The Rural Development Institute at Brandon University is conducting a survey on the challenges rural residents face in accessing business support services.

Rural Development Institute seeks input from businesses

Brandon University’s Rural Development Institute hopes to gather input from food processors in rural Manitoba to make more innovation possible

As a rural-based business, what challenges do you face in accessing resources? That’s the question Brandon’s Rural Development Institute (RDI) is seeking an answer for. “We are essentially looking at the problems that companies in rural Manitoba see, the barriers that they have faced and suggestions in ways they can overcome those,” said Gillian Richards,

Brandon University student Charlotte Smith works in the lab alongside Bryan Cassone, an assistant professor of biology, analyzing DNA to find and identify soybean diseases as part of a three-year study.

Brandon University undertakes soybean disease research

Through large-scale surveys and analytical work, Brandon University 
hopes to shed more light on soybean diseases

With more soybeans appearing in more places around the province, Brandon University (BU) has set out to learn more about the potential roadblocks for growers. This summer the university, in partnership with Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers (MPSG) and Manitoba Agriculture, will begin a three-year study to gain more knowledge of soybean diseases, in particular


Colleen Granger presented her bachelor of fine arts thesis exhibition at the Glen 
Sutherland Art Gallery at the Brandon University on March 17 to 25.

Art down on the farm

Colleen Granger says inspiration for her art exhibit comes from her experience on the family farm

You know a place has become very special to you when you find yourself making art about it. That’s the position Colleen Granger, who lives on a farm south of Brandon with her husband and two teenage daughters, finds herself in. Over the past eight years, she’s been pursuing a degree in fine arts from


Dr. Bill Ashton, director of Brandon University’s Rural Development Institute has been leading a number 
of research projects geared towards strengthening resources for rural innovators.

Research study examines the path of rural innovations

A Brandon research centre believes rural Manitoba contains a wealth of innovation ideas and hopes to create new support services to help residents get their ideas to market

Rural entrepreneurs face steep hurdles bringing their innovations to market, but the province is well endowed with people willing to put their ideas to the test, researchers with Brandon’s Rural Development Institute have found. The institute recently partnered with eight Manitoba bulk food-processing companies to analyze sector activity and growth opportunities. “This study itself builds


Hillcrest Museum, located next to Souris’s famous swinging bridge, resides in a stunning stone and brick 1910 building built on the banks of the Souris River and showcases 
a huge variety of local, municipal, military, school and family histories. Souris is home to three museums including ‘The Plum Heritage Church museum dating to 1883 and 
the Souris railway museum.

Who visits small-town museums?

What is the reason for your visit? Two-year BU study takes a look at traffic through small-town museums

Two thousand people passed through the doors of the 1910 castle-like Hillcrest Museum in Souris this summer. That’s a lot visitors for a museum its size, says Keven Bowie, treasurer at the museum. “We were quite amazed at the traffic,” he said. “We were only open during July and August, mainly.” Hillcrest is strategically located

Rick Korman was awarded the 2014 Conservation District Award for his years of dedication to improving the Killarney watershed.

Teaching with conservation in mind

Killarney biology teacher Rick Korman has a passion to find a solution for the community’s algae-ridden lake

Biology teacher Rick Korman likes to give his students a practical demonstration of how the science applies to local lakes and rivers. “Any time you can make curriculum have purpose and meaning for kids, the better chance they are going to have to acquiring whatever objective you are trying to teach,” said Korman, who has

Main Street in Russell, Man.

Small-town growth strategies analyzed

The RDI report includes six municipal case studies

Regional is the new rural, according to a new report released by the Rural Development Institute (RDI) showing the most successful efforts to boost population in rural areas are those most focused across wider regions. Growth Strategies for Rural Communities includes six case studies that explore where municipalities, both losing and gaining in populations have



two students with award

Grain-shipping focus of students’ winning business plan

Assiniboine Community College students focus on grain transportation woes to earn top spot in provincial competition

Two second-year agribusiness students from Assiniboine Community College were recently awarded first place in an annual provincial business competition after focusing in on producer car shipping. Matt Tolton and Will Turner were awarded the top spot in the Manitoba New Venture Championship on April 11 at the University of Manitoba. Both Tolton and Turner grew