AgriPost January 27 2023

HyLife Innovation Gains National Attention and Temple Grandin Endorsement

A new HyLife weaning ramp has the potential to improve animal care across the industry. The in-house invention has even captured the interest of renowned animal behaviouralist, Dr. Temple Grandin.

“This innovative system should be in every sow farm for vaccinating weaned piglets…I can’t say enough good things about it. It should go industry-wide. I was amazed how well those little pigs used the ramp; that’s the kind of stuff that makes handling easier,” shared Dr. Temple Grandin.

Grandin is widely considered a leading expert in her field and as part of HyLife’s ongoing commitment to animal welfare, the company recently engaged the professor of animal science and distinguished author. She traveled to Canada to extensively tour operations, including HyLife farms and a processing plant in Neepawa, Manitoba. During her evaluation, Grandin paid close attention to animal handling practices and was extremely impressed with the uniqueness of a recently invented HyLife ramp.

“It gets rid of the back-

breaking work. It’s also going to improve good treatment of the pigs as the job is so much easier. And you make a job easier, and people are going to like it a whole lot better. That is something the whole industry should have,” said Grandin.

The ramp was created by HyLife’s Continuous Improvement Team (CI), a group of engineers dedicated to solving challenges while improving animal welfare. After listening to farm employees, it was discovered that picking up piglets and bringing them to the employee performing vaccination placed a strain on both the staff and animals.

“We knew there was a better way. We

prioritize animal care and lean on our in-house experts and CI team to develop a creative solution. The result is a ramp that eliminates the need to pick up piglets. This means less stress and more safety for both our animals and employees,” shared Lyle Loewen, Senior Vice President of Farms Division, HyLife.

The innovative ramp works as follows. First the piglets enter the alleyway and towards the ramp. Then the piglets move up the ramp in groups. Once up the ramp, a gate using a pulley system is lowered. Employees can easily begin picking the piglets from waist height to be vaccinated. The animals are then gently placed on a slide, depending on their sex. The gradual sloping slides, off each side of the station, bring the piglet back down slowly and

safely to ground level.

The accolades for this project keep coming, as the HyLife weaning ramp has recently won The Dr. F.X Ahern Prize for Innovative Pork Production at the 2023 Banff Pork Seminar. The prestigious award honours an original solution to pork production challenges in North America.

“This is a proud day for HyLife. The ramp project is an example of how we collectively prioritize animal welfare. Receiving top honours on a national stage and Dr. Grandin’s endorsement of the concept, design, and execution reaffirms our efforts,” said Loewen.

HyLife is now investing in the ramps across all sow barns and continues to look for creative ways to improve animal care and employee safety.

Online Auction Date Set for Crown Land Leases

The Manitoba government’s agricultural Crown land lease and permit auctions will be held online February 6 to 11.

“Manitoba’s agricultural Crown lands play a vital role in supporting a vibrant and sustainable agricultural sector. The online approach ensures Manitoba producers have equal opportunity to rent lands that will support their farming operations,” said Agriculture Minister Derek Johnson. “In addition to ensuring equal access to rental opportunities, a temporary rent reduction for forage leases on agricultural Crown lands has been implemented as part of our government’s commitment to supporting producers after a difficult season last year.”

Leases and permits are available to farmers and ranchers to provide additional land base for agricultural activities. The Agricultural Crown Lands Leasing Program supports the sustainable expansion of livestock in Manitoba, contributes to ecological goods and services, and supports mitigation and adaptation to climate change.

A number of agricultural Crown land parcels will be available to rent for haying, grazing or cropping.

The official listing of agricultural Crown lands available for rent can be found at resd.ca/leases_ and_permits/LPproperties.aspx#agLeasePermit.

The online auctions will be hosted by Garton’s Auction Service with further information to follow at gartonsauction.com.

Last fall, the Manitoba government introduced a temporary rent reduction for forage leases on agricultural Crown lands. The reductions will be in place for the next three years with a 50 per cent reduction in 2023, a 33 per cent reduction in 2024, and a 15 per cent reduction in 2025. The temporary rent reduction will allow land productivity to recover from multiple years of extreme moisture. The Manitoba government continues to explore policy, program and service improvements to enhance sustainability and productivity of agricultural Crown lands, the minister noted.

For more information about the upcoming auctions, visit manitoba.ca/agriculture/land-management/crown-land or contact a Manitoba Agriculture Services Corporation (MASC) service centre. For more information on MASC locations visit masc. mb.ca/masc.nsf/locations.

The ramp was created by HyLife’s Continuous Improvement Team.

A new HyLife weaning ramp has the potential to improve animal care across the industry. The in-house invention has even captured the interest of renowned animal behaviouralist, Dr. Temple Grandin.

Submitted photos

Twitter Survey: Challenges Faced By Western Canadian Farmers

By Harry Siemens

In a Twitter @AgTwitter survey farmers listed a host of concerns facing their farms going into 2023. Most focused on government policy or lack thereof, the carbon tax and climate change regulations and the cost of everything going up.

Korey Peters of Randolph, MB said initial costs of anything with long-term return on investment labour and price increases; seems to continue.

Ken Foster of Arborg, MB said increased costs, fertilizer and crop inputs. “Taxes and more taxes. The weather is always challenging; hopefully, the 2023 weather will be decent.”

Former federal Ag minister Gerry Ritz said the carbon tax fertilizer regulations and a federal government that needs to learn about Agriculture as it pertains to today’s farmers and farming techniques.

Jim Pallister who farms at Portage la Prairie, MB felt that the policies of all three levels of government federal, provincial and municipal challenges today’s farmers. For example, interest costs labour challenges and weed and insect resistance herbicides and pesticides.

Cam Dahl the general manager of Manitoba Pork said global political instability such as the war in Ukraine. “Global financial instabil-

ity escalating interest rates, inflation, recession, currency risk. Disease risk (e.g. African Swine Fever threat).”

Kurt Shmon owner of Imperial Seed in Winnipeg, MB said government policy and risk of input pricing.

Brian Kennedy of Calgary AB added to the mix the rising cost of capital, competition from other exporters and the regulatory environment.

Somerled reference United NationsWorld Economic Forum threatened fertilizer bans and the ensuing rise if food price and scarcity. “The manufactured climate and fuel crises are making farming unaffordable.”

Tyler Burns in Saskatchewan felt supply chain, input and machine prices, and government policy presented some challenges but added, “There are opportunities within each as well. Both controllable and uncontrollable.”

Bantry Seedman from Alberta, “The three challenges that threaten my farm are commodity pricing in conjunction with our input costs pricing, availability of the products we use and our absolute lack of support from our government.”

Stuart Smyth who holds the AgriFood Innovation and Sustainability Enhancement Chair at the University of Saskatchewan said the April 30; per cent increase in the carbon tax, the delay in the CFIA’s approval of gene editing and the lack of pipeline capacity drive up the cost of commodity transportation and

reduce agriculture’s access to the rail network.

Norm Maze owner of Maze Seed Farms Ltd and Maze Innovations tweeted that the policies of the Liberal Party of Central Canada are the cause of inflation high-interest rates food and energy insecurity.

Lane Christiansen of Saskatchewan said the export/import shifts worldwide could cause a potential price decrease. “Crop input supply and cost closing in on the end of the 30 per cent nitrogen emissions reduction. In the long term land prices for young farmers.

Jon @ironheeler said everyone soon forgets that when Covid lockdowns started the specialty food (especially meat, i.e. grass-fed, organic) was not completely picked over and bare. “Why? When push comes to shove no one cares about labels, they want the cheapest food.”

Rob Stone said internal government policy and regulatory inconsistency as it relates to science-based decision-making and the Pest Management Regulatory Agency is a good example.

Delichte Farms Ltd a 126-yearold, 6th-generation dairy and grain farm in south central Manitoba tweeted rising interest rates, increasing costs of inputs and equipment, and non-farming investors now driving up the rising cost of farmland prices.

Korey Peters of Randolph, MB said initial costs of anything with long-term return on investment ROI labour and price increases seem to continue.

Jim Pallister who farms at Portage la Prairie, MB felt that the policies of all three levels of government federal, provincial and municipal challenged today’s farmers.

Kurt Shmon owner of Imperial Seed in Winnipeg, MB said government policy and risk of input pricing.

Submitted photos / Twitter

Manitoba Announces Millions in Support of ACC’s Prairie Innovation Centre

mier Stefanson and the Manitoba government respond in such a significant way by providing up to $10 million to assist the college in moving this project forward to the next stage of development.”

to support the development of the Prairie Innovation Centre at Assiniboine Community College (ACC) in Brandon.

Premier Heather Stefanson made the announcement at the 46th annual Manitoba Ag Days held recently.

“As our economy emerges into a new era of growth, our government is working collaboratively with industry, the business sector and our post-secondary institutions to ensure we attract our youth to the jobs of the future, and provide the training and skills

necessary to be successful,” said Stefanson. “I want to commend ACC and their leadership for spearheading this expansion project, along with their donors and community members who are keen to see this centre come to life which will provide innovative programming and support the growth of the local community and economy.”

As part of ongoing collaborative efforts to align education and training to meet evolving labour market needs and foster competitiveness and growth, ACC aims to significantly expand its pro-

gramming to address labour shortages and high-demand jobs, specifically in the agriculture sector, the premier noted.

“This investment represents a significant step forward for Assiniboine Community College to help support new programs for labour market development, applied research and industry engagement in the agriculture, environment and processing sectors,” said Mark Frison, president, ACC. “We have seen great enthusiasm from the community, industry and donors for the project. It’s great to see Pre-

ACC has proposed 16 new or expanded educational programs and supporting infrastructure on its North Hill Campus. The college projects the new centre would increase enrolment by approximately 600 students, to nearly 900 from the current 300, in such high-demand fields as agriculture, agriculture extension, environment and technology programs, the premier noted.

The $10-million commitment will support the initial planning phases, including exploration of facilities and land development needed to support the design and development of the new centre. Assessment of the proposed educational programs and associated supporting infrastructure is slated to begin early this year, the premier said.

Rendering of the future Prairie Innovation Centre at Assiniboine Community Colllege in Brandon.

Weather Tales: Scott Kehler

Sets the Record Straight at St. Jean Farm Days ‘23

Australia I believe had this huge boisterous laugh and said, “Harry I hate to burst your bubble but first off, 1 guy writes that for them in Los Angeles. Second, tell your dad he is just as well off, flipping a coin.”

why these myths appear to be true.”

Some people think that when one month is wet, we will have wet the next month.

We’ve all heard the socalled weather tales about if this happens then in so many days this will happen or how accurate is the Farmer’s Almanac or the good ole Country Guide many years back with the monthly weather forecast.

My father, Henry C. Siemens farmed hard and well but back in the day when I was attempting to grow up, farming 1,000 acres plus in the Red River Valley; he always looked forward to the Country Guide and in particular the weather page.

When I became a farm broadcaster and had the nerve to speak to the editor of the Guide David Wreford, I told him how much my father liked the weather page of the Country Guide. David from

Wow did that ever burst my bubble. Fast forward to the 2023 St. Jean Farm Days’ first day when Scott Kehler of Weather Logic in Steinbach, MB spoke to farmers about weather myths and what not to look for and take as the gospel.

Kehler did some research for his farmer clients because they told him for years that either 90 days or 100 days or six months after fog, it’s supposed to rain.

“And the reality is it doesn’t appear to be a true but a myth. So, for example, we see the chance of rain in the spring months, May through June is about one in three. So the chance of you getting rain on a given day was about one in three. And that’s probably

Scott said some people think that if you have a wet April, that automatically means May and June will also be wet. So you have a wet spring. Well, that’s not true. So one month being wet does not automatically mean the next one will be wet. If you’re in a longterm wet weather cycle, that might mean you’ll get more wet months than dry. But just when you look at one month to the next, they don’t necessarily correlate.

Supercomputers play a huge role in weather prediction.

“You might not realize it, but computers strictly make many weather forecasts you read online with no humans involved. And so people might wonder, why does my forecast change every 12 hours or six hours? Is that person behind the desk up to something?” But the computer updates every six or 12 hours, creating a new forecast

you may see.”

Scott also answered some questions from the audience in particular on climate change.

“Yeah, climate change is, well, I didn’t tell you it’s a hot topic, but if I were a farmer, I would be most concerned about whether or not the extremes are changing. We don’t see changes in the averages. So the average precipitation you get in a year that’s not changing, at least not yet, probably won’t change dramatically soon, nor is the temperature changing. But I am most concerned about what happens if we see trends where 2020 is the driest year on record and 2022

and more often to be very, very difficult to plan around that? So that’s what I’m more concerned about. But having said that, I don’t have the data to say that it will continue to be more common. But I think for prairie farmers, given that our averages aren’t changing, the extremes would probably be more difficult to manage. So that would be more common.”

As I said the weather keeps changing, and so do the myths, and as computers get bigger and more powerful, human input will be less and less. With more computer modelling and less human input, a slight tweak here and there can make those models

Ag Ministers Push for Grocery Code of Conduct and ASF Protections

Agriculture Minister Derek Johnson has encouraged other ministers of agriculture across Canada to collaborate on strategies to guard against African swine fever and to continue finalizing an industry-led grocery code of conduct at a meeting with federal, provincial and territorial counterparts.

“By enhancing transparency, predictability and fair dealing, the Grocery Code of Conduct will help make Canada’s food supply chain more resilient and will not only benefit the industry, but consumers as well,” said Marie-Claude Bibeau, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and

Mr. André Lamontagne, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in a joint statement mid January. “We strongly encourage all agrifood organizations to participate in the consultations that industry will be leading in the coming weeks so that the Code can benefit the largest number and variety of businesses. It is clear that a Grocery Code of Conduct will be more successful if people see its added value, especially through the accountability its governance structure and its dispute resolution model will bring.”

Johnson also joined counterparts in recognizing progress made toward Canada’s

Grocery Code of Conduct and emphasized the Manitoba government’s support for work done to date by the industry toward the establishment of the code, which would follow extensive consultation.

“Consumers in Manitoba and across the country need more transparency and predictability in retail food prices and an assurance of fair dealing and practices in Canada’s food supply chain,” said Johnson. “As well, it is crucial that provinces and territories remain committed to working together with Ottawa to prevent African swine fever from entering the country

and to be prepared with measures to protect producers if it does.”

These issues and other matters were discussed recently during the virtual meeting of agriculture and agri-food ministers that included progress updates from governments on initiatives in several areas of interest, noted Johnson.

The ministers reaffirmed a commitment to bolster government and agricultural sector readiness to keep African swine fever out of Canada and to respond swiftly and effectively if an outbreak occurs.

Other topics discussed included federal development

of a national agricultural labour strategy and progress in the federal, provincial and territorial governments’ preparations for the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, which will begin April 1 and continue for five years to assist the sector by improving competitiveness and sustainability of farmers, food processors and others.

Meetings of federal, provincial and territorial ministers of agriculture are held as needed to ensure continuing collaboration and to help prepare for annual meetings. The next annual meeting of agriculture ministers will be held in July in Fredericton.

Scott Kehler said “I am most concerned about what happens if we see trends where 2020 is the driest year on record and 2022 is the wettest record.... very difficult to plan around.”

