AgriPost August 30 2024

Manitoba Foodgrains Projects Shift to Harvest

By Elmer Heinrichs

When eight combines started moving back and forth across a 100-acre field near Landmark August 20 it marked the beginning – the first fall harvest of 41 such projects across Manitoba communities, says Gordon Janzen, Manitoba co-ordinator the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. The combines were there to take off a crop of wheat for the Land-

mark Foodgrains Bank growing project with proceeds from the sale of the crop going to feed hungry people.

Project organizer Randy Plett, who farms oilseeds and grains near Landmark hopes to get about 75 bushels an acre off the field and another 60-acre parcel nearby that will be combined later. Inputs such as seed, fertilizer and chemicals are also donated

by area businesses, such as Richardson Pioneer, which was represented at the harvest by Becky Friesen, who was there with drinks, cookies and donuts for those harvesting the grain and the 25 or so who gathered to watch. Last year, the projects in Manitoba raised $2.6 million for the Foodgrains Bank.

Canada wide, 190 growing and community projects

raised $8.2 million for the Foodgrains Bank last year. Funds generated by these projects and other donations are matched by the Canadian government at four-to-one, up to an annual cap of $25 million.

The project in Landmark is made possible through support from the Prairie Rose and Heartland Community churches in Landmark.

Prolonged Heat Cuts Canada Crop Outlook

By Elmer Heinrichs

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), in its August report, says 2024-25 growing conditions deteriorated in western Canada throughout July due to prolonged hot and dry weather.

As a result, overall yield expectations have been lowered from last month’s AAFC principal field crops outlook.

In particular, yields are revised down for wheat and coarse grains (excluding corn which was revised up), while oilseeds and pulse and special crop yields remain unchanged.

The yield for wheat, excluding durum, was reduced to 3.5 t/ha in this month’s report. Total production is estimated at 28.3 Mt, down 2 per cent.

Considerable uncertainty remains when estimating crop yield and production at this time of the season. Harvest in western Canada has started and it is expected to move quickly as crops, in general, have advanced rapidly due to the hot and dry weather experienced over the month of July.

Prices for most principal field crops are forecast to decline year-over-year, in line with lower world values.

Uncertainty in the world’s grain markets remains elevated because of Russian aggression against Ukraine and other ongoing geopolitical risks.

Photos courtesy of Gordon Janzen

Farmers from Landmark Foodgrains project taking off a field of wheat with proceeds going to feed hungry people around the world.

Labour Board Orders Rail Workers Back on the Job, as Teamsters Vow to Appeal

By Harry Siemens

On Saturday afternoon, August 24, the federal labour board ordered thousands of rail employees back to work after a contract dispute shut down Canada’s two major railways. The Canada Industrial Relations Board’s decision imposes binding arbitration, following a directive from Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon.

The work stoppage had halted freight shipments and disrupted commutes nationwide. Despite the Teamsters union’s challenge, the board ruled it must follow the minister’s orders, with operations set to resume at 12:01 am on August 26, 2024. While the union plans to appeal the decision, Canada’s largest railway, CN, expressed satisfaction with the ruling, which they believe will restore stability to the supply chain. Binding arbitration is scheduled to begin on August 29.

The Western Grain Elevator Association (WGEA) has expressed its gratitude to the federal government of

Canada for recognizing the severe impact of the CN and CPKC work stoppage on the Canadian grain sector and the broader economy. The government’s decision to direct the Canadian Industrial Relations Board to impose Final Binding Arbitration has been met with relief by the grain industry.

“We are extremely pleased that Minister MacKinnon, Minister MacAulay, and their cabinet colleagues recognized that a negotiated deal was not possible, and imposed arbitration to resolve these disputes,” said Wade Sobkowich, executive director of the WGEA.

He emphasized that without this intervention, “The grain sector would have been playing catch up for the remainder of the year with a lasting strike or lockout.”

Although the decision to impose arbitration has been welcomed, Sobkowich noted that some damage has already been done, as grain companies had begun halting grain movements in anticipation of the work stop-

page. The disruption during the week leading up to the August 22 stoppage has had a significant impact, with each day of lost shipping resulting in approximately one week of recovery time. Grain shippers and exporters now face the challenge of re-engaging with their customers and re-scheduling farmer deliveries as the rail network gradually resumes operations.

Sobkowich also highlighted the recurring issue of labour disruptions at Canada’s national railways, which have occurred or been threatened almost every year for more than a decade. He pointed out that these disruptions force Canada’s food processors and international customers to scramble for alternative, non-Canadian sources of supply, as they are left uncertain about whether they will receive the grain needed to manufacture food products for store shelves.

“Providing a framework for the fair and orderly resolution of labour disputes between railways and their

unions through binding arbitration, and thereby avoiding the needless harm resulting from rail service interruption has unquestionable merit - particularly if both parties truly believe their negotiating positions to be reasonable,” Sobkowich added.

He argued that concerns over the integrity of labour relations fail to account for the unique market dynamics of single-carrier rail service and are far outweighed by the damage caused to the Canadian economy by repeated rail service interruptions.

The grain sector is among a growing number of business groups across Canada urging the federal government to designate rail as an essential service, to prevent the disruptions that have repeatedly harmed the economy.

The Wheat Growers have expressed relief that the federal government has finally invoked Section 107 of the Labour Act to end the labour

strike at both national railways.

“The Wheat Growers have called for the government to take decisive action since May 2024. Agriculture and all other industrial sectors have been held hostage by this rail strike,” stated Gunter Jochum, President.

Jochum noted that the railways’ pre-lockout slowdown had already disrupted the flow of grain, and it would likely take weeks to restore operations fully. During this time, export markets have been watching closely; some even consider alternative grain sources.

“This situation is unacceptable to both consumers and producers. Canadians cannot face the uncertainty of a rail stoppage every year. Stronger action needs to be put in place to ensure certainty for the long term,” Jochum emphasized.

He concluded by criticizing the government’s inaction.

“This government’s inaction has impacted the Canadian economy. We did not need to be in this situation,” said Jochum.

Virden Heavy Horse Show Draws Crowd of Spectators

By Joan Airey

Virden Heavy Horse Show teamed up with the Mini Horses to hold their annual show July 27 and 28. Participating in the Heavy Horse Show were Charleswood Percherons from Pilot Mound, MB, West Spring Percherons and Delgaty Clydesdales from Minnedosa, Wallace Clydesdales from Dauphin, Lone Oak Percherons from Birtle, Chopper K Percherons from Carnduff, Saskatchewan, Bar RB Belgians, Image Acres, Gardiners Belgians, Silver Oak Percherons, Northern Grit Percherons

all from Virden, MB. Meadowlark Percherons from St. Alphonse, JZ stables from Kipling, Saskatchewan and Touchwood Trails from Wishart, Saskatchewan.

Six-Horse Hitch always draws a crowd. This year’s competition, 1st place winner was Wallace Clydesdales, 2nd was Delgaty Clydesdales, 3rd was combined hitch of Lone Oak Percherons, Chopper K Percherons 4th, West Spring Percherons were 5th in combined hitch of Northern Grit and 6th place was Silver Oak Percherons of Meadowlark and Charleswood Percherons.

The 4-Horse Hitch had nine teams entered with 1st going to West Spring Percherons, 2nd, Silver Oak Percherons, 3rd Wallace Clydesdales, 4th Northern Grit Percherons, 5th Meadowlark Percherons, 6th Delgaty Clydesdales, 7th Charleswood Percherons, 8th, Lone Oak Percherons and 9th JZ Stables.

Minis and Heavy Horses took turns in the ring alternating classes so the crowd was entertained continually. It is one of the many great heavy horse shows well worth seeing in Manitoba held in the summer with a two-day jam-packed show.

Wade Sobkowich, executive director of the Western Grain Elevator Association said they were pleased with Minister MacKinnon, Minister MacAulay, and their cabinet colleagues directing the Canadian Industrial Relations Board to impose Final Binding Arbitration to end the rail work stoppage. Submitted photo

Wallace Clydesdales wins the 6-Horse Hitch at Virden Heavy Horse Show.

Photo by Joan Airey

Tractor Trek Helps Meet Mental Health Needs

By Harry Siemens

The 17th annual Eden Foundation Tractor Trek, held on July 13, saw 54 trekkers and nearly $85,000 raised for Eden’s mental health programs and services. In 2023, the event officially passed the one million dollar mark.

“We are so grateful for the trekkers who diligently fund Eden’s cause and see the value and need for mental health programs in our communities,” said a short statement on Eden’s website.

Eden’s Tractor Trek brought together vintage tractor enthusiasts for a lively show while raising funds for Eden Health Care Services’ various programs. The trekkers also showcased farming life while playing a vital role in fundraising efforts.

According to Jayme Giesbrecht, director of development at Eden, the trekkers raise funds by contacting their business contacts, friends, and family. Some manage to collect thousands of dollars, while others contribute by paying a $150 registration fee.

The tractor trek included a judged portion to recognize the trekkers’ efforts. Three judges presented awards in five categories: Best Re stored Tractor, Best Original Tractor, Smoothest Sounding Tractor, Favourite Sounding Tractor, and Loudest Sound ing Tractor.

Quinn Friesen, the events coordinator for Eden Foun dation, expressed deep emo tion at seeing so many people come together to support such an important cause.

“Mental health is very im portant to my own life,” he said. “To see so many other people wanting to support mental health and help sup port Eden so we can continue our programs makes me emo tional every single time.”

long-time supporters. Significantly, many have participated since the Tractor Trek began 17 years ago, and it is special to see their continued commitment to the event.

The event’s coordinator described where the money goes to help the mental programs.

At the end of each fiscal year, the various Eden Health Care Services programs submit requests detailing their financial needs for the upcoming year. The board reviews these requests and allocates funds accordingly.

While they usually meet or exceed the programs’ needs, there are times when fundraising challenges or rising costs make it difficult to fund every request fully.

“Programs like Recovery of Hope, which provides counselling, often see increased demand, and the board directs funds to support initiatives like the sliding fee scale to ensure accessibility,” said Friesen.

Other funds help with housing program renovations and

growth. The money raised supports a wide range of mental health services, which may not always be visible but are crucial. The Tractor Trek, in particular, is vital in helping the farm community with its mental health needs.

This year, organizers changed the Tractor Trek event to encourage growth and community involvement. They shortened the Trek and introduced a community barbecue in partnership with Gardenland Co-op, serving 300 people.

“The event drew a diverse crowd, with people of all ages showing interest in the vintage tractors and supporting Eden Health Care Services,” said Friesen.

The trekkers were particularly impressive, raising significant funds despite the hot weather.

“The event’s success was deeply moving, and heartfelt thanks to everyone involved, from volunteers and trekkers to the board and caterers,” said Friesen.

Friesen said the event drew participants aged 17 to 80, including many new faces and

The 17th annual Eden Foundation Tractor Trek, held on July 13, saw 54 trekkers and nearly $85,000 raised for Eden’s mental health programs and services.

Quinn Friesen, the events coordinator for Eden Foundation gave a heartfelt thank you to all who supported this year’s Tractor Trek fundraiser.

This year, organizers changed the Tractor Trek event to encourage growth and community involvement.

Photos by Harry Siemens

The Rail and Transportation System Must Keep Going

No matter what, we need to keep our rail system going. I know there is blame to go around until the cows come.

However, I like President Ronald Reagan’s statement: “You have not failed at anything until you blame someone else.” Also, “You can do almost anything if you care who gets the credit.”

Food Professor Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, Agri-Food Analytics Lab, Dalhousie University, said, “We should recognize the railway workers’ rights argument; undoubtedly, they are entitled to such rights. For food, intervention was crucial when evaluating the broader consequences. The stakes involved extended beyond mere economic or financial considerations.”

The Federal Labour Board has mandated that thousands of rail workers return to their jobs on Monday. This is excellent news, said the Food Professor.

Amen. I spent ten years in Toastmasters International, and while it taught me so much, the critical point is, “When all else fails, use common sense.”

Here is a summary of what Cory Morgan, a columnist based in Calgary, AB, had to say.

