Deadline Nov. 2 to register for seed royalty meetings

The proposal is for farmers pay more for seed, but the proponents say the payoff is better varieties

The deadline register to attend meetings to discuss ways for farmers to pay more for cereal and pulse seed so plant breeders have more money to develop superior varieties is Friday Nov. 2. The consultations being led by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) focuses on two options —

Farmers prefer provincial carbon tax to Ottawa’s

Farmers prefer provincial carbon tax to Ottawa’s

The provincial government rejects the federal government’s offer to reconsider its plan

Many Manitoba farm groups prefer Manitoba’s scrapped carbon tax to Ottawa’s. Manitoba’s plan, which Premier Brian Pallister withdrew Oct. 4, would have exempted not only fuels burned in farm equipment, but in grain dryers and livestock barns. The federal plan for Manitoba announced Oct. 23 only exempts farm equipment fuel and 80 per cent of


Russell Thompson of Poplar Park Farm poses next to his national awards. The Hamiota producer took home Premier Breeder and Premier Exhibitor from the province’s first National Shorthorn Show at Ag Ex 2018.

Three national cattle shows land in Brandon

It was a good year to be an Angus, Simmental or Shorthorn breeder in Manitoba, at least in terms of travel time to the national show

The Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba more than doubled down on purebred cattle for Ag Ex. The fall fair included three national breed shows this year. Ag Ex typically draws one national breed organization, the most recent being the Canadian Charolais Association last year. This year, Angus, Simmental and Shorthorn all hosted their national shows at

Souris River study team seeks public input

Water engineers need to hear adjacent landowners’ particulars on how the river’s flows affect them

A team of researchers is seeking input from landowners along the Souris River about the condition of the Souris River and how its flows are affecting them. The responses will help the International Souris River Study Board, which has posted an online questionnaire, as it reviews the operating rules and eventually makes recommendations that best


Manitoba Crop Report: 2018 season summary

Manitoba Crop Report and Crop Weather report for October 29

Southwest Region Weather conditions were dry and seedbed was very dry especially in southern parts of the region. Dry conditions in most of the region during July and August. Rainfall and below than normal temperatures in September and early October cause the significant delay in harvest and no major benefit to crops as most of

Manitoba Beef Producers is meeting with members throughout the province in the coming weeks.

Manitoba Beef Producers hits the road

MBP expects predation to crop up again during its annual district meetings

The Manitoba Beef Producers is checking the herd. District meetings launched Oct. 22 in the Interlake this year. MBP will spend the next month meeting with members in each of its 14 districts, ending in Oak Lake Nov. 15. Predation is once again expected to feature prominently in discussions held north of the Trans-Canada Highway. Herd


The Manitoba Conservative government of Brian Pallister isn't interested in returning to the carbon tax plan he scrapped earlier this month.

Manitoba rejects Ottawa’s offer to reconsider its carbon tax

The Premier’s office says the federal government can’t be trusted on this issue

The Manitoba government has rejected Ottawa’s offer to reconsider letting Manitoba’s carbon tax stand, rather than imposing the federal plan. That’s sure to disappoint Manitoba farm groups who say they prefer Manitoba’s plan over Ottawa’s. But the Manitoba government doesn’t trust the federal government on this issue. “The Liberals are talking out of both sides

Brian Lemon of Manitoba Beef Producers is pleased that the federal government ratified

Manitoba Beef Producers pleased with CPTPP ratification

MPB general manager Brian Lemon says being in the original six is very important

Manitoba Co-operator reporter Alexis Stockford spoke to Manitoba Beef Producers general manager Brian Lemon at AgEx in Brandon about the recent ratification of theComprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) trade agreement. Below is the audio file of that conversation.


October’s cold snap added a punctuation mark to existing nitrate concerns, although the labs have not reported a significant jump in high-nitrate feed.

Initial tests hint at good news on nitrates

The province is urging producers to test their feed, although initial reports have not flagged any increased nitrate risk so far

There’s finally some good news on the cattle feed front. Livestock specialists are still raising the alarm on nitrates, but the season’s first feed tests have mostly fallen inside acceptable levels. Yvan Bruneau, Central Testing Laboratory manager, says it has been an average year for the lab so far. There has been no dramatic rise

Dominic LeBlanc (l) speaks during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in a file photo from 2015. He’s offering Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister an opportunity to restore the province’s carbon tax proposal that he scrapped earlier this month.

Manitoba’s carbon tax might not be dead yet

Ottawa says it will reconsider if the province agrees to put its plan back on the table

Ottawa is willing to take another look at Manitoba’s carbon tax. “Our government would of course be open to working with Premier (Brian) Pallister in the fight against climate change,” federal Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic Le Blanc said in an email Oct. 25. “If the Premier would like to reconsider rescinding Manitoba’s proposal, we would