Funds To Restore Manitoba’s Largest Marshes

“The cost of restoring our internationally significant wetlands is small compared to the tremendous benefits they provide by improving the water quality of our great lakes, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing wildlife habitat and wildliferelated recreation opportunities.” – STAN STRUTHERS, CONSERVATION MINISTER The province is strengthening its strategy for healthy waterways with an investment

Bacteria Could Transform Ethanol Sector

A compost bacteria bred by a British company could be set to transform both the profitability and environmental credentials of the U. S. ethanol industry. “The application of our technology results in the greening of corn ethanol,” Hamish Curran, chief executive officer of TMO Renewables Ltd. said in an interview Sept. 15. The company provides


Province Mandates Biofuels In Diesel

Manitoba will make an average two per cent biodiesel content mandatory for all diesel fuel sold in the province, starting Nov. 1. “Biodiesel will benefit Manitoba’s agricultural communities while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 56,000 tonnes, the equivalent of taking 11,000 cars off the road annually,” provincial Energy Minister Jim Rondeau said in a release

Program Helps Farmers Adopt Sustainable Practices

Applications are now available for the Manitoba Sustainable Agriculture Practices Program (MSAPP), Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives Minister Rosann Wowchuk has announced. This program includes a beneficial management practices (BMPs) incentive to encourage producers to adopt and implement sustainable agriculture practices to help reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that contribute to climate change. This new


Manitoba Farmer Gives Commons Committee An Earful

Politicians and farm groups spend too much time debating marketing boards, the Canadian Wheat Board and farm safety nets and not enough on what will really help producers, a southwestern Manitoba farmer told the Commons agriculture committee recently. “Those three areas of policy suck 90 per cent of the oxygen out of the ag policy

Farmers Have A Spot In Carbon Market Plan

Environment Minister Jim Prentice has unveiled proposals for a carbon market system in Canada and cited farmers as among the groups that could benefit. Farm groups are interested but have questions about the details. In a speech to the Economic Club of Canada, Prentice said, “Projects that could qualify for offsets span the economy, from


Seeing The Future

“I subscribe to the view that we’ll see more shortages and better prices more often in the years to come.” To which view of the future of the grain business do you subscribe? View No. 1: the growing world population and increasing prosperity will lead to a long-term uptrend in agricultural prices. View No. 2:

Pulse Promotion Fits New-Age Tastes

Kids have been watching and learning from their parents – how not to eat. “The ailments that have plagued our parents and our grandparents, like early deaths from stress and heart disease… they’re all fairly preventable, if we can live healthier,” said Timothy Hill, a 20-something junior trader with Bissma Pacific Inc. as he listened


Carbon Offsets Could Reduce The Stink From Manure Lagoons

“Ninety-five per cent of the odour is gone.” – LEONARD HOFER Cutting the stink from manure storage lagoons doesn’t earn farmers a cent, but capturing and destroying the methane lagoons create might. Preferred Carbon, Farmers Edge Precision Consulting, the University of Manitoba and Starlite Colony have set up a pilot project to study to see

Ag’s Two Faces In Global Warming Debate

Ionce asked a well-informed acquaintance what the consequences were if he was wrong in his insistence that global warming was simply Al Gore’s revenge for the 2000 presidential election. “Well,” he replied, “if I’m wrong my grandchildren will curse my name.” That introspective reply come to mind after the narrow, 219 to 212 U. S.