Apply what we already know works

The drought-prone South Gansu province of China suffers from limited water and severe soil erosion. It is not a hospitable environment for food production. Yet, despite these harsh conditions, farmers are producing and selling more food. They are feeding themselves and their families. And their incomes are steadily rising. In degraded areas of Burkina Faso,

Conference speakers proof of the changing face of modern agriculture

Manitoba Farm Women’s Conference showcases how factors such as the local food movement, new entrants, and women’s changing roles are bringing a new excitement to farming

When Leona Dargis and her four sisters chose to continue to farm after their parents’ death five years ago, they knew they were breaking with convention. The girls, then ranging in age from 15 to 22, were orphaned when a small plane piloted by their father Jean and carrying their mother Joanne crashed Aug. 12,


U.S. crop insurance a post-election target

The federal government will likely shell out $15 billion or more for its share of crop losses caused by drought

Reuters – Federally subsidized crop insurance will be a big target for U.S. lawmakers looking to cut the budget deficit in the lame-duck session of Congress that opened recently after a status quo general election. But lawmakers aren’t expected to break their deadlock over enacting a five-year, $500-billion Farm Bill covering a wide range of

Container regulation change angers food processors

A coalition of food processors and farm groups is protesting a federal plan to no longer require standard-size packages. New rules mean American food producers will no longer have to use Canadian-size packages and that will give some of them an advantage in the grocery store aisle, said Chris Kyte, president of the Food Processors


KAP calls for review of crop insurance to address deductibles, other concerns

Crop insurance will be increasingly important to Manitoba farmers because of recent cuts to Agri-Stability and AgriInvest, says Keystone Agricultural Producers vice-president Dan Mazier. The Manitoba government needs to understand that, he said at KAP’s General Council meeting last month. Delegates passed a resolution calling for a review of crop insurance. While most Manitoba farmers

U.S. Farm Bill could be delayed until April 2013

Reuters / The U.S. Congress could delay passage of a new five-year Farm Bill until spring planting given the full plate of legislation needed after the election to avoid a fiscal cliff with its mandatory U.S. budget cuts, a top farm policy expert said Nov. 5. “My prediction is that we will get a Farm


Crop-insurance tab for U.S. drought could top $15 billion

Reuters / U.S. taxpayers could pay a record $15 billion to subsidize the privately run crop insurance program in the wake of this year’s devastating drought. The program’s runaway costs are in focus as Congress looks for ways to cut government spending, making crop insurance a bigger target for reforms. Precise estimates won’t be available

A new era for business risk management

Farm leaders expected the drop in AgriStability reference margins announced at last week’s federal-provincial agriculture ministers’ meeting, but the fine print was another matter. Not only is the AgriStability trigger being increased from a 15 per cent to a 30 per cent drop in the farmer’s reference margin, there is a sleeper clause that apparently


Agriculture Hall of Fame

Five Manitobans were honoured for their contribution to agriculture and their community at an induction ceremony for the Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame July 12. The Co-operator is featuring each in consecutive weekly editions

Ed Tyrchniewicz was born on January 20, 1941, and grew up on a farm at Prairie Grove, just outside of Winnipeg. He attended a one-room, one-teacher school up to Grade 8. Following high school at Provencher Collegiate in St. Boniface, Ed attended the University of Manitoba from which he obtained a degree in agricultural economics

Agriculture Hall of Fame

Five Manitobans were honoured for their contribution to agriculture and their community at an induction ceremony for the Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame July 12. The Co-operator is featuring each in consecutive weekly editions

Hayden grew up on the family farm near Otterburne West in Manitoba, with his parents, Roy and Elizabeth, and three older brothers, Clayton, Garnet and Wallace. He graduated from the University of Manitoba with a BSA in 1949. His “aggie” classmates nicknamed him “Doc Tolton,” as he always had thoughtful and concise answers to questions