Bonnie Mandziak says precision ag companies must do a better job of providing farmers with guidance on how to use the data that precision ag technology generates.

Precision ag panel spells out benefits and slow adoption rate

The challenges to variable-rate-technology uptake and other precision ag tools, and industry direction and focus

While interest in precision agriculture has surged in Canada over the past decade, it’s no secret it isn’t being adopted as quickly as some in the industry would like to see. Garth Donald, manager of agronomy in Western Canada for Decisive Farming by Telus Agriculture, agreed the adoption rate for precision ag methods such as […] Read more

OmniPower autonomous power platforms undergoing testing in Arizona. Saskatchewan grower Carl deConinck Smith uses the OmniPower autonomous system developed by Raven Technology to run a SeedMaster seeder and a New Leader spreader on his farm.

How to make the most of every acre

How precision ag tools can help boost efficiency and production

It’s often said you need the right tools to do the job right. That is certainly the case in agriculture, where today’s farmer relies more and more on leading-edge technologies to push the boundaries of efficiency and production. There’s no argument on that point from Shayla Wourms, who runs a family-owned grain farm in Saskatchewan along […] Read more


Launch Pad is an easy-to-use precision ag app.

Take the guesswork out of field operations

Launch Pad is an interactive software tool that optimizes equipment movement

Harvest is a hectic time on any farm, but for operations requiring large amounts of machinery and manpower to bring in the crops before killing frosts, the logistics can be particularly daunting. For Garrett Johner, who farms 35,000 acres of canola, durum and green peas near Macoun, Sask., the solution was a precision ag app […] Read more

AGCO executives say by providing farmers with retrofit precision
technologies, the company can help them meet future climate change
regulations.

Precision technologies to help meet climate targets

AGCO focuses on making precision tech available for the retrofit market

Back in March, the federal government announced it was proposing a goal of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the use of synthetic fertilizer on Canadian farms by 30 per cent. While ambitious, it’s much lower than the mandated 55 per cent reduction European farmers are facing. “The government is focused on meeting this emissions […] Read more


Testing and development for OmniPower, Raven Technology’s autonomous power platform, are being performed in Arizona. Raven’s parent company, CNH Industrial, recently announced the opening of a new R&D facility in Scottsdale, Ariz., to help advance the development of precision ag systems for its brands, which also include Case IH and New Holland.

Brands target higher tech

Investments in more computing capability continue

Some of us love to hate them, the computers in our equipment and vehicles that run them. If you’re one of those folks, you’d better get used to dealing with them, because the trend is for manufacturers to build more computing technology into machines, not less. In the spring, three major ag equipment manufacturers — […] Read more

Under their hoods, tractors may look very different than they do now in just a few years, with electric and hybrid powertrains as well as electric implement controls.

What’s in store from machinery brands?

Deere, CNH commit to more tech, electric and hybrid drives

The new powered farm machines parked on dealership lots in the coming decade are going to look a little different than they do now, at least under the hoods. That’s according to information released recently by two major manufacturers, John Deere and CNH Industrial, parent company to Case IH and New Holland. The largest player […] Read more


Taking the time to make a few changes before hitting the field at seeding time can help plump up your piggy bank.

Sask. producer takes a ‘tip-to-tail’ look at seeding efficiencies

Saskatchewan farmer (and former researcher) says small changes can lead to savings over time

Buying a new piece of seeding equipment that promises better efficiency can work for farmers, but don’t forget the small, unsexy things that can help drive efficiency gains and incrementally save you money over time. That was the message of a presentation called, “The Penny-Pincher’s Guide to Seeding Efficiency,” delivered by Nathan Gregg, a Paynton, […] Read more

This self-propelled sprayer from Trimble and Horsch is slated to be released in Canada later this year.

Trimble, Horsch to launch self-propelled sprayer

Various configurations and boom widths will be available

Trimble, a precision ag technology provider, is teaming up with ag equipment manufacturer Horsch to introduce a new, self-propelled crop protection sprayer. The sprayer relies on sensor data and GNSS (global navigation satellite system) to navigate around fields. While it does require an operator to be on board, the vehicle has automated steering and speed […] Read more


Weeds can be detected and sprayed in a growing crop with this green-on-green technology.

Retrofit spot-spraying system hits the market

Greeneye Technology’s system turns existing sprayers into smart machines

What if it was possible to retrofit an existing sprayer with a system that reduces the amount of herbicide needed to spray a crop by about 78 per cent, and it still achieved the same level of weed management as a broadcast application? And what if it was possible to see a payback on the […] Read more

It is a great thrill for this old fossil to see soil moisture being used as a major factor in agronomic decisions.

Les Henry: Opportunities to learn in wintertime

What I discovered at the 2021 Crop Intelligence Annual Summit

Winter is the time for catching up with reading not done in the busy farming season and going to agricultural shows and information meetings. For me, one of the highlights has been the Western Canadian Crop Production Show held in Saskatoon in early January. It was held this year, but I declined because of the […] Read more