This photo from our May 6, 1993 issue showed (l-r) Peter Entz of Manitoba Agriculture, Bill Poole of Ducks Unlimited, Bob McNabb of Minnedosa, Wayne Lewis of Rapid City, Garth Butcher of Birtle and Bob Bradley of PFRA checking soil moisture for the first year of the Manitoba Zero Tillage Research Association’s 640-acre research farm north of Brandon. The facility is now used by the Manitoba Beef and Forage Initiative.
According to a story below the photo, they weren’t finding much moisture. Manitoba Agriculture reported “dry to very dry” conditions for annual crops and forage across the province, and it advised farmers to minimize tillage to preserve moisture, and seeding directly into stubble if possible. A table showed the amount of residue left by different tillage implements.
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Trade issues dominated the front page that week. The federal government had issued a notice allowing imports of packaged bees from the U.S., despite objections from provincial beekeeper associations and the Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturists, who were concerned about importing varroa mites.
There was yet another chapter in what was described as an “endless dispute” over U.S. duties on Canadian hogs — a binational panel was formed to review on the legality of duties imposed in 1989-90.
We also reported that a last-minute agreement between governments and growers would allow planting of Manitoba’s 1993 sugar beet crop.
