Older farmers are at more risk than any other group when it comes to farm fatalities.

Statistics show senior farmers need safer practices

An aging farm population and workforce bring new challenges

The good news is statistics indicate that farm fatalities are declining. The bad news is that for older farmers the fatality rate is much higher than any other age group. Canadian Agricultural Injury Reporting (CAIR) found that fatality rates are highest for older adults, aged 60 and over. In 2012, the fatality rate for older

Baker Colony won the Manitoba Corn Growers Association’s (MCGA) corn yield competition for the third year in a row with a record yield of 306.4 bushels an acre. The results were announced Feb. 14 at the CropConnect banquet in Winnipeg. Mack Waldner (second from right) received the competition trophy from MCGA president Myron Krahn (second from left) along with MCGA director Leonard Wiebe (l) and $1,000 from John McCulloch of DuPont Pioneer.

Baker Colony undisputed corn champ

It had a record-breaking 306.4-bushels-an-acre yield, marking the first time a competitor has hit 300 or higher

It’s a three-peat for Baker Colony. The Hutterite Brethren community near MacGregor, Man., has won the Manitoba Corn Growers Association’s corn yield competition for the third time in as many years with a record 306.4 bushels an acre in 2017, beating its own record of 274.69 set in 2016. The colony won with DuPont Pioneer’s


An aerial image of the research study area in southwestern Kansas.

Cellulosic biofuels best bet for climate concerns

They’re lower impact than other options and can even sequester carbon rather than produce it

A new study from Colorado State University is breathing new life into the concept of biofuels produced from switchgrass instead of grain crops. The team says the non-edible native grass which grows in many locations throughout North America could be a better alternative than corn and other cereal and oilseed crops when it comes to

VIDEO: As rail service declines, some canola crushers forced to sit idle

VIDEO: As rail service declines, some canola crushers forced to sit idle

*[UPDATED, Mar. 12, 2018] Poor rail service is forcing some Canadian canola crushers to shut down temporarily, costing them millions of dollars in lost capacity. Manitoba Co-operator reporter Allan Dawson spoke with Canadian Oilseed Processors Association executive director Chris Vervaet about the issue March 8 during the Canola Council of Canada’s annual general meeting in


Canadian Agricultural Safety Week’s 2018 focus is on supporting senior farmers to continue to contribute to the farm team in safe and productive ways.

2018 farm safety week focuses on senior producers

Canadian Agricultural Safety Week will place special emphasis on keeping older workers safe on the farm

Driving combine or truck into the wee hours of the morning never used to faze Paul Gregory. He knows he can’t put those long hours in anymore. “Evenings are tougher,” admits the Fisher Branch farmer and owner of Interlake Forage Seeds Ltd. He recently turned 60. “I’m definitely not feeling as much energy as I

Portrait of female farmer

Agriculture an also-ran in federal budget

There were few tangible investments made to meet the government’s own targets to grow food exports

After enjoying headline status last year, the agri-food sector found itself once again on the back burner in the 2018 federal budget. There was none of the bold talk of 2017, when the agri-food export target of $75 billion by 2025 was set. Read more: New rules on passive investment arrive in budget Ron Bonnett, president


Confusion over CN rail cars to Manitoba

Confusion over CN rail cars to Manitoba

CN delivered cars to Manitoba in Week 30, but they were back-ordered cars and not the cars ordered for Week 30

There’s confusion over how many rail cars CN Rail sent to Manitoba in shipping Week 30. According to one news report last week, CN sent no grain cars to Manitoba elevators in Week 30. The Ag Transport Coalition (ATC), which monitors grain shipping for a group of grain shippers and farm commodity groups, says CN

The railways say a tough winter has slowed grain traffic. Shippers say a jump in other cargoes has played at least as big a role in derailing grain traffic.

Grain companies ask Ottawa to get grain moving again

Elevators and farmers are suffering because grain sales were made on railway shipping projections that fell short

In the spring of 2014 Western Canada was suffering from a massive grain-shipping backlog and it’s happening all over again. On March 7, 2014, almost four years ago to the day, that backlog forced the federal cabinet to do something radical: order Canada’s two major railways to transport at least 5,500 cars of grain a


Prairie grain movement is preventing farmers from marketing their grain and could mean a spring cash crunch.

Farmers call for action from Ottawa on grain transportation

Grain movement has ground to a halt on the Prairies, causing some to recall the crisis of 2013-14

The federal government needs an immediate action plan to restore adequate grain transportation and ensure Prairie producers have the funds to plant the 2018 crop, farm leaders said March 1. Alarmed by Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay’s lack of awareness about the gravity of the grain transportation delays when he spoke to the annual meeting of

Finding workers for short-season employment in rural areas isn’t easy.

Making it work — or not

Direct Farm Manitoba speaker says farm owners need to look further afield — 
to provincial job centres and settlement agencies — to find the staffers they need

The labour shortage in agriculture affects all types of farms and enterprises with short-season, high-labour needs definitely feel the pinch of it. Pam and John Griffin need to hire people every summer to take off their strawberry harvest on their five-acre Glenboro-area Good Earth Garden and Berries farm. But not many want the job. “I’m


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