“...now I think fertilizer pricing is almost a 12-month-a-year practice.” – Darren Bond, Manitoba Agriculture.

Fertilizer prices likely flattened, set to rise slowly 

Fertilizer price plateau: A good handle on cost of production can bring calm amid volatile markets, says management specialist

Fertilizer prices have mostly hit a plateau and will likely start to creep up again, says one analyst. “Farmers would be incentivized to get the product that they need for the coming 12 months probably sooner rather than later if they want to make use of the bottom of the market,” said Chris Lawson, head

There have been recent large investments in the Manitoba Pork sector.

Study puts numbers to pork sector’s economic contribution

Pork’s outlook positive despite headwinds, industry says

Twenty-two thousand, or 55 per cent, of all agriculture and food processing jobs in Manitoba are tied to the hog sector, according to a new study released by the Manitoba Pork Council. “The contributions of Manitoba’s hog farming and pork processing sector to the provincial economy are substantial and show that our sector is an


Farmers should be asking lots of questions if they want to keep their footing when it comes to offsets.

Muddied waters on carbon credits

Cautious carbon optimism: While carbon offsets could be a boon for producers, experts warn the market is a volatile space with many risks to consider

[UPDATED: Aug. 11, 2023] The message may go something like this: farmers live in a carbon-priced world and it’s time they started making that a positive, not a negative. Sign this contract, plant a cover crop and, based on the resulting carbon offsets, make a little money off some corporation’s environmental goals. But the landscape

The exterior and interior of the new Vermillion Growers greenhouse near Dauphin.

Enormous Dauphin greenhouse opens for tomato production 

In its initial phase, Vermillion Growers will supply 10 million pounds of tomatoes to the Prairie market

Within weeks, 10 acres of tomatoes will be growing in a Dauphin greenhouse, destined for distribution all over the Prairies. “It’s a little bit surreal, because we’ve been at it for such a long time, but at the same time, we’re all so ready,” said Maria Deschauer, managing director of Vermillion Growers. Why it matters:


Wade Barnes is one of the founders of Ronin Agronomy.

Ousted Farmers Edge founder launches new company

Demand for precision nutrient management services will only grow: Barnes

Wade Barnes and other former Farmers Edge brass are back in the business with an agronomy firm focusing on precision nutrient management. “I believe that you’re going to see a significant move towards this in agriculture in the next one to three years,” Barnes said. Why it matters: Wade Barnes has started another company after

“Pulling together, doing all the right things ... is just fantastically important.” – Jim Tokarchuk, Soil Conservation Council of Canada.

Soil ‘champions’ pledge to raise national profile of soil health

Changing crop rotations, volatile weather and a growing population all provide new stressors on soil

A group of soil ‘champions’ has come together to emphasize the benefits of soil health to consumers, farmers and policy makers. “It contributes to Canadians in so many ways,” Jim Tokarchuk said. He is the executive director of the Soil Conservation Council of Canada, one of the groups that spearheaded the new Soil Champions committee. The council announced the


“There’s a lot that we can do to provide support to producers who are willing to try things ... and I think that there’s a lot of ground to be gained.” – Aaron Knodel.

Low emitting cow-calf farms move in step with profitability

The variability of the cow-calf sector means there are many levers to pull to increase financial, environmental sustainability, says researcher

A study benchmarking cow-calf profitability against greenhouse gas intensity suggests profitable farms tend to have lower emissions, but there’s a lot of room to work on both sides of the equation. “There’s a lot that we can do to provide support to producers who are willing to try things … and I think that there’s

Photo: Reuters

NFU claims victory for wheat producers after CGC reversal

The changes would've seen the export grade standard applied to deliveries to country elevators

The National Farmers Union (NFU) is calling a reversal of wheat-grading changes a “tremendous success for farmers,” according to news release, Friday. On Friday morning, the Canadian Grain Commission repealed upcoming grading changes in response to complaints from producer groups. In a news release, the CGC simply stated it was repealing the alignment of primary


 PHOTO: Laura Rance

CGC repeals grading changes in response to producer complaints

The new regulations would have seen export grade standards applied to deliveries to country elevators

Days before implementation, the Canadian Grain Commission repealed grading changes in response to complaints from producer groups. In a news release, Friday, the CGC simply stated it was repealing the alignment of primary and export tolerances for test weight and total foreign materials for Canada Western Red Spring, Canada Western Hard White Spring, Canada Western Extra

Hail-damaged cereals in one of Eric McLean’s fields in Westman.

Hail claims in Manitoba surpass 2022

Several hailstorms struck the southwest, south-central and other areas of the province in the first part of the growing season

Half-way into a stormy summer, hail insurance claims have already surpassed last year’s total, according to the Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation. As of July 20, it had seen 1,206 hail claims. This compares to 513 at the same time in 2022. Last year saw 1,121 registered hail claims throughout the year. Why it matters: High