AgriPost June 25 2021

The AgriPost

June 25, 2021

2021 Crops - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Early June goes into the record books in terms of early-season heat in Manitoba. Brunel Sabourin of St. Jean-Baptiste, who owns and operates AntaraAgronomy with his wife Jennifer, said this could affect the yield potential of cereals and corn, which set their maximum yield potential early. (left) A beautiful evening to be out checking emerging canola for flea beetles with Jenn Sabourin - except for the wind. (centre) Brunel Sabourin watching a recent much-needed rainfall move in over the fields. (right) Some crop producers who are spraying field edges and ditches are now seeing the damage done to their crops and we are anticipating a big grasshopper year again, as conditions stay dry going on two and three years.

Submitted photos

By Harry Siemens Early June goes into the record books in terms of earlyseason heat in Manitoba.

Brunel Sabourin of St. Jean-Baptiste, Manitoba, who owns and operates AntaraAgronomy with his wife Jennifer, said this could affect the yield potential of cereals and corn, which set their maximum yield potential early.

“A crop like wheat loves temperatures in the high teens-low twenties during the 3-5 leaf stage. Cool temperatures slow growth, promote tillering and the number of spikelets per head,” said Sabourin.

Most recently they are monitoring for flea beetles at the

tail end and in the early stages of crop growth there is grasshopper hatching that will have to be dealt with. “Despite the recent rains which can put pressure on hopper numbers, we are still anticipating a significant problem throughout the summer.”

Sabourin said the recent much-needed rainfall events helped to promote crop and weed growth. The weed pressure on many fields ramped up on the weekend following the warm weather. However, the crops are moving along quite quickly with the combination of heat and good moisture.

He said that canola is flowering with early bolting to mid bolting with many early

seeded cereals in the flag leaf stage, but it is a mixed bag so far. “There’s good, bad and ugly everywhere. Some areas received lots of rain others did not with the heat and the wind, it’s sucking the moisture both ways; down on up.”

He said some crops were able to use the rain, however where there was no precipitation those crops moved backwards in a hurry. “I’ve heard of some wheat fields getting assessed at as low as 11 or 15 bushels an acre. It’ll be interesting to see come harvest time. It’s going to be again good, bad and ugly,” said Sabourin.

“I don’t foresee it being a huge bumper crop of cereals, maybe with lower yields and

higher protein mix again this year,” commented Sabourin.

In June many crops still needed rain because of how dry it was over the winter and spring. Some areas received anywhere from an inch to inch and a half, two inches on average and a few pockets that got less than that and it did not take long for that water to soak in. Farmers were back on the fields within a day or two after the rain. “It goes to show that we will need some more timely rains to get this crop to harvest,” noted Sabourin.

Sabourin said generally, most of the canola is out of the flea beetles stage and able to handle it now, but grasshopContinued on page 2...

Poultry and Egg Producers Can Now Apply for Investment Program The Poultry and Egg On-Farm Investment Program (PEFIP) is now accepting applications.

The PEFIP will provide almost $647 million over ten years to support poultry and egg producers through on-farm investments. Each producer is entitled to an amount proportional to their quota holdings as of January 1, 2021. Applications will be accepted until March 31, 2030, meaning producers can apply when they are ready to make an investment.

Eligible projects include anything that helps a producer increase efficiency or productivity, respond to consumer preferences, or improve on-farm safety, biosecurity or environmental sustainability. This includes new barn construction or upgrades to equipment like feeding, watering, lighting, ventilation, heating, and comfort systems that will promote energy efficiency and reduce an operations environmental footprint.

The Government of Canada will contribute up to 70% of the projects’ costs, increasing up to 85% for young farmers, to help ensure a strong future for Canada’s farms. The PEFIP offers producers flexibility to seek funding for eligible activities that started on or after March 19, 2019.

The PEFIP and the Market Development Program for Turkey and Chicken (MDPTC), taken together, total more than $691 million over ten years. These programs respond directly to requests from producer associations and provide full and fair compensation to supply-managed sectors for market access concessions made under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

June 25, 2021

The AgriPost

Crops Bounce Back After Timely Rain

By Harry Siemens

Gilbert Sabourin of St. Jean-Baptiste sprayed for flea beetles, two canola fields for grasshoppers and said the spraying never stops.

“Hmmm dirt in the sky!! ...come on rain bring it down!”

Meadow fescue the first year of production saw some frost and drought damage but has improved nicely according to Kurt Shmon of Imperial Seed of Winnipeg. He noted that there is decent potential with a very strong price to back up the yield after the rain perked perennial crops and helped under-seeded crops.

A survey of farmers on Ag-Twitter in mid-June following a week after the rain showed significant crop progress with some needing more rain.

Gilbert Sabourin of St. Jean-Baptiste sprayed for flea beetles, two canola fields for grasshoppers and said the spraying never stops.

