The research team that discovered the bioinoculants at the BioCision fermentation facility this spring. Top row, left to right: John Sorensen, Rob Gulden. Middle row: Scot Wushke, Vikram Bisht. Bottom row: Stan Lozecznik, Tajinder Kainth, Richard Sparling, Bert Smith. Missing: April Johnson.

Phosphorus boosters and broad-spectrum antifungal found in Prairie soils

Researchers say naturally occurring microbes can make phosphorus more readily available

A group of Manitoba researchers have isolated two naturally occurring micro-organisms they say will help farmers better utilize phosphorus and fight plant diseases. The work of the scientists, from the University of Manitoba and KGS Group, has centred around two novel bacterium dubbed KGS-2 and KGS-3. Stan Lozecznik, senior environmental engineer with KGS Group, said

(Government of Alberta via Flickr)

Alberta seeding ahead of five-year average

MarketsFarm — While spring planting in Alberta is 12.2 per cent complete overall there’s a disparity between the south and the rest of the province. Also, the pace was 2.6 points above the five-year average, but 5.2 behind last year. As of Tuesday, Alberta Agriculture found seeding in the south was at 36.5 per cent


File photo of a P.E.I. potato field against the backdrop of the Confederation Bridge. (Onepony/iStock/Getty Images)

P.E.I. table stock potato exports to U.S. now allowed

New U.S. order replaces previous requirements; seed potatoes still blocked

Exports of Prince Edward Island table stock potatoes are again officially allowed to enter the mainland United States, after new U.S. entry rules regarding potato wart were published Friday. Canada’s federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said on Twitter that officials with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) are now preparing to certify exports of eligible

Federal Conservative ag critic and Alberta MP John Barlow speaks with P.E.I. potato grower Alex Docherty (r) in a March 18, 2022 photo. (John Barlow photo via Facebook)

Mainland U.S. moving to resume P.E.I. potato imports

P.E.I. growers get 'certainty' for spring planting, Bibeau says

Exports of fresh potatoes from Prince Edward Island to the mainland U.S. are expected to resume “soon” as U.S. officials move to put new rules in place for such shipments. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) said Thursday that Canada “is expected to soon resume exporting (P.E.I.) table stock


Phil Veldhuis is president of Direct Farm Manitoba and a beekeeper.

Manitoba growers pleased to see Peak of the Market deregulate

Held back by its own rules, Peak wants to be free to expand, say CEO, chair

If a recently announced bill passes, Peak of the Market’s quasi-monopoly over Manitoba potatoes and root veggies will come to an end — and it seems no one will be sad to see it go. “As Peak of the Market growers we are unanimous in this decision,” said Peter Loewen, a vegetable grower and chair

(Lightguard/iStock/Getty Images)

Saskatchewan pushes crop insurance deadline to mid-April

'Logistical challenges' led to extension

Saskatchewan farmers will get an extra couple of weeks to apply for, cancel, reinstate or change their crop insurance contracts for 2022, due to holdups in the delivery of their application packages. That deadline, originally March 31, has now been extended to April 14, provincial Ag Minister David Marit and his federal counterpart Marie-Claude Bibeau


File photo of a P.E.I. potato field against the backdrop of the Confederation Bridge. (Onepony/iStock/Getty Images)

P.E.I. testing finds potato wart in another field

Testing stemmed from last October's detection

Soil samples taken on Prince Edward Island following detections of potato wart last fall have turned up another field with the fungus that causes the disease. The P.E.I. Potato Board on Tuesday said the field in question is near to, and is “directly associated” with, a field where the soil-borne disease was found in October.

Frito-Lay products are made in Canada, using Canadian potatoes grown by Canadian farmers.

Comment: War on potato chips just the tip of the iceberg

This is all about the balance of power in the grocery retailing system

We recently learned that Frito-Lay, a brand owned by giant PepsiCo Canada, opted to stop selling to Loblaws after the retailer refused requests by Frito-Lay to increase their prices. Food manufacturers, when selling products to grocers, have suggested retail prices. With low profit margins, labour shortages, packaging issues and supply chain woes, inflation has been


Province proposes open table potato and root vegetable market

Province proposes open table potato and root vegetable market

Incoming bill would allow growers unlimited acres, ability to sell to any buyer

The provincial government is proposing a major revamping of the business model for potatoes and root crops. In a press release issued Mar. 3, Agriculture Minister Derek Johnson said legislation is being introduced to “… help expand the provincial table potato and root crop industry.” “Our province’s farmers provide nutritious, local food to Manitobans, though

VIDEO: Feedlot finding success feeding food waste

VIDEO: Feedlot finding success feeding food waste

Livestock can play a key role in ‘upcycling’ food waste but challenges remain, say researchers

A Winkler-area feedlot has found success cleaning up cull potatoes and will soon be adding ‘pea cream,’ a Roquette waste product, to its ration. “The economics of it just work out,” said Herman Peters, nutrition manager for Birkland Farms. “It’s been a good little trade for us.” Why it matters: Food waste can save producers