Manitoba Collaborates on Agricultural Issues at North American Summit

In early January Agriculture Minister Derek Johnson represented the Manitoba government at the Legislative Agriculture Chairs Summit, hosted by the State Agriculture and Rural Leaders group in Charleston, S.C., and collaborated with other state and provincial leaders on agricultural issues and trends experienced by other jurisdictions.

“I am pleased and energized by these discussions with my colleagues from across North America on issues facing the world of agriculture and to represent Manitoba’s agricultural

sector internationally,” said Johnson. “Manitoba has many commonalities with other jurisdictions in the issues faced in modern agriculture, including food security and climate change. I am proud to have represented our province in these discussions and look forward to bringing solutions back to Manitoba.”

The Legislative Agriculture Chairs Summit is a non-partisan meeting for elected officials held to discuss agriculture and hear from speakers who share expertise in identifying problems and solutions.

The annual event, first held in 2002, has been providing educational opportunities for state and provincial elected representatives with a focus on agriculture and rural communities, and how different jurisdictions can connect and collaborate on solutions to shared issues.

“Our government continues to advocate for Manitoba agricultural producers and industries, and has positioned our province as a world agriculture leader. Manitoba is always developing creative solutions to agricultural issues, which I was happy to showcase

at the summit to my colleagues,” said Johnson.

Initiatives such as the Manitoba Protein Advantage Strategy, the Water Management Strategy and the review of the Agricultural Crown Lands Program demonstrate the Manitoba government’s focus on driving agricultural innovation and research forward, the minister noted.

“I look forward to bringing the results of our discussions at the summit home and using what we learned to drive new developments in the sector,” said Johnson.

Manitoba Pledges Millions for Youth Education and Boosts Ag Sector

By Elmer Heinrichs

Manitoba will spend as much as $10 million on a new development at a Brandon college, Premier Heather Stefanson announced recently.

Stefanson, in Brandon for the 46th annual Manitoba Ag Days, said Assiniboine Community College’s Prairie Innovation Centre will help at-

tract young people to jobs in Manitoba, specifically in the agriculture sector.

“As our economy emerges into a new era of growth, our government is working collaboratively with industry, the business sector and our post-secondary institutions to ensure we attract our youth to the jobs of the future, and

provide the training and skills necessary to be successful,” said the premier.

The centre is part of an ongoing expansion of the college’s programming, with the goal of addressing labour shortages and high-demand jobs in the province.

According to ACC the proposal includes 16 new or

expanded educational programs and supporting infrastructure. The college is projecting the new centre would increase enrolment by approximately 600 students, to nearly 900 from the current 300, in high-demand fields as agriculture, agriculture extension, environment and technology programs.

Minister Optimistic After Summit Talks

Manitoba’s agriculture minister Derek Johnson returned from meetings in South Carolina full of optimism about the future of farming in the province.

“Manitoba has many commonalities with other jurisdictions in the issues faced in modern agriculture, including food security and climate change,” he said. “I am proud to have represented our province in these discussions and look forward to bringing solutions back to Manitoba.”

The Legislative Agriculture Chairs Summit is a nonpartisan meeting for elected officials held to discuss agri-

culture and hear from speakers who share expertise in identifying problems and solutions.

The annual event, first held in 2002, has been providing educational opportunities for state and provincial elected representatives with a focus on agriculture and rural communities, and how different jurisdictions can connect and collaborate on solutions to shared issues.

“Our government continues to advocate for Manitoba agricultural producers and industries, and has positioned our province as a world agriculture leader,”

said Johnson. “Manitoba is always developing creative solutions to agricultural issues, which I was happy to showcase at the summit to my colleagues.”

Initiatives such as the Manitoba protein advantage strategy, the water management strategy and the review of the agricultural crown lands program demonstrate the Manitoba government’s focus on driving agricultural innovation and research forward, suggested the minister.

According to the province’s agriculture website, the key objectives of the protein advantage strategy are to attract

new investments of $1.5 million into the agricultural sector while also creating 1,550 jobs by 2025.

Manitoba’s water management strategy, announced last November, focuses on several specific objectives for water management, including maximizing water resource potential through efficient water use, addressing water infrastructure challenges and opportunities and more.

Johnson said he looked forward to sharing the results of our discussions and using what we learned to drive new developments in the agriculture sector.

Manitoba AgriInsurance Dollar Values to See Increase

Manitoba’s crop insurance coverage is expected to increase for the upcoming crop year, according to both federal Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau and Manitoba Agriculture Minister Derek Johnson.

“Climate challenges, like last spring’s flooding, continue to threaten farmers’ livelihoods,” said Bibeau. “Enhancements to the AgriInsurance program for 2023 will bring increased value to Manitoba’s producers and ensure they have fair and flexible coverage to meet their needs.”

The ministers released details indicating 2023 dollar values are higher than 2022 for most crops insured in Manitoba. Total AgriInsurance coverage for 2023 is expected to reach $5.3 billion on 9.45 million acres. This means the average coverage is estimated at $560 per acre, compared to $499 per acre in 2022. This increase in coverage reflects the expectation of continued strength in commodity prices into the 2023 crop year.

“The costs and risks related to farming in Manitoba continue to climb,” said Johnson. “We’re increasing our support for Manitoba farmers through the AgriInsurance program because we know that adequate coverage is now, more than ever, important in helping manage that risk.”

The AgriInsurance program is a risk management tool for Manitoba farmers to protect against production shortfalls and quality losses caused by natural perils. In the case of extreme weather events that impact production such as drought or excess moisture, the program provides predictable coverage producers can depend on when planning for the upcoming growing season. The program is administered by Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation (MASC). Manitoba has a high level of AgriInsurance participation, with over 92 per cent of annual crop acres and more than 7,600 farms enrolled in the program.

An additional program enhancement for 2023 growing season includes expanding the Contract Price Option (CPO) to be available for the majority of crops (including the corresponding pedigreed and organic crop if applicable), excluding potatoes, vegetables, and forages. Established in 2020, CPO was previously only available for canola and field peas.

This expansion of CPO will provide flexibility for producers by allowing the price of contracted production to be blended with the base AgriInsurance dollar value (weighted by production) to better reflect expected market prices.

Another enhancement is amending premium rate calculations so that AgriInsurance premium rates will not exceed a 10 per cent increase year-over-year. This change will lessen the impact of disastrous growing seasons on premium rate increases.

The Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) is a five-year, $3 billion commitment by the federal, provincial, and territorial governments that supports Canada’s agri-food and agri-products sectors. Under CAP, AgriInsurance premiums for most programs are shared 40 per cent by insured producers, 36 per cent by the Government of Canada, and 24 per cent by the Manitoba government. Administrative expenses are shared 60 per cent by the Government of Canada and 40 per cent by the Manitoba government.

For more information, contact MASC at masc. mb.ca/masc.nsf or go to masc.mb.ca/masc.nsf/index.

AAFC Sees Farmers Seeding More Wheat and Oilseeds

By Elmer Heinrichs

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, in its January outlook for 2023-2024 says rotation considerations, moisture conditions, expected prices, and input costs/availability look to be the main factors determining seeding decisions in the spring.

Based on current market conditions and historical trends, the area seeded to field crops in Canada is forecast to increase marginally from 2022-23.

The area seeded for wheat (excluding durum) and oilseeds is expected to increase,

while area seeded to coarse grains and pulse and special crops is expected to decrease.

Acres seeded to wheat are forecast to increase 4 per cent year-over-year, supported by strong prices and a generally tight global supply/demand complex.

Canola area is forecast to rise slightly to 8.8 million hectare (Mha) as support from attractive prices is matched by similarly attractive prices for alternate crops such as wheat and peas.

The area planted to soybeans is predicted to increase by 7 per cent to 2.28 Mha cre-

ating a harvested area of 2.27 Mha.

The average yield and production is forecast to decrease slightly for total field crops, resulting in expected total field crop production to decline marginally.

Carry-out stocks are expected to increase, while exports and domestic use are expected to remain relatively unchanged.

In general, prices are expected to decrease but remain historically high, as world production and supplies increase and the Canadian dollar strengthens.

Have You Got Your Lights On?

By Joan Airey

New Year’s Eve we were discussing the importance of lights on anything going down the road for the safety of anyone traveling down the road. One of our guests said he had come upon a tractor load of bales at dusk on a stormy night with no lights on highway #259 that he couldn’t see until they were right in front of him. Luckily he was practicing defensive driving and was going at a speed that he could avoid an accident.

A fellow we know wasn’t that lucky when driving to Agribition to do volunteer work with his wife and tenyear-old grandson. The snow was blowing at dusk when all of a sudden he spotted a load of something ahead, he swerved to miss the load of bales and tractor but wasn’t able so his wife and grandson lost their lives.

Flashing lights to put on loads aren’t expensive and

could save lives. Warning lights can be purchased from thirty dollars up and only take seconds to activate if your equipment doesn’t have any.

If you see flashing lights take the time to slow down and proceed with caution it could save a life.

These tips for driving in fog were given to me by a tow truck driver.

1. Slow down. If you cannot see where you are going, do not drive fast. You don’t know what could be ahead a stopped vehicle an emergency vehicle, a deer or moose! The fog could also cause the roads to be icy in places.

2. Turn your headlights and taillights on. Always use your low beams. Make sure your taillights are turned on as well so you can be seen!

3. Use the right-side pavement line as a guide. In thick fog, use the white line painted on the right side of the road as a guide. Do not use

the centre pavement markings. Doing so may guide you to move closer to on coming vehicles.

4. Do Not Stop on the Road. When you cannot see where you are going, a natural reaction is slow down or even stop. In fog, never stop on the road. Find a safe place to pull over that is as far away from traffic as possible such as a parking lot or roadside turnout. Turn you signal or 4-way flasher on.

5. Use wipers and defrost. Fog can sometimes cause your wind shield to fog/ice up. Always have your defrost on and wipers set at a low setting to keep the windshield clear.

6. Be patient and stay alert! Do not attempt to pass. Leave plenty of room between you and the vehicle in front of you. Try to look as far ahead as possible.

Drive safe; don’t forget to have lights on farm vehicles.

More Beans and Soybean Acres Likely in 2023

By Elmer Heinrichs

Manitoba Agriculture pulse specialist Dennis Lange says both dry bean and soybeans yields were very good in Manitoba last year and anticipates that both may have higher acres this year.

It appears, he says, that for both crops we established new provincial yield records. Soybean yields pro-

vincially should be in the 45 bushels/acre range with our local Altona-Winkler area yielding higher.

Dry beans should also break a record with average approaching 2,300 lbs per acre, adds Lange.

“I expect soybeans acres to rise compared to last year to somewhere around 1.3 million acres,” said Lange.

While Lange expects bean acres to rise as well, he expects to have a better handle on this after dry bean grower meetings in Portage la Prairie and Altona coming up soon.

Demand was strong for both soybeans and dry beans grown in Manitoba in 2022, added the specialist.

Bergman Steps Down as CPC Chair

By Harry Siemens

Rick Bergman of Steinbach, MB recently stepped down as chair of the Canadian Pork Council (CPC) after eight years.

At a CPC board meeting in Banff, AB members of the board elected René Roy, a pork producer from Quebec as the new chair and Scott Peters of Manitoba as the new first vice-chair. At the same time, Bergmann retired from the board after eight years as chair and a total of 15 years of service to the national organization.

“I would like to thank my friend Rick for representing our 7,000 Canadian pork producers for the past eight years as chair,” said Roy. “Being chair of this organization is important and rewarding work, and Rick has tirelessly taken time away from his farm, business, and family to advance national files on behalf of all producers.”

Bergman navigated the industry through several challenging issues since joining the board in 2008, such as the global pandemic, WTO challenges, CPTPP and NAFTA trade negotiations.

“Well, it feels good. I don’’ know if it feels any different. I did the tour of duty, and now we move on to other things,” said Bergman from his home in Steinbach.

He said looking back at the many changes over the past

eight years he sees more focus on public trust and the environment. More so in the last two years and this focus will continue to grow which is alright.

“We have a good story to tell about all the good things happening on farms,” said Berman.

He noted that this focus isn’t a threat but an opportunity to further tell that story and help educate people who never get off the concrete. The internet is not a place to learn about everything; agriculture is a beautiful, unique business.

“Our focus is to have a sustainable sector that includes different models of farms,” he said.

Bergman said the family farm had a tough go over the last years, which continues to be the same challenge for many family farms and was one of the significant challenges during the previous 20 years and probably the upcoming 20 years.

In Canada, the market connects the producer and the grocery shelf to a certain degree he said. But on the international scene in the last year there were more difficult challenges with China and Japan. Bergman said that hurts the processing world, which naturally filters down to the producers.

“We rely on the world market exporting 70 per cent of

what we produce,” he said.

With a growing population of eight billion people, many struggle to have three meals a day.

“Agriculture in Canada including pork producers have a critical role for food security, not only for our country, but because we are so exportdriven, we’ve got an opportunity to continue to feed the world, and I hope that that opportunity continues,” said the retiring CPC chair.

He said there are three highlights of his involvement in the Canadian pork industry. First and foremost the fantastic support from his family.

“It didn’t matter if I came home at 2:00 in the afternoon or 2:00 in the morning; my good wife was there to meet me at the door. Without that family support, you can’t do very much,” said Bergman. “Also, the board’s support with a fantastic group of people from across the country working as a team was able to accomplish some good things and make the files move forward. And it’s a significant highlight for me when we can collaborate with government officials and where there’s an interest, whether it be senators, Ag ministers, department heads, etc. We all must ensure that, number one; agriculture in Canada stays strong, and if it doesn’t, if it’s not strong, let’s get it strong.”

Rick Bergman upon his retirement as chair of the Canadian Pork Council said he feels good after completing 15 years on the board and 8 years as the chair.

Photo by Harry Siemens

Check Your Soybean Fields for Harmful SCN

By Harry Siemens

Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) is a microscopic roundworm that parasitizes soybean roots.

Researchers have found different nematodes in Manitoba, but not all are harmful to crops. That is not the case with SCN. It is a harmful type of nematode and one of North America’s most damaging pests to soybean crops.

Preventative action, early detection and timely management are key to avoiding significant yield loss from SCN.

The presence of SCN was confirmed for the first time in Mani-

toba in 2019. This confirmation was made possible due to survey efforts led by Dr. Mario Tenuta and his research at the University of Manitoba that took place from 2012 to 2019. They identified SCN visually and by molecular DNA methods in four out of 106 fields and four out of 18 municipalities sampled across all surveys.

In July 2021, they confirmed another case of SCN. The arrival and spread of SCN in Manitoba is not surprising, given SCN’s northward movement and distribution.

Laura Schmidt, a production specialist with the Manitoba Pulse & Soybean Growers, covering western Manitoba addressed the SCN problem with growers at St. Jean Farm Days on January 11.

She said it has crept north from the Midwestern United States.

It is a small soil-borne roundworm that infects soybean roots and robs plants of nutrients. It has a big impact on soybean yield depending on environmental conditions, but it’s also creating lesions on roots which cause root rot infection to take hold.

“We see more symptomatic plants under dry years because SCN infected those roots and diminished the root material. So it can take up less water or search for water under drought conditions,” said Schmidt. “And it’s a big yield robber for soybeans.”