Paul Weber of Carlyle, SK said things are looking good, low spots are full of water, and the crops are growing now.

Ken Foster of Arborg, MB had 3/4 inch of rain the week before, saving the crops for a few days, but crops need more. “Reports from cattle producers that grasshoppers are moving in and farmers are spraying. Cereals and beans are looking ok so far.

Some reseeding of canola going on because of wind and flea beetle damage,” said Foster.

Ron Krahn of Rivers, MB said things are looking good overall. Canola emergence is a little uneven due to dryness concerns at seeding. Three to four inches of rain last week drowned out a few spots.

“Don’t need rain for a while here. Herbicide spraying on the tail end, waiting for the second pass and still dealing with flea beetles,” said Krahn.

Jason Hildebrand of Boissevain said in southwestern Manitoba rain was very beneficial, and crops are finally starting to take off. Farmers have finished most cereal herbicides, while

plant growth regulator applications are beginning.

“Most canola seems to get a shot of insecticide with herbicide yet uneven and stagey growth is common but plants are healthy for now, need additional precip soon,” said Hildebrand.

Kurt Shmon of Imperial Seed of Winnipeg said the rain perked perennial crops and helped under-seeded crops. “A few more timely showers of rain will help fill the seed produced! Helped out hay and pasture land.”

Dave Nussbaumer of Yorkton, SK said west and north of Yorkton, SK looking a little better due to the heavy snow/rain early in the year that the southern and eastern parts of the province missed.

“Will need another rain soon there. Overall looking good.”

Brian Kennedy of Calgary, AB with Alberta Cereals said much-needed rain is falling in most dry areas of the Peace River country this week. “Desperately need a good rain in the next five days on dry land in the south, otherwise optimistic right now. Some hail damage in west-central Alberta, but most crops are jumping.”

Rob Stone farms at Davidson, SK said, “It’s coming along but will need some timely rains to keep us going. The wind is making it challenging for the crops.”

Jake in the 308 from Platte River Valley in Central Nebraska USA is an agronomist by trade who said farmers need rain on dry land. “Crops on irrigated land looking

Ken Foster of Arborg, MB had 3/4 inch of rain the week before, saving the crops for a few days, and stressed that crops need more precipitation.

good with pivots all running.

Finishing up some late second pass corn and spraying beans. Side dressing corn.

Lots of corn very close to the canopy stage. First cutting alfalfa mostly put up.”

James Tetreault of Glenwood said things are look-

ing even, and a good rain the next couple of days will go a long way.

James Oberhofer, Marwayne, AB, said most of the area has about three inches total for the year after snow leaving early, about right for most.

Crops - the Good, the Bad and the Ugly Continued from Page 1...

pers are just starting to pick up. “We have some producers spraying field edges and ditches and seeing the damage. And we’re anticipating a big grasshopper year again, as conditions stay dry going on two and three years.” He said that grasshopper population is increasing with reports indicating there are grasshoppers in soybeans in North Dakota already, which is earlier than usual. With strong south winds, it might be a problem shortly for Manitoba farmers.

The next question for farmers is will it pay to spray fungicides this year as dry as it

is. “It will be a field-by- field assessment, not a blanket recommendation, I believe.

Hopefully, we can, with these timely rains, keep the crop going,” said Sabourin.

“We always want to spray a fungicide because it means there’s something there.”

With the heat and moisture pushing crops to the tail end making it difficult to spray, some of the weeds are too big as well. “So we are scratching our head a little bit, but so far, we’re managing. Everything still looks like it has okay potential for most of the crops, so we’re grateful for that.”

Killarney RCMP Respond to Fatal Tractor Incident On June 1 at approximately 7:40 pm, Killarney RCMP responded to a tractor incident in the RM of Grassland.

The investigation determined that a child was sitting on a trailer that was being pulled by a tractor when he was thrown off. The 4-yearold male was pronounced

deceased at the scene.

A 12-year-old was driving the tractor at the time of the incident.

Killarney RCMP along with a Forensic Collision Reconstructionist, continue to investigate. Workplace Safety and Health have also been notified.

The AgriPost

Agriculture Certificate of Merit Recognizes Advocate for Farm Families

By Les Kletke When the Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences recognized Elaine Froese with one of its two Certificates of Merit, at a virtual event on May 27 it would have been difficult to find a more deserving recipient.

Froese comes from a family that was always involved in agriculture. She grew up on a mixed farm at Dugald and her mother, Lois Edie, was a nurse by profession and best known for her longtime service as a Director of the Western Wheat Growers Association. The family was the 1974 Red River Ex’s “Farm Family of the Year”.

She graduated with a comprehensive Home Economics Degree from the University of Manitoba in 1978 and then Minister of Agriculture, Jim Downy asked her to serve the Department of Agriculture in Boissevain. Boissevain is also where she met her husband Wes Froese.

