Latest news with #Palmeramaranth
Winnipeg Free Press
4 days ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Starting long road to Root-ing out answers
Opinion I was curious enough to test-drive Root AI, the new online assistant Farm Credit Canada rolled out this week. Spoiler alert: I got mixed results. The free artificial intelligence tool was built by the federal Crown agency, which is the country's largest farm lender, as part of its growing suite of initiatives designed to support innovation in Canadian agriculture. It has now partnered with RDAR (Results Driven Agriculture Research), a not-for-profit research organization supported by the Alberta and federal governments to further develop it. TIM SMITH / BRANDON SUN FILES Piles of kochia, an invasive broadleaf weed, burn in a field north of Rivers in 2021. 'Root fills the growing gap in Canada's extension services by delivering accessible, expert-backed guidance to producers without requiring complex data inputs,' the announcement says. 'It translates decades of research, field experience and proven practices into practical, timely advice producers can use immediately.' Root is designed to help farmers build personalized business plans, track weather predictions, identify photos of crop threats or equipment parts, troubleshoot equipment issues, learn about grants and programs and stay up to date on interest rates and commodity prices. FCC says 91 per cent of its users so far report receiving helpful results, based on more than 2,900 conversations. 'Can we prove that this sort of technology can work in agriculture? I think the answer is clearly yes, based on a lot of the responses we've gotten,' Mohamad Yaghi, vice-president of FCC's Innovation Hub, said in an interview. 'We're trying to open the market up for other players to come into as well, whether public or private. 'But this is the start of the journey,' he said, noting the more partners the better. 'It's definitely not the end.' Yaghi said Root's advantage is it is focused on agriculture in a Canadian and regional context. The hope is it will shorten the time it takes for farmers to access relevant information. Those are lofty goals. Can it deliver? Maybe. 'How do I control multiple-resistant kochia in my fields?' I asked. To be fair, there are no easy answers for this invasive weed, also known as tumbleweed, which is resistant to herbicides and is now infesting thousands of acres across Western Canada. Root said I could burn it. That might do it, but it could be one heck of a prairie fire. It suggested hand-pulling. That would take a while. It suggested planting competitive crops to choke it out. It recommended herbicides, provided they are effective — which was the reason for my question. Finally, it referred me to a federal fact sheet about Palmer amaranth, also an invasive weed, but unrelated to kochia. Root was, however, more useful when I asked about the proper timing to spray fungicide to control fusarium head blight. I asked if it would rain in Carman within the next 48 hours and was told to check my local forecast. 'What is the price of wheat today?' I typed, realizing immediately that I wasn't specific enough. Canadian farmers grow multiple types of wheat. The answer was equally non-specific: '$543.' Then I asked a question I had an inkling would stump it. I was right. 'Is the cost of the farmer's quota included in the price of milk consumers pay at the grocery store?' I asked. Root responded yes, with a lengthy, very believable explanation of how farmers' costs of production are used to calculate consumer milk prices under supply management. Except quota purchases are not part of those calculations. 'Quota acquisition costs are considered capital investments, not operational expenses. As such, they are excluded from the COP calculation used in the National Pricing Formula (NPF), which determines adjustments to producer revenues,' said the Canadian Dairy Commission in response to my query. So, Root is not there yet. However, we can't afford to discount emerging technologies like these. Tuesdays A weekly look at politics close to home and around the world. Yaghi wants people to test Root. The more it gets used, the better it will get. But users must also be prepared to fact-check its answers. And it's important to remember while AI assistants can be remarkably effective at distributing existing information, they are only as good as the sources they draw upon. They can't replace continuing investment in research. Without that, knowledge won't be advanced, it will be frozen in time. Laura Rance is executive editor, production content lead for Glacier FarmMedia. She can be reached at lrance@ Laura RanceColumnist Laura Rance is editorial director at Farm Business Communications. Read full biography Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Associated Press
03-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Bayer Crop Science Canada Introduces Vyconic™ Soybeans, a Groundbreaking Advancement in Weed Management
CALGARY, AB, March 3, 2025 /CNW/ - Bayer Crop Science Canada today announced the launch of Vyconic™ soybeans, a new trait technology that will be the first to feature tolerance to five herbicide active ingredients all in one breakthrough trait. Vyconic soybeans will represent a leap forward in weed control, enabling farmers to manage their fields with unparalleled flexibility Key Highlights of Vyconic Soybeans: Five Herbicide Active Ingredient Tolerances in One Trait Package: Vyconic soybeans will be the first in the industry to offer tolerance to five herbicides active ingredients: dicamba, glufosinate, mesotrione, 2,4-D and glyphosate. This trait package will provide farmers with unparalleled flexibility to enable excellent weed control programs based on their specific needs and individual preferences. Two Additional Herbicide Active Ingredients Tolerance Options: With mesotrione and 2,4-D, Bayer is adding two new herbicide active ingredient tolerances to its most recent generation of soybean traits, XtendFlex® soybeans. Both herbicide active ingredients are effective against a wide range of broadleaf weeds, including kochia, fleabane, Palmer amaranth and waterhemp. Excellent Yield Potential From Industry-Leading Genetics: Vyconic soybeans will feature the very latest soybean genetics along with various beneficial agronomic traits to deliver outstanding yield potential. 'Soybeans are a key crop for Bayer in Canada, and Vyconic exemplifies Bayer's dedication to providing advanced solutions that address the ever-changing weed control needs of farmers in Canada,' says Antoine Bernet, President and CEO, Bayer Crop Science Canada. 'We are eager to launch this new Vyconic™ soybean trait package in the near future, so Canadian farmers can tackle their weed management challenges.' Vyconic soybeans will offer several critical benefits for soybean farmers: Unparalleled Weed Control Flexibility: Will enable the use of five herbicide active ingredients for a more robust integrated weed management program to help address specific field needs and challenges. Multiple Effective Weed Management Options: Tolerance to broad-spectrum herbicide active ingredients will enable a wide range of weeds to be managed. Proactive Resistance Management: Enabling the use of multiple herbicides active ingredients with different modes of action will help reduce the likelihood that weeds will develop resistance. 'At Bayer, we recognize how resilient and determined Canadian farmers are as they adapt to and overcome the challenges of weed pressure' says David Kikkert, Canada Corn & Soybean Portfolio Lead. 'Our new Vyconic™ soybean trait package offers solutions for weed control and application flexibility, equipping farmers to create custom weed management plans that fit their specific needs. By investing in advanced genetics and innovative solutions, we support farmers in achieving higher, more consistent yields with increased effectiveness and better outcomes.' Vyconic soybeans have an anticipated market introduction in the United States and Canada by the 2027 planting season. In the meantime, Bayer will continue to work on the development of proprietary herbicide formulations to optimize its weed management offerings. Learn more at: About Bayer Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. In line with its mission, 'Health for all, Hunger for none,' the company's products and services are designed to help people, and the planet thrive by supporting efforts to master the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. Bayer is committed to driving sustainable development and generating a positive impact with its businesses. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. The Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2023, the Group employed around 100,000 people and had sales of 47.6 billion euros. R&D expenses before special items amounted to 5.8 billion euros. Forward-Looking Statements This release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer's public reports which are available on the Bayer website at The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.
