Paraglider powers a new kind of sprayer

The Stratus AirSprayer is different than the quadcopters and fixed-wing UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) typically associated with ag drones. Essentially, it’s a powered paraglider — one that can carry heavier loads and stay aloft much longer than conventional drones.

Internal dispute over privilege, bullying allegations ties up C-234

A proposed amendment, and a dispute over senatorial behaviour, further geared down progress Tuesday of a federal private member's bill to carve out a carbon tax exemption for grain drying and heating of barns and greenhouses. Bill C-234, which passed the House of Commons in late March, remained on the Senate's order paper for debate[...]


At Ag in Motion: Herbicide resistance fight needs integrated seed management

Harvest weed-seed control takes aim at reducing herbicide-resistant weeds that western Canadian farmers find more and more every year. At the Ag in Motion outdoor farm show this week, field residue management manufacturer Redekop won the Innovations Award for Environmental Sustainability for its harvest Seed Control Unit, which destroys more than 95 per cent of[...]

Farm groups push for Bill C-234 passage

Prairie farm groups are pushing the Senate to prioritize a bill that would exempt propane and natural gas for grain drying and barn heating from carbon tax. In a joint statement June 13, Keystone Agricultural Producers, the Alberta Federation of Agriculture and the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan urged the Senate to pass Bill C-234[...]


Maersk signs first green methanol deal toward dropping fossil fuels

Copenhagen | Reuters -- A.P. Moller-Maersk said on Wednesday it had signed a contract securing green methanol as the world's largest shipping firm gears up to operate its first carbon-neutral ship in 2023. With about 90 per cent of world trade transported by sea, global shipping accounts for nearly three per cent of the world's[...]

Germany considering withdrawal from crop-based biofuels by 2030

Hamburg | Reuters -- Germany's government is considering proposals to phase out the use of biofuels produced from food or animal feed crops by 2030, the German biofuels industry association (VDB) said on Tuesday, adding the measure could increase carbon emissions. German environment minister Steffi Lemke said Jan. 17 she will soon send proposals to[...]


Imperial Oil clears Edmonton renewable diesel plant for construction

Reuters -- Imperial Oil on Thursday announced approval for an investment of $720 million to build Canada's largest renewable diesel facility at its Strathcona refinery near Edmonton. The Calgary-based company said the facility will produce 20,000 barrels per day of renewable diesel and is expected to start production in 2025. Imperial expects regulatory approval for[...]

Facing green push on farm, fertilizer makers look to sea for growth

Winnipeg/Oslo | Reuters -- Two of the world's biggest fertilizer producers, CF Industries and Yara International, are seeking to cash in on the green energy transition by reconfiguring ammonia plants in the U.S. and Norway to produce clean energy to power ships. The consumption of oil for transportation is one of the top contributors to[...]


CNH buys spray boom manufacturing capacity

A Wisconsin company that has supplied aluminum spray booms for Case IH sprayer product lines has been brought in-house. CNH Industrial, owner of the Case IH and New Holland brands, announced May 23 it has bought Specialty Enterprises, which is billed as North America's biggest maker of aluminum spray booms for farm applications as well[...]

New greening programs planned for ag alongside carbon tax hike

A new federal climate plan which further cranks up taxes on carbon emissions also includes pledges of new programs to help sink more carbon into farmland. The government on Friday released the sequel to its 2016 Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change — a "strengthened" climate plan, titled A Healthy Environment and a[...]