Each year, Ethiopian farmers lose 1.5 billion metric tons of topsoil, Frew Beriso said, quoting the number from a 2008 study. As a result, whatever investment of nutrients exceedingly expensive for smallholder farmers — are put into the soil are in vain. Moisture is the other top issue. This year the spring rains are delayed,
Sustaining hope: Conservation agriculture making gains in Ethiopia
Norway partners with the Canadian Foodgrains Bank to continue to support east-African farmers
“Perfect storm” power outage results in 2,000 pig deaths
Backup generators and phone notification systems failed during April 24 foul weather
About 2,000 pigs perished in a storm-fueled power outage at a HyLife farm site near Kola on April 24, the company confirmed. “During extremely challenging and lengthy weather conditions, which resulted in highway closures, travel advisories and dangerous driving conditions, our employees were not able to access one of our sites,” said Dave Penner, HyLife’s
Pork producers eye antimicrobial use benchmark
Pork council leaders imply they anticipate future regulations, but said their sector isn’t being singled out
A study to get a bead on antibiotic use in Manitoba’s swine herd is less about appearances, more about dialing in management practices before antibiotic resistance becomes an issue, Manitoba Pork Council (MPC) leaders said during their annual general meeting April 6. “It’s not just about PR, it’s actually, ‘We’re going to have to do
Winnipeg city council says no to urban chickens
After swinging toward approval, avian influenza put the brakes on an urban poultry pilot
Winnipeg city council trounced the notion of letting city folks keep hens in their backyard despite initial support, citing concerns over avian influenza. “We’ve heard right now is not the right time,” said Mayor Brian Bowman, during the council’s meeting on April 28. A proposed pilot project, which would have seen 20 flocks of four
Hot prices, cold lambs at Easter
High feed costs are putting a damper on sheep farmers’ hopes despite strong lamb prices
Sheep producers are seeing record prices for their lambs in some categories, with high demand through the recent Easter season. According to Morgan Moore, chair of the Manitoba Sheep Association, that’s consistent with the market patterns of previous years. “The last five years, year over year, our peak price per pound realized for the lambs
More money back in farmers’ pockets, but schools struggling with frozen funding
Pinched municipalities praise commitments to infrastructure, community sustainability but wish for pandemic relief
Farmland education tax rebates are continuing to increase, but without an expected boost to provincial funding for schools, it could fuel an education funding shortfall. The increase in education property tax rebates was part of the 2022 provincial budget, and was welcomed by farm and municipal leaders. The Manitoba School Boards Association says divisions are
VIDEO: Up in smoke, Elva elevator will still live on in homes
Rotting from the bottom up, reclamation for antique wood and hardware was the best bet for the neglected Prairie sentinel
It wasn’t supposed to end like this. Troy Angus and his crew watched a single spark float up the historic grain elevator at Elva, in the far southwest of the province, and lodge in a hole no larger than a football. “It was literally smoke on contact,” Angus said. Initially he was in denial, telling
Small-scale farmers important for ASF prevention: Manitoba Pork
On smaller, specialty hog farms, herd health — while taken just as seriously — can look a lot different, say two producers
Smaller-scale farmers have a part to play in keeping deadly African swine fever (ASF) out of Manitoba’s swine herd, says the Manitoba Pork Council. “When African swine fever went from wild pigs in Germany into the domestic herd, the first time was a farm with four pigs, and the second time was a farm with
Clothing line for farming women, ‘just meant to be’
A Manitoba-based workwear company was inspired by a family history of farming women
The women in Tomina Jackson’s family have farmed for generations, but for years they’ve had to work in clothes that didn’t fit. “It came up that we were all just kind of wearing men’s and boy’s clothing,” Jackson told the Co-operator. “Men’s clothes aren’t made for women’s bodies,” she added. “Depending on the person, that
Manitoba budget offers slight rollback of education property tax
Ag spending last year was more than double of budget due to high claim payouts, the province says
The province will continue rolling back education property taxes this year—though not by as much as initially expected. In its 2022-23 budget, released April 12, the Manitoba government pledged to increase rebates for farm and residential properties to 37.5 per cent from 25 per cent. In the 2021 budget, the province had intended to increase
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