Trump tariffs a significant factor, NAFTA weighs in too
The ongoing trade war between the United States and the rest of the world is side-swiping Manitoba’s pork industry. Hog prices have tumbled since last spring, leaving producers worried about their future just as the industry is recovering from a decade of economic woe. “It’s pretty terrible. It’s about as bad as it’s been in […] Read more
Emission reduction plans lack details and are late in addressing the issue
Canada’s federal and provincial governments are lagging far behind their targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and are woefully unprepared for climate change, a new report says. Canada is expected to miss its 2020 emissions reduction target by 20 per cent and is also likely to miss its 2030 target without a major effort, says […] Read more
No alert about sugar content as the regulator recognizes honey as a sweetener
Canada’s beekeepers are expressing relief after Health Canada last week exempted honey from proposed new mandatory rules for nutritional food package labels. The regulations, if approved, will require pre-packaged products to carry warning labels if they exceed recommended thresholds for sugar, sodium and saturated fat. Food products containing more than 15 per cent of the […] Read more
Going slow and using an air reel are two important techniques
Soybean growers can avoid major seed losses at harvest time by using air reels and driving combines no faster than four miles per hour, a new study says. Air reels significantly decrease header losses, and between two and four miles an hour is the optimal ground speed for harvesting soybeans, says the study by the […] Read more
MASC sees record hail claims after two of the worst years for hail damage in recent history
Soybeans are having a ‘hail’ of a time in Manitoba, thanks to two of the worst years for hail damage in recent memory. Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation in 2016 paid soybean growers $5.2 million in hail damage claims, 12 per cent of its total hail payouts for that year, statistics show. The year before, in […] Read more
Too many uncertainties exist to say it’s the only solution
Organic agriculture has benefits but it is not a silver bullet for global food security, a new study says. Too much scientific uncertainty exists for organic agriculture to be considered a better alternative to conventional farming, says the study by two University of British Columbia researchers. “(O)rganic agriculture cannot be the Holy Grail for our […] Read more
Restaurant chain will have all-Canadian beef this summer, after its U.S.-sourcing misstep
Phil Gallagher began his talk with an apology. Then he kept apologizing all the way through. “I’m a proud Canadian, just like all of you, and I learned a really hard lesson last year,” he said in concluding his address to the recent Manitoba Beef Producers annual meeting. “I hope to never make the same […] Read more
Lack of profitability and uncertainty over where to market animals are two key challenges
Manitoba cattle producers aren’t against a government plan to substantially increase the province’s beef herd but have a lot of questions about how to get there. Growing those numbers will require more producers, larger herds and more acres, according to Manitoba Beef Producers. Exactly where those will come from isn’t clear, especially considering the cost […] Read more
Uncertainty rules as Trump eyes trade deals, but nobody is sure if Canada is in his line of fire
An atmosphere of uncertainty hangs over the Canadian cattle industry as it awaits a possible trade war with the U.S. The newly minted U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly signalled his intention to either scrap or renegotiate NAFTA, which has helped make the U.S. Canada’s largest market for beef and cattle exports. A more immediate […] Read more
The provincial government says the move is part of its red tape reduction initiative
The Manitoba government has begun a new anti-red tape initiative by streamlining the provincial building code for farm structures. The Manitoba Farm Building Code will be repealed and dovetailed into the Manitoba Building Code, with specific provisions for farm buildings. It’s the first action in a government campaign to eliminate or simplify regulatory requirements that […] Read more
