Crop Report – for Jul. 30, 2009

SOUTHWEST REGION Spotty showers throughout the region resulted in five to 15 mm of precipitation. Cereal crop development ranges from filling to starting to flower. Canola crops range in development from flowering to podding. Flax is flowering. Sunflowers are in the bud stage. Fungicide is nearly complete. Producers are monitoring sunflower fields for rust. Most

Drought Aid Bypasses Southwestern Manitoba

“They’re telling us we didn’t have a drought.” – ALLAN DOWNEY Alberta and Saskatchewan producers will get a tax deferral on cattle sales this year. Interlake producers will get one, too, but southwestern Manitoba producers will just have to wait. Producers in the southwestern region have been told they can’t get aid because they don’t


$21.5 Million Excess Moisture Claims

“A lot of those farmers are still suffering from excess moisture from last summer.” – CRAIG THOMSON Manitoba farmers couldn’t seed 420,000 acres this spring to annual crops due to excess moisture, triggering $21.5 million in crop insurance payouts Agriculture Minister Rosann Wowchuk announced July 16. That’s the third-highest number of acres unseeded because of

Let Farmers Pay For Drainage: Kap Resolution

Farmers who find governments slow to fund drainage projects may start paying for the service themselves. Keystone Agricultural Producers last week called for a funding arrangement allowing municipalities needing drainage to levy local improvement fees on farmland to help pay for it. Such projects would still require cost sharing from Ottawa and the province, according


Crop Report – for Jul. 23, 2009

SOUTHWEST Most areas received rainfall over the past week with totals varying from 25 to 45 millimetres. Some areas received heavy thundershowers and areas in the northern part of the region reported temperatures close to 0C. Most early-seeded cereal crops are heading, with later-seeded crops in the flag leaf to early-head stage. Most canola crops

Crop Report – for Jul. 16, 2009

SOUTHWEST REGION Several areas in the region received needed rainfall last week with amounts ranging from 15 to 150 mm. The majority of the cereal crops are in the flag-leaf to early-heading stage with some of the early-seeded crop finished flowering. The window for fungicide application is closing quickly. Canola crops are flowering with reseeded


MCPA Director Quits Over Drought Assistance

Adispute over drought assistance to southwestern Manitoba cattle producers has created a split on the Manitoba Cattle Producers Association board of directors. Brian Sterling, MCPA’s District 1 director, recently announced his resignation from the board. District 1 includes the extreme southwestern corner of the province where drought has produced a severe livestock feed shortage. Sterling

Manitoba Crops Vary But Not Too Bad Overall

“A lot of seeding just did not get done.” – THELMA BLAHEY, MAFRI Although crop conditions vary greatly throughout the province, Manitoba so far is avoiding the crippling drought raging out west. The one word to describe conditions here would be: variable. Too much rain in some places, not enough in others. Recent storms which


Crop Report – for Jul. 9, 2009

SOUTHWEST REGION A general rainfall over the past week resulted in 10 to 30 mm of precipitation. Moisture was welcome as several areas are reporting dry conditions. The majority of cereal crops are in the flag leaf stage with early-seeded crops starting to head. Early-sown canola is starting to flower. Pea fields are starting to

Glen Nicoll — A Good Friend Passes

Just before press time Monday, we learned that Glen Nicoll, a longtime market columnist for the cattle industry in Manitoba, lost his battle with brain cancer early June 29. This is the second tragic loss that we report in this issue – columnist Paul Beingessner died last week in an accident on his farm in