Reading Time: 3 minutes I still spend a lot of time in airports and love to use that time to read interesting stories on people, places, politics, science, and technology. It brings to light all that is possible in our world. A little writeup caught my eye in regards to human waste which is a growing problem. In many […] Read more
Innovation with the most unlikely material shows all is possible
Human waste has always been a problem, but it is increasingly seen as a resource and that’s spurring the creation of new technologies
Seeding smartphone tips
Cellphones have been dubbed “smartphones” but sometimes the way folks are addicted to them causes dumb problems. I’ve read three articles that suggest that cellphones are creating isolation, poorer communication and less robust relationships. Stress rises when there is a million-dollar crop to get in the ground, excess moisture, and too many jobs for the[...]
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Olds College to create ‘smart agriculture’ centre
Reading Time: < 1 minute Olds College has been given a $16-million donation it will use to create an institute specializing in ‘smart agriculture.’ The Werklund Agriculture Institute will use big data, technology, and enhanced Internet connectivity to increase the quality and quantity of agricultural production. The funding is a gift from David Werklund, an entrepreneur best known for his[...]
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The four factors that are changing agriculture
Don’t look back, the world is changing far too fast, says an American author and farmer
Reading Time: 3 minutes If you’re not ready to adapt and communicate with the public, you could lose your place in agriculture. “In agriculture, we tend to hang on to the best of the past,” said Jolene Brown, farmer, author and well-known speaker. “You’ve all heard the phrase, ‘If you always do what you’ve always done, you will get[...]
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The last big challenge for drones
Advanced technology to spot disease, pest, and health issues early on is already here — but using that data still has many challenges
Reading Time: 4 minutes Sure, drones are cool and all. But when it comes to your farm, it’s all about the data they gather — and figuring out how to use all that info. “Ultimately, that is what’s going to change the way we manage our crops, by giving us better information about them,” Markus Weber, president of Edmonton-based[...]
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Will the cows of tomorrow all be wearing fitness trackers?
Devices that measure activity levels can be used to tell if cattle are feeling poorly — but there are still some kinks to be worked out
Reading Time: 2 minutes Fitness trackers are all the rage among people these days — but they could catch on with cows, too. But the idea isn’t to start counting cow steps or to up bovine fitness levels. Rather, the goal is to use fitness monitors as a way to detect illness in beef cattle early on. Cattle producers[...]
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VIDEO: Driverless tractors and open-source software
Reimer Robotics takes first prize in Manitoba Ag Days Inventors' Showcase
Reading Time: < 1 minute Matthew Reimer was as surprised as anyone when he was awarded first prize for his driverless tractor system at Manitoba Ag Days in Brandon on Jan. 20, but his invention is worthy of the title. The Inventors’ Showcase winner, and president of Reimer Robotics, has built a system to move tractors – driverless no less, with[...]
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Tech conference brings together bright minds to ‘hack’ ag industry issues
The Emerging Agriculture conference Jan. 9-11 aims to foster ag industry innovations
Reading Time: 3 minutes Move over, Silicon Valley — hackers will soon be setting their sights on Saskatoon to solve the industry’s biggest problems. The agriculture industry, that is. “Emerging Agriculture is a weekend hackathon where we get students and non-students interested in agriculture together to collaborate on agriculture-based technology and ideas, and hopefully make some startup companies out[...]
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New edition of CropChoice$ crop-planning software available
Reading Time: < 1 minute CropChoice$ 2015 is now available. Producers can plug their yields from the 2015 harvest into the software and find whether their cropping plan can break even or make a profit. They can also enter target gross margins to see if they can achieve them. The software can analyze up to 40 dryland and irrigated crops[...]
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Agri-Trade awards showcase new and innovative technologies
Keeping spray consistent, reducing plugging in air drills, and a new field app garner Ag Innovation awards
Reading Time: 3 minutes Innovations drive the agriculture industry — and it’s at farm shows like Agri-Trade where producers get a front and centre look at what’s new and different. For the past eight years, the Red Deer show has highlighted that with its Ag Innovation awards program. This year’s winners — chosen by a panel of farmers —[...]
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Cyber-Savvy Farmer
