Research is often seen as an investment in new technology development, in whirring instruments or the roar of equipment. That might make it easy to forget that new technology results from new knowledge. And knowledge is key to preserving and advancing modern family farms. That reminder comes courtesy of Mildmay, ON dairy farmer Ralph Dietrich.... Read More
Category: Eastern Canada
Feedback from last year's Advanced Farm Management Program was overwhelmingly positive. So much so in fact, that the program has expanded to three different locations in Ontario. This year, Guelph, North Gower and Chatham, Ontario will host the program, giving participants in each location a chance to bring their farm management skills to the next... Read More
If you have cows, you're no stranger to traditional weaning tactics and you've also likely heard of both fence-line and nose-flap weaning. Calves weaned in both manners have been shown to walk less, eat more and call less than their traditionally-weaned counterparts. Reducing stress doesn't end with one magical weaning strategy, however. It's best to... Read More
The National Post is reporting that the comprehensive economic and trade agreement (CETA) negotiations with the European Union have moved forward following Canada's commitment to double cheese imports to 30,000 tonnes per year in exchange for added access to Europe's beef and pork markets. The deal is not done of course, but, if the quoted... Read More
The Beef Farmers of Ontario, formerly the Ontario Cattlemen's Association, has launched its new name, look and website, a change decided on this past February at the annual general meeting. "Given the changing dynamics and expectations of our industry, we see the change in name as an opportunity to not only build on, but to... Read More
Earlier this month, the Washington State Academy of Science published a white paper on Initiative 522 (I-522), a Washington State initiative aimed to institute mandatory labeling of food containing Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). On November 5th, the initiative will be taken to the public, and the state will vote on the proposal. The debate continues... Read More
Every action on or in the soil profile has an impact on moisture moving up or down. Some passes and implement choices can have a positive impact on water infiltration, but not all do. Understanding how tillage implements impact water movement is one topic that Salford Machinery is exploring at their research site in the... Read More
Swede midge larvae and symptoms were spotted in much of northeastern Saskatchewan this summer, concerning producers and agronomists alike. This isn't the first time there has been concern over their movement, however. Three adult midge were found in Saskatchewan in 2007, only seven years after first being identified in Ontario, where their spread has been... Read More
A clean start at planting can mean a fall herbicide application, even well into October if conditions are right. Fall weed control is the equivalent of a pre-plant burn-off for winter wheat, for one, but it's also the best time to get a hold of several weeds, including perennials like dandelion and constantly germinating Canada... Read More
The devastating early blizzard that shut down parts of South Dakota last week is a harsh reminder of how we're at the mercy of the almighty Mother Nature. As several news outlets are now reporting, the number of cattle who have died or are missing tops the 100,000 mark. Similar to the wicked spring snowstorm... Read More