Checkoff Archives - Page 3 of 7 - Manitoba Co-operator

Goat milk producers voting on mandatory checkoff

Ontario is the largest goat milk-producing jurisdiction  in North America

By John Greig April 25, 2017

Ontario’s goat producers will be voting from Feb. 27 to March 10 on a proposal to create a producer association under the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Act. The designation would allow Ontario Goat to collect a mandatory licence fee of $0.005 per litre of goat milk marketed from licensed goat farms. The $0.005 is the

Alberta Agriculture Minister Oneil Carlier speaks with Alberta Beef Producers’ Tom Lynch-Staunton, Roland Cailliau and Bob Lowe (l-r). (Government of Alberta photo)

Beef cattle, Hogs, Livestock

Alberta to restore non-refundable checkoff option

By GFM Network News, Manitoba Co-operator Staff April 11, 2017

Alberta’s farmed-commodity commissions may soon be able to make their checkoffs non-refundable again if their producer members are willing. The provincial government on Tuesday tabled amendments to the Marketing of Agricultural Products Act (MAPA) which would grant each of the province’s 13 agricultural commissions the ability to determine whether their checkoffs should be refundable or

Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler announced at Ag Days the province will explore changes to how Keystone Agricultural Producers collects membership fees from farmers. (Allan Dawson photo)

Manitoba surveying farmers on KAP funding system

By Allan Dawson, GFM Network News February 27, 2017

The Manitoba government wants “farmers’ and stakeholders'” feedback on potential changes to Keystone Agricultural Producers’ (KAP) funding model — and fast. The deadline to fill out an online survey or download and email it in is March 9, the government said in a release Thursday. “The current approach to funding our province’s general farm organization

It was standing room only for some of the breakout sessions at CropConnect 2017 at the Victoria Inn and Convention Centre in Winnipeg Feb. 15 and 16, including when the University of Minnesota’s Seth Naeve spoke about intensive soybean management Feb. 15. Between 1,500 and 1,600 people attended CropConnect last week, including 100 ‘walk ups’ co-chair Roberta Galbraith of the Manitoba Canola Growers Association said Feb. 17 in an interview.
“And yes it was packed,” she said. That has organizers wondering about the future of the event, which the commodity groups involved — canola, corn, pulse/soybeans, flax, sunflower, oat, seed growers and wheat/barley — will discuss, Galbraith said. The first step will be to cap registrations. “We are at capacity that is for sure,” she said. “We are looking at options, however we have made no decision to move the show as of yet. The Victoria Inn facility and staff are fantastic to work with and so responsive to conference staff requests and this is definitely a plus for the event.” It cost $75 a day to attend CropConnect this year, but the cost would be double without funding from the participating commodity groups, Galbraith said. Sponsors and trade show participants also help fund CropConnect, she said.

Local news

Commodity collaboration, mergers discussed at CropConnect

Commodity group leaders are urging their members to weigh in on how  much groups should collaborate and their thoughts on merging

By Allan Dawson February 23, 2017

Manitoba farmers are being asked if they want their checkoff-funded commodity groups to collaborate more — or even merge. It was one of the main themes at commodity group annual meetings at the fourth annual CropConnect conference in Winnipeg Feb. 15 and 16. And the man credited with planting the seed in 2013 — Halbstadt-farmer

Cereals, News

Single checkoff coming for wheat growers

The new system will fund both wheat variety development and Cigi, say the provincial wheat groups

By Allan Dawson February 9, 2017

Wheat growers can expect to see a simplified checkoff system in the coming crop year. Beginning August 1, 2017, they’ll see checkoffs for the provincial associations combined with the transitional checkoff for funding variety research and market development. Those funds, collected through the temporary Western Canadian Deduction (WCD) checkoff, have since 2012 funded the Western

Cereals, News

Looking closer at the wheat checkoff change

Farmers won’t see much difference on the elevator driveway, but what about Cigi and the WGRF?

By Allan Dawson February 9, 2017

For farmers it’s going to mean a single checkoff line on their grain ticket. For groups like the Canadian International Grains Institute (Cigi) and the Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF) the changes will be more involved. Having a direct role in funding these groups may lead to more farmer input into their governance. Read more: Single

The Manitoba government will work with the Keystone Agricultural Producers to introduce a more efficient system for collecting its annual membership fees, Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler announced at Ag Days Jan. 17. The National Farmers Union wants in on stable funding too.

Local news

Province to discuss new stable funding formula for KAP

KAP welcomes the initiative and the National Farmers Union says it wants in too

By Allan Dawson January 26, 2017

The Manitoba government has promised less red tape — including how the Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) collects membership fees. “The current funding structure creates needless and excessive administration costs for farmers and KAP and purchasers of agricultural products,” Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler said while speaking at Ag Days Jan. 17. “A review of the system

Crops, Local news

KAP defends its refundable membership fee checkoff

Farmer Shelley Mitchell wants changes so those who don’t want to be members can avoid the deduction

By Allan Dawson May 24, 2016

A western Manitoba farmer says Keystone Agricultural Producers is wrong to put the onus on farmers to opt out of membership and the group’s refundable checkoff. Shelley Mitchell, who farms with her husband Byron Bellow between Baldur and Cypress River says KAP needs to revisit its funding model. “This has been a flawed program from

Editorial, Opinion

Editorial: Too many organizations

By John Morriss April 7, 2016

A few years ago, a group of Japanese wheat millers was touring the Canadian Wheat Board building in Winnipeg. In the transportation department, where there was a large wall map showing all the rail lines in Western Canada, they received the standard presentation on logistics. The presenter explained that to save distance and costs, wheat

Brent Kosie of Canterra Seeds (r) speaks to Anand Aneja while looking at seed samples at Crop Connect 2016 in Winnipeg. More than 600 farmers attended the annual two-day conference and trade show.

Crops, News

‘Collaboration’ the new buzzword for commodity groups

Fear of checkoff fatigue is driving the discussion about working together

By Allan Dawson February 18, 2016

Manitoba’s major checkoff-funded farm commodity groups are working with a consultant to explore increased collaboration aimed at giving farmers more bang for their levy bucks. “We are excited to see what this may evolve into and we are just at the initial stage,” Reston farmer and Manitoba Wheat and Barley Growers Association (MWBGA) chair Fred

Daily Network News

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures end lower

ICE Weekly: Trade progress, new data threaten to break canola’s price range

CBOT Weekly: Trade awaits USDA S/D report

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