That's a funny-looking bird! Monday, October 6, 2014 In the farming future, the unmanned aerial vehicle monitoring the chlorophyll levels in your crops or precision-spraying your fertilizer may never come down to earth. Joseph Moore, a PhD candidate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is working on a drone that can recharge its batteries by perching on power lines.A magnetometer installed inside the drone would be able to detect magnetic fields given off by power lines. The drone could then land on the line and power up through inductive charging. Moore modelled the prototype's perching on the landing movements of birds.He gave Business Insider a demonstration of the technology using a model glider and, while the glider did not actually perch, it was able to come "within centimetres" of a mock power line.This technology could eliminate one of the most impractical aspects of unmanned aerial vehicles – their low battery life, currently only 10 to 30 minutes according to Gizmag.com. BF Help on the way for overworked farmers Behind the Lines - October 2014
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