Robot weeder is on the way Monday, December 3, 2012 It started out as a robot that would cut the grass in urban parks. Somebody thought that spinning blades were a bad idea with kids and dogs on leashes around, and so the idea evolved into an automated lettuce weeder, according to The Economist magazine.The electric-powered Lettuce 'Bot, brainchild of Stanford University-trained engineers Jorge Heraud and Lee Redden, takes pictures of passing lettuce plants, compares them to a database of more than one million images of lettuce taken from all possible angles and instantly decides if they should live or die. A shot of concentrated fertilizer out the back end kills weeds and the remaining lettuce gets a growth blast as well. A version of the machine, currently under development, aimed at organic lettuce producers, favours those old spinning blades.The makers promise that the robots will be cost-competitive with hand weeding. BF Phosphorus levels in our lakes: Is no-till the culprit? Are urban farms too big?
Farmland Demand Strong in Alberta, Not so for the Rest of Canada Wednesday, October 7, 2026 Canadian farmland values continued their upward trend during the first half of 2026, although growth has moderated compared to the rapid gains seen in recent years. According to Farm Credit Canada's (FCC) mid-year farmland values review, cultivated farmland increased by an average of... Read this article online
Calculating Corn Drydown Before Harvest Wednesday, October 7, 2026 As corn reaches physiological maturity, growers face a familiar but important decision: allow the crop to continue drying naturally or begin harvest and remove the remaining moisture mechanically. The answer depends partly on how quickly grain moisture is declining. Although general... Read this article online
Canadian Ethanol Industry Pushes Ottawa to Act as U.S. Imports Gain Market Share Wednesday, October 7, 2026 Canada's ethanol industry is renewing pressure on the federal government to finalize long-promised changes to the Clean Fuel Regulations (CFR), arguing that delays are allowing imported U.S. ethanol to capture a growing share of Canada's expanding market. The call comes from the Farms... Read this article online
Ontario Meat Awards Crown Top Processors Wednesday, October 7, 2026 Ontario’s meat processing industry celebrated its top performers at the 2026 Ontario’s Finest Meat Competition Awards Gala. Organized by Meat & Poultry Ontario (MPO), the event recognized outstanding products, skilled craftsmanship, and innovation across the province’s meat sector. The... Read this article online
Ontario breaks ground on poultry research centre Wednesday, October 7, 2026 Construction is underway on the new Ontario Poultry Research Centre in Elora, a project designed to strengthen research capacity and support the long-term competitiveness of Ontario’s poultry industry. The provincial government has committed more than $24 million to the facility through... Read this article online