Westman

About 3.4 million acres shifted from owned and operated to the “rented” land category from 2011 to 2021

The amount of rented farmland in Saskatchewan and Alberta shot upward in the 2010s.

Farmland rented or leased in the two provinces went from 25.7 million acres in 2011 to 29.1 million in 2021, says Census of Agriculture data.

So, in a decade, about 3.4 million acres shifted from owned and operated to the “rented” land category. The 3.4 million acres includes cropland and ranchland.

As farmers work on the harvest, agriculture ministers from across Canada gathered in Winnipeg this week for the annual Federal-Provincial-Territorial (FPT) meeting. The annual event hosted by Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn and Federal Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald provided a key platform to discuss shared challenges, policy priorities, and the future of Canadian agriculture. 

The sunshine finally broke through the heavy canopy of cloud cover at 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon in Killarney, just in time for Cruise Night organizer, Keith Kemp, to give the green light that the final show 'n shine of the season would take place.

The clouds loomed all around them, but vintage vehicle enthusiasts came out and enjoyed the live entertainment, perusing the sweet rides of former days, and grabbing a burger at the same time thanks to the local fire department.

From Friday, August 1, 2025 to Saturday, November 15, 2025 crop residue burning is NOT AUTHORIZED, except by permit, in the municipalities of Rosser, Headingley, St. François Xavier, Cartier, Macdonald, Ritchot, Taché, Springfield, East St. Paul and West St. Paul.

For Friday, September 12, 2025 through Sunday, September 14, 2025 crop residue burning is NOT AUTHORIZED except by permit in all municipalities and zones in Manitoba due to poor ventilation conditions.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are mourning the loss of their former assistant general manager and director of personnel.

Ted Goveia, who spent 11 years with the Blue Bombers before becoming the general Manager of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Dec. 5, 2024, passed away this week following a months-long battle with esophageal cancer.

Funeral For:  Ruth Thiessen nee Unrau 
Funeral Date: September 15, 2025 
Ruth Thiessen nee Unrau, 71, of Winkler formerly of Rosenfeld, passed away Tuesday, September 9th at her residence. She is survived by her husband Dave, 2 daughters, 1 son, and their families.  
A memorial service for Ruth Thiessen nee Unrau will be held Monday, September 15th at 2pm at Winkler Mennonite Church with burial prior to the service at 12:30pm at Westridge Memorial Gardens.  
Viewing will be at Wiebe Funeral Home, Winkler Sunday, September 14th from 1 to 7pm. 

Turtle Mountain Bible Camp is hosting its fall fundraiser in two weeks, which will serve as an opportunity to share stories from their summer camp season and to raise funds for their capital build project, the construction of a Cabin Pod to accommodate 30 additional beds.

Members of the summer team will be present to recount their experiences and highlight how they witnessed God at work throughout the summer. This event is especially meaningful for those who weren’t able to attend camp, offering a glimpse into the impact and moments that shaped the season.

Manitoba Agriculture is gearing up for a special crops, disease training and variety evaluation trial tours next week Thursday at the Westman Agricultural Diversification Organization (WADO) at their Melita area test plots.

The tours will take place from 9:00 AM until noon focusing on corn, flax and sunflowers, says Applied Research Analyst, Scott Chalmers.

Canada has a need for a co-ordinated flash flood warning system and could deepen its European partnerships as the United States cuts climate- and weather-related funding, says a new report digging into the future of Canada's weather service. 

The independent assessment prepared for Environment and Climate Change Canada says significant cuts to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration threaten a wide range of weather and water monitoring in Canada, from the Arctic to the Great Lakes. 

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew says Manitoba has scored an economic win even though the Port of Churchill expansion isn't one of the first infrastructure projects being considered for fast-track approval under new federal legislation. 

Prime Minister Mark Carney has named the first five proposals considered of national interest to be referred for speedy approval.

Among five additional projects listed as future projects is upgrading the Port of Churchill on Hudson Bay so it can ship year-round.