Community pasture takeover plan revealed

Proposal calls for a new, non-profit corporation with seven elected 
members to take over former federally managed community pastures

The federal government is pulling out, but a new boss is taking up the reins. A steering committee for the Association of Manitoba Community Pastures, a new not-for-profit group, has developed a business plan for taking over the operation of a million acres of formerly federally managed grazing rangelands in the province. That’s good news,



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

StatsCan report shows more canola, less wheat

Latest five-year agriculture census snapshot shows gross 
farm revenue up with expenses falling slightly

The numbers are out and they show canola is beating wheat, the cost of farming and farm incomes have improved marginally, and the provincial cattle herd is down by nearly a quarter. Canola area surpassed spring wheat area for the top spot among field crops, up 44.3 per cent to 3.3 million acres since the



COMMUNITY PASTURES: Business as usual this summer

The province is still mulling options as 
federal government plans to phase out its role in community pasture management

It will be business as usual this summer, despite the recent announcement by the federal government that it is getting out of the community pasture business. “Hopefully, by this fall, as people are taking their cattle out of pastures, it’ll be clear what to expect for next year,” said Robert Fleming, director of policy and


Community pasture program to wind down

Ottawa is getting out of the community pasture business and streamlining Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada by rolling the Agri-Environment Services Branch, formerly known as PFRA, into the new Science and Technology Branch. Details were still trickling out last week, but according to Cam Dahl, general manager of the Manitoba Beef Producers, cattle farmers will still

Want to learn something new about agriculture?

Manitoba Ag Days is celebrating 35 years of bringing the best and brightest in the agricultural community all together under one roof at Brandon’s Keystone Centre. “We have a high-level indoor show and the fact that it’s all in one place is a real benefit,” says Manitoba Ag Days co-chair, Scott Perkin. This year’s event


Farm accident claims farm leader

Former Manitoba Beef Producers president Major Jay Fox died Dec. 23 after being pinned beneath a tractor’s front-end loader bucket on his farm near Eddystone. Fox, 32, retired last month as a director of MBP, having served since 2009 as the organization’s president and previously as a vice-president. Fox and his wife Angela are well

Flood Recovery Will Be Slow

Wi t h Heartland Livestock in Virden taking the week off, there were only two cattle sales in Manitoba during the week ended July 18, with light volumes being reported in both Brandon and Winnipeg. Although volumes were light, prices were holding firm, with even some higher prices seen in the slaughter market. But even