Michelle Schram, with her young son, on the farm she co-runs with husband Troy Stozek near Cartwright.

Women more likely to run non-conventional farms: report

EQUALITY | Access to land, social capital and difference in interests, skills may account for the trend

While women are less likely than men to farm in Manitoba, inequality appears to be lower for women in direct marketing or non-conventional farms, according to a recent report from the University of Manitoba. “There is a dynamic that women face that young men don’t face entering farming, but I also think that that’s changing

New EU welfare laws could shrink pork supplies

Reuters/Pig numbers in the European Union could fall by as much as 10 per cent and the price of pork could rise substantially when tougher animal welfare regulations come into force next year. Some farmers are likely to leave the industry, especially in Spain, a major producer where a credit squeeze will make it harder


The challenge of civility

Awareness days, weeks and months are a rapidly growing phenomenon in the modern world, a bid by groups with a special interest to flag down our fast-moving society for just a few moments to consider their cause. They can be altruistic, as in World Food Day, observed by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization every




New housing co-op first to adopt “unequal share equity” approach

Construction has begun in Brandon on the new housing co-operative 
envisioned by another co-op — the city’s Seniors for Seniors Co-op

Construction has begun on a seniors’ housing co-operative in Brandon that supporters say offers a new model for affordable housing other communities may want to explore. Last week future residents and supporters of the Western Manitoba Seniors Non-Profit Housing Co-operative gathered at the 620 McDiarmid Street site where a 34-suite residence will be built by


Time has come to stop always

Nicole Blyth is involved. The vivacious farm girl from MacGregor has volunteered with community groups and at school, and jumped at just about every 4-H leadership opportunity that’s come her way. Volunteering is a way to meet people, have fun, and learn new things, says Blyth, a Brandon University student planning to focus on rural

EU Food Aid Scheme In Place Until 2014

BRUSSELS/REUTERS European Union member governments agreed Nov. 14 to spend one billion euros ($1.37 billion) of the EU s budget on food aid for Europe s neediest citizens for the next two years, though the deal foresees ending the program in 2014. The food aid scheme for the needy will be maintained in 2012 and


Province To Fund Youth For Sandbag Cleanup

The province will spend $3.2 million to create jobs for up to 500 students and youth who will be part of teams that will do flood protection, recovery and cleanup work in communities affected by flooding, Premier Greg Selinger announced June 3. “We recognize that flood-affected communities need workers to assist with ongoing flood protection,

New Rules Aim To Make Co-Ops Easier To Launch

The province of Manitoba is changing the rules governing how co-op businesses are structured to allow for multiple classes of membership. The province has announced it will amend its Co-operatives Act to allow groups that would normally form separate co-ops, such as workers and consumers, to combine their resources to create a co-op together. The