“The recent rail stoppage in Canada highlighted the nation’s vulnerability due to its reliance on a near-monopoly in the rail industry. This could have led to significant economic and safety risks if prolonged. While increasing competition in rail and airline services might seem like a solution, Canada’s vast distances and low population density make this challenging. Looking at models from Australia and Russia, where those countries have nation-

alized rail infrastructure but privately operated services, could offer a way forward by fostering competition and reducing the impact of labour disputes. However, the cost and complexity of such a venture and the potential backlash from labour unions if railways were deemed an essential service pose significant challenges. Canada’s policymakers must urgently re-examine the national rail network and consider pragmatic solutions to ensure the stability and reliability of transportation infrastructure, understanding that exceptions to free market principles may be necessary to protect the country’s economy.”

Carl Stewart, a farmer and director with the Wheat Growers Association, criticized the recent work stoppage as unacceptable. He noted that this is the 16th major port and rail disruption since 2010 and expressed frustration that no proactive

measures have been established to address these issues in advance.

“We’re waiting until it’s a big issue, and everybody’s paying the price,” says Stewart.

Stewart emphasized that the negotiations should have been resolved months ago rather than allowing the entire country to be held hostage. He advocates for rail and port services to be deemed essential to prevent future disruptions. Stewart also pointed out that for every day without rail service, it will take the agriculture industry about a week to catch up.

Wade Sobkowich, executive director of the Western Grain Elevator Association, highlighted the grain industry’s significant challenges during work stoppages, particularly in meeting customer delivery windows. Even the strike threat forces the industry to slow down sales and make alternative ar-

rangements, causing damage whether a strike occurs.

When strikes happen, they harm Canada’s reputation as a reliable grain supplier, leading customers to source products from other countries to ensure supply certainty.

Sobkowich likened Canada’s grain transportation system to a banana republic due to the frequent disruptions, which make Canada appear unreliable as a supplier despite the high quality of its grain. This unreliability pushes customers to adjust their sourcing strategies, mixing Canadian grain with lower-quality products from other countries.

Yes, I know things may be moving towards normal by the time you read this column, but not everything that glitters is gold, and not every possibility is as it appears. Here’s hoping we can develop some long-term and lasting solutions for our transportation system.

Manitoba Harvest Moving into Full Swing

By Elmer Heinrichs

Harvest of winter wheat and fall rye began earlier this month across the province, with many of the crops already combined. As the harvest moves into full swing, early yield estimates are 80 to 110 bu/acre in the central region and an average of 75 bu/acre in Eastman regions.

Anne Kirk, cereal crop specialist with Manitoba agriculture says there are lots of swathing of crops like canola and oats, and some combining of crops with good yield potential.

Spring cereal harvest has started with 3 per cent of spring wheat and oats, and 15 per cent of barley esti-

mated as complete. The latest spring wheat is in soft to hard dough stage.

Canola harvest has started in central regions with swathing and pre-harvest applications on-going throughout the province.

The field pea harvest is also ongoing in central region with yield estimates in the 30 to 55 bu/acre range.

Central reports that a small proportion of spring wheat fields have been harvested with early yields in the 70-90 bu bu/acre range. Many are reporting increased root rot, some have elevated levels of ergot, and levels of fusarium head blight vary greatly.

The barley harvest is about 40 per cent complete and preliminary yields are in the 90-115 bu/acre range however the top crops are yielding as high as 139 bu/ acre. The earliest oats have been harvested with yields in the 110-180 bu/acre range. Rainfall accumulations across eastern areas ranged from 13 to 44 mm with central and southern districts receiving higher amounts. The rain was welcomed by most producers since long season crops like corn and soybeans were starting to show moisture stress symptoms. Given the long planting season this spring all growers hope for

favourable harvest weather over the coming weeks.

Harvest of fall rye and winter wheat is almost complete with yield estimates ranging from 40 to 90 bu/acre with an average of 75 bu/acre with good quality.

Oilseeds are beginning to be harvested, with canola beginning in Central region and the earliest-seeded sunflowers have completed flowering and reached seed development. The warm weather and rainfall did create ideal conditions for forage and pasture growth across most of the province, and good progress has been made in putting up hay and silage.

Dairy producers are mostly done with their second cut of alfalfa, and the first cuts of beef hay have also been stored.

More producers than typical have opted to use grass intended for hay as bale silage. Cereal silage making continues and yields look to be average or better. Pastures have improved in areas that received rainfall over the past week. Pasture management practices are making a difference. In eastern regions cattle on pasture are in excellent condition. Dugouts are at 70 per cent of normal capacity with water supplies reported to be adequate.

CAFTA Introduces Principles for Sustainable and Fair Trade in Agri-Food Sector

The Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance (CAFTA) has introduced its Principles for Sustainable Trade, to provide a structured approach for government and interested stakeholders as they engage in policy discussions at the intersection of trade and sustainability.

As the world grapples with the dual challenges of feeding a growing population and protecting the environment, CAFTA’s principles offer a clear roadmap for balancing these critical priorities.

“Trade is crucial for achieving sustainable development and improving global food security,” said Greg Northey, President of CAFTA. “Our Principles for Sustainable Trade provide a foundation for maintaining economic growth and productivity through open, rules-based trade while ensuring positive sustainability outcomes. Canadian farmers, processors and exporters grow

our economy through trade. It’s essential that sustainability measures do not become barriers to fairer and freer international agrifood trade or serve as cover for protectionist trade policies.”

The newly launched principles emphasize the importance of practical and balanced sustainability measures that enhance trade without creating unnecessary obstacles.

“We must ensure that our efforts to promote sustainability do not inadvertently create barriers or excessive burdens,” said Michael Harvey, Executive Director of CAFTA. “By aligning our policies with international trade agreements and encouraging innovation, we can ensure a more equitable and sustainable future for agri-food trade worldwide.”

CAFTA’s Principles for Sustainable Trade will serve as a guiding framework for engaging with global institutions, including the World Trade Organization

(WTO), the Conference of the Parties (COP), the G20, the G7, and other international forums.

This initiative underscores CAFTA’s dedication to promoting international trade as a key driver for the continued growth and resilience of the agri-food sector while also delivering on key global and domestic sustainability outcomes.

Principles:

1. Sustainable trade should enable and support economic and productivity growth.

2. Global food security is an imperative and international trade plays an integral role in the production and exchange of food across all systems.

3. Sustainability policy must reflect the latest recognized science and evidence fully align with WTO disciplines, WTO agreements, and other international trade agreements, while supporting the adoption and use of new and innovative technolo -

gies across the value chain. These disciplines include principles of non-discrimination, transparency, and predictability.

4. Sustainability measures must not be a barrier to freer and fairer international agri-food trade and should not be used as cover for protectionist trade policies, regulations, and measures.

5. Trade liberalization should contribute to the sustainable intensification of production.

6. Natural comparative advantage should be a central consideration in the design and implementation of sustainable trade policies and trade-related climate measures.

7. Sustainability policies and trade-related climate measures must not impose unnecessary regulatory burdens, restrictions, or compliance costs on producers or the broader value chain.

8. Sustainable trade policies and trade-related climate measures must recognize that different countries have unique agri-food

Friesen’s “The Recovering Farmer” Challenges Mental Health Stigma

“It reminds us that it’s okay not to be okay and that there is no shame in reaching out for help,” is how Friesen sums up being proactive in his mental health journey.

By Harry Siemens

“The Recovering Farmer” by Gerry Friesen chronicles his journey through anxiety, depression, and addiction to a place of improved mental health—and sometimes, happiness. Mental health, or the lack thereof, has become a significant topic in agricultural communities worldwide. There is still a strong stigma attached to conversations about mental health and an attitude that admitting you need help is shameful. This book aims to challenge those attitudes.

Friesen explores the aspects of his life as a farmer that contributed to his mental health, both positively and negatively. He provides concrete tools for others to maintain and build their mental wellness. Surprisingly upbeat and admirably honest, “The Recovering Farmer” is a memoir and a powerful recovery tool for those struggling with mental health.

“It reminds us that it’s okay not to be okay and that there is no shame in reaching out for help,” is how Friesen sums it up.

Many people asked Friesen what instigated the book, and he found it difficult to answer.

In 2010, he started writing blog posts.

“But half-jokingly or maybe totally jokingly, my train of thought, if it doesn’t leave the station without me, is good for about 600 words before it gets to the next station,” Friesen said in a recent interview. “Over time, people occasionally suggested that I write a book, and I would start, then put it aside, and start again.”

Almost two years ago, a reporter interviewed Friesen about the farmer wellness program and suggested he write a book after hearing part of his story. At that point, he felt enthusiastic enough to begin writing.

“The drive to write the book came from my experiences since

2010 when I started talking publicly about my mental health,” said Friesen.

Many people then came forward to share their journeys.

“I am a strong advocate for open conversations about mental health, as they help us learn and support each other,” he said. “People need to know they are not alone; by talking about it, we find others on similar paths.”

He was officially diagnosed with mental health issues in 2004, but the struggles began much earlier, with severe anxiety and depression starting in his teens.

“The roller coaster of the hog industry, especially after the price crash in 1998, exacerbated my stress and pushed me to the brink,” he recalled.

In 2007, working with the Manitoba Farm and Rural Stress Line, Friesen gained deeper insights into mental illness, connecting dots with his experiences benefiting his journey towards better mental health.

He hopes readers will close it with a smile, enjoying some of my funny stories.

“More importantly, I want them to relate to my experiences and find something beneficial for their journeys. While everyone’s path differs, many of us face similar challenges,” Friesen said. “I’ve learned over the

years to be proactive about my mental health, and I hope my book helps others do the same, leading to a better, more fulfilled life.”

While writing the book, some early reviewers had concerns that his vulnerability might overshadow the message of hope. However, they discovered that wasn’t the case.

production conditions, practices, and systems and that there is no one size fits all approach for improving sustainability outcomes. Legislative, regulatory, and policy instruments should be designed to achieve sustainable outcomes, not impose prescriptive requirements, and not unfairly limit or restrict market access nor be applied extraterritorially.

9. Regulatory cooperation should be pursued in order to promote positive sustainability outcomes and encourage liberalized trade.

10. Decisions by governments impacting trade, including sustainability dimensions of trade, should be subject to dispute settlement, including at the WTO and within other trade agreements.

11. Countries should partner with agri-food producers, value-chain partners, and each other to reach positive sustainability outcomes aligned with the principles enu -

“Despite being transparent about my struggles, the book ultimately focuses on hope and relief. I often say in interviews and writings that there is hope and relief, and I am living proof of that,” he said. “In my introduction, I mention that the journey continues today and will continue until the day I die, emphasizing the need for intentionality and diligence in maintaining mental wellness.”

Friesen said people in similar walks must be careful not to become complacent or let challenges sneak up where falling into the trap of letting bad days overwhelm him without being proactive.

“Even though some mornings feel dismal, getting out of bed and starting my day usually improves my mood within an hour or two. While tough days happen, I know it’s not hopeless, and the next day will be better,” said Friesen.

“But half-jokingly or maybe totally jokingly, my train of thought, if it doesn’t leave the station without me, is good for about 600 words before it gets to the next station,” Friesen said in a recent interview about his book “The Recovering Farmer”.

Photo by Harry Siemens

Canola, an Eye-Catching Crop with Many Health Benefits

By Elmer Heinrichs

Blooming fields of canola are a beautiful sight, indeed, especially near a field of flowering flax. Canola - a member of the mustard family - blossoms for up to 21 days after which seed pods form and fill out, then comes swathing and combining.

Once the small golden and brown seeds are in the bin, about half of it is shipped to crushing plants where a clear pale oil is extracted.

What a treasure! It is known as the best all-around vegetable oil for a number of reasons including health factors, cooking qualities and availability; not to mention affordable price.

It is also used in production of shortening and margarine (as well as in the manufacture of non-food products such

as suntan oils, printing inks and industrial lubricants.

Many consumers have the idea that oils or fats are used to make foods palatable and to facilitate cooking, but essentially are very unhealthy. In fact, fat is a necessary part of our diet. It helps to distribute the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K through the body, is the source of limoleic acid – vital for life which the body can’t synthesize – and it lubricates joints.

