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Scouting for pests with paws: Ontario farm uses dog to prevent pest outbreak

Oct 24, 2017

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This unconventional IPM team member has four legs and a tail

By Kaitlynn Anderson

Staff Reporter

Farms.com

For NatureFresh Farms, pepper weevils are one of the most threatening pests.

Humans have difficulties spotting pepper weevils and the insects cannot be controlled with a traditional Integrated Pest Management (IPM) system. As a result, the pest can cause a large amount of damage, according to the company website.

So, when an outbreak of pepper weevil threatened the bell pepper crop in Leamington last year, NatureFresh Farms came up with a unique pest management solution.

The company adopted Chili, a 15-month-old female Belgian shepherd.

Source: NatureFresh Farms

“We knew we needed to try something different,” Kara Badder, marketing project manager at NatureFresh, said in an interview with Farms.com.

“We (had a trainer) find a dog who would be perfect for this type work and thus Chili was brought to us.”

Chili is now part of the company’s IPM team.

“Chili has … helped us take preventative measures and mitigate risks when it comes to pepper weevil,” said Badder.

As the dog is able to locate the pest, NatureFresh can now reduce its chance of experiencing a widespread issue, she explained.

To learn more about Chili and her work, watch the video below.

Video: Dr. Emerson Nafziger: Nitrogen Fertilizer Rates for Corn

The Crop Science Podcast Show, Dr. Emerson Nafziger from the University of Illinois breaks down decades of nitrogen research. From the evolution of N rate guidelines to how soil health and hybrid genetics influence nitrogen use efficiency, this conversation unpacks the science behind smarter fertilization. Improving how we set nitrogen fertilizer rates for rainfed corn is a key focus. Discover why the MRTN model matters more than ever, and how shifting mindsets and better data can boost yields and environmental outcomes. Tune in now on all major platforms!

"The nitrogen that comes from soil mineralization is the first nitrogen the plant sees, and its role is underestimated."

Meet the guest:

Dr. Emerson Nafziger is Professor Emeritus of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, with degrees in agronomy from Ohio State, Purdue, and Illinois. His research has focused on nitrogen rate strategies and crop productivity. He co-developed the Maximum Return to Nitrogen (MRTN) model, which is widely used across the Midwest. His research spans N response trials, hybrid interactions, crop rotation effects, and yield stability.