MARCH 2022, VOL 48, NO. 4
Reader Service
Print and digital subscription inquiries or Customer Service, Angelita Potal
Print and digital subscription inquires or changes, please contact Serina Dingeldein, Audience Development Manager Tel: 416.510.5124 Fax: 416.510.6875
Email: apotal@annexbusinessmedia.com
Mail: 111 Gordon Baker Rd., Suite 400, Toronto, ON M2H 3R1
Email: sdingeldein@annexbusinessmedia.com
Mail: 111 Gordon Baker Rd., Suite 400, Toronto, ON M2H 3R1
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR, AGRICULTURE
Welcome to the first edition of Top Solutions in Tech, a new resource from Top Crop Manager in collaboration with our brand partners in the ag technology sector.
Stefanie Croley • 519.429.5225 Cell: 226.931.4949 scroley@annexbusinessmedia.com
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR, AGRICULTURE
Stefanie Croley • 519.429.5225 Cell: 226.931.4949 scroley@annexbusinessmedia.com
WESTERN FIELD EDITOR Bruce Barker • 403.949.0070 bruce@haywirecreative.ca
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Alex Barnard • 519.429.5179 Cell: 416.305.4840 abarnard@annexbusinessmedia.com
NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER Quinton Moorehead • 204.720.1639 qmoorehead@annexbusinessmedia.com
WESTERN FIELD EDITOR
Bruce Barker • 403.949.0070 bruce@haywirecreative.ca
We’ve designed this publication to arm you with the latest innovations and solutions available from the ever-changing world of ag tech. Within these pages, you’ll read about novel solutions and developments from key players in the ag tech industry. Our leading suppliers have highlighted products, technologies and systems to help farmers boost their productivity on the farm, from seeding to harvest and throughout the entire season.
ACCOUNT COORDINATOR Alice Chen • 416.510.5217 achen@annexbusinessmedia.com
NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER
Quinton Moorehead • 204.720.1639 qmoorehead@annexbusinessmedia.com
AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Serina Dingeldein • Tel: 416.510.5124 sdingeldein@annexbusinessmedia.com
ACCOUNT COORDINATOR Alice Chen • 416.510.5217 achen@annexbusinessmedia.com
GROUP PUBLISHER
Michelle Bertholet • 204.596.8710 mbertholet@annexbusinessmedia.com
GROUP PUBLISHER
Michelle Allison • 204.596.8710 mallison@annexbusinessmedia.com
MEDIA DESIGNER Brooke Shaw
MEDIA DESIGNER Brooke Shaw
COO Scott Jamieson sjamieson@annexbusinessmedia.com
COO Scott Jamieson sjamieson@annexbusinessmedia.com
Printed in Canada ISSN 1717-452X
Printed in Canada ISSN 1717-452X
PUBLICATION MAIL AGREEMENT #40065710
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
PUBLICATION MAIL AGREEMENT #40065710
Top Crop Manager West – 9 issues Feb, Mar, Mid-Mar, Apr, May/June, Sept, Oct, Nov and Dec – 1 Year - $48.50 Cdn. / US $112.00 plus tax
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
Top Crop Manager West – 9 issues Feb, Mar, Mid-Mar, Apr, May/June, Sept, Oct, Nov and Dec – 1 Year - $48.50 Cdn. / US $112.00 plus tax
Top Crop Manager East – 5 issues Feb, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec – 1 Year - $48.50 Cdn. / US $110.00 plus tax
Top Crop Manager East – 5 issues Feb, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec – 1 Year - $48.50 Cdn. / US $110.00 plus tax
Potatoes in Canada – 1 issue Spring – 1 Year $17.50 Cdn. plus tax
Potatoes in Canada – 2 issues Spring and Fall – 1 Year $17.50 Cdn. plus tax
Occasionally, Top Crop Manager will mail information on behalf of industry related groups whose products and services we believe may be of interest to you. If you prefer not to receive this information, please contact our circulation department in any of the four ways listed above.
Occasionally, Top Crop Manager will mail information on behalf of industry related groups whose products and services we believe may be of interest to you. If you prefer not to receive this information, please contact our circulation department in any of the four ways listed above.