Canola is sometimes called “Canada’s greatest agricultural success story.” It was developed in our own province by research scientists from Agriculture and Agni-Food Canada and the University of Manitoba in the 1970s using traditional plant breeding techniques.

Tier 1 Weed Control Requires Field Scouting and Equipment Washing When Importing

By Harry Siemens

One of the main ways waterhemp arrives from across the Canada-US border into Manitoba is through moving equipment.

Field 2 Field’s agronomist Christine Kilpatrick discovered waterhemp west of Elm Creek, MB and Russ Pauls, on a trip south of the border, saw a header at a dealership with waterhemp and kochia growing out of it.

“We need to stay diligent about cleaning equipment and scouting our fields,” said Jason Voogt, Carman, MB, and Field 2 Field Agronomy owner.

Voogt said producers must diligently clean equipment and scout their fields when a weed like this pops up. Seeds attached to equipment are one way of coming into Manitoba, but other ways are beyond human control like waterway flooding which can carry the seed or from migrating ducks, geese, and birds.

Voogt emphasized that cleaning equipment is crucial for preventing the spread of weeds like water hemp. He shared an example from their agronomist, Russell, and his family who were inspecting a header and immediately recognizing the need for thorough cleaning. Voogt stressed the importance of thoroughly blowing out and washing equipment, especially when bringing it across border to prevent the spread of dirt and weed seeds, which can carry resistant strains like water hemp.

“It’s not developing weed

control resistance by being here; it’s already bringing out Group 9, Group 2, and Group 14 resistance with it,” he said.

Voogt emphasized the importance of thoroughly cleaning equipment before it crosses borders and again before using it in the field. He advised that whether it’s a cultivator or a header for a combine, the person hauling the equipment should wash it thoroughly to ensure it’s free of dirt and contaminants, preventing the spread of weeds like water hemp.

When a farmer sees a waterhemp plant in a field, it needs to be destroyed since it is a tier one noxious weed. The farmer must pull the plants, bag them, and burn them.

“Over the past few years, our agronomists have sometimes found just a couple of plants on the edge of a field, and they were able to get rid of them easily, he said.

One of Field 2 Field’s agronomists, Kilpatrick is working this year with a new farmer west of Elm Creek, MB. Everything is new to her as far as his fields go. She found waterhemp in one of his soybean fields. It had been a problem for several years, but the farmer didn’t realize what he had.

Kilpatrick was out there on a recent Saturday morning with the farmer and his family, and they ended up pulling waterhemp for three and a half hours. They filled 17 black garbage bags with waterhemp, with more to come.

“The idea is to manage it

by pulling and destroying the plants as best we can,” said Voogt of the need to manfully pull the weeds. “Now, we’re back to that because the herbicide program for those soybeans this year didn’t kill the weeds, which means we have resistance to Group 2, Group 9, and glyphosate.”

Farmers can’t use those products once resistance builds up in the weeds. In this particular case, Voogt had to manage it by pulling up as many weed plants as possible. Crop rotation, using different herbicides, and adjusting row spacing are all important.

“These strategies will help the crop compete with the weeds in the field. It will be hard to get them all, but we will try,” affirmed Voogt. Voogt said scouting is crucial because waterhemp is popping up in more and more areas where it wasn’t before. He noted that it is about getting the message out to their clients.

“We want them to know we’re checking for it in their fields. We know farmers are checking their fields too, but it’s essential to keep doing it, especially when growing crops like soybeans, dry beans, or peas that are not very competitive,” he said. As it gets closer to harvest, look for any escapes or weeds sticking above the crop canopy. If it’s a pigweed, check to determine if it’s a regular pigweed species or potentially waterhemp. “So, we just have to keep checking,” said Voogt.

Canola is sometimes called “Canada’s greatest agricultural success story.” Submitted photo

Field 2 Field’s agronomist Christine Kilpatrick discovered waterhemp growing in a field west of Elm Creek, MB.

Russ Pauls, on a trip south of the border, saw a header at a dealership with waterhemp and kochia growing out of it.

Waterhemp Alert: Take Action Now

By Harry Siemens

The Antara Agronomy group from St. Jean-Baptiste, MB put out a waterhemp alert and is calling on farmers to take action now. The email alert said waterhemp has become a significant concern in the Red River Valley, appearing almost everywhere, from extensive waterways to smaller ones. If a waterway backs up, waterhemp is likely present. The urgency to act is now. Daily scouting is essential, but communication with neighbours is equally important.

“Even if you manage waterhemp on your farm, if your neighbour doesn’t, it remains a problem for everyone, as the seeds can easily spread via equipment,” said the alert.

The Antara alert identified hot spots to watch, including Redroot pigweed or Powell Amaranth patches, field edges, wide seed rows, IP or edible beans, and Clearfield canola. These areas are particularly vulnerable, so regular monitoring is crucial to prevent the spread of waterhemp.

Waterhemp is not just a spring issue; it flushes all season, starting in late May/ early June. Continued scouting after herbicide application is a must.

“If you sprayed glyphosate, be aware it might not have been effective due to resistance. Avoid sending waterhemp through your combine, as this could exacerbate the spread,” stressed the alert.

Agronomist Luke Hemphill said that waterhemp has become a persistent issue this season, mainly due to the wetter conditions.

“We cover quite a few acres in our travels, and this year,

since it’s been a bit of a wetter season, we can only go a single day if we find a new patch somewhere.

He said waterhemp is particularly problematic in soybean fields, especially with soybeans treated only with Roundup, as tall waterhemp is resistant to glyphosate. Adding that IP beans treated with Group 2 and 6 herbicides also see a lot of waterhemp popping up.

Any areas with standing water and full ditches along field edges but emphasized that it’s genuinely spreading everywhere.

Hemphill emphasized the importance of planning for the next season to combat waterhemp. His first recommendation would be narrow rows, suggesting those planting soybeans should consider drilling them in. Mix in dicamba for those growing xtend beans; for E3 beans, use Liberty.

There are many things farmers can do using preemergent herbicides and considering crop rotation to cereals in affected areas.

Hemphill stressed the urgency of scouting soybean acres at this time of year, noting that most plants are in and around those acres. Waterhemp’s aggressive growth rate makes it more visible as it pushes over the canopy, making it easier to identify.

Farmers can best take action at this point in the season because all these plants will be fully mature and contain seed. Pull them all and find a place to burn them.

“This is the most effective action farmers can take if they find waterhemp in their fields,” said Hemphill.

These plants are sometimes six and seven feet tall and six

feet wide and take over in a big way.

He emphasizes the importance of preventing these plants from spreading their seeds, noting, “When we’re talking about those big plants that are seven, eight feet tall and six feet around, if it’s a female plant - because waterhemp has separate male and female plants - it could have easily over a million seeds in it.”

This abundant seed reproduction underscores the critical need to manage these plants before they can impact future crops.

Hemphill emphasized the importance of taking waterhemp seriously, noting that while most of the plants found are single-stemmed and produce around 10,000 to 20,000 seeds, the potential for massive seed production is real.

“It’s important for everybody to hear those scary numbers and make sure they treat this stuff seriously, stressing the need for vigilance in managing these plants,” he said.

In just one single-stemmed waterhemp plant it produces around 10,000 to 20,000 seeds. “Everybody needs to hear those scary numbers and make sure they treat this stuff seriously, stressing the need for vigilance in managing these plants,” said Luke Hemphill, Agronomist at Antara Agronomy.

Taking over, waterhemp in the field.

These plants are sometimes six and seven feet tall and six feet wide and take over in a big way.

Waterhemp has become a significant concern in the Red River Valley, appearing almost everywhere, from extensive waterways to smaller ones. If a waterway backs up, waterhemp is likely present. The urgency to act is now.

Submitted photos

Harding Fair Draws Livestock Entries from Western Saskatchewan into Ontario

By Joan Airey

The “Milk Run” week of fairs is history for another year. It started in Oak River on Monday and been held on Friday in Harding. If you’ve never been to Harding, Manitoba driving into the hamlet you’d never believe the smallest community draws the most entries in all divisions.

Harding had approximately one hundred and sixty head of cattle. They came from as far west as Meritt Cattle Co. Radville, Saskatchewan from all across Manitoba and the furthest east was Medonte Highlands Polled Herefords from Severn, Ontario.

Seventeen pair of commercial cow/calf pairs were judged by a panel of judges Sean Tolton, Cameron Kent, and Les Wedderburn. This panel of three judges also judged the Jackpot Heifer class which had thirty-three entries which were spilt into three classes for judging. Grand Champion heifer was owned by Sheldon Kyle of Kenray Ranch, Redvers, Saskatchewan. Reserve Champion was shown by Joran Frey of Freyburn Farms, Oxbow, Saskatchewan.

Beef judges for the fair were Laura Horner and Jake Rawluk from Minnedosa.

“We had a new class this year for Supreme Breeders Herd, which Sherry and her son Wyatt Wilson sponsored

Co. from Radville Saskatchewan won the Supreme Female receiving the Ron Sangster Memorial Award sponsored by our family in memory of my Dad. Supreme Female at Harding Fair gets to compete in the CN Beef Supreme Show at Agribition.”

“Bar H Land & Cattle, the Hogberg family from Langenberg, Saskatchewan, were winner of the 2024 Ron Sangster Memorial Supreme Champion Bull Award and an entry into the CN Beef Supreme at Canadian Western Agribition in Regina this fall,” she added.

Jim Wilson approached

Western Agribition about Harding Fair Supreme Bull and female being eligible to be awarded an entry to The RBC Beef Supreme and they were accepted in 2009. CN has taken over the sponsorship of the show.

Wayne Ramsey mentioned while watching the cattle show at Oak River that many who showed on the “Milk Run” were third and fourth generation with many families watching their grandchildren and children in the show ring. Ramseys, Hunters, Bests, Peters, Airey to name a few were among those who have shown for

several generations. Many generations of these families started learning about beef in 4-H and carried on to earn their living in the purebred livestock business.

Judge Carolynne Nickel

judged domestic exhibits at many fairs on the “Milk Run” and commented that Harding Fair was high in entries with pie entries being at least eight in a class and bread at least seven entries.

The Supreme Bull Champion. Bar-H Land & Cattle Co., Langenberg SK. John Hogberg on the halter. L-R front Naomi, Levi and Wenda Best, Laura Horner. L-R back Bruce Sangster, Ty Nykoliation and Jake Rawluk.

The Ron Sangster Memorial Supreme Champion Female. Merit Cattle Co. Radville SK. Trent and Janelle Liebreich on the halters. L-R front Naomi, Levi and Wenda Best, Laura Horner. L-R back Bruce Sangster, Ty Nykoliation and Jake Rawluk.

Red Heifer is Grand Champion shown by Sheldon Kyle of Kenray Ranch, Redvers SK, Oliver Kyle in Centre. Black Heifer is Reserve Champion shown by Joran Frey of Freyburn Farms, Oxbow SK. Judges in the back row L-R Sean Tolton, Cam Kent & Les Wedderburn.

The Pancake Breakfast drew a crowd of four hundred people at Harding and Local Ladies served a cold plate dinner and supper to a large crowd in their air-conditioned Hall.

Photos by Joan Airey

What to Do with a New Poisonous Weed in a Hay Field

By Harry Siemens

Robert Grieger from Beausejour, MB, is facing a serious issue with Manitoba Crop Insurance after discovering a toxic weed, white cockle in his hay field that is poisonous to cattle and horses, rendering the entire crop unusable.

Grieger, who farms a short distance from Beausejour, operates a mixed farm that includes grain, cattle, and hay production. He sells hay to the US and other Canadian provinces. The issue arose when he discovered a strange weed in one of his hay fields, a concerning sign for someone with 40 years of farming experience.

“It’s not like I don’t know what I’m doing,” Grieger noted, emphasizing the seriousness of finding an unfamiliar and potentially dangerous weed in his crops.

