Faster internet may bring technology to more farms

Faster internet may bring technology to more farms

In 2017, 84 per cent of farmers were using precision ag tech, but half said their internet wasn’t fast enough

Rural internet improvements may have implications for precision agriculture, farm technology — and Netflix binging. “We all hate waiting for that circle of death,” said Trevor Armitage, vice-president of global operations at Farmers Edge, referring to the familiar buffering symbol used while waiting for available bandwidth to catch up to demand. He said user experience drives much

Devin Pouteau with his trusty, Soviet-era Belarus tractor on his farm near Sanford.

Sanford farmer finds happiness by switching fields

Young Farmers: Devin Pouteau chose cattle over a career in chemistry

Devin Pouteau was lining up for a career in the sciences when he heard the farm call. Devin, now 23, hadn’t planned to farm. He grew up on a mixed crop and cattle farm near Sanford and did his time driving the combine, but throughout high school he’d planned to pursue a career in chemistry.


Yvonne Lawley talks cover crops during Crops-A-Palooza in Carberry in July.  
photos: Alexis Stockford

Calculating a good cover crop plan

Set yourself up for success when it comes to cover crops

Farmers will need more than a cursory plan to reap the benefit of cover crops in the Keystone province. Cover crops have gained their champions in Manitoba. The practice is cited among other alternative grazing strategies like bale or swath grazing to extend the grazing season and, arguably, improve soil, according to livestock and forage

Additional bouts of cold air are expected as August winds up, and especially through September.

Early frost risk elevated on the Prairies

One weather specialist says there’s an unsettling weather pattern established for the Prairies

Another dilemma is expected for the 2019 growing season. After a late start, western Canadian farmers could be challenged by an early end. Over the August 10 weekend there were isolated reports of frost in some areas of the Peace River region in Alberta. Other parts of the Prairies may be experiencing similar conditions sooner


Crop yields on Robert Brunel’s fields, near Ste. Rose du Lac, have been well below average so far.

Dry conditions impacting crop yields for some Manitoba farmers

Moisture levels across the province are variable, as are crop yields, which aren’t quite disastrous

Near Robert Brunel’s farm, the Turtle River has run dry for only the third time in recollection for the oldest residents of Ste. Rose du Lac. “We’re extremely dry,” said Brunel, who farms 6,500 acres of cropland. “We haven’t seen any significant rain all summer.” Brunel said his hay is yielding about half a bale

Mental health issues impact every segment of our society, including those in Canada’s agriculture and food sectors.

Mental health in agriculture partnership expands

Do More Agriculture and Farm Credit Canada are building on their mental health awareness and training efforts

The Do More Agriculture (DMA) Foundation and Farm Credit Canada (FCC) are extending and expanding their partnership to bring mental health awareness and training to rural Canada. The two-day training program, developed by the Mental Health Commission of Canada, is aimed at developing community leaders, said DMA Executive director Adelle Stewart. The leaders are trained


Local dairy farm fire draws national attention

The fire at a Steinbach-area farm claimed four barns and 800 cattle

A devastating fire that claimed four dairy barns and about 800 dairy cows near Steinbach has drawn attention and criticism across Canada. The fire at Pennwood Dairy was reported in the Globe and Mail, as well as several Winnipeg news outlets. Animal advocacy organizations have since called for change to industry regulations. Steinbach fire Chief

Bulgaria has reported more than 30 outbreaks of swine fever.

EU fights ‘urgent challenge’ of African swine fever spread

Of the 10 nations affected, Bulgaria and Romania are hardest hit

Reuters – The European Union faces an urgent challenge in tackling an outbreak of African swine fever which threatens Bulgaria’s pig-breeding industry, a commission spokeswoman said August 8. Ten EU nations are currently affected by African swine fever, with particularly bad outbreaks in Bulgaria and its neighbour Romania. Slovakia was affected by the disease in


Manitoba hog producers outside the core PEDv area need to reconsider their biosecurity measures to keep the disease at bay.

No rolling the dice on PED says Manitoba Pork Council

PEDv has broken into both central and northeastern Manitoba, and barns in newly impacted areas might not be ready for the threat

Barns dodging PED might owe that to luck rather than robust bio­security. Andrew Dickson, the Manitoba Pork Council’s general manager, warns that some barns outside southeast Manitoba will need to heighten their guard if they hope to repel a serious risk of the disease. “We’ve got odd stories of people saying, ‘Well I’ve never got

Male dairy calves will require a longer stay on their birth farm before shipping.

Dairy calves, veal sector to see animal transportation changes

Changes to infrastructure and skills needed before regulations come into force, report says

Big changes are coming down the road for the veal sector. This February new transportation regulations are coming and that’s going to change how male dairy calves are marketed and the whole sector will need to talk to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) about a phased transition, a new report recommends. Prepared by an