The expansion to the farm near Forrest, Man., is being made possible by land from Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC).

The Odanah Pasture is intended to stay whole, allowing for a full-season grazing trial that mirrors how producers actually run cattle.

The focus is on how that land is used: keeping it intact and running it like a commercial operation rather than breaking it into small research plots.

“This expansion … is really a blank slate that is representative of what would potentially be happening for a commercial producer,” said MBFI general manager Mary-Jane Orr.

Real costs, real returns

The pasture had been cropped before being restored to forage and used for hay production over the past several years. Now, MBFI plans to transition it into a full grazing system and measure the results.

“The biggest opportunity we have is to really start benchmarking that transition and keeping it at that commercial scale,” Orr said.

That includes tracking costs, returns and management decisions in a way producers can compare directly to their own operations.

For the next three years, this “real-world case study” aims to capture the profitability and economics of grazing highly productive, managed grasslands and restored wetlands, Orr added.

Looping producers into the data

MBFI is working to bring in a producer collaborator willing to share detailed financial and management data, including grazing costs and marketing decisions.

“What I’m really excited about with this project is that opportunity to work with someone that is already closely tracking their own enterprise economics,” Orr said.

The scale of the land also opens the door to testing tools like virtual fencing in conditions where there’s no existing cross-fencing, something that hasn’t been possible on smaller research parcels.

Ranchers and conservationists see dual benefits

For beef producer Melissa Atchison, who ranches near Pipestone, the value of the project lies in its potential to help manage grasslands in a way that supports cattle operations, diversity and thriving ecosystems.

“This expansion will increase MBFI’s capacity to quantify, validate, and qualify beneficial practices on a field scale to support research and demonstration activities that help strengthen the long-term environmental and economic sustainability on these unique landscapes,” she said.

For DUC, the value of the project hinges on whether it produces results producers can use.

“I think the biggest thing is expanding it to the scale [that] it’s real-world scenarios, or larger-scale impacts that they’ll be able to demonstrate,” said Karli Reimer with DUC.

For her, it’s all about economics, and finding out what new technologies and best management practices make practical sense for producers, she added.

The project will also show how grazing and conservation can work together on the same acres.

“It really showcases how agriculture and conservation can go hand in hand, and that … they are not at odds with each other,” Reimer said.

Better numbers, better decisions

For producers dealing with volatile markets and rising costs, Orr believes the value of the expansion will come down to better information.

“I think the more we can understand our own production numbers, the better situated we are to make decisions in an informed way,” she said.

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Called the Cubix, it’s the latest in large square balers from the German farm equipment manufacturer, winning a gold Innovation Award at Agritechnica last November.

So what makes it special?

The driveline on the Cubix is integrated into the frame to deliver direct power flow to the baler. Along with a pair of 202 kilogram flywheels, this helps put the Cubix’s output as high as 70 tonnes per hour in the field.

“For the starting process, you do not need a big tractor,” Daniel Moersch, Claas’s product manager for square balers, said at Agritechnica 2025 in Hanover, Germany.

By engaging only one flywheel at a time, the Cubix is also easier and more efficient to start.

Once the first flywheel reaches 1,650 r.p.m., the second flywheel engages. Once the speed of both flywheels match, a pair of clutches on each side of the baler kick in to get the rotor operational.

While a 250 horsepower tractor gets the Cubix running and baling hay in the field, Moersch said an operator won’t reach the high throughput the Cubix is capable of with that amount of horsepower. For that, he recommended tractors have 400 h.p. or higher.

The Cubix also uses a double loop knot design to secure bales. This helps eliminate twine waste and increases tensile strength compared with other bale knot designs.

Its six-knotter system also reduces the amount of twine needed and the time it takes to change twine.

Artificial intelligence has been incorporated into the Cubix’s design when it comes to controlling bale density.

AI-supported software also assists in maintaining target ranges of density, throughput and bale length.

If an overload is detected during operation, the Cubix automatically decouples the rotor and pick-up before a blockage can occur.