This special brand showcase will be published annually and is available in a rich digital format, making it easy to share with colleagues or bookmark to refer back to it when needed. We hope you find takeaways to improve your farm operation. Thanks for reading. TO OUR
Annex Privacy Office privacy@annexbusinessmedia.com • Tel: 800 668 2374 No
Annex Privacy Office privacy@annexbusinessmedia.com • Tel: 800 668 2374
No part of the editorial content of this publication may be reprinted without the publisher’s written permission © 2022 Annex Business Media. All rights reserved. Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the editor or the publisher. No liability is assumed for errors or omissions. All advertising is subject to the publisher’s approval. Such approval does not imply any endorsement of the products or services advertised. Publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising that does not meet the standards of the publication.
topcropmanager.com
There can’t be a farmer on earth who isn’t aware of the ammonia supply chain problems plaguing the world and the resulting fertilizer shortages and price spikes that are threatening crop production and food security.
The bottom line is that there is no better, more efficient way to deliver nitrogen to soil than in ammonia. But there is a better way to produce it. Switching to Green Ammonia, produced on farm by the farmers who will use it, eliminates the failing supply chain, price uncertainty and the carbon emissions previously associated with ammonia production.
FuelPositive is a Canadian company, devoted to fighting climate change and facilitating the decarbonization and elimination of greenhouse gas emissions in farming and other sectors. In particular, FuelPositive’s onsite, containerized Green Ammonia production system will transform farming, giving farmers complete control over supply of nitrogen fertilizer and, ultimately, fuel – their two largest annual expenditures.
Green Ammonia, produced on farm, is the future of farming. The global fertilizer crisis will no longer threaten food security, as farmers will be able to apply nitrogen fertilizer in the right amount, at the right time, in the most sustainable way, at a stable price, year after year, decade after decade. And the carbon footprint of farming will be significantly reduced.
While the primary application on farms is fertilizer, Green Ammonia can also be used as a fuel for grain drying and to power other farm machinery, including generators for creat-
ing electricity. That would allow farmers to free themselves of using any fossil fuels on their farms. With Green Ammonia produced at home, the need for diesel and propane can ultimately be eliminated as well.
FuelPositive is commercializing a Canadian-invented technology that manufactures carbon-free, Green Ammonia from air, water and sustainable electricity such as solar, wind or hydro energy. No fossil fuels are used; that’s what makes it green. It requires much lower pressure and temperature than traditional production methods, while operating on different energy loads, which makes it economical and versatile. And unlike traditional methods, the FuelPositive production system can be easily turned on and off, to respond to fluctuating energy availability.
FuelPositive’s system includes a nitrogen generator to produce nitrogen from air, a water electrolyzer to produce hydrogen from water, and a novel, patent-pending ammonia syn-
thesis converter to produce ammonia from the hydrogen and nitrogen. The output is Green Anhydrous Ammonia, which is used by many farmers in Canada and around the globe. The company plans to introduce a Green Aqueous Ammonia module soon.
The onsite model eliminates farmers’ historical reliance on the supply that has begun to fail them in recent years. The containerized Green Ammonia production systems are built to fit within standard 20-foot shipping containers, allowing them to be easily shipped to the location where the green ammonia is used. The initial systems fit into three 20-foot containers and produce 300 kilograms (500 litres) of Green Ammonia per day or 100 tonnes per year – enough for a 2,000-acre farm. The modular and scalable design can be scaled up, depending on the farmer’s requirements. The Green Ammonia is stored on the farm in standard ammonia storage tanks and used as needed.
The first demonstration system will be operating in a pilot project throughout 2023 on an 11,000-acre crop farm near
Sperling, Manitoba, using the clean electrical grid available in that province. Other farmers may need to work with FuelPositive to set up renewables to run their systems. FuelPositive is aiming to sell its systems to farms that predominantly raise crops for human consumption, not animal, since livestock farming contributes heavily to emissions and climate change.