His brother-in-law, who runs the local Nutrien outlet in Beausejour, took the suspicious weed for a second opinion. After discussing the potential severity of the

situation, they decided to send the weed to the University for testing. The results confirmed their concerns, validating the seriousness of the issue.

Grieger was cautious about raising concerns until he was sure of what he was dealing with. Once the University identified the weed, Grieger contacted representatives from Manitoba Crop Insurance to inspect the field. However, the insurance representatives were unfamiliar with the weed.

Despite 40 years of farming, this was Grieger’s first encounter with such a plant. When the insurance team assessed the situation, they confirmed the weed’s identity as white cockle.

Despite confirming the weed’s identity, crop insurance refused to cover the loss, claiming the hay was good for cattle feed. Grieger strongly disagreed, stating he would never feed anything poisonous to his cows. His veterinarian said the best course of action was to spray

the field, burn it, and completely eliminate the toxic weed.

Crop insurance refused to cover the field, stating that it doesn’t cover losses due to weeds. Grieger challenged this, pointing out that while their policy mentions not covering weeds, it doesn’t specify anything about toxic or poisonous weeds. Despite this, they still declined to provide coverage.

Despite having three types of insurance for his hay, Robert attempted to have the loss covered under his wildlife damage insurance after crop insurance refused to cover it for quality or wildlife damage.

He argued that the weed was harmful and insisted they send a letter confirming it was safe to feed the hay to his cows if they believed that to be true. However, after a week and a half, he still had yet to receive any such confirmation, and they eventually informed him they wouldn’t be sending a letter. The field in question is

a quarter section, 160 acres, making the situation even more challenging.

Grieger contacted several producer organizations, including Manitoba Beef Producers, Keystone Agricultural Producers, and the Manitoba Forage and Grasslands, to address his issue with crop insurance. Some promised to look into the matter, but after a week, he hadn’t received a response.

The field is heavily infested with the weed, making it appear as if someone had intentionally seeded it. The infestation is widespread, with plants covering the entire area rather than just sporadic patches.

Grieger expressed frustration that while many people tell him he can feed the contaminated hay to his cows, no one is willing to put their name behind that advice. He refuses to feed it without a signed guarantee, emphasizing the risk it poses to his cattle. His vet warned that feeding the hay could increase the rate of abortions

in his cows by up to 70%, which is unacceptable.

Grieger is concerned that if the public learns that people advised him to feed poisonous plants to his cows, it could cause outrage, especially since those cows would eventually enter the food supply. He’s considering taking action to inform the public and pursue other avenues for help. Despite advice from a producer group representative not to go public, he feels he must take matters into his own hands since the groups seem to need more power, possibly due to their government funding.

A week later, Grieger received no responses. He spoke with a livestock and forage specialist from the Manitoba Government, who downplayed the toxicity of white cockle and suggested diluting it by mixing it with other feed. Grieger declined, suspecting crop insurance had already spoken to him, with everyone sticking to the company line.

Robert Grieger, who has farmed for 40 years, raised concern after discovering a strange weed in one of his hay fields.

White cockle is a toxic weed in his hay field that is poisonous to cattle and horses, rendering the entire crop unusable.

Robert spoke with a livestock and forage specialist from the Manitoba Government, who downplayed the toxicity of white cockle who suggested diluting the effects by mixing it with other feed.

Farmer’s Blooming Sunflower Field Raises Donations to STARS Air Ambulance

By Harry Siemens

Earlier this summer, the Stars replica came up and signage was put in place so that whoever wanted to could take their pictures in a “blooming” sunflower field on the Jean-Paul LeFloch farm near Haywood, MB.

“If you like sunflowers, and you’re taking a trip down the number 2 highway, stop in at the sunflower field at the Haywood curves! While you’re there, leave a donation for STARS,” said LeFloch.

LeFloch planted the 2024 Winfield CP432 express oil sunflowers on May 16 at 30inch spacing with a CASE 1200 planter at a population of 32,000 seeds per acre. These Sunflowers are produced primarily for bird feed. The heavy rainfalls and high winds in the early season proved these beautiful flowers’ resilience.

“A last-minute crop change and after witnessing these tough flowers rise despite resistant conditions, it was obvious we should dedicate this year’s sunflowers towards something,” said LeFloch. “With so many valuable causes worthy of the showcase, raising donations for this may have to become an annual endeavour. After some consideration, it became clear where to start.”

In December 2020, Jean-Paul LeFloch was chain sawing trees on the farm when one of the trees unexpectedly spun around and pinned him. He recalls that his father eventually found him and rushed him to the Portage la Prairie hospital, where a STARS Air Ambulance flew him to a hospital in Winnipeg.

The LeFloch family farms in the Haywood-St. Claude area. This year, their main crops are wheat, corn, canola, soybeans, pintos, and sunflowers.

This year’s setup for pictures in a sunflower field and the Stars donations started a few years ago when LeFloch

had a sunflower field next to this one and noticed quite a few cars would stop by to take pictures. This year, he planted sunflowers along Highway 2 again and thought it would be an excellent opportunity to raise some money for a cause.

In December 2020, JeanPaul LeFloch was chain sawing trees on the farm when one of the trees unexpectedly spun around and pinned him. He recalls that his father eventually found him and rushed him to the Portage la Prairie hospital, where a STARS Air Ambulance flew him to a hospital in Winnipeg.

“I was very fortunate to have their help, and I wanted to pay it forward to support a service that’s so valuable to our community,” he said.

In writing this article on August 24, LeFloch said that the sunflowers typically bloom for two to three weeks and expected them to bloom through the weekend. In assessing the total crop on their farm, LeFloch said the wheat looked fantastic this year considering its struggle at the start of the season.

He said the fields were quite wet during seeding, but they’re recuperating nicely. Overall, he thinks they’re looking okay.

“Conversely, the canola might not be as good. We’ll see how it turns out. It didn’t flower for long, but the rest of the crops look decent,” he said.

LeFloch wasn’t planning on a sunflower crop this year and hadn’t grown them in about three to four years. He said they got out when everyone else got in and this year, he heard other farmers weren’t planting many acres, so it was a good time to gamble and go back into sunflowers.

The LeFloch family farm has two fields of sunflowers, 110 acres for public pictures and another 100 acres about four miles away, for a total of 210 to 220 acres this year.

These will mostly go to bird feed, with an initial amount contracted for bird feed for around $0.25 per pound.

The response from people was good, with many stopping to take pictures and donations were significant for a very worthwhile cause.

The LeFloch family farm has two fields of sunflowers, 110 acres for public pictures and another 100 acres about four miles away, for a total of 210 to 220 acres this year.

The LeFloch farm near Haywood, MB planted sunflowers along highway 2 in the hopes that people would stop and take a photo and donate to STARS.

Results Announced for Manitoba Youth Beef Roundup

Neepawa. This may be the Best Manitoba Youth Beef Roundup ever held with a record number of enthusiastic Junior Cattle Producers and largest number of Cattle to date.

Over 100 youth and 122 head of cattle gathered for an educational and fun weekend. The event drew youth aged 6 – 25 from Ontario, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Friday events kicked off with the ever-popular Ag

Challenge. Members were grouped into teams of all ages and sent on a scavenger hunt for various items.

Educational workshops included learning how to wash and care for the animal’s hair and grooming, herd health with Dr. Liz Ostendorf (Neepawa Vet Clinic), making a herd health plan, record keeping, and verifying the beef program, health and medicine, mock interviews, branding yourself, filling out applications, and essential HR guides.

Saturday began bright and early with judging

workshops. Senior members were required to judge heifers, steers, sheep, hay, and a scenario class, filling out a judging card for each and providing oral reasons for the cattle, sheep, and scenario classes. Intermediates provided oral reasons for the heifer and sheep class and written reasons for the others. Juniors provided written reasons for all and oral reasons for the heifer class.

Pee-wee members and new juniors were involved in a unique Cattle Camp where they learned how to judge in a more ap-

propriate setting, as well as making and tying rope halters. After lunch, Cattle Camp members worked on grooming and showmanship while everyone else participated in team grooming, team judging, and sales talks.

The evening concluded with group members competing in the cook-off, where each group was provided with a steak and was required to prepare a meal for two discerning judges’ evaluation.

Sunday was show day. It begins with showmanship and was followed by

the conformation show, a parade of 4-H Champions, and the Supreme Show.

The weekend concluded with awards and supper.

Over 100 youth and 122 head of cattle gathered for an educational and fun weekend. The event drew youth aged 6 – 25 from Ontario, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Grand Aggregate Winners 2024

Submitted photos

Assiniboine College and Siemens Partner to Offer Agri-tech and Digital Training

Assiniboine College has announced that the new Mechatronics Engineering Technology (Robotics and Automation) program will launch in the fall of 2025 allowing students access to industry leading certification through the Siemens Mecha-

tronics Systems Certification Program (SMSCP). The Siemens Mechatronic Systems Certification Program is an international industry standard comprehensive skills certification in mechatronics systems offered with partner schools worldwide.

Assiniboine’s Mechatronics program will equip students with cutting-edge skills in an interdisciplinary field that combines mechanical engineering, electronics, computing, and automation.

“Mechatronics is integral to manufacturing and indus-

trial automation. By offering this program, we are not only responding to industry demands but also setting our students up for success in a rapidly evolving job market. The comprehensive training provided will cover levels 1 and 2, with the SMSCP certification ensuring our graduates are at the leading edge of industry standards” said Kevin Rogers, Academic Chair of Manufacturing and Agricultural Processing in the Edwards School.

Looking to meet the growing demand for skilled professionals who can integrate and maintain complex automated systems, students in the Russ Edwards School of Agriculture & Environment will experience hands-on training they can be confident is industry-leading, backed by the prestigious SMSCP German teaching philosophy approach that looks at complete digital system comprehension.

“Our Mechatronics program will train students in advanced technical skills, positioning them at the forefront of technological innovation. Our partnership with Siemens underscores our commitment to providing high-quality, industry-relevant education that meets the needs of both students and employers.” said Dr. Deanna Rexe, Vice President, Academic, Assiniboine College.

Mechatronics covers essential topics such as system design, troubleshooting, and the integration of mechanical and electronic components, with students gaining practical experience and developing their ability to transfer their knowledge across various systems, making them highly adaptable in a dynamic industry landscape.

Joris Myny, Senior Vice President of Digital Industries at Siemens Canada said he is pleased to add Assiniboine College to the

SMSCP family.

“Assiniboine is taking the unique and innovative step of bringing agri-tech and digital training together using Siemens’ globally recognized program. Siemens welcomes the next generation of agricultural students to exciting careers in agricultural automation systems,” he said. Applications for the Mechatronics program are now open. Prospective students are encouraged to apply early to secure their spot in this new program.

Assiniboine’s three-year Mechatronics diploma program will be unique in Canada due to the focus on the agricultural industry/farming sector. The program will welcome up to 24 students in September 2025.

Visit assiniboine.net/ programs/mechatronicsrobotics-and-automation for program information and upcoming information sessions.

Ridgeville Farmer Demonstrates Benefits of Watershed Projects

By Elmer Heinrichs

Last year’s winner of the Manitoba Watershed Association’s “District Builder Award” has never been adverse to trying something new and has certainly taken a leadership role in a growing regenerative agriculture community in the Ridgeville area.

Seine Rat Roseau Watershed manager Joey Pankiw says Neil Claringbould was one of the first producers to sign up for the Alternative

The next year, the Ridgeville farmer went back and added pollinators to the site, adding further environmental benefits.

Over the years, Claringbould has implemented several other ecological projects on the acres he farms in the Ridgeville area. He has fenced off riparian areas and dugouts to protect sensitive wetland areas, and created water retention ponds to help with water management in his area.

Funding through the Seine Rat Roseau Watershed District office in Steinbach is available on a project by project basis and in some cases as

an annual acreage payment for alternative land use; for agricultural shelterbelt, rain garden, surface water management and prairie water climate program projects.

Assiniboine’s Mechatronics program will equip students with cutting-edge skills in an interdisciplinary field that combines mechanical engineering, electronics, computing, and automation. Submitted photo

Neil Claringbould was one of the first producers to sign up for the Alternative Land Use Services program.