At this stage in its design, the Cubix requires a tractor to operate in the field, but future designs may not require this.

“We are looking at an all automatic driving baler,” said Moersch.

“For the moment, we are within the tractor implement system.”

Moersch said Claas plans to have a pre-series launch of the Cubix baler in 2027 with a complete launch sometime in 2028.

The post VIDEO: New Claas Cubix baler aims for high feed output appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

Wildlife concerns

Incoming president Arvid Nottveit said wildlife pressures have become a dominant issue for producers across the province.

“The elk population just really exploded, and we have to work with producers to mitigate the effects of that,” he said.

A provincial report from back in 2011 put Manitoba’s elk population as stable around 6,500 animals.

The 2023 big game survey, meanwhile, estimated elk numbers around Manitoba’s Porcupine Mountains, Duck Mountains and Turtle Moutains. The survey reported a minimum 107 in the Porcupine Moutain surveyed region, 625 in the southwestern region around the Turtle Mountains and 1,158 in the Duck Mountains.

That survey covered only patches of the province, however, and did not include major elk region Riding Mountain National Park. The Government of Canada estimates about 1,800 elk in the national park.

WHY IT MATTERS: Manitoba beef producers are pushing for real fixes on elk, predation and Crown lands while bracing for trade uncertainty and tighter margins behind today’s strong cattle prices.

Predation from wolves and bears is another hot button issue. Wild boars are also becoming more of a problem as their populations continue to grow in Manitoba, Nottveit added.

Last April, the federal and provincial governments launched the Livestock Predation Prevention Program, a permanent successor to the industry-led pilot project that ended in 2023.

Resolutions approved by delegates at MBP’s annual general meeting, held in Brandon on Feb. 11 and 12, include continued lobbying for provincial analysis of elk and deer populations, financial assistance for fencing and compensation for wildlife damage to crops.

Producers are also increasingly concerned about feed losses and herd health impacts tied to wildlife.

Wildlife and disease concerns intersect with broader traceability discussions that have surfaced in recent months. It is important that producers facing disease outbreaks are supported appropriately, Nottveit said.

“I really want to make sure that ranchers that have disease outbreaks on their herds are treated fairly and … it’s as stress-free a situation as can possibly be.”

Past president Matthew Atkinson said wildlife damage, particularly from elk, has also been a major file during his six years on the board.

“Wildlife issues have really dominated, both in terms of the predation on livestock as well as impact on crops, from largely elk, but from wildlife in general,” he said.

Crown lands unsettled

Alongside wildlife advocacy, MBP continues to push for long-term stability on Crown lands.

“We need a long-term, stable plan going forward,” Atkinson said. “We need that to be settled and consistent.”

He acknowledged the file has created divisions within the membership.

“It’s either a major priority or it’s no priority at all,” he said.

Last October, the province extended its rental rate freeze on Crown land forage leases into the 2026 growing season.

Trade uncertainty

Trade uncertainty and the upcoming CUSMA review with the United States and Mexico remain on the radar, though provincial influence is limited.

“It’s a hard thing to negotiate our way through,” Atkinson said. “It’s not a typical negotiation.”

Nottveit highlighted the critical need to sustain robust cross-border cattle movement, given the close integration between the Canadian and U.S. beef industries.

Strong prices, tight margins

Despite high cattle prices, both leaders cautioned that rising input costs continue to squeeze margins.

Atkinson called the current market strength “overdue,” but said producers must use the opportunity wisely.

“It’s time that we start looking at … the tools available to us to make them as profitable as we can and to ensure that we can be profitable when things aren’t at their highs and move ahead from there,” he said.

For Nottveit, the focus in the coming years will be on practical supports that help grow Manitoba’s cow herd, which sits at historic lows.

“There’s a lot of work that can be done still, to make it viable for young people, especially to make a living raising cattle in this beautiful province,” he said.

Note: A previous version of this story mistakenly reported Manitoba’s estimated elk population at 605. The Co-operator regrets the error.

