In Brief… – for Jan. 13, 2011

Dangerous beetle found in L.A.:U.S. customs officials last week said they had found a beetle considered one of the world’s most dangerous agricultural pests in a shipment of rice arriving at Los Angeles International Airport. Officials found an adult khapra beetle, eight larvae and a shed skin in a shipment of Indian rice from Saudi



MHS Aims To Digitize Community History Books

Excerpted fromMunicipal Leader: Fall 2010 Is that community history book that took so long to create now seldom read or gathering dust in a local library? The Manitoba Histor ical Society, in collaboration with the University of Manitoba libraries, is embarking on a project to digitize these local histories and post them on their website.

Field Experience Lacking In Environmental Education

The environmental scientist of the future may be someone who sits at a computer in an office building all day and never ventures outdoors. Gordon Goldsborough raised that scenario with the Manitoba Conservation Districts Association to warn about the state of environmental education in Canada. Students in environmental programs are being shortchanged because universities are


Environment And Agriculture: Talking The Talk Or Walking The Walk

The International Institute for Sustainable Development’s Lake Winnipeg Basin Summit has come and gone, and I think most participants would agree that it was a resounding success. To quote IISD director Hank Venema, “This summit has moved us closer to a unified effort under the umbrella leadership of IISD.” The issues surrounding the degraded level

No TB Found In RMNP This Year

There were no positive bovine tuberculosis test results in Riding Mountain National Park this past year and that shows eradication measures are working, according to project manager Ken Kingdon. “It makes us feel optimistic that the program is working, but we’re not really ready to say that our program is done,” said Kingdon. “We’re not


In Brief… – for Dec. 23, 2010

Strikes doused:Collective bargaining disputes involving unionized part-time rural firefighters would be settled by binding arbitration and no work stoppages would be permitted under proposed legislation introduced this month by Labour and Immigration Minister Jennifer Howard. “This legislation will ensure that all unionized firefighters are treated the same and that work stoppages don’t affect public safety

Sterling Lyon: A Man Of Strong Principle

Sterling Lyon, Manitoba’s premier from 1977 to 1981, died in Winnipeg Dec. 16 following a brief illness. He was 83. A career public figure for over 40 years, Lyon was variously a lawyer, Crown attorney, MLA, attorney general, premier and opposition leader before becoming an Appeal Court judge. His four-year term as premier was tumul


Research Casts Doubt On Johne’s Eradication

Dairy and beef producers hoping for a simple solution to curtailing the spread of Johne’s disease have been dealt a disappointing blow by a University of Manitoba research project. The agent which causes the disease cannot be killed by composting, says the study by the university’s National Centre for Livestock and the Environment (NCLE). That

What Eats Grass And Is Worth $2.25/Lb. On The Rail?

Jim Lintott’s biggest problem selling grass-fed beef at the St. Norbert Farmers Market last summer was not having enough to sell to all the people clamouring to buy it. “We have more market than we actually have supply,” said Lintott, president of the Manitoba Grass-Fed Beef Association speaking on the sidelines of the recent Manitoba