Organic farming Archives - Page 6 of 22

MAFRD farm management specialist Roy Arnott spoke to a seminar on organic cost of production at Ag Days.

Organic producers could see net profit levels range from $100 to $300 per acre

Know your cost per bushel, not just per acre, says farm management specialist

By Laura Rance-Unger, Lorraine Stevenson February 1, 2016

Organic production is one way for small farmers to improve their viability, an analyst told a seminar at Manitoba Ag Days in Brandon. Roy Arnott, who does annual cost-of-production budgets for MAFRD, said the gross revenue over operating costs in conventional agriculture leaves a margin of 20 to 40 per cent. That margin is what

Editorial

Editorial: A whole-farm approach

By Laura Rance-Unger January 18, 2016

If you think the future of government support for agriculture lies in doing more of the same but only better, you’ll get little comfort from Manitoba’s Agriculture Risk Management Review Task Force report released last week. The 25 recommendations and the supporting appendix report should also make you a little uncomfortable if you think the

Crops, News

What’s hot and what’s not for 2016 crops

Margins are expected to be a lot tighter in the coming year, but the major crops are still showing a potential for profit

By Laura Rance-Unger January 8, 2016

Manitoba farmers are facing some tough choices when it comes to squeezing a profit out of the crops they grow in 2016. But the Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development annual crop production guidelines indicate there are still profits to be made in both conventional and organic production systems. These estimates serve as useful reference

“Nearly 33 per cent of the world’s arable land has been lost to erosion or pollution in the last 40 years.” – Duncan Cameron, University of Sheffield.

Crops, News

Developing a sustainable model for intensive agriculture

U.K. scientists warn on soil loss and call for biotech  ‘to wean crops off the artificial world we have created for them’

By University Of Sheffield Release December 15, 2015

Speaking at the 21st Conference of the Parties in Paris on Dec. 2, experts from the University of Sheffield’s Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures revealed that nearly 33 per cent of the world’s arable land has been lost to erosion or pollution in the last 40 years and vital action must now be taken to

Local news

Small farmers considering their own organization

Nov. 24 meeting will explore how to best represent small-scale farms

By Lorraine Stevenson November 20, 2015

Small-scale producers who sell mostly direct to consumers will meet next week to decide whether they have enough in common to form a new Manitoba farm organization. A good turnout for the meeting Nov. 24 is expected, but it remains to be seen whether they can unify under an umbrella organization, one of the organizers

Approximately 31 per cent of food produced in the U.S., or 133 billion pounds of food worth $162 billion, was wasted in 2011, according to the USDA.

Did you know?

The problem with ‘all-you-can(‘t)-eat’ dining

Study says unfinished meat wastes more resources than other foods

By Manitoba Co-operator Staff August 31, 2015

In a new study, University of Missouri researchers say that while less meat is wasted on average compared to fruits and vegetables, it represents more total resource waste in inputs such as fuel and fertilizer. “While many of us are concerned about food waste, we also need to consider the resources that are wasted when

Martin Entz speaks about organic soybeans near Carman.

Crops, Oilseeds

Higher seeding rate needed for organic soybeans

Transitioning to organic soybeans is possible with strategic planning

By Shannon VanRaes August 10, 2015

It’s a simple question, one that Martin Entz hopes producers will seriously consider. “Why not grow organic soybeans?” he asked producers gathered at the Ian N. Morrison research farm near Carman late last month for the Manitoba Pulse & Soybean Growers’ annual SMART Day. “Something farmers are always looking for is on-farm diversification, so we’ve

Somerset-area organic farmer Jeremiah Evans is impressed with the weed control he’s getting with a new U.K.-made in-row cultivator.

Crops, Local news

Precision tillage offers new option for organic weed control

Frustrated with lack of weed control, organic farmer Jeremiah Evans has  tried a U.K.-made in-row cultivator and he’s impressed with the results

By Lorraine Stevenson July 23, 2015

Jeremiah Evans has a new high-tech hand helping him control weeds on his organic farm. Last fall the Somerset-area farmer took delivery of a custom-built U.K.-manufactured Garford Robocrop in-row cultivator, which uses special software to identify and target weeds, leaving the crop behind. After seeing what it could do to his wild oats, thistle and

Country Crossroads

The importance of composting

Understanding how to make and use compost important as problem of waste disposal continues to grow

By Red River Basin Commission July 22, 2015

Compost is decomposed organic material, such as leaves, grass clippings, and kitchen waste. It provides many essential nutrients for plant growth and therefore is often used as fertilizer. Compost also improves soil structure so that soil can easily hold the correct amount of moisture, nutrients and air. It improves the texture of both clay soils

Bruce Berry of Almost Urban Vegetables uses composted manure to power his plants.

Livestock, Local news

Winter no barrier to composting

Manure composting has many benefits, including concentrated nutrients,  reduced volume, no smell and easy transport

By Shannon VanRaes July 22, 2015

Like any recipe, making a good composted manure requires the right ingredients, a proper mixer and some heat. “There are a lot of misconceptions as to what composting actually is, some think that if you have a pile of manure it’s called composting, it really isn’t,” said Mario Tenuta. “So we want to talk to

Daily Network News

U.S. livestock: CME cattle futures higher on year-end positioning

U.S. grains: Soybean futures fall, shrugging off China purchases

Growing pains: An Ontario city’s urban agriculture efforts show good policy requires real capacity

Tag Archives Organic farming