John Deere introduced its fully autonomous 8R tractor for tillage applications in 2022 and began offering it commercially on a limited basis in 2023. Photo: John Deere

VIDEO: Technical skills gap looms for agriculture

Modern farming requires more technical skills and familiarity with the incoming wave of ever-more-sophisticated farm technology; that’s a gap in agriculture’s labour force, experts worry

Agriculture is facing a wave of ever-more-sophisticated farm and food technology. Experts worry the labour pool’s technical skills may not be keeping up.

Wheat harvest in Binscarth, Manitoba on Sept. 25, 2025. Photo: Greg Berg

The poetic epic of Manitoba farming 2025

Former Manitoba Co-operator editor John Morriss returns for his yearly poetic sum up of the farming year and look ahead into 2026

Former Manitoba Co-operator editor John Morriss returns for his yearly poetic sum up of the farming year and look ahead into 2026.



Robotti Agritechnica

The long march to autonomy

The big players in the machinery market keep adding pieces, but how far away is a final product?

The big players in the machinery market keep adding pieces towards autonomous vehicles for farming, but how far away is a final product?


Agricultural drone spreading fertilizer on a newly planted field in Argentina. Smart farm. Photo: Cristian Martin/Getty Images Plus

Canada dragging feet on drone regulations

Work to add drones to pesticide labels is ongoing, but Canadian farmers are getting fed up with the wait being imposed by the Pest Management Regulatory Agency

Canada has spent five years developing regulation and labels for drone spraying, farmers and chemical manufacturers want a clearer pathway.

Claas’ Axion 9.450 tractor on the show floor at Agritechnica 2025 in Hanover Germany on Nov. 10, 2025.  Photo: Greg Berg

VIDEO: Claas Axion 9 tractors showcase comfort features

The Claas Axion 9.450 tractor was recognized with two awards at the recent Agritechnica farm show in Germany

German equipment manufacturer Claas showcased its new Axion 9 tractor series, including farmer-focused cab features, at the Agritechnica 2025 machinery show in November.


Attendees at a Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association grazing day event tour a drone-seeded cover crop test plot near Arnes, Man., on Oct. 30, 2025.  Photo: Greg Berg

VIDEO: Drone seeding aids cover crop planting

Manitoba cover crop trials this summer tested drone seeding against a traditional drill; with promising biomass results

Manitoba cover crop trials test drone seeding against a traditional drill; the drone-seeded areas stood up on biomass production.

A futuristic bin yard at dusk with autonomous tractors moving around and lighted symbols overlaying the image symbolizing the digital interconnectedness of all elements of the image.

Older farm technology may risk hacker attack

Out-of-date internet-connected systems can be a cybersecurity vulnerability on many Prairie farms, allowing hackers in

A farm’s older internet-connected control systems — in one recent case, grain dryers — can let hackers in to wreak havoc.