Each FuelPositive system is expected to have a lifespan of 30 to 40 years, with upgrading of the catalyst at the 15-year mark. Otherwise, maintenance costs will be minimal. FuelPositive will monitor it, optimize it and maintain it remotely, and use its machine learning and AI software to keep things running smoothly. The long product life is critical as farmers seek control over costs and supply. The system technology will be continually advancing. And due to its modular design and remote connectivity, each customer will be able to take advantage of new technologies and upgrades as they become available.
Additionally, the FuelPositive team is conducting research with its agriculture advisors to identify the most effective practices to reduce nitrous oxide emissions associated with nitrogen fertilizers.
It is also exploring the role its Green Ammonia production systems can play in Controlled Environment Agriculture as more farmers enter that sector as a way of avoiding the complications of weather and climate change. Pilot project partners are being sought to work with FuelPositive’s systems to provide carbon-free nitrogen fertilizer, as well as for fossil fuel replacement, dehumidification, water and system purification, sanitizing, and heating and cooling, as Green Ammonia is an incredibly versatile chemical with so many uses.
https://fuelpositive.com/pre-sales/
Retire that old pen and paper and improve your farm’s performance by digitizing your records with Farm Credit Canada’s AgExpert.
FCC AgExpert allows farmers to easily transition to digital record-keeping solutions. The platform is solid, simple, and built for the farm, providing accounting and field management tools for easier farm management.
“We built it with Canadian agriculture in mind,” says Laurier Poirier, FCC AgExpert Senior Product Owner. “We have users’ feedback and users in mind when we’re crafting our applications, and it’s important for us to make it as easy to adopt and seamless as possible to digitize your records.”
Users can access their data when they need it, saving time and creating efficiencies. Having your information at your fingertips lets you make informed decisions with confidence, says Poirier.
AgExpert is for producers in every province and every Canadian agriculture and food production sector. That includes grains and oilseeds, cattle, poultry, dairy, organics, fruit and vegetables, and potatoes.
AgExpert is also the first software in Canada to be Ag Data Transparent certified. That means farmers’ data is protected to the highest standards. Users own their data and can be confident that their digital record-keeping is current, safe, and secure.
Farmers can stay up to date on all the latest with AgExpert Accounting and Field. Equipped with these tools, farmers
receive cost-of-production reporting, management reports, payroll, crop insurance reporting, and more.
Producers also gain the flexibility to enter, access, and share their data from anywhere.
“Ease of use is first and foremost,” says Poirier. “And once you do digitize your records, you can use your information for different purposes, whether it’s tracking profitability, input costs, or cost per acre.”
• With this industry standard in Canadian farm accounting, farmers can do more than just enter accounting data.
• AgExpert Accounting lets farmers view and project their cashflow, track and manage their budgets, create income and expense reports, and manage their payrolls.
• Farmers can even use AgExpert Accounting to Netfile their GST and HST returns and securely share their data with anyone they choose.
• And as AgExpert software is constantly being upgraded, it keeps up with new industry reporting requirements that are introduced.
• This web-based field and crop management software makes crop and field record-keeping easy.
• By enabling farmers to manage their inventory, plan their crop rotation, and track their cost of production, AgExpert Field gives them the data and planning details necessary for smart business decisions.
Peace of mind is possible with AgExpert. Simple, secure software for the farm that connects your field data to your finances, accurately. Knowing what’s in the fields, and in the books, can help you have more success and less stress. Start for free or upgrade to premium.
• Ag Expert can also generate reports for seeded areas, harvest production, and stored inventory.
• Farmers can also be saved from the time-consuming process of filling out crop insurance records or applying for hail insurance by applying already entered data to produce the reports insurance agencies require.“You have that information there and can use it for multiple purposes,” says Poirier.
• Users will also be able to capture historical weather data on activities, providing them an easy and accurate way to track data on their farms.
• And with the AgExpert Field mobile app, farmers can easily enter their data from anywhere, even offline.
Recent research shows that AgExpert customers are stronger operators across a wide variety of financial ratios and busi-
ness outcomes than were a comparator group.
Users armed with bookkeeping and field management information are likely to make decisions based on that data, Poirier says.