For some years industry people were expecting the first shoe to drop and now the honeymoon period for soybean farmers is over.

“With soybeans more regularly in the rotation, some of these pests are starting to creep in and make themselves a little more aware,” said Schmidt.

She said that farmers in western Manitoba are still in that grace period. But in the Red River Valley, there are no more. Many farmers think of soybeans as a crop to plant and then forget about after applying the herbicide.

“It’s one where we need to be digging up roots, looking at how our nodules are developing and whether we see any soil-borne pests—and maybe keeping more of an eye on it instead of seeding it and forgetting it,” she said.

Schmidt said so far there are not too many confirmed cases in Manitoba. The cyst levels were relatively low in the initial round of surveys that discovered it in 2019.

“I don’t think we were ex-

pecting to see yield loss with those populations, but they were so low, like the earliest detection possible in the field we found in 2021, we actively saw yield loss,” said Schmidt.

Some patches had aboveground symptoms because it was a dry year, and those roots couldn’t dig up water. But even further into the field where plants looked healthy above ground, they found those cysts on the roots impacting yields.

She said farmers could dig up soybean roots to look for these cysts. If they have six years of soybean history, they can even sign up for a survey that’s going on this year and next year led by Dr. Tenuta and his lab at the University of Manitoba.

“We want to know where this pest is in Manitoba, how high our populations are,” said Schmidt. “Participating in that survey is a great way to determine if it’s in your field because they could use precise detective measurements using their molecular methods to say if it’s there or not definitively.”

With current cluster programs ending in the last federal funding program for research, the goal is to start a new cycle.

“So SCN is one of the pests we want to highlight for soybean management long term in this next round of funding,” said Schmidt. “And we do have some research we’re hoping to move forward with Dr. Tenuta.”

She said surveillance is one of those efforts, but there are also management options that he wants to look at such as SCN-resistant varieties and how they behave with the SCN populations found in Manitoba; also looking at different nematode-protectant SCN treatments, how they work in fields infected with SCN and response.

“We have a lot of resources we can lean on, but it’s also research to determine how its going to behave this far north and in our unique situation.”

Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) is a microscopic roundworm that parasitizes soybean roots. Once SCN has arrived, it spreads rapidly and cannot be completely eradicated. SCN eggs can survive for several years in the soil but requires a host plant to reproduce. Management options include rotating to non-host crops, growing SCN-resistant varieties, reducing tillage and controlling host weed species.

Laura Schmidt, a production specialist with the Manitoba Pulse & Soybean Growers, covering western Manitoba addressed growers at St. Jean Farm Days on January 11 said Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) has crept north from the Midwest in the United States.

Foot and Mouth Disease in Indonesia Raises International Concern

By Harry Siemens

With the help of Australia, Indonesia is taking steps to control a Foot and Mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in that country.

Swine Health Information Center associate director Dr. Megan Niederwerder said they had the FMD virus on the radar for global detection since May because of significant outbreaks, particularly in Indonesia where it infected about 500,000 animals mostly cattle but some pigs.

They deployed a strategic vaccine campaign to contain and reduce the FMD virus spread by vaccinating about 1.6 million livestock.

The Australian government stepped up to help their neighbours with the close geographic proximity between Indonesia and Australia. Australia announced support for Indonesia with approximately $10 million in biosecurity packages to assist in the response and also help prepare Australia for potential FMD outbreak and vaccination program. Australia also increased protection with strategies at the border and airports to help prevent the virus from jumping into Australia from Indonesia and focused on preparing for a potential incursion.

Dr. Niederwerder said thinking about FMD and the high stability of the FMD virus, it’s non-enveloped, and so it has high stability in the

environment. It can survive well on fomites during meat production. Fomite transmission occurs when viruses or bacteria remain on surfaces and cause infections. This is different from transmission of disease from animal to animal or person to person, in the air, in infected water, or by touch.

With this major outbreak in Indonesia, the number of animals affected and the difficulty of containing the virus throughout the country increases the risk to the rest of the world until they get the FMD situation under control.

She said the vaccine campaign would reduce the impacts on the animals regarding clinical signs, virus replication, and environmental contamination.

“Hopefully it will control that outbreak to reduce the risk to the rest of the world and reduce the impact on the livestock in Indonesia,” said Dr. Niederwerder.

Vietnam has also temporarily halted using the African Swine Fever (ASF) vaccine due to pigs dying post-vaccination. The ARS USDA in the US developed and researched this vaccine and licensed it to the National Veterinary Medicine Joint Stock Company, NAVETCO.

They started producing the vaccine and inoculating pigs to protect them from ASF. But unfortunately, of

Snowy Winter, Wet Spring – Time Will Tell

By Elmer Heinrichs

It’s still early in the New Year but it could be a snowy winter and wet spring.

Let’s take a look at the two almanacs. The Old Farmer’s Almanac is calling for a brutally cold start to 2023, with temperatures switching to above average in the spring and remaining above average right through the year. It looks to be a wet year with nearly every month showing above-average precipitation.

The Canadian Farmers’ Almanac is calling for average temperatures and above-average snowfall for the remainder of the winter. Spring is predicted to see average temperatures and near- to aboveaverage rainfall. It is calling for summer to be warm and dry, followed by a cool wet fall and early winter.

Moving to the computer models, Environment and Climate Change Canada forecasts for January into June; 4

to 6 months out predict a 40 to 50% probability of above normal precipitation and only a 40 to 50% chance of temperatures moving above average across the Prairies. The US- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is calling for a cooler-than-average start to the year with above-average precipitation. Temperatures will moderate toward average values by spring, with near-average precipitation.

Temperatures will continue to moderate, moving toward slightly above-average values in the summer and early fall.

Precipitation looks to be average to slightly below average during the summer and fall.

Let it snow! You can expect Manitoba to be covered in white during the month of January. Be sure to bundle up when you venture outside, or take the opportunity to enjoy hot cocoa by the fire for warmth this month.

600 pigs vaccinated, 100 died and 400 others had adverse reactions. So the company deployed a team to the region of Vietnam to investigate if the deaths and reactions were indeed due to the vaccine usage and its appropriate inoculation or if something else was impacting these pigs outside of the ASF vaccine.

Dr. Niederwerder said this is concerning because the ASF vaccine has undergone safety and efficacy testing but has undergone field usage for the first time. There-

fore, it is essential to look at how the technicians handled the vaccine in the field she said.

“This is a modified live virus vaccine and must remain as live to be effective for protecting the pigs,” said Dr. Niederwerder.

She said they will review the technicians used it in the fashion it gained protocol approval. “How did they handle the vaccine, and the age of the pigs in which they received the vaccine, was there potential for ASF pigs exposure?” she noted.

“Did the pigs die from a wild-type ASF infection versus a reaction or a result of the vaccination?” is another question she has.

She said the big questions are not only for the release and continued use of the vaccine in Vietnam but will others use it in other parts of the world and what is its safety and efficacy in field conditions with large numbers of pigs.

“We will continue to monitor this information and the data as it comes in,” said Dr. Niederwerder.

Dr. Megan Niederwerder is concerned about the foot and mouth disease outbreak because it is highly stable as a virus in the environment.

Submitted photo

Wheat Farmers Group Hopes Government Listens This Time

By Harry Siemens

Gunter Jochum, president of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers, says they aren’t happy with the federal government over what he sees as the government’s, “overly green” sustainability policies. Jochum said the Federal government’s approach, “Make farms less sustainable and further increases food costs for all Canadians.”

In a message to all growers, Jochum said while reviewing his crop rotation, budgets and markets are good reasons for optimism about the upcoming growing season.

“There are many things we can control to make our farms successful, but weather and bad government policy pose challenges,” he said. “The federal government is on a binge with various sustainability initiatives.”

He wrote, “Just before the holidays, we learned there’s a sustainability program in the consultation stage, aimed directly at us called the Sustainable Agriculture Strategy (SAS).”

The federal government states that the “Strategy will serve as a guide to support farmers’ livelihoods while growing a sustainable sector. Identifying goals and a way forward will equip Canada’s agriculture sector to recover quickly from extreme events, thrive in a changing climate, and contribute to world food security while contributing to Canada’s efforts to cut emissions.”

Jochum said the notion that farmers will be at the table talking about sustainability and then civil servants, under the direction of government, will come up with policies to help farmers become more sustainable is ludicrous. According to Jochum, special interest groups at that table have a narrow-minded view of farm sustainability.

“Those groups have the ear of our Ag Minister and direct Ag policy which affects all farmers across Canada,” said Jochum. “There is nothing sustainable about an increase in a carbon tax, removing crop protection products

based on label wording rather than science, tariffs on crop inputs that drive up production costs, etc.”

He said these policies make Canadian farms less sustainable and further increase food costs for all Canadians.

“It’s imperative we as a Board have your support to keep lobbying and bringing these issues to the forefront,” he added.

In an interview, Jochum, who farms with his family near St. Francois Xavier, MB, said the green environmental take from the federal government telling farmers to change how they farm is unsettling. He points to one of the sustainable measures that seek to get nitrous oxide emissions from fertilizer under control.

“The Feds suggest reducing nitrogen oxide dioxide by 30 per cent but haven’t given very clear indications of how farmers will do it,” he said.

Farm groups, including the Wheat Growers, have said there are ways farmers can do it because they are already

doing it he said.

“The way we farm through minimum tillage, direct seeding, etcetera, yet the government has a hard time recognizing that fact,” said Jochum.

Jochum said it leads their membership to believe that the government ultimately has ulterior motives and wants Canadian farmers to follow the European model of reducing fertilizer use, which of course would not be very sustainable.

“I mean, fertilizer is the number one input on our farms that drives yield and profitability,” he said. “So you take that input away from us or reduce it by 10, 20, 30 per cent, however much, to achieve your emission reduction goals is not sustainable.”

To him, sustainability means farming year after year after year. He took over the farm from his parents and grew it so their daughter could leave a great job four years ago and come home to the farm.

According to Jochum, the federal government, Agricul-

ture Canada did not include farmers from the beginning in how to go about the sustainability goal. However, at the end of 2022, the Ag admin put together a group called sustainable agriculture strategy trying to meet every two weeks to talk about sustainability at the farm level.

“It’s not only farm groups, but NGOs and special interest

groups involved like Ducks Unlimited and others,” said Jochum. “It leads us to believe the government is not working in good faith here.”

The president of the Wheat Growers hopes even with all the farm groups at the table Federal Agricultural minister Bibeau and the government will listen to farmers’ concerns.

Gunter Jochum, president of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers, said he sees many things that can be controlled to make our farms successful, but weather and bad government policy poses challenges.

Photo by Harry Siemens

That’s a Wrap on Ag Days 2023!

Manitoba Ag Days was a hub of activity. Visitors, exhibitors and speakers had a fantastic week learning, doing business and supporting

“Manitoba Ag Days takes great pride in bringing the Ag community together.

Agriculture is a business of handshakes and we try to create a welcoming environment where farmers can come together to do business, face-to-face, with Ag manufacturers, companies and retailers. They can find the latest in technology and services to build their businesses. We are thrilled with the success of the 2023 show!” exclaimed Manitoba Ag Days General Manager, Kristen Phillips.

The Innovation Showcase returned with its celebration of the newest and most forward-thinking products and services in agriculture giving the needed exposure to the participants.

Winners of the 7 categories of our Innovation Showcase were Farm Safety - Jack Ease from C.S.A. Construction Ltd; Ag Equipment - K-

Hart Industries Spyder Disc Drill; Agribusiness Services

- InputsPro Inc.; Farm Built Solutions - Mobile Telescoping Bin from AgMinded Research & Development; Animal & Livestock - Hay Handler from Penno’s Machining & Mfg.Ltd.; Agronomics - Polysulphate Premium from Taurus Agricultural Marketing Inc.; and Ag Tech - Wi-Fi Bin Monitor from Adaptive Agriculture.

“It is so important for their products! Many exhibitors have already approached us about entering the showcase next year with products that are currently in the pipeline,” stated Brad Crammond, Manitoba Ag Days Innovation Showcase Committee Chair.

Planning is already underway for the 47th Manitoba Ag Days! Mark your calendars for Tuesday, January 16 through Thursday, January 18, 2024.

Farmer Health, Safety and Wellness. This year’s show had so much positive energy over all three days said organizers.

Ag Days Gives Back awarded eight $2000 grants to community fire departments, three $1000 grants to post secondary students and $10,000 to Ag in the Classroom - Manitoba.

Learning About Ag With Mady - @AboutAgWithMady - Just a kid telling her story to help educate people about Agriculture from her families’ Saskatchewan grain farm.

Fraser Auction won the Best In Show Award for #AgDays23! Congratulations and thank-you for being such an outstanding exhibitor at the show!

Ag Days 2023 was amazing! The agriculture industry kicked off the 2023 season with a bang!

“Manitoba Ag Days takes great pride in bringing the Ag community together. Agriculture is a business of handshakes and we try to create a welcoming environment where farmers can come together to do business, face-to-face, with Ag manufacturers, companies and retailers. They can find the latest in technology and services to build their businesses. We are thrilled with the success of the 2023 show!” exclaimed Manitoba Ag Days General Manager, Kristen Phillips.

The Innovation Showcase returned with its celebration of the newest and most forward-thinking products and services in agriculture giving the needed exposure to the participants.

Organizers were blown away by the turnout.

Submitted Photos / Ag Days Twitter

China Fully Reopens Its Pork Market

By Harry Siemens

Bill Alford, the general manager of Hams Marketing of Winnipeg, texted good news on January 20 to the HB WhatsApp group.

“Good news for Canadian pork processors. China has re-listed Maple Leaf (Brandon), Thunder Creek, Sofina and Conestoga,” said Alford.

“Yes, Chinese authorities have lifted the suspensions on the remaining five pork plants that were initially suspended over Covid start -

ing in the summer of 2020. So it essentially brings us back to 100 per cent access for pork. Its great news for the Canadian pork industry,” said Trevor Sears the president and CEO of Canada Pork.

Canada Pork is the domestic and global market intelligence and promotional organization for the Canadian pork industry.

Established in 1991 by the Canadian Meat Council, its membership includes pork processors, meat trading

companies and the 7,000 commercial hog producers in the Canadian Pork Council.

On August 19, 2020 Maple Leaf Foods in Brandon, temporarily suspended exports of pork products to China after dozens of workers at the company’s plant and one at their Lethbridge, AB plant tested positive for COVID-19. The company did so because of a Chinese protocol that requires any plant reporting a COVID19-positive case to suspend

exports to China temporarily.

In a release, Michael McCain, Maple Leaf’s president and CEO said, “That the company respects China’s new import protocols for Canadian products and is working cooperatively with Canadian and Chinese authorities to resume exports quickly.”

A media report that same day said the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said there is currently no scientific evidence that food or

food packaging is a likely source or route of virus transmission.

Alford said, “To get into China with a lot of the pork cuts or credits as they call them, the offal, feet and heads and that sort of thing is a primary market.”

Without going to China, it handicaps a lot of plants. For example, Maple Leaf is a big plant where those products went into rendering or just to a landfill to clear the floor.

