With drier growing conditions over many areas of the Prairies in the last couple of seasons, some growers applying high rates of fertilizer have been experiencing incidents of toxicity with seed. That problem has led some to look for different opener knives for their air drills that provide more seed-to-fertilizer separation. “We had customers come […] Read more
New Dutch Agriculture opener knife prevents seed burn
Wider fertilizer-to-seed spread reduces toxicity risk in dry conditions
Lemken Solitair DT blends tillage and seeding
Combination unit wins Environmental Sustainability Award
Lemken’s Solitair DT combination tillage and seeding implement is new to the North American market, and the brand has been showing it at different farm shows around Canada this summer to introduce farmers to it. That included a stop at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show at Woodstock, Ont., where it won an Environmental Sustainability Award. It […] Read more
Momentum planters offer features to reduce compaction, improve efficiency
Planters chosen for a 2025 AE50 engineering award for innovative technology
In December the list of AE50 Award winners for 2025 was announced, and Agco won a few of them for its equipment. One of those machines garnering a prize was its relatively new Momentum planter. Every year the ASABE (the American Association of Agricultural and Biological Engineers) picks about 50 new products and machines that […] Read more
Can John Deere’s See and Spray system more than pay for itself?
Analysis of 2024 use shows significant reduction in herbicide use and costs
Iowa State University in late August published the results of its field-scale trials of John Deere’s precision spraying system See and Spray Ultimate, and the outcomes were impressive, to say the least. Deere’s system uses artificial intelligence and machine-based learning to identify weeds in a growing crop and make targeted applications. The Iowa trials consisted […] Read more
Could ‘right to repair’ become a cybersecurity problem?
Brands should get proactive about allowing controlled CPU access, a security expert says
Agco announced in May 2022 it had been the victim of a ransomware cyberattack, which disrupted production at assembly plants. In May of this year, Germany’s Lemken announced it too had been attacked by hackers, As OEM brands work to further secure digital systems to protect themselves from these problems, they must balance security concerns […] Read more
‘Tis the season to reduce costs on regular maintenance, repair
Wintertime sees service programs and parts discounts from OEMs
After a hectic harvest season, there may be a temptation to park machines in the shed, close the door and forget about them until next spring. But that’s not a good idea. Performing regular maintenance of equipment now can help cut costs. Dealerships looking to keep their mechanics busy in the off season typically offer […] Read more
WeedSeeker 2 offers spot-spraying retrofit for existing sprayers
The green-on-brown system could reduce herbicide use in spring and fall applications
The three current green-on-green spot spray systems on the market now are only capable of functioning in corn, soybean and cotton crops. For most Prairie producers, that doesn’t fit their operations very well. A green-on-brown system, however, could offer significant reductions in herbicide use during pre-seeding and post-harvest burndowns. PTx Trimble’s WeedSeeker 2 system offers […] Read more
VIDEO: How much can poor tire inflation affect your tractor’s fuel consumption?
How much do tires influence tractor fuel consumption? New tire designs like Bridgestone’s VT radials offer a lug shape to reduce rolling resistance and help maximize efficiency. But growers still need to pay attention to proper inflation pressures to minimize wheel slip, which wastes fuel. This look at a demonstration at Agritechnica in Germany a […] Read more
Bourgault introduces drills up to 100 feet for 2026
Drills, digital controller and other features debut at Phoenix event
At a customer event and product launch in Phoenix in early November, Bourgault had several new products to show — but the event’s centrepiece was clearly the new 100-foot 7-Plex 3545 Paralink Hoe Drill displayed just outside the event centre. All the products featured had been under development for some time, including the new drills. […] Read more
VIDEO: Taking a portable welder for a test drive
Canadian Tire’s Extreme-80 75 amp, 120-volt arc welder sells for a regular price of just $230. Is that a bargain that would be a welcome addition to the farm shop tool collection? We put one to the test to see if it can live up to the manufacturer’s claims.
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
