Peter Gredig spoke to an audience on the 
use of mobile technology in ag at the 
Manitoba Ag Days held in Brandon, Man., 
last month.

Put mobile technology to use on your farm

Spend more time in the field and less time at a desk with the use of 
mobile technology, Cloud computing and agriculture-geared apps

The next time your combine is making an unfamiliar tickety tickety noise, don’t call your machinery repairman – send them a video message so they can see and hear the problem, farmers attending Ag Days in Brandon were told last month. Today’s mobile technology is a perfect fit for farmers. The ability to access business

Agrimatics internet software application

VIDEO: Agrimatics’ wireless tech uses iPad, smartphones to track grain carts

Manitoba Ag Days Inventor's Showcase: App simplifies calibration process and stores data across multiple devices

Inventions utilizing new technology took front-and-centre at Manitoba Ag Days Inventor’s Showcase last week. Earning second prize in the Inventor’s Showcase was Agrimatics, a tablet and smartphone-based grain cart weighing and calibration application. Heralded as the first-ever tablet and smartphone-based grain cart weighing and data management system, Agrimatics automatically detects how much grain has been


Chris Hawkins with his invention, AgChemExpert.

VIDEO: AgChemExpert takes top honour at Inventor’s Showcase

Manitoba Ag Days Inventor's Showcase: Internet application helps producers choose the right chemical for their needs

Manitoba Ag Days 2015 no doubt left a positive memory with Chris Hawkins as his product, AgChemExpert, won first prize in Manitoba Co-operator’s Inventor’s Showcase. AgChemExpert is an online program that puts over a decade’s worth of crop information in one place to make it easier for producers to select the right chemical application for their needs.

Gift ideas for the weather aficionado

Got a weather watcher among you? Here's a few items to consider for the holiday season

Once upon a time, when you wanted to find that unique weather gadget, the best website to check out was Ambient Weather based in the U.S. While it still stocks what I consider the best assortment of weather instruments, either high or low tech, it no longer ships internationally. So, unless you have some kind


Colin Farquher has operated a steam engine at the Threshermen’s Reunion every year since 2008.  photo: meghan mast

Threshermen remember farming during wartime

First World War and Second World War changed the way we farm

Jim Down, 64, remembers hearing stories of the time his Uncle Art returned from the war to help with threshing on the farm. Down’s father, only five at the time, wore a small uniform, fashioned by his sisters, for the occasion. “We have pictures from the old photo albums of Uncle Art standing beside our

What is spray-dried porcine plasma?

Cross-contamination might be to blame, says Iowa State University professor

The use of spray-dried porcine plasma, an ingredient in weanling rations derived from the blood of slaughtered pigs, has been used without incident in the hog sector since the 1990s. But it has now come under intense scrutiny as a possible cause of the PED outbreak in Canada that began on Jan 22. “It’s real


Jeff Clark is urging producers to look into traceability requirements sooner rather than later. Photo: Shannon VanRaes

And this little piggy goes to…? New traceability program on the way

Few producers are currently using PigTrace, but officials are urging them to become familiar with the system

It’s coming, so you might as well prepare. PigTrace — a nationwide traceability initiative — is expected to come into force on July 1, 2014, following changes to the federal Health of Animals Regulation. But so far, pork producers aren’t jumping on board. “The compliance rate across Canada is pretty low — no one is

After Washington GMO label battle, both sides eye national fight

Both sides of the costly and high-stakes GMO labelling battle in Washington state say they see an even bigger national fight ahead despite the apparent defeat of the mandatory labelling measure by Washington state voters this week. The measure died 47.05 per cent to 52.95 per cent, according to results updated Nov. 7 night by


The Massey 101 was one cool machine

The Massey 101 was one cool machine

Stylish and powerful, the redesigned tractor won the affections of farmers across the country

When it came to marrying style with functionality, James Duncan was the Steve Jobs of his day and his Massey Harris Model 101 Senior was — and is — as cool as anything to come out of Apple’s design lab. With its streamlined hood, bright-red paint with yellow wheels, chrome trim, and louvred side curtains

Railway legislation passes, more squabbling down the track

The Senate has given final approval to legislation to require the freight railways to offer service agreements to their customers, but squabbling over details of the law is expected to continue. To shippers, the law didn’t go far enough while the railways warned it would interfere with normal commercial relationships. Transport Canada will now have