Manitoba’s cannabis homegrow ban a mistake

Consumer’s group compares the restriction to outdated home-brewing regulations that were phased out

A consumer’s group says the Manitoba government is wrong to ban growing recreational marijuana for personal consumption. The Consumers Choice Centre notes medical cannabis patients have the right to grow plants at home and calls restrictions for recreational users “incredibly silly.” “Having different rules for different residents of Manitoba makes the law significantly more difficult

(Video screengrab from Agrium.com)

Agri-food supercluster announces board, CEO

The new Smart Agri-Food Supercluster (SASC) will field a team of 11 innovation and corporate leaders from across Canada as its interim board of directors. The board (see below), which will be chaired by Doug Beever of Agrium, has also appointed Rob Davies as its interim CEO. Davies brings more than three decades of leadership


MacDon opened a new parts distribution centre in Winnipeg in 2016. (Macdon.com)

Harvestec owner Linamar set to buy MacDon

Canadian harvesting equipment company MacDon is set to join the ag arm of industrial equipment and parts manufacturer Linamar. Guelph-based Linamar Corp., which markets the Harvestec brand of corn harvesting headers in North America, on Thursday announced a “definitive” agreement to buy 100 per cent of Winnipeg-based MacDon and its group of companies for $1.2



Canadian Hall of Fame inducts three

A Nov. 30 ceremony in Calgary made the previously announced inductions official

An all-female slate of inductees have been ushered into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame. Robynne Anderson, Patty Jones and Jean Szkotnicki were inducted in a Nov. 30 ceremony in Calgary. The three accomplished women are joining an exclusive group — of the more than 210 individuals named to the organization since its founding in

Save time and money with accurate farm records

Save time and money with accurate farm records

Our History: December 1981

Farm records were still kept on paper in December 1981, when a Manitoba Agriculture ad invited farmers to talk to their ag rep about the new farm record book. Our Dec. 3 edition reported that 38-year-old former RCMP officer Bill Uruski of Poplarfield had been appointed as the new minister of agriculture in the Howard


A lygus bug prepares to wreak havoc on a canola plant.

Manitoba crop insects seen in 2017

Manitoba Agriculture entomologist offers his yearly summary of bugs

From aphids to wheat midge, a wide variety of insects made their presence known in Manitoba crops in 2017. John Gavloski, entomologist with Manitoba Agriculture, has compiled a summary entitled ‘Summary of Insects on Crops in Manitoba in 2017‘ of the insects observed in fields across the province. Much of the crop insects identified in

A Ben + Florentine restaurant in Ange-Gardien, Que. The breakfast-focused chain, now part of Imvescor, opened its 50th restaurant in November. (BenEtFlorentine.com)

Canadian fast-food, dining firms plan merger

A restaurant firm with well known brands in Eastern Canada’s casual dining market is set to merge into a neighbouring firm behind the franchises populating many of Canada’s mall food courts. Montreal-based MTY Food Group announced Tuesday it has a cash-and-stock agreement in place to pick up all outstanding common shares of another Montreal firm,


Lake Winnipeg algae blooms can create, under certain conditions,
powerful neurotoxins.

Lake Winnipeg blooms create neurotoxins

Researchers say the substances have been associated with 
several health conditions

Manitoba’s largest lake is the host to potentially harmful toxins caused by cyanobacteria, more commonly known as “blue-green algae.” Researchers from the University of British Columbia, working with the Lake Winnipeg Research Consortium, were looking for a specific toxin called BMAA that’s been linked with conditions ranging from Alzheimer’s to Lou Gehrig’s disease. “Cyanobacteria blooms