A ransomware on a small Ontario hog business is something a cybersecurity expert says needs more attention from the agriculture industry. Instead of cash, the attackers demanded the hog business owners publicly admit to what they alleged to be livestock mistreatment. The occurrence was unique and alarming, says Ali Dehghantanha, Canada research chair in cybersecurity
Activists target Ontario hog farm with ransomware
'We are dealing with adversaries whose motivation is not money'
Soy Canada has successful trade mission in Indo-Pacific
Industry delegation visits Japan, Malaysia and Vietnam to bolster buyer relationships and discuss supply challenges
Delegates on a recent Soy Canada expedition to Japan, Malaysia and Vietnam returned with positive news for Canadian soybean growers. Each nation reaffirmed its preference for Canadian soybeans and expressed willingness to continue purchasing the crop. Some 26 representatives of Canada’s soybean industry made the trip last month, along with individuals from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Transport Canada, the Canadian Grain
Early weed control best for soybeans
Don’t wait for every weed to emerge, concentrate on early competition instead weed scientist says
Glacier FarmMedia – Without weed control, soybean growers would lose hundreds of millions of dollars according to one weed management expert. Peter Sikkema, a professor at the University of Guelph specializing in field crop weed management estimates growers in his home province alone would lose $617 million. His figure is based on a per-bushel price
What are agrivoltaics — and can they generate money?
Ten sites are being tested next year in Ontario; proponents say better policies could help solar
Canada’s pastures and cropland are prime sites for the mass deployment of solar energy infrastructure, according to advocates of agrivoltaics – a term used to describe the simultaneous use of land for solar energy and food production. The use of solar panels on buildings, in pastures and in other areas of working farms is not new. Solar farms
Ironing out autonomous logistics
AgRobotics Working Group field day shows challenges, benefits of autonomous equipment
Glacier FarmMedia – Logistics carry the day, not tactics – or so goes the military adage. However true on the battlefield, the saying also has resonance in crop production. It holds true for autonomous field implements, just as it has for analog equipment, though tech developers don’t always get the message right away. Why it
The cannabis market is huge, but so are losses in struggling sector
The sector wants lower taxes and less regulation but over-expansion has crippled many companies
Forget waterhemp and Palmer amaranth. Cannabis might be Canada’s fastest spreading weed. Since being legalized in October 2018, cannabis production exploded across the country. From oils and edibles to dried flowers and other products, consumer demand continues to rise. But regulations, production woes and massive overcapacity have dragged the industry into a period of consolidation.
Can Canada make up for Ukraine grain?
Opportunities, limitations, and long-term considerations
Glacier FarmMedia – Ukraine is the breadbasket of Europe in times of peace. Now that war has initiated the most significant global food security crises in generations, other breadbasket nations face opportunities — and barriers — in filling the void. But what could Canada’s role be? According to the latest report from the Canadian Agri-Food
Does corn kernel weight matter more than quantity?
The number of kernels per plant in modern hybrids remains stable – yield gains come from kernel weight
Glacier FarmMedia – More corn is good, but growing heavier kernels is better. Sort of. According to veteran corn research specialists, altering in-field management to balance both kernel numbers and individual kernel weight is the best way to realize the true potential of modern hybrids. Heavier kernels can significantly improve yields, sometimes more than higher
Supplementing – not replacing – large tractors with autonomy
There are opportunities for small robots on small grain farms
Glacier FarmMedia – There is ample opportunity for robots on small farms — if prices can fit with lower economies of scale. That philosophy is the driving force behind Maryland-based ag-tech startup Easton Robotics. According to founder and chief executive officer Jeff Chandler, however, the idea that small farmers will replace their big tractors with autonomous vehicles, or
Don’t be complacent around grain storage hazards
The list of dangers is very long, and it includes people who aren’t properly trained
Glacier FarmMedia – There’s a plethora of hazards associated with storing and moving grain, and farm safety expert Robert Gobeil had a long list during a recent online presentation. Those entering a storage area containing a grain mass can be sucked under flowing grain, trapped by avalanching grain, and fall through crusted or bridged grain
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
