GrainsWest Tech 2020

Tech 2020 Grains West 40 FEATURE Soon after joining the Alberta Wheat and Barley Commissions in late 2018 as an agronomy research extension specialist, Jeremy Boychyn launched The Growing Point , an agronomic newsletter loaded with articles and podcast segments. Recent topics include the use of in-crop fungicide and plant growth regulators, increasing sprayer efficiency and Fusarium head blight management. The Growing Point delivers timely and practical information to farmers and agronomists that will aid on-farm decision making and increase profitability. Many of the stories Boychyn produces for the newsletter are based on new agricultural research, often to do with projects funded by the two crop commissions. “This is what makes creating The Growing Point exciting,” said Boychyn, who holds a master’s degree in plant physiology. “There is a plethora of information generated through research in Western Canada that is available to those who seek it.” Boychyn works diligently to boost the newsletter’s value to readers with each instalment. “Farmers may only get one shot a year to grow a crop, but within that year they make countless decisions that impact their efficiencies and profitability,” he said. “If it can be a tool that makes those decisions easier and makes a difference on their bottom line, I would see that as a success.” To subscribe to The Growing Point , visit albertawheat.com or albertabarley.com. BY IAN DOIG HE DIGITAL REALM IS RICH WITH INFORMATION RESOURCES OF PRACTICAL INTEREST TO AGRICULTURE PROFESSIONALS. WE HAVE COLLECTED A VARIETY OF SUCH INTERESTING AND INFORMATIVE APPS, WEBSITES AND NEWSLETTERS. THE AREA OF AG RESEARCH IS PARTICULARLY WELL SERVED IN THIS SELECTION. OF COURSE, INFORMATION CAN FLOW BOTH DIRECTIONS, AS IT DOES IN THE CASE OF THE CITIZEN SCIENCE APP AND INSECT-THEMED SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNT WE’VE INCLUDED HERE. Apps and online resources assist and advise DIGITAL INFORMATION AND OBSERVAT ION T POINTWELL MADE Newsletter finds agronomic inspiration in scientific research Photo:CourtesyofLeoraCohen