Better Farming - November 2016

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10 FarmNews First > Better Farming November 2016
SHORTTAKES
Despite rave reviews of un-
manned, aerial vehicles in
agriculture, techniques for
drone-based crop assessments
still need work, University of
Guelph plant scientist Dr. Mary
Ruth McDonald said in a
recent interview.
A July article posted to the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Technology
Review website described agriculture as “among the most
promising areas” for drone applications. The Economist’s
recent online Technology Quarterly recommended drone
use as part of an upbeat survey of the future of agricul-
ture.
Current research on Holland Marsh vegetable crops by
McDonald and her colleagues compares aerial imagery
with scouting by ground-based, human observers. She’s
interested primarily in the biology of pest management in
vegetable crops and says there’s a future for agricultural
drones in her world but it’s not there yet.
Guelph researchers have matched ground observations
with both coloured aerial, photographic images and
near-infra-red imagery measuring heat. Aerial photos do
show areas of weed infestation and poor plant germina-
tion, as well as soil structure issues.
But, according to McDonald, the imagery does not yet
provide an advantage over ground-based scouting.
“There’s where we’d like to be; so that we can see those
subtler differences in the aerial pictures before it’s really
obvious to the naked eye.” BF
For the over 350,000 4-H alumni across the country,
there’s a new way to get back to
their roots.
In September, 4-HCanada
launched Club 1913 - an online
hub for its alumni to reconnect
with the organization and keep
up-to-date on its activities.
Alumni register on the website
and note when they were involved
in the organization, says Valerie
Stone, a Canadian 4-H Council
director.
For alumni interested in giving back to their commu-
nities, 4-H is considering the creation of an online job
board which would include volunteer postings, says
Elizabeth Jarvis, marketing and communications director
of 4-H Canada. Jarvis stresses alumni involvement doesn’t
have to be in the “traditional sense as a leader or (by
serving on) a board.” Rather, alumni could mentor a
current member or volunteer at a single event.
Alumni could also share opportunities with current
4-H members by posting internship and summer job
opportunities.
To further develop communications with its alumni,
4-H Canada will publish an alumni magazine in the
spring, says Jarvis.
To join the approximately 1,700 individuals who have
registered on the online hub, visit . The
organization also encourages alumni to share on social
media how their 4-H experiences have contributed to
their longer-term successes, using #4HClub1913. BF
Expanded Russian grain exports have
some competitors reassessing the
global grain outlook.
It’s only one of many shifting
factors that need careful consider-
ation as Canada’s federal, provincial
and territorial governments plan for
the next phase of national agricultural
policy, Al Mussell, research lead of the
Guelph-based consulting firm
Agri-Food Economic Systems, said in
a recent interview.
Numerous reports predict record
exports from Black Sea ports because
of bumper crops this year in Russia,
Ukraine and Kazakhstan. A Sept. 12
Australian Export Grain Innovation
Centre (AEGIC) report, for example,
predicts Russian grain export growth
as high as 60 per cent by 2030.
Mussell said growing agricultural
exports likely reflect depressed prices
for Russia’s traditional foreign
exchange generator, petroleum.
Russia’s growing exports also high-
light a shift in global trade that
Canadian governments must consider
while recalibrating national agricul-
tural policy agreements set to expire
in 2018.
Together with Douglas Hedley and
Bob Seguin, Mussell outlined crucial
policy points in a paper posted to
Agri-Food Economic Systems’
website in early September. Other
issues include the future of supply
management, food processing
capacity and planning for either the
success or failure of proposed major
trade agreements with Europe and
Pacific Rim nations.
“Plan A is we’ve got TPP and we
have the Canada Europe trade
agreement; these (agreements) will
drive growth . . . but if those two
things don’t happen . . . what’s plan
B?” Mussell said. BF
Drone crop imagery still
needs work
Online hub targets 4-H alumni
Russian grain complicates Canadian policy picture
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