What's a GMO? What do the letters GMO stand for? Do you try to avoid GMOs? Genetically modified organisms received some mainstream attention this week on Jimmy Kimmel Live. The late night comedian sent a reporter to a farmers' market to find out how much people actually know about biotechnology and food. We don't know... Read More
Category: Technology
The federal government has announced a $7.5 million investment in a new agency that will look after developing and operating a national livestock traceability database. Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz announced the funding for the Canadian Agri-Traceabiity Services in Calgary today. CATS is a not-for-profit corporation that brings together the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA) and... Read More
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation was launched in 2000, with the merger of the William H. Gates Foundation and the Gates Learning Foundation. "It's a charitable foundation that's based on two very important principles," says Lawrence Kent, senior program officer. "The first one is that every life has equal value. And the second one... Read More
On the heels of Canada's National Biotechnology Week, the Agricultural Biotechnology International Conference (ABIC) is taking place in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan this week. ABIC, hosted this year by Ag-West Bio, was initiated in 1996 in Saskatoon, and has grown to include delegates from over 60 countries, promoting and discussing the benefits of agricultural biotechnology. The conference... Read More
RealAg’s Bernard Tobin and Shaun Haney were among the many Canadians who attended the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin last week. The WDE attracts around 70 thousand visitors each year. The 2,600 head of cattle on display had a new home for the 2014 expo, as the show included the opening of the new... Read More
Switching between corn varieties on-the-go while planting is showing a yield benefit, according to Kinze, as the Iowa-based equipment manufacturer ramps up production of its multi-hybrid planters. The last time we heard from Kinze’s Luc Van Herle on Real Ag, the company was rolling out its new electronic metering system for its 4,900 series multi-hybrid... Read More
Now in its 11th year, September 26 - October 3, 2014 marks National Biotechnology Week. Initiated by BIOTECanada (the national biotechnology industry association), this week is a dedication to exploring biotech across sectors and across Canada, with events including lectures, tours, networking and workshops (a full list of events here). Of course, biotechnology has and... Read More
Beyond the “cool” factor, the value of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for farmers comes down to how they help them make more-informed decisions. That includes helping a producer understand plant stand counts across entire fields early in the growing season, explains Kris Poulson, CEO of Casselton, North Dakota-based North Country Ag Services. “If we just... Read More
The concept of nitrogen fixation in cereal crops is getting some mainstream attention after a trio of 16 year-olds from Ireland won an international prize for their work with nitrogen-fixing bacteria in wheat, barley and oats. The prizes for the 2014 Google Science Fair — the world's largest science competition for teenagers — were handed... Read More
Agrton Enterprises Inc’s Legend Detection System was on display at Canada’s Farm Progress Show this year. Using an iPhone or Android device to track air drill operation, the system proves there is indeed an app for that. And with the built-in Seed Rate Wizard it allows the operator to check their pounds per acre or... Read More