James Battershill

KAP seeks members’ input on Growing Forward 3

By starting early Manitoba’s general farm organization hopes to have more influence 
over the outcome than it did with Growing Forward 2

Which farm programs are working and which are not? That’s what Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) staff is asking members as it and the Canadian Federation of Agriculture prepare for Growing Forward 3, the federal-provincial framework for farm programs to take effect April 1, 2017. “We felt we needed to be as proactive as possible to

A hand full of Canadian Cash

Streamlined cash advance program allows one-stop shopping

Grain and livestock farmers can get loans of up to $400,000, with the first $100,000 interest free

Canola farmers looking for a cash advance can now apply for it through the Manitoba Corn Growers Association if they like, or they can obtain a corn cash advance from the Canadian Canola Growers Association. Streamlining to the federal government’s Advance Payments Program means Manitoba farmers can now get cash advances for most crops with


awards ceremony at CropConnect

Lorne Loeppky’s 226-bushel corn wins 2014 yield contest

The secret: paying attention to detail, good soil and hog manure

How does Lorne Loeppky grow such big corn crops? “I have a simple answer for you on that: Pay attention to detail — that’s everything from (plant) population, to seeding depth, to how the land is prepared,” the winner of the 2014 Manitoba Corn Growers Association’s yield competition said in an interview Feb. 18 on

a young corn crop growing in a field

Manitoba corn acres sit tight

More corn producers are requesting returns of their checkoff dollars, 
but so far research remains unaffected


Corn acres in Manitoba aren’t expected to grow this year, partly because of a lack of risk management tools, according to the Manitoba Corn Growers Association. “The coverage that most corn producers have is maybe 50 to 60 per cent of their cost of production,” said association president Myron Krahn. “In a risk management strategy,


Lorne Loeppky

VIDEO: Lorne Loeppky wins 2014 MCGA corn yield competition

A 'sweet spot in the field' earns Rolling Prairie Farms grower with a win in Manitoba Corn Growers Association contest

Lorne Loeppky of Tourond, Man., winner of the Manitoba Corn Growers Association’s 2014 corn yield competition, talked with Manitoba Co-operator reporter Allan Dawson during CropConnect on Feb. 18 about getting big corn yields.

Manitoba farm family

OYF 2014 national recognition goes to Manitoba farm couple

The Krahns of Carman are one of two farm couples to earn Outstanding Young Farmer recognition in 2014

A Manitoba farm couple that built a seed-retailing business on their Carman-area farm have been named Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers for 2014. Myron and Jill Krahn, who grow 3,000 acres of grains, oilseeds and special crops and started a seed dealership five years ago, were presented with the national award along with potato producers Andrew


bees in a hive

Late corn planting sees more bees flying

Keeping bees at bay when it comes to corn planting isn’t always possible, 
but good communication goes a long way

Manitoba corn growers and beekeepers have been meeting to talk about how to communicate better for the benefit of bees. The Manitoba Corn Growers Association invited members of the Manitoba Beekeeper’s Association to a spring board meeting, to discuss how to best protect honeybees from the pesticides used to coat corn seeds. “Both sides need

honey bees in a hive

Thinking of bees

Bees rank right up there with climate change these days for the volume of studies and stories that cross a farm newspaper editor’s desk. Sometimes the two are even linked, such as the prediction that Africanized honeybees, which can be fatally aggressive, will make their way north from the southern U.S. as median temperatures rise.


corn grower award presentation

Corn growers hail top yielder

Baker Colony of MacGregor has won the Manitoba Corn Growers Association’s 2013 corn yield competition with a yield of 252.74 bushels an acre. Froese Enterprises of Winkler and Rolling Prairie Inc. of Niverville placed second and third, respectively with yields of 210.03 and 209.18 bushels an acre. Baker Colony won growing Pioneer 39D97. Although average Manitoba corn yields set

Clubroot affects thousands of acres in Alberta where the disease was discovered 10 years ago. Two infected fields were confirmed in Manitoba earlier this year.

Oil industry can help fight spread of clubroot

KAP wants companies to clean their equipment between locations

Delegates also passed resolutions on water management, but won’t be 
organizing a mass demonstration at the legislature

Oilfield equipment needs to be cleaned as it enters and exits Manitoba farmland to prevent the spread of clubroot, says a resolution passed by the Keystone Agricultural Producers’ general council Oct. 17. It was one of six resolutions debated. Five were passed and one was defeated. “It’s not that big of a deal,” said Cromer