Other & Farming Articles - Manitoba Co-operator

A lone tree stands near a water trough in a drought-affected paddock located on the outskirts of Walgett, in New South Wales, Australia, July 20, 2018.

Do La Niña’s rains mean boom or bust for Australian farmers?

The phenomenon can bring both good and bad for producers across the great dry continent

By Chelsea Jarvis, Scott Power December 13, 2021

Reuters – After years of punishing drought in some areas, many farmers in Australia’s east were hoping the newly declared La Niña event would bring them good rains. Many are now rejoicing, after the wettest November experienced in Australia for more than two decades. But for some farmers, heavy and prolonged rain is causing a new set of

Canadian Drought Monitor map of drought conditions and intensity in Canada at Nov. 30, 2021. (AAFC)

Crops, Other, Weather

Precipitation eases drought conditions on Prairies

Hardest-hit Manitoba sees 'modest' improvements

By Adam Peleshaty, GFM Network News December 9, 2021

MarketsFarm — Varied amounts of precipitation are either maintaining or alleviating drought conditions in much of the Prairies, according to the latest nationwide drought map from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s (AAFC) Canadian Drought Monitor (CDM). The latest assessment for the period ended Nov. 30 showed very few areas of worsening drought in the region with

Southbound Canada geese take off from a field near the Oak Hammock Marsh wildlife management area on Oct. 8, 2004.

Other, Weather

Will Manitoba’s warm dry fall continue into winter?

OUTLOOK | Medium-range forecasts aren't looking too promising for major snowfalls

By Daniel Bezte December 9, 2021

As another month has come and gone, making fall now officially over, and with winter trying to establish a firm grip across the Prairies, it’s time to look back at both November’s weather and the fall of 2021. We’ll begin our summary of November’s weather across the Prairies with a look at the warmest province

Comment, Op/Ed, Other

Comment: Food prices are rising, but so is theft

With razor-thin margins retailers face steep losses through the front and back doors

By Sylvain Charlebois December 8, 2021

Apparently, shoplifting has been on the rise in supermarkets in Canada in recent months. Concrete data on theft in grocery stores is harder to get since incidents are typically under-reported. Managers tend to take matters into their own hands. But with the increasing number of reports on theft and security guards stationed in and out

Cropland in the Overberg region of South Africa’s Western Cape province. (Nini/E+/Getty Images)

Other

South African plan to allow land expropriation fails to pass

Constitutional amendment defeated by ruling ANC's opponents on both sides

By GFM Network News, Tim Cocks December 8, 2021

Johannesburg | Reuters –– A proposal to change South Africa’s constitution to explicitly allow expropriation of land with no compensation failed to win the two-thirds of parliamentary votes that it needed on Tuesday. Lawmakers debated whether to change Section 25 of the constitution to enable authorities to seize land to address racial land inequalities left

Provincial agriculture weather specialists say the most accurate picture of precipitation this year came during the prolonged dry spell centred around the month of July, represented by this map from MARD.

News, Other

Manitoba sees fall drought relief

Manitoba led the Prairies into drought. Could it lead the way out too?

By Gord Gilmour December 7, 2021

Trevor Hadwen says there’s a sliver of hope for Manitoba producers after a drought-stricken 2021 growing season. As the region settles into the winter, rainfall in the southern corridor of the province has improved the outlook significantly. It’s still dry, but nowhere near the levels seen this summer. “The drought assessment in Manitoba has pulled back a lot

‘In our desperate attempt to stop the world warming beyond the internationally agreed limit of 1.5 C, we need to encourage whatever reduces the climate impacts of human activity.’

Comment, Op/Ed, Other

Comment: Big-business greenwash or a climate saviour?

Carbon offsets raise tricky moral questions for policy-makers

By Christian Barry, Garrett Cullity December 6, 2021

Massive protests unfolded in Glasgow outside the United Nations climate summit recently, with some activists denouncing a proposal to expand the use of a controversial climate action measure to meet net-zero targets: carbon offsetting. Offsetting refers to reducing emissions or removing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere in one place to balance emissions made in

An ammonia and nitrogen fertilizer plant in Russia. (Saoirse_2010/iStock/Getty Images)

Editorial, Op/Ed, Other

Editor’s Take: Why so high?

By Gord Gilmour December 2, 2021

When the goal is creating nitrogen fertilizer, the first thing you need to start with is a lot of natural gas. Everyone understands natural gas is one of the largest inputs — most estimates say about 70 per cent of the price you pay for nitrogen can be traced back to natural gas prices. But

Regenerative dairy farmers Henry Nyhof (left to right), Sean Smith and Paul Kernaleguen with conference organizer Ryan Boyd.

Dairy cattle, Livestock, Other

Dairy farmers well positioned for regenerative ag, producers say

BALANCES | Increased grazing has seen decreases in butterfat but overall increases in cows’ health, reduced input costs

By Geralyn Wichers November 30, 2021

Canadian dairy farmers may be among the best positioned to take up regenerative farming practices, said producers during a panel discussion at the 2021 Regenerative Ag Conference, held in Brandon Nov. 15 to 17. Supply management means a steady income which can give farmers more confidence to take risks, said Sean Smith, a dairy farmer near Minnedosa. Fairly small herds

Callum Morrison takes moisture readings in a soybean cash crop that is part of a long-term cover cropping field trial in Carman.

Farmit Manitoba, Other

Cover crop survey reveals risks and benefits

Producers like the potential but say short season, lack of moisture key concerns

By Gord Leathers November 30, 2021

Planting a cover crop is a new idea this far north. It has its agronomic advantages, it keeps roots in the soil after the harvest, although it comes with its problems as well, especially in Western Canada. Prairie farmers were historically skeptical about cover cropping. Some say it’s purposely growing “weeds” that will deplete your

Daily Network News

Wheat breeding system no longer works, Canadian Wheat Research Coalition report says

Feed grain weekly: Barley steady in late February

Reduced Argentine soybean harvest, bigger crush says USDA attaché