Imagine floating weightless in an office far above earth, eating pizza straight out of a 3D printer. Well, astronauts may not be far from experiencing such unique meal preparations in space. In May 2013, NASA announced funding for a phase I, six-month $125, 000 study on 3D printing of foods in order to assess the... Read More
Category: Western Canada
The Canadian Grain Commission has released a report that provides an overall perspective on cereal crop acres grown in Western Canada this year, breaking down acres by province, class and variety. Carberry, Harvest and Stettler were the most popular Canada Western Red Spring wheat varieties grown on the prairies this year (see chart below), while... Read More
The idea that GMO-free foods are more "natural" than those with genetically modified ingredients is a misconception, says a plant biologist and advocate for genetic modification from the University of Florida. Speaking at the University of Manitoba last week, Kevin Folta discussed how transgenic (or GM) technology works and misunderstandings about genetically modified organisms. He... Read More
Agricultural programming at Lethbridge College will benefit from a record-setting $3.1 million gift from a family whose Alberta roots go back to its earliest days as a province, the college announced today. The planned-giving philanthropic gift from Lloyd and Dorothy Mueller will transform the college’s agricultural programming and shape the future of the agricultural industry... Read More
A grand opening for the University of Saskatchewan's new Canadian Feed Research Centre in North Battleford was held on Friday. The $13.9 million facility is home to research looking at developing high-value animal feeds from lower-value crops and co-products coming from the biofuel industry. U of S has refurbished the property after purchasing it from... Read More
Even after the stresses of market crashes, unexpected weather events and disagreements in the workplace, there is a force that keeps so many of us involved in agriculture. Our passion can be driven by many factors: a love of the land, an appreciation for the outdoors, respect for flora and fauna or simply the hope... Read More
Are you so farmer? If you're in need of a pick-me-up today, look no further than the Peterson Farm Bros.' latest parody video — this time a medley of several pop songs, each with an annoyingly catchy hook. From "Turn Down For What," to "I'm So Farmer," and "All About That Bass," it seems no... Read More
Plant breeding takes time. Significant amounts of it, in fact. While genetic resistance to things like diseases or pests or even built-in agronomic traits like standability are the ideal, a new wheat variety may take a decade to produce, and even then, still not meet all the needs of every farmer who grows it. In... Read More
This Ruminating with RealAg podcast takes us back to the Agricultural Biotechnology International Conference in Saskatoon, where we hear from Suzanne Bertrand, deputy director general at the International Livestock Research Institute, on the differences between Canadian and African adoption of genomics technology, and how genetically modified cattle could combat African Sleeping Sickness. Related: Julie Borlaug... Read More
Farmers of North America says its bid to acquire the former Canadian Wheat Board and its grain handling assets has been rejected by CWB's management. FNA was looking to raise up to $380 million from Western Canadian farmers to purchase a majority stake in CWB and use its assets to launch a farmer-owned grain and... Read More