Like any recipe, making a good composted manure requires the right ingredients, a proper mixer and some heat. “There are a lot of misconceptions as to what composting actually is, some think that if you have a pile of manure it’s called composting, it really isn’t,” said Mario Tenuta. “So we want to talk to
Winter no barrier to composting
Manure composting has many benefits, including concentrated nutrients, reduced volume, no smell and easy transport
Transportation review recommendations
Ritz says shippers should be able to charge for cars not delivered on time
Winnipeg — Ongoing assessment of the grain transportation system and better protection for small shippers are two of the eight recommendations made by the Crop Logistics Working Group (CLWG). They will now be submitted to the Canada Transportation Act Review for consideration. Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz was in Winnipeg Monday to announce the findings of
Tracking the elusive but destructive wild boar
The highly reclusive wild boar may be responsible for much more crop damage than previously thought
Ruth Kost has never seen a wild boar before but she’s hoping that will change after a summer spent tracking the elusive beast. “They don’t like to show themselves,” said the University of Saskatchewan master’s student. “They are kind of reclusive, they avoid people… and they’re very aware of hunting pressures.” But just because you
KAP pleased with expansion of waterway accord
Ontario and Alberta have become the first provinces to agree to work with Manitoba and others to improve water health
A Manitoba-made agreement aimed at protecting lakes and waterways has gained two new signatories. Last week, Alberta and Ontario signed on to the Lake Friendly Accord, which already includes many mayors and reeves, as well as the Lake Winnipeg Foundation, Manitoba Hydro, the government of Canada and state of Minnesota. For Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP),
PED vaccine could aid in disease fight
Developers are waiting for approval to begin clinical trials
Pork producers may soon have a powerful new tool in the fight against porcine epidemic diarrhea or PED. The Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization’s International Vaccine Centre at the University of Saskatchewan, better known as VIDO-InterVac, is waiting for final approvals from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to begin clinical trials of a vaccine
Zambian herd grows, despite ticks, poachers
While not without challenges, some farmers forced out of Zimbabwe have found a home ranching in Zambia
Quietly, after the bulk of journalists has moved on to other things, Graham Rae describes the situation as 15 to one. That is 15 poachers and one security guard shot so far. On a still morning near the central Zambian town of Chisamba, it’s hard to imagine, but cattle rustling is a major problem for
Glenlea Research Station opens its fields to the public on July 8
Mark your calendar to come walk the fields, check out the plots and the composting at this year’s Glenlea field day
Like any long-term commitment, it takes experimentation to keep things lively. Such is the case at the Glenlea Research Station, home to Canada’s oldest organic rotation study, which opens its fields to the public next week. Visitors will have the opportunity to check out some of the new and existing research being done at Glenlea
A mix of pragmatism and fear keeps GMOs out of Zambia
While the debate over GMO labelling continues in North America, Zambians take it for granted that they aren’t consuming products made with genetically modified ingredients
In Zambia, it’s practically everywhere. Maize is in tiny garden plots, on small farms, huge estates, in markets and on dinner plates. Since its introduction to Africa by the Portuguese in the 16th century, maize has become the main staple crop in this region. Two megalithic-size cobs even flank the entrance to the Zambia National
Health Canada reviews water quality impact of popular growth promoter
Manitoba Beef Producers says the environmental benefits of growth hormones in cattle production outweigh the risks
More research has emerged suggesting that growth promoters used in the cattle-feeding business may persist in the environment longer than previously thought. Researchers at Indiana University’s Bloomington School of Public and Environmental Affairs found that while the synthetic testosterone known as trenbolone acetate or TBA breaks down in sunlight, darkness allows it to revert back
Wild birds have higher resistance to flu virus
With bird flu ravaging barns in the U.S. and knocking at Canada’s door, it might be time to reconsider how poultry are raised
For years, poultry producers have been breeding something in their barns other than birds. Avian influenza. Long present in wild bird populations, the low-pathogen version of the virus has entered barns, remaining there until a series of mutations turned into something else — something deadly. “We have been playing with fire,” said Earl Brown, a
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
