The Rural Voice, 1985-09, Page 21agriculture. It will be able to monitor
health in crops, to predict the extent
of harvest, and to aid in inventory
control and marketing. The system
will also be able to help in timber
mapping, forest regrowth, and forest
fire surveillance. In addition, by
measuring snow depth and density
and providing information about
snow distribution, RADARSAT will
assist in reservoir management. crop
• ,gation, and flood forecasting.
Satellites in agriculture have a
positive future, according to
Ryerson. Remote sensing specialists
expect that area estimation for most
crops will be carried out by combin-
ing satellite information with a small
amount of ground surveying.
The estimation of crops through the
use of large-scale field surveys alone
is expensive. As well, crop yield
estimates will probably be made in a
similar way by combining informa-
tion from meteorological and soil
moisture measurements with satellite
data to produce reliable yield
estimates.
There is also room for satellite use
in rural communities in land use plan-
ning. Within three years, Ryerson ex-
pects satellite data to be used routine-
ly at both the township and county
level in land planning. The electronic
information will be accessible to them
for analysis on their own IBM PC
computer screen, he predicts.
Research for other applications of
remote sensing continues. Canadian
remote sensing scientists and resear-
chers have won international awards
for their achievements. They are
working with "the best library in the
world" — more than 55,000 books
and scientific papers about remote
sensing which are constantly being
sorted and catalogued by three ex-
perts. This information allows
Canadians to draw from the successes
and failures of research in other
countries. The involvement of the
private sector, which employs 1,500
remote sensing experts in various
capacities, has been increasing 30 per
cent annually since the early 1970s
and had a total of $120 million in
sales last year. The positive relation-
ship between government and private
companies in this field has progressed
dramatically and the remote sensing
industry has prospered, says Ryerson,
who personally has a "mission," not
merely a "job."
Picture once again the western ran-
cher with a satellite picture in his
hand, rounding up his herd. It's not
only a picture now. It's a space-age
reality today.0
You Can Deal With Confidence
When You Deliver Your
1985 White Bean Crop to
0
0
°°
0
o
n ° n
Ken R. Campbell & Sons Ltd., Seaforth
Howson & Howson Ltd., Blyth, Ontario
Palmerston Elevators Ltd.
Bar' B B. Dee Farms, RR 1 Bornholm
are also white bean receiving satellites for Thompson's
We want and appreciate your business
Hyland Augusta Seed Wheat
again the top yielder
Followed by Hyland Howser Seed Wheat
Be sure you buy Blue Tag Seed Only
This assures you of "Certified" #1 Seed
for "Purity" — "Quality" and
"Top Yields."
Any other facsimile is not the same.
Available only at Thompson's or a Hyland Dealer
Also there is Cert. #1 Fredrick seed wheat. For larger growers
wishing Certified seed in Bulk we can supply. Please order ahead.
ALL SEED IS TREATED WITH VITAFLO "280"
— Custom Fertilizer Spreading
— Soil Sampling Service
— Computerized Reports
— Recommendations from a Qualified Staff
Hensel)
262.2527
For purity,
top germination
disease free
Sow only Certified Hyland Seed
0
0 0 0
0
°
tl 1)
kitztal
Mitchell
348-8433
Granton
225-2360
Ailsa Craig
293-3223
Port Albert
529-7901
SEPTEMBER 1985 19