News & Opinion & Farming Articles - Manitoba Co-operator

Spotted wing drosophila (SWD) is a vinegar (fruit) fly of East Asian origin that can damage many crops by piercing healthy fruit and laying its eggs.

Spotted Wing Drosophila an unwelcome visitor to fruit farms this summer

MAFRD began monitoring for SWD in 2013 and this is the worst year yet, say provincial fruit crops specialist

By Lorraine Stevenson July 31, 2015

Altona-area fruit grower Waldo Thiessen knew what was wrong immediately when his U-pick customers started calling back a few hours after their first day in his raspberry patch in mid-July. “They said they’d started to make jam, and, well, there was a lot of protein (in the raspberries),” he said. It was larvae of spotted

The Raynor’s farmland was completely dishevelled and a number of out buildings were destroyed.

Local news, Weather

Tornado among several storm events in the southwest

Two rural properties took the brunt of Manitoba's most recent violent weather episode

By Jennifer Paige July 31, 2015

Displaced bales, crushed crops and chunks of metal scatter fields in the southwest as the area recovers from one of Manitoba’s largest tornadoes in recent years. A low-pressure system that moved in from Montana sparked the extreme weather, which also doused the Virden area with nearly 75 mm of rain. Quarter-sized hail was also reported

Local news

PHOTOS: Photo gallery: Aftermath of June 27 Manitoba tornado

By Jennifer Paige July 31, 2015

The Raynor’s farmland was completely dishevelled and a number of out buildings were destroyed.

Crops, Local news

Crop residue burning authorizations begin Aug. 1

Failure to follow the regulations could result in fines of up to $50,000

By Manitoba Agriculture Food and Rural Development July 31, 2015

Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (MAFRD) reminds producers who choose to burn crop residue that authorization is required between Aug. 1 and Nov. 15. Authorizations are issued daily by 11 a.m. based on weather, moisture and favourable smoke dispersion conditions. Night burning is banned year-round. Producers may also require a burning permit, if located

Gorden Nelson of Austin, Man. drives his Belgian team, Sam and Sassey, with a load of sheaths to the gas-powered tractor threshing unit. Gas team were the winners on July 24.

Local news

PHOTOS: Manitoba Thresherman’s Reunion and Stampede

Photos from the event held in Austin, Manitoba last weekend

By Manitoba Co-operator Staff July 31, 2015

Kyle Moorehead of Douglas, Man. on a Pony model Massey Harris leads the Massey Harris tractor line in front of the grandstand during the daily vintage tractor parade. The parade is held each day of the 4-day event.

Local news, Pulses

Yield potential for soybeans looking good

The Bean Report for July 30, 2015

By Manitoba Pulse & Soybean Growers July 31, 2015

Soybeans Soybeans are in the pod filling to early seed stages, R-3 to R-5. Crops reaching R-5 are slightly ahead of previous years and correspond to early varieties, early seeding and/ or higher than normal accumulated heat units, especially in southwestern Manitoba. Despite localized areas being affected by hail and excess moisture, overall yield potential

Forages, Local news

Tell us about your hay situation!

Please participate in a quick MFGA survey

By Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association July 30, 2015

In May and June, MFGA published our Green Gold reports to provide Manitoba forage producers with information as to how alfalfa is progressing in their area and, particularly, when to make their first cut for optimum quality. We saw Mother Nature’s influence this year as alfalfa was at the optimum stage in some areas, yet the

The U.S. continues to put pressure on Canada regarding supply management, particularly around the country’s dairy industry.

Dairy cattle, News

Ritz optimistic for TPP

Canada says it has put offers on the TPP table, while the U.S. continues to disagree

By Shannon VanRaes July 30, 2015

Canada’s agriculture minister says Canada won’t negotiate in public when it comes to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the proposed wide-ranging free trade agreement among a group of Pacific Rim countries. Responding to questions at an unrelated event in Winnipeg last week, Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Gerry Ritz said Canada has put forward strong proposals regarding

White head from wheat stem maggot (l), and larva of wheat stem maggot.

Crops, Local news

Manitoba crop insect and disease update

Summary of conditions as of July 28, 2015

By Manitoba Agriculture Food and Rural Development July 29, 2015

Plant Pathogens: At the Crop Diagnostic Lab there are canola plants coming in with blackleg and sclerotinia. Some soybeans have been showing root rot – rhizoctonia and fusarium. Some sunflower fields are showing basal and mid-stalk sclerotinia. Some flax fields are showing pasmo lesions on stem and leaves. Insects: Levels of armyworms are starting to decline in some fields as

Crops, News

Balance needed in agri-food research in Canada

Agri research in Canada is hamstrung by a shortage of financial and human resources

By Alex Binkley July 28, 2015

The pursuit of basic science in agriculture and agri-food has been squeezed out of federal priorities in recent years, speakers told an Agriculture Institute of Canada conference. “Funding remains a challenge for us,” Robert Gordon, dean of the Ontario Agriculture College (OAC), told the delegates to the AIC conference, which was crafting a research policy

Daily Network News

U.S. livestock: Cattle fall sharply as Trump says he’s working to lower beef costs

Alberta Crop Report: Harvest reaches completion

U.S. grains: Corn, soybeans rise on yield uncertainty, firming cash markets

News & Opinion