Making Friends With The Enemy

You can’t help but marvel at Manitoba’s capacity for fighting water. It’s become part of who we are as a province – Herculean efforts of people, money, sand and machines against the forces of nature. As we went to press this week, it was not clear who would win this latest round. This province is

Weekly Weather Map – for Apr. 21, 2011

The Weather Vane is prepared by Daniel Bezte, a teacher by profession with a BA (Hon.) in geography, specializing in climatology, from the University of Winnipeg. Daniel has taught university-level classes in climate and weather and currently operates a computerized weather station at his home near Birds Hill Park, on 10 acres he plans to


World Needs Modern Agricultural Technology

CropLife International executive director Denise Dewar promotes pesticides and genetically modified crops from her Washington, D.C. office, but as a young, idealistic student, she dreamed of saving the world from pesticides. “At that time I was being influenced by the environmentalists’ very negative anti-pesticides environment,” she told the Canada Grains Council’s annual meeting in Winnipeg

Better Use Of Nitrogen Needed

Nitrogen compounds play a vital role in feeding a rising world populat ion but they also pollute air, soil and water, according to a study published April 11. The study, carried out by 200 experts from 21 countries and 89 organizations, estimated the annual cost of damage caused by nitrogen pollution across Europe was 70


Protect Your Wells From Flooding

Protecting your well from flood waters now can reduce your work later. “If you live in a flood-prone area, you or a licensed well-drilling contractor can determine if your well is sited and constructed so that it is protected,” says Roxanne Johnson, North Dakota State University Extension Service water quality associate. “If your well is

Red River Flood Threat Looms Again

Last week Melvin Edel was looking out the kitchen window at machinery surrounded by four-foot snowbanks and hay bales frozen to the ground. But in a month or so, his farm south of Morris will be under several feet of water, and all he can do is wait. Manitoba Water Stewardship last week predicted a


Researchers Peg GHG Value Of Wetlands

Farmers who switch to zero tillage may brag about sequestering climate-altering carbon in their soil. But if they also drain a few swamps on their land, they’re just spewing hot air – or rather, greenhouse gases. That’s called “leakage” in the carbon credit market: the taking on of one agricultural practice to offset greenhouse gas

Kazakhstan Lowers Grain Exports To Curb Inflation

Kazakhstan lowered its exportable grain surplus by 14 per cent to six million tonnes this season after diverting extra stocks to battle rising inflation, Agriculture Ministry officials said Mar. 17. Kazakhstan, the world’s seventh- largest wheat exporter, had previously said it would have seven million tonnes of grain available for export in the current season,


Weekly weather map – for Mar. 17, 2011

The Weather Vane is prepared by Daniel Bezte, a teacher by profession with a BA (Hon.) in geography, specializing in climatology, from the University of Winnipeg. Daniel has taught university-level classes in climate and weather and currently operates a computerized weather station at his home near Birds Hill Park, on 10 acres he plans to