Gabriel Ribeiro is frequently asked about low bushel-weight barley. It has become a topic of interest and concern among ranchers and feedlot operators, particularly in Western Canada, said the assistant professor in the University of Saskatchewan Animal and Poultry Science Department.
The theme of CrossRoads 2025 is “Future proof your farm,” which president Antoine Bernet said resonates with Bayer, an organization that works to anticipate the needs of farmers every day and thrives on innovation. “Future proofing farms is at the core of what we do at Bayer,” he said.
As a researcher and administrator, Sheri Strydhorst knows how to produce results, and in October was hired as research program manager for crops WITH Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR). RDAR is a farmer-led, not-for-profit corporation with a 10-year budget of $370 million. In support of projects across the value chain from farm to store shelf, its central priority is to boost farm productivity, profitability and competitiveness.
“Ninety-five per cent of our crime is caused by five per cent of the population,” said Troy Savinkoff, corporal and public information officer with the Alberta RCMP Media Group. Over the last several years, the police have developed Crime Reduction, a program that involves “intelligence-led policing.”
People are at the heart of every farm business. No matter the size, structure or type of farm, it’s the people, and in many cases a blend of family and employees, who manage day-to-day tasks tied to farm goals and achievements. As farms get larger and increasingly rely on hired labour, the focus on staff management processes, or human resources (HR), should expand in proportion to the size of the business.
Lethbridge Polytechnic was granted its new post-secondary status in September 2024 and has made applied research a high priority since it dropped “College” from its name. Central to this updated focus is the Agriculture Research Innovation Facility (ARIF), which has been in operation since the summer of 2023.
At first glance, Canadian farmers should be concerned about Donald Trump’s victory in the recent U.S. election. Canada is a trading nation, and its farmers rely on trade to sell their crops at a profitable return. Trump will retake office on Jan. 20, and has threatened to impose 25 per cent tariffs on all Canadian imports, including agricultural products.
The Olds College Centre for Innovation (OCCI) and Alberta Grains are collaborating with several central Alberta farmers to assess the viability of a new research method. Alberta Grains will contribute $40,000 of in-kind support and provide advice on its applicability and value to farmers.
Canada’s grain sector is celebrating a crucial legislative milestone with the recent passage of bills C-244 and C-294. Focused on equipment repair and interoperability, they remove key copyright barriers that have historically constrained Canadian farmers from repairing and enabling their own equipment.
The annual harvest assessments they conduct give the team a deep understanding of the quality and functionality of a new crop, said Dean Dias, Cereals Canada CEO. With this information in hand, one of the team’s most important tasks is to compile and release the New Wheat Crop Report.
