Latest Newsletter

Tag Archives soil health — page 6

Boron is a micronutrient garnering more attention as growers continue to push for higher yields.
Crops

Adopting a plan B in soybeans

Improving soil health interactions is key to unlocking higher yields

By
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
Tom Aikins explains how his operation works during the Beef Farmers of Ontario annual dinner Feb. 22 in Toronto.
Livestock

Rotational grazing system earns BFO pasture award

By

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
Jake Kraayenbrink developed the AgriBrink tire deflation system to reduce soil compaction from heavy equipment. After successful sales in Canada and Europe, he recently moved to Iowa to market the system in the U.S.
News

Passion for soil health drives Ontario innovator

On-farm innovation award winner has developed not one but two useful systems to help farmers

By
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
A handful of soil health projects have secured funding for the next five years in the hope of kick starting soil health practices in the field. (Assiniboine Community College photo)
Crops

Multi-million-dollar fund greenlights soil health projects

Eight projects to push soil health practices will get funding for the next five years

By
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
Dale Cowan says that at Growmark, biologicals are put under strict testing for efficacy and to date, the company has rejected 86 per cent of the 43 products it has tested due to lack of grower benefit.
Crops

The premise and promise of biological crop inputs

What’s relevant and what’s not in this fledgling branch of agri-food

By
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
Norm Lamothe, who had the highest-yielding wheat crop in the 2022 YEN competition, says he has seen the benefits of adding small grains into his crop rotation.
Crops

How to grow better wheat

Participants in 2022 YEN competition share their strategies

By
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
The Sustainable Agriculture Strategy will look at soil health as well as climate adaptation and resilience, water, climate change mitigation, and biodiversity.
News

Canada moves to develop sustainable agriculture strategy

The Canadian Federation of Agriculture will co-chair the committee

By
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
L to R: Emma Epp, second vice-president of ESCIA, Chad Quinlan, Walther Quinlan and Michael Dick, agriculture technician with ERCA. Quinlan Farms received the 2022 Conservation Farm of the Year Award, given jointly by the ESCIA and ERCA.
News

Quinlan Farms wins Essex conservation award

Award given for investments in soil and water health, production diversity

By
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
The Soiltech Wireless sensor can be placed on the ground to act as a localized weather station by measuring temperature and humidity. It can also be buried to monitor moisture and temperature.
Machinery, News

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

By
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
(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feds open up consultations for sustainable ag strategy

Producer groups to have reps on advisory committee

By
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

Cyber-Savvy Farmer

Glacier Farmmedia Podcast