Better Farming publishes nine editions of its Prairies magazine each year. After publishing each edition, we share a feature article online. Each Better Farming Prairies magazine includes much more content – you won’t want to miss it. If you don’t receive the print edition of Better Farming Prairies, but you enjoy reading the articles below, be sure to subscribe to the magazine!
Too many producers are without reliable service, putting them at a disadvantage.
By Becky Dumais
Farms are important businesses that run serious equipment, yet their rural location puts them at a disadvantage for securing a reliable, high-speed internet connection. What good are those technology-enabled systems if you can’t even get online? Simply having internet access is no longer enough; being restricted by a limited choice of providers or burdened with costly overages is also unacceptable.
Where does Canada’s farm labour shortage stand? Are there solutions coming?
By Colleen Halpenny
As Canadian farms continue to feel the pinch of a shrinking labour force, our industry actively searches for solutions.
“Producers across the country are facing tough realities,” says Gary Stordy, director of government and corporate affairs for the Canadian Pork Council. “The supply chain has been hit at all levels.”
Closing a processing plant because it can’t retain enough staff has far-reaching effects, for example.
Four innovative technologies that can improve the future of agriculture.
By Kristen Lutz
“Without innovation, we would probably still be using ox and plows – and even that was an innovation,” says Adrian Rivard, president and operations manager of Drone Spray Canada.
For years, new farming technologies have focused on improving yield, enhancing profitability, solving labour shortages and reducing environmental impact. Technological advancements are constantly being introduced and producers work hard to stay on the cusp of technology to tackle these challenges.
By Becky Dumais
Prairie producers are routinely at the mercy of the elements; drought and disease prevail at will. They’re also not immune to being victims of crime. The headlines that frequent the news – and the variances in types of incidents – illustrate that thieves are not discerning, just desperate.
Breaking and entering, hay theft, stolen tractors, animals – even maple syrup and lobster … theft reaches producers from agriculture to aquaculture. It’s garnered enough attention to warrant a TV series on CBC.
What to expect and what you can do with the added challenges of herbicide residue during 2022’s seeding season.
By Kristen Lutz
With the drought, extreme heat and residual impacts of the pandemic, what else will producers encounter? Unfortunately, the challenges for growers may not be over just yet. The adverse weather conditions a large region of Western Canada experienced are a recipe for herbicide carryover, adding another challenge to this year’s growing season.
As the leading voice of Canada’s seed sector, seeds Canada represents a wide range of stakeholders along the seed value chain: growers, breeders, analysts, distributors, and processors.
By Lisa Kopochinski
Five years ago, an idea was germinating to bring organizations together to create one new, national seed association. Seeds Canada officially sprouted on Feb. 1, 2021 and has been working to bring together the diverse expertise and interests of the industry under one roof to offer increased value to the country’s seed sector from coast to coast and internationally.
Major players in the seed industry discuss 2021’s impact when planning for next year
By Kristen Lutz
With harvest season ending, it’s time to reflect on the recent growing season. Although 2021 may have thrown everything it could at producers, experts say there are still lessons to learn that will perhaps act as guidance for what could be an equally challenging 2022.
Reflecting on 2021
“I feel like we can sum up the major challenges for 2021 in one word: drought,” says Rory Cranston, the North American technical development manager at Bayer Crop Science.
Rural Canada needs to catch up as government urges all to get fully vaccinated.
By Becky Dumais
Winter is coming and we’re still struggling through the fourth wave of COVID-19 and its new variants, yet some of the population remains either unvaccinated, or has had only their first dose of the vaccine. Many of these Canadians live on farms and in rural regions where it’s not so convenient to drop by the pharmacy and roll up your sleeve; other reasons include hesitancy or complacency.
Feed stores, cattle breeding herds, drought forecasting technology and climate change mitigation all come into play when considering the long-term impact of severe weather this growing season.
By Jackie Clark
Throughout the summer of 2021, rain refused to fall on many regions of the Prairies and some parts of Ontario, leading to wildfires and drought conditions worse than many young farmers may have seen in their lifetime.
Unlock your soil potential
By Patrick Lynch
SWAT stands for soil, water and topography. It is a soil mapping system for characterizing your fields.
Maps are made using a SWAT BOX mounted on a side by side or truck. This is driven over the field on 40-80 feet swaths. The maps are made using electrical conductivity measurements from the SWAT BOX and high-quality elevation data (LiDAR or RTK).