Perennial grasses were planted in this low lying area allowing the farmer earlier access to the property in order to seed. Photos courtesy of SRRWD/X

How Tile Drainage Works for One Portage la Prairie Farm

By Harry Siemens

When Jim Pallister, a farmer near Portage la Prairie, MB, shared his crop update in late July on X, he mentioned, “Corn is tasseling, wheat keeps filling, and beans are flowering. Tile drainage finally paid off and made a big difference.”

Pallister explained how the tile drainage system has significantly impacted his crops this season. “We learned a lot about how the tile works and the conditions that make it work.”

The Pallister farm installed a data-recording system, which has been particularly helpful. Previously, it meant driving around and checking all the lift stations to ensure the pumps ran after a rainfall event. The new system has dramatically improved their ability to manage water levels and, consequently, their crop conditions.

“Now we use an app on our phones, and we can sit at home or anywhere and watch how the tiles are running, how hard they are running, and make sure they are working,” he said.

They’ve gained valuable insights into the system’s efficiency and learned how quickly it starts running after a rainfall event, how long it takes to bring the water down, and how it starts to slow down again. It takes quite a few days afterward to remove that excess water he said.

Pallister observed significant improvements in crop health due to the tile drain-

age system. He said crops are living things, and like an ambulance rushing to save lives because time is of the essence, crops also need quick relief from excess water.

“Some crops, like soybeans, can survive a few days without oxygen, but others, like edible beans and potatoes, can’t be underwater for long,” he said.

It’s not just one rain that drowns the crops. It’s always the next one, the straw that breaks the camel’s back. He noted that what’s so cool about tile is that the tile has been making room for that next rain between the first and second rain.

“So when it comes, you don’t have that ‘ambulance’ situation where the crops can’t breathe. The tile has already paved the way, creating space in the soil for the next rainfall event.”

Pallister pointed out the difference in rainfall between southern Manitoba and regions like Iowa.

“We don’t get 38 or 33 inches of rain like the big corn belt in the States,” he said.

His land is a 22-inch country in southern Manitoba. Usually, the tiles run enough to avoid severe drowning. By the time the next rainfall event comes, the land is ready, and then it can take a few more days to get rid of that rain, and so on.

Pallister said the benefits of upgrading land through tile drainage are that it creates fertile land by upgrading it.

This year, with steady rains, the traditionally weakest areas of his field—those with tile drainage have become the best parts.

“We should have tiled more, pointing out that even the best land with good internal drainage struggled under the 16 to 20 inches of rain during the growing season,” he said.

Pallister outlined the impact of tile drainage on crop versatility and growth.

“We’ve turned soybean land into edible bean land,” he said, noting the positive changes. He also observes that the corn is higher thanks to better drainage.

“The thing with water is its cold. And heat-loving crops don’t like being wet. Even if they can survive it, it slows them down,” he said.

When asked about the practices that help him grow successful crops, he emphasized that farming is a continuous learning process.

“Every year, we learn so much,” he said, noting that farmers are committed to doing things the right way with livelihoods on the line. Despite common criticisms, he pointed out that farmers observe and adapt, noting mistakes to ensure they don’t repeat them.

“We make notes about things we’re never going to do again to remind us not to do them again,” Pallister explained, highlighting farmers’ dedication to improving their practices and securing their success.

Nominations for Crop Committee Delegates Now Open

Manitoba Crop Alliance is currently accepting nominations from farmer members to serve as delegates on their four crop committees: corn, flax, sunflower, and wheat and barley. The nomination

period will close at 4:30 pm on October 1, 2024.

For more information about the nomination or election process – including eligibility requirements, responsibilities of a delegate,

time requirements and how to submit a nomination form – visit their website at mbcropalliance.ca or contact them by email at hello@ mbcropalliance.ca or call 204-745-6661.

Jim Pallister, a farmer near Portage la Prairie said they learned a lot about how the tile works and the conditions that make it work and even turning soybean land into edible bean acres. Submitted photo

Ammonia Production System Set Up in Sperling Farm

By Elmer Heinrichs Curtis

FuelPositive has announced that its team has successfully installed a farmer-owned modular green ammonia production system in Sperling, Manitoba.

“June 11, 2024, marks a historic moment for FuelPositive as all containers of its first commercialscale system were placed in their final positions on the Hieberts’ farm,” said Luna Clifford, FuelPositive’s cofounder and chief impact officer.

FuelPositive’s team worked to ensure the installation was installed safely and efficiently.

“We did the site prep this year right after seeding,” said

Hiebert, who owns R&L Acres along with his wife, Tracy. “The system’s here now. Everything is here to make ammonia. They’re just connecting everything together and we’re waiting for (Manitoba) Hydro to get power in for us. That’s where we stand right now.”

Here’s why it matters said FuelPositive, “Aside from reducing emissions, producing anhydrous ammonia on the farm could shield farmers from volatile markets and supply issues.”

The system works by electrolysis, taking water and electricity from an identified sustainable source, in this case hydroelectric. It splits water molecules into hydro-

gen and oxygen. Oxygen can be stored for other uses or vented. Nitrogen is extracted from the air.

Nitrogen and hydrogen are then combined under pressure and temperature and forced into FuelPostive’s ammonia synthesis module. Within that module, the two gases are converted via a catalyst into NH3, anhydrous ammonia. From there, the ammonia is moved into storage tanks where farmers can pull up, fill tanks and head to the field.

For Hiebert, potential savings were a big draw. Onfarm ammonia would mean consistent supply and freedom from fluctuations in the fertilizer market.

Siloam Mission Farm Growing Healthy Food

By Elmer Heinrichs

Siloam Mission is now operating an indoor vertical farm producing healthy food for homeless people coming for a much needed meal.

The shelter, which serves hundreds of meals to people daily, will soon be able to serve fresh lettuce – as well as food using parsley, basil and cilantro – thanks to a hydroponic system it has

purchased and set up.

The mission’s new indoor vertical farm can grow 720 different plants in a space roughly four metres wide and 2.5 metres tall.

Kendall Giilck, Siloam Mission’s director of social enterprise and employment program, said roughly half of the plants currently growing are butter lettuce.

“The first order of business

is to serve BLTs (bacon, lettuce and tomato) sandwiches,” said Giilck.

On top of the increased self-sufficiency, the vertical farm is proving to be a therapeutic outlet for folks in our employment readiness program, adds Giilck. Siloam is hoping to build other similar gardens at other residential facilities it operates.

The placement of the containers of cutting-edge technology on the Hieberts’ farm landscape.

FuelPositive completes on-Farm commissioning of the first scalable green ammonia production system. Photos courtesy of FuelPositive

Photo courtesy of Siloam Mission/Facebook

Siloam Mission’s new indoor vertical farm can grow 720 different plants.

Biofuel Expansion Promising for Canadian Producers and Consumers

As Canadians filled up their fuel tanks this past summer, they were also powering a growing biofuel sector.

According to Farm Credit Canada (FCC), Canada’s oilseed producers are set to benefit from the current biofuel boom across North America.

Ethanol is the most produced biofuel globally and in Canada with plants producing nearly 150 million litres per month. While no new ethanol plants have been built recently, existing ones have boosted productivity by extracting more ethanol from each tonne

of grain. Ethanol also enhances gasoline octane, making it a valuable fuel additive.

“Ethanol production in Canada is steady, with a focus on efficiency, ensuring a reliable supply,” said Justin Shepherd, senior economist at FCC.

Biodiesel, made primarily

Source: Statistics Canada

Statistics Canada, FCC Calculation

Sources: Statistics Canada, Canadian International Merchandise Trade Web Application

from vegetable oils, has limitations in cold weather, leading to seasonal fluctuations in blending, explained Shepherd. Renewable diesel, however, can be used year-round due to its chemical similarity to traditional diesel, offering higher carbon credit prices and easier integration.

“Higher ethanol blends in gasoline are a positive development for both the environment and the economy,” Shepherd noted. “Renewable diesel’s versatility makes it a game-changer for consistent biofuel blending.”

There is a shift to increasing biofuel use.

Canadian fuel blenders are increasing ethanol content in gasoline, with ethanol now accounting for 10 per cent of finished gasoline. Future increases will comply with provincial and federal mandates,

though the rise in electric vehicles may affect long-term demand.

Biodiesel blending peaks in summer, reaching nearly four per cent of the diesel blend, while renewable diesel use is expected to grow consistently due to new production capacity.

Vegetable oils are used as primary inputs.

Increased renewable diesel production relies mainly on vegetable oils, up to 51 per cent in early 2024. Canadian canola oil exports to the US are on track for a record year, driven by US biofuel policies.

“Canadian oilseed producers are positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for biofuels in North America,” Shepherd added. “It demonstrates the potential for biofuels to contribute to cleaner energy solutions.”

Canada’s oilseed producers stand to gain from the North American biofuel boom. Rising blend rates, increased oilseed crush capacity, and government support enhance the sector’s prospects.

Justin Shepherd is a Senior Economist at FCC specializing in monitoring agricultural production and analyzing global supply and demand trends.

Sources:

Ethanol blend in gasoline continues to trickle upwards while diesel blend is seasonal.

Inputs into Canadian biodiesel and renewable diesel production (Jan-Apr).

Source: Statistics Canada

Canadian combined exports of refined and crude canola oil.

Submitted photos

Canadian canola oil exports to the US are on track for a record year, driven by US biofuel policies.

Soil - Our Most Valuable Resource

By Miguel Bouchard

Do you eat?

If you do, you have to care about our soil, the most valuable resource we have.

The choices we make –both farmers and consumers - can encourage longterm thriving healthy soil, which means plentiful food and resilience to extreme weather, or can ensure continued erosion and eventual desertification on a planet that cannot sustain health or handle extreme weather.

I am a high school student and have been studying regenerative agriculture for the last four years. My dad and I have been implementing soil health principles on our farm. I am fascinated how livestock, using planned grazing techniques, can bring back productivity to damaged grassland ecosystems.

I have come to believe soil is our most important resource. What is more important than food and clean water? Living in a developed country, sadly I think the average person knows more about what their friends are doing on social media than where the food they buy in the grocery store comes from. Obsessed with the latest trends and technologies, we are completely disconnected from the source of everything: soil.

We assume we can somehow outsmart nature and have over-simplified soil. In our modern world, soil is portrayed as nothing more than dirt, a blank canvas that’s only function is to hold up crops or grow a lawn. We pump in fertilizers and herbicides, tilling the whole while. Many of our yards and fields have lost all biodiversity below and above ground. Our land is losing its ability to handle drought or high amounts of

According to David R. Montgomery, it is estimated that twenty-four billion tons of soil are lost to erosion around the world annually. That is several tons for each person on the planet each year — productive soils that took thousands of years to develop washing or blowing away in an

Will Harris, owner of White Oak Pastures says, “If farmers want to raise

food in a way that is better for all concerned, and if they don’t want to hand over a legacy of desertification, depleted soils and polluted water to the next generation, they have to stop focusing on the end products and turn around to focus on nature as the source of life and growth.”

We need to see soil as a living, complex community of bacteria, microorganisms and fungi, all working together in an inconceivably vast and intricate ecosystem. When we experience undesirable symptoms of a larger problem, we need to stop fixing the problem with large doses of chemicals, and understand nature is trying to heal itself. Practices like tilling and spraying are destroying our very precious resource, faster than you may think.

This is not new and has actually been happening for thousands of years. In the book, “Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations”, David Montgomery describes multiple ancient civilizations that thrived with sudden population boosts after their own mini agricultural revolutions. With higher population came more demand for food, and thus more demand for farmland. But the sudden expansion of cropland always led to the same problem: mass erosion.

And with this erosion came the inevitable downfall of the civilization, as their valuable soil washed away by wind or water. Ancient Greece, the Roman Empire, ancient Mayan civilizations are all examples. We must be very careful not to follow this pattern on a global scale. The dust bowl of the 1930s shows how damaging our tillage addiction is, and how fragile farmland can become.

