Federal Support For Organic Marketing

Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz has announced an investment of more than $150,000 to assist the Canada Organic Trade Association (COTA) in promoting Canada’s high-quality organic products to consumers abroad. COTA is one of several organic organizations across the country that is partnering to make Organic Week Oct. 11 to 16 a success. “This investment will

Organic Agriculture Is The Future

Does organic agriculture have a future? For some, such as well-known plant scientist E. Ann Clark, organic is the future. In a paper released earlier this year, the University of Guelph professor joined those who say that the end of cheap oil will mean the end of conventional agriculture as it’s currently practised. “(T)he future


Harnessing Natural Alternatives To Synthetic Fertilizers

For more than 50 years, farmers have been using synthetic fertilizers and pesticides to increase our food production, and with great success. These fertilizers, often made from fossil fuels, used to be relatively cheap and convenient. As prices increase, however, both farmers and consumers are feeling the pinch of higher costs for producing and buying

Leave Those Leaves – for Sep. 16, 2010

There’s life after raking – black gold is what it’s called, that pile of leaf compost. If space is at a premium, leaves can be overwintered in plastic bags. The composting process will be speeded up if the leaves are shredded and this will also reduce the storage space needed. In the spring when plants


Variable-Rate Hog Manure Still Needs Work – for Sep. 2, 2010

Precision agr icul ture isn’t ready for natural fertilizer. That’s the finding of a recently completed study by Nivervillebased Agra-Gold Consulting researcher Scott Dick, who along with Farmer’s Edge Precision Consulting, tested whether the cutting-edge technology could work with a drag-hose application system to apply hog manure. In the MRAC and Manitoba Pork Council-funded study

Organic Farm Dream Contest Winner Announced – for Aug. 19, 2010

An avid backyard gardener who dreams of setting up an organic greenhouse operation is the winner of the Manitoba Farm Mentorship’s “So You Want to be an Organic Farmer!” contest. Drew Bouchard, 21, is currently taking the Prairie Horticulture Certificate Program, specializing in greenhouse crop production. Upon being notified of his win, Bouchard promptly chose


MZTRA Farm Tests Jumpstart Inoculant On Canola – for Aug. 12, 2010

An Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researcher has launched a study to find out whether Jumpstart really works. Ramona Mohr will be examining how the phosphate-solubilizing seed inoculant containing the naturally occurring fungi Penicillium bilaii, will affect growth, P uptake, yield and quality of canola at the MZTRA farm, and a handful of other sites in

MZTRA Farm Tests Jumpstart Inoculant On Canola – for Aug. 12, 2010

An Agriculture and Agri- Food Canada researcher has launched a study to find out whether Jumpstart really works. Ramona Mohr will be examining how the phosphate-solubilizing seed inoculant containing the naturally occurring fungi Penicillium bilaii, will affect growth, P uptake, yield and quality of canola at the MZTRA farm, and a handful of other sites


EU Sees Sharp Growth In Organic Food Trade

Imports of organic food products into the European Union are likely to increase sharply as demand outstrips domestic supply, a report published by the bloc’s executive July 16 said. Higher demand for organic produce in more affluent western EU member states could also see a rise in intra-EU trade, as organic production has grown much