Glacier FarmMedia – Launch of the first GPS yield monitors altered the world of on-farm data collection. That was followed by variable-rate technology, precision planting and aerial/satellite imaging. Most growers have now been accumulating data for 20 years or longer, and many have resolved to keep that data in the hopes of finding value from the gigabytes and terabytes of accumulated information in the form of increased on-farm efficiencies, cost reductions and improved yields. But how should growers and agronomists interpret this data? That’s the goal of a venture by agronomist Aaron Breime ..read more

Glacier FarmMedia – Indigenous entrepreneurs spoke about the challenges they face in agricultural business, and the importance of community, at the recent Future of Food Conference in Ottawa. Wabanaki Maple CEO and founder Jolene Johnson, Manitoulin Brewing Company co-owner Nishin Meawasige and Kitasoo Development Corporation general manager Isaiah Robinson spoke on a panel moderated by National Circle for Indigenous Agriculture and Food president and CEO Kallie Wood. Meawasige expressed gratitude for his home of Manitoulin Island, for which his craft beer company is named. “It’s a wonderful p ..read more

Thirty-eight of the largest and oldest water licensees in southern Alberta – including irrigation districts – have agreed to reduce their water use if severe drought conditions develop this spring or summer.  Described by the Province of Alberta as “the largest water-sharing initiative in Alberta’s history,” these agreements are intended to ensure Albertans get the water they need in the event of drought and minimize economic and environmental impacts on communities. There are four water-sharing agreements, one each to cover the following sub-basins of the South Saskatchewan River Basin ..read more

A new report presents the multi-year business performance of cow-calf producers who participated in the AgriProfit$ Business Analysis Program. Ian Ryan, senior livestock economist with the Alberta government, says this report has a multi-year summary of the economic, productive and financial performance of Alberta cow-calf producers. Participants received a customized business analysis of their operations for comparison to a benchmark report. Benchmarking allows comparisons based on production practices and marketing strategies and can help drive efficiency and financial performance. The infor ..read more

Glacier FarmMedia – Give farmers something they can work with. Give Canada’s agriculture and food industries something they can work toward. That’s how you’ll get them on-side with greenhouse gas reduction goals. Right now, there’s not much to make them care or to feel there’s a point in participating. With “intensity” spurned by the enviro-lords, what’s a farmer to do? When it comes to the futility around climate change discussions, much goes back to the absence of a reasonable-sounding approach that can be embraced by consumers, farmers, service providers, industry and government. Sure, some ..read more

Farmers select seeds based on factors such as quality, yield potential, field conditions, crop rotation, cost implications, market dynamics and environmental conditions. Azam Nikzad, market analyst/coordinating researcher with the Alberta government, says the advantage of using certified seed often justifies the higher upfront cost. “Producers aim to optimize their choices by maximizing productivity and reducing production risk. The expectation is that these seeds will yield better and ultimately lead to increased revenue,” said Nikzad. Over the past decade in Alberta, certified No. 1 wheat se ..read more

The Imperial Strathcona Refinery in Alberta is receiving a 12 per cent tax credit for its $720 million under-construction canola-based renewable diesel facility that is said to need millions of tonnes of canola seed per year. The credit comes from the Province of Alberta’s Agri-Processing Investment Tax Credit, which offers a 12 per cent non-refundable tax credit when corporations invest $10 million or more in a project to build or expand a value-added agri-processing facility in the province. RJ Sigurdson, provincial minister of agriculture and irrigation, described the facility — claimed to ..read more

Canada appears to be a “trading-down” market, a trend that may persist for some time. Recent data from Statistics Canada on the food retail and service industries, as well as fresh GDP figures, paint a concerning picture, especially for those looking to attract more food companies or grocers to our country. Our population grew by more than three per cent last year, yet our GDP increased by less than one per cent. While other industrialized economies, such as France and Germany, are experiencing worse economic headwinds, Canada’s economy is highly integrated with the world’s most robust economy ..read more

Glacier FarmMedia – Research resulting from a recent $1.9-million federal funding announcement will take a more philosophical approach to the future of sustainable agriculture. The research aims to discover the social barriers to sustainable farming and how the burden and benefits of transition can be equitably shared. The federal government pledged the cash March 19 to launch the Common Ground Canada Network. The initiative will be led by Dalhousie University’s Karen Foster, Canada research chair in sustainable rural futures for Atlantic Canada. “Producers are already taking action to make th ..read more

You may run a good beef farm, maybe even a great one. Making yourself remarkable, however, is another matter in the age of explosive artificial intelligence (AI) technology. That was the message from one technology expert speaking to the Alberta Beef Industry Conference earlier this year. Shawn Kanungo, a globally recognized innovation strategist based in Edmonton, argues that the future of beef must be more than maintaining the status quo. The new business strategy, he said, should include questions like “what is our bold ambition?” or “how do we become remarkably different, a freak, or uniqu ..read more