“You’re bidding the price down to what the lowest will accept.” – LES MCEWAN A$75-million program to help Canadian hog farmers exit the industry has ended up removing 800,000 pigs, including 10 per cent of the national sow herd. The Hog Farm Transition Program eliminated just over 131,000 sows, as well as nearly 250,000 weanling
Transition Program Removes Nearly A Million Pigs
No Hidden Agenda In Drainage Licensing, Producers Assured
“We’re not here to shut operations down.” – GEOFF REIMER, WATER RESOURCE New provincial regulations requiring licences for on-farm drainage in Manitoba are necessary to stop the drainage abuse that occurred in the past, a producer meeting last week was told. There was a time when producers would sometimes use an unwritten exemption to “get
Manitoba Potato Farmers Face Steep Contract Cuts
“People just aren’t eating out as often as they used to.” – CALLA FARN, MCCAIN FOODS A sharp downturn in exports has Manitoba’s processing potato growers bracing for major cuts in contracted acres this year. McCain Foods Inc., the province’s largest potato processor, will cut potato contracts by 15 to 20 per cent this year,
Red River Valley Poises For Spring Flood
“It’s a big enough flood to cause havoc with a lot of people in the valley.” – ALF WARKENTIN There’s bad news and good news for residents of Manitoba’s flood-prone Red River Valley this year. The bad news is there’ll be another spring flood. The good news is it won’t be nearly as severe as
Proposed Internet Cuts Spark Rural Outcry
“You don’t have access to do much business.” IAN WISHART, KAP Last week’s public outcry over a move to cut a federal program linking rural Canadians with the Internet may speak volumes about Internet service outside urban centres. The opposition to the government’s plan suggests Internet service in rural Canada isn’t nearly as good as
New Software Puts Cow Data Close At Hand
“You amalgamate everything into one small handheld computer.” – ROGER HEEG You could say that whenever Roger Heeg walks through his dairy barn, he has the situation well in hand. Heeg uses a specially developed software program on a hand-held Smartphone – a BlackBerry, in this case – to keep tabs on his dairy cows.
Animal Welfare Activists Target Pig Castration
– Robyn Harte, MAFRI “It’s a recognized common practice in most of the world.” An animal welfare coalition is trying to end the practice of castrating male piglets by asking grocery stores in Canada to carry pork from intact pigs. “We politely ask you to take action and meet with your suppliers to discuss our
World Oatmeal Record Highlights Winnipeg Agriculture Event
“We are making a difference.” – riCHard laVergne, aafC Here’s a recipe for you. Pour 250 to 275 litres of water into a 400-litre pot. Pre-boil the water for almost three hours. Add 68 kilograms of oatmeal from Manitoba-grown oats. Let thicken for about 15 minutes. The result: 327.5 kg of oatmeal porridge. Serves 300
New Rules Require Permits For Small Potato Growers
New provincial regulations require small potato growers who sell to farmers’ markets and roadside stands to have permits, although the rules won’t be enforced for the next three years. However, growers who supply seasonal vegetable retailers will require permits, beginning this year. The new regulation under the Farm Products Marketing Act means all potato growers
Manitoba Egg Producers Adopt Alternate Housing Standards
“We don’t want governments and retailers telling us what to do.” – KURT SIEMENS, MEF Manitoba egg producers have taken a major step toward alternate housing for hens by introducing new animal welfare standards for layer barns. The new policy will eventually mean the phasing out of battery cages, currently the industry standard for housing
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