Recipe Swap: Savour the flavour

Bread-making demo delights visitors in Dauphin I’ve checked my calendar more than once this spring for when Easter arrives. It’s earlier this year — March 31 — but outside there’s no indication that green grass, daffodils and the other delights of spring will be arriving any time soon. Nevertheless, preparation of the foods of Easter


2012 was a year of clear results: CCC president

Canadian athlete and competitive rower Marnie McBean told last week’s Canola Council of Canada convention delegates that being a true champion means continuously pursuing improvement, even when you’re already at your best. The three-time-gold Olympian and epitome of focus and unflinching drive was just 24 when she and teammate Kathleen Heddle first rowed to a



Jury still out on benefits of deep ripping

There has been a host of studies on whether deep ripping can fix soil compaction but the results have been inconclusive

Does deep ripping fix soil compaction and improve yields? Despite numerous studies, no one really knows, attendees at the recent Special Crops Symposium in Brandon were told. “Collectively, we haven’t done enough disciplined testing or research yet to sort out whether or not it is profitable in Manitoba,” said John Heard, soil fertility specialist with

Analysis: Are we near peak biofuels?

It is now clear, depending on where the boundary is set in life-cycle estimates of carbon emissions, 
that some biofuels offer limited or no benefits compared with conventional gasoline

London / Reuters / A stalled biofuel industry will need to produce far more efficient fuels to avoid setting off another bout of arguments over its contribution to boosting energy security and cutting carbon emissions. Biofuels had a difficult 2012. In the United States, Energy Information Administration data show production through November fell compared with



Devastating new potato disease headed north

The disease, which causes brown stripes in potatoes, 
has spread like wildfire since being found in Texas in 2000

Manitoba growers haven’t seen zebra chip disease yet — but it’s only a matter of time, says John Nordgaard. The transplanted North Dakotan manages a potato operation for Black Gold Farms near Piersall, Texas, which he describes as one of the epicentres for the disease, which results in striped chips that look like a white


John Deere sponsors 4-H scholarships

John Deere Canada is sponsoring a scholarship program for the 2013-14 school year to mark its long-standing support of 4-H Canada and to celebrate its 100th anniversary. John Deere is matching funds with 11 dealers in seven provinces to award up to 12, $2,000 scholarships. Applicants must be entering their first year of post-secondary education

Canola export plan eyes key tariff, non-tariff barriers

Tariffs still hinder canola’s access to China, Japan, 
Korea and the EU but non-tariff barriers are emerging

Some countries are still slapping import-limiting tariffs on Canada’s canola, but the industry warns this country’s most valuable commodity crop is “uniquely susceptible” to non-tariff barriers emerging at an increasing rate. Both types of barriers in key export markets are targeted in the Canola Council of Canada’s new market access strategy — and will require