Robot weeder is on the way Monday, December 3, 2012 It started out as a robot that would cut the grass in urban parks. Somebody thought that spinning blades were a bad idea with kids and dogs on leashes around, and so the idea evolved into an automated lettuce weeder, according to The Economist magazine.The electric-powered Lettuce 'Bot, brainchild of Stanford University-trained engineers Jorge Heraud and Lee Redden, takes pictures of passing lettuce plants, compares them to a database of more than one million images of lettuce taken from all possible angles and instantly decides if they should live or die. A shot of concentrated fertilizer out the back end kills weeds and the remaining lettuce gets a growth blast as well. A version of the machine, currently under development, aimed at organic lettuce producers, favours those old spinning blades.The makers promise that the robots will be cost-competitive with hand weeding. BF Phosphorus levels in our lakes: Is no-till the culprit? Are urban farms too big?
Ag community wanted for cover crop survey Wednesday, January 14, 2026 Researchers from Manitoba and Ontario are looking for members of ag communities from Alberta to Ontario to participate in a questionnaire about cover crops. The confidential survey is open to any farm type and size whether the operation has ever grown cover crops. “We don’t just want... Read this article online
Loveland launches AQUA FORCE to boost water efficiency in pivot-irrigated fields Tuesday, January 13, 2026 Loveland Products, Inc. has introduced , a new water‑use‑efficiency product built specifically for center pivot irrigation systems and designed to help farmers get more value from every inch of applied water. Unlike traditional surfactants or wetting agents, is formulated to move... Read this article online
New program supports Canadian farmers with succession planning Tuesday, January 13, 2026 A new program is available to help Canadian farm families on their succession plan journeys. Groundworks is a collaborative effort between the Canadian Centre for Agricultural Wellbeing, AgriRisk Managers, and Loft32, along with support from AAFC. The program supports farmers with... Read this article online
Ontario Prairies Cover Crop Survey Launch Tuesday, January 13, 2026 As cover crop use continues to expand across Ontario and the Prairie provinces, a new survey has been launched to better understand how these practices arechanging onfarms. The survey aims to collect valuable information about how cover crops are being used, what benefits they provide, and... Read this article online
Cost-Share Intake Opens for Biological Inoculant and Biochar Testing Monday, January 12, 2026 Are you testing or interested in testing biological inoculants or biochar? If so, Ontario farmers have an exciting opportunity to access cost-share funding through the Ontario On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF). A new intake will open in late January to support producers in the... Read this article online