Base map courtesy of Andrew Nadler PEAK HydroMet Solutions.

Les Henry: Soil moisture map for 2021

The situation shows a lot of red ink on the Prairies

To start with, we must realize this is a very general, high-level picture of the situation. It is meant to do just that, as well as provide a framework for farmers and agronomists to relate their situation to. Having it available early in the new year, means it can be part of the decisions made […] Read more

Alberta producer Matt Vossepoel uses a drone — like the one that produced this image for counting animals out on rangeland — to check his 800-head of cattle and to find sick animals or issues at calving time.

Farmers weigh in on drone benefits

How producers from Alberta and Saskatchewan use their drones on the farm

Matt Vossepoel bought his first drone, a DJI Mavic 2 with a thermal camera, two years ago so he could check on his 800-head of cattle and find sick animals or animals he couldn’t always see easily due to the terrain of his farm. Before long, he was using it during calving to check for […] Read more


Drones can be used for all kinds of on-farm trials. Pictured above is a drone image to evaluate standability in a wheat variety trial.

Twelve uses for your drone

From flood documentation to weed control, farmers are putting their drones to good use

When remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS), or drones, first started appearing on the market, it was thought their uses in agriculture would be mainly limited to third-party companies farmers would hire to fly over their fields and to analyze and provide information collected by those drones. However, today it is mainly farmers purchasing and using […] Read more

Markus Weber, president of LandView Drones, is flying a small, portable MAVIC 2 Zoom drone, which he says is an ideal drone for farmers to start with.

Tips to help you choose your first drone

Where to begin your drone search, resources and costs

Markus Weber answers questions about drones all the time. He is president of Landview Drones and he runs an Ag Drone School to help farmers get started with, and get the most out of, their drones. For less than $3,000, farmers can dip their toes into the drone arena. “When they’re starting out, most farmers […] Read more


A CNH manufacturing plant at Sorocaba, west of Sao Paulo in southeastern Brazil. (Photo courtesy CNH Industrial)

CNH to work with Microsoft, Accenture on ‘smart’ vehicles

Milan | Reuters — CNH Industrial has set up a five-year collaboration with Microsoft and Accenture to help it to develop “smart” and connected industrial vehicles, the Italian-American vehicle and equipment maker said on Monday. The programme, part of CNH Industrial’s digital transformation plans, is expected to help the group “achieve significant revenue growth,” the […] Read more

Complex agriculture, keep it simple

I like when I read or hear about something that is potentially complex or very technical and it is explained in very simple terms. The over simplification may not be 100 per cent accurate but it helps me create mental pictures and better understand the message. So it was good hear well known Western Canada […] Read more