Brooks and Jen White farm about 
7,500 acres near Pierson, Manitoba. 

Regenerative agriculture by accident

Faces of Ag: Brooks and Jen White stumbled into regenerative agriculture before they knew what it was — now it’s the foundation of their farm

Brooks and Jen White want a smaller farm. It may seem like a strange ambition, but that is an actual part of their five-year plan — to be smaller in acreage than they are now. “For me, what regenerative ag means is becoming more profitable on a smaller scale — on fewer acres,” Brooks said.

This steep cliff face near Cartwright allowed human hunters on foot to harvest the massive bison herds of the central plains.

Visit Manitoba’s buffalo jumps

Other sights on the western Prairies are more famous, but don’t miss this slice of Indigenous history closer to home

Perhaps you have heard about the famous attraction in southwestern Alberta called Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump — but were you aware that Manitoba has similar sites? In the southern part of our province, just north of the village of Cartwright, is the Clay Banks Buffalo Jump. Many years ago, when bison still roamed these vast stretches


Elkhorn farm named to Bill Lenton Memorial Award

Elkhorn farm named to Bill Lenton Memorial Award

Ken and Sharon Johnson of Elkhorn, Man., took home the top honours when Manitoba’s bison industry met for its annual meeting, sale, show and awards gala this past March

The winner of this year’s Bill Lenton Memorial Award can tell a story or two about Manitoba bison. When Ken and Sharon Johnson first introduced a handful of bison to their farm in the late ’90s, the industry was a very different place. Manitoba’s producers were just starting to organize — a national bison group

Bison producers chime in on Crown lands

Bison producers chime in on Crown lands

Bison producers have their own opinions and concerns when it comes to Crown land changes

Manitoba’s bison producers are hoping for a bigger piece of the pie when it comes to Agricultural Crown Lands. The Manitoba Bison Association is among the producer groups weighing in as the provincial government looks to overhaul Crown land allocations. In fall 2018, the province changed the Crown Lands Act to include open auctions instead

The bison code of care covers topics not seen in other livestock.

The updated bison code of care has a wealth of information

Beef 911: Although written specifically for bison, the code also has good tips for beef producers

In 2017, new codes of practice came out for bison and veal cattle, following revisions to the codes for dairy cattle in 2009 and the beef, sheep, and equine sectors in 2013. Other codes have also been released or are in progress. The format has multiple chapters (with numerous appendices at the end) and each


Introducing the original high stock density grazers

Introducing the original high stock density grazers

Many adaptive grazing systems look to mimic the original bison herds, but how do those systems change when bison themselves are behind the wire?

Bison ranchers Brooks and Jen White of Lyleton, Man., are breaking their own ground on adaptive grazing, and they’re going right back to the system’s roots to do it. It doesn’t take long to find bison mentioned on the many regenerative agriculture blogs, grazing websites and seminar advertisements currently floating through cyberspace. After all, as

Bison sector offers insights on using top bulls

Bison sector offers insights on using top bulls

Beef 911: Artificial insemination is rare so there’s been a lot of attention paid to breeding capacity

Since the beef industry adjusts breeding capacity based on libido, semen production, and length of breeding season, I thought it good to review breeding capacity of bison bulls. While longevity is longer than beef bulls, we rarely talk about breeding capacity. The bison industry does not utilize artificial insemination like the beef industry (although it



(CanadianBison.ca)

Bison prices rise with market access

CNS Canada — Prices for Canadian bison are slowly gaining ground as the industry continues to try and expand its global footprint. While the U.S. remains Canada’s largest export market, efforts have been made to increase access to Mexico, Europe and some parts of Asia. Last year, roughly 11,500 animals were slaughtered domestically while 17,600

The 2018 Bill Lenton Memorial Award was presented to Brad and Carmen Ramstead of Fort McMurray, Alta., by the Manitoba Bison Association
March 30.

Alberta bison ranchers earn Bill Lenton Memorial Award

Fort McMurray-area ranchers Brad and Carmen Ramstead 
are the latest to earn the Bill Lenton Memorial Award for their efforts on behalf of the Manitoba bison industry

This year’s Bill Lenton Memorial Award went to a bison ranch a bit further afield. Brad and Carmen Ramstead of Fort McMurray, Alta., added their names to the award during the annual Manitoba Bison Association Great Spirit Bison Show and Sale March 30. “We were pretty humbled,” Carmen Ramstead said. “We’ve been through a lot