News and updates
Keep up to date with the latest articles and new releases from the Farming Smarter.
Sugar beet growing regions went from across the prairies to now only Ontario and southern Alberta. Now, Farming Smarter aims to identify the best management practices for the crop so producers can optimize and enhance their operations.
Zimbabwe farmer Philip Johan Odendaal has experienced much hardship throughout his life and career in agriculture. He joins us at the Global Crop Production Virtual Conference December 13 to share his story and the importance of persevering through adversity.
Our Global Crop Production Virtual Conference kicks off December 13 and it's your chance to connect with powerful minds of agriculture from around the world - all from your home or office!
Farming Smarter Executive Director Ken Coles met embarked on an innovation tour through Scotland as part of his Nuffield Scholarship journey.
Carlo Van Herk, Claudette Lacombe, Lewis Baarda, and Trevor Deering attended a Dale Carnegie workshop on communication to develop existing skills and gather new ones to improve their conflict management and self-confidence.
Hear from Anna Cates about practices to improve your farm soil health at the Global Crop Production Virtual Conference, December 13! Cates is the first State Soil Health Specialist at Minnesota Office of Soil Health.
Andrew Wherrett manages 5 research agronomists while overseeing the Crop Protection portfolio at Living Farm in Western Australia. His work aids the advancement of canola and fighting blackleg through researching effective agronomic practices and inputs. He joins us at the Global Crop Production Virtual Conference to provide insight on how we can approach the introduction of novel crops into our system.
John Foley is a Nuffield Scholar and Senior Seed Production Agronomist at PGG Wrightson Seeds (PGW Seeds) in New Zealand. He views the arable sector as a prime example of innovation and collaboration, working to advance it. He joins us at the Global Crop Production Virtual Conference to provide insight on what we can learn from the situation in New Zealand.
You're never too old to learn! Our staff is always trying to learn new skills and expand their knowledge. This winter, our staff is honing their skills in leadership and communication!
Saline soils are the most common type of salt-affected soil, yet sodic soils are just as important to manage. Recognizing these patches of crusted, high-pH soil can help you mitigate and control these problems before they start to undermine your crop quality.
Nitrogen is important for plants but difficult to manage - leading producers to rely on the Four R's of fertilizer management. Dr. Luis Prochnow, an International Plants and Nutrition Institute agronomist from Brazil that specializes in soil and plant nutrition, shared some things to consider when planning for nitrogen application.
Farming Smarter and ASLE Technologies Group studied options for farmers who want to reduce emissions of nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide from soil in canola fields.
Salinity is a gradual process intricately linked to water management. Swift mitigation measures can effectively manage the salinity issue.
With over three quarters of its 173 trials harvested, Farming Smarter expects to complete harvest by the second week of Sept except silage and grain corn trials.
Book Review: Mass Disruption -- 30 Years on the Front Lines of a Media Revolution
Author: John Stackhouse
Salinity issues are a prevalent concern in numerous areas of the Prairies, and the risk of salinity development looms large. These salts eventually settle just beneath the discharge area, where water evaporation leaves behind salt deposits that accumulate over time, creating problems for farmers.
Weed control is important in hemp whether it is used for seed, food, or fiber production. Farming Smarter in Lethbridge, InnoTech in Vegreville, and SARDA Ag Research in Falher collaborated on a study to look at efficacy of different herbicides in different varieties of hemp.
Celebrate agriculture in Lethbridge at the 2023 Whoop Up Days Parade on August 22! Don't miss our crop-covered float or the fun goodies we'll be handing out!
Summer interns don't just last a summer - given the opportunity to learn a variety of skills, they'll return year after year or just stick around!
Aug 19 is your annual opportunity to explore local farms and learn about agriculture!
As part of the Saving Soils initiative funded by Weston Family Foundation and RBC's Tech for Nature grant, Farming Smarter is studying the efficacy of cover crops as living mulch for spring seeded cash crops.
Enhanced efficiency nitrogen fertilizers (EENFs) aid in preventing nitrogen losses and can provide producers with a low cost option without reducing crop output.
Roller crimping of cover crops offers a sustainable way to terminate cover crops without herbicides or tillage and supports the long-term health and productivity of farming systems.
A collective of cereal crop commissions in western Canada have released a new tech sheet for Bacterial Leaf Streak with the support of researchers working on the disease.