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Manitoba Agriculture is launching a satellite-based forage insurance pilot program and expanding loan support for cattle producers, Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn announced Thursday.

WHY IT MATTERS: Satellite-based indexing was one of the suggestions made by a forage insurance review, which released its findings in 2020.

The program will be rolled out by the Manitoba Agriculture Services Corporation (MASC) and will use satellite technology to estimate forage production.

“This will reduce reporting requirements for Manitoba forage producers,” Kostyshyn said at the Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) annual general meeting in Brandon Feb. 12.

The program is the result of long-standing advocacy from producers, Kostyshyn said.

In 2020, following 2019 feed shortages that highlighted lack of producer participation in the programs, the province put its forage insurance offerings under the microscope. One of the suggestions from the review was implementing index-based insurance systems that depend on weather data or satellite technology to help estimate losses.

Program changes began to trickle out, starting in 2021.

Lessons from Saskatchewan

A similar program has already rolled out in Saskatchewan, according to MBP chief executive officer Carson Callum.

Around 40 Saskatchewan producers participated in a shadow pilot program using satellite data to track soil moisture. No premiums were required to take part and there were no payouts.

Saskatchewan then launched its satellite forage insurance program in January, replacing its previous Forage Rainfall Insurance Program, using technology that measures soil moisture at the township level.

“We’re looking forward to testing it here in Manitoba, to see how accurate it can be,” Callum said. “Anything we can do to reduce that administrative burden is crucial.”

Expanded feeder loans and Crown lands

Kostyshyn also announced additional financial support for cattle producers through an expansion of the Feeder Plus Loan Program. According to MASC, the loan program will offer up to 90 per cent of current market value, to a total of up to $5.75 million for large scale producers.

Manitoba Agriculture is also working on agricultural Crown land consultations with beef and livestock producers, Kostyshyn said. Crown land regulations have been a lightning rod for controversy and farmer criticism since widespread changes were announced in 2019, affecting how grazing and forage leases were allocated, the rights producers had to transfer leases, rental rates, and other points of contention. Regulations went through several rounds of changes across two provincial governments. The current regulations came into force in January 2024. Rate freezes have since been extended and auctions in both 2024 and 2025 cancelled as the government reassesses the system.

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Producers got a close look at several of those approaches during a Jan. 12 winter grazing tour at the Bos family farm. Jordan Bos demonstrated how cover crops, straw and silage pile grazing fit into the operation’s winter feeding plan.

Rather than relying heavily on chopped silage, the operation is grazing a mix of feed sources through the winter. These include pea straw, barley straw and hay at roughly 20 pounds of dry matter per head per day.

“Three times a week we come out with a rack of straw and just roll it out for them so they all have access,” Bos said.

WHY IT MATTERS: Experts say that using cover crops, straw and silage grazing can help cattle producers manage winter feed costs, as long as rations are carefully balanced to meet herd nutritional needs.

Cover crops on the Bos farm cost about $35 an acre to establish, with funding support for a water site provided by a local watershed district.

“It’s nice if you can get some funding and cut the cost,” Bos said.

The farm typically fertilizes its corn but not its cover crop.

The tour included a demonstration of the farm’s feed truck and TMR mixer, which they call “Mad Max.” The truck reduces labour during the winter.

“The idea is to use that truck as much as we can for a good part of the winter,” Bos said.

Silage pile grazing in practice

Silage pile grazing was another stop on the tour. Cattle are grazing the pile with minimal waste, Bos said.

“I don’t think they’re wasting much. They’re eating it right down to the dirt,” he said. “It seems to be working good.”

The silage pile is about 70 feet wide, with both sides exposed, providing roughly 140 feet of space for about 300 head. Electric wire is adjusted daily to control access and manage utilization.

“You get pretty good utilization like this,” Bos said. “It’s cheaper than hauling it out.”

The winter feeding system appears to be meeting cattle needs, Bos said.

“The animals seem pretty content and full.”

