Ralph Eichler, shown here at Ag Days in Brandon in 2019, is again Manitoba’s minister of agriculture. (Manitoba Co-operator photo by Allan Dawson)

Eichler back as Manitoba ag minister in shuffle

Pedersen not seeking re-election

Manitoba’s provincial agriculture files return to the desk of their former handler in a cabinet mini-shuffle Thursday. Premier Brian Pallister has named Ralph Eichler, MLA for the Interlake-area riding of Lakeside since 2003, as minister of agriculture and resource development, replacing Blaine Pedersen. Pedersen announced Thursday he will not seek re-election but will serve out



Manitoba farmers are caught in the midst of a risk management spat between Broadway and Ottawa.

Province eyes Agristability costs

The federal government is proposing enhancements but the Prairie provinces fear it could be too expensive

Manitoba farm groups generally like the recently proposed improvements to the AgriStability program, but the provincial government is less positive. The changes won’t be implemented unless a majority of provincial governments agree, including at least one from the Prairies, which some see as unlikely due to the extra cost. Meanwhile, two agricultural economists say the

Pedersen touts margin-based insurance as alternative to AgriStability

Manitoba's ag minister says the program would be more bankable for farmers

Blaine Pedersen isn’t a big AgriStability supporter. Neither are most farmers, but while many farm groups have been pushing to fix the farm support program, Manitoba’s minister of agriculture and resource development has been exploring four alternatives, including a margin-based insurance program that might be able to replace AgriStability, also a margin-based program. Canada’s agriculture


“The transitionary provision was never operative because the moratorium on unit transfers was never lifted.” – Blaine Pedersen, Agriculture and Resource Development Minister.

Muddled messages on Crown land transitional measure

Ag Minister Blaine Pedersen says the transitional transfer set to be repealed, to the dismay of leaseholders, was never operational

Provincial Agriculture Minister Blaine Pedersen says a transitional measure on the chopping block under proposed Crown land regulations was never actually in play. Earlier this fall, forage leaseholders raised concern with the potential removal of the measure, which would have allowed those who held their lease prior to last year’s Crown land changes to transfer

“I can tell you there are a lot of industries that would really like to see an income stabilization program. You want to be in the hospitality industry right now? You want to be in the tourism industry right now?” – Blaine Pedersen, Manitoba Agriculture minister.

Manitoba ag-minister Pedersen pans AgriStability reform

KAP and others keep pushing for revisions but Pedersen questions throwing money into what he considers to be a flawed program

Changing AgriStability to more easily trigger farm support payments isn’t the best bang for the buck, says Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Minister Blaine Pedersen, especially when so many other sectors are suffering due to COVID-19. “If AgriStability isn’t working now, throwing more money into it is not necessarily the answer to it, so what else


Manitoba producers can forget any quick relief on the business risk management file, provincial Agriculture Minister Blaine Pedersen says.

AgriStability changes not coming any time soon, says ag-minister Pedersen

The die is set for this iteration of federal-provincial farm support programs

Manitoba Agriculture Minister Blaine Pedersen has thrown cold water on the reforms Canadian farmers have sought for years to improve AgriStability. “We are not going there any time soon just because of the cost implications for the Prairie provinces,” he said in an interview June 11. Asked if Manitoba farmers should stop lobbying for the changes, Pedersen replied: “This will be what the

Letters: Crown land sales already raising ire

In response to Agriculture and Resource Development Minister Blaine Pedersen’s letter in the Jan. 16 issue of the Co-operator: Minister Pedersen, I am new to this part of the world, but not to ranching. And I’m a fast learner. I understand that many producers were unhappy with the old points system used, in this province,


Blaine Pedersen, minister of agriculture and resource development, with ACC students at the grand opening of a new animal protein-processing training facility.

Meat-processing training centre opens in Brandon

Food Processing Centre for Animal Proteins has held its grand opening

Assiniboine Community College’s new Food Processing Centre for Animal Proteins is officially open for business. The facility held a grand opening last week, hosting donors who contributed to its construction. FPCAP will allow the college to provide training and experience to those interested in working in the meat-processing industry, which will help address a labour

blaine pedersen

Crop insurance: What’s new in 2020?

The organic sector, farmers with extended grazing and high-value crop growers can all expect more insurance options this year

Crop insurance coverage is poised for another increase in 2020, according to Manitoba Agricultural Services Corp. (MASC). AgriInsurance coverage will hit $3 billion this year, with similar premiums to 2019. Why it matters: Better production knowledge has yields, and coverage, trending up, while the organic sector and producers with extended grazing will get more safety