There's consensus that healthy soils with higher organic matter deliver a range of benefits from supplying nutrients, to building soil structure, to increasing water-holding capacity, and reducing erosion. But are enough farmers taking the required steps to increase soil health and organic matter? United States Department of Agriculture research agronomist Shannon Osbourne believes a stronger... Read More
Category: Video
Whether driven by a respect for operator time, a desire for simplicity, or a means of drawing down input costs, the agriculture industry has seen a movement towards fewer manned vehicles. Many farmers have moved to no-till and straight-cutting, and some silage operations are now skipping the swather too, with the help of Italian-based agricultural... Read More
Having shared office space and administrative staff since 2013, the Alberta Wheat Commission and Alberta Barley Commission are moving ahead under shared management. "This is a next logical step in our relationship," explains Tom Steve, general manager of Alberta Wheat, and now, Alberta Barley. The move to shared management, which was announced at FarmTech in... Read More
Perhaps one of the most frustrating aspects of plowing land is the bumpy ride around the headlands that follows. That's where Kuhn's Vari-Master Smart Plow comes in. The Smart plow offers sectional control through an electro-hydraulic system which automatically raises and lowers individual bodies based on GPS positioning data, creating a straight furrow edge where... Read More
Does throwing the kitchen sink at your soybean crop provide an economic yield response? The answer is a definitive "No" says University of Minnesota associate professor Seth Naeve. His conclusion is based on the the results of a huge three-year U.S. study that he shared with growers attending the Southwest Agricultural Conference in Ridgetown, Ont.,... Read More
Crop input decisions would be made so much easier if only one year's weather would predict the next. But we know that one dry year doesn't make a trend, so while 2018 is looking dry in Western Canada will it stay dry for the growing season? Will crop disease be less of a threat because... Read More
A drive-over conveyor that swings from hopper to hopper to save time when unloading grain drew plenty of attention at Ag Days in Brandon, Man., earlier this month, including from the judges in the farm show's new inventions contest. The "Ultimate Swinging Drive-Over" made by Winkler-based manufacturing startup Soaring Eagle Grain Equipment received the top... Read More
Are you spending too much on energy to power your farm? Do you know the major energy users on your farm? If you don't know the answers to those questions you have some work to do, says Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs engineer James Dyck. Energy prices have soared in recent years... Read More
Versatile offered visitors to Manitoba Ag Days a sneak peek at the company's newest combine. The RT520 will be replacing the RT490, with improvements in the cab comfort, mechanics and overall design, explains Adam Reid, director of marketing for Versatile "The biggest difference by far, is the cab," notes Reid. Besides a more modern design,... Read More
Oat futures have climbed more than 30 cents a bushel since the start of the new year, raising the question: will more acres switch from wheat to oats? As of Wednesday, nearby and new crop oat futures in Chicago were in the 42 to 45 percent range relative to Minneapolis wheat. The flatter, quieter spot... Read More