MASC comes under fire at organic insurance update

Organic producers are not happy with their crop insurance. Maurice Gaultier, Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation (MASC) insurance sales and service manager for the southern region, faced pointed questions Jan. 18 during his organic insurance update at Ag Days. MASC and the Manitoba Organic Alliance have been looking for a middle road on insurance for months.[...]

Province promises streamlined grain dryer installations

The province hopes new resources and a new approach with the Office of the Fire Commissioner will help stem criticism on grain dryer setup. The province announced changes to grain dryer approval procedure Jan. 22 after a wave of complaints from industry, equipment dealers and producers this fall. Why it matters: Grain dryer installation drew[...]


The life of a working cowboy

Real ranches, rodeos and cattle drives aren’t just preserving the frontier spirit, they’re actively practising it. Much the same can be said for a couple of young cowpokes, living the dream on the escarpment carved out in the western region of Manitoba. The Nykoliation family of Crandall has been cattle ranching for over 40 years,[...]



Crop input supplies not hit by Brandon COVID-19 cluster

Koch Fertilizer Canada says it has not been impacted by news that its major trucking provider has had several confirmed cases of COVID-19 among maintenance staff. On May 6, The Brandon Sun reported that seven cases had been linked to Oak Point Service, the maintenance branch of Paul’s Hauling Ltd. A number of employees of[...]

Farmers say no to ‘blank cheque’ on seed royalties

Some farmers are willing to pay more in royalties to encourage cereal crop breeding — but they don’t want to sign a blank cheque. “We’re not really clear on how much money this is going to generate for plant breeders and the industry as a whole, and there are a lot of concerns that it’s[...]


Rourke Farms explores organic equipment options

When Rourke Farms decided to go organic, it went all in, both in terms of acres and equipment. Over 4,000 acres of cropped land started the transition this year, while another third of that has been put to green manure and the farm’s fleet of tractors, seeders, cultivators and harrows has expanded as owners make[...]

Schweitzer Simmentals honoured with distinguished service award

Dedication and perseverance play important roles in the cattle industry, from farm gate to association perspective. Showcasing those elements, Cam and Myrna Schweitzer of Schweitzer Simmentals, near Decker, were recognized by the Manitoba Simmental Association (MSA) at the Premium Beef Bull Sale held on March 18 in Neepawa. It was here where the couple received[...]