“So that’s a big deal for a

plant that size, the volume and being able to at least get something back for it,” said Alford. “It’s not just a cost.”

He said the most significant point is that the delisted Canadian ones can compete on a level playing field with other plants. As a result, they are getting more value out of that hog.

Alford confirmed it with both Thunder Creek and Maple Leaf on the evening of January 19. “And they’re aware, so obviously, it’s real,” he said.

On August 19, 2020 Maple Leaf Foods in Brandon, MB temporarily suspended the exports of pork products to China after dozens of workers at the company’s plant and one at its Lethbridge, AB location tested positive for COVID-19.

File photo, Harry Siemens

Agristability Failed This Cattle Producer

Crop Insurance to Rise for 2023

By Elmer Heinrichs

Manitoba’s crop insurance coverage is expected to increase for the upcoming crop year, federal agriculture and agri-food minister Marie-Claude Bibeau and Manitoba agriculture minister Derek Johnson announced recently.

“Climate challenges, like last spring’s flooding, continue to threaten farmers’ livelihoods,” said Bibeau. “Enhancements to the AgriInsurance program for 2023 will bring increased value to Manitoba’s producers and ensure they have fair and flexible coverage to meet their needs.”

The ministers released details indicating 2023 dollar values are higher than 2022 dollar values for most crops insured in Manitoba. Total AgriInsurance coverage for 2023 is expected to reach $5.3 billion on 9.45 million acres.

This means the average coverage is estimated at $560 per acre, compared to $499 per acre in 2022. This increase in coverage reflects the expectation of continued strength in commodity prices into the 2023 crop year.

“The costs and risks related to farming in Manitoba continue to climb,” said Johnson. “We’re increasing our support for Manitoba farmers through the AgriInsurance program because we know that adequate coverage is now, more than ever, important in helping manage that risk.”

The insurance program is a risk management tool for Manitoba farmers to protect against production shortfalls and quality losses caused by natural perils.

By Harry Siemens

Orval Proctor, a cow-calf producer from Woodlands, MB, sent a note about the trouble with Agristabiltiy a business risk management program under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

The program is meant to help farmers manage income risk by providing financial assistance when their farm business experiences a large margin decline. The federal government pays 60 per cent of the program’s cost and the

provincial government pays 40 per cent.

Proctor’s note was twofold. First, to show his concern about the lack of help it provided him and whether other cattle producers had the same problem.

“The provincial office sent four requests to me since last June demanding to know why I have not shown a sales amount for the feed produced in 2021,” said Proctor. “I gave them the same answer: Continued on Page 14...

In the case of extreme weather events that impact production such as drought or excess moisture, the program provides predictable coverage producers can depend on when planning for the upcoming growing season.

The program is administered by Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation (MASC). Manitoba has a high level of insurance participation, with over 92 per cent of annual crop acres and more than 7,600 farms enrolled in the program.

Agristability isn’t working for this cattle producer Orval Proctor near Woodlands said the cattle prices ended up putting everybody in a huge hole and then within the next three years it was almost impossible to liquidate and get out.

Submitted photo

Pork Producers Should Lock in Futures Prices as Contracts Reach Record Highs

By Harry Siemens

Tyler Fulton, the director of risk management with HAMS Marketing Services, advises pork producers to take advantage of solid futures and lock in prices as they reach new highs on many spring and summer month contracts.

Despite exceptionally high feed costs and reduced slaughter hog supplies due to health challenges in the United States, 2022 is among the three most profitable years for pork producers over the past decade.

As far as the futures go the most significant factor was the constrained supply due to some health challenges in the US herd. Still, nothing changed the dynamics of the market so significantly but seasonal trends at higher levels.

The latest Hogs and Pigs Report indicated a reduced hog supply in the first three to four months of this year, which surprised analysts resulting in a reasonably positive price response with some of the nearby contracts gaining three to four dollars per hundredweight in one week.

“Starting into the first marketing week of 2023, it’s important to note that we’re at a record high level,” said Fulton. “We’ve never started hog prices this high in a calendar year, so that bodes well.”

Fulton said that when thinking about hog markets, the adage is that cash is king because the cash market is the base by which the industry moves through the seasonal trend over the year.

“We’re going to see in 2023 that things are shaping into a relatively typical trending year. But, then, we start to see some significant disruptions on the demand side or, for that matter, on the supply which is almost impossible to forecast,” he said adding in that case, producers’ risk management plans pay for themselves in securing some of those good cash flows projected today.

Producers should pay attention to slaughter hog volumes, currency exchange rates and pork consumption patterns said Fulton. The US Supreme Court is also due to rule on the validity of California’s Proposition 12, which could significantly impact the long-term trend of hog supply.

Fulton also said it’s important to note the slight shift in pork export flows.

“A significant drop in the flows to China as compared to the year previous but, on the flip side, Mexico started purchasing more products to make up for some of those deficits going to China and Asia at large,” said Fulton. He said getting through the summer months and into the latter half of this year, pricing could start a US hog numbers increase by the fourth quarter and a little bit more price pres sure.

However, he is confident that 2023 will be a pretty good year.

Tyler Fulton of director risk management with HAMS Marketing Services said they are seeing record high levels starting in the first marketing week of 2023.

Agristability Failed This Cattle Producer

I fed all of it and had to buy more.”

They estimated Proctor should have reported sales of over $100,000 based on his production report and wondered if other livestock producers were having the same issue.

The provincial office even suggested withholding any other benefits from the program if he couldn’t produce the existing sales figures.

He said that his cattle business today is very much in decline. Auction markets in the Interlake and beyond have many herd dispersals booked through to March, and not small herds. Big herds, small herds, all kinds of herds he said.

Many producers are aging and there have been many years with little or no profit. There is little incentive for younger people to get into the industry he said. Proctor said prices came up a bit last fall but many producers aren’t about to risk it again.

In 2018, 16 rural municipalities lobbied for financial support with the first round of drought but to no avail.

“Had we gotten that, things wouldn’t be so bad. But we needed support and it was so expensive. And no price for cattle, that put everybody in a huge hole,” said Proctor. “And then the next three years were almost impossible to liquidate and get out.”

Proctor’s herd dropped by a third and now he is taking it month by month. “Whether I stay or I go I still have a Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) loan to pay back and I may have to liquidate the herd to pay that back by next December,” he said. “So I’m just taking it day by day.”

His herd is around 50 or 60 cows, but he lost a lot of cattle last winter with a bunch of cows that calved late that took sucking calves into the winter. “And with the hay quality, you just couldn’t get decent supplements,” said Proctor. “And the other thing that’s happened is because, with the Agristability program, you had to buy the feed and then seek the refund. I was to my credit limits; I couldn’t do that.”

He said that some of the poor feed had wild hemlock in it; combined with the poor weather and calving he had way more losses.

“I had lots of quantity of feed but I needed more quality in it. And so my strong cows did well. But, unfortunately, the ones feeding calves or pregnant for the second time suffered,” he said.

Then Proctor got COVID at the beginning of January 2022, keeping him down for most of January and because he was working alone, he lost a bunch of calves.

The prices on feeder steers are excellent up to $2.70 a pound for the 400 and almost 500-pound feeders. But the market discounted the heifers 80, 90 cents a pound from the steers.

“I got $2.70 for a group of steers and $1.85 for similar age-weight heifers which were just as good if not better than the steers,” he said.

“So that’s a huge discount.”

AgriStability has been a very tough program for livestock producers on two counts. One is the five-year average basis.

“Ever since the Mad Cow Disease in 2003, we have not had more than a year and a half of reasonable prices

because of the depression, flooding, and crop failure.

All of those things resulted in no profit level,” said Proctor. “So to qualify for AgriStability, without any benefits, not only have you lost money, you’ve lost a pile of money.”

The cattle producer said it’s always this five-year average and for him, there needed to be more years of profit to establish a margin that gets close to covering expenses.

The second part is that almost every livestock producer he’s spoken with has received benefits from AgriStability but at some point has had them clawed back.

New Project Looks at Engaging and Advancing Women in Agriculture

The Canadian Federation of Agriculture has announced the launch of the Engaging and Advancing Women in Agriculture (EAWA) project funded in part by the Government of Canada under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership’s AgriDiversity Program.

Despite continued progress, in many respects women are underrepresented in the Canadian agriculture sector and their contributions often go unrecognized. They face both systemic and attitudinal barriers to entering the industry and securing leadership positions. This constrains the sector’s capacity, resiliency, and innovation; creates challenges in attracting and retaining women; and negatively affects the sector’s public image.

This project, led by the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, leverages previous work done by the Prince Edward Island Federation of Agriculture and Karolyn Godfrey of Winding Path Inc. with support from the Government of PEI. This earlier work developed, in consultation with a working group of female agricultural leaders, a strategic plan which focused on the implementation of policies and programs to address barriers to women’s full participation in the sector. The EAWA project is taking a systemic approach to pilot implementing this strategic plan in PEI with the aim of facilitating the adoption of similar approaches by other producer associations across Canada.

“The Canadian Federa-

tion of Agriculture is committed to supporting greater diversity in the agricultural sector and we are excited to have the opportunity to lead the Engaging and Advancing Women in Agriculture project, which will both celebrate the women leaders in our sector and help to reduce the systemic barriers women are face in getting involved in the sector,” said Mary Robinson, President, Canadian Federation of Agriculture. “Any person with an interest in a career in agriculture should be welcomed and encouraged to contribute to this industry. It’s time to level the field.”

The project will develop, pilot, and document a framework through which producer associations can systemically address the underrepresenta-

tion of women in Canadian agriculture, support women in the sector to develop skills to take on greater leadership roles and raise awareness of the benefits of women’s full participation, barriers women experience, all while addressing those barriers.

“Women have always played an essential role on family farms. Their hard work and determination contribute to the resiliency and success of the sector,” added Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “Despite their efforts, women still face systemic barriers in the industry. I commend the Canadian Federation of Agriculture for its work to eliminate these barriers, strengthen women’s leadership and support diversity for the future.”

Orval Proctor a cattle producer at Woodlands said a provincial office sent four requests since last June demanding to know why there was no feed sale. He provided the same answer that it was because during the drought his feed was not sold, it was used to feed his cattle and that also he had to buy more. Submitted photo

Gingera-Beauchemin Receives Honorary Diploma from Assiniboine at Ag Days

Assiniboine Community College presented Dori Gingera-Beauchemin with an honorary diploma in Agribusiness. Gingera-Beauchemin is well-known for her career contributions to the agriculture industry—most notably in her role as the Deputy Minister of Agriculture. She retired as Deputy Minister on January 6, 2023 after a 43year career in agriculture.

“Ms. Gingera Beauchemin’s contributions to agriculture at provincial and national levels over the course of her career have been tremendous,” said Assiniboine President, Mark Frison. “Dori has been a leader in the sector for decades. Her ability and tenacity to forge connections, inspire collaboration and advocate for the agriculture community have continued to move the agriculture industry forward.

I am proud to have worked with her closely through the years. She is a most deserving recipient of this recognition.”

Gingera-Beauchemin graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture from the University of Manitoba in 1979. She joined Manitoba Agriculture after graduation, holding positions throughout her career including 4-H and Youth Specialist, Chief of the 4-H Program, Director of the Central Region, Director of the Marketing & Farm Business Management Branch, Assistant Deputy Minister of Agri-Food and Rural Development Division, and Assistant Deputy Minis-

ter of Policy and Agri-Environment Division.

She was first introduced to 4-H as a child in McCreary, MB alongside her three sisters and her mother, who was a 4-H leader. Remaining close to the 4-H community, Gingera-Beauchemin continued serving on various committees throughout her career, strengthening the foundations of the organization in Manitoba, Canada and internationally through her many volunteer roles. In 2007, she was elected as President for the Canadian 4-H Foundation. Gingera-Beauchemin was instrumental in raising the profile of 4-H and securing funds to aid the Manitoba 4H Council Programming.

“I am thrilled to receive an honorary diploma from Assiniboine Community College,” said Gingera-Beauchemin. “During my many years with Manitoba Agriculture, Assiniboine was an excellent partner in our efforts to ensure Manitoba’s agriculture and food industries have the talent pool required to support the industry’s ambitious plans. I am confident Assiniboine will continue to innovate to meet the needs of our dynamic agriculture and protein sectors and look forward to seeing the fruits of their labour.”

Gingera-Beachuemin has received a number of awards owing to her commitment to leadership in the agricultural industry, including an Honorary Lifetime Member

Assiniboine Community College presented Dori GingeraBeauchemin with an honorary diploma in Agribusiness. Submitted photo

of Canadian 4-H Council and the Foreign Minister’s Commendation from the Japan Counsul-General for her involvement in creating the Canada-Japan 4-H international student exchange program, which has been in place for 35 years.

“Dori and her colleagues were committed to advancing the sustainable development of Manitoba’s agricultural and food sector while supporting vibrant rural communities. The many programs and services offered by the department in support of farm and rural families, industry and communities aim at achieving a high quality of life through prosperous entrepreneurs and enterprises,” said Mona Cornock, a member of the Assiniboine Board of Governors.

Gingera-Beauchemin remains active in the agriculture and farming community, residing and operating the Beauchemin family farm in southern Manitoba with her husband.

Foodgrains Bank Prepares to Celebrate 40 Years of Food Aid

By Elmer Heinrichs

northwestern Ontario says 2023 is a special year for Canadian Foodgrains Bank since it was 40 years ago when this organization was formed.

Janzen invites supporters of the Foodgrains Bank to submit their memories of early involvement with the food aid and relief organization. He says “We’re hoping we’ll have some events later this year to commemorate this milestone.”

In January Janzen chose to celebrate the creativity of supporters. Throughout the last year, “I have been inspired by the creativity of many of our supporters.

In addition to the efforts of ‘regular’ growing project organizers, others have raised awareness and financial support in innovative ways.”

Here are a few examples of this creativity.

Hutterite women organized a raffle at Riverdale Colony, near Gladstone. With tickets sold across the Prairie Provinces, and even in the USA, organizers were proud of what they could donate towards ending global hunger.

In Boissevain, the BMW Growing Project raised awareness about their project by organizing a “combine pull” at the town’s summer festival.

The Scratching River Growing Project, near Rose-

nort, is selling bagged sunflower seed as birdseed.

The Winnipegosis Thrift Shop sells used items, with half of their proceeds going to Canadian Foodgrains Bank.

Deb Loewen from Linden, MB is another creative Foodgrains Bank supporter. Her energy to support this work started many years ago when her father-in-law, Bert Loewen, was serving as executive director of Canadian Foodgrains Bank. Last summer she collected tomatoes and peppers from her garden and made 335 jars of salsa, jelly, and pickles. She sells this produce widely among family and friends and provides the sale proceeds to the Foodgrains Bank.

Agriculture Shows are in a Business of Handshakes

By Brenda Hunter

The 46th edition of Manitoba Ag Days held January 17 to 19 at the Keystone Centre complex in Brandon wrapped up just over a week ago after a two-year in-person hiatus.

While there were many new things to see, hear and learn about at Canada’s largest indoor farm show housed under one roof, there was one significant change implemented by the Board that was evident to attendees before they even set foot inside building. This year, for the first time ever, admission was charged to attend the event.