Importance of feed testing and balanced rations

While alternative feed sources like pea and barley straw can help manage costs when available, provincial livestock and forage extension specialist Kristen Bouchard-Teasdale said that it’s important to ensure proper feed testing and balanced rations.

“Winter feed supplies are our biggest expense in these cattle productions,” she said. “How people feed and what proportions they’re able to mix into their ration is going to be dictated by the quality of the feed ingredients that they have on hand.”

Producers incorporating straw into winter rations need to ensure cattle receive sufficient protein and energy, particularly during extreme cold periods like the one that has been gripping most of Manitoba for the last few weeks.

“Cows can’t eat enough of those fibrous feeds, like the pea straw and the barley straw, to be able to meet those energy requirements in particular,” she said.

That’s why feed testing is so critical for developing effective winter feeding strategies, she added.

“Get your feed tested, know how much you have of something and exactly what’s in it, and then you have that information. It makes it much easier to be able to change your strategy if need be,” Bouchard-Teasdale said.

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The changes affect both the province’s crop insurance program and wildlife damage compensation, with updates designed to better reflect current farming realities across the province.

High participation

Risk management tools are more important than ever as producers contend with tighter margins and increasingly unpredictable weather, Kostyshyn said.

“Over 90 per cent of Manitoba’s annual crop acres are enrolled in ag insurance… The risk of loss of crops due to unpredictability is more important than ever.”

WHY IT MATTERS: Changes to agriculture insurance signal broader coverage and fewer blind spots.

Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation expects to provide $4.3 billion in coverage on 9.8 million crop acres in 2026 as weather extremes continue to affect regions throughout Manitoba in different ways, from flooding to droughts.

New forage pilot

Among the changes announced is a new pilot program aimed at encouraging sustainable forage production. The Forage Advantage Pilot Program, as announced in November, will offer farmers a 15 per cent discount on forage establishment insurance premiums for growing perennial forage crops on designated land types.

The province is also expanding insurance coverage to include meadow fescue grown for seed, following years of discussions with commodity groups, Kostyshyn said.

Wildlife coverage expanded

Manitoba is also making a major update by expanding its wildlife damage compensation program to cover additional species and different kinds of losses.

“For 2026 crop year, farmers will be able to claim for crop damage due to blackbirds, raccoons, damage to livestock caused by vultures, eagles, hawks, ravens and other bird species,” Kostyshyn said.

KAP applauds changes

The updates to this year’s crop insurance and wildlife damage compensation programs reflect the growing risks farmers face, said Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) president Jill Verwey.

“Expanding coverage, updating values, and piloting incentives like the forage advantage program are positive steps.”

KAP will continue to work with the province to help inform and shape practical solutions for Manitoba farmers, Verwey added.

Manitoba Ag Days, marking its 49th anniversary, will be held from Jan. 20 to 22 in Brandon. The event is expected to attract producers, exhibitors and agricultural businesses from throughout the Prairie region. For more coverage of the show, visit our landing page.

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“Our new leadership group represents the many bright faces of regen ag in Manitoba in many ways,” said Duncan Morrison, executive director of the association, in a press release.

“Their farming peers and networks are always well represented within the audience at the annual MFGA regenerative agriculture conference and are similarly aligned to the MFGA executive trio in age, mindset, farming preferences, family focus and information gathering.”

The board approved the new leaders at their recent meeting at Manitoba Agriculture’s Food and Development Centre in Portage la Prairie. Koscielny, Grossart, and McNish will serve in their roles for the next two years. They’ll be working under Mike Duguid, who will be serving as past chair for one year. Duguid was recently inducted to the MFGA’s Wall of Fame.

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Krawiec’s “grazing in the sweet spot” philosophy is a method that allowed him to scale from 40 cow-calf pairs on 373 acres in 2000 to grazing 5,000 yearlings on 5,500 acres by 2007 with minimal hired help.

“It was just myself and the summer students,” Krawiec said at the Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association’s (MFGA) 2025 Regenerative Agriculture Conference in Brandon on Nov. 12-13.

