Malt buyers have been slow to accept new varieties and that’s starting to have a big effect on growers. Yields are lagging, profits are falling and other crops are starting to look more attractive to growers. Jill McDonald of SaskBarley wants to see that change. She says varieties need to keep up with the times,
Barley varieties moribund
New genetics are needed in the field
Beef producers seek insurance coverage update
Farmers say insurance should keep pace with the increased wildlife risk of extended grazing
Manitoba’s beef producers are calling for better insurance for extended grazing. Wildlife feed loss sparked a string of resolutions during the Manitoba Beef Producers annual general meeting, held in Brandon February 7. Producers from multiple districts argued that insurance should cover feed that is left in the field if it is part of an extended
Grassing up: finishing beef on grass
The secret to success may be the pasture beneath your feet
Genetics may be part of the equation for beef producers finishing on grass, but forage management may be what really adds up. Jason Rowntree, former chair of the Grassfed Exchange and faculty co-ordinator at Michigan State University’s Lake City Research Centre, says new grass-fed ranchers should only tie up 20 per cent of investment into
Hunting permission slips pitched
Producers say they’re sick of dealing with trespassers during hunting season and hope written permission rules might help them cope
Hunters would need written permission before their next trip onto private agricultural land, if the Manitoba Beef Producers gets its way. MBP will be lobbying to extend signed landowner access rules for hunters and require written permission from landowners. The province currently requires hunters to get permission before hunting or retrieving game animals, regardless of
Drought strategies a long-term game
The winter’s feed challenges have minds on drought planning this winter
After a dry season “drought proofing” feed is a hot topic during this year’s round of winter livestock seminars. After last year’s headline-making dry weather left many with half or less of their normal hay, prematurely dried-out dugouts, triggered herd culling, the message is finding an interested audience. Speakers, meanwhile, are hitting largely on the
Ranchers call for certainty on unit transfers
Northern ranchers are worried that Crown land unit transfers might disappear ‘with a stroke of the pen’
Northern beef producers say they stand to take a big hit on farm value, should unit transfers not be on the table when the province releases their Crown lands regulations. The province froze both new Crown land leases and unit transfer applications in the wake of changes to the Crown Lands Act, pending a review.
Manitoba Beef Producers asked to help thaw the unit transfer freeze
Producers concerned about the unit transfers are hoping for a little more help from the Manitoba Beef Producers. “It’s a complicated question and the board has really struggled with both sides of the story,” MBP general manager Brian Lemon said. “I think we’re waiting for a proposal from the province to say whether or not
Looking for legumes
Experts are pitching pasture seeded with legumes as one strategy to limit drought impact, but there are a few things to keep in mind
Producers looking to buffer against feed issues may want to add some legumes in their pasture mix. The concept has been highlighted more than once this seminar season as speakers ponder how to “drought-proof” Manitoba’s feed supply in light of two years of dry temperatures and a significantly short forage harvest in 2018. Bruce Anderson
Spud growers battling storage woes
A wet and cold fall saw some potatoes dug and stored at less than optimal conditions
A tough harvest is translating into a challenging storage season for Manitoba potato growers. It’s especially frustrating because growers were looking at a bumper crop, forecast to be the third-largest harvest on record. But they were denied that by rains that delayed harvest and hard frosts that hit in mid-October causing ground to freeze as
Ag Action Manitoba adds to fundable farm projects
Farmers have until Feb. 22 to apply for 2019-20 beneficial management practice funding
Livestock producers and forage growers will feature heavily in the next round of farm funding under Ag Action Manitoba. The province has added five beneficial management practices (BMPs) for assurance funding in 2019-20, most of which relate to perennial crops or livestock, on top of 10 management practices already on the books. Why it matters: