Exports of Prince Edward Island table stock potatoes are again officially allowed to enter the mainland United States, after new U.S. entry rules regarding potato wart were published Friday. Canada’s federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said on Twitter that officials with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) are now preparing to certify exports of eligible […] Read more
Tag Archives Soil — page 6
P.E.I. table stock potato exports to U.S. now allowed
New U.S. order replaces previous requirements; seed potatoes still blocked
New path to monitor soil carbon
Science Notes: Machine-learning methods meet soil hyperspectral data
Just how much carbon is in the soil? That’s a tough question to answer at large spatial scales, but understanding soil organic carbon at regional, national or global scales could help scientists predict overall soil health, crop productivity and even worldwide carbon cycles. Classically, researchers collect soil samples in the field and haul them back […] Read more
Grain growers share the best equipment changes they’ve made on-farm
Three farmers reveal top agronomic and efficiency improvements on their operations at IFAO conference
There’s always room for improvement when it comes to equipment design and setup, according to grain growers Warren Schneckenburger, Mark Burnham, and Chuck Baresich. Speaking during the 2022 Innovative Farmers Association of Ontario conference IFAO), each panelist detailed what large overhauls and small tweaks have made the most significant differences on their respective farms. Why […] Read more
Farmers test microbes to nourish crops as climate pressure grows, costs rise
Soil biologicals are getting a lot of attention and research money
Tech companies are raising hundreds of millions of dollars, including backing from agriculture heavyweights like Bayer AG, to develop farm products that use living things like microbes and seaweed to nourish crops and lessen the need for synthetic fertilizer. Microbes, including fungi and viruses, have been available for decades as treatments to protect plants from […] Read more
ONFARM launches new data dashboard for Ontario soils
Project brings together extensive on-farm research data
A new online data dashboard launched by ONFARM allows the agriculture sector access to results from 25 trial sites across Ontario. The On-Farm Applied Research and Monitoring (ONFARM) applied research initiative has the task of monitoring, and modelling priority sub-watersheds, establishing in-field paired trials identifying soil health indicators and testing the effectiveness of best management […] Read more
Cover crop adoption decisions are complex
Knowledge transfer and local expertise key to farmer trust in practices
Crops cover more than 11 per cent of the earth’s land surface, a figure that is growing every year as grasslands are tilled and forests razed. That’s one reason for greater interest in keeping that land covered throughout the year but increasing the volume of cover crops also means addressing the economics and sociological factors […] Read more
Lessons learned from a drainage demo farm
Early lessons are emerging at the Huronview tile project
The Huronview Demonstration Farm will take years to tell all its drainage stories, but two years in, some anticipated lessons are starting to take shape. The site near Clinton is a collaboration among the Huron County Soil and Crop Improvement Association, Huron County, land drainage companies and the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority. In 2019, the […] Read more
Precision prescriptions used to remedy tillage issues
Producers can fine-tune adjustments without stopping and getting out of the cab
Glacier FarmMedia – Farmers are accustomed to using prescription maps for fertilizer and crop protection products. Now, they can use those layers to make prescription maps for tillage operations. Case has introduced prescription tillage technology as an option to its existing AFS Soil Command. Why it matters: With this technology, a farm manager or agronomist […] Read more
Soil health plan works best with gradual gains
Soil experts recommend starting small for bigger long-term results
Improving overall soil health takes time – a long time. But for Kelsey Banks, crop representative and agronomist with Embrun Co-op, making gains doesn’t require immediate drastic action. Many growers opt for conventional tillage in Banks’ area of Eastern Ontario for various reasons but mostly because it’s an effective, tried-and-true approach. Why it matters: Better […] Read more
Preventing sprayer compaction is difficult
Some compaction is inevitable, though severe damage can be mitigated
From growth stage to pest pressure, sprayers run when crops need them. This can pose a problem because ideal application timing does not necessarily coincide with dry field conditions. Some level of compaction is almost invariably the result, and while steps can be taken to minimize negative impacts, there are few affordable solutions to sprayer-induced […] Read more
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