News & Opinion & Farming Articles - Manitoba Co-operator

An early pasmo symptom is brown lesions on flax leaves.

Pasmo in flax every year, but severity varies

That makes decisions about applying a fungicide to protect the crop challenging sometimes

By Allan Dawson August 28, 2017

If you grow flax in Manitoba, it will have pasmo. The fungal disease, also known as Septoria linicola, can be found in every western Canadian flax field, every year. But the severity varies, making it tricky for farmers to decide whether to apply a fungicide, says Rachel Evans, the Flax Council of Canada’s extension agronomist.

Researchers at USC and Texas A&M University grew winter wheat in an arid area of Texas with reduced irrigation and found that the plants protect themselves by producing thick leaf wax.

Cereals, Did you know?, News

The key to drought-tolerant crops may be in the leaves

Leaf wax acts as the equivalent of ‘lip balm’ for plants,  protecting them from the harmful effects of drought

By Manitoba Co-operator Staff August 28, 2017

A new study suggests breeding plants with a thicker layer of leaf wax is the key to greater drought tolerance and growing crops in more arid regions. Sarah Feakins, a scientist at University of Southern California who has studied leaf wax in the context of climate change, teamed up recently with researchers at Texas A&M

This barn at the Glenlea Research Station will be retrofitted for dairy research.

Dairy cattle, Local news

Mechanization focus of new dairy research

Dairy research facilities to get update at  Glenlea Research Station

By Shannon VanRaes August 28, 2017

Dairy research in Manitoba has got a $1.4-million boost. Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay and Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler made the announcement at the University of Manitoba last week, indicating the cash will be used to retrofit an existing hog barn for dairy research at the Glenlea Research Station, just south of Winnipeg. “It’s

Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay speaks during an event at the University of Manitoba.

Dairy cattle, News

Dairy issue to be contentious

As the first round of NAFTA talks wraps up, government reaffirms commitment to supply management

By Shannon VanRaes August 25, 2017

Canada’s minister of agriculture says concessions in non-supply-managed commodities will not be offered up to U.S. negotiators as a way to ensure the security of Canada’s dairy industry during the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement. “I’ve never heard that said except in the media,” said Minister Lawrence MacAulay, following an announcement at

Tax changes set for this fall are likely to considerably impact many Canadian farmers.

Editorial, Opinion

Editorial: The taxman cometh

By Gord Gilmour August 24, 2017

Canadian farmers could soon be swept up in a looming taxation crackdown. The Trudeau government has promised to lower the boom on what it characterizes as the abuse of private corporations by high-income individuals to avoid taxation. Doctors have been especially vocal in their condemnation of the move, saying they have forgone fee increases in

Cereals, Crops, Local news

Winter wheat harvest shows effect of winter thaw

A warm spell this past winter has left an unfortunate legacy

By Alexis Stockford August 24, 2017

Manitoba’s winter wheat yields won’t be breaking any records this year. Early-season concerns over winterkill are now being realized at the grain bin as harvest progresses. Much of the east, central Manitoba and Interlake reported poor or patchy regrowth in early 2017, something experts blamed on a mid-winter melt. “In eastern Manitoba, there was a

Crops, Local news

VIDEO: Getting down to your roots

Crop Diagnostic School offered a cutaway view of how crop roots move through soil

By Allan Dawson August 23, 2017

Along with her colleagues, Marla Riekman, land management specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, took up a shovel last month at Crop Diagnostic School to help show what’s going on underground with roots. Allan Dawson met up with Riekman to learn about the types of root systems in crops, how they extract nutrients from the soil, the effects of

Ousman Sonko presents to Global 4-H Summit attendees. The summit ran July 11-14, 2017,  in Ottawa.

Country Crossroads, Local news, Other

4-H fuels Gambian youth quest for change

Gambia’s 4-H program may not have been directly involved in the recent shifting political sands, but 4-H members were in the fray, Global 4-H presenter says

By Alexis Stockford August 23, 2017

A recently roused youth demographic, including 4-H members, has set its sights on social engagement in Gambia as the country takes its first steps away from the 22-year reign of former leader Yahya Jammeh. That’s according to Ousman Sonko, vice-principal of the Rural Development Institute’s Department of Community Development and a presenter at the Global

News, Other

Strong loonie not major threat: FCC economist

Canada still competitive with an 80-cent dollar

By Manitoba Co-operator Staff August 23, 2017

The Canadian dollar’s flirtations with the 80 U.S. cent mark is not likely to undermine agriculture’s potential for the rest of the year, said the principal agricultural economist at Farm Credit Canada. When FCC issued economic outlooks for agriculture back in January, it said the low dollar relative to the U.S. currency had been a

Cereals, Crops, News

Check moisture before applying pre-harvest glyphosate

By Sask Wheat Release August 22, 2017

The Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission is reminding wheat producers to know the moisture content of their crop before applying pre-harvest herbicides and to always apply according to the label information. “With the increased scrutiny many chemicals are receiving, especially from export markets, it’s important to always apply them correctly,” says Sask Wheat chair Bill Gehl.

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