“They’re able to make more proactive decisions and more informed decisions, which overall helps make for more complete farm managers,” he says.
And AgExpert makes it even easier and user-friendly by providing a knowledgeable customer service team to answer any questions, from setting up books to running reports.
Contact AgExpert’s Regina, Saskatchewanbased Customer Care by calling toll-free at 1-800-667-7893 or by email at support@fccagexpert.ca.
Traditionally growers would use one application rate across an entire field or even their entire farming region. When growers apply fertilizer or seed this way, they cannot address the field’s soil variability and risk over-fertilizing and under-fertilizing areas, or placing too much seed in some areas and not enough in others. All fields are variable and consist of a range of soils and a range of fertility and seeding needs. REMCLO Field Rx Solutions provides an accurate cost-effective way for any grower to utilize variable-rate application technology, and more importantly, reduce their fertilizer and seeding rates.
REMCLO Field Rx Solutions is a web-based interactive agronomy tool that builds fertilizer and seeding recommendations for Canadian growers. It uses a proprietary system of new high-definition digitized soil maps as the foundation for its fertilizer and seeding recommendations. It is a web-based program that
REMCLO Fertilizer Prescription shows a total use of only 7669 lbs of POT-ASH fertilizer. Compare that to a traditional single rate of 10147 lbs…..A 25% reduction in use and a savings of over $1300.00 or $33.70 per Acre
Traditional Fertilizer Application
the grower or their trusted agronomist will upload fields boundaries to. Once the fields have been uploaded, the user will choose the intended fertilizer or seeding products and a range of rates based on the agronomic or budget goals for that field. REMCLO Field Rx Solutions then processes the prescription for review. From there, the fertilizer or seeding prescription files and maps can be downloaded for each field after review and purchase. Once received, the grower then transfers the files into their equipment or sent to a custom applicator for application or planting. The fertilizer or seeding prescription will have the predefined soil type zones and the best
rate targets assigned to each zone for the intended field.
The REMCLO Field Rx Solutions digital tool provides an innovative approach to field management. Every field is unique and contains a range a different soils. These different soils are the mechanism in which fertility or ideal seeding populations are achieved in crop production. Each soil has an exchange capability. Using our new high-definition digitized soil maps, we can support the grower in accurately applying the fertilizer or seeding rate to the right location. This concept of variable-rate application is not new, but until REMCLO, there has never been a provincial database publicly available to growers.
One of the truly innovative features about REMCLO Field Rx Solutions is it can build any fertilizer or seeding prescription for any field in Canada, using any liquid or dry fertilizer product or any seed for the crops you are growing. All we need is the field location and boundary – no other data is required from the grower.
REMCLO Field Rx Solutions accurately applies the right rate to the right soil type zone. By doing this we can accomplish two goals. We can reduce traditional “straight” fertilizer and seeding rates by as much as 30 per cent in some fields. We can also achieve a significant reduction in fertilizer runoff by applying rates that the soils can ex-
change and capture. This is achieved by reducing rates in highly leachable soils and promoting more fertilizer in soils that can scientifically “hold” more fertilizer. This shift in rates will also give the grower that potential for an increase in yield and reduced input costs. When building a REMCLO Field Rx Solutions seeding or planting prescription, you can now utilize one of your most expensive crop inputs. By seeding higher rates in certain zones and lower rates in others, we can capture the full yield potential of any field, reduce seeding costs, lodging and aid in effeicient harvesting – all the while increasing yield.
REMCLO Field Rx Solutions can build a field solution for any field, in any Canadian province. By using variable-rate technology and targeting specific soils, we can responsibly use the right rate, at the right time, in the right location . . . for every acre.
Using reclassified digital soil maps….. REMCLO has your fields fertility and seeding zones predefined.
Simply upload a field boundary (shapefile). Pick your Rx type… Fertilizer or Planting and the desired product, set your rates and let REMCLO build you a field prescription based on your most valuable asset... your soils.
You can build an Rx based on a range of rates or even a per acre cost budget….
Build your Rx’s and reuse them. Only $2.50 per Acre