Saskatchewan Program Worries Manitoba Livestock Producers

“We’re not happy about this.” – andrew dickson, mpc Manitoba livestock producers say a $71 million hog and cattle support program announced last week not only gives Saskatchewan producers an unfair advantage, it could lead to trade retaliation from the United States. “There’s a very real possibility,” said Andrew Dickson, Manitoba Pork Council general manager.

Food Charter Continues To Inspire

“As the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives, this is a very important issue for us.” – MAFRI MINISTER ROSANN WOWCHUK The Manitoba Food Charter continues to make inroads with Manitobans, after hosting both a sold-out conference this past weekend and signing more signatories to its visionary document. This is the second winter the


GRIP Didn’t Die, It Just Went South

“Because all these minimum prices (under the program) were so high in ’08, almost regardless of yield there was a crop insurance claim on virtually every single farm in the northern half of the U. S.” – MIKE KRUEGER As Mike Krueger explained the Crop Revenue Insurance program to which farmers have access in the

Selling Grass-Fed Beef

“The government really wants grass-fed beef to work. From the minister all the way down, we’ve had tremendous support …” – JIM LINTOTT Being 20 minutes from Portage and Main is a big advantage for Jim Lintott, who began direct marketing his beef after BSE sent auction mart prices into the tank. “My cattle have


OPAM In Recovery Mode

Organic certifier OPAM is on the road to recovery after a funding crunch that came to a head last year. Producers agreed to a voluntary $350 one-time extra fee at a meeting last fall, according to Bill Agnew, president of the Organic Producers Association of Manitoba. A misunderstanding between the group and the provincial government

Arson causes straw bale fire at Elie

“I knew this was going to happen some time.” – RCMP spokesperson A fire which destroyed some 200 straw bales at the site of the former Dow BioProducts plant at Elie last week was deliberately set. The Manitoba Fire Commissioner’s office has ruled arson as the cause of the fire and is investigating, a provincial


New use found for flax byproduct

On blustery nights in the dead of winter, sometimes the wood stove just doesn’t seem big enough to fit all the wood needed to keep the house warm until morning. Kevin Lumb believes he has the solution: a log made from highly compressed flax shives that burns cleaner and hotter than oak and belts out

More help needed to control spurge

“We’re just on our own. There’s other weed districts around but they’ve got all they can handle.” BOB BROWN, DEPUTY REEVE, R. M. OF CORNWALLIS Municipal leaders want the provincial government to step up aid for local government’s trying to control the spread of leafy spurge, a voracious noxious weed now said to be infesting


Ontario law threatens farm pesticides

Ontario’s “arbitrary” ban on ‘cosmetic’ pesti -cides threatens their use in agriculture and that’s why CropLife Canada is fighting back. “This is about more than just dandelions,” CropLife president Lorne Hepworth warned the 350 people attending CropLife’s annual meeting here Dec. 3. “It’s about agriculture and the not-so-subtle impact this has on the impressions Canadians

AMM proposes one per cent tax increase

“They’re just finally saying ‘look, we can’t just nibble at this on the edges anymore. We’ve got to figure out how to tackle it.” – AMM President Ron Bell A proposed new tax that could raise millions for repairing municipal infrastructure is expected to be the key issue before Manitoba’s reeves, mayors and councillors gathering