“We are the largest indoor Ag show in Canada boasting 550 exhibitors, 32 new Ag innovations and 70+ world class speakers,” stated Teresa Vallotton, Ag Days Media Coordinator. “There is tremendous value to see everything agriculture all under one roof!”

This year, the Board of Directors for Ag Days made the decision to set early-bird pricing at $15 per day or charge $20 at the door. A three-day pass could be purchased for $40.

She continued. “We have just gone through two years without a show, (and) the cost of everything has increased as everyone knows. In order to maintain the level of quality of our show and continue our charitable donations of $30,000 plus annually to communities throughout Manitoba, our budget dictated the need of a modest entry fee.”

However, it would seem that the implementation of charging admission was not really a deterrent for those attending. As evidenced by the Keystone Centre parking lot by passers-by, the farmers were hungry to get back to the business of agriculture; learning, interacting and connecting in person with retailers, educators and innovators after two years of no show. It would seem that the move to charging admission couldn’t have come at a more opportune time.

“We had positive feedback from all of the producers that we talked to,” said Greg Setter, owner of Setter Manufacturing Division of Russell, MB. “Many (farmers) said they were expecting to have to pay an entry fee long before this year.”

Setter, who also serves on the Board of Directors of Ag Days, reported that they did not, in fact, hear any negative remarks during the three-day show. Producers and exhibitors alike seemed to be happy with the Board decision to charge an entry fee.

“One producer’s comment, to me was [that] ‘no organization can keep going without some income to cover expenses’,” said Setter.

Other similar agricultural shows, such as Canada’s Farm Show, Canadian Western Agribition and Ag in Motion, held in Saskatchewan, all currently charge an admission fee.

While the Ag Days committee cannot fully quantify previous years’ attendance with this year’s due to the fact that they had based their attendance on manual counts prior to this year, preliminary reports suggest an above average attendance on both Tuesday and Wednesday and an average attendance on the last day of the show this year.

They did report having a record-breaking 50/50 total which would confirm observations and indicate that attendance numbers had increased since the last show held in January of 2020.

“There was so much positive energy at this year’s show,” said a pleased and excited Vallotton on Day Two of the show. “We’ve had great feedback!”

Including a review of the decision to charge admission this year, the Board, as always has much to evaluate at its next meeting.

“Of course, there are always things to improve from year to year in all aspects of the show,” she commented. “Manitoba Ag Days Board and Management Team strives to bring the best show possible and is always looking for ways to better serve the agricultural community.”

Manitoba Ag Days is a not-for-profit organization comprised of a Board of Directors and countless volunteers. Any profits made by hosting the show are paid forward to community projects and services through their Ag Days Gives Back Fund. This year, eight rural fire departments were recipients of $2000 grants. As well, agriculture education was supported through three, $1000 post-secondary scholarships and a $10,000 grant was given to Ag in the Classroom – Manitoba, making it a win-win-win for all involved.

“Manitoba Ag Days takes great pride in bringing the Ag community together,” explained Ag Days General Manager, Kristen Phillips in a post-event press release. “Agriculture is a business of handshakes and we try to create a welcoming environment where farmers can come together to do business, face-to-face, with Ag manufacturers, companies and retailers. They can find the latest in technology and services to build their businesses. We are thrilled with the success of the 2023 show!”

Gordon Janzen, regional representative for Manitoba and

New Fertilizer Efficiency Calculator Launched

As part of its ongoing commitment to support the agricultural industry and help farm producers develop climate change resiliency, the Manitoba government is launching a new fertilizer efficiency calculator tool.

“Our government recognizes producers face historically high fertilizer prices, highly variable grain prices, increased focus on environmental impacts of fertilizer use and the need to integrate, recalibrate and optimize all these variables in order to maintain farm profitability,” said Agriculture Minister Derek Johnson. “We created this calculator so that producers, agronomists and industry partners can quickly and easily assess the financial benefits to improving fertilizer management practices.”

The calculator uses field-specific soil test results and science-based analysis to provide application recommendations, to optimize fertilizer application on-farm. The calculator compares a producer’s fertilizer plans to the most- and least-efficient fertilizer application cost per acre and net profit per acre. It also provides a user friendly dashboard score for cost efficiency, greenhouse gas efficiency, maximum profitability and maximum yield.

The new fertilizer efficiency calculator demonstrates the value of adopting 4R Nutrient Stewardship, noted the minister, adding that the Manitoba government recently signed a fourth memorandum of understanding with Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) and Fertilizer Canada to reaffirm its commitment to the science-based nutrient management framework.

“Manitoba has been a longstanding champion of the 4R Nutrient Stewardship program as a key driver for increased production and reduced environmental impact,” says Karen Proud, president and CEO, Fertilizer Canada. “This calculator helps address barriers to adoption of the 4R program by helping farmers understand the value these practices can provide to their bottom line and the environment. Farmers need tools and data to better inform their decisions and we look forward to working with government and industry to build on this important work. Using the calculator is a great starting point and if growers are interested in learning more about 4Rs they should speak with their trusted adviser.”

The 4R approach considers the right source, which matches fertilizer type to crop needs; right rate, which matches the amount of fertilizer to crop needs; right time, which makes nutrients available when crops need them; and right place, which keeps nutrients where crops can use them.

“One of KAP’s main goals is to ensure the perspectives of producers are included in the development of any initiatives or tools focused on supporting sustainable agricultural practices, to ensure they result in practical strategies that can be applied on-farm,” said Bill Campbell, president, Keystone Agricultural Producers. “Agriculture has the solutions to many of the challenges we face, and KAP is pleased to see the fertilizer efficiency calculator come to fruition as a result of direct consultation with Manitoba farmers. This new tool will allow for farmers to better measure their fertilizer use for improved sustainability outcomes, reduced input costs, and encourage broader adoption of nutrient management strategies like 4R Nutrient Stewardship.”

The Excel-based version of the calculator is now available at gov.mb.ca/agriculture/farm-management/ production-economics/fertilizer-cost.

A mobile-friendly, web-based version is in development and will be available in the coming months, said Johnson.

Feeding First Time Calf Beef Heifers After Calving for Rebreeding

By Peter Vitti

It’s easy to envision beef heifers that give birth to their 1st calf as younger versions of mature brood cows.

However, they have extra challenges after calving that must be addressed in order to get rebred in the next few months. As young animals, giving birth for the first time as well as nursing a newborn is real shock to their system. All of which take weeks for them to recover. That is why; good feeding programs should be continued after calving in preparation for a successful breeding season.

Many profitable cow-calf operations that I have dealt with for years; as a matter of routine already separated their bred 1st calf heifers going into the winter. They also have bred them (last year) about three weeks ahead of the main cowherd, so they calve out earlier (in the present year) and to allow a natural 20-30 days of extra postpartum interval.

It’s precious time to return and repair their uterus to normal involution as well as return to active estrus cycles. All the while, they are nursing a newborn calf and maybe putting on some growth, themselves. In the end, it should also synchronize the

future calving seasons of these young cows with the older brood cows.

All of these undertakings actually start on the day of calving. And good body condition at this time must be maintained over the next few months that will dictate good upcoming reproductive performance. That’s because, an optimum body condition score of 5 – 6 on a scale of 0 – 9 is an indication of her current nutritional status, which is the single most important factor that controls: post-partum interval, milk production, estrus strength, services per conception and ultimately successful rebreeding.

As a ruminant nutritionist, I believe that maintenance of optimum BCS from calving to breeding season in 1st calf heifers starts in hindsight - with a well-balanced overwinter feeding program containing 55 – 58% TDN and 10 – 11% protein. Then, ever so slightly increasing this plane of nutrition within weeks of calving. Ending with a post-calving/ lactation diet of 62 – 63% TDN and 11 – 12% protein – a fortified continuation of these previous gestation diets.

The dietary nutrient requirements of these calved-

out 1st calf heifers are really no different than a mature beef cows’ on a kilo for kilo basis. Yet, they must be condensed into a denser post-calving diet due to the heifers’ smaller dry matter intake (DMI) and lower forage gut-capacity. Furthermore, 1st calf heifers within a few weeks of calving experience about a 20% decrease in DMI, which must be built back up after calving or be prone to a drop in precious body condition.

Given that a post-calving 1st calf heifer should consume about 2.5% of her bodyweight in feed; a typical heifer weighting 1000 – 1100 lbs. should consume 25 lbs. of feed on a dm basis per day. Therefore, here are three lactation diets that I have set up for a few prairie beef producers in the last few months. They are geared for replacement heifers that are ready to calve in midFebruary to the beginning of March:

1. 25 lbs. mixed alfalfa-grass hay, 3 lbs. of barley and 3 oz. of a 1:1 breeder mineral.

2. 30 lbs. of barley silage, 12 lbs. of grass hay, 2 lbs. of DDGS and 3 oz of a 2:1 breeder mineral.

3. 20 lbs. barley silage, 15 lbs. of 1st cut alfalfa hay and

Good feeding programs should be continued after calving in preparation for a successful breeding season. Submitted photo

4 lbs. of screening pellets. The common thread amongst these diets is that forages were taken from onfarm inventories that were saved for the latter winter to help meet these post-calving nutrient requirements. I didn’t feed lower quality forages such as straw to avoid challenging a heifer’s limited feed intake. Yet, I allowed some extra energy - such a couple more pounds of grain or DDGS added in each diet when the windchill temperature dips below -18 °C.

However, I expect as the weather gets warmer and these heifers are 60 days post-partum – all grain feed will likely be eliminated as well as less barley silage might be fed in #2 and #3 and replaced by grass hay. This is done to still help them grow, still produce milk and prevent any animal from getting too fat. Best of all, prepares them for a successful breeding season.

Looking for Profit? Choose Crops That Are Proven Winners

By Elmer Heinrichs

Manitoba Agriculture data suggested that many crops will be profitable in 2023, assuming average yields.

However there is a potential scenario where crop prices weaken and input costs remain high, said a farm management specialist with the department.

No one can predict the future, but producers should think about softer grain prices and persistently high prices for crop inputs, said Darren Bond.

“If that happens, what’s [the] plan going to be?”

asked Bond, who spoke at a Manitoba agriculture meeting held in recently.

Every year, Manitoba Agriculture publishes a cost of production guide, one for crops and another for livestock. In sharing from the 2023 crop production report,

Bond said the data shows that the financial risk of crop production has changed dramatically compared to a few years ago.

From about 2016-19, the costs of fertilizer, pesticides, fuel and other crop inputs were fairly stable. They were increasing, but at a steady rate. Then input costs went through the roof.

“If we look at fertilizer per acre on canola in 2021, $88. [Then] up to $184 in 2023,” Bond said. “Pesticide has also doubled, or just over doubled. And fuel has also doubled.”

In 2018, the total cost (operating and fixed costs) of growing crops was around $300 to $500 per acre. Now, in 2023, its $500 to $800 per acre he noted.

Crop prices are still strong and there’s an opportunity for growers to make money

in 2023. But the math isn’t the same, Bond said.

“We had those $40 to $50 profits per acre and $400 production costs,” he said.

With average yields, similar profits can be had in 2023, but production costs are now about $700 per acre.

“In the past, we’ve only looked at profitability when we made our… cropping choices. Now we need to factor in this risk,” Bond said.

One way to manage the risk is a forward contract, to lock in a price for a portion of the farm’s production. But there are other ways, such as choosing crops with stable yields.

As an example, the cost of production guide said potential profits from soybeans and canola are similar, assuming average yields: with a yield of 44 bushels per acre and a price of $17 per bu., the esti-

mated profitability of canola is $44.59 per acre. Assuming a yield of 36 bu. per acre and a price of $16 per bu., the profitability of soybeans is $35.33 per acre.

But, explained Bond, that doesn’t tell the whole story. In certain regions of Manitoba, soybean yields can be highly variable, maybe 25 bu. one year and 45 bu. the next. In a year with extremely high input costs, that sort of instability is too risky.

However, “Some farmers do produce consistent soybean yields,” Bond said.

“Farms that have decent soybean yields… will definitely find themselves in a [situation] where soybeans have a better risk-reward relationship.”

Given the financial risks, many producers may opt to grow crops that are proven winners on their farms.

The Age of Your Soil Impacts Sustaining Plant Life

Naturally occurring soil fungus can help protect crops from disease. In order to grow well, plants need a place to grow, access to nutrients, and in most cases sunlight. A rich soil provides that home and a good supply of nutrients. But young soils have less to offer. Yes, soils can have different ages ranging from hundreds, to thousands, to millions of years old.

According to soil scientist Madhav Dhakal, soil is being made and lost all the time, with various dynamic processes.

The process of soil formation is often given the acronym ClORPT for: climate, organisms, relief, parent material and time. Soils in warmer climates tend to be older than ones in colder climates.

Many organisms, like microbes or insects, help aid soil formation. The term “relief” refers to the topography area. So, usually soil at the bottom of a mountain range exposed to less erosion and warmer weather, will be older than soil at the top of a mountain.

The major parent material for soils is rocks. Soil formation takes place after a gradual exposure of rocks to the elements and activity of organism, called weathering.

One important thing to consider during this whole transformation is time. Time is relatively long for the formation of soil. It happens over geologic time – or millions of years. Over these long periods, landscapes and soils are continuously transforming from one form to another. With time, soil forms different horizons or layers, parallel to the earth’s surface.

However, soils of recent origin may not contain a distinct horizons or formations. For example, Entisol and Inceptisol are among the 12 soil orders in soil taxonomy that contain no or very weak horizons or layers of soil.

In addition to the variety and ages of soils as a home for plants, plants themselves have different types of

adaptability. For millions of years, the plant kingdom endured several catastrophic events, geological changes, and climatic extremes. Plants were able to adapt to incredibly different types of surfaces or soil, where the soil itself is highly dynamic and changeable.

Many types of plants have adapted to grow on rocks or new soil. Even newer soils like Entisols and Inceptisols have micronutrients that aid in plant growth.

The versatility of plant species may have allowed them to survive in extreme conditions such as hostile climate, rocky, acidic, and salty surfaces.

There are nearly 435,000 unique land-dwelling species of plants in the world. Some of them grow with very little ingredients or even without sufficient water. For example, some cactus species thrive in the desert. Similarly, lithophytes can grow either on the surface of rocks or in crevices.

What is it about some plants that allow them to grow in unfavourable conditions? There are a few things. Rock felt ferns, orchids, and liverworts can grow on a rocky substrate, with different tactics or physiological adaptation. They are even capable of feeding off the nutrients from rainwater and nearby decomposed plants, including their own dead cells.

Lithophytes are a type of plant that grows well on rock surfaces. For most of the lithophytes, the nutrient nitrogen is available from the atmosphere in the form of ammonia. Lithophytes have a smaller number of root hairs and larger root diameters compared to common plant species. This makes them able to efficiently absorb nutrients.

Other plants have developed cooperative relationships with soil microbes, which may help them, survive in younger soils. Cacti can metabolize a type of acid that helps them with photosynthesis. Plants like peas are legumes and can work with a bacterium in the category of Rhizobium, and this helps them acquire nitrogen.

