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Farmers’ Almanac Predicts Harsh Winter

By Jean-Paul McDonald, Farms.com

With memories of last year’s winter still frozen in people’s minds, the folks over at Farmers’ Almanac are predicting that the upcoming winter of 2014 / 2015 will be one to remember as well.  The latest issue of the nearly 200-year-old publication, which goes on sale this week, is forecasting colder and wetter-than-usual weather conditions for the two-thirds of the United States east of the Rocky Mountains.

While the North Eastern parts of the country, including the Midwest and Great Lakes region are expected to get blasted with snow and frigid temperatures, California and other areas of the Pacific Northwest will receive normal levels of precipitation and cool temperatures this winter. Last year, the historic publication was highly accurate with their forecast of an extreme winter, while national forecasters made a mess with their often inaccurate predictions.

The Farmers’ Almanac uses a unique and mostly-secret formula to create its weather predictions, which include factors such as moon cycles, sun spots and other celestial observations. While their methods are not generally supported by the modern-day scientific community, farmers have long-used this information for planning plantings and harvests.

After failing to predict the weather with any great accuracy last winter, forecasts using modern scientific methods are suggesting that we could be seeing a return of the dreaded “Polar Vortex” as early as September this year – which would cause havoc for farmers in the North East and Great Lakes regions. With a late start to planting in the spring of 2014, farmers need the extra time this fall to get their crops to full maturity, and a drastic drop in temperature could result in severe frost damage to crops over a large area.
 


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The FCDC and AgSmart Bring Plant Breeding to a Wider Audience

Video: The FCDC and AgSmart Bring Plant Breeding to a Wider Audience

In the vast prairies of Alberta, Olds College’s Field Crop Development Centre (FCDC) stands as a beacon of innovation and research in the agricultural world. The institution has become a key player in advancing agricultural technologies and practices. The FCDC’s commitment to applied research has driven them to seek effective means of disseminating their findings and creating a positive impact on the farming community.

One such avenue that aligns with their mission is AgSmart, an event dedicated to showcasing cutting-edge agricultural technologies. The coming together of the FCDC’s annual Field Day and Ag Smart has proved to be a natural fit, fostering a synergy that benefits both parties and propels the agriculture industry forward. The FCDC Field Day took part in conjunction with AgSmart for the first time this week on Aug. 1-2 in Olds, Alta. FCDC Program Director Kofi Agblor and Olds College VP of Development Todd Ormann sat down for an interview with Marc Zienkiewicz to discuss the significance of the two events taking part together and what the future holds.

The Intersection of Research and Technology The essence of the FCDC lies in its dedication to plant breeding and new seed varieties, particularly barley and triticale. While conducting research is essential, it becomes meaningful when its benefits are shared with the wider community. This is where AgSmart steps in, providing a key venue for the FCDC to showcase their research. This union between research and technology creates a holistic and enriching experience for farmers, ranchers, and industry professionals, the pair said.

Seeds as Technology For the FCDC, the partnership with AgSmart goes beyond mere event collaboration. It is about creating an environment that bridges the gap between seeds and smart technology, Ormann said. The college believes that for technology to truly revolutionize agriculture, it must begin with a strong foundation — high-quality seeds. As the saying goes, “it all starts with a seed.” To demonstrate this critical aspect, the collaboration aims to showcase the seed value chain as an integral part of the smartphone.

The Birth of a Powerful Alliance The idea of joining forces emerged when staff realized the potential synergy between AgSmart and the FCDC Field Day. With just a few days separating the two events, a proposal was put forward to merge them. The marketing and communications teams from both sides worked seamlessly to ensure the essence of both events remained intact, creating a powerful alliance that leverages the strengths of each, Agblor said.

Driving Advancements in Breeding For Agblor, the partnership with AgSmart has tremendous potential to drive advancements in breeding and other technology. With technologies like drones and imaging becoming integral to phenotyping, breeding is no longer confined to vast fields to assess thousands of plants manually. Instead, it benefits from the data-rich insights brought about by smart technologies. These advancements make breeding more efficient, precise, and instrumental in shaping the future of agriculture.

Overcoming Challenges Together While the partnership between Olds College and Ag Smart has been a resounding success, there are challenges on the horizon. Securing stable funding for long-term breeding initiatives is crucial to sustain progress. The college is committed to navigating these challenges and investing in agriculture’s future sustainably, Agblor said.

 

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