Jewles Smyth of Roblin managed to successfully get the tie rope off a calf after running the full length of the arena during one of two calf scrambles, where 20 teens try to catch 10 frisky calves.   

PHOTOS: Winter Fair attracts youth

Spring break meant hitting the Manitoba Royal Winter Fair for many students

Brandon’s Keystone Centre was recently once again the scene of the 111th Royal Manitoba Winter Fair. Once again the event educated and entertained attendees and participants during the week-long event. The event drew young people both as patrons and participants, coinciding as it did with spring break for many of the province’s youth. Freelance photographer

Gregory Sekulic, agronomy specialist with the Canola Council of Canada,
urges farmers to count stands in the fall during his CanoLAB talk in Dauphin
March 15.

Fall stand counts pegged as a better measure for canola production

CanoLAB speakers say it’s time to add a fall 
stand count to the schedule to see how close that target density really is

Few farmers track stand density after the combine rolls, but the Canola Council of Canada says those are the numbers that really count. “That’s going to give you your absolute measure of success,” Gregory Sekulic, agronomy specialist with the council, said. “When you’re talking about seed mortality, we quite commonly see in excess of 50


University of Manitoba entomologist Tharshi Nagalingam breaks down the flea beetle threat at CanoLAB March 15, including what she says is a shift to more striped flea beetles in the province.

CanoLAB speaker: It’s time to check your flea beetle species

Striped flea beetles haven’t seen the dramatic rise here as they have in Alberta, but one of the CanoLAB speakers in Dauphin says the insects are still more common than they were decades ago

There’s a new flea beetle in town, at least according to some datasets. University of Manitoba entomologist Tharshi Nagalingam says striped flea beetles are on the rise in the province, something that may impact farmer choices on early management. “It affects them a lot because striped flea beetles are less susceptible for seed treatments… we

Sidewalks a mess? Cycling scary? CAA wants to know

CAA’s Worst Roads campaign for 2018 has expanded and wants Manitobans to vote for the worst stretch of local sidewalk or unfriendly bike corridor too

CAA wants to hear about your worst road — and now for the first time it’s interested in subpar sidewalks and bad bike paths too. It’s all part of its annual spring campaign — coinciding with pothole season — to highlight the state of Manitoba’s transportation infrastructure. “A number of the worst roads from past


Proposed changes would give municipalities more say over development decisions.

Province proposes changes to approval process for livestock operations

Bill 19 is ‘a balanced approach’ that will reduce red tape for municipalities, 
says Municipal Relations Minister Jeff Wharton

A bill introduced in the Manitoba legislature March 19 will make it easier for livestock producers to rebuild or renovate existing barns. Bill 19, The Planning Amendment Act (Improving Efficiency in Planning) proposes changes to how livestock operations are approved by municipalities, and other matters related to zoning bylaws and appeals. Under the bill, owners

Mary-Lou and John Hughes were always careful to avoid mosquito bites, but say it never 
crossed their minds how serious an illness from West Nile virus could get.

Roland reeve recovering from severe West Nile virus

John Hughes spent 13 months in hospital after developing the most serious form of West Nile virus in September 2016

A Roland man who spent 13 months in hospital following a West Nile virus (WNV) infection hopes some normalcy returns to his life this year. “This year my goal is to be able to get up and onto my tractor, and mow my yard and walk around the house,” said John Hughes, husband and father


Jared Munro, who has worked in various positions at the Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation, 
is its new CEO.

Jared Munro new Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation CEO

The 10-year veteran of the corporation knows first hand a lot about its workings

Jared Munro, the Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation’s (MASC) new chief executive officer, has worked for the Crown agency since 2008 and has been acting CEO since Neil Hamilton retired from the job last June. “I’ve had an interesting career here so far,” Munro said in an interview March 15. “I’ve been involved in lots of

Blain Hjertaas takes attendees through the carbon and hydrological cycle during a March 14 workshop on agriculture and climate change in Pipestone.

Confronting climate change through the power of plants

Carbon sequestration was front and centre as producers gathered in Pipestone to ponder how agriculture could change the conversation around climate change

Blain Hjertaas insists farmers already have the key to solving climate change. It’s growing in their fields. Ground should never be bare, the holistic management instructor argued in Pipestone March 14, part of an event dissecting agriculture’s role in climate change. Hjertaas argued that conventional annual cropping leaves gaps in early spring and in fall


Manitoba Beef Producers still seeking carbon details

Manitoba Beef Producers still seeking carbon details

The provincial budget still leaves key issues undefined, the producer group says

Manitoba Beef Producers is giving the provincial budget a passing grade, but has a few reservations. General manager Brian Lemon says the group understands the province’s choice to design a provincial carbon tax ahead of the federal government imposing one, but added even with the budget being dropped, there’s still plenty of questions. “I don’t

Funding freeze for municipalities worrisome, AMM president says

Operating grants frozen at 2016 levels in 
this year’s provincial budget

Municipalities face more fiscal challenges ahead with operating grants frozen at 2016 levels in last week’s provincial budget, the head of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM) says. That freeze is worrisome as it doesn’t take the cost of inflation into account, said Chris Goertzen, AMM president. “We do know that this will pose some