Where is US ag policy headed? I guess that's the question of the day....or more accurately, that's the question that's been asked since 2010. Where is US ag policy headed? We've had some bi-polar insights into that direction with initiatives like MCOOL, which, from what we've seen and heard, do not have majority industry support... Read More
Category: Eastern Canada
By Bernard Tobin, Ontario field editor This story was originally published on January 28, 2014. For continually updated information click here. Ontario's second case of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv) has been confirmed at a Chatham-Kent region farm and a third farm is being investigated in the same area. (Editor's note: The number now sits... Read More
Maintaining good relationships should be a priority in any succession plan, but sometimes it's hard to get past the financial and legal jargon associated with the process. For both reasons, a farm business should consider appointing a third party to mediate discussions. And, in the meantime, it doesn't hurt to learn about some of your... Read More
Chipotle Mexican Grill has launched a trailer for its four-part television series coming out in February. Branded as a satirical comedy, the series is an interesting (and extremely controversial) attempt at Hollywood-style advertising, boasting a scripted plot and professional directing. The show is a negative campaign aimed at conventional farming practices and revolves around the... Read More
In 2012, the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program supported the Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association in the development of apps designed for prairie farmers. Those apps are very near completion, and in our first discussion with Tom Wolf, spray application specialist, we spoke of one that will help producers determine the spray quality of various nozzles, an... Read More
There are some factors that influence soybean yield far more than others, for example a healthy crop rotation is going to do far more to help the crop reach full potential than any amount of tillage. In this Soybean School episode, Horst Bohner, soybean specialist with Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, recaps the top... Read More
Artificial insemination (AI) is accepted by most producers in the purebred business, and increasingly by commercial producers as well. AI can offer the opportunity to use high quality, proven genetics at a price which is often more affordable than buying and keeping the natural sire. But the traditional method of heat detection has given producers... Read More
The Canadian dollar has been very comfortable at par for quite some time. So much so, that it well and truly was the new normal. Recently, however, a few factors have converged to pressure the loonie’s value. The question is, is this a blip or a trend, and who wins and who loses in the... Read More
Nineteen years out of the last 23, you'd have saved money by pre-buying your fertilizer in the fall. Of course, fall application of fertilizer is subject to high rates of losses, potentially negating any savings and having a negative impact on the environment, and storing fertilizer isn't always possible. So, it's not surprising then that... Read More
We'll start this week's column on a somber note, because this is serious — yesterday it was announced that the first case of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus has been confirmed on a hog farm in Middlesex county in the southwest corner of Ontario. The details are still preliminary, but this deadly virus appears to have... Read More