KAP general manager Patty Rosher presented the case for higher membership fees at the general farm organization’s advisory council meeting.

Higher membership fees for KAP members gets council vote

KAP will ask the Manitoba government to approve its request to raise its annual membership by $50 from the current $200

Keystone Agricultural Producers’ (KAP) annual membership fee of $200 could increase by $50 or 25 per cent to $250 Nov. 1 if the Manitoba government approves it. KAP members voted unanimously for the fee hike at their advisory council meeting here July 30. They also unanimously passed a motion in favour of increasing membership fees

For coverage in the event of non-payment, farmers need proper documents such as a primary elevator receipt or cheque proving they delivered grain.

Canadian Grain Commission still tabulating farmer claims to ILTA’s security

The CGC says the best protection against a company’s failure is to cash its cheque as soon as possible

ILTA Grain had $12 million in security to cover what it owed farmers for grain, but the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) hasn’t finished calculating if it’s enough. “It could take several weeks or even several months to complete the process,” assistant chief commissioner Doug Chorney said in an interview July 30. According to court documents,


Canary seed is not one of the 20 crops covered under the Canada Grain Act and therefore is ineligible for security.

ILTA Grain’s financial troubles raises questions about canary seed

Case raises questions about which crops should be covered by the CGC’s protection plan

It doesn’t matter how much security ILTA Grain posted to cover what it owes farmers, those who delivered canary seed won’t see a penny through the Canadian Grain Commission’s (CGC) farm protection program. That’s because canary seed isn’t one of the 20 crops covered under the Canada Grain Act and therefore is ineligible to security

Backers of the certified sustainable beef program are urging more producers to sign up as demand exceeds supply.

Fast-food chain joins beef sustainability effort

Harvey’s signs on to program as demand for certified sustainable beef continues to grow

Fast-food chain Harvey’s has become the latest major buyer to sign up for the ‘sustainable’ beef initiative. But even while the number of retailers is increasing, most cattle producers are taking a ‘wait and see’ approach that has resulted in a gap between supply and demand. However, that gap is closing, said Ponoka rancher Greg


Canada needs to be a place that will sustainably produce more food — not less — while retaining consumer trust and confidence, says David McInnes.

Workshops conclude more credibility needed for Canada food brand

The nation needs to up its game to become a food safety leader

A lot remains to be done to give the Canada brand the global cachet needed to make Canadian food exports international bestsellers, a series of cross-country workshops has concluded. Organized by Canada 2020, the workshops will conclude in November with a session in the national capital that is intended to pull together the ideas that

"Farmers are having to negotiate with a lot of these end businesses that are selling to the consumers, and each of these different customers has different specifications.” – Andrea Eriksson, NorQuest College.

Hemp agronomy 101 comes to the classroom

NorQuest College of Edmonton hopes to provide new growers with information on the crop

As hemp production jumps across the Prairies, more first-time producers are being drawn to the crop, prompting an Alberta college to offer a course in how to grow it. NorQuest College offers two courses, one on hemp production and another on processing and products. The Edmonton community college aims to equip continuing education students with


Farmers, agronomists, and people with an interest in global soil health met in Carman July 25 and 26 to discuss the challenges of protecting soil.

Carman event serves up common ground on soil health practices

Canadian and African agronomists shared perspectives on conservation agriculture at a recent Canadian Foodgrains Bank forum

Jocelyn Velestuk stood in front of the research station classroom filled with people and confessed to an addiction of sorts. “I am obsessed with soil,” the Saskatchewan farmer and agronomist told her audience. “I even had a mud-themed birthday party when I was young,” she said in a later interview. “The first soil science class

When farms go high tech they won’t need as many employees — but the ones they have will need specialized skills.

Workers and tech needed to plug labour gap

But as the sector becomes more technology driven, there’s a serious skills mismatch

Back-to-back announcements on agriculture work issues spell out the challenge that farmers will increasingly face in grappling with long-standing worker shortages and adopting new technology into their operations. First was a report July 22 from the Canadian Agriculture Human Resources Council (CAHRC) that said “nearly all farm employers share similar challenges when it comes to


Manitoba Agriculture has recently confirmed more cases of Tall waterhemp in the province. It’s a tier-one noxious weed that must be destroyed no matter where it’s found.

New cases of Tall waterhemp found in Manitoba

This is a Tier 1 noxious weed that Manitoba Agriculture wants to prevent from spreading

Tall Waterhemp has been confirmed in four new Manitoba fields and there are rumours of more, Manitoba Agriculture weed specialist Tammy Jones said in an interview Aug. 2. Tall Waterhemp is a Tier one noxious weed that must be destroyed no matter where it’s found, but that can include hand weeding within crops where practical,

VIDEO: Soil stewardship event digs into soil health

VIDEO: Soil stewardship event digs into soil health

Foodgrains forum on soil conservation takes centre stage at Ian N. Morrison Research farm in Carman

Manitoba Co-operator reporter Geralyn Wichers talks with Dr. Francis Zvumoya (above) from the University of Manitoba’s Soil Science Department about soil degradation across the globe and what people in Manitoba are doing to support soil stewardship. Manitoba Co-operator reporter Geralyn Wichers talks with James Kornelson, Public Engagement Coordinator for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank about its