As the importance of soil health gains recognition, its reach extends beyond nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulphur. Boron, a micronutrient, is getting more attention among advisors and growers, mostly because of its role in plant health and performance. Cell formation, cell wall and vascular tissue formation, node number and plant height, flower development, pollen viability, […] Read more
Tag Archives soil health — page 6
Adopting a plan B in soybeans
Improving soil health interactions is key to unlocking higher yields
Rotational grazing system earns BFO pasture award
Young farmer followed his dream, started beef operation on rented land
Tom Aikins is humble about receiving the 2023 Beef Farmers of Ontario Mapleseed Pasture Award. “They decided they wanted to give me this,” said the first-generation farmer from Ravenna, Grey County, during the BFO dinner following its annual meeting last month. “I don’t really know why. I’m not reinventing the wheel, but we’re raising cattle […] Read more
Passion for soil health drives Ontario innovator
On-farm innovation award winner has developed not one but two useful systems to help farmers
Jake Kraayenbrink is passionate about soil health — so much so that he’s spent the better part of the past 15 years developing an innovative tire deflation system that helps farmers reduce soil compaction risks from heavy equipment. It’s on the market today in Canada, Europe, the U.K. and New Zealand under the AgriBrink brand. […] Read more
Multi-million-dollar fund greenlights soil health projects
Eight projects to push soil health practices will get funding for the next five years
Eight soil health projects across Canada will be getting a multi-million-dollar boost in private funding over the next five years. The Weston Family Foundation — the philanthropic arm of the Weston business empire — has slated $10 million for those eight projects through the organization’s soil health initiative, it was announced Feb. 13. The initiative […] Read more
The premise and promise of biological crop inputs
What’s relevant and what’s not in this fledgling branch of agri-food
The search for alternatives to traditional agriculture inputs has greater urgency as commodities like fertilizer increase in price and decrease in availability. It’s not that nitrogen-use efficiency or the activity of mycorrhizal fungi was less of a concern years ago. But the list of products that can enhance soil health and potentially boost yield has […] Read more
How to grow better wheat
Participants in 2022 YEN competition share their strategies
There’s more than one way to grow high-yielding wheat, but focusing on soil health and measuring the impact of different practices are places to start. Those are two things that grain producers Norm Lamothe and Andy Timmerman of Cavan and Stratford, as well as Jeffery Krohn from Elkton, Michigan, say have helped improve their wheat […] Read more
Canada moves to develop sustainable agriculture strategy
The Canadian Federation of Agriculture will co-chair the committee
Glacier FarmMedia – Work has begun on a national strategy to position Canadian agriculture as a world leader in sustainability. Federal agriculture minister Marie-Claude Bibeau announced Dec. 12 the launch of online consultations and an advisory committee to develop the Sustainable Agriculture Strategy. This was formerly referred to as the Green Agricultural Plan. The Canadian […] Read more
Quinlan Farms wins Essex conservation award
Award given for investments in soil and water health, production diversity
The Essex Soil and Crop Improvement Association (ESCIA) and Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA) recently bestowed the 2022 Conservation Farm of the Year Award to Quinlan Farms, a mixed crop, poultry and sheep business in central Essex. Granted annually to a farm within Essex County that displays conservation-minded management practices, Quinlan Farms received the award […] Read more
Soil tech firms allow sensors to work together
Ceres Imaging and Soiltech Wireless say the recent agreement allows their technology to validate each other in the field
Glacier FarmMedia – Ceres Imaging and Soiltech Wireless have an agreement that enables the two systems to work together. Soiltech Wireless offers a cellular-based wireless sensor and Ceres Imaging uses in-field sensors, advanced analytics and high-resolution imagery to provide a macro-level look at crops. Ehsan Soltan of Soiltech Wireless said the company’s wireless sensor monitors […] Read more
Feds open up consultations for sustainable ag strategy
Producer groups to have reps on advisory committee
The federal government has enlisted farm groups on the ground floor of consultations toward development of a long-term strategy to “amplify” the adoption and use of sustainable practices in agriculture over the next year. Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau on Dec. 12 announced the launch of public consultations on strategy development, running from now through March […] Read more
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