News & Opinion & Farming Articles - Manitoba Co-operator

An employee takes inventory at a grocery store amid coronavirus fears spreading, in Toronto March 13, 2020.

Is Canada food secure?

One farm group says without government support for farmers, domestic food supplies aren’t guaranteed

By Allan Dawson April 23, 2020

COVID-weary Canadians have something else to keep them up at night — the spectre of a domestic food shortage. “(W)ithout immediate assistance from the federal government, the Canadian agriculture sector cannot ensure our domestic food supply will remain secure for the immediate and long-term benefit of all Canadians (because of COVID-19),” the Canadian Federation of

News

$16 billion pledged to U.S. farmers due to COVID-19

USDA predicts lower prices for most commodities, excluding wheat and rice

By Allan Dawson April 23, 2020

While the Canadian Federation of Agriculture asks for ad hoc subsidies to help Canadian farmers to offset lower incomes expected due to COVID-19, the United States administration could spend as much as $25 billion to help its farmers due to the pandemic. American farmers will receive billions of dollars of subsidies through direct payments. But

Grainews went to Texas to field test the 2020 model year line of Defender UTVs.

Equipment, News, Other

Five UTV options for the farm and ranch

Farmers can choose from a wide selection of handy options

By Spencer Myers April 22, 2020

It’s no secret that side-by-sides and similar models have replaced the traditional four-wheeler as the farm vehicle of choice. The surge in demand for side-by-sides has opened up the options available to the average Prairie farmer, with an ever-increasing range of models offered from familiar brands including Can-Am, Polaris, Honda, John Deere, Kubota, Yamaha, and

News, Other

Locust swarms raise food security concerns

Widespread crop damage could put 25 million in famine situation

By Phil Franz-Warkentin April 22, 2020

MarketsFarm – Locust swarms reaching levels not seen in decades are raising concerns over food security from Africa to as far east as India, according to reports from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. The locust crisis has intensified since the beginning of 2020, but got its start in 2018 when

Comment, Opinion, Other

Comment: Global economy hit by severest shock since 1930s

Fast policy response necessary to reduce impact of secondary rounds

By John Kemp April 21, 2020

Reuters – Recessions often start with a small drop in activity which then progressively deepens over subsequent months as the second- and higher-round effects on the economy start to occur. But the current business cycle downturn looks very different. In terms of its scale and sudden onset, there is no parallel since the end of

These young visitors enjoyed meeting farm animals at Aurora Farm during the 2015 Open Farm Day. That’s now a thing of the past during the ongoing pandemic.

Farmit Manitoba, News, Other

Aurora Farm delivers groceries in an effort to adapt to COVID-19

The experienced farm and market box seller is adapting its operations due to the coronavirus

By Alexis Stockford April 21, 2020

A farm built on up-close-and-personal on-farm experiences is retooling in the social distancing age. Aurora Farm, near St. Norbert, had lured urbanites with a petting zoo and ‘goat yoga’ featuring baby goats. Now due to COVID-19, it’s pulling the plug on those events for the foreseeable future, and launching a grocery delivery service. Owner and

Livestock, News

The bottom line on vaccinating cows

Not vaccinating herds comes with a cost — these two calculators put a number on potential losses

By Beef Cattle Research Council April 21, 2020

(This article has been edited for length. The full version can be found in the BCRC Blog section at beefresearch.ca.) Vaccination is a proven tool for disease prevention, but in Western Canada, one in 10 producers surveyed are not vaccinating their cows for infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) and bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVD). As well,

HomeGrown Acres, near Wawanesa, has seen an uptick in direct sales, bucking the trend.

Livestock, News

Holiday lamb demand lags due to COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted typical holiday demand for lamb meat

By Alexis Stockford April 21, 2020

Manitoba’s lamb producers aren’t feeling much holiday spirit this year thanks to COVID-19. Social distancing has put a chill on a market normally bolstered by the Easter season, as well as Jewish Passover celebrations and the start of Ramadan on the Islamic calendar later in April. The Manitoba government declared a state of emergency due

News, Other

North Dakota land values hold steady

By Manitoba Co-operator Staff April 21, 2020

Below the border, North Dakota cropland values and cash rents remain flat, says Bryon Parman, North Dakota State University agricultural finance specialist. “Despite the lower commodity prices of the last several years, the longer-term averages have been aided by low interest rates, farm programs and ad hoc payment programs designed to help farmers meet cash

Comment, Opinion, Other

Comment: COVID crisis captivates conspiracy theorists

Some groups and activists are wrongly claiming that modern agriculture is responsible for the rise of viruses that originate in animals and migrate to humans

By Joan Conrow April 20, 2020

Cornell Alliance for Science – In the face of a global catastrophe like COVID-19, it’s only natural that frightened, anxious people try to ascribe blame. The problems arise when they demonize the wrong villain — especially for ideological or political motives. Most recently, some have begun trying to blame this novel strain of coronavirus on

Daily Network News

New strategies needed for Canadian agriculture to stand out in global trade

Feed Grains Weekly: Cash prices for wheat, barley largely flat

The Canadian GMO mustard wars: Dijon vs canola

News & Opinion