PembinaValley

The Canadian Cattle Association (CCA) is announcing some key moves within the organization.

Jennifer Babcock has been promoted to the Chief Government and International Affairs Officer.

She has a proven track record of advocacy successes.

Babcock will lead CCA’s initiatives to promote and protect the interests of Canada’s beef cattle industry domestically and internationally.

In a recent CCA Action News Blog, Babcock says she looks forward to her new and expanded leadership role on CCA’s advocacy efforts.

A U.S. company develops a trait that it says provides genetic resistance to sclerotinia, which can be challenging for growers.

A San Diego company is closer to commercializing a trait that could protect canola from sclerotinia.

In April, Cibus announced that two of its disease resistance traits for canola have been designated as “not regulated” by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“We are encouraged by USDA-APHIS (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) broad designation for these traits being developed,” said Cibus co-founder Peter Beetham.

The Legends Car Club is getting ready for the return of its annual Drive for Cancer. The fundraiser for South Central Cancer Resource (SCCR) is happening Saturday, May 24th with the starting point for the run in Altona at the Sun Valley Co-op Food store parking lot. 

Morden police officers doled out 13 speeding tickets this past week. 
    
According to Police Chief Brad Neduzak, one motorist was caught going 54 km/hr in a 30 km/hr zone during one of the department's speed zone enforcement checkstops. 
    
The rest of the tickets were handed out in various locations, like Route 100 where Neduzak says officers clocked speeds as high as 73 km/hr in a 50 km/hr zone, and on Highway 3 just east of Morden, with the highest speed coming in at 122 km/hr in a 100 km/hr zone.
    

Manitoba's latest potato report shows planting in the province is now estimated to be 95 per cent complete. 

Planting has been going very smoothly, with most farms now finished.

Potato and Horticulture Crops Pathologist Vikram Bisht says with planting nearly over, it's now time to take care of cull piles in and around fields and farmyards, as cull piles can be a source of disease inoculum and may harbour Colorado potato beetles and aphids.

Scott Jespersen has been named the acting chair for Alberta Grains. 

Chair Tara Sawyer is taking a leave of absence effective immediately following her appointment by Premier Danielle Smith as the United Conservative Party (UCP) candidate for the Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills by-election. 

Sawyer, a wheat and barley farmer from Acme, Alberta, was elected as Alberta Grains’ inaugural chair in 2023 after the amalgamation of the Alberta Wheat and Barley Commissions.

The training agreement will establish an environment, social and governance program that will be offered to students in Uzbekistan.

Countries across the globe are seeking out Canadian post-secondary institutions for partnerships focused on learning and exchanging knowledge.

Olds College in Olds, Alta., is one of the latest, signing an international training agreement with Uzbekistan April 29 following a memorandum of understanding signed last November.

A cottage at Falcon Lake went up in flames Tuesday evening.

At approximately 8:50 pm, Falcon Lake RCMP received a report of a structure fire in Block 11 at Falcon Lake.

Officers attended the scene and saw the cottage engulfed in flames. 

The local fire department, with assistance from the Province of Manitoba Wildfire Service, attended and extinguished the blaze.

No injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire has yet to be determined.

Funeral For:  Helen Reddekop 
Funeral Date: May 23, 2025 
Helen Reddekop, 87, of Steinbach passed away Monday, May 19th at Bethesda Place. She is survived by her husband Gerald, 3 daughters, 1 son, and their families.  
The funeral service for Helen Reddekop will be held Friday, May 23rd at 5pm at Birchwood Funeral Chapel with burial at Heritage Cemetery. 
Viewing will be at the chapel prior to the service.  
Donations may be made to Southern Health Bethesda Place. 
Arrangements by Birchwood Funeral Chapel, Steinbach.  

Drake Meats has announced a significant expansion with the construction of a new federally inspected plant in Saskatoon. This marks the first major expansion for the company, which has been operating out of its original plant in Drake, Saskatchewan.