Pasture Flood

Dozens evacuated as floodwaters test Rivers dam

WEATHER: Residents downstream of Rivers, Man., are holding their breath as they wait to see if the dam, which holds back Lake Wahtopanah, will hold

Dan Lepp had gotten little rest by the time he drove away from his family’s mixed farm near Rivers the morning of July 2. Lepp, who farms downstream of the Rivers dam on the Little Saskatchewan River, was among dozens of residents in the Municipalities of Riverdale and Whitehead told to evacuate late last night

MPSG executive director Francois Labelle.

Labelle retiring from Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers

NAMED: Daryl Domitruk will be the new executive director effective July 15

Francois Labelle, executive director of Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers (MPSG) since 2014, is retiring July 15, the organization announced Tuesday. Daryl Domitruk, the organization’s director of research and production, will be the new executive director and keep his current position also, MPSG said in a release. “Francois’s contribution to Manitoba’s pulse and soybean industry


Canadian Renewable Energy Association set to form

Canadian Renewable Energy Association set to form

Move promises new national voice for the wind, solar and energy storage industries

Two of Canada’s leading green energy organizations are merging to form a single association. The Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) and the Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA) are set to become Canadian Renewable Energy Association, effective July 1. The new group will be headed by Robert Hornung, the long-standing president of CanWEA. As the founding president and

A new photo cell could generate electricity for greenhouse operators without harming crop production.

New solar panels grab light from above and below

Potential solution towards balance between crop growth and electricity generation capabilities

Electricity is a major expense for Canadian greenhouse growers. At the same time, large greenhouse facilities offer potential to produce renewable solar energy — but the challenge to date has been how to do that without impacting the growth and productivity of the crop inside. A potential solution from Ontario solar panel manufacturer Heliene is


Alberta opts for education over regulation of fusarium head blight

Alberta opts for education over regulation of fusarium head blight

The move better reflects the reality facing farmers on the ground

The Alberta government will stop trying to regulate fusarium head blight (FHB) in favour of managing the fungal disease that can reduce yield and quality in infected wheat and barley. Alberta Agriculture Minister Devin Dreeshen announced June 3 that Fusarium graminearum (Fg) is being removed from the province’s Pest Nuisance Control Regulation of the Agricultural Pests Act — a move

Ag in Motion Discovery Plus announces events for digital farm show

Organizers say they won’t let pandemic prevent farmers from seeing technology and knowledge showcase

As Ag in Motion moves to an online, interactive platform due to the COVID-19 pandemic, western Canadian farmers can expect to continue to access exciting new technology, demonstrations, crop tours and high-profile keynote speakers. “Ag in Motion has always been the trusted place for farmers to see new equipment, technical advancements, livestock and field cropping demos,” Rob O’Connor, Ag in Motion show director, said in a media release. “COVID-19 may


Correlation between risk management and mental health: Study

Study supports education around risk mitigation planning to support good mental health

Farm business management activities have a positive correlation to mental health, according to a new study from Farm Management Canada. “Farm business management practices offer a significant opportunity for managing the stresses of farming in a way that contributes to positive mental health,” said Heather Watson, executive director of Farm Management Canada in a news

Farmer Ian Shippen stands under a mobile irrigation boom stretching nearly half a kilometre on his farm in the heart of Australia’s Murray-Darling River basin.

China claims Australian irrigation scheme is an unfair subsidy

China’s 80.5 per cent tariff on imports of Australian barley stem from an anti-dumping, anti-subsidy investigation launched in 2018. Beijing justified the penalty May 19, concluding Australia’s Murray-Darling Basin Plan — a scheme to improve the well-being of an ecologically vital river system — is a subsidy for Australian growers. Under the plan, Australia buys


PHOTOS: Harvest up in smoke

PHOTOS: Harvest up in smoke

The “harvest from hell” of last year is going up in smoke for many farmers this spring as farmers across the province are taking the torch to unharvested fields. The photos here show a blackened field edge before the main field was set ablaze. Using a quad and other off-road vehicles both saved time and

Nicolea Dow is joining the MCGA board.

Dow joins Manitoba Canola Growers board

Appointment will fill board vacancy left after fall election

Manitoba Canola Growers Association has filled a vacant board seat by appointment. The vacancy was left following a fall election, and is the result of an open application process to fill the seat, which attracted a field of nine interested farmers from across the province. From this field Nicolea Dow was chosen to join the