Reading Time: < 1 minute If you missed this year’s Agronomy Update (or can’t read your notes), PowerPoint slides from the January event are now available at agronomyupdate.ca. Slides from two dozen presentations can be downloaded for free. Among the topics are nitrification and urease inhibitors, micronutrients, fusarium graminearum, bacterial leaf streak, aphanomyces, verticillium wilt, herbicide mixing, flea beetles, managing […] Read more
Agronomy update recap available
Cyberattack a $23 million hit on Maple Leaf ledger
Company refused to pay ransom
Last fall’s ransomware attack at pork and poultry packer Maple Leaf Foods led to an “adverse economic impact” of $23 million or more on the company’s bottom line as it worked to restore systems, officials said. The company on Thursday released that estimate as part of its fourth-quarter financial report, in which it booked a […] Read more
BASF halting hybrid wheat seed development in North America
Results 'have not achieved development goals we set'
Reuters — Global chemicals and crop seeds company BASF is halting development of hybrid wheat in North America after results of seed trials failed to reach development goals, the company told Reuters on Wednesday. BASF will instead focus development of the new type of wheat in European markets, aiming to launch the technology there “toward […] Read more
Lethbridge College gets $2-million for ag research facility
Reading Time: < 1 minute Lethbridge College has been given $2-million by Ottawa to complete a new research facility and lab. The Agriculture Research Innovation Facility is housed in what was called the Farm Stewardship Centre when it was operated by the provincial agriculture ministry. It was acquired by the college in 2022. It will be home to seven research […] Read more
Acclaimed Manitoba stored grain researcher now Alberta bound
Digvir Jayas named president at University of Lethbridge
A leading Canadian researcher and expert in safe storage of grain is headed westbound and up to the head office at another Prairie university. Dr. Digvir Jayas, currently on sabbatical as professor and vice-president (research and international) at the University of Manitoba, will become president and vice-chancellor at the University of Lethbridge effective July 1 […] Read more
Feds back BHP potash mine for sustainable tech
Fund to provide $100M for electrifying equipment
Major miner BHP’s potash mine-in-progress in Saskatchewan has picked up $100 million in federal funding to go toward investments in low-emissions equipment. Federal Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne on Monday announced BHP’s Saskatoon-based Canadian arm will get backing from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) for the mine at Jansen, Sask., about […] Read more
Deere strikes right to repair deal with American Farm Bureau
Agreement pledges ‘fair and reasonable access’ to codes, data, manuals and diagnostic tools
Reading Time: 2 minutes A deal between the American Farm Bureau Federation and Deere and Co. will ensure farmers have the right to repair their own equipment or go to an independent technician, says the farm group. “This will enable you and your independent mechanics to identify and fix problems,” said Zippy Duvall, president of the farm bureau, which […] Read more
Schoepp: We need to get past the perception that ag is ‘just farming’
The sector has to attract bright young people but first we need to get rid of old stereotypes
Reading Time: 3 minutes Just what is agriculture to youth who are looking at career choices? That was one of the questions asked by Nuffield Scholar Claire Peltzer, whose 2020 report focused on attracting youth into agriculture. The short answer is that agriculture is considered “farming” and does not include the existing plethora of career opportunities. The fields of […] Read more
Venture capitalists urged to check out Alberta ag tech
Hempalta and Livestock Water Recycling are two companies featured on influential Top 50 list
Reading Time: 3 minutes Two Alberta companies — one making hemp products and the other recycling livestock manure — are among the most investable clean tech ventures in the country. Hempalta Inc. and Livestock Water Recycling, both headquartered in Calgary, are two of eight ag-focused technology companies on the 2022 Foresight 50 list. The list is compiled annually by […] Read more
‘High-speed’ internet is coming to rural areas — but the yardsticks have moved
Basic high speed will be fine for many, but farming is increasingly a business that needs serious bandwidth
Reading Time: 3 minutes Government’s definition of high-speed internet for rural areas isn’t all that high, especially for farmers taking advantage of new technology. The problem is that the provincial government’s minimum standard (50 megabits per second for downloads and 10 mbps for uploads) is the same baseline Ottawa set seven years ago, and a lot has changed since […] Read more