Colorado town proposes 'drone' bounty Monday, October 7, 2013 Residents admit they have never seen an unmanned government drone hovering over their Colorado town of Deer Trail (pop. 565), but they don't want to either. In July, they proposed a $100 bounty to anyone with a valid hunting license who could prove, with fragments, that they had shot one down. Such is the reaction to a "surveillance society" in the state that is also one of the first to allow the legal sale of marijuana in the United States. But it seems likely that drones are being used by government in agriculture as well. In July, the Environmental Protection Agency admitted it had been using manned airplanes to check on so-called concentrated animal feeding operations (large feedlots and pig barns), and it proved to be controversial for some. Unmanned drones may up the ante. According to Drovers Cattle Network, a survey released by Monmouth University in New Jersey showed that 64 per cent of Americans thought it was acceptable to use drones to catch illegal aliens crossing the border, but fewer than 25 per cent thought it was OK to use them to enforce traffic laws. Maybe it matters whether it's your ox that is being gored by a drone? BF Fatty beef trim prices come back Behind the Lines - October 2013
Cattle Stress Tool May Boost Fertility Friday, June 27, 2025 Kansas State University researchers have developed a cool tool that may help reduce cattle stress and improve artificial insemination (AI) results. The idea came from animal science experts Nicholas Wege Dias and Sandy Johnson, who observed that cattle accustomed to their environment... Read this article online
Ontario pasture lands get $5M boost Friday, June 27, 2025 The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing up to $5 million to strengthen shared community grazing pastures. This funding supports the province’s plan to protect Ontario’s agriculture sector and help cattle farmers improve pasture quality, ensuring long-term sustainability and... Read this article online
Health Canada sets rules for drone spraying Wednesday, June 25, 2025 Health Canada has approved the use of drones, also called Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), for pesticide application under the Pest Control Products Act (PCPA). Drones are considered aircraft by Transport Canada, but Health Canada treats them differently due to their unique... Read this article online
Twelve Ontario Agri-Businesses Receive Funding Support Wednesday, June 25, 2025 Bioenterprise Canada has announced the successful recipients of the second call for proposals under the Ontario Agri-Food Research Initiative (OAFRI) Commercialization Stream. Twelve organizations across Ontario will receive support to bring innovative agri-food solutions to the... Read this article online
Early Career Research Award supports two Guelph research initiatives Tuesday, June 24, 2025 The 2025 Early Career Research Award was presented to two University of Guelph researchers at the recently held Livestock Research Innovation Corporation (LRIC) symposium. Dr. Kelsey Spence received $40,000 towards her work in on-farm biosecurity research, and Dr. Sam Workenhe was awarded... Read this article online