Dig Deep Archive | Page 9 | Better Farming

What’s in a name?

With petitions in place, there could be a ‘beef’ about how regulatory officials label lab-grown meat.

By Becky Dumais

Plant-based science has given us burgers “Beyond Meat” and there’s much research dedicated to bringing cellular cultivated meat, which uses tissue samples from animals, to market. While there’s nothing wrong with a little healthy competition for consumerism, there’s still the question of how these new products should be labelled – and even the sustainable merit that’s proposed to come with lab-created food options.

A Smoky Situation

Wildfire smoke certainly affects vegetation, but the specific impact on agricultural crops is yet to be fully understood.

By Jackie Clark

In 2021, while many farmers were already dealing with devastating drought and the lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mother Nature threw another curveball: wildfires.

Cash Crop Reflections & Projections

Even before the combines have finished rolling in 2021’s crops, producers have started thinking about plans for next season’s corn and soybeans.

By Jackie Clark

2021 will go down in history as another unforgettable year.

Continued disruptions to work and everyday life due to the COVID-19 pandemic and unpredictable, variable weather have presented challenges to growers across Ontario.

Building a More Just Food System

What progress has been made, and what barriers remain to be addressed.

By Jackie Clark

Farmers know that diversity is resilience. Increasing diversity in crop rotations, plant and animal genetics, pest-management approaches, and income streams all contribute to helping individual farms and the broader industry thrive.

So, what about the human element?

Combine tech & pro tips

Ideas for combining in 2021, and what may be coming in future harvest seasons.

By Jackie Clark

Many people might measure fall’s progress by the changing pigments of the leaves. Farmers, however, may track seasons by which header is attached to their combine.

Pesticide Safety

Producers must transport, store and apply pesticides safely to preserve their health and the trust non-farming neighbours have in agriculture.

by Jackie Clark

Most producers know that anyone who purchases and uses Class B and C pesticides in Ontario require pesticide safety certification. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, farmers whose certification expired after Jan. 1, 2020 have been granted a temporary extension until Dec. 31, 2021.

Resiliency in the dairy industry

Ontario dairy producers and stakeholders harness innovation amidst rising challenges.

By Jackie Clark

Dr. Christine Baes defines resiliency of a dairy cow as “the capacity of the animal to adapt rapidly to changing environmental conditions, without compromising its productivity, health or fertility, while becoming more resource-efficient and reducing its environmental burden.”

Sulphur solutions

Industry has made great strides in reducing sulphur emissions, but as depositions in rainfall decrease, how will field crops be impacted?

By Jackie Clark

As agronomists and growers work to dial in the intricacies of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertility, increased attention is focusing on micronutrients like sulphur.

Autonomous equipment continues to drive farming forward

From self-driving tractors to sensors on implements, we explore how autonomy is advancing the ag industry.

by Taryn Milton

The future is already here, when it comes to autonomous equipment. What remains to be seen is how we fulfill the promise of the technology – to make a farmer’s job easier and to improve efficiency and profitability.

So how do we get from here to there?

Transition planning is disrupted. Now what?

Four experts explain how stressful circumstances may throw a wrench in planning and how to recover to make transition as smooth as possible.

By Jackie Clark

You did what every farm-business adviser suggests about transition planning – you started early.

You put in all the hard work and years of soul-searching, discussions, meetings, negotiating, paperwork and finally have a transition plan in place.