According to Allan Savory, creator of “Holistic Management”, currently the loss of organic matter around the world’s soils account for 30 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions, and biomass burning of crop residue, grasslands and forests account for 18 percent. Soil destruction nearly equals emissions from fossil fuels. Our own land management practices play an enormous role in reducing or increasing our resilience to droughts, floods, infestations or diseases, not

to mention that healthy soil can sequester enormous amounts of carbon.

Thankfully, there are many ways to heal soil. Gabe Brown describes in his book, “Dirt to Soil”, how he transformed his severely degraded farmland into an incredibly healthy and resilient ecosystem. Using the soil health principles, he experienced higher productivity than he ever got under conventional management.

It is extremely important for everyone, not just farmers, to care about our soil. Remember, if we can no longer grow food, it’s everyone’s problem.

Here are three of the best ways I think we can all participate in to improve our soils:

Buy local, directly from producers. Ask and be involved in your food’s impact on the soil and the environment. This also encourages producers to change. If the farmer knows what their customers value, they’ll strive to keep those values to heal their soil.

Grow a garden. Growing food yourself allows you to heal soil on your own and not depend on destructive industrial land management. My mom is using soil health principles by experimenting with a no-till garden. Instead of tilling to control weeds, she spreads a thick layer of straw, and this has the added benefits of drastically increasing water holding capacity while simultaneously fertilizing the ground.

Learn the Principles of Soil Health. Knowing these principles will help you make better decisions regarding how you grow your own garden or which farmer you buy your food from.

- Avoid mechanical and chemical disturbances.

This includes tilling, which breaks down the soil’s structure and its ability to hold nutrients. Chemicals like fertilizers, herbicides and fungicides destroy soil biology.

- Keep the soil covered at all times. Bare soil is extremely susceptible to erosion by water or even wind. On hot summer days, unprotected black soil reaches temperatures that kill soil microbes.

- Encourage a wide diversity of plants and species. This prevents diseases and creates resilient plant, bug and microbe communities that feed one another.

- Retain a living cover as long as possible. Soil microbes are fed by plants, and vice versa. Green plants keep the soil healthy and living.

- Livestock are an integral aspect to soil health. Properly managed, grazing animals can produce more effective healing results than anything else, as our vast prairie grassland soils developed hand in hand with huge herds of grazing animals. Livestock can be used to trample old grass and germinate new seeds, while also fertilizing the soil with manure.

For more information, I recommend everyone read “Holistic Management: A Commonsense Revolution to Restoring Our Environment” by Allan Savory, “Dirt: The Erosion of Civilization” by David Montgomery and “A Bold Return to Giving a Damn: The Future of Food” by Will Harris. You can also visit Regeneration Canada (regenerationcanada.org) and Understanding Ag (understandingag.com) online.

Sheep trample a diverse mixture of cover crops. Properly managed livestock contribute greatly to restoring healthy soil.

This is an old garden plot on our farm that had been excessively tilled for many years. Notice the bare and lifeless soil, which has lost almost all biodiversity. This is a local example of soil desertification.

No till garden uses mulch to control weeds and completely eliminates surface evaporation.

Miguel is a high school student. He lives on a mixed livestock farm in southeast Manitoba. Miguel’s father Guy Bouchard is a MFGA Board Member.

MCGA Awards Five Scholarships Supporting Post-Secondary Education

Five deserving Manitoba students just scored $1,000 scholarships. Each year the Manitoba Canola Growers Association (MCGA) proudly presents five scholarships to deserving students from across Manitoba.

This year’s winners were, Emilyn Nestibo of Goodlands, MB who is enrolled in the Bachelor of Science (Agriculture) Plant Biotechnology Specialization program at University of Manitoba; Laura Delichte of St. Alphonse, MB enrolled in

the Diploma in Agriculture program at University of Manitoba; Madisyn Robertson, Neepawa, MB enrolled in the College of Agriculture & Bioresources – Bachelor of Science in Agriculture program at University of Saskatchewan; Raylyn Koshowski, Dauphin, MB, enrolled in the Faculty of Kinesiology at University of Calgary and Zenith Vanstone, Miami, MB will continue her education at Olds College of Agriculture and Technology.

The $1,000 scholarships are available to students who live on, work for or have guardians that work for a farm that is a member of MCGA and are planning to attend post-secondary education in any field within two years of graduating.

Students submit their applications, which are judged by an independent panel, based on academics, their personal connection to canola, school and community involvement, references and an essay submission.

“We were blown away by a record number of highquality applications this year! Our judges were particularly impressed by the quality of the submissions. These students are clearly dedicated to their studies and making a difference in their communities,” says Warren Ellis, President of MCGA. “It is an honour to recognize these exceptional young leaders and provide them with a scholarship to fuel their bright futures.”

year’s winners were, Emilyn Nestibo of Goodlands, MB who is enrolled in the Bachelor of Science (Agriculture) Plant Biotechnology Specialization program at University of

Dauphin, MB, enrolled in the Faculty of Kinesiology at University of Calgary and Zenith Vanstone, Miami, MB will continue her education at Olds College of Agriculture and Technology.

MCA Awards Inaugural High School Bursaries

Manitoba Crop Alliance (MCA) has awarded six graduating high school students from Manitoba with bursaries valued at $1,000 each. The six bursary recipients are Alara Krahn from Mather, Laura Delichte from St. Alphonse, Riley Jorgensen from Cromer, Madisyn Robertson from Neepawa, Zenith Vanstone from Miami, and Evan Whetter from Alexander.

“I’d like to offer my sincere congratulations to our

inaugural high school bursary recipients and wish them well in their continued studies,” says MCA Chair Robert Misko. “MCA is committed to supporting agriculture’s next generation and expanding our bursary program is one way we have demonstrated that commitment.”

MCA established these bursaries to assist graduating high school students within the province of Manitoba who are planning

on continuing their education at a Canadian college or university in a field that will benefit the agriculture sector. MCA also awards annual bursaries valued at $2,000 each to post-secondary students enrolled in agricultural programs within the province of Manitoba.

An independent selection committee was contracted to evaluate the applicants based on their connection to or interest in agriculture, how they hope to use their

education to benefit the agriculture industry, and their academics and writing skills.

This year, the selection committee included Adelle Gervin, program manager with Agriculture in the Classroom – Manitoba; Sonia Wilson, oilseeds specialist with Manitoba Agriculture; and Santosh Kumar, research scientist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Brandon Research and Development Centre.

The Do More Agriculture Foundation (Do More Ag) has launched its 2024 campaign, #TalkItOut, which will run until the end of October. This important initiative seeks to raise awareness around the critical need for open conversations about mental health in agriculture.

Recent findings from the National Survey of Farmer Mental Health, led by Dr. Andria Jones-Bitton at the University of Guelph, reveal alarming statistics: 40% of producers across Canada are hesitant to seek professional help due to fear of judgment, while 58% meet the criteria for anxiety, and 75% report experiencing mid to high stress levels.

These numbers highlight the important need for conversation in our farming communities. The #TalkItOut campaign highlights the power of conversation in tackling mental health challenges. Do More Ag invites everyone aged 16 and older to join AgTalk, a safe, anonymous space to connect, share, and support one another. With 24/7 clinical moderation, this platform ensures a secure environment for open discussions about mental health in both English and French.

Recent research by Jones-Bitton and Hagen found that a lack of accessibility to mental health supports and services, mental health stigma in the agricultural community, and a lack of anonymity were among the main reasons that farmers do not seek the support they need. By providing a safe and anonymous space, AgTalk addresses these barriers, ensuring that individuals can connect without fear of judgment.

“None of us have to be alone with our thoughts. There is power in connecting with each other, in finding the right support, and it all starts with a conversation,” said Lauren Martin, Chair of the Board of Directors at Do More Ag.

Do More Ag is dedicated to supporting the mental wellbeing of those in agriculture. Through its various programs and resources, the Foundation is working to build a supportive community and provide a safe space for individuals to share and seek help.

Join the conversation and share your story by using the hashtag #TalkItOut or tagging @ DoMoreAg online.

For more information about The Do More Agriculture Foundation and AgTalk, visit domore.ag.

Manitoba Crop Alliance (MCA) has awarded six graduating high school students from Manitoba with bursaries valued at $1,000 each. The six bursary recipients are Alara Krahn from Mather, Laura Delichte from St. Alphonse, Riley Jorgensen from Cromer, Madisyn Robertson from Neepawa, Zenith Vanstone from Miami, and Evan Whetter from Alexander.

This

Manitoba; Laura Delichte of St. Alphonse, MB enrolled in the Diploma in Agriculture program at University of Manitoba; Madisyn Robertson, Neepawa, MB enrolled in the College of Agriculture & Bioresources – Bachelor of Science in Agriculture program at University of Saskatchewan; Raylyn Koshowski,

Submitted photo

Submitted photo

Simple Tasty Recipes

By Joan Airey

Cowboy Meatloaf and Potato Casserole is definitely a recipe I will make again. It’s a small meatloaf which will feed four people nicely and has lots of flavour.

Cowboy Meatloaf and Potato Casserole

1 pound ground beef

1 onion, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic minced

1 cup breadcrumbs

1/4 cup ketchup

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

4 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions: Preheat oven to 375 and grease a 9 by 13 baking dish.

Mix the meatloaf in a large bowl combine ground beef, onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, thyme salt and pepper. Mix until well incorporated.

Shape and arrange: Transfer the mixture to the baking dish, forming a loaf in the centre. Place sliced potatoes around the loaf, overlapping slightly. Season with more salt and pepper. Bake covered. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Then, uncover. Add cheese by sprinkling it over meatloaf and potatoes. Bake uncovered for another 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and meatloaf is thoroughly cooked. (I used a little more than a cup of shredded cheese and cooked it about 15 minutes longer. Will depend on your oven.

My apples are falling off my trees quicker than I can use them up. Today I wanted an Apple Cake for dessert and a second one for our grandson. A recipe I found on a regular search of cookbooks and internet I was a little concerned about. So, I went to Davison Orchards website and did a search and watched a video for an apple cake that was simple and I thought would satisfy my fussy crew. The recipe was simple to make I’m just waiting for the young cowboy to come and do a taste test.

Last week Tamra from Davison Orchards made an old favourite of mine, Seafood Dip on her weekly video. Since I had tomatoes, peppers, and green onions I had to make one like right now. I even had the cream cheese and shrimp in the house.

Seafood Dip

8 ounces cream cheese

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 cans of cocktail shrimp

1 cup seafood sauce

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 green bell pepper, finely chopped

3 green onions

1 1/2 tomatoes, chopped and drained

Instructions: Mix the cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise and spread on a large plate or two small plates. Drain the shrimp thoroughly and place on top of the cream. Spread the sauce, shredded cheese and vegetables.

Cover with plastic wrap and chill for a few hours. Serve with crackers.

We have been enjoying fresh corn from our local Hutterite Colony. It is delicious and reasonably priced. I like to buy locally when possible. We also enjoyed strawberries from Basswood Strawberry Farm. The berries were so abundant you could pick 5 pails in an hour. Saskatoons prepicked were delicious too from Reimers Saskatoons.

It’s Not Too Late to Creep Feed Spring Calves

By Peter Vitti

A friend of mine operates a 300 cow-calf operation. This year, he put out his creep feeders during the end of July and his March-born calves really haven’t eaten much creepfeed in the last month. That’s because his pastures are still lush and his cows are milking well. He joked that he is ready to lock them up inside the creep enclosure and force feed them. Like most people, including myself, he wants to add about 60 lbs of creep-fed weight to each calf in order to take advantage of 2024’s record-breaking feeder prices.

