Bernard Tobin

Optical spraying systems are finding a foothold in farm fields across Canada. Agrimetrix spraying guru Tom Wolf says green-on-brown systems like Trimble's WeedSeeker and John Deere's See & Spray Select are gaining traction; so are green-on-green systems including Deere's See & Spray Ultimate and Agrifac's AiCPlus that use optical cameras and AI to target weeds....

Soil School: How tillage impacts water infiltration

Peter Hannam, a farmer, farm leader, entrepreneur and visionary who played a pivotal role in the development of soybeans as a major crop in Ontario has passed away. He was 85. Hannam was born and raised at his family’s Woodrill Farms at Guelph and attended the Ontario Agricultural College (OAC) at University of Guelph. After…

After a stretch of cool, wet weather many corn fields across Ontario have turned yellow, and growers are asking whether it’s safe to spray the stressed plants. Retired University of Guelph weed scientist Dr. Peter Sikkema says the reason that corn is tolerant to many herbicides is its ability to rapidly metabolize those herbicides. However,…

Stripe rust has been confirmed in the Ontario winter wheat crop. Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness plant pathologist Albert Tenuta shared the news at the Ridgetown agribusiness breakfast meeting this week. The disease can cause up to 50 per cent yield loss if not managed properly. It was confirmed after samples collected by…

Low commodity prices, a struggling ag economy, the future of ethanol markets, and trade tariff turbulence make up a cluster of storm clouds that’s dampening farmer demand for new farm machinery. Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) senior vice president Curt Blades says the biggest thing that will change the direction of farm equipment sales is…

Never let your wheat crop have a bad day. It’s a management philosophy that more growers are adopting as they look for ways to reduce crop stress and chase higher winter wheat yields. But Oklahoma State University professor Dr. Brian Arnall is asking winter wheat growers to rethink that strategy. He argues that some pain…

Scott Buchan sees the impact of technology whenever he’s watching his broiler chickens or looking at his hydro bills. For Buchan, who operates Buchrest Farms along with his family in Ontario’s Waterloo Region, investing in technology and innovation plays a key role in making the operation more profitable and sustainable. Buchan notes that his energy…

Lower crop prices and sinking margins in 2024 pushed Southwestern Ontario farmland growth into negative territory for the first time in 14 years, according to an annual survey of farmland in the region. Ryan Parker, partner and agricultural appraiser at London-based Valco Consultants, says a 1.43 per cent drop in farmland prices across the region…

When he started soil sampling fields in Walkerton, Ont., during high school, a career in agronomy wasn’t on the radar for Jonathan Zettler. But after working with agronomists and farm retail staff it didn’t take long for him take a shine to the idea of working with crops and calling the field his office. Fast…