Chuck Baresich, who owns an agricultural robotics business in Ontario, says controlling weeds with robots is probably best suited for high-value, horticultural crops in Canada. However, large-scale grain farmers could also use the technology if they think about it differently. “Let’s say my brother and me are growing 1,500 acres of corn,” said Baresich, who […] Read more
Robots may help grain farmers diversify
Tech could support labour-intensive higher-value crops
Think outside the agriculture box for labour, ag and tech leaders say
Agriculture in the Classroom is reaching non-farming students with inspiration for ag jobs, panelists say
Ag and tech leaders encouraged employers to think outside the agricultural box when looking to hire workers in order to expand the labour pool. “I’m one of the lucky ones,” said Brenna Mahoney, general manager of Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP). Mahoney entered the industry with no agriculture experience. She had training in human resources and […] Read more
Farmfair anticipates robust cattle shows
Honey show, youth career fair and other facets to round out the 2023 event
Reading Time: 2 minutes Farmfair International is poised to return to Edmonton Nov. 8-11. Organizers say the event has been Alberta’s largest beef cattle show for nearly 50 years, at which exhibitors from across Western Canada gather to show their top livestock genetics to purebred producers, local ranchers and international buyers. Boasting the largest purse in Canada, Farmfair International […] Read more
Lethbridge Exhibition goes big time with huge new facility
$80 million Agri-food Hub a platform for new ag opportunities, say developers
Reading Time: 3 minutes Lethbridge’s new, 268,000 square foot facility is more than just a place to hold popular agricultural events, say its developers. It’s a platform to show southern Alberta’s agriculture sector to the world and grow the local economy in the process. In that sense, the Agri-food Hub and Trade Centre, which opens to the public Aug. […] Read more
At Ag in Motion: ‘Small iron’ revolution brings bikes to farms
There’s a “small iron revolution” happening on farms across Canada. Even though most farmers and people in agriculture probably see “fat bikes” and “e-bikes” as urban phenomena, these new versions of bicycles are leaping into the farmyards and farm fields in hundreds of places. “I have some farm friends who have e-bikes (or) big fat […] Read more
At Ag in Motion: Combine settings app makes the world your neighbour
'Oh, have you tried this concave?'
Trevor Scherman and partner Megan Madden are making it easy for farmers to connect during harvest time to get the best settings for their combines. It’s an idea that Scherman says arose from the same philosophy as the ScherGain Solutions System he previously co-founded with his father. That system involves the use of a drop […] Read more
At Ag in Motion: Farmers gung-ho about digital integration system
'Having a single data point... was number one for us'
For a committed user of the Climate FieldView digital integration system, Mike Ferguson had an unusual observation about himself. “I’m not a big technology guy,” said Ferguson, who with his wife Regan farms 3,000 acres at Melfort, Sask. But for him, using the various data-based management tools available in farming today isn’t just helpful, but […] Read more
At Ag in Motion: Wednesday sets single-day attendance record
'I think the feeling here is optimistic'
The anticipated big crowd for the second day of Ag in Motion came through in a hefty way with a new one-day record being set. Show manager Rob O’Connor said 13,084 attendees came to the Langham, Sask. event on Day 2, breaking the record set in 2019 and coming on top of 9,800 people filing […] Read more
At Ag in Motion: 4-H’ers get bigger-picture view of ag industry
Saskatchewan teens have fun at leading ag show
Whether they were there to learn about leadership, careers in agriculture or just hang out with friends, some happy young people from Saskatchewan 4-H came out in force to Ag in Motion on Wednesday. Shelby Longworth, the provincial programs manager for 4-H Saskatchewan, said the group of older teens wanted to attend for a diverse […] Read more
Prairie Forecast: Summer heat to build back in
Issued July 19, covering July 19 to 26
It looks like the overall weather pattern is going to undergo another shift. After nearly two weeks of unseasonably cool and unsettled weather over the eastern half of the Prairies, with near-average conditions over the west, it looks like more typically summer weather will move back in. The massive area of low pressure that spun […] Read more