Ag News

The Westman Agricultural Diversification Organization will be adding a new touch to their July field day coming up in July.  They've added a couple of chartered buses to enable them to travel as a group to more test plot sites.

Researchers with an interest in Canola were out in the fields this week talking with producers as part Manitoba Canola Growers Research Camp 2024.

Amy Delaquis, the Research Manager with Manitoba Canola says this is the third year that they've ran the program and this year will be touring farms in the Pembina Valley area.

"We try to get researchers that cover a good range of disciplines. So agronomy to ag biz, to end-use, soil fertility. Researchers from a lot of different areas and bring them together to have some of these conversations."

Canada's beef sector would like to see an end to the labour dispute at the Cargill Dunlop facility in Guelph.

The Canadian Cattle Association (CCA), National Cattle Feeders’ Association (NCFA) and Beef Farmers of Ontario note that the beef sector relies on a resilient processing industry across the country.

Members of UFCW Local 175 walked off the job in May, and there are no signs of an immediate resolution.

The Cargill Dunlop facility is the major processing facility for Canada’s largest fed-cattle region after Alberta.

Alberta's Agri-Processing Investment Tax Credit program is helping to build the first state-of-the-art milk concentration plant in Canada.

Under the program, DIW Buildings & Land Corporation has qualified for conditional approval for a tax credit of about $7.6 million.

DIW Buildings & Land Corporation (Dairy Innovation West) is a collaboration between Alberta Milk, Dairy Farmers of Manitoba, SaskMilk, and the BC Dairy Association.

With a heavy storm leaving its mark on the southeast crops in the area have been one of the main recipients of heavy hail.

Farmers are hoping that the hail hits them soft enough that their crops will be able to grow well enough for the rest of the summer season.

Edgar Hammermeister, a local agrologist, chatted with farmers to see just how the southeast area fared in the storm.

Livestock producers are looking for a good stretch of warm, dry weather to get this year's hay crop in.

Livestock and Feed Extension Specialist Natasha Wilkie says as the forage matures, the quality decreases over time, while the quantity of the forage increases over time.

Ideally, producers are looking for that sweet spot when those two lines intersect, that's when you'll have your greatest quality with your highest yield.

She says if you're looking for a general rule of thumb, alfalfa quality is greatest in the early stages.

Summer storms are bringing not just rain and high winds to the prairies but also hail.

This year, heavy rain, hail, funnel clouds, and even tornado warnings seem to be a prominent occurrence across the prairies.

Hail damage can prove very costly, cutting yields and, in some cases, devastating a crop.

Crop Extension Specialist Meghan Rosso says following a hail storm, farmers will want to give crops 3–4 days to see if plants will recover.

Manitoba and the Federal Government are working to revitalize traditional food systems under the Sustainable CAP program.

Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn says they are working with Indigenous communities to bring and expand traditional ways of growing food, train workers and grow businesses in the agriculture sector.

This year, 26 projects have been funded, totalling $1.52 million, and applications are now open for next year’s funding.

One of the projects is the Long Plain First Nation Community Wellness’ Hunting and Gathering, Foraging and Processing Project.

The June 21st Prairie Pest update covers a lot of ground with information on a variety of insects for farmers to be aware of covering insect identification, scouting tips, potential issues and more.

Dr. Meghan Vankosky, a field crop entamologist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, works with her AAFC and her provincial counterparts in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta in putting together the weekly report and identifying any potential issues.

Virden area cattleman and auctioneer, Rick Wright has been synonymous with the Manitoba livestock marketing industry for decades. 

Wright has served with the Manitoba Livestock Marketing Association as Executive Administrator for multiple years, as well as on the Board of Directors for the Livestock Markets Association of Canada.  He has been recognized for his work on improving the livestock marketing industry both for Manitoba cattle producers as well as on a national level.