Burrowing owl.

For the birds

Ranchers and prairie grassland birds have something in common: they’re both endangered species

Home on Manitoba’s range, there are some discouraging words, especially when talk turns to bird habitat and populations. At a recent meeting in Winnipeg that flagged the importance of conservationists supporting the beef sector and their record of preserving habitat, it soon became clear that stemming the decline of forage-based beef production in the province

Manitoba Crown land grazing leases are going to be subject to new rules but the details are still vague.

Livestock producers worried as grazing leases head to auction

Farmers say too many details are still undetermined as the new system gets closer to reality

Producers are looking for details as the province hashes out its new Crown lands auction system. Bill 35, which introduced open auctions to allocate agricultural Crown lands and gave the province power to designate Crown lands and community pastures, received royal assent Nov. 8. Although approved on proclamation it has not yet come into effect.


Manitoba cattle producers are scrambling for hay while they wait for their pastures to regrow.

Slow-growing pasture means feed questions for producers

Pastures are slow growing this spring and last year’s feed surplus is starting to dwindle

Gord Adams of Deloraine has a feed problem, and he’s not the only one. The beef producer is among many Manitoba farmers reaching the limit of their feed supplies while pastures remain unable to fully support herds given poor regrowth. “We’re pretty much out of hay here now and we’ve been kind of trying to


Manitoba cattle producers are hoping for rain to reinvigorate dry pastures after a late spring.

Livestock producers ponder pasture stocking

Livestock operations are topping off feed supplies or looking 
to stretch what they have as a late, dry spring has pastures lagging

Manitoba’s cattle producers find themselves facing a serious hangover after a lingering winter and extremely dry start to the spring. They’re making tough decisions about whether or not to put cattle onto pasture now, with scant regrowth, or to keep their animals on feed. Darren Chapman, Manitoba Forage and Grassland Associa­tion chair, is among those



Manitoba’s new Crown land leasing system for grazing is getting a cautious endorsement from the province’s beef industry.


Manitoba putting points system out to pasture

Producers will have to bid for forage and grazing Crown lands as of next fall rather than the current points-based system

Manitobans will have to jump through different hoops to access Crown lands for haying or grazing this year. The province announced an end to the old points-based system in December, to be replaced by a tendering system similar to how cropped Crown lands were already leased. Changes will be in place for the next round

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Hay shortage could make for difficult winter

CNS Canada — Many cattle producers looking for local feed this winter might have a difficult time, according to a Saskatchewan provincial forage specialist. However, producers further north in the grey and black soil zones, and those in Alberta producing high-quality feed for export, saw near-record hay production. Terry Kowalchuk of Saskatchewan Agriculture in Regina


Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay and B.C. Agriculture Minister Lana Popham met Wednesday in Victoria. (Photo courtesy AAFC)

Options weighed for AgriRecovery in B.C. fire zones

Officials in British Columbia are now gauging what sorts of damages and expenses can be covered through an AgriRecovery plan for ranchers and farmers affected by wildfires. The federal and B.C. governments announced Wednesday they’re “working together to quickly assess the extraordinary costs farmers are incurring and what additional assistance may be required to recover