The Manitoba government is providing $1 million over three years in transitional funding to transfer land management responsibilities to the Association of Manitoba Community Pastures (AMCP), a non-profit group of pasture patrons. AMCP and the province will work together to ensure the environmental benefits of managed grazing on community pastures is maintained, said Minister of
Province steps in with funding for community pasture transition
Kostyshyn announces funding for three-year pilot project aimed at keeping gates open at 24 community pastures
Legalization down south may be a buzz kill up north
Now that Colorado and Washington state have legalized marijuana, and 10 more states have given the nod to industrial hemp production, the clock may be ticking on Canada’s head start in North America. The latest U.S. Farm Bill has made provisions for the research trials done through universities or state Agricultural Departments, but with so
Farmers high on hemp as returns beat canola
Strong prices have led to ‘unprecedented’ interest in the crop, says Hemp Oil Canada rep
Hemp acres in Manitoba are set to shatter records again this year as interest in the crop rises to an unprecedented level, the seed production manager for Hemp Oil Canada said last week. Kevin Friesen told about 30 farmers meeting at the Food Development Centre here that he anticipates 90,000 acres of contracted production this
Struvite from manure safer in canola seed row
Manitoba Soil Science Society serves up a heaping helping of new research
There’s a whole lot of stinky goodness in hog manure, and researchers at the University of Manitoba have been working hard to make it more convenient for grain farmers to use. Experimental extraction of struvite, or magnesium ammonium phosphate — the same greyish-white crystallized minerals that kidney stones are made of — has shown promise as
Lamb co-op ready for spring launch
Branded, value-added Canadian Lamb Company sets sights on underserved market dominated by imports
Four years in the making, the Canadian Lamb Producers Cooperative (CLPC) is ready to start buying finished lambs this spring. “Our plan is to start small and ramp up,” said CEO Terry Ackerman, at a recent information session hosted by the Manitoba Sheep Association. The CLPC, which targets 650 to 1,000 members across nine provinces,
Four Rs keep the regulators at bay, MSSS hears
Right source, rate, time and place are the best guides for staying on the straight and narrow
Widespread adoption of voluntary protocols for balancing soil fertility requirements with the need to protect surface water quality will be far more effective than legislation, the director of the International Plant Nutrition Institute says. Tom Jensen told the recent Manitoba Soil Science Society’s annual conference farmers can maintain crop yields and minimize adverse environmental effects
Stupid is as stupid does, says veteran shepherd
Stress-free approach is key to flock – and shepherd – longevity
Raising sheep is seen by many as the easiest and cheapest way to get started in the livestock business, but anecdotal evidence suggests that most newbie shepherds give up within five years. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not due to poor economics, said Gord Schroeder, member relations manager for the fledgling Canadian Lamb Co-op. “The
What is spray-dried porcine plasma?
Cross-contamination might be to blame, says Iowa State University professor
The use of spray-dried porcine plasma, an ingredient in weanling rations derived from the blood of slaughtered pigs, has been used without incident in the hog sector since the 1990s. But it has now come under intense scrutiny as a possible cause of the PED outbreak in Canada that began on Jan 22. “It’s real
Manitoba PEDv case not linked to feed: CVO
There are 24 farms affected in Eastern Canada
The effort to contain the outbreak of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) seems to be working. An investigation of 45 farms that had contact with Manitoba’s only infected hog premises to date, a weaning-to-finish operation in the southeast, have found no further infections, said acting chief veterinary officer Dr. Glen Duizer. “We are working through all
Vigilance needed more than ever now that PED in province
While industry and provincial officials work to keep it contained, investigations continue into the source of the spread
While provincial and industry officials worked to contain Manitoba’s first case of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PEDv) this week, attention shifted to a pig plasma feed ingredient as a possible source of transmission. Landmark Feeds, which is owned by Nutreco, issued a statement late last week saying a plasma-based feed additive for newborn piglets is suspected
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
