Betty Sawatzky

"Canada’s largest indoor farm show will kick off the three-day event on Tuesday January 21st at the Keystone Centre in Brandon," shares Media Coordinator, Teresa Hildebrand.  "This year’s show will include over 550 exhibitors with both indoor and outdoor displays all under one roof!"

Five things to know before the show

1. This year’s theme is Produced on the Prairies.

Looking at this year's grow season, Manitoba Agriculture Applied Research Specialist with WADO, Scott Chalmers says something to certainly be watching out for is the herbicide-resistant weeds that are starting to really take hold, like Kochia.

Chalmers says Kochia has become resistant to a variety of herbicides and if it starts cross-pollinating it could turn into a super weed. 

"We had record prices in 2024,” says Manitoba Livestock Marketing Association Executive Administrator, Rick Wright. "For the cow/calf breeders in Manitoba, across Western Canada, it's the best year we've ever had."

“I've been in the business 45 years, and we've never seen cattle prices where they were this fall. And the good news is that looking ahead into 2025, it looks like these prices have the potential to carry on for next year and possibly the year after,” he says. 

With a spring retirement on the near horizon for Manitoba-Ontario Canadian Foodgrains Bank's rep, Gordon Janzen, the first three months of 2025 will be a busy time.

"The first thing for me will be meeting up with the new representative and making introductions to individuals and groups and organizations across Manitoba," shares Janzen.

After seven plus years of being the Regional Rep for Manitoba and northwestern Ontario for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, Gordon Janzen is looking at retirement in spring of the new year.

"I started in November of 2017, so I've been working in this role for just over 7 years," shares Janzen. "It's been a very good seven years of connecting with supporters of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, the individuals and the groups, the growing projects and community groups, the lovely and generous communities across Manitoba and northwest Ontario to connect with."

For the seventh consecutive year, Canadian Foodgrains Bank has been named a Top 10 Impact Charity by Charity Intelligence.

A clear mission statement, a deep understanding of the issue of global hunger, and strong reporting mechanisms are just some of the reasons the Foodgrains Bank has held this status since 2018 states the CFB website.

Manitoba Ag Days is coming to the Keystone Centre in January of 2025 and the speaker's line-up features a wide range of topics. 

The program is finalized, and the speaking line up is phenomenal, says Ag Days Media Coordinator Teresa Hildebrand  "The program committee listened to requests and suggestions as they assembled a speaking line up that’s all agriculture."

For the seventh consecutive year, Canadian Foodgrains Bank has been named as a Top 10 Impact Charity by Charity Intelligence.

A clear mission statement, deep understanding of the issue of global hunger, and strong reporting mechanisms are just some of the reasons the Foodgrains Bank has held this status since 2018 states the CFB website.

For the seventh consecutive year, Canadian Foodgrains Bank has been named as a Top 10 Impact Charity by Charity Intelligence.

A clear mission statement, deep understanding of the issue of global hunger, and strong reporting mechanisms are just some of the reasons the Foodgrains Bank has held this status since 2018 states the CFB website.

The Canadian Foodgrains Bank receives a large portion of their annual donations in the months of November and December, certainly because of the generous nature of their supporters during the Christmas season, but also as it is the end of the year and a good time to give to favorite charitable organizations for income tax purposes.

However, the Canada Postal strike has created some challenges for donors and so the CFB team encourages folks to give through alternate means.