Future of Grain
HIGHLIGHTING THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY IN GRAIN PRODUCTION AND UTILIZATION
Monitoring soil moisture
With water management becoming an increasingly important factor in crop production, John Deere has introduced John Deere Field Connect to provide site specific water management data to help you make decisions about irrigation. With site specific information, producers are able to be more efficient with their irrigation inputs; and this can lead to fuel savings and additional yield potential. The Field Connect system continuously logs soil moisture data from probes installed in customers’ fields and transmits the data to a website that customers can access remotely.
Field Connect graphs soil moisture readings at the individual sensor level (soil depth) and over the entire monitored soil profile, and shows water movement within the profile over time. The system can be customized to each field depending on the type of crops grown, soil type and water management objectives of each customer. Producers will be able to integrate the data from John Deere Field Connect with yield, soil type, fertility and other agronomic information to more effectively optimize the productivity of each field. •
A new market for soybeans
Surface Green Solutions is bringing a new eco-friendly product to Ontario roads that’s designed to extend the life of the pavement. RePLAY™is being tested in Grey County along a one kilometre stretch of road which was developing hairline cracks.
The soy-based sealant has already been used widely in the US and Alberta. Since it is primarily an agricultural product, made with approximately 40% soybean oil plus canola and other natural oils, it opens up the possibility for a new market for Ontario farmers. It takes about 36 bushels of soybeans to produce enough asphalt sealant for a one kilometre road. After the oil is extracted, the rest of the soybean is used as high protein animal feed.
BioSpan Technologies in Missouri created and produces the sealant. Their goal is to develop a regional demand for RePLAY™ that would justify building a processing plant in southern Ontario. •
Who are you following?
Farmers are using Twitter to stay connected with each other and stay up to date with industry news. Each month, Ontario Grain Farmer magazine will highlight two Twitter accounts we think you should consider following.
@CropLifeCanada
CropLife Canada is the trade association representing the manufacturers, developers and distributors of plant science technologies. They share information about the use of pesticides and plant biotechnology as well as other relevant news and information from the crop science industry.
@HeyBrendan
Brendan Marc Byrne is a farmer in Essex, Ontario and a Delegate for Grain Farmers of Ontario’s District 1. In addition to posting updates about the progress of his crops and discussing the weather, he uses Twitter to talk about his other interests – including sports. He has more than 1,500 followers. •
