Vijay Kumar Tiwari didn’t expect to become a hero in the eyes of wheat farmers. But since he and his team at the University of Maryland in Washington, D.C., identified a gene mutation capable of tripling the number of kernels on a head of wheat, the postcards have rolled in. He has received handwritten notes from farmers cheering him on. “They’ve said, ‘We’ve heard the news, and we are really excited about it.’ Hopefully it translates into farmers’ fields,” said Tiwari, an associate professor of wheat breeding.

More than ever, farmers and researchers recognize the benefits of good soil health. For example, healthy soil is better able to absorb water, which reduces evaporation so plants can better withstand drought and other adverse conditions. Supportive soil conditions also help crops better withstand pests and diseases.

Over the past 20 years, many Alberta seed plants have modernized operations with the cutting-edge equipment of the day. Such enhancements benefit customers and staff. “Whether it’s a farm or a seed plant, technology drives results,” said Monica Klaas, general manager of Alberta Seed Processors. “The more you produce from one square foot of plant space, the better your bottom line.”

Just as you test drive a car before you buy, a new program is focused on the testing and adoption of emerging ag technology. Launched in May 2026, the Agriculture Innovation, Validation and Adoption Network (AIVA) was founded by Farm Credit Canada (FCC), the Enterprise Machine Intelligence & Learning Initiative (EMILI) and the Wabash Heartland Innovation Network. The network is a standardized testing system that supports both innovators and farmers by validating new farm technology products.

Better known as wireworm, click beetle larvae are trouble. Because it has been difficult to determine which wireworm species are found in a field, this has made response tricky. With new research by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), time and guesswork may be eliminated.

Prairie farmers will soon have access to non-chemical means in their fight against wireworm. Soon-to-be available RNA interference technology will enable new tools to combat the pernicious pest. Carried out by federal research scientist John Laurie in Lethbridge, the molecular biologist has spent most of his career working with RNA.

Agriculture experts say a new data-sharing initiative unveiled by Genome Alberta, Genome BC and RDAR could dramatically speed up the translation of research into real world impact on the farm.

Alberta Grains will officially launch its Young Farmers Peer Network pilot project in mid-September. The project was inspired by a farm transition research project undertaken by Selena Grutterink, a communications and stakeholder engagement specialist with the organization.

Byproducts of the beer making process such as malting barley rootlets are increasingly being used as food ingredients. A team of students from the University of Manitoba have made these sprouts the star ingredient of a chocolate bar.

“As one of the world’s leading experts in malting and brewing, Yueshu used science and his extensive knowledge to build customer confidence in Canadian barley and malt,” said Watts. “Just as importantly, he focused on building relationships and trust with our customers around the world.”