Think 'X Files' for this fuel source Tuesday, February 9, 2016 Nevada is home to Area 51, deemed the most famous secret military installation in the world. So it's no surprise that Nevada should be headquarters for a surprising source of military grade fuel.According to a news release from the University of Nevada in Reno, "the plant grindelia squarosa, known as curly top gumweed, has extractable hydrocarbons with the potential use as a biodiesel or biomaterials crop," says Prof. Glenn Miller. The arid land crop requires little fertilizer or water, as compared to soybeans, which compete with food.The final biofuel product of curly top gumweed is up to 122 gallons of biofuel per acre biannually. If 10 per cent of the sagebrush land in Nevada were used to grow gumweed for biofuels, "400 to 600 million gallons per year of jet biofuels could be produced," said engineering school collaborator Hongfei Lin. "There's lots of potential." BF Flies that out-pollinate bees? A solution for traffic circle blowouts
Spring Economic Update Sets the Stage for a Challenging Year on the Farm Friday, May 1, 2026 The Federal Government released its 2026 Spring Economic Update on April 28, outlining the country’s current economic position and federal priorities for the months ahead. While the update does not contain new direct funding announcements for agriculture, it offers important signals for... Read this article online
When Grain Stops Moving Rail and Port Delays Cost Canada Up to $540 Million Friday, May 1, 2026 A new economic analysis commissioned by the Agriculture Transport Coalition has found that just one week of rail and port disruptions during peak export season can cost Canada’s grain sector up to $540 million. The majority of these losses stem from missed export sales that cannot be... Read this article online
Colouring a Safer Future for Farm Kids Thursday, April 30, 2026 Teaching children about farm safety is an essential part of protecting the future of Canadian agriculture. With that goal in mind, the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) has launched the Kids FarmSafe Colouring Contest, a creative initiative designed to help young people learn... Read this article online
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