Ag News

The ongoing fire situation in Manitoba, resulted in the Federal, Provincial and Territorial Agriculture Ministers meeting virtually last week.

They discussed a number of issues, from the weather impacts to international trade, improving interprovincial trade opportunities, and enhancements to AgriStability.

For the 2025 program year only, they agreed to increase the AgriStability compensation rate from 80 per cent to 90 per cent and increased the maximum payment limit from $3 million to $6 million. 

The Boissevain-Morton-Whitewater (BMW) Foodgrains committee is pleased with the progress on the 300 acre field at Fairfax for this year's grow project.

Field Manager, Mitch Bohrn, says this year they grew wheat the field west of Minto a bit on the later end when everybody else was seeding wheat in the area and it's actually turning out to be pretty good. "It's caught some really nice rains the last little bit here and things are looking really good," says Bohrn.

Choosing the right replacement heifers is more important than ever for cattle producers, especially with today’s record-high calf prices.

“Replacement heifers represent the genetic potential of a producer’s operation,” says Alexis DeCorby, Livestock and Feed Extension Specialist with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture’s Yorkton office.

“They’re a costly investment that requires about two years of inputs before they produce a live calf.”

Lawrence Farms, located south of Rosetown, recently hosted Labatt Canada and SaskBarley for the official launch of a new scholarship.

The event featured an educational tour led by Stuart Lawrence, a fourth-generation farmer who took over the family operation earlier this year following the retirement of his father, Garry Lawrence.

The All Canada Classic Sheep Show returned to Brandon this past weekend, bringing together sheep producers from across the country to showcase breeding stock and connect with fellow industry members.

With about 250 sheep for sale and attendees from Nova Scotia to British Columbia, the event marked a milestone for the national sheep industry.

A local success story

Brandon last hosted the national show in 1981, and the event remained here for three years before moving westward across the country.

A group of Manitoba farmers is drawing provincial attention for their role in protecting land and water across the Lake Winnipeg Basin. As part of a multi-partner project involving Simplot and other agriculture and sustainability groups, four farms are demonstrating real-world practices that improve soil health, reduce water waste and support biodiversity. 

A spokesperson for Manitoba Agriculture says it remains to be seen what sort of damage was felt on fields from last week's hail.

Hail was reported in numerous locations across the province, and Oilseed Specialist Sonia Wilson says producers will typically leave those crops for five to seven days, just to see how they rebound, before assessing them for hail damage. 

The WADO Field Day is taking place tomorrow near Melita and there still might be some room on the tour buses that will be transporting local farmers, presenters and representatives of Manitoba Agriculture to the local test plot sites. But you better jump on that fast!

The annual event is hosted by the Westman Agricultural Diversification Organization (WADO) in mid-summer, where multiple crops and their varieties, pests and disease, challenges and accomplishments are shared with stakeholders in the ag industry.

The company that owns a rail line and port in northern Manitoba has increased its capacity to transport goods, as governments eye potential growth in trade through Hudson Bay to overseas markets.

Officials with Arctic Gateway Group said Tuesday a new dedicated critical mineral storage facility has been built at the Port of Churchill, tripling the port’s storage capacity for critical minerals.

Farm Credit Canada (FCC) is expanding its Innovation Farm Network, a key part of its long-term strategy to make Canada a global leader in agricultural innovation and productivity.

Media Release - July 15, 2025