Survey Finds Public Willing To Pay For EGS

“Manitobans are willing to pay $294 per household over a five-year period for wetlands, according to the survey results. If 100 per cent of wetlands are restored in the province, the public is willing to pay $358 per household over five years. This is even after those polled were told this money would come out

In Brief… – for Jun. 18, 2009

Ag Growth’s gone corporate: Winnipeg-based Ag Growth, owner of grain-handling equipment makers including Rosenort auger firm Westfield Industries, has wrapped up its conversion from an income trust to a publicly traded corporation. The common shares of what will be named “Ag Growth International Inc.” were expected to begin trading on the TSX around about June


Consultations Held On Bill 7

Bill 7 received second reading June 2 and underwent public consultations last week in a last-minute push before summer recess begins at the Legislature. The Food Safety and Related Amendments Act, which brings several pieces of food safety legislation under one new act, has been scrutinized by farm groups since its introduction last December. Groups

Groups Remain Concerned With Bill 7

Farm and rural groups are lining up to voice their concerns over proposed new food safety legislation in Manitoba, but they might have to wait until next fall to do it. Bill 7 had not yet received second reading, been reviewed by cabinet or been scheduled for public consultations as of early this week. The


Producers To Get Help Age Verifying Cattle

Manitoba cattle producers will get help from their own association in age verifying calves to make sure Alberta feedlots will buy them. The Manitoba Cattle Producers Association will hire a full-time field representative to travel the province and help producers age verify their cattle. “It’s responsible for a cattle producer’s association to help producers reach

Not Much New For Agriculture In 2009 Provincial Budget

“Little pots of money for various things.” – DOUG DOBROWOLSKI, AMM Manitoba’s latest provincial budget contains a smattering of initiatives useful to farmers but little new spending on agriculture programs themselves. The government plans to spend $225.7 million on agriculture in 2009-10, a 3.2 per cent increase from the previous year. Spending on risk management,


Winter Manure Spreading To End For Small Hog Farms

“They’re going out of their way to push the small guys out of business.” – ANDREW DICKSON, MPC A complete ban on spreading livestock manure on fields during the winter in Manitoba will take effect four years from now. The Manitoba government has proposed a regulation to ban winter spreading on all farms by 2013,

Parks Canada Proceeds With Selected Elk Cull

“Their commitment to start removing animals is really positive.” – RAY ARMBRUSTER, CHAIR OF MCPA ANIMAL HEALTH COMMITTEE. Parks Canada has begun the removal of an increased number of suspect elk and deer from an area of Riding Mountain National Park that has had the highest TB infection rates. “TB Alley” along the Birdtail River


Direction Of Government Programs Perplexes Cattlemen

“It could become a prerequisite for trade, as animal care has become. So do we take the lead, or leave it to the provinces?” – CCA’S ROB MCNABB ON DEVELOPING A NATIONAL BIOSECURITY STANDARD Whether it’s cattle price insurance, dis-a ster recovery or biosecurity, figuring out what direction government programs might take has proven a

An Open Letter To The Manitoba Cattle Producers Association

A recent letter from the Manitoba Cattle Producers Association (MCPA) to a National Farmers Union (NFU) member who had requested a refund of her MCPA checkoff went to great lengths to fabricate a fictitious partnership between the NFU and R-CALF. Based upon previous experience related to MCPA attacks upon the Manitoba Cattle Enhancement checkoff, and