Portage

Green grass means that pasture turnout is right around the corner. The to do list gets longer than the days do. Checking fence to remove any fallen trees, repairing stretched or broken wires; make sure the water system is operational, and the water itself is safe for the livestock to drink. It all happens before animals can be moved to their summer home. 

This week's crop report shows provincially 85 per cent of the crop is in the ground; that is up from last week's report of 57 per cent and ahead of the 5-year average of 69 per cent. 

Oilseed Specialist Sonia Wilson puts together the weekly crop report and says most of the spring wheat, oats, barley, as well as grain and silage corn have gone in, while progress is also being made on the other crops.

Analysts say Agriculture Canada may have to cut its ending canola stocks estimate in half in response to booming exports

It is highly unusual to see a red number in the sea of black on Agriculture Canada’s monthly Grains and Oilseeds Supply and Disposition report.

But it happened in the May report when the department penciled in minus 609,000 tonnes for its canola feed, waste and dockage (FWD) number for the current crop year.

The best defence against flea beetles in canola is a fast-growing, uniformly emerging crop with five to eight plants per square foot that quickly reaches the four-leaf stage. However, unpredictable weather often forces growers to rely on plan B: foliar sprays.

To reduce the need for multiple sprays, consider these strategies.

Spray when flea beetles are active

A recent effort by local RCMP to crack down on shoplifting in downtown Portage la Prairie led to 16 arrests over two separate days of targeted enforcement.

The first sweep took place on May 17th. It involved officers from the Portage RCMP General Investigation Section (GIS) and General Duty team, with an extra set of eyes in the sky from the Manitoba RCMP Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS). Seven people were arrested for shoplifting during the operation, and two of those individuals were also wanted on outstanding warrants.

Wheat prices would get a boost if the country’s exports remain as low as much of the trade is beginning to forecast

A big debate is once again brewing about how much wheat the world’s leading exporter will ship out in the upcoming crop year.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is forecasting Russia will produce 83 million tonnes of the crop and export 45 million tonnes.

SovEcon is forecasting 81 million tonnes of production and 39.7 million tonnes of exports.

A group of curious cyclists took to the streets of Portage la Prairie Tuesday evening for a guided ride into the city’s haunted past.

The Haunting Spaces Ride, part of Portage’s Bike Week celebrations, drew about 15 participants for a unique evening tour that mixed local history with eerie storytelling. Riders gathered at Splash Island, where they scanned a QR code to access historic photos and background details connected to the ride’s 15 stops.

As crops begin to emerge across the Prairies, farmers are being reminded to regularly scout their fields for insect activity. Dr. Meghan Vankosky, a field crop entomologist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, emphasizes the importance of vigilance, particularly concerning grasshoppers.

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew says widespread wildfires have the city of Flin Flon on the verge of evacuation while officials work to find places to put thousands more possible evacuees.

The city's 5,000 residents were told Tuesday to be ready to flee at a moment's notice. Hospital patients are being moved to safety.

Officials say the fire, threatening Flin Flon from the north, began Monday in the Saskatchewan town of Creighton and crossed the Manitoba boundary. The town's 1,200 residents have been asked to pack essentials and fuel up in case they’re told to leave.

Focusing on the Future is the theme for the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Annual General Meeting and Convention next month in Moose Jaw.

This year’s theme celebrates the resilience, innovation, and leadership of Saskatchewan’s livestock producers while tackling key industry challenges and opportunities.

President Jeff Yorga says after some challenging times, producers are finally seeing some optimism in the cattle industry.