Investing in digital agriculture can be a daunting experience. A producer’s best bet, one northeastern Saskatchewan farmer says, is to do your homework and find a purpose for it on your farm. “You have got to have the root purpose of why you got that technology. Either that or you talk to others to help […] Read more
At Ag in Motion: Find a purpose, then buy tech, Prairie grower says
No matter how cutting-edge, digital ag needs to be a fit on your farm
Feds up the ante for canola growers adopting 4R
Cash available more than triples in second year of Canola 4R Advantage
Reading Time: 4 minutes The federal government has loosened the purse strings for canola producers hoping to set up select 4R nutrient management practices on their farms. Applicants to the Canola 4R Advantage program can now seek up to $20,000 in assistance for each of three (possibly four) eligible 4R best management practices, compared to $6,000 per BMP in […] Read more
Forage U-Pick: The Tinder for forages?
Online forage tool expands nationwide
Reading Time: 4 minutes A hard-working rancher in central Alberta seeks a sturdy native grass ideally suited for mob grazing and a long-lasting stand. That might seem like something from an online dating profile but it’s more likely to be a query for a newly expanded matchmaking site that aims to connect beef producers with the perfect forage. Since […] Read more
Alberta farmer powers ahead with free code for farm equipment
Open source farm tech code is like a cookie -- you can change the recipe any way you want
Reading Time: 5 minutes It can boost variable rate mapping. It can help generate guidance maps for the field. It contains the fundamental knowledge for turning an old tractor into an autonomous tractor. And yet the code is available on the internet for free. And Brian Tischler, the central Alberta grain farmer who created AgOpenGPS, is fine with that. […] Read more
Alberta potatoes chip in $2.9 billion for Canadian economy
New report verifies what many in industry suspected
Alberta’s potato industry is making a big impact — not just on that province but the entire country. A new report — dubbed a “landmark study” by the Potato Growers of Alberta — revealed the sector drove a total contribution of $2.87 billion to Canada’s economy in 2022. It also notes the nationwide creation of […] Read more
To best weather drought, focus on what you can control
It comes down to making sure there’s room for recovery while balancing risk and cost
Reading Time: 3 minutes There’s not much that producers can do in the event of drought. They’re hostage to nature and hope for enough rainfall to save their crops. While recent rains in parts of Alberta were helpful, crops will need more moisture this season and there’s no guarantee it will come. But while watching the skies, farmers can […] Read more
Watch out for blue-green algae where livestock drink
“Blue-green algae can look like blue-green scum, pea soup or grass clippings suspended in the water. You should start watching for it when the temperatures rise above 25 C.”
Reading Time: 3 minutes In over three decades as a veterinarian, Roy Lewis never saw a cow die from ingesting blue-green algae from an infected water source. But he still says it’s an issue ranchers should watch for. Blue-green algae can be instantly deadly to an animal that ingests a sufficient amount. However, it’s tricky to identify as the […] Read more
Farm equipment sector winning battle on supply chain woes
Delivery times return to normal, but higher prices are part of post-pandemic fallout
Reading Time: 5 minutes It’s been a long, hard road, but the Canadian farm equipment industry is mostly back to its pre-pandemic state. The pull effect of two years of high sales has worked its way through the system and supply chain complications have eased. That means farmers are more likely to get their equipment when they’re supposed to, […] Read more
Ranchers say federal funding key to watering improvements
Not everyone is happy with the way OFCAF does business, with some saying it doesn’t support cutting-edge producers
Reading Time: 5 minutes Installing a pasture pipeline watering system was a pipe dream — literally — for Matt and Angela Kumlin, until they tapped the On-Farm Climate Action Fund. The Kumlins received $70,000 through OFCAF to build a water pipeline on their ranch. Now creeping up on the $100,000 mark, Angela said the project, meant to boost rotational […] Read more
Province fast-tracks grazing approval for evacuated livestock
Lease holders can take animals now, report to authorities later
Reading Time: 3 minutes Grazing disposition holders who want to help fellow livestock producers affected by wildfires can use some recently relaxed rules. Alberta Forestry, Parks and Tourism has fast-tracked its processes to allow grazing lease, licence and permit holders to more quickly accept wildfire-displaced livestock on their land. The main condition is that key information be reported in […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
