It isn’t the late start that’s the biggest concern for Manitoba farmers this season — it’s the looming lack of soil moisture. The “second winter” that gripped the Prairies has slowed things, but now that the weather has broken, things should move quickly. Bruce Burnett, director of markets and weather information with Glacier FarmMedia, estimates
Second winter breaks as farmers start looking to the fields
Cool-season crops may not have got in as early this year, but experts say spring will quickly catch up if the warm weather holds
Warming seed potatoes had outsized effect on crop
Pre-seed storage may have more impact on processing crop than how the seed crop was managed in the field
The quality of a potato harvest might have more to do with how seeds were stored than how they were treated in the field the previous year. Alison Nelson, agronomist and researcher at Carberry’s Canada-Manitoba Crop Diversification Centre, says warming up seed before planting may have more impact on a processing crop than most in-season
Potato beetle resistance brewing
Potato producers are getting ready for their yearly fight with Colorado potato beetle, but in some places the products don’t work the way they used to
The battle against Colorado potato beetle is becoming more difficult every season. It’s not a new problem. As early as 2014, producer groups were already warning that Colorado potato beetles were becoming increasingly resistant to neonicotinoids. Four years later, the problem has not gone away and, in some patches of the province, has arguably got
Mapping a new frontier: Potatoes and precision agriculture
The root crop has a number of quirks that make it both a prime candidate for precision agriculture and a little different than other crops
Potatoes may, in many ways, be the perfect candidate for precision agriculture. They’re a high-volume, high-value and high-input crop and the industry has already invested more than other sectors in soil and drainage mapping, variable rate technology and management zones, according to one agronomist who works closely with potato growers. Trevor Thornton’s Crop Care Consulting
Alberta bison ranchers earn Bill Lenton Memorial Award
Fort McMurray-area ranchers Brad and Carmen Ramstead are the latest to earn the Bill Lenton Memorial Award for their efforts on behalf of the Manitoba bison industry
This year’s Bill Lenton Memorial Award went to a bison ranch a bit further afield. Brad and Carmen Ramstead of Fort McMurray, Alta., added their names to the award during the annual Manitoba Bison Association Great Spirit Bison Show and Sale March 30. “We were pretty humbled,” Carmen Ramstead said. “We’ve been through a lot
Winter fair clinics look to pass the torch on horse skills
Attendees got the ABCs of how to ride and rope properly from local experts during the 2018 Royal Manitoba Winter Fair
Shane Brown grew up on rodeo. A self-described third-generation cowboy, Brown was raised on his family’s ranch watching his father rope before entering competition himself. His family has been a stalwart supporter of the sport, often pitching in behind events like the Virden Indoor Rodeo, Manitoba Calf Roped Unlimited Finals, and other roping competitions. He
Planning for the worst
Three municipalities and one regional committee have all earned provincial recognition for emergency preparedness
The province is encouraging municipalities to plan for the worst. Four regions, the municipalities of Cartier, Hanover, Louise and the Southern Emergency Response Committee, were all recognized for their emergency programs during this year’s Manitoba Community Emergency Preparedness Awards. Awards were presented during the Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM) seminar April 11-12 in Brandon. The
Merger mania could hurt farmers
Mergers or acquisitions have been big news in the last year — but what does that mean for the farmer?
A wave of consolidation is, yet again, sweeping through the global agriculture sector, leaving many to wonder what this is going to mean for farmers. Equipment firms, precision agriculture companies, fertilizer makers and crop protection producers, all are getting swept up in the trend. Some observers are optimistic, while others are much more cautious. The
Provincial Ex beefs up biosecurity
Brandon’s Royal Manitoba Winter Fair joined the list of events requiring specific vaccinations in order for horses to compete this year
The Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba is toughening up its biosecurity. The 2018 Royal Manitoba Winter Fair was the first time the body required proof of vaccination for both equine herpes virus and equine influenza. “It’s been very positive,” said Ron Kristjansson, general manager for the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba. “There’s more awareness of some equine
Phytophthora a growing risk to soybeans
The once-rare infection is now the No. 2 cause of soybean root rot in Manitoba
The threat of phytophthora is on the rise in Manitoba. Results from a 2017 disease survey show it’s becoming common enough soybean growers will need to keep it top of mind as they plan their rotations this year. About 35 per cent of tested soybean crops in Manitoba were positive for phytophthora, although fusarium was