WHY IT MATTERS: Grazing at the right moment in the plant’s growth cycle can dramatically increase forage production, animal performance, and profitability, an Alberta rancher says.

Krawiec’s “sweet spot” is a specific point in grass growth, just before plants enter the reproductive phase, when around 15 to 20 per cent of plants are in reproductive phase and the rest remain in late vegetative state.

“The other thing about grazing in the sweet spot that is really critical is that I only take 20 to 40 per cent (of forages) during the growing season,” he said.

Success with the system requires training livestock to move as a co-ordinated group, Krawiec stressed.

Feeding soil biology year-round

Krawiec’s approach feeds soil biology multiple times per year, rather than just once.

When plants enter reproductive phase, they redirect energy from root exudates, which feed soil microbes, into seed production, he told conference attendees. Root exudates are fluids emitted through the roots of the plant. They contain a complex cocktail of sugars, amino acids, organic acids and metabolites. They promote microbial activity, facilitate nutrient cyling in the soil, and foster overall soil health.

“The thing about letting plants go into reproductive phase is that that’s where they release the least amount of exudates,” Krawiec said. “Instead of releasing exudates into the soil, those exudates go into producing seed.”

Last November, Krawiec backgrounded calves on stockpiled pasture at a cost of 12 cents per day. A forage test from that period showed 24 per cent protein and 65 per cent total digestible nutrients (TDN). That paddock yielded 317 stock days per acre.

Krawiec described a “tipping point” at approximately 175 stock days per acre where the system becomes self-sustaining, requiring no inputs except management. This typically takes two to three years, he said.

“The first day they walked back to water, I gave them a strip (of forage). Second day, they had to walk back to water. Day three, same thing, they had to walk back a lot of the water. Day four, same thing…but as we’re coming back to graze, they stopped in the first strip, and that’s when I realized that was my grace period,” he said.

Krawiec thus put ideal graze period at his latitude (similar to Athabasca, Alta.) at three days. With that three-day graze period and a minimum of 13 paddocks, the math works out to 36 days of rest. Rest periods increase at more northern latitudes due to fewer daylight hours, Krawiec added.

He pointed to his grazing chart as an essential planning tool.

The chart allows Krawiec to adjust rotation based on growing conditions. In June 2021, when temperatures hit 38.5 C for weeks, he extended his second rotation to 55 rest days after his strip system suggested that grass growth had slowed. He later sped up his third rotation to 42 days, and was able to keep high-quality forage through November, plus stockpiling enough grass to calve 1,000 cows the following spring.

“The results were amazing, but what I did was not amazing. I just used my grazing (method), and I just adjusted to conditions,” he said.

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While iron deficiency is a well-recognized concern in human health, dietary iron deficiency has never been documented in adult horses.

Iron carries a certain mystique in equine nutrition. Its association with blood and performance, particularly in the racing industry, has fostered the widespread belief that supplementing iron can boost energy or enhance oxygen delivery. In reality, the opposite is true for most horses. Chronic iron excess is now recognized as a silent yet pervasive disruptor of health.

Approximately 60 per cent of the body’s iron is bound within hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in red blood cells from the lungs to the tissues. Another 20 per cent resides in myoglobin within muscles, storing oxygen for movement. The remainder exists in storage and transport proteins — such as ferritin and transferrin — and within immune cells in the liver and spleen.

Iron efficiency

Horses are remarkably efficient at recycling and regulating iron.

Red blood cells live about 150 days, after which their iron is reclaimed to form new cells.

Losses are minimal, and the hormone hepcidin serves as the regulatory gatekeeper controlling iron absorption and storage. Under normal circumstances, this system ensures that horses rarely — perhaps never — require supplemental iron.

In nature, horses are surrounded by iron. It is abundant in grasses, hays, grains, and even water. A typical 500 kilogram horse consuming 10 kg of timothy hay daily, containing around 250 milligrams of iron per kg, ingests more than 2,500 mg of iron, which is well above the National Research Council minimum requirement of 400 mg per day and comfortably below the upper safe limit of 5,000 mg.

