(LakelandCollege.ca)

Alberta’s Lakeland to offer ag tech degree

College to launch first-in-Canada program in September

East-central Alberta’s Lakeland College is set to offer what’s billed as Canada’s first degree program in agriculture technology, as a two-year post-credential program, starting in September. The program, announced Wednesday, will consist of full-time studies at Lakeland’s campus at Vermilion, about 180 km east of Edmonton, plus “experiential learning practicums” off campus, en route to […] Read more

AGCO’s “Virtual Product Showroom” allows for enhanced looks at machinery as well as tours of its Jackson, Minn., assembly plant and visitor centre.

No farm show, no problem

Brands go digital to keep in touch with farmers

There have been many changes to our lives lately because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The cancellation of farm shows all across North America is just one of them. The trouble for farm machinery brands is those shows have long been an important part of their marketing efforts as places where potential buyers get up close […] Read more


The world’s largest ag tractor, the Big Bud 747, built in 1977, had its original tires replaced with a full set of Goodyear/Titan LSW1400/30R46 tires last summer.

Big tractor, big tires on world’s largest tractor – Big Bud 747

It took nothing less than a Titan to get replacement rubber on Big Bud 747 after four decades

If you are a consumer of ag-related social media, you’ve likely seen online video of one of the most memorable events involving classic North American farm machinery. The one-off Big Bud 747, which had been stored at the small-town Heartland Museum in Clarion, Iowa, was brought out into the sunlight for a very special event […] Read more

Can your cash flow handle new farm machinery payments?

Can your cash flow handle new farm machinery payments?

Hidden profit robbers, Part 2: Real numbers on new and used machinery

In this series of articles, I am identifying some profit robbers I have noticed in my 16 years of farm business consulting in Alberta. In Part 1 of this series, I identified depreciation on farm machinery as a significant profit robber. Since depreciation doesn’t affect your bank balance, it is easily overlooked. High loan payments […] Read more


Bourgault is introducing the new 3335QDA drill, along with a 3330SE model, for the 2021 season. Both are available with updated opener options.

Bourgault introduces seeding equipment updates

New openers and updated drills part of major new product launch

For years now, Bourgault has maintained its mid-row banding concept offers growers the best and safest way to place fertilizer, even while most other manufacturers have long pushed the dual-knife opener, side banding concept. When Bourgault announced this spring it was introducing its own dual-knife opener option, the question had to be asked, has the […] Read more

After upgrading its designs and including new options, Bourgault has renumbered its previous 6000 and 7000 series air seeder tanks as the 8000 and 9000 series.

New Bourgault air seeder tanks

6000 and 7000 series tanks get upgrades and become the 8000 and 9000

Bourgault’s marketing specialist, Rob Fagnou, had no shortage of new products to talk about this year. The brand has made one of its largest ever single-year new product announcements, including the introduction of new air seeder tanks. “It wasn’t done intentionally,” he says, of the large number of new product designs coming to the market […] Read more


Morris’ Quantum Air Drill had its first public appearance at Canada’s Farm Progress Show and its formal launch at Ag in Motion in 2018. (Grainews photo by Scott Garvey)

Court approves Morris Industries’ sale to Rite Way

Yorkton plant, not included in deal, to close

Seeding equipment manufacturer Morris Industries has been approved for sale to another Saskatchewan manufacturer — minus its Yorkton manufacturing plant, which is not part of the sale and is now expected to close by year’s end. Judge Shawn Smith of Court of Queen’s Bench in Saskatoon on Friday approved the sale of Morris to a […] Read more

Bourgault is offering an air planter option on its 3820 and 3335 drills.

Unveiling the air planter

Bourgault introduces an air planter option for its drills

In the industry, there are a lot of canola producers that are interested in and playing around with planters, says Rob Fagnou, marketing specialist at Bourgault. “(They’re) trying to get their (seeding) rates down as low as possible and control them at low rates to reduce their costs. And we also see more corn and […] Read more


Since machinery is a depreciating asset, the author recommends minimizing that investment and maximizing investment in appreciating assets.

Depreciation and farm machinery, a rule of thumb

Hidden profit robbers, Part 1

In my farm financial talks, I usually ask, “What’s the biggest cost in owning any piece of machinery?” In this case, I’ve already given you the answer but surprisingly some people don’t seem to be aware of that. In my 16 years of consulting farmers, I’ve noticed the old expression “guys (and gals) love their […] Read more

Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, with Infrastructure Minister Catherine McKenna (l) and Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault (r), speaks at the Dominion Arboretum in Ottawa on Dec. 11, 2020. (Photo: Reuters/Blair Gable)

New greening programs planned for ag alongside carbon tax hike

Carbon price to hit $170 per tonne by 2030

A new federal climate plan which further cranks up taxes on carbon emissions also includes pledges of new programs to help sink more carbon into farmland. The government on Friday released the sequel to its 2016 Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change — a “strengthened” climate plan, titled A Healthy Environment and a […] Read more