AMM president Chris Goerzen (left) and Manitoba Municipal Relations Minister Jeff Wharton (third from right) present one of four Emergency Preparedness awards to the Southern Emergency Response Committee. Outgoing emergency co-ordinator Chris Kalansky (back row from left), Morden Mayor Ken Wiebe, RM of Stanley Reeve Morris Olafson, Winkler Mayor Martin Harder and incoming emergency co-ordinator Darren Driedger accept the award.

Planning for the worst

Three municipalities and one regional committee have all earned provincial recognition for emergency preparedness

The province is encouraging municipalities to plan for the worst. Four regions, the municipalities of Cartier, Hanover, Louise and the Southern Emergency Response Committee, were all recognized for their emergency programs during this year’s Manitoba Community Emergency Preparedness Awards. Awards were presented during the Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM) seminar April 11-12 in Brandon. The

New solutions are needed to address the labour shortages plaguing the agricultural sector across Canada.

KAP exploring apprenticeship program for farm staff

The farm group has begun early discussions with Apprenticeship Manitoba about the need for training those employed on farms and how training could be offered

With spring seeding around the corner, do you have the people you need on the payroll? Many farmers don’t and know chances of finding someone are next to nil. With the farm labour shortage intensifying, Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) this spring is sitting down with Apprenticeship Manitoba to look further afield for workers. They’re in


Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler spoke at the KAP spring advisory meeting in Portage la Prairie April 6.

Manitoba’s climate plan implementation delayed to fall

Provincial Opposition delays passage of Bill 16, saying Manitobans need more time to push for increased 
green spending from revenue collected through a carbon tax

The provincial agricultural minister said he’s disappointed about the delays his government now faces implementing its made-in-Manitoba carbon tax. The Opposition on April 5 chose to push Bill 16 forward to fall, saying Manitobans should use the time to push the government to spend the revenues on green programming. Bill 16 will pass but this

Horses at this year’s Royal Manitoba Winter Fair had to prove valid vaccination for equine herpes and equine influenza.

Provincial Ex beefs up biosecurity

Brandon’s Royal Manitoba Winter Fair joined the list of events requiring 
specific vaccinations in order for horses to compete this year

The Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba is toughening up its biosecurity. The 2018 Royal Manitoba Winter Fair was the first time the body required proof of vaccination for both equine herpes virus and equine influenza. “It’s been very positive,” said Ron Kristjansson, general manager for the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba. “There’s more awareness of some equine


A close-up of a lower stem lesion on soybean caused by phytophthora.

Phytophthora a growing risk to soybeans

The once-rare infection is now the No. 2 cause of soybean root rot in Manitoba

The threat of phytophthora is on the rise in Manitoba. Results from a 2017 disease survey show it’s becoming common enough soybean growers will need to keep it top of mind as they plan their rotations this year. About 35 per cent of tested soybean crops in Manitoba were positive for phytophthora, although fusarium was

Guy Baudry, (l to r) HyLife Foods division chief operating officer, HyLife executive chief operating officer Denis Vielfaure, local MP Robert Sopuck, Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler, HyLife president Claude Vielfaure, Neepawa Mayor Adrian de Groot, company board chair Don Janzen and CEO Grant Lazaruk cut the ribbon at the newly expanded HyLife Foods plant in Neepawa.

HyLife Foods wraps expansion

It’s been two years coming, but the new cut floor is ready to go at HyLife Foods in Neepawa

More pork will be running through HyLife Foods in Neepawa in the near future. The company has completed two years’ worth of upgrades, HyLife announced April 3, a move that HyLife president Claude Vielfaure says will lengthen their product’s shelf life and quality as well as doubling space on the cut floor. “An example of


The federal and provincial agriculture ministers, Ralph Eichler (l) and Lawrence MacAuley, signed a new five-year bilateral agriculture agreement last week in Winnipeg.

Province signs five-year agreement worth $176 million

The cost-shared initiative will be consolidated into one program and called Ag Action Manitoba

Funding will begin to flow right away from the new bilateral five-year $176-million agreement signed between Manitoba and the federal government last week, Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler says. This is the Canadian Agri­cultural Partnership (CAP), part of an overall $3-billion federal program supporting cost-shared initiatives delivered by the provinces and territories, to be consolidated

Louise Miller’s passion is to share her farm story with visitors.

Binscarth woman receives distinction award

Louise Miller is an advocate and supporter of women in agriculture

Louise Miller, a staunch advocate and supporter of women in agriculture was among the rural citizens to win a 2018 YWCA Brandon Women of Distinction Award. Miller is the matriarch of Silver Creek Bison Ranch, located between Binscarth and Russell. Operating for over 50 years, the family business was initiated when husband Lorne purchased six


A root wad buffers the bank from erosion and simultaneously provides fish habitat.

Project stabilizes creek bank, enhances fish habitat

Roseilse Creek is home to a state-of-the-art project 
that looks like an all-round winner

A riverbank stabilization project on the Roseilse Creek is demonstrating how to restore, rebuild, rehabilitate and enhance fish habitat and the riparian area along the waterway. The project, which involves the Pembina Valley Conservation District (PVCD), Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), the Recreational Fisheries Conservation Partnership program, AAE Tech Services and the Rural Municipality of

Representatives from Plainview Colony accept the reserve champion award from Ron Kristjansson (r), Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba general manager, during the 2018 Royal Manitoba Winter Fair pork quality competition. The colony took both first and second in this year’s competition.

Plainview Colony brings home the bacon from Royal Manitoba Winter Fair

Organizers say the annual competition was smaller than normal, 
but judges had nothing but good feedback for the entries that were there

Quantity may have been lacking, but there was no shortage of quality on display at the 2018 Royal Manitoba Winter Fair pork quality competition. Judge Jason Care said the smaller-than-average show was one of the few he has seen where every entry earned warm carcass points. “Most of the shows that I do, I have