A Geiger counter for your kitchen? Monday, April 6, 2015 Concern over potentially radioactive vegetables has inspired four students in Sweden to mock up a kitchen appliance with a built-in Geiger counter, Modern Farmer reports.Radioactive contamination – like the sort from the 2011 meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan – can have a lasting impact on consumer trust. According to GlobalMeatNews, a 2014 study found that 20 per cent of consumers in Japan were hesitant to buy food from the Fukushima region. This is despite studies proving that radiation levels are within safety standards, the Japan Times reports.These lingering concerns prompted four students at the Umea Institute of Design in Sweden to design the Food Radiation Scanner, a radiation-measuring kitchen appliance. In an overview of the project, design student Kevin Gaunt wrote that though the current model doesn't work yet, the students "wanted to make sure that our design is technologically feasible to build within the next five years." BF Trumpeter swans protected but problematic for farmers Wild boars a danger to princess's pig, among others
Middle East conflict pushes fertilizer costs higher, forcing Ontario growers to rethink corn acres Wednesday, March 11, 2026 Ontario farmers are bracing for a turbulent spring as fertilizer and fuel prices surge in response to the escalating conflict involving Iran, a development that analysts say could reshape planting decisions across North America. The spike in nitrogen costs—the most critical and... Read this article online
A new front in the repair access debate Friday, March 6, 2026 Iowa lawmakers have pushed the right‑to‑repair conversation into new territory with House File 2529, a bill that focuses specifically on diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) systems—the single most common cause of emissions-related downtime on modern farm machinery. The bill would require... Read this article online
March 8 is International Women’s Day Friday, March 6, 2026 Across the United States and Canada, women are taking on increasingly visible roles in agriculture—managing farms, leading ag-tech startups, advancing research, and strengthening the rural economies that feed both nations. Their work reflects a shift in an industry once defined... Read this article online
Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry to Visit Toronto and Southwestern Ontario Tuesday, March 3, 2026 The Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry will be in Toronto and Southwestern Ontario later this week as part of its ongoing study on the role of Canada’s agriculture and agri‑food sector in strengthening national food security. The fact‑finding mission is scheduled for... Read this article online
AgriStability Program Updated to Include Pasture-Related Feed Costs Beginning in 2026 Monday, March 2, 2026 In case you missed it last week, the Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced that pasture-related feed costs will be added as an allowable expense under AgriStability starting with the 2026 program year. The update addresses rising operational... Read this article online