Reading Time: 3 minutes It’s an issue that big-city bureaucrats can’t seem to wrap their heads around — an internet connection spread so thin that it’s nearly unusable during peak hours. But in rural Alberta, it’s an all-too-common problem. “The connection gets weaker and weaker the further you get away from the main corridor,” said Al Kemmere, president of […] Read more
Fast internet? An urban reality but a rural myth
The CRTC has cut its rural internet speed targets in half — calling it ‘a significant first step’
The sun doesn’t always shine on every solar project
It’s a good time to install a solar system, but you need to consider many factors before plunging in
Reading Time: 5 minutes If you’re a producer who has recently decided to install a solar photovoltaic (PV) array on your farm or ranch, your timing is right. Under the Alberta Agriculture and Forestry On-Farm Solar Voltaics Program, the provincial government is offering to cover up to 35 per cent of costs for producers building on-farm, grid-tied solar systems. […] Read more
Scaling up: How to take small-size research from plot to field
Many farmers are skeptical of small-plot research results, but proper protocols are needed to scale up to a field level
Reading Time: 3 minutes Farmers are making some pretty big decisions off test strips — and that scares JP Pettyjohn. “We could flip a coin and pretty much come up with the same answer,” said Pettyjohn, a crop technology instructor at Lakeland College. “I don’t want an answer. I want the right answer.” Small-plot trials have been widely used […] Read more
The automated future has arrived, says robotic farming expert
British researcher showcases the ‘Hands-Free Hectare’ project at Farming Smarter conference
Reading Time: 3 minutes Farming using only robots may sound like something out of the year 2050 — but the producers of a barley crop in the United Kingdom argue it’s here now. Researchers at Harper Adams University in Shropshire, England, along with a U.K. precision ag company successfully grew a crop using only automated machines as their farmhands. […] Read more
Get the lowdown on online marketing
Webinar on offer Dec. 6
Reading Time: < 1 minute Deb Foisy of Debs Greenhouse near Morinville will offer her tips on how to use social media to boost sales in a Dec. 6 webinar. Although her greenhouse operation is “a destination garden centre,” Foisy has expanded her online efforts in the past two years and “will share the successes and challenges she’s encountered,” said […] Read more
Keep up to date on cash advances
Reading Time: < 1 minute Want to check on your cash advance? You can do it online either at the Canadian Canola Growers Association website or on a mobile app (free at Apple’s App Store or Google Play). Advances are available to any Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada, and corporations, co-operatives and partnerships are also eligible. Farmers receive […] Read more
New technology brings new risks to the farm, say experts
Advances — from needleless injectors to auto steer — make farming easier, but also have safety implications
Reading Time: 3 minutes New technology brings many advantages to the farm, but can also result in unintended hazards, both for farmers and animals. This was stressed numerous times during presentations on technology at this year’s Canadian Agricultural Safety Association annual general meeting. Read more: AgSafe Alberta offering free safety programs for farmers “There’s a lot of routine work on […] Read more
Two Lethbridge researchers chosen for mentorship program
Program will give Robert Gruninger and Stacy Singer a chance to know the beef industry better
Reading Time: 2 minutes Two scientists from Ag Canada’s Lethbridge research centre and one from the University of Saskatchewan have been chosen for the Beef Cattle Research Council’s mentorship program. The program pairs up-and-coming applied researchers with innovative cattle producers or other industry professionals for a one-year mentorship. It provides researchers with the opportunity to deepen their understanding of […] Read more
Alberta producers asking big questions about solar power
There’s huge interest in this technology and issues such as payback, fixed costs, and government programs are top of mind
Reading Time: 4 minutes There’s no doubt that the government of Alberta is betting big on renewable energy. The goal is to get 30 per cent of Alberta’s electricity needs from renewable energy by 2030, and it earmarked $5.5 million last year to help farms and municipalities develop solar power projects. With that kind of big money comes big […] Read more
Most Prairie farmers taking a wait-and-see attitude to precision ag
A new online survey found just about everyone uses GPS but less than half use advanced imaging and variable rate
Reading Time: 2 minutes Prairie farmers are casting glances at precision ag, but not embracing it yet, a new survey suggests. The online 42-question survey commissioned by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada didn’t get a big response — 261 producers participated — but it offers a glimpse into how farmers view the highly touted technology. The poll found adoption of […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