Thus, a horse on a typical forage-based diet will receive sufficient iron.

Iron in feed

It’s important to recognize that all plant-based feed ingredients naturally contain iron, so most commercial feeds already supply more than enough.

If iron is specifically added to a feed product, it appears on labels as iron oxide, ferrous fumarate, ferrous sulfate or ferrous gluconate. These forms of supplemental inorganic iron are best avoided.

Additional sources can include certain salt blocks, which may appear reddish due to iron enrichment. Like fortified feeds, these sources of inorganic iron can contribute to chronic overload.

The problem with iron

The problem with high iron is not just the iron itself but how it disrupts the delicate balance of other essential minerals.

In the small intestine, iron, copper, zinc and manganese all compete for the same transport proteins. When iron levels are excessive, it can “crowd out” copper and zinc, preventing adequate absorption, even when diets appear balanced.

This mineral imbalance often develops subtly, leaving owners unaware of the underlying cause as structural and metabolic issues begin to surface.

Not all sources of dietary iron are obvious.

Pastures grown on iron-rich soil, or on soil acidified by modern agricultural practices, tend to increase the amount of iron available for plant uptake, resulting in forage with elevated iron content.

Horses grazing on such pastures may ingest far more iron than needed, particularly if copper and zinc levels are already low.

Well water containing more than 10 mg per litre of iron can further elevate total intake, and when combined with fortified feeds or multiple supplements, daily levels can easily exceed safe limits.

Collectively, these environmental and management factors make chronic iron excess a more realistic concern than deficiency in the modern horse.

Over time, this slow accumulation takes a toll.

Horses consuming iron-rich forages, feed or water or receiving unnecessary supplementation may show telltale signs such as rusty tips on dark manes, dull or reddish coats, brittle hoofs or recurring abscesses.

These subtle changes reflect underlying interference with copper, zinc and manganese absorption, minerals essential for connective tissue strength, joint health and hoof integrity. Left unchecked, the imbalance can contribute to fatigue, inflammation, weakened immunity and metabolic instability.

Emerging evidence further suggests that chronic iron overload may play a contributing role in metabolic disorders such as equine metabolic syndrome and laminitis.

Excess iron interferes with trace mineral balance and enzymatic function, disrupting insulin regulation and connective tissue health.

Horses grazing on high-iron, high-sugar pastures or consuming iron-rich concentrates may therefore be more susceptible to metabolic stress.

In this context, iron acts as an environmental factor that interacts with diet, water quality and individual metabolic resilience to potentially tip the balance toward insulin resistance and laminitic episodes.

Avoiding a problem

Horse owners can take several proactive steps to safeguard mineral balance.

Begin by testing forage and water, especially in regions with mineral-rich or acidic soils.

Evaluate trace mineral ratios, maintaining Fe:Cu:Zn between roughly 4:1:4 and 10:1:4 to offset excess iron’s effects.

Adjust feeding management as needed by offering tested hay, rotating or blending pastures and sourcing alternative water if necessary.

Under veterinary guidance, blood testing for ferritin and transferrin can help assess stored iron and detect early metabolic stress.

Iron is undeniably essential for equine health, yet for many horses, the challenge lies not in a deficiency, but in maintaining balance and avoiding excess.

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Cattle prices have been high enough to raise eyebrows, and demand has been relatively steady, but the same farmers raking in revenue from the auction ring also know that things that go up eventually come down, and there are plenty of underlying issues — from rising input costs and trade uncertainty, to disease risks and volatile weather — that could add momentum to the tumble.

WHY IT MATTERS: Manitoba’s cattle producers are undoubtedly happy that their cattle are worth more, but past bad times add an element of caution to the optimism.

“We’re seeing a high demand for Canadian beef,” said Manitoba Beef Producers general manager Carson Callum at a recent fall district meeting.

