Agriculture didn’t get a lot of attention during the recent federal election and that’s not likely to change with the new Liberal minority government. The government’s priority is survival. That means a laser-like focus on immediate issues, as well as fulfilling major election promises — affordability, climate change and a national pharmacare program. The ‘progressive’
Comment: Agriculture faces challenges with Liberal minority government
With only four Winnipeg Liberal MPs elected from the Prairies, the sector will fight not to be sidelined
Pod shatter reduction canola sounds swathing’s death knell
Sixty per cent of Manitoba’s canola acres this year have pod shatter reduction technology, even though the innovation has only been available since 2014
Western Canadian farmers have adopted pod shatter reduction canola faster than expected — and industry officials predict the innovation, which is as much about harvest flexibility as straight cutting, will soon be on almost every acre. “InVigor (canola from BASF), which is on more than half of the acres in Western Canada, this year over
Manitoba egg farms run by ‘real’ farmers, says MEF
Out-of-province non-farm corporations, are not buying Manitoba egg farms, says Rory Rybuck, general manager of Manitoba Egg Farmers. “You have to have land, equipment of course, and be an actual farmer,” he said in an interview Sept. 25. During the national agriculture debate organized by the Canadian Federation of agriculture broadcast online Sept. 24, Kate
KAP unhappy with new drainage regulations
Manitoba’s general farm organization was expecting rules that would let farmers manage water better and help protect wetlands
The Manitoba government’s new drainage regulations, which came into effect Oct. 2 are a “big disappointment,” says Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) vice-president Mitch Janssens. “We were trying to convince them to dangle the carrot to create more beneficial wetlands, but also allow producers to improve their land. That’s not what we got. That’s where the big disappointment is. We
Potato growers struggling with harvest — again
The second wet harvest in as many years has Manitoba potato growers worried
Manitoba potato growers, forced to leave an unprecedented number of acres unharvested last fall, are worried 2019 could be a repeat. “It’s not looking very good,” Dan Sawatzky, manager of the Keystone Potato Growers Association (KPGA) representing the province’s 52 processing potato growers said in an interview Sept. 30. “I am hoping we can dig
MASC says Manitoba farmers not giving up on harvest yet
Wet weather in September delayed Manitoba’s harvest, but there’s still time
Manitoba farmers aren’t giving up on the 2019 crop yet despite an especially wet September which, for the second consecutive year, has delayed harvest. “We’ve had very few calls from producers who have concluded their crop is in a spot where they can’t harvest it, or it’s not going to be worth harvesting,” David Van
Canada working to keep wheat exports to Peru
Cereals Canada is pleased with recent progress
Peruvian agriculture officials have got an eyeful of Canada’s grain quality assurance system. They were in Canada the week of Sept. 9 to meet with members of our grain industry and Canadian regulators. It’s part of an effort to keep Canadian wheat exports flowing to Peru. Officials from Peru’s Servicio Nacional de Sanidad Agraria (National
Make modern agriculture an election issue
Bill Campbell and Cam Dahl fear opponents to new technology will derail agricultural productivity, sustainability and undermine Canada’s economy
Modern Canadian agriculture faces an existential threat that farmers should be raising as an issue in the federal election. That’s the view of two Manitoba-based agricultural leaders — Bill Campbell, president of the Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP), Manitoba’s general farm organization, and Cereals Canada president Cam Dahl. Both came to their positions independently, without consulting
Other agriculture issues farmers want political candidates to address
Farm groups seek action on risk management, carbon tax and other topics
Business risk management, trade, labour, and climate change mitigation are some of the top issues farmers want candidates to address during the current federal election campaign. Farmers, and the major federal parties, agree agriculture is an important driver of Canada’s economy and can potentially contribute more by increasing agri-food exports, Keystone Agricultural Producers’ president Bill
Manitoba commodity groups issue merger info
The five commodity groups proposing a merger say the draft agreement and bylaws are available online
The five Manitoba commodity groups proposing to merge have more information for members to consider before they vote on it in person February 12 and 13 during the Crop Connect conference in Winnipeg. A draft amalgamation agreement and draft bylaws for the new organization are available online (see at bottom), Manitoba Wheat and Barley Growers
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