Newly formed soils, such as Entisols and Inceptisols can support plants that have these built-in strategies to supplement their essential nutrients. Depending on the parent material, these soils can provide mineral nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, as well as micronutrients like calcium, iron, zinc, boron, etc.

Indeed, as adaptable plants colonize these soils, they also start to help build more soil, in conjunction with microbial and insect activity. Their dead roots and waste products become organic matter, building up the soil bit by bit. One example of how plants can improve soils is the plant lupine (Lupinus Lepidus). Lupine’s metabolites can neutralize acids produced by volcanic emanations. This makes the soil more habitable by other types of plants that cannot survive in acidic soils. There are hundreds of plant species that can survive on and improve young soils over time.

Register Today: Sustainability of Canadian Agriculture 2023 Virtual Conference

Sustainable food production systems: Exploring new and traditional knowledge.

Save the date and Join virtually on March 7, 8 and 9. Registration is free and opening soon!

The Sustainability of Canadian Agriculture 2023 Virtual Conference provides practical information and considers the future of our agricultural production systems as we strive to further develop sustainable food systems.

This 3-day virtual conference brings together researchers, students, producers, government, commodity organizations and industry representatives with a

range of perspectives to collectively share ideas and experiences about how to improve agricultural sustainability in Canada.

Sessions will feature brief presentations followed by facilitated panel discussions exploring the path to achieving net zero emissions on farms, addressing the role of Indigenous agriculture in our food systems and examining the importance of preserving and enhancing biodiversity on the prairies and beyond.

This year’s conference will provide an update on Canada’s Living Lab Projects and the opportunity for attendees to join two live ques-

tion and answer sessions with researchers and industry experts. In addition, the conference will include a hands-on interactive morning workshop on the Holos model designed to estimate on farm greenhouse gas emissions, as well as a research update featuring graduate students who will share their findings through short videos.

Co-hosted by the University of Manitoba’s National Centre for Livestock and the Environment and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

Visit umanitoba.ca/agriculturalfood-sciences/sustainability-canadian-agriculture-2023 to register.

USDA Funding Demonstrates Commitment to Disease Prevention and Control

By Harry Siemens

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) said the allocation of federal funding for African Swine Fever (ASF) control made a powerful statement about the US commitment to foreign animal disease prevention.

In July representatives of the NPPC, the National Pork Board and USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and Foreign Agricultural Service travelled to the Dominican Republic for a first-hand look at the ASF situation on the island of Hispaniola.

Dr. Anna Forseth of the NPPC said much of the progress in that region is the result of the USDA’s financial support.

In September 2021 US Secretary Vilsack dedicated $500 million in Commodity Credit Corporation funds toward ASF control efforts in the Dominican and Haiti and ultimately toward prevention of ASF introduction into North America.

“The funding is a big deal for these two countries but it also made a pretty big statement here at home in the US. That’s lots of money dedicated to a disease not on US soil so I think it speaks to the importance of ASF control and prevention from the US and USDA,” Dr. Forseth.

This funding is focused on controlling the virus, specifically avoiding the jump from the island of Hispaniola to Puerto Rico or the mainland US. NPPC will travel to Puerto Rico to get an idea of some of the mitigation measures implemented in the last one to two years to protect Puerto Rico from the introduction of ASF.

Dr. Forseth said the first samples to test positive from the island of Hispaniola were in July of 2021. She said that after continued cooperative testing it showed that the outbreak was more widespread throughout the island by the end of 2021 and that NPPC should focus again on border security. One example would be the support of a bill in Congress called the “Beagle Brigade” bill that would authorize a training centre in Georgia. The centre will work with these dogs, training them to detect illegal pork products and other products that people try to import illegally or carry in their baggage.

“At NPPC we focus on knowing what the situation is outside of our borders but trying to find ways to protect our borders,” said Dr. Forseth.

As to whether the level of risk for the North American mainland has changed, Dr. Foseth said it is still difficult to answer partly because of the prevalence of ASF in many countries for a long time. Countries that North Americans travel to and receive goods from regularly.

“We all recognize that the detection of ASF on the island of Hispaniola is much closer. So it would be tough to argue that it’s not an increased risk because of the geographic closeness of where this virus is to North America,” she said.

Mitigation efforts have ramped up four years since the virus started to travel more broadly around Asia and Europe. These include inspections at ports with more beagles who have the amazing ability to identify illegal products. Also education and awareness of ASF is conveyed to travellers through signage and messaging at airports and on cruise lines are areas of increased border mitigation.

She encouraged North American producers to stay aware and be informed of the situation and determine the risks and prepare for business continuity.

Dr. Forseth said the goal is to keep ASF out of the US which will help in Canada. Getting a boots-on-the-ground view of the situation makes sense.

Dr. Anna Forseth (right) swabs a pig for influenza while monitoring health at a farm. Submitted photo

Photo by Madhav Dhakal

Don’t Be So Quick to Dismiss Lab-Grown Meat

By Sylvain Charlebois

We knew it was just a question of time, and we know the time is now. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) just authorized the sale of cultivated chicken in the US, giving safety approval for human consumption to Upside Foods, a San Francisco-based start-up. The company produces meat grown from animal cells, without killing one single animal.

While the FDA is on board, and although the agency found Upside Foods’ chicken safe to eat, the product is not approved to be sold commercially –yet. The US Department of Agriculture and its Food Safety and Inspection Service also need to approve the product. But the most significant hurdle was indeed the FDA, which means the day we see labgrown chicken on the market is within reach.

The production process is not that complex, though the science behind it certainly is. It starts by taking a sample of primary cells from a live chicken or fertilized egg. Once done, cells are fed in a lab (just as you would feed animals in a barn) with amino acids, fatty acids, sugars, trace elements, salts, and vitamins.

The main distinction between feeding a live animal versus feeding cells is the size of the feed components. That’s it. While chicken is fed corn, cells are fed microscopic carbohydrates and proteins. Products are then put in a cultivator to reproduce more cells.

After three weeks, voilà. The product is ready to be packed, shipped, and sold. No animals were slaughtered, and the product can be designed to suit different tastes and nutritional needs. Wings, legs, or breasts can be cultivated depending on market demand.

And make no mistake, this is not fake meat. Those who condemn cultivated meat as phoney simply don’t understand the science. Unlike traditional methods, cells are reproduced in a clean, sanitary lab environment and come with significant advantages.

The cost to produce a kilo of chicken in a lab remains unclear. But the economics of cultured meat production are more predictable, the production cycle is shorter and, obviously, less prone to food safety issues. Decreasing the likelihood of food borne illness from intestinal pathogens is a clear advantage. Animal diseases like the avian flu, which currently costs a fortune to the poultry industry and consumers, can also be avoided. Risks are much easier to contain.

Hundreds of companies are developing lab-grown food in the US and over a dozen in Canada. The environment and the ethical treatment of animals are becoming top-of-mind issues for a growing number of consumers, especially among younger folks who question farming practices and the industrialization of agriculture in general. Most of these initiatives are funded by investors who barely have any experience in agriculture at all, and their way of thinking is not compromised by historical biases. They just see food differently, and meat giants are forced to investigate this edge against the future of animal proteins.

The Upside Foods story is a good example. Upside Foods just acquired Cultured Decadence, a cultivated seafood company, for $400 million. A company can only raise that amount of money if the technology has some serious scientific traction.

Upside Foods started back in 2015, which is ancient history in this field. The first series of funding came from Bill Gates, Cargill, Tyson Foods, and Richard Branson, and whole Foods joined forces in 2020. While Tyson and Cargill are among the largest meat packers in the world, many influential investors have believed in the technology for a few years now.

The science is still unclear as to whether cultivated meat is healthier, but the possibilities are endless. Healthier meat can literally be designed based on consumers’ wants and needs.

Still, if you think eating cultured meat is disgusting, chances are you’re over 45 years old. In a recent survey by our lab, 27 per cent of Canadians said they would try lab-grown food. But that percentage almost triples for millennials and younger generations simply because they see these proteins as more sustainable and humane.

It is estimated that a third of all human-induced greenhouse gas emissions come from food production, leading some to advocate for different ways to produce animal proteins. Furthermore, the UN has warned the world of the risk of maintaining highly concentrated animal feeding to prevent future pandemics. These risks are real.

Cultivated chicken being sold commercially in the United States is only a matter of time. In Canada, though, with our beloved quota system, chicken farmers will have something to say about whether cultivated chicken will ever be sold commercially.

Let the lobbying games begin. But if cultivated meat is commercialized in Canada, unlike genetically modified salmon, let’s hope it’s labelled so consumers know what they are buying.

Feed Enough Potassium in Dairy Lactation Diets

It is widely accepted that excessive amounts of potassium (K) fed to a pre-fresh dairy cow may lead to a high-incidence of milk fever at calving. However, many people don’t realize that once she calves, high milk producing cows require lots of dietary potassium, because lots of research since the 1960s has actually proven that high dietary levels actually promote good dry matter intake and rumen digestibility, which together leads to better milk production.

That is why; well-balanced dairy diets should be reviewed for potassium content. And if there isn’t enough, potassium; supplementation is easily justified and implemented.

Consequently, potassium is classified as a vital macro-mineral for dairy cows. It is similar to calcium and phosphorus. It is required in grams per cow per day as compared to essential trace-minerals such as copper and zinc - required in milli-grams per head (mg = 1/1000 gram). According to NRC (2001), a typical dairy cow needs about 1.0% potassium of her daily diet (dm, basis) in order to perform vital functions, namely: osmotic balance at the cellular level, nerve transmission and of course – good milk and milkfat production.

The funny thing is that a good body of research suggests that 1.0% potassium is too low in the lactation diet. This K deficiency causes high-producing dairy cows to become marginally deficient in potassium, especially during their first-ten weeks of lactation.

These scientific papers point out that dairy cows naturally lose a significant amount of potassium every day, just through milk production, alone. That’s

because milk contains about 0.15% potassium (compared to 0.10 % calcium and 0.08% phosphorus), which secretes 25 – 40% of daily potassium intake, depending upon feed intake and milk yield.

Since, there is little storage capacity in the cow’s body (such as bones for calcium and phosphorus); a significant amount of potassium must be consumed in the lactation diet everyday in order to meet body maintenance and production requirements.

As a dairy nutritionist, I read many of these research papers, which recommend that all potassium requirements of lactating dairy cows can be met with at least 1.3 – 1.8% potassium formulated in early lactation diets (dm, basis). For example, I have seen a first-hand case of a possible K-deficiency in a 120-milking cow operation that took this advice with positive results.

Last year, this dairy producer told me that he was having milk production issues with his early lactation cows from 50 – 90 days in milk. Upon review of his lactation diet – adequate amounts of energy (44 Mcal/head), protein (17%) and enough calcium (200 grams)/phosphorus (110 grams) were being fed.

Upon review of the dietary potassium level, it seemed low (0.90%). So, I felt that we should increase it to 1.4%, respectively.

I did this by increasing the potassium-enriched alfalfa hay portion of the diet (2.88% K) by 2 kilos, while substituting out an equivalent amount of corn silage (1.1% K). Plus, I added 40 grams/ head of potassium chloride to their grain-mix, which was added after the forage in their TMR. No other di-

etary changes were made and within about two weeks of introduction; average dry matter intake of the cowherd increased from 25.7 to about 26.2 kg per head, daily. And milk production followed from 33.8 kg to about 34.7 kg per cow per day. Milkfat remained unchanged at 4.2%.

At first, I was hesitant to increase the potassium levels in this diet by 40%, since high levels of potassium are known to interfere with another macro-mineral; magnesium.

Researchers at Ohio State University showed that for every 1% unit increase in dietary K above the 1.0% NRC recommendation in the lactating diet; 20 – 30% more magnesium is needed to meet the cows’ respective requirement. That’s because high levels of dietary potassium inhibit magnesium absorption in the cow’s gut. Therefore, I made sure that this new lactation diet met a critical ratio of 4:1 (K to Mg) to avoid antagonistic problems.

I am not sure, why we focused solely upon the potassium levels of this lactation diet in the first place. It might have been that I implemented a 1.4% potassium level in most of my dairy feeding program for some time. I also think that I am balancing more dairy TMRs containing corn silage, which in itself contains relatively lowpotassium and often need Ksupplementation.

In either case, it’s a good lesson to me; review every lactation dairy diet that I come across and make sure that enough potassium is being fed.

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is senior director of the agri-food analytics lab and a professor in food distribution and policy at Dalhousie University.

Potassium-enriched alfalfa hay can assist in raising potassium levels in mix rations.

It’s Time to Plan Your Garden

By Laura Reeves

Whether you’re new to gardening or a seasoned grower, have a large plot or a few containers, early planning is key to improving the success and productivity of your garden space. “Thinking green” in January and February is a great way to beat back the winter blues while ensuring you don’t miss any planting deadlines. It’s also a good time to organize your seeds and create a wish list for local seed swaps. Here are a few things to consider as you dream about your garden.

Plant Spacing

It’s important to be realistic about the amount of space you have, but even containers can be surprisingly productive if you have a good plan. The block method of growing, commonly referred to as “square foot gardening” involves growing plants in beds, rather than in conventional rows. Not only does this approach maximize space usage, it reduces weed problems - less bare ground means more competition for weeds as the crops mature.

Know how much space each type of plant requires. For example, one square foot (30 cm x 30 cm) can fit 1 cabbage, 2 corn, 4 garlic, 8 pea, 9 beet, or 16 carrot plants.

Sprawling plants, like cucumbers, will require a larger area, but using vertical space will save ground space

for other crops. Trellises can be quick and dirty, such as a simple hog panel, or an elaborate work of art. This is the time to brainstorm ideas and rummage through the shed for useful materials.

Companion Planting Planting certain crops together, or in close proximity, not only makes the most of any garden plot, it can provide benefits in the form of weed or pest control. In a previous article, Debra Henry introduced the “three sisters’ garden” where corn, beans and squash are planted together because each provides support or protection for the others. I’ve found that sweet potatoes pair well with peppers. The creeping ground cover helps to retain soil moisture and reduce weed growth, and the harvesting periods are complementary - by the time the sweet potatoes are ready, the peppers have all been picked.

Crops that are prone to insect damage, such as cabbage and broccoli, can greatly benefit when herbs that are highly attractive to pollinators grow nearby. Paper wasps, yellow jackets and tachinid flies work wonders on cabbage worms, either carrying them back to the nest to feed their young, or parasitizing them. Birds that eat cabbage butterflies can be encouraged by ensuring there is something nearby for them to perch on.

Garden in 2021.

Starting Plants Indoors

As the days start to get longer and the itch to start planting grows, it may take everything you have to resist this urge. Starting plants indoors gives them an often necessary head start on our short growing season. Started too early, however, they will outgrow their pots, resulting in the need to transplant them into larger containers - and a house overrun with bedding plants. Check your seed packets and follow the suggested time for planting, keeping your average last frost date in mind. For Altona north to Morris, it’s May 11 – 20 and for the rest of our area, it’s May 21 – 31.

If you simply can’t wait to get your hands in the dirt, there are a few crops that are best started in February.

Onions grown from seed and sweet potatoes, ginger and turmeric grown from sprouted tubers/roots will only reach a healthy size if started

extra early.

