News & Farming Articles - Manitoba Co-operator

With a federal election looming the CFA is trying to push agriculture up the agenda.

CFA pushes ag agenda for coming election

The group wants to draw attention to the agri-food sector in the looming federal campaign

By Alex Binkley April 23, 2019

With an eye-catching button and a pledge for politicians to sign, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture has kicked off its Producing Prosperity in Canada initiative. It aims to make it into a key talking point during the October federal election campaign. Producing Prosperity is aimed at building political support in all parties for policies that

Dallas Johnston, pictured with grandson Aysen Abey, and the black Angus steer named Profyle who raised $32,250 for his namesake organization with the CancerCare Foundation.

Country Crossroads, Local news, Other

Cattle industry rallies around CancerCare

The sector says it’s going to do all it can to raise the ‘PROFYLE’ of the fight against childhood cancer

By Brenda Hunter April 22, 2019

A recent auction at the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair worked overtime — or perhaps more accurately, double time — to raise funds for children’s cancer research. In the end the event raised over $32,000 for this cause, and how that figure was raised is a testament to the charitable generosity of the sector. An Angus

Forages, Local news

Fields wanted for MFGA Green Gold Program

The MFGA is looking for farmers to join up for its annual forage quality monitoring effort

By Alexis Stockford April 22, 2019

The Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association is filling out the roster for this year’s Green Gold Program, and it’s looking for producers to add. The program has become a standing tool for producers trying to get the optimal value from their hay cut. Participating producers submit samples from their fields throughout the season every year,

Lateral flow strip technology has made testing for DON faster and less expensive. The newest Raptor machine shown here in the CGC’s Grain Research Laboratory can run three samples simultaneously. The cartridge system also allows three replicates of a single sample to be run in the same well. The test takes three minutes. Once loaded the device operates unattended.

Local news, News

Farmers divided on wheat-grading changes at KAP

Should the grain commission add them as grading factors?

By Allan Dawson April 22, 2019

If falling number and DON (deoxynivalenol) are added as wheat-grading factors will it help or hurt wheat producers? That sums up the discussion after Doug Chorney, assistant chief commissioner of the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC), spoke at the Keystone Agricultural Producers’ (KAP) advisory council on April 2. KAP didn’t take a position, but its Grain

If and when African swine fever comes calling, Manitoba’s pork sector plans to be ready.

Hogs, Local news

Manitoba prepares for African swine fever

The hog industry is planning ahead and learning from the past

By Alexis Stockford April 18, 2019

The Manitoba pork sector says it won’t be caught flat footed if African swine fever (ASF) makes its way here. The virulent disease is wreaking havoc in China and industry and government both concede it could be just a plane ride away from Manitoba. “In my opinion, I think you can never be prepared enough,”

Pigcasso, a rescued pig, paints on a canvas at the Farm Sanctuary in Franschhoek, outside Cape Town, South Africa February 21, 2019.

International news, News

Painting sow Pigcasso hogs the limelight

South African swine has carved out a career as a commercially successful painter

By Reuters April 17, 2019

Step aside Francis Bacon. Brandishing a paintbrush in her snout, Pigcasso enthusiastically tosses her head to create bright, bold strokes across a canvas propped up in her sty. The sow was rescued from an abattoir as a piglet and brought to an animal sanctuary in Franschhoek, in South Africa’s Western Cape region in 2016, where

Canadian farmers export 80 per cent of their production and the Canadian Grain Commission is important to that process, KAP president Bill Campbell says.

News

Farmers will get their say

KAP wants the CGC to continue adding value and protecting farmers

By Allan Dawson April 17, 2019

The Canada Grain Act and Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) review being led by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) is in the preliminary stage and the entire grain sector is encouraged to provide input, says Michelle Bielik, AAFC’s director of the Crop and Supply Chain Policy Division in the Strategic Policy Branch. “We are right now

The 160-acre plot northeast of Virden has never been broken and for the most part, kept completely intact.

Local news, News, Other

Rare native prairie to continue in perpetuity

Galawan land donation ensures that habitat will be protected for some species at risk

By Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation April 16, 2019

The New Oxford Dictionary defines ‘gem’ as a person or thing considered to be outstandingly good or special in some respect. By this definition, the quarter section of native prairie grassland formerly owned by mixed grain and cattle producer Peter Galawan of Lenore can undoubtedly be described as a gem. The 160-acre plot northeast of

This corncob is infected with Aspergillus.

Did you know?, News

Fungus vs. fungus

Non-harmful native fungus could supplant ones that cause harmful toxins

By Manitoba Co-operator Staff April 16, 2019

It’s not good when a fungus contaminates crops. Safe native fungi, however, show promise in the fight against toxic fungal contamination. One such harmful fungus is Aspergillus flavus, which can infect several crops, including corn, other cereal crops and some legumes. Some varieties, or strains, of A. flavus produce aflatoxins. Aflatoxin contamination costs farmers billions

Forages, Local news

WANTED: Hay fields for Green Gold testing

MFGA seeking producers with hay fields that are mostly alfalfa

By Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association April 15, 2019

Once again the Manitoba Forage & Grassland Association (MFGA) is seeking producers interested in participating in our Green Gold program. We believe the MFGA Green Gold Program (Optimum Alfalfa Harvest Date or Hay Day) represents one of MFGA’s longest-standing, most successful services to Manitoba forage producers and we want it to be the best program possible. On

Daily Network News

U.S. livestock: Cattle, hog futures rise on first WASDE since September

U.S. export sales include only small soybean business to China

U.S. corn and soybean yields revised down by USDA