After spending close to 2,500 hours over the last five years operating a sprayer equipped with optical spraying technology on his farm near Fisk, Saskatchewan, Carl deConinck Smith is not only an early adopter, but also a proponent of weed-sensing technology on sprayers. "Five years ago, we felt it was about a three-year return on... Read More
Category: Eastern Canada
For many in parts of southern Ontario, the summer dryness of '22 caused stress and poor yields. Looking ahead, what's in store for weather trends, water cycles, and average temperatures? At last week's Ontario Agricultural Conference, Bernard Tobin caught up with Michigan State University professor of meteorology and climatology, Jeff Andresen, to talk about what... Read More
Beef and cattle markets south of the border started the year off steady and on solid footing, which is good news at the wholesale level. Does this steady market offer a suggestion of what's to come? For this first Beef Market Update of 2023, Anne Wasko, of the Gateway Livestock Exchange, joins Shaun Haney to... Read More
The total number of birds on Canadian farms lost due to H5N1 avian influenza nearly hit the 7 million mark in the 2022 calendar year, with over 40 per cent of those birds affected in the last two months in southern B.C. Heading into 2023, the ongoing outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is... Read More
There are fewer farmers every year in Canada. That's just reality. The impacts of a shrinking demographic are complex and far-reaching, but also sometimes right in front of us — like now, during the Annual General Meeting season of producer groups. The same farmer attending four different meetings, for example, doesn't necessarily make the most... Read More
Greg Peterson, A.K.A. Machinery Pete, has been following, analyzing, and commenting on the used equipment market for decades, and even he has to admit that 2022 was surprising. Just when you couldn't think the used market of 2021 could be topped, 2022 came along and blew it out of the water, he says in the... Read More
New demand for canola oil is driving a wave of expansion in canola processing capacity, and along with it, there's going to be a large increase in the supply of the main byproduct — canola meal. The amount of canola processed in Western Canada is expected to grow by around 50 per cent in two... Read More
A new year often brings out the resolutions, plans, and ambitions for the year ahead. Every two months, the RealAgristudies Insights Panel will weigh in on the Canadian Farmer Sentiment index. Beginning in September 2022, the index measures how farmers are feeling — either positive or negative — on a range of issues, including crop... Read More
Negotiating a new agriculture policy framework is never easy, but the next iteration, set for April 1, 2023, was particularly contentious. The ministers met in Saskatchewan in July to set out a final agreement.
A program in Manitoba is teaching students about flying drones and using plant imagery to fight plant disease. Matthew Johnson, vice president, education and digital ag at Volatus Aerospace, designed the course to be interactive, engaging, and forward-focused, with a multi-year option. "I wanted to come up with a newer program that was exciting and... Read More