Lighting is an important consideration when starting plants indoors. Inadequate or distant lighting forces plants to stretch toward whatever light source there is, resulting in weak and spindly plants. This can be prevented with grow lights. The shape and size of the lights will depend on your space, but be sure to get bulbs with a light temperature of 5000 - 7000 Kelvin. Higher light temperatures (in the blue light range) promote foliar growth while lower light temperatures (in the red range, or around 3000K) are better for flowering and fruiting.

With early planning, you can ensure you have all the things you need for a successful garden. May all your dreams come true.

Brought to you by the Stuartburn Emerson-Franklin Local Food Initiative, initiativelocalfood@gmail.com or find them on Facebook.

Flax Council of Canada Embarks on a Search for a New President

Flax Council of Canada is announcing the upcoming resignation of their President Wayne Thompson as he has taken a new position with Western Grains Research Foundation.

Flax Council of Canada thanked Thompson for his contribution as President over the past two years. Thompson’s leadership has led the Flax Council of Canada through a transition in membership and direction.

Over the course of Thompson’s tenure, the Flax Council of Canada has worked towards eliminating trade barriers and building strong government relations to benefit the flax industry.

Erwin Hanley, the board chair, said he would like to, “Thank Wayne for helping the Flax Council of Canada deliver on its mission and vision and wish him nothing but success in his future endeavours.”

“Over the past two years, it has been a fantastic opportunity to serve the Board of Directors and be part of the Flax Council of Canada,” said Thompson. “I believe that Flax Council of Canada has a bright future and will continue to be an important association for the benefit of the Canadian flax industry.”

Over the next several months, the Board will work with Ralph Kikkert at Strive to conduct a thorough search

to find Flax Council of Canada’s next President. Please contact Ralph Kikkert at ralph@strive.ca or 905-5120347 if you or someone you know would consider taking on this new opportunity to further the cause for the Canadian flax industry and take Flax Council of Canada to the next level. Interested candidates can find more information at flaxcouncil.ca or send their resume to flaxcareer@gmail.com.

Free Seed Library is Back Again in Roseau River

By Janet Kroeker

The seed catalogues have been arriving in my post box for a while already. As the winter wears on, some of us have begun making plans for vegetable gardening 2023.

Last year, local gardeners and seed savers began sharing their favourite seeds by bringing them to the free Community Seed Library located in Artisan Hall at Reimer Concrete and Building Supplies, in Roseau River. After a short winter break, the Library is back, beginning January 14.

For those of you who didn’t know about this last year, this seed exchange works just like our Little Free Libraries – take some seeds, share some seeds – with one difference.

To make it easier to search for certain seeds, sharers are asked to clearly label their seeds, including the year they were harvested, and file them alphabetically by type, rather than variety. For example, “Scarlet Runner Bean, 2022” would be placed under “B” for beans. If you are open to fielding questions about your seeds, consider including your contact information as well. One improvement suggestion over last year would be to package your seeds in a small paper envelope or insert a piece of stiff paper/cardboard if using a plastic bag (no wider than 3 inches), as they will stand up and be more easily noticed in our seed display box.

Laura Reeves, local botanist, proprietor of Prairie Shore Botanicals, enthusiast and participant of the Seed Library gives us some compelling reasons for seed saving and sharing.

“For seasoned gardeners, seed saving is par for the course – a simple way of ensuring that our favourite or most successful foods and flowers can be planted again next year. Selecting seeds from fruits with favoured qualities, like sweetness or resistance to environmental conditions, such as disease or drought, will result in those qualities becoming dominant over time,” said Reeves. “Saving and sharing our seeds offers a safeguard against crop failure when we can turn to our successful neighbours to help us recover from the loss. Moreover, sharing seed from our favourite plants is undeniably fun and a great way to cultivate relationships with other community members.”

The Reimer family has been very generous in allowing us space for this library in their store. One concession they have asked of us is that the seeds we offer not be available in their store seed stand. When you bring your seeds in, we would appreciate you checking the seeds for sale to make sure we’re not in competition with the store.

The more people participating in the Community Seed Library, the more fun it will be! Some contributions from 2022 that were grown in 2021 and stay viable over a number of years have started our seed offerings for 2023. They are flat green beans, Hubbard, Guatemalan Blue and Sunshine Squash, okra, Parsnips, chilli peppers, yellow bell peppers, pie pumpkins, sesame seeds, heirloom tomatoes and more. Come on down and add and/or take from our collection.

The Woodmore Women’s Institute is planning an inperson seed exchange later in the year. Stay tuned for more details.

Brought to you by the Stuartburn Emerson-Franklin Local Food Initiative, initiativelocalfood@gmail.com or find them on Facebook.

Free Seed Library.

Submitted photos

Peanut seedlings.

Submitted photos

Swine Barn Workers Encouraged to Get Their Flu Vaccine and Protect Pigs

By Harry Siemens

Dr.

With the further relaxation of restrictions in Canada patterns of influenza infection will return to more normal this year, as in the United States last year.

Dr. Detmer said with the lockdown and pandemic precautions, few influenza viruses circulated in humans in the northern hemisphere, including Canada, Europe, and the US. From 2021 through winter 2022, Americans opened up making it more like an open herd for people travelling with limited restrictions. It created a normal flu season with a strong fall peak around November. And then their winter peak was slightly lower and longer than usual; normally seen with the two peaks of influenza activity.

In Canada, producers had more of a closed herd with limited movement in the country and internationally, producing a much lower and later single peak as restrictions from COVID started to open up. But unfortunately, that’s when the movement of influenza viruses increased in Canada, explained Dr. Detmer.

The key drivers of the respiratory virus circulation are for the most part aerosol but also close contact transmission. In-person gatherings are one way these viruses spread within the community, and air travel is how they move between communities. They also travel on land, but the big one is air travel she noted.

“People travelling a long distance introduce a virus that is not necessarily in that population,” said Dr. Detmer. By April, Canada had lifted most of the restrictions and in early fall removed most of those remaining border restrictions.

She said for the first time in a very long time the industry has the best chance of the vaccine matching to what is circulating in the population compared to last year when experts had a 50/50 shot. Last year there were two H3N2 virus strains to choose from and the wrong one to vaccinate against was picked.

“It’s in the vaccine and 70 to 80 percent of what’s circulating this fall is that H3N2 a good match,” said Dr. Detmer. “The H1N1 is at least 20 per cent of what’s circulating; is the derivative or the evolution of the 2009 pandemic, H1N1.”

She said that H1N1 is still circulating in the human population and the Yamagata lineage Influenza B is in the current influenza vaccine giving good coverage this year.

Dr. Detmer said before the COVID pandemic that the H1N1 virus from the 2009 pandemic was a seasonal strain of flu in humans.

“Every year we saw it and every year as a pig influenza surveillance person, I saw that pandemic strain get into pigs every year,” she said.

Even now the circulating H1N1 in pigs is from years ago, although almost half of what she sees annually comes directly from people into pigs. Last winter, the humanto-pig transmission was the most common H1N1 which is one of Quebec’s pigs’ most detected genetic strains. Dr. Detmer predicts the same occurrences will happen repeat this year.

Since pigs have that pandemic-like H1N1 virus circulating and humans are also susceptible to the virus and circulating it, getting the annual flu vaccine protects people from getting serious infections with the strain.

“It helps break the human-to-pig-to-human-to-pig cycle that shows where the virus goes back and forth between the two populations,” she said. “So for that reason, I recommend you get your flu vaccine and help protect both the human and your pig herd.”

Call for Research Proposals Targets Wean to Harvest Biosecurity

By Harry Siemens

Dr. Megan Niederwerder, associate director of the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) based in Ames, Iowa said improved biosecurity during the weanto-harvest phase of pork production would lower the risk of pathogen introduction for all production phases.

SHIC, the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research and the Pork Checkoff in the US are calling for research proposals to investigate cost-effective, innovative technologies, protocols and ideas to improve biosecurity and make it easier to implement during the weanto-harvest phase.

The goal is to develop costeffective ways to improve biosecurity on farms and during transport from when the pigs enter the nursery to when they reach the packing plant.

“Several of SHIC’s data monitoring systems and the rapid response program show a gap and vulnerability in the wean-to-harvest biosecurity phase of pork production associated with increased infection rates of endemic diseases such as PRRS and PEDV in the wean-to-harvest phase,” said Dr. Niederwerder.

That gap was also associated with the recent outbreak of actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae in a relatively small geographic area and association with lateral transmission from one finishing site to the next.

Dr. Niederwerder described the wean-to-harvest period as any pork production phase past the sow’s weaning. She

explained it’s about 21 days of age when the pig reaches market weight and goes to the slaughter plant. Producers often place post-weaning pigs in a nursery and then in a grow-finish facility and then in the packing plant. Comparing the biosecurity between the wean-to-harvest phase and that of the sow or breeding farm or gilt replacement sites shows lower biosecurity standards in the wean-to-harvest phase.

“This has increased the vulnerability of the entire industry because the increase in infection rates in those older pigs from wean to harvest increases the disease pressure for the entire industry,” she said.

She said the PRRS and PEDV often occur in the wean-to-harvest phase and are followed by outbreaks in the sow or breeding farms one to two months later. Filling that gap in biosecurity in the wean-to-harvest phase will improve the health of the pigs in the country throughout all phases of production.

Dr. Niederwerder said the proposals must focus on site biosecurity and transport biosecurity. On-site biosecurity calls for new ways to think about biosecurity alternatives outside of the box away from traditional biosecurity measures. The research will look at alternatives that increase the ease of daily biosecurity for animal caretakers on site and make it easier to implement transport biosecurity.

The large umbrella of site biosecurity includes personnel, biocontainment and bio-exclusion considering alternative shower and

shower-out procedures, or looking at alternatives to biosecurity protocols, thinking about compliance incentives or adoption barriers.

“So how do we increase the likelihood that on-site personnel will consistently follow through with biosecurity protocols?” asked Dr. Niederwerder. “Or how do we identify why they are not adopting these biosecurity protocols and how to overcome the inconsistencies?”

She said to help overcome those issues and to help with labour shortages they want to make biosecurity as easy as possible to implement daily.

In addition to personnel biosecurity, the proposals should include facility biocontainment and bio-exclusion by looking at novel ways to prevent pathogens from entering through aerosol and exiting via the air.

“When we think primarily about filtration in barns, we’re thinking about reducing the pathogens from entering the air, but we also have to think about biocontainment,” she said. “How do we prevent pathogens from leaving the farm through the air to protect the surrounding sites and surrounding regions?”

In the area of transport biosecurity, SHIC is looking for proposals on the truck driver’s biosecurity to help identify the truck driver’s high-risk movements and activities and also how to clean the truck’s cab or the cubbies of the trailer.

Dr. Niederwerder said the proposals are due on December 16, as outlined on their website swinehealth.org.

Susan Detmer an Associate Professor with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine is encouraging people in swine production to protect their pigs by getting the annual flu shot.

Dr. Susan Detmer explained that community contact with people travelling over a long distance introduce a virus that is not necessarily in that population. Submitted photo

Dr. Megan Niederwerder said several of Swine Health Information Center’s data monitoring systems and the rapid response program show a gap and vulnerability in the wean-to-harvest biosecurity phase of pork production. File photo

Sherri-Lee Pauls Mentors Others to Seek Help When Needed

By Joan Airey

The following quote was posted by a hockey mom I know well. When I read it I thought Sherri-Lee Pauls is that person when she enters a room or a farm family meeting helping to improve everyone’s attitude. A farm family has to be a team for it to work.

The quote reads…“On every team, there is a core group that sets the tone for everyone else. If the tone is positive, you have half the battle won. If it is negative, you are beaten before you walk on the field.” - Chuck Noll.

Pauls was a speaker on mental health struggles at the 2022 Manitoba Farm Women’s Conference who was able to bring the room to life with her talk and get everyone to listen and respond to her.

She shared her life with attendees at the conference on how she was raised in southern Manitoba and on a Mennonite Colony in Mexico.

“I think open communication with ALL members of a farming family are so important, even the nonfarming siblings,” explained Pauls. “The big question to ask is ‘Do I want my farm to survive and thrive?’ If the answer is yes, then the previous generation has to face the tough decision to hand over the reins a bit more and set timelines and expectations. So important! Mental health and communication should be a top priority on any family farm. I’m so thankful I married into a farming family that has regular meetings on a lot of things.”

When asked how she became involved in being a motivational speaker on handling mental health issues she stressed it is being around people.

“I’m a huge extrovert so I thrive being around people. When I married into farming, having walked the hard road of mental health struggles, I saw a large need for support in the female end of farming,” added Pauls. “It can be such an isolating job and a lot of our lives are spent in

our heads. The feeling of ‘so one else thinks or feels like this’ is too common in my book. I became very passionate about spreading awareness on how we are not alone and there are solutions to our struggles.”

Pauls has some advice she gives people on fighting depression.

“The hard thing with depression is it is not one size fits all. The advice I give is that, if it has become to the point where normal things that used to give you joy, no longer do, seek help,” Pauls said. “Whether that be with medication or therapy, there is no shame in trying to become yourself again. Asking for help is the hardest part, and it is such a personal journey, but the more open you can be with your struggles the more you realize that you are not alone.”

She further reflected during her presentation at the MFW Conference how she lost her home one Christmas to fire. One could ask how she managed to keep a positive attitude after such a heart-breaking ordeal.

“Yes, eight years ago right after Christmas, our house burnt down. I will fully admit I did not always have a positive attitude and I was face with many challenges of letting go of appearances or ideas I thought were right,” said Pauls. “When you find yourself with nothing but the clothes on your back, the things that are important become very clear. I realized the freedom is being real and authentic. There was nothing to hide behind. Looking back, so much good came out of that experience. We could not have gotten through that without our amazing small town community taking care of us and God. He showed me time and time again that He had it all under control and my fears and stress could be tossed up to him.”

Sherri-Lee Pauls can be found on Instagram at @ theg_mom The Ginger Mom.

Livestock Prefer Clean

Research shows cattle prefer water pumped out of a creek and into a trough; according to the SunStream Solar website, a company founded in 2019 by Karsten Penner and Gary Klassen of Ste. Anne, MB.

“Eighty per cent of the time the cattle would walk to the trough for water versus going into the creek which had no fencing,” said Penner. “In addition, they would often walk farther to drink from the trough rather than the creek which offered the same water.”

At his booth at the recent Manitoba Ag Ex in Brandon, MB co-owner Karsten Penner said their company designs and manufactures solar watering systems for livestock, primarily and some for irrigation.

“We can set up any solar system for pasture pipelines, dugouts and wells,” said Penner.

SunStream Solar manufactures a portable pond system. The system pumps water from a pond into a portable trough. It makes it easier for rotational grazers to move it from one paddock to the next, saving a lot of time.

The trough holds 275 Imperial gallons with a battery box to allow for pumping after dark because solar is only good during the day. Solar energy charges the batteries and the pumps run directly off the batteries. Penner said there’s a little pull switch in the trough that controls the water level and a narrow-angle pull switch to keep the trough as full as possible.

“When the animals start drinking it kicks the pump on to keep up with the demand and makes sure everybody goes away with a full belly,” he said.

