Grain and oilseed markets showed little reaction to the latest stocks estimates from Statistics Canada released on Wednesday. The agency’s December 31st, 2014 stocks numbers were generally in line with trade expectations, with all-wheat pegged at 24.8 million tonnes and canola at 11.1 million (see all the numbers here.) Traders were expecting 25 million tonnes... Read More

Soil moisture observations collected by a new NASA satellite will be used for a number of agricultural applications in Canada. The space agency launched the SMAP (Soil Moisture Active Passive) satellite on Saturday, January 31st — it’s the first satellite dedicated to monitoring soil moisture levels around the globe. Jarrett Powers, manager of Agriculture and... Read More

Not only are there environmental benefits to improved soil biology, but there are economic incentives as well, says a farmer from Ohio who spoke about cover crops and a systems approach to microbiology at the SoilSmart conference in Waterloo, Ont., in late January. Jeff Rasawehr joined Bernard Tobin to discuss six steps for establishing healthy... Read More

Ontario's premier, Kathleen Wynne, has named several individuals to the Agri-Food Growth Steering Committee. The group is tasked with providing advice and guidance on the road to pushing Ontario's agriculture and agri-food sector to "double its annual growth rate and create 120,000 new jobs by 2020." Included on the committee are: Deb Stark, Deputy Minister,... Read More

Who makes the best equipment salesperson — a former mechanic? How great is your local equipment dealer at trouble-shooting all the new tech and equipment in the tractor and combine cab? For this very special FarmTech edition of the Kickin’ Tires podcast, co-hosts Shaun Haney and Jim Hale are joined by spray application specialist and... Read More

Between 2010 and 2013, Transport Canada issued 1,527 approvals for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operations, with the number growing every year. Last fall, the organization announced exemptions to the Special Flight Operations Certificate, once mandatory for all non-recreational use of UAVs. Find out if you need permission to fly a UAV. The exemptions could pave... Read More