Janos Botschner, a researcher with the Community Safety Knowledge Alliance, speaks at CropConnect in Winnipeg on Feb. 12.

Farming community needs to talk more about cybersecurity

The technology now brought to bear in farming makes farms more vulnerable to digital threats

Glacier FarmMedia — Talking about cybersecurity not only raises awareness in the farming community — it can help reduce the stigma suffered by those victimized by cyberattacks. That was the message from Janos Botschner, a behavioural scientist and researcher with the Community Safety Knowledge Alliance. Botschner spoke at the CropConnect Conference in Winnipeg on Feb. […] Read more


Editor’s Rant: Get lost, grandkid

Editor’s Rant: Get lost, grandkid

If we don’t talk openly about scams we’re condemned to have them repeated on us

It’s not like I marked the exact date or time on the calendar, but otherwise I still clearly recall the day I officially got old. It wasn’t while having to catch my breath after taking the stairs. It wasn’t from the first time my feet got sore standing in line, being asked if I wanted […] Read more

Vi by visorPRO is an AI-based online resource tailored specifically to individual dealerships that helps technicians access repair equipment information from multiple sources. It also allows them to input information relative to their experience to help other mechanics do similar repairs.

Vi by visorPRO brings repair procedures to techs quickly

The ‘dealer-centric’ system uses AI to help mechanics complete repairs

As equipment brands continue to update models and introduce new and even more complex products, mechanics at dealerships need access to a pretty broad base of information on how to repair them. Digital technology, with a growing reliance on artificial intelligence, is starting to play an increasingly important role in providing that. In early 2024, […] Read more


Any disruption to a supply chain can affect the delivery of a newly manufactured product.

Remember risks as well as rewards in new equipment

Investing in a new model means you’re among the first to discover its hiccups

Bringing new equipment onto a farm can be an exciting and productive change to the way the farm operates. Having the latest in horsepower, capacity and technology can make the farm more efficient and easier to run. If one has the luxury to pay for it, it can be an obvious choice to order the […] Read more

Never mind the increased demand for horsepower from new tractors — smart-farming tech has increased the demand for power within the cab.

Power requirements in the modern tractor cab

Charging ports off an aftermarket inverter draw about 20 watts per device

With modern technology comes modern problems. As more technology is integrated into seeding equipment, more devices require a power source — and in some operations, this may exceed the output of the 12-volt tractor system. The technology in modern seeding equipment has changed from the days of the on/off and up/down switch of early drills. […] Read more


repairing electronic equipment

Techs finding ways to repair ag electronics

Few in number, they’re a cross between mechanics and IT support

Two “right to repair” bills — Bill C-244 and Bill C-294 — that passed in Parliament and got royal assent last month will give Canadian farmers more latitude to fix electronics on their own equipment. Although the right to repair has been high on growers’ wish lists for several years now, it doesn’t mean all […] Read more

kubota tractor cab

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



This is one of the weather stations Shannon Winny has on the family farm in Saskatchewan. The round black device at the top is the ultrasonic wind speed sensor. The station, powered by a small solar panel, can also collect data on rainfall, temperature, dew point, humidity, solar radiation and leaf wetness. The cables near the bottom are part of an add-on feature for soil moisture sensing. Basic models start around $1,100. | Photo: Courtesy of Shannon Winny


On-farm weather stations help guide management decisions

The return on investment can come from improved efficiency, helping growers get the most out of a crop under variable growing conditions

An on-farm weather station doesn’t make the crop grow better, but farmers and agrologists using the technology say real-time information about precipitation, wind, temperature and soil moisture reserves can help guide decisions about if or when to apply crop inputs — and provide a good indication of what yield they might expect. Field scouting is […] Read more