Farming electricity from plants Sunday, June 7, 2015 A Dutch start-up company, Plant-e, is harnessing electricity from living plants to power cell phone chargers, Wi-Fi hot spots and even LED street lights in two sites in the Netherlands. The goal is to provide electricity to the quarter of the world's population that doesn't have it.Plant-e uses a byproduct of photosynthesis, collecting electricity from plants growing in two-foot square plastic containers. As explained on the website inhabitat.com, growing plants produces more sugar through photosynthesis than the plants can use. The excess is cast out through their roots into the surrounding soil where it breaks down in protons and electrons. Plant-e electrodes in the soil collect that electricity.Company founders want to use plants growing near rice paddies and wetlands. The company is a spinoff from the sub-department of Environmental Technology of Wageningen University. BF 'Tweeting' attracts unwelcome attention Madness seen in a cow's eyes
Inside the Collapse of Monette Farms and What It Signals for Big Agriculture Thursday, April 30, 2026 The restructuring of Monette Farms is raising hard questions about how large is too large in modern agriculture—and whether today’s risk tools are keeping up. (Read the article: Monette Farms Seeks Court Protection as Mega-Farm Restructures Amid Financial Pressures) For years, Monette... Read this article online
Soybean Cyst Nematode Is in almost every soybean producing state and province Wednesday, April 29, 2026 Understanding Detection, Prevention, and Management of Soybeans’ Most Costly Pest Soybean cyst nematode (SCN), , remains the most damaging pathogen affecting soybeans in North America, costing U.S. farmers more than one billion dollars in lost yield annually. Updated national surveys... Read this article online
Farmland Rents Lag Land Values Wednesday, April 29, 2026 Farm Credit Canada (FCC) has released a new economic analysis highlighting a growing gap between farmland values and rental rates across the country, a trend that will likelyreshapeexpansion decisions for Canadian producers. According to the analysis, Canada’s average farmland... Read this article online
Ontario Funds for New Grain Innovation Projects Wednesday, April 29, 2026 Grain Farmers of Ontario has announced the successful applicants for its 2026 Grains Innovation Fund. The fund supports projects that increase the use, value, and demand for grains grown across Ontario. These efforts help build stronger domestic markets while encouraging innovation in... Read this article online
Drone Seeding Offers Hope for Ontario Wheat Farmers Wednesday, April 29, 2026 Farmers in parts of Ontario often struggle to plant winter wheat at the right time. The ideal planting period usually comes before soybeans are harvested, which can delay wheat seeding and reduce yields. This timing conflict makes it difficult for farmers tomaintainproper crop rotation and... Read this article online