wide range of agricultural tasks, like soil sensing, applying inputs, and harvest yield prediction for grapes. Korechi Innovations’ RoamIO features an expandable platform that is compatible with different functional attachments — similar to the DOT technology from western Canada —has a […] Read more
Opinion: Minister buying time on business risk programs
Federal deficit and provincial agreement are barriers to change
The federal government is buying time when it comes to making drastic improvements to AgriStability and other business risk management (BRM) programs. Federal Minister of Agriculture Marie-Claude Bibeau recently announced minor, cost-free tweaks to AgriStability, during the same week the public was given an updated look at Canada’s fiscal situation. The recent fiscal update shows […] Read more
Canadian farm equipment sales drop as net farm income plunges
Trade barriers, poor growing conditions and rising costs take bite from income
Canadian farmers are feeling the financial pinch of lost markets and rising expenses after a prolonged period of prosperity, according to recently published statistics. Net farm income plummeted 46 per cent (in constant 2012 dollars) in 2018 after seven years of above-average incomes. The outlook for 2019 is equally grim. Why it matters: As the […] Read more
Farmer co-op delivers 24 days of ‘holiday cheer’ in the form of milk and cookies
Gay Lea and Ontario’s dairy farmers head to places celebrating the holidays in a specially outfitted truck
Gay Lea Foods and Dairy Farmers of Ontario took Christmas cheers directly to their customers, with a milk and cookie delivery truck that showed up where people were enjoying their favourite holiday traditions. The goal was to hand out 1,400 cookies and cartons of milk per day for 24 days in December, representing the 1,400 […] Read more
Early 2020 forecast points to cooler, drier Prairie spring
MarketsFarm – After 2019’s dry growing season and messy harvest, 2020 may have fairer skies in store for producers across the Canadian Prairies. Following the spring melt, weather in the Prairies is expected to show a bias to the drier side, which will keep excess soil moisture at bay following wet conditions last fall. “The […] Read more
Comment: Farmers as price makers instead of price takers
When their buyer said their produce was too expensive, this farm business changed the conversation
Farmers are conditioned to see themselves as price-takers. They take the price that is charged for their fertilizer and seed and they take the price that’s offered for their production. But as one of the speakers at the recent Summit on Climate Action in Food Systems in Kelowna illustrated, it’s possible to overcome the “lowest […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