That demand was evident at Manitoba auction marts in late October. Lighter feeder cattle commanded premium prices, feedlots being hungry for animals with maximum growth potential ahead of them. Steers in the 300-400 pound range topped sales at $7.40 to over $10 per hundredweight at some locations, while heavier animals over 1,000 pounds brought $3.80-$4.45 per hundredweight.

Favourable markets would typically be rationale for producers to lean into cattle, but industry says that isn’t the trend they’ve seen. Manitoba, Canada and the U.S. have all seen stubbornly diminished cattle herds, and farm groups like the Manitoba Beef Producers have said some producers have seen the high prices as incentive to exit the business.

“Last time we saw a fairly large increase in price, especially in the cow-calf industry, there was a bit of an exodus. People in that demographic figured, this is the time to sell high and go and retire from the industry,” Callum said.

Whether that will happen again this time around, or cattle producers will double down and invest in their operations, remains to be seen.

“Whether that was in the Interlake or in the Westman region or in the northern part of the province, water availability was a pretty big concern,” he said of the year.

MBP pushed for government assistance early in the summer. The province responded with several feed flexibility measures and funding for water development projects. In late July 2025, the federal and Manitoba governments rolled out emergency support for livestock producers hit by drought, mimicking a measure from the 2021 drought where crop insurance appraisals were adjusted to get marginal cereal crops into the feed stream more easily.

Producers with forage and pasture insurance were allowed to defer premium payments and receive partial payouts, while livestock could graze insured forages after first cut without penalty. MASC also offered loan payment deferrals and financing options for feed purchases, giving farmers short-term relief as dry conditions strained pastures and feed supplies.

“We were happy that, after some advocacy from our organization, the province opened up a special intake for water source development,” Callum said.

That included support for aeration systems in dugouts and feed and water testing, steps meant to help producers manage through patchy drought conditions.

It’s only the sector’s latest brush with dry conditions over the last decade. Serious forage shortages led the sector to also call for aid in 2019 and 2021.

“We export 50 per cent of what we produce, and 79 per cent of that 50 per cent goes to the U.S.,” he said. “There is no short-term replacement for the U.S., so we need to have an open and free trade market with them.”

The renegotiation of the Canadian-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) could reignite old trade irritants such as mandatory country-of-origin labelling, though Callum said that is a “short-term” concern that he hopes will not lead to a “long-term” challenge.

The issue has, however, already gained steam in other meat sectors, who point to incoming voluntary country-of-origin-labelling in January. While limited to products that want to tout themselves as “Product of USA” or “Made in the USA,” Canada’s pork producers have argued that the coming vCOOL will have the same segregation issues that put Canadian animals at a disadvantage under its mandatory predecessor.

Producers are also being encouraged to look into livestock price insurance to hedge against sudden market drops, despite the improvements that beef producers say the program needs.

“We’ve been advocating for years, and will continue to advocate, for a cost-share funding on this premium,” Callum said, as one example.

The province announced in early October that it would extend its rental rate freeze on grazing and forage leases into the next growing season, keeping rates at $3.66 per animal unit month, the lowest in Western Canada.

Callum welcomed the rent freeze to 2026, but warned of what could happen when it’s lifted.

“My main concern … is how big of a shock to the system it will be for cost of production for producers that utilize a lot of Crown lands,” he said.

In mid-June, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency confirmed a bovine tuberculosis infection in a seven-year-old dairy cow from a farm in the Pembina Valley region of south-central Manitoba. Samples taken at the abattoir tested positive for the bacteria on June 9, with confirmation coming June 13.

Officials traced the animal back to its herd through the DairyTrace traceability program and quarantined the farm pending further testing and depopulation. The case marked the first bovine tuberculosis detection in Canada outside Saskatchewan since 2018.

“If you do get impacted, whether you’re going to have to go through testing or full quarantine, reach out to our organization,” Callum said. “It can be a stressful time.”

On the wildlife front, rising elk populations are damaging fences and feed supplies across the province.

“The increase in elk population, the damage these herds are causing on cattle operations, is becoming very concerning,” Callum said, calling for updated surveys and strong discussions with government officials.

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