It’s time for producers to take an annual look at a perennial issue. “What we need to do is get away from our conventional thinking,” said Clayton Robins during a special seminar presented by the University of Manitoba’s department of animal science. The beef producer and former Agriculture Canada research assistant believes annual forage mixes
Energy-dense forage crops for the future
Energy-dense forage could present a viable alternative to feedlots in some instances
Sale of MCEC property raising questions
The provincial government says the MCEC failed because federal funding never materialized, but it isn’t releasing details of a recent property transaction
It was supposed to be the site of a new, federally inspected cattle slaughter facility — one that would buoy a flagging industry in the wake of BSE. But now Manitoba’s opposition Tories say a property at 663 Marion Street in Winnipeg has been sold for half its value as the Manitoba Cattle Enhancement Council
Cost of lowering Lake Manitoba could reach $450 million
The province hopes the federal government will provide financial assistance as outlet channels move forward
The Manitoba government has moved another step closer to beginning construction on new outlet channels for Lake Manitoba and Lake St. Martin. Conceptual design options and potential routes for the channels were unveiled at a press conference last week, followed by an open house in Ashern. But officials stressed that there are still nearly three
RCMP investigating after bees poisoned
A Manitoba beekeeper is out thousands of dollars after his bees were the target of truly poisonous wrath
It’s a sting being felt by beekeepers across province. And now the deliberate poisoning of hundreds of thousands of bees at multiple locations in the Rural Municipality of Elton has left apiarists and the RCMP looking for answers. “We came to the first yard and there were just piles of dead bees all over on
Manitoba bee mortality down
Bee mortality in Manitoba varied greatly from region to region last winter, but most honey producers saw improvements
Despite the prolonged cold weather Manitoba endured last winter, bee mortality actually declined in the province. “We’re calling it a high normal,” said Rheal Lafreniere, Manitoba’s provincial apiarist. “When we take all the numbers that got reported to us, mortality came out to around 24 per cent.” Normal winterkill numbers fall between 15 and 25
Frost damage reported in a few areas
An area around Somerset saw below-freezing temperatures for four to seven hours last Friday
Most Manitoba producers have dodged an icy bullet for now, but there are reports of some minor injury and areas that received a killing frost. Long-season crops, including corn, and later-seeded crops in parts of western Manitoba got some frost early Monday morning, but the extent of the damage wasn’t known at press time Monday,
St. Norbert’s Farmers’ Market 2.0
Whether you pay for goods online or in person, the province says a farmers’ market is still a farmers’ market
It’s a stormy afternoon at the St. Norbert’s Farmers’ Market just south of Winnipeg, but Phil Veldhuis’s spirits are far from damp. The market has just announced an online service that means inclement weather over the winter months will no longer stymie producers’ efforts to reach customers. “I’ve had this dream for a number of
Farmers struggle with wet harvest
Some regions are soggier than others
It rains. Then it pours. Now, will it freeze? With weather watchers raising the possibility of frost this week, Manitoba farmers are struggling to get harvestable crops into the bin — wet or dry — and keeping their fingers crossed later crops such as corn and soybeans will reach maturity in time. Many hay producers
Too early to alter nitrogen guidelines
Solid manure applications may actually release more nitrogen over time, not less
The questions, how much nitrogen was applied and how much is available don’t have the same answer. Seven crops into a long-term study on nutrient management at the National Centre for Livestock and the Environment, researchers have found that current provincial guidelines for estimating nitrogen availability may not reflect reality when it comes using solid
Opposition seeks high ground as flood waters recede
Manitoba’s opposition party wants action on flood mitigation but is a little shallow on details
There are some muddy politics swirling around Manitoba’s flood waters. On July 30, Manitoba’s opposition Tories called for a moratorium on drainage in both Saskatchewan and Manitoba, as part of a Progressive Conservative plan to reduce flooding. Tory water critic, Shannon Martin said he had asked “the province to engage our counterparts in Saskatchewan to
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
