News & Opinion & Farming Articles - Manitoba Co-operator

Dale Alderson (l) and Don Campbell of Intel Seed beside the company’s seven-chute AMVT optical sorter.

Optical sorters can add value to grain by taking bad stuff out

By Allan Dawson September 11, 2015

Optical sorters, used to remove unwanted material in grain, are constantly improving and becoming more affordable, says Dale Alderson of Intel Seed. Nowadays a sorter can remove nearly 100 per cent of the ergot in a cereal crop, take wild oats out of tame ones and dramatically reduce the percentage of fusarium-damaged kernels in wheat.

Crops, Livestock, News

What do you really think about AgriInvest? — CFA wants to know

The Canadian Federation of Agriculture says the quick, web-based survey is intended to help encourage governments to improve the program under the next Growing Forward framework

By Allan Dawson September 11, 2015

How do farmers use AgriInvest and how can the business risk management program be improved? That’s what the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) wants to learn from a survey of farmers as it prepares for the next federal-provincial-territorial farm program starting April 1, 2018, replacing Growing Forward 2. “We want to make sure we are

Crops, Local news

Northern Quinoa aiming for 100,000 acres

Quinoa growers wanted — with the right location and right rotation

By Shannon VanRaes September 11, 2015

Get ready to see more quinoa waving in the Prairie breeze. Saskatchewan-based Northern Quinoa Corp. is preparing to increase its acres nearly twentyfold over the next three years. The company has about 5,250 acres of the ancient grain under contract this summer, but it would like to see 100,000 acres across Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba

Local news, Oilseeds

Cool down canola ASAP to prevent spoilage

With the recent heat wave farmers need to be even more vigilant with their canola

By Canola Council Of Canada September 10, 2015

All canola should be conditioned shortly after it goes in the bin. Canola that goes into the bin hot is at much higher risk of spoilage and conditioning will reduce the grain temperature. It will also help dry down dockage, which may have higher moisture content than the seed. Note that straight-combined canola may have

Joel Dewitz (l), his wife Nancy and son Jeff farm near Steele, North Dakota. Joel wants other farmers to know the dangers of entering a grain bag when extracting grain with a grain vacuum.

Crops, News

North Dakota farmers survive being shrink-wrapped in a grain bag

Joel and Jeff Dewitz are lucky to be alive — they were trapped in a grain bag while using a grain vacuum to remove spoiled grain

By Allan Dawson September 10, 2015

Farm accidents can sneak up on you. Just ask Joel Dewitz, who is telling his story to warn other farmers of the dangers of grain bags and grain vacuums. “I’m not proud of what we did, but I thought if maybe one person would happen to read the article and not do the same stupid

“We see the public as somewhat more sympathetic towards the industry now, I’m not saying they’re 100 per cent supportive, they still have questions, they still have concerns, but it’s definitely better now than it was.” – Andrew Dickson

Hogs, Local news

Public more receptive to barn expansion

The Manitoba Pork Council is looking for ways to engage younger audiences

By Shannon VanRaes September 10, 2015

A new survey on public attitudes towards pork production has found Manitobans still have concerns about construction of new hog barns — but public opinion is going in a positive direction. “We see the public as somewhat more sympathetic towards the industry now, I’m not saying they’re 100 per cent supportive, they still have questions,

Grow Hope farmer Grant Dyck and some of the people who sponsored an acre this past growing season, at the Grow Hope field, as Grant talks to them about their crop.

Crops, Local news

Manitoba Grow Hope project has successful first year

The project raised more than $92,000 for Mennonite Central Committee account in Canadian Foodgrains Bank

By Cfgb Release September 9, 2015

What do you get when you bring together 105 individuals and families, six churches and one company with a farmer? You have the Grow Hope community growing project in Manitoba, an effort to raise funds for the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) account in Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB). The project, which invited people in the province

Ray McFeetors drives a team of Percherons during an event at Assiniboine Park Zoo.

Livestock, Local news

Heavy horse exhibit comes to Winnipeg zoo

City folk will now have an opportunity to see a piece of Manitoba’s agricultural past at Assiniboine Park Zoo

By Shannon VanRaes September 9, 2015

The times are indeed changing. Once a necessity for every successful farmer, heavy horses have moved out of the fields and into the Assiniboine Park Zoo. The McFeetors Heavy Horse Centre opened to the public Aug. 28, giving people the chance to get close — but not too close — to four Percherons. Zoo officials

Local news

Agricultural Hall of Fame: Glen Findlay

The Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame inducted eight new members  in July 2015. Here is one of the new inductees

By Manitoba Co-operator Staff September 9, 2015

Glen Findlay was born and raised on the family farm at Shoal Lake, Manitoba, where he also received his early education. He graduated from the University of Manitoba in 1963 with a bachelor of science in agriculture and the Governor’s Gold Medal. In 1964, he received his master of science in animal nutrition. He then

Crops, Local news, Weather

Manitoba Crop Report and Crop Weather report: Issue 19

Conditions as of September 8, 2015

By Manitoba Agriculture Food and Rural Development September 8, 2015

Harvest 2015 continued across Manitoba over the past week, but wet weather over the weekend temporarily halted harvest progress. Harvest operations have since resumed in areas that received lower rainfall amounts and where field conditions allowed. Winter wheat seeding is underway in the Central and Eastern Regions of Manitoba. Fall field work, including tillage, baling

Daily Network News

Prairie forecast: Warm start, then cooler

Confusion cleared on Canadian calf import changes

U.S. livestock: Live cattle continue higher

News & Opinion