Dried-out pastures makes any nutritious creep feeding program work, but we seemed to forget that lot of rain make us dependent upon profitable economics, if we are going to creep feed calves until late-autumn. Consequently, I have calculated the profitability of creep feeding calves for 2024, which targets 60 lbs of extra weaning-weight in a 100-day creep feeding program and I compare it to that of non-crept animals. The main profit drivers of this year’s creep-feeding are:

1. Predicted feeder prices during this autumn and into winter,

2. Current feed prices and 3. Feed efficiency in which creep-feed is turned into heavier weaning weights.

For 2024, the accompanied spreadsheet (right) shows - to put 60 lbs of creep-fed bodyweight on large-framed calves (segregate out the replacement heifers) in a 100day creep feeding program looks unbelievable. I estimate that by using a base $4.50/lb for fall-weaned 6-cwt calves and the recent decreased creep-feed prices of $0.15/lb, together with an estimated 6.5 feed efficiency and a 10 -cent cwt market discount – yield an unheard $150 premium or 250 % return-on-investment for crept-fed calves. It has been my experience that when producers wait until late-summer to put out creepfeeders, feed intake by spring calves is dictated significantly by pasture quality, and even though mum has already dried up. This means calves usually start to come up to the creep feeders and eat a couple of pounds of creep each day, for a few days. And then they might not come up again for about a week. Its only in early fall that calves tend to tackle creep consumption to an optimum 7 – 8 lbs per day, which continues until they put on an extra 60lb until weaning.

To drive such great creep

I estimate that by using a base $4.50/lb for fall-weaned 6-cwt calves and the recent decreased creep-feed prices of $0.15/lb, together with an estimated 6.5 feed efficiency and a 10 -cent cwt market discount – yield an unheard $150 premium or 250 % return-on-investment for crept-fed calves. Submitted photos Peter Vitti

feed intake, I believe that only a highly nutritious grainbased creep-feed should be provided. As a beef nutritionist, I have formulated many creep rations that fills this nutritional gap for spring calves. One of my favourites is a 14% protein and medium-energy feed pellet that is made up; mainly of wheat middlings, and some barley, supplemented with high-protein concentrates such as corn distillers’ grains. Its mineral/ vitamin profile also contains a compliment of calcium, phosphorus and salt with essential trace minerals and vitamins A, D and E.

It should also be noted that I have formulated rolled creep feeds with a similar nutrient profile, largely utilizing steam-rolled oats in combi-

nation with a special protein pellet. Plus, all of my creep feeds contain 5% molasses to improve and steady feed consumption by young calves. As well as brewer’s yeast is often added to improve forage digestibility and monensin sodium (cocciostat) is added to prevent the devastating effects of coccidiosis.

As an alternative to my creep feeding program, a feed-mill operator that I worked parttime for 15 years and owns a 100 – cow-calf herd; takes a more aggressive approach.

His sons put their creep feeders out much earlier in the spring. Initial consumption by spring calves starts off at 1 – 2 lb/head/day, but steadily increases through out a normal grazing season (with timely rains, no drought) in a

step-up fashion toward autumn.

As a result, weaning-weights of their spring calves are consistently higher by 20 lbs (80lbs, total) with better feed efficiencies of 6.0 lbs of feed per lb of gain as compared to the above conventional creep feeding program.

The funny thing is whether – my other friend is truly serious about locking up his calves in to creep feed them or my former employer puts out their creep-feeders much earlier in the season – both producers should make more creep profit than ever before. And just not just a couple loonies, but a $150 profit per crept-fed calf. So, it’s never too late to creep feed, even when feeders are pulled as the first snowflakes fall.

Manitoba Farming Lab Gets Boost to Leverage Power of AI Tech

By Elmer Heinrichs

A facility just northwest of Winnipeg hopes to help fuse cutting-edge tech with age-old farming wisdom in an effort to boost sustainability and agricultural yields through tools like artificial intelligence, machine learning and drones.

The non-profit organization, Enterprise Machine Intelligence and Learning Initiative (EMILI) announced the grand opening of an 8,500-squarefoot Innovation Farms Centre recently in Grosse Isle, north of Winnipeg.

The provincial and federal government announced they’re contributing $2.025 million over five years to the centre through the sustainable Canadian agricultural partnership. Manitoba is putting forward $810,000 with Ottawa making up the rest.

“Farmers are constantly doing their best to adapt to the unique challenges they face, while working hard to feed Canadians and the world. With support under Sustainable CAP, this program will help farmers in Manitoba adopt more digital technologies so they can gain valuable insights into their operations, improve their efficiency, and stay on the cutting edge,” said Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.

“Farmers have been loud and clear with us in saying tech is great, innovation is great, but we can’t afford to take a risk on our operations, it has to be proven, it has to be reliable,” Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew said during a news conference with EMILI and ag-industry representatives.

“We know that climate change and the responsibility to move forward on sustainability is also a really important priority and the best way for us to do that is to make investments like this so that it’s affordable and it’s easy for ag producers to make those investments in long-term sustainability.”

Jacqueline Keena, managing director of EMILI, said the funds will go toward supporting projects carried out at innovation farms, some of them existing partnerships with Prairie-based start-ups testing out agricultural products through various digital and data-driven technologies.

Ray Bouchard, president and CEO of Enns Brothers and board chair of EMILI, said rapid technological change in the farming sector comes with opportunities for growth and sustainability for operations big and small.

But those changes also come with new challenges in an inherently risky sector.

“For farmers, it can be daunting to navigate how new and sometimes costly digital tools

can apply to the very own unique circumstances,” he said. “Any disruption to a farm’s operation may hurt yields and undermine livelihoods.”

That’s why Innovation Farms tries to bring together farmers and tech entrepreneurs with a focus on ensuring there’s a return on investment for the farmer and viable business model for the tech entrepreneur, he said.

“Giving the data scientists and software developers opportunities to hear directly from the farmer helps them understand how producers would use the technology and what they need most,” he said.

“By creating a vibrant ecosystem that is focused on testing, validating and demonstrating new digital ag technologies, we can de-risk the adoption of digital technologies for individual growers while also speeding up the development and adoption of these same tools.”

Bouchard and Keena both pointed to Geco Predictive Weed Control as an example of the kind of tinkering and field-testing of tech at the Innovation Farms incubator they hope to expand upon.

The Prairie-based start-up uses drones and satellites to develop algorithms that can predict where herbicide resistant weeds are likely to occur.

After testing at Innovation Farms, the company was able to refine its tech and improve performance. Now the predictive weed control is being used on 95 fields across 55 farms.

“This is a big problem in agriculture, it is difficult to deal with since they’re herbicide resistant but also has a negative impact on crop yield,” said Keena, who is also a member of the Premier’s business and jobs council. “So this algorithm is good at identifying not only where they are but also where they’re likely to be, so that farmers can undertake more aggressive strategies to mitigate those weeds.”

Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn said digital advances have shaped farming in ways that would’ve been hard to imagine a couple decades ago. He said drones are now used to diagnose crop diseases and detect other patterns that help producers save money.

“The drone to me has become the MRI machine of agriculture. Who would’ve ever thought 20 years ago, or 10 years ago that this type of technology is becoming so important in our modern agriculture industry,” said Kostyshyn. “Our province needs to stay on the cutting edge.”

Jacqueline Keena and Ray Bouchard cut the ribbon to celebrate the opening of Innovation Farms Centre surrounded by industry supporters.

Photo by Antonio De Luca

CanSpotASF Expansion to Include Invasive Wild Pigs and ASF Zones

By Harry Siemens

Expanding the CanSpotASF program to provide African Swine Fever rule-out testing for invasive wild pigs is expected to further Canada’s efforts to establish zoning.

CanSpotASF, a voluntary African Swine Fever (ASF) surveillance program that has provided no-charge ruleout testing for commercial pigs displaying symptoms similar to ASF since 2020, has been expanded to include invasive wild pigs. It is a proactive initiative to enhance Canada’s prevention and preparedness.

This unique collaboration involves the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), Animal Health Canada, provincial and territorial governments, and the swine industry. The ASF Executive Management Board (EMB) administers CAN Spot ASF, which includes representatives from provincial, federal, and territorial governments and industry stakeholders. The program is part of the broader Pan-Canadian ASF Action Plan, specifically under the preparedness planning pillar.

Key partners to CANSpotASF include Animal Health Canada, which coordinates the initiative; the Canadian Pork Council and Canadian Meat Council, which provide support and industry representation; and Provincial Pork Boards and Provincial Governments, which offer local implementation and support. The CFIA provides federal oversight and support, while the Canadian Animal Health Surveillance Network labs conduct the necessary testing. The Canadian Association of Swine Veterinarians offers veterinary input, and the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative and Canadian Swine Health Intelligence Network handle reporting and data analysis.

This collaborative effort ensures a comprehensive approach to ASF surveillance and preparedness across Canada, leveraging the strengths and resources of each partner to address and mitigate the risks associated with ASF effectively.

Dr. Amy Snow, the national manager of ASF programs and the planning chief in the Emergency Preparedness Structure with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, said ASF is reportable under Canada’s Health of Animals Act.

The CFIA is crucial in managing swine diseases, particularly foreign animal diseases and those with trade impacts. In Canada, African Swine Fever is a reportable disease under the Health of Animals Act, requiring all suspected cases to be reported to the CFIA. If anyone detects ASF in Canada, the CFIA would collaborate with provincial and territorial governments and industry stakeholders to swiftly contain and eradicate the disease.

“No one has ever detected ASF in Canada, but outbreaks in other parts of the world and the international movement of people and goods have increased the risk that the disease could arrive in Canada,” said Dr. Snow.

If Canada had a case of ASF in any pig, domestic or wild, the trade in pigs and pork products would immediately stop, leaving many pigs without a viable market.

Snow said that once the industry contained the disease and response efforts are underway, it could take weeks or months for the CFIA to re-establish trade from Canada’s disease-free zone.

One way to minimize the trade impacts is to establish arrangements with countries before an ASF detection occurs where they’ll accept CFIA’s use of zoning to contain the disease based on strong legislative tools and capacity for effective disease response.

“Having a comprehensive surveillance system in place for ASF demonstrates our commitment to detecting a disease early to the international community,” she said. “We hope surveillance of wild pigs will further advance zoning discussions with key markets.”

Snow emphasized that CanSpotASF’s success has resulted from tremendous collaboration among governments, industry, producers, processors, veterinarians, labs, and wildlife management.

“Each group has an important role in detecting ASF early to minimize these potentially devastating impacts. This collaboration has made CanSpotASF successful, and we hope to continue working together to grow the program over time,” said Dr. Snow.

CAFTA Unveils Principles for Sustainable Agri-food Trade

By Harry Siemens

The Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance outlined eleven principles to help Canada’s trade negotiators achieve fair and sustainable agreements that won’t inadvertently hinder trade.

CAFTA executive director Michael Harvey said the document provides a structured approach for governments and interested stakeholders as they engage in policy discussions related to trade and sustainability.

“We’re seeing sustainable trade discussed more in international trade institutions like the World Trade Organization. Our members are concerned that these discussions, while important, could sometimes lead to new barriers to trade,” said Harvey.

CAFTA emphasizes ensuring that sustainable trade practices bring positive outcomes without creating new trade barriers while supporting economic and productivity growth. That’s the heart of it.

Harvey explained sustainable trade aims to strengthen the global economy by enabling farmers to maximize production and ensuring efficient international trade. This approach helps food move from producers, like Canada, to im-

porting countries without driving up costs for consumers or producers.

Trade contributes to sustainable development, global food security, and farmer profitability by ensuring that while sustainability is important, farmers must also be able to make a profit and achieve a return on investment.

“Sustainability shouldn’t prevent making a profit or burden producers. It should focus on getting sustainably produced agri-food to where it’s needed, like how Canada, which produces more food than it consumes, can support global food security efficiently and sustainably,” he said.

The challenge is balancing principles like feeding a growing population and protecting the environment.

It’s crucial to balance feeding a growing population and protecting the environment, noted Harvey. Sustainable trade should not focus solely on issues like carbon at the expense of global food security. Instead, it must ensure that farmers can continue producing food while addressing environmental concerns.

Harvey said this is why innovation is critical to achieving sustainability and enhancing profitability by intensifying

production with fewer inputs, leading to an environmentally positive result.

“Countries should support scientific innovation and avoid blocking trade unless a proper science-based analysis justifies it,” said Harvey

Sustainable trade should not act as a barrier but must support international agri-food trade.

