There will be more business opportunities in agriculture the next 10 years than there’s been in the last 30, according to agricultural economist David Kohl, the keynote speaker at the Manitoba Special Crops Symposium Feb. 10 in Winnipeg. But there will also be more ways to go broke, he cautioned. Farmers can protect themselves through
Cash On Hand Could Save The Farm
MCGA Members Reject Proposed Bylaw Changes
Term limits for directors with the Manitoba Canola Growers Association (MCGA) were rejected at its 2008-09 annual meeting in Brandon Feb. 11. It’s not that members attending oppose the idea. “My feeling was the reason the membership turned that down was because those term limits would’ve been grandfathered so all current directors would start at
Grain Prices Going Sideways
Grain prices have slumped since January and will continue to trade sideways. But spring rallies could provide profitable selling opportunities, says Mike Jubinville, president of ProFarmer Canada. Although the immediate outlook is discouraging for farmers, longer term Jubinville expects commodity prices, including grain, to rise due to inflation. “(T)his is not going to be a
McKnight Wins 2009 Corn Yield Competition
“Our organization is strong, growing, there’s a lot of interest in corn.” – MURRAY PRITCHARD Harry McKnight of Roland is the winner of the 2009 corn yield competition organized by the Manitoba Corn Growers Association (MCGA) with a yield of 198.17 bushels an acre. McKnight grew Pioneer Hi-Bred’s 39D97 in 30-inch rows. The crop had
2009 Corn Crop Insurance By The Numbers
Corn farmers insured: 560 Insured corn acres: 161,500 Total corn coverage: $51.5 million Corn premium collected: $9.6 million (Farmers paid 40 per cent or $3.8 million, the federal government paid 36 per cent or $3.5 million and Manitoba paid 24 per cent or $2.3 million.) Average probable (long-term average) corn yield: 88.8 bushels an acre
MASC Explains “Grade Factor” Math
“Probably the biggest part of our problem was we included an example in there.” – DAVID VAN DEYNZE MASC says an example used in a letter to corn growers last fall to help explain changes to how it would calculate insurance claims created confusion that left some farmers feeling misled. “Probably the biggest part of
Is There Enough Certified Flaxseed?
Planting certified flaxseed this spring instead of farm saved is part of a plan to flush traces of genetically modified (GM) CDC Triffid flax from the handling system and restore exports to the European Union (EU). But no one in the industry is sure what the supply or demand will be. “There’s enough (certified) seed
Changes Needed To CWB Election Rules
“Everything this government does is with a view to destroying the wheat board so whether they make changes by opening the act or otherwise their end-game is always the same.” – STEWART WELLS Farmers divided over the Canadian Wheat Board’s (CWB) role can agree on one thing: the rules for electing directors and the role
Grasshoppers A Risk In Central And Western Regions
“If spring and summer conditions in 2010 are favourable for grasshopper survival and development, some areas could have moderate or high levels of grasshoppers.” – GRASSHOPPER FORECAST Gr a s s h o p p e r s could be a problem this spring in western and central Manitoba, especially if it’s hot and dry,
Veteran Farm Communicator Jack Giles Passes
Veteran farm writer and communicator Jack Giles, 72, died Jan. 31 in Winnipeg. Giles worked 19 years for Manitoba Agriculture’s communications section. He left to head up communications for the Canola Council of Canada and later Ducks Unlimited Canada. Giles also worked overseas with CUSO. “He was a newsman first and a government worker second,”