Mississippi River reopens after fuel spill

The upper Mississippi River reopened to vessel traffic near Le Claire, Iowa, late on Tuesday following a day-long closure triggered by a fuel leak from a tow boat that struck an underwater object and sank, the U.S. Coast Guard said Wednesday. The river, which was closed late Monday from mile marker 493 to 501 about […] Read more

Mississippi River still shut after fuel spill

The Mississippi River remained closed to navigation along an eight-mile stretch near Le Claire, Iowa, on Tuesday after a boat containing up to 100,000 gallons of diesel fuel and lube oil struck a submerged object and sank late on Monday, the U.S. Coast Guard said. One northbound towboat with no barges and two southbound towboats […] Read more



N.Y. investors buy Ont. tillage firm Salford

N.Y. investors buy Ont. tillage firm Salford

Grown worldwide from its roots as a cultivator maker in southwestern Ontario, Salford Farm Machinery has now attracted Manhattan money. New York private equity firm GenNx360 Capital Partners, which bills itself as a backer of “middle-market industrial business-to-business” companies, announced Thursday it’s bought control of Salford for an undisclosed sum. Salford said its manufacture of […] Read more


Deere sees Canada/U.S. ag equipment demand slipping

Lower commodity prices are expected to have a “dampening” effect on Canadian and U.S. farmers’ demand for new iron, green or otherwise, in 2014. Deere and Co., releasing its fourth-quarter and year-end results on Wednesday, predicted industry-wide sales for farm machinery in the U.S. and Canada will slip five to 10 percent in 2014 from […] Read more

Seed Hawk sold

Väderstad, a Swedish agricultural equipment manufacturer, has acquired Seed Hawk. Seed Hawk is a manufacturer located in Langbank, Sask. There are about 250 employees at Langbank, which will continue to be the company’s head office and primary production site. Seed Hawk began partnering with Väderstad in 2006. “Since the beginning of the co-operation, Väderstad has […] Read more


Great Plains offers new canola meter

Planter manufacturer, Great Plains, has introduced a new, 
improved meter design to appeal to canola growers

Seeding equipment manufacturer Great Plains, which is based in Salina, Kansas, recently announced an upgraded metre design for its planters that is intended to appeal to canola growers who may be considering buying — or already own — a planter. It introduced a new, large diametre seed disc that will allow its Air-Pro line of […] Read more

Using a planter

Editor’s note: Todd Botterill, of Botterill Sales at Newton, Man., deals with many farmers who are buying or looking at planters. Lately I’ve been inundated with a wide range of questions about planters. Farmers’ questions range from basic (“What is a planter?”) to detailed (“What difference would I see with a 0.2 mm hole size change in […] Read more


Air seeders should still be tool of choice for seeding canola, says manufacturer

According to the president of a Canadian seeding equipment manufacturer that offers both air seeders and planters, canola growers shouldn’t walk away from air drills

Recently, there has been a lot of discussion among Prairie farmers about the potential advantages of seeding canola with a planter. Many have tried it, and there are some ongoing trials looking to evaluate the differences between using that implement and an air seeder. But Pat Beaujot, president of Saskatchewan-based Seed Hawk, an air seeder […] Read more

Twin-row planters offer benefits in northern climates

Anyone looking to purchase a planter for the first time may feel a little overwhelmed at what’s currently available. There is certainly a very wide range of models and options to choose from. According to University of Illinois professor and researcher, Dr. Fred Belows, Canadian farmers may want to seriously consider selecting a planter equipped […] Read more