“By avoiding unnecessary barriers, we can feed the world with less environmental impact,” he said.

The perspective emphasizes that while saving the environment is crucial, it cannot come at the expense of feeding people.

“The belief is that by following scientific advancements, it’s possible to achieve improved environmental outcomes and secure food supply,” said Harvey.

One significant observation is that as the world becomes more urbanized, the distance between consumers and food producers’ increases, leading to many misunderstandings about the realities of food production.

Harvey emphasized that the CAFTA trade principles should guide all discussions and hopes that Canada’s trade negotiators will adhere to them

when negotiating international agreements.

Sustainable trade policies should support economic growth and global food security, guided by the latest science and aligned with international trade agreements. These policies must avoid creating barriers to trade or imposing unnecessary burdens on producers, recognizing each country’s unique conditions.

Harvey also said trade liberalization should enhance production sustainably and regulatory cooperation is key to achieving positive outcomes. Any decisions impacting trade should be subject to dispute settlement, and partnerships across the value chain are essential for aligning with these sustainability principles.

Year Two MFGA Bird Survey Taking Off

Expert bird surveyors are putting their eyes and ears to work on nine regenerative agriculture-practicing farms as Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association (MFGA)’s second consecutive bird survey wingspans across six different types of farming operations.

MFGA will once again join forces with the Manitoba Wildlife Branch and the Manitoba Important Bird Area (IBA) Program to survey and better understand the benefits of soil-focused, regenerative agriculture practices and intact natural habitats to birds – with a target on species at risk such as Bobolink and Sprague’s Pipit. An ongoing exchange agreement with Birds Canada remains in place to see some of the MFGA farms surveyed overlaid with a separate, ongoing Birds Canada initiative.

Four farms comprised of mixed, forage/beef, dairy and grain operations were surveyed in last year’s MFGA survey. All have returned. MFGA has added bison, sheep and one more each of dairy, grain and mixed farms to this

year’s mix.

“Last year, we focused on four different farms using regenerative agriculture practices with hopes of benchmarks around bird populations, specifically how the birds are interacting with or responding to the respective regen ag farming practices,” said Mike Duguid, MFGA Chair. “The results were super encouraging, in fact, so much so that five more farms from our MFGA Board table put their hands up to be part this year after our inaugural survey last year was capped at four farms.”

The survey could not fly without the leadership and expertise of Tim Poole and the in-kind contribution of Manitoba Wildlife Department as well as the keen eyes of IBA’s Marissa Berard and Meredith Stoesz. Most costs associated with the 2024 MFGA bird survey will be covered by MFGA.

“The MFGA motivation is simple,” said Duguid, whose Interlake-region mixed farm will be part of the 2024 survey. “Many of our MFGA

farms in our 2024 survey are non-stereotypical farms that are not traditionally looked at for determining bird abundance, while others simply fall outside the usual areas often relied upon to determine bird counts on Manitoba agriculture lands.”

Duguid also pointed out that “MFGA farms practicing regenerative agriculture often strive to work with nature and consider bird abundance as key indicators of their overall farm health, especially healthy soil and intact habitats such as grasslands and wetlands.”

MFGA vice-chair Zack Koscielny’s family farm, Green Beach Farm & Food near Strathclair, Manitoba, is back in the survey again this year.

“We are very excited for the opportunity to be involved in MFGA’s bird surveys for a second year,” said Koscielny. “As we have made some changes to our management, we have observed improvements in forage production and biodiversity, specifically in bird populations. It was re-

ally encouraging to hear from an expert third party that they counted a number of bird species at risk on our farm during their survey last year.” As with last year, data collected will include a record of each species detected, number of individuals, distance from observer and a breeding code.

“We will use this data to calculate the abundance per point count for each species,” said Berard. “This data will be used to demonstrate the importance of different regenerative agricultural systems for various bird species.”

Each producer will provide a listing of their farm practices and will receive a report of results, including map of points, and location of species of interest on their farms. A bird surveyors report will also be at the 2024 MFGA Regenerative Agriculture Conference outlining the overall results. MFGA will use the information as needed benchmarks and future accelerants to support the great work farmers are doing for biodiversity, habitats and soil health.

Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance Executive director Michael Harvey.

Field Peas Fit in Lactation Dairy Diets

A few years back, there was a surge of investment in peaprocessing/meatless industry.

A multimillion-dollar plant was built in Manitoba along with other smaller related food industries. There was more than just talk about growing more peas in western Canada in which an off-shoot would be feeding more field peas and byproducts to livestock. Now it seems that everything is at a standstill with a few bankruptcies along the way. Yet as a dairy nutritionist, I want to re-visit the feeding of peas to lactating dairy cows by determining its local availability as well as nutrition and economic viability.

Field peas are not grown as much in the eastern prairies compared to the more western provinces. Although, there was a bit of an uptick in acres grown a few years ago, Manitoba grew only about 160,000 acres of field peas in 2023 compared to about 1.5 million acres of soybeans. Saskatchewan and Alberta sowed in the opposite way; peas – 1.6 million and 1.3 million acres, while they grew only 68,000 and 6500 soy acres, respectively.

Such geographic disparity does not dissuade me from investigating the nutritional value of field peas for dairy cows. Like corn or barley, peas can be fed to high-milk producing dairy cattle as a good dietary energy source. It derives Mcals from highly

available and readily digestible starch, which drives consistent milk production.

For example, a routine laboratory analysis reveals that peas contain 52% starch compared to 72% starch found in corn, and 60% starch cited in barley grain. Non-fibre-carbohydrates (NFC) levels are about 64% versus 65% in barley and 75% in grain-corn. As a result of these starch and NFC values – the Nel of lactation of peas yields a good 2.02 Mcal/kg.

Peas are also a good source of dietary protein for dairy cows. Unlike the above-mentioned grains, field peas have a higher content of about 22 – 24% crude protein. This is about half value of soybean meal (47%) and canola meal (36%) and slightly lower than corn distillers’ grains (28%).

Pea protein is highly degraded in the rumen like soybean meal and often has to be balanced with highly bypass-protein ingredients like DDGS if it is formulated in dairy lactation diets.

The adjacent diet illustrates (see Table 1), I formulated a typical corn-silage based diet for lactating dairy cows milking about 40 kg milk, 4.3% milkfat at 150 days-in-milk. Barley was used as the primary energy concentrate source, while a combination of soybean meal, canola meal and DDGS achieved total/bypass protein requirements of these lactating dairy cows.

One kilo of peas easily replaced 1/2 kilo of barley and 1/2 kilo of soybean meal, with no significant adjustment made to the other feed ingredients such as DDGS (bypass protein).

As a result, I would expect the same milk or milkfat yields, which is similar to animal science research testing peas as a replacement for corn/soybean meal in dairy diets.

Similarly, I found out by adding 1.0 kg of peas for 0.5 kg of barley and 0.5 kg of soybean meal didn’t significantly change the average cost of feeding a typical lactating dairy cow. My control diet cost $9.80 per cow compared to $9.84 per cow fed peas. Note I priced in barley at about $ 5.50 per bushel, soybean meal at $590/mt and peas at the $10.50 per bushel. I encourage any dairy producer to use their own on-farm prices to determine such diets possibly used at their dairy farm.

A friend milks 165-dairy lactating cows and harvests about 1,500 acres of field peas each year. A few years ago, he followed a similar exercise as mine; adding about 2.0 kg of ground peas and substituted out soybean meal and hammered corn and barley. As a result, he found that it took these milking cows a few days to get used to the peas in their TMR as well as one or two of them bloated on it. Like university trials, he didn’t see any milk or milkfat response.

Nor did he save any money on feed costs, despite peas were worth about $6.00 per bushel at the time.

Nothing was gained or lostnutritionally or economically, but my friend demonstrated that field peas are a good substitution for other common feedstuffs for lactating dairy cows. We can only hope that one day the pea industry returns, which will likely garish more of his support and the attention of more dairy producers across the entire Canadian prairies.

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Be Market Ready: Scout for Blackleg

Keep it Clean reminds Canadian canola growers that blackleg can cause yield and quality losses, impact profitability and may create a market risk.

To help manage the disease and maintain the effectiveness of varieties’ genetic resistance, growers are encouraged to employ an integrated blackleg management strategy, including pre-harvest scouting for the disease.

Although symptoms of blackleg appear throughout the season, the optimal time to scout for the disease is just before swathing or around

60% seed colour change. To scout for blackleg, pull up at least 50 plants in a Wpattern through the field and clip at the base of the stem/ top of the root to look for blackened tissue. Any black discoloration seen in the cross section can be compared to the disease severity scale. The scale rates plants from 0 (no discoloration) to 5 (completely discoloured), and with each step on the rating scale there is a reduction in yield. Stem piece samples can be sent to testing labs to identify blackleg races present in the field.

Visit KeepItClean.ca for scouting tips, videos and tools to assess disease severity and yield loss.

Integrated Blackleg Management Strategy

The following practices should make up a grower’s integrated blackleg management strategy:

- The blackleg pathogen overwinters on infected residue. Maintain a break between canola crops to allow time for crop residue to decompose – a minimum break of 2 years is recommended.

- Scout canola fields regular-

Submitted graphic

Do

You Can It or Freeze It?

By Joan Airey

Personally, I mostly freeze vegetables especially as I don’t have a pressure canner. I can fruit as it’s a handy dessert when you don’t have time to bake and if there are cookies in the freezer, they thaw out quickly. Plus, I have a few big pickle eaters in my family so make lots of those.

I received a book new off the press this past month “Preserving with a Purpose (Next Generation Canning Recipes and Kitchen Wisdom” by Sarah Thrush. It contains recipes to can everything from Soup to Pie Filling. It also contains sample weekly meal plans and how much you need of staples to last a month or between seasons.

Chapter 7 really caught my eye. It was “Budget Pantry Planning Using Depression-Era Wisdom” keeping a Thrifty Kitchen. The something from nothing food scrap recipes and uses I found interesting reading. It’s a great book to have on hand if you want to make your own vinegars. It listed several uses for egg shells besides the one I use them for which is grinding and putting them in your garden to add calcium. Like using it for a facial scrub or toothpaste but I think I’ll be sticking to my regular toothpaste but maybe you’d be more adventurous.

Anyone having problems with raccoons? My husband puts an electric fence around our corn to protect it from raccoons earlier this week but one managed to pull the fence down and break an electric fence post. Our fence is backup with a stronger current. My husband figures it got caught in the guide wire to keep the posts straight and pulled the fence down thus it wasn’t electrified anymore. I’m thankful it only destroyed two cobs of corn and took a couple of tomatoes off plants but didn’t damage the tomatoes.

In an earlier gardening column, I mentioned trying a corn fertilizer from T & T Seeds to see if it worked. I should have put it on all rows the first time, not just one because the one row is far ahead of the rest of the corn. If I’d been thinking I would have left one row under fertilized to see if it made a difference. It was a 25-0-0 Sulphur; it’s more than likely available at lots of garden shops and hardware’s. It works on melons and cucumbers too. My garden also gets compost and rotted manure.

ly for blackleg symptoms and incidence to help determine the effectiveness of your blackleg management plan. See below for scouting tips.

- Plant canola varieties with blackleg resistance that will function in your field. Select varieties rated R (resistant) and rotate varieties to bring a mix of blackleg resistance genes and sources to the field over time. Use a blackleg race identification test to determine predominant races in the field and help match appropriate major gene resistance.

- Consider fungicide options: Certain enhanced seed treatments can protect seedlings from early infection; an early season foliar fungicide application can help to prevent yield losses in higher risk situations.

- During non-canola years, control volunteer canola and other Brassica weeds (e.g. stinkweed, shepherd’s purse, wild mustard and flixweed) to prevent build up of the blackleg pathogen in the field.

My early potatoes are a poor crop they didn’t flower like other years and are a disappointing crop. But I tried my mid-season and they are plentiful and late potatoes I hope will be better.

Hope everyone has a good garden and enjoys

“Preserving with a Purpose” is a book full of recipes to help stock your cool room for year round eating. Photo by Joan Airey

Blackleg disease severity scale.