retired dairy farmer Gord Hammell

Retirement project reinforces need for conserving natural land

Retired dairy farmer Gord Hammell is redoing a breeding bird survey he did in the 1970s, 
documenting changes to local land, water and wildlife

Gord Hammell came to Manitoba over 40 years ago to count ducks, and after a long interval milking cows, he’s counting again. The University of Guelph science student arrived in 1970 to do summer research for his master’s thesis on lesser scaup, a waterfowl also called “little bluebill” whose numbers have long been in decline.


farm family standing in a pasture with cattle

Cattle producers seek protection from residential neighbours

Manitoba municipality ignores its own bylaw in the 
endeavour to develop rural residential property

Area livestock operators say they fear being squeezed out by a proposed residential development their municipality has approved based on false information and in contravention of local bylaws. Residents opposed to the project say the developer behind a proposed 96-acre housing development east of Carberry failed to disclose in his rezoning application that there are

Struggling Farmers’ Markets Association faces uncertain future

With no funding for an executive director and a shortage of volunteers, the association in danger of folding, says its outgoing chair

The room fell quiet as outgoing chair Jennifer Morrison made her plea “not to let this organization fold” to the 40 people attending the recent annual meeting of the Farmers’ Markets Association of Manitoba Co-op Inc. “We need support from the membership,” said Morrison. “We can’t run this organization on a small volunteer board.” But

Fruit flies fed organic diets are healthier

Fruit flies raised on diets based on organic foods performed better on a variety of health tests, including fertility and longevity

Researchers aren’t sure why, but fruit flies fed organic fruits and vegetables in a laboratory study lived longer and produced more offspring than flies fed a non-organic diet. The study from the lab of SMU biologist Johannes H. Bauer, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, found that fruit flies raised on diets of organic foods performed better


New professorship in agricultural risk management

Staff / Lysa Porth has been selected to head the new Guy Carpenter Professorship in Agriculture Risk Management and Insurance at the University of Manitoba’s Asper School of Business. The professorship was made possible through a gift of $750,000 from Guy Carpenter & Company, a global leader in risk management and reinsurance intermediary services. The

Agriculture Hall of Fame

Five Manitobans were honoured for their contribution to agriculture and their community at an induction ceremony for the Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame July 12. The Co-operator is featuring each in consecutive weekly editions.

Herb Lapp was born and raised on a farm at Alameda, Saskatchewan. He served in the Royal Canadian Air Force as a pilot during the Second World War. In 1949, he graduated in agricultural engineering from the University of Saskatchewan. In 1962, he obtained an MS in agricultural engineering from the University of Minnesota. Herb

MBP bursary winners for 2012

Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) has announced bursaries of $500 each for children of Manitoba beef producers pursuing post-secondary studies related to agriculture and the rural economy. “MBP is proud to invest in these students and the future of agriculture in Manitoba,” said Ray Armbruster, MBP president. “We congratulate all of the winners and we wish


Habitat Heritage Corporation signs 600th conservation agreement

The Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation (MHHC) marked Earth Day Apr. 22 with the signing of its 600th conservation agreement, which will permanently conserve 93 privately owned acres of uplands and 51 acres of wetlands in the Turtlehead Creek watershed in the Turtle Mountains. The agreement brings the total under conservation agreements to 110,000 acres of

Agribition launches 2012 scholarships

Staff / Canadian Western Agribition’s annual scholarships are open for applications for 2012. “One of Agribition’s strongest goals is to promote innovation in agriculture. There is no better way to foster innovation than to feed the minds of the young people who will be our industry’s leaders in the near future,” said Marty Seymour, CEO