The pump floats in the pond or the well including the hose. He said it’’ important to put a fence around the pond and hose so the cattle don’t trample the equipment.

Karsten and his partner Gary Klassen have livestock and manufacturing experience. They saw the need for this, especially in Manitoba.

“There wasn’t anybody that made anything like our solar pump and other matching equipment in Manitoba,” said Penner. “It’’ growing, and we ship across Canada and into the United States.”

While targeting the cattle industry primarily, they also receive requests for irrigators since it’s all the same pump and solar system which makes it easy to adapt to different needs, even drinking water for cottages.

He emphasized that while installing solar panels at cottages, they will only wire part of the cottage up with solar.

“If you need drinking water at your little cottage and have a well, we’ll put a little solar system up for your drinking water but won’t wire your cottage up with solar<’ said Penner. “We draw the line because we are in the solar water pumping business, which is what we do.”

While the sun needs to shine for solar to work a popular misconception is that solar doesn’t work when it’s cloudy. Penner said it does work when it’’ cloudy, just at a reduced rate. He said even a cloudy or light overcast day still produces quite a bit of solar energy. Solar energy is also still available later in the year like September or October.

He said that the system receives a good dose of sunlight during the summer and then by late fall to winter the amount of sunlight becomes less and less.

Penner said if people have an interest in solar pumping, to make sure to check for various funding programs from local watersheds, government and Ducks Unlimited.

“There are several programs for livestock producers to access funding for these systems, and they should consider looking into those funding programs before purchasing a solar system,” said Penner.

Sherri-Lee Pauls spoke on the importance of good mental health no matter where you live at the Manitoba Farm Women’s Conference.

Eighty per cent of the time cattle will walk to the trough for water versus going into the creek that has no fencing. In addition, they often walk farther to drink from the trough rather than the creek.

Karsten Penner, co-owner with Gary Klassen of SunStream Solar, said they can set up any solar system for pasture pipelines, dugouts and wells.

Photo by Harry Siemens

Submitted photo

Photo by Joan Airey

By Harry Siemens

Hannah Thompson-Weeman, Animal Agriculture Alliance (AAA) president and CEO said there are many issues in animal activism. Hannah shared the results of a series of reports from five major animal rights

2022 that showcase these animal activist groups’ efforts, their strategies and tactics, and what the animal agriculture community needs to know.

“Several trends for Animal Ag to know about first are that activists continue to call for ‘undercover videos’ to put together what they claim is evidence of animal cruelty on farms. But, of course, we know those undercover video campaigns are unrealistic.”

They do not depict reality, and if there are animal welfare concerns, report and address them immediately, not filmed and used for a PR campaign. Instead, activists want to see those used in court.

There is a call from activists who use more emotions in their campaigns, starting with children in new organizations to compete with groups like 4H and FFA and reach children with animal rights messaging to bring them into the movement.

The last trend is increased political engagement, where activists get involved in the political arena and pressure elected officials to include animal rights in their political campaigns so they can bring their cause to the legislature.

“So those are a few major trends from the activist conferences we followed in 2022.”

Voters passed by ballot Proposition 12 in California, requiring producers in California and anyone across the country producing a protein sold in California to comply with specific regulations about animal housing. Particularly about cages for laying hens, individual housing for veal calves and gestation stalls for pork, the main issue of concern for many in the animal agriculture community.

The many challenges on that ballot initiative focused on whether it is constitutional for voters in California to pass a law that affects hog producers in North Carolina, Iowa, and other places across the country. As a result, the US Supreme Court heard extensive oral arguments last fall.

“They focused more on the constitutionality issue than talking about animal welfare but the precedent that it sets to interstate commerce if voters in one state, again, can pass regulations that impact producers in another when those producers didn’t have a chance to be involved in the process.”

The industry expects the Supreme Court will release that decision early this year. So certainly all of animal agriculture is staying tuned and it will set a precedent either way whether Prop 12 will stay or get overturned.

The AAA also follows Question 3 in Massachusetts, almost identical to Proposition 12 passed a few years later, but applies to not only producers in Massachusetts but producers across the country. Unfortunately, the court challenge of Proposition 12 is holding up Question 3 extending the deadline, and not fully implementing it until they see the result of Prop 12.

“It is so similar that whatever the outcome of the Proposition 12 challenge is, that would affect Question 3 in Massachusetts.”

Activists in Oregon are back in the signature-gathering phase for the 2024 ballot on an animal cruelty initiative, but it’s very extreme. It would reclassify many animal husbandry practices as animal cruelty, including processing animals for food.

“So you can still eat them, but they must die of natural causes. Otherwise, you are guilty of animal cruelty. Don’t expect it to pass, but it will be out there and driving a conversation that will be a concern.”

Hannah said introducing these outlandish campaigns is also an intentional strategy of activist groups called mainstreaming. The initiative is outlandish and extreme but getting ready for people to accept something more reasonable than the very outlandish thing they passed before, with the hope that everyone will compromise and pass the watered-down version that again, is still problematic for animal agriculture.

She cautioned farmers and the industry to watch for farm and plant incidents where they will try to film these undercover videos and hold protests to advance the legislation they’re trying to pass.

“We need to monitor visitors, be careful with hiring, and being vigilant for these activist tactics that happen to us on our farms, in our plants, making sure our employees are informed, and our neighbours are aware of potential issues so they can help be our eyes and ears.”

Why Not Turn Some of Those Leftover Ingredients into Scrumptious Dishes

By Joan Airey

One of our family recipes I hadn’t used for several years was a carrot loaf which contained maraschino cherries.

Recently I came across this Christmas Carrot Cake made with glazed cherries or mixed fruit which I tried and will definitely be making again after the New Year.

Cousin Bev and I compared the recipes and the only difference between the one I made is a different type of cherries and the old recipe has 1 1/3 cups of canola oil and no orange juice. The recipe makes two loaves. I used mango/tangerine juice 1/3 cup and the loaves were nice and moist.

Christmas Carrot Cake

3 cups of flour 1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking soda 2 tsp. baking powder 2 tsp. cinnamon

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional) 18 oz. mixed fruit and /or red and green cherries 4 eggs 2 cups light brown sugar 3 cups of grated carrots 1 cup canola oil 2 tsp. vanilla 1 cup dark raisins (washed) Juice from 2 oranges (1/3 to ½ cup) or you can use mango/tangerine juice).

Preheat oven to 350 °F. Sift together dry ingredients. Add nuts and fruit to coat. Add remaining ingredients and mix until smooth. Pour batter into two loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour.

Excellent Biscuits

3/4 cup cold butter (not margarine if you want great flavour) 1 egg 1 cup whole milk Preheat oven to 450 °F.

Combine the dry ingredients into a large bowl. The secret to excellent biscuits is very COLD BUTTER. Cut the butter into small pieces then incorporate into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter. You want to see small pea-sized pieces of butter through the dough.

Add milk and egg and mix just until the ingredients are combined. The dough will be sticky but don’t keep working it. Turn the dough out onto a generously floured surface. Sprinkle some flour on the top of dough so it won’t stick to your finger and knead ten times. If the dough is super sticky just sprinkle on more flour but don’t get carried away.

Pat the dough out to 3/4 to an inch thickness and cut with a biscuit cutter or glass. You should have ten to twelve biscuits. Put the biscuits on a parchment paper lined tray and bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. If you wish you can brush the tops of the biscuits with melted butter.

If you have leftover turkey or chicken this soup is easy and delicious. I often use cooked leftover carrots in the recipe and use peas or corn in place of beans.

Turkey Vegetable Soup

1-540 can tomato juice

500 ml water 500 ml cooked, cubed turkey 250 ml chopped onion 250 ml green beans frozen or canned 25 ml instant beef flavour bouillon 2 ml garlic powder 2 ml hot pepper sauce 1 bay leaf 75 ml grated Parmesan cheese

In heavy 3 litre sauce pan combine all ingredients except parmesan cheese: mix well. Cover: cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until vegetables are tender 20-25 minutes. To serve, sprinkle 15 ml Parmesan cheese over each serving.

conferences in

Christmas Carrot Cake great for using carrots and leftover Christmas Glazed Fruit I’m going to try it with our local Two Farm Kids Mix Fruit shortly.

Struvite a Good Phosphorus Source That Can be Extracted from Waste

Studying new fertilizer options is the first step to getting farmers to eventually use them on their crops. A mineral called struvite has the potential to be an effective phosphorus fertilizer that may be considered organic.

Joanne Thiessen Martens, a researcher from the University of Manitoba, along with collaborators, studied how struvite impacted three crops. These were spring wheat, flax, and an alfalfa-grass forage mixture.

“Struvite is a naturally occurring mineral that can be extracted from nutrient-rich wastes, such as municipal wastewater or manure,” Thiessen Martens said. “It is rich in phosphorus and seems to be a relatively good phosphorus fertilizer.”

She added that recovering the fertilizer from wastewater also reduces the amount of phosphorus entering the environment. Excess phosphorus can be harmful to the environment.

In their study, they applied struvite to fields of the three crops at different rates. They then looked at yields from the crops and measured how much phosphorus the crops contained after harvest. Their goal was to find the best application rate of struvite that provided a good amount of phosphorus to the crops.

“The main thing we were looking for was an increase in the grain yield or the forage biomass yield when crops were fertilized with struvite,” said Thiessen Martens. “A key part of our study was to see how the struvite application rate affected these different indicators of a good phosphorus supply.”

Their results showed that struvite increased the grain yield of spring wheat, but not flax. The alfalfagrass forage responded very well to the fertilizer. The researchers also noted that the benefit to the alfalfagrass increased in the second and third years of the study. Thus, the struvite applied in 2017 provided an even greater benefit in 2018 and 2019 than it did in 2017, the year it was applied.

Although they don’t know for certain why the crops responded differently, they have some ideas. It may be because they get nutrients from the soil in different ways. Flax, for example, gets help from fungi in the soil to get phosphorus. This may be why is doesn’t respond well to struvite.

Crops like alfalfa produce acids that help dissolve phosphorus in the soil and that may have been why it responded well to the fertilizer. The scientists want to perform more research to learn more about the differences between crops and the reasons for these differences.

They found that high rates of application created the best results. They also saw that a lot of the stru-

vite was not recovered by the crop. This means it was not taken up by the plants and was left in the soil. The scientists want to further study what happens to the unused struvite in the soil.

In examining the different rates of fertilizer applied, the researchers found that they did not reach an amount of fertilizer that maxed out the crops’ response. To establish that maximum crop response to a certain fertilizer, they would need to have application rates where crop yield or phosphorus accumulation levels off.

“Based on our results, we can say that the recommended phosphorus application rates, which correspond to our lowest application rates, were not adequate at this site,” Thiessen Martens explained. “But we don’t know enough from this study to say whether fertilizer recommendations in general need to be revisited.”

She added that much of the research on the circular economy for nutrients has been focused on how to recover fertilizers like struvite from waste. However, it’s also im-

portant to do more research on how to use these recycled fertilizers.

“These recycled fertilizers do not behave the same in the soil as soluble fertilizers do,” she said. “It’s one of the practical aspects that needs to be worked out so we can apply the idealistic notion of the circular economy more broadly.”

The research was funded by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies.

Have You Got Your Garden Planned and Seeds Ordered?

By Joan Airey

I’ve started planning my garden and working on my seed order. Last year I purchased Norland potato seed at our local Home Hardware and it out produced the seed I purchased from my regular source. I generally grow three varieties of potatoes Norland, Vikings and Pontiac. Last year I wasn’t able to buy multiplier onions but see they are listed in my usual supplier’s catalogue.

Last year I cut some vegetables out of my garden because I had several packages of them left in my freezer but I missed having fresh ones to eat during the summer. I’m planning to grow more varieties of vegetables this year as I like most veggies. Also I plan to talk with the grandchildren as to what they would like to grow as they are a great help harvesting and planting the garden.

Peppermint repels insects such as ants, white cabbage moth, aphids, and flea beetle. I recommend planting it in a pot so it can’t spread through you garden. Flies and mosquitoes don’t like basil so I always grow some on our patio in pots. I read today that radishes discourage stink bugs maybe I should grow some near my corn as I killed hundreds of them on it last year.

I’ve always tried to companion plant my garden but hope to read up on it more this spring before my garden goes in... Lettuce is sensitive to chemical found in residues left behind by broccoli so they shouldn’t be planted near each other. Peppers and beans are both susceptible to anthracnose so if one gets it the other does if you plant them side by side.

I also try to not plant my carrots near dill but sometimes dill germinates near the carrots. Once I planted a pepper plant to replace a plant in my cauliflower and broccoli patch and it never produced any peppers so I never plant them together. I haven’t planted cauliflower and broccoli the last couple of years but I invested in covers for them and plan to grow some this summer.

As part of my job I get to see all the new gardening books released recently and The Vegetable Garden Problem Solver Handbook arrived on my desk. It’s written by Susan Mulvihill a garden columnist and Master Gardener and author of the blog Susan’s in the Garden. The book includes natural solutions to over twenty-eight bacterial and fungal diseases. How to limit damage from plant eating animals including deer, birds, chipmunks, rabbits, groundhogs, gophers, deer, mice and numerous other critters. The book tells how to prevent problems before they occur using the many strategies detailed through out the book.

From what I’m hearing more people are gardening and enlarging their gardeners so don’t leave ordering gardening supplies till the last minute... I phoned my local hardware wanting more T-5 grow bulbs and was told they couldn’t get them so I’m searching the internet to see if I can locate some.

Another book I’m in the process of studying now is The Tiny But Mighty Farm which is geared for small to larger gardens. It includes the best tools for running a successful mini farm; a tractor isn’t on the list. Some of the topics are: Advice on whether to grow in the ground, in raised beds or indoors; how important soil health is to what you grow; whether heirlooms or hybrids bring bigger yields; how you can use structures like high tunnels and greenhouses to improve production; and the many satisfactions of growing food for others and your selves. Jill Ragan author of it shares how she started growing food for her family instead of sourcing it from the grocery store, reducing waste as much as possible and learning how to compost. She can be found on YouTube’s Whispering Willow Farm channel.

Let your children help plan the garden and they may eat more vegetables and help more with the garden. My grandchildren help plan the garden, plant it and harvest it. Last year Blake helped harvest all the carrots and potatoes and proudly informed her Grandma D she was the best carrot top cutter off, sending her a photograph text to prove it. I had to agree as she cut the tops of over hundred pounds of carrots for me.

These are two very interesting gardening books that I’ve enjoyed reading recently and I hope increase my yields with the help of the information I found in them.

Photo by Joan Airey

Remnants of struvite granules found in the soil in spring 2019, about one year after application in the wheat experiment. Leftover remnants indicate the struvite granules were only partially dissolved in soil and absorbed by the plants and were left in the soil.

Photos by Joanne Thiessen Martens

Commercially available struvite fertilizer called Crystal Green was used in the field study. Struvite is a naturally occurring mineral that can be extracted from nutrientrich wastes, such as municipal wastewater or manure.

This field of alfalfa-grass forage in 2018 shows the effect of struvite applied the year before. A high rate was applied to the left portion and none on the right portion. Crops like alfalfa produce acids that help dissolve phosphorus in the soil, which helps it respond well to the fertilizer.