Forages Archives | Manitoba Co-operator

An Oct. 1 workshop at Bruce Sneesby’s farm near Westbourne, Man., takes attendees through forage ammoniation step by step.

This is your father’s forage treatment

Ammoniating poor-quality feed is an old technique that producers may want to keep in their tool box

Manitoba’s provincial hay and livestock experts want producers to consider winding back the clock if they have to make the best of poor feed. For many livestock producers, ammoniating forage is something that fell out of vogue decades ago. But now some of those experts want to bring it back to the table, with producers

Feds seek feedback on farm worker living conditions

Consultations focused on 'primary agriculture' labour stream of TFWs

By Dave Bedard, GFM Network News 2 days ago

Improving and standardizing living conditions for temporary foreign workers (TFWs) in Canada — specifically, those on Canadian farms — is the subject of a new round of federal consultations. Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough and Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau on Tuesday announced consultations are now underway until Dec. 22 with “provinces and territories, employers, workers, worker

More farmers expected to benefit from new CEBA eligibility expansion

Businesses operating via personal accounts to now be eligible

By Dave Bedard, GFM Network News 3 days ago

The latest tweak to the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) pandemic aid program is expected to allow farmers who run their business via personal bank accounts to seek CEBA loans. Federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland announced Monday that “as early as” Oct. 26, CEBA will be available to businesses which until now have been operating

Crop Report, Crops, News

Average crop yields and widespread insect issues seen in 2020

FINAL REPORT: Manitoba Agriculture Crop Report Summary for 2020

By Manitoba Agriculture October 22, 2020

Southwest Region A wet fall in 2019 meant unharvested crops from the previous year had to be dealt with this spring. A large number of canola swathes were left in the field, together with severely lodged flax. Much of the remaining flax was burnt. Starting weather conditions for seeding were optimum in the Southwest region

Four Quebec farm programs’ payments to roll early

FADQ to pay out $9.1 million on four programs on Nov. 1

By Dave Bedard, GFM Network News October 22, 2020

Four provincial farm development programs in Quebec are to pay out to over 5,000 farm businesses a month ahead of schedule. La Financiere agricole du Quebec (FADQ), the provincial ag lending agency, announced Wednesday it will pay out about $9.1 million to businesses participating in the four programs effective Nov. 1. FADQ noted it made

Markets

BMO regroups ag banking business

Ag-focused national banking team put in place

By Dave Bedard, GFM Network News October 20, 2020

With COVID-19 serving to “accelerate” changes in the industry, BMO Bank of Montreal says it has reset its farm banking work under the oversight of an expanded national agriculture and agribusiness banking team. BMO announced the new team approach Oct. 14, describing it as “a national team of agriculture banking specialists — team members with

Alberta gives oil and gas drillers municipal tax break

By GFM Network News, Rod Nickel October 19, 2020

Reuters — Struggling oil and gas companies in Alberta will get a three-year break on municipal property taxes for land where they are drilling wells or building pipelines, the provincial government said on Monday. The Alberta government said it would also lower property tax assessments on less-productive wells and eliminate a provincial tax on drills.

A hay sample being emptied into a bucket.

Forages, Livestock

Forage analysis valuable in developing winter feeding program

Determining the nutrient content of forages and other feeds through laboratory analysis is the best way to design a nutrition program that meets livestock requirements

By NDSU Release October 13, 2020

Laboratory analysis to determine the quality of feedstuffs was developed more than 150 years ago. “Since that time, the ability to accurately analyze forages has greatly improved, as has the ability to use results to improve livestock feed efficiency and performance,” says Janna Block, extension livestock systems specialist at NDSU’s Hettinger Research Extension Center. “However, this valuable management

Crops

Federal fund, Alberta government back irrigation upgrades

Infrastructure Bank lends cash for system improvements

By Dave Bedard, GFM Network News October 10, 2020

Eight irrigation districts in Alberta are set to tap into the Canada Infrastructure Bank’s new $1.5 billion pool of funding earmarked for irrigation, to receive loans worth about $407.5 million. The Alberta and federal governments on Friday announced a total investment of $815 million — including repayable CIB funds, provincial support and irrigation district contributions

Crops, Weather

Fertilizer use fuelling climate-warming nitrous oxide emissions, study says

By GFM Network News, Matthew Green October 8, 2020

London | Reuters — Rising use of nitrogen-based fertilizers is driving up global emissions of nitrous oxide, a lesser-known greenhouse gas, complicating efforts to limit climate change, scientists reported in a study on Wednesday. Most of the focus in curbing climate-warming gas emissions has focused on the most abundant, carbon dioxide, and one of the

ADM beats profit estimates but revenue disappoints

U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures jump on tightening supplies

U.S. grains: Corn, wheat hit two-week lows on COVID-19 fears

GFM Network News