She currently is a farm partner and is working to pass on the farm legacy to the next generation, son Ian, also a graduate of the School

of Agriculture, and daughterin-law Kendra (University of Manitoba Nursing grad) who farm alongside them, while raising three children. Their daughter Erica lives in Brandon. The farm includes a pedigreed seed operation and they have been certified seed growers for more than 40 years. In 2019, BMO awarded the Froese Family Farms the award for outstanding farm family.

Along the way Froese built a well recognized practice of helping families deal with the transition of their farm to the next generation.

It is her passion for farm families and family farms that has become her life work. While being a Grainews columnist for more than 25 years she has also authored 5 books and earned her designation as a certified coach and conflict resolution specialist (CSP), a designation help by less than 1,300 people worldwide.

Her mission is to continue to create a stronger culture in agriculture where families believe, behave and decide in a healthy way to create har-

Elaine Froese grew up on a mixed farm near Dugald. She is a 2021 recipient of the Certificate of Merit from the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences for the University of Manitoba.

mony through understanding and smooth transitions.

She is mentoring a group of trained coaches to continue her legacy and is also active in her local church and has served on the Board of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers.

Froese and her late mother share the 2020 Manitoba 150 Women Trailblazer award in recognition of their leadership for agriculture families.

She continues to work with families across the country to build relationships that will keep the industry she loves strong.

Faculty of Agriculture Recognizes Leadership with Certificate of Merit

By Les Kletke The Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences has recognized two University of Manitoba alumni with its Certificate of Merit. The Certificate is normally handed out at the graduation ceremony but things are a bit different this year with a virtual ceremony held on May 27 for the 2020 and 2021 recipients.

One of the recipients, Robert Maytwayashing graduated from the School of Agriculture in 1990 with a Diploma in business/financial management.

After graduating he owned and operated as cow-calf herd for 10 years. This was followed by service as an economic development officer, a health director in two First Nations communities and as a senior health policy analyst for the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs.

He took his extensive knowledge and strengths outside of agriculture becoming the Indigenous Human Resources Development Officer for the Interlake, working to promote health careers and recruits candidates in local Métis and First Nation communities.

Maytwayashing is Anishinaabe from Lake Manitoba First Nation located in the Treaty 2 or Interlake region. He was first elected band councillor in 1992 and served three terms before his election as Chief for Lake Manitoba First Nation from 2004-2006 where he was engaged in all aspects of First Nations governance, including leadership, financial reporting, infrastructure planning, personnel management and administration.

Maytwayashing has not only been recognized for his work building the future of his community, he is active in preserving its history as well. He is a Knowledge Keeper for the internationally renowned Turtle Lodge in Sagkeeng First Nation.

In his role as a Knowledge Keeper, along with other elders he is responsible for preserving and promoting Indigenous language, cultures and ceremonies. Also as an avid outdoorsman he uses traditional hunting and fishing methods.

While he is not directly involved in agriculture today, Maytwayashing is involved with many aspects of

Robert Maytwayashing, who owned and operated a cow/calf operation for a decade was elected Chief for Lake Manitoba First Nation from 2004-2006. He is a 2021 recipient of the Certificate of Merit from the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences for the University of Manitoba.

his community bringing his strength, extensive leadership, traditional knowledge and experience being on the land, and his ability to build bridges between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.

The education he earned while studying for his business- financial management Agriculture diploma from the School of Agriculture has served him well and the School recognized the many contributions he has made to leadership in agricultural and outstanding service to the community at large.

June 25, 2021

Manitoba Biotech Company Tests New Ways of Fighting Swine Disease A Manitoba biotech company Cytophage Technologies Inc. has been awarded $431,000 in government funding to help test a new way of fighting bacterial infections in swine without using antibiotics.

The funding, provided through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership-Ag Action Manitoba program, will allow Cytophage to test bacteriophage treatment options that it has developed to be effective against two of the most common bacterial infections in swine--Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) and Streptococcus suis.

Bacteriophages are naturally occurring viruses that infect and destroy bacterial cells, making them a powerful tool to kill bacteria, including antibiotic resistant types.

“Cytophage has modified bacteriophages to effectively target ETEC and Streptococcus suis pathogens in a lab setting. The next step is to see how well they work on infected animals,” said Dr. Steven Theriault, CEO and CSO of Cytophage.

The company previously received $327,000 through the Ag Action program in 2019 to develop bacteriophages to protect animal health.

“Canadian swine producers work hard to keep their animals healthy, while doing their part to reduce the use of antibiot-

ics,” said Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

“Projects like that of Cytophage are helping to provide the alternatives needed to control bacterial infections.”

“Bacterial infections can lead to significant financial losses for Manitoba producers each year,” said Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development Minister Blaine Pedersen. “We are pleased to support Cytophage’s important work on bacteriophage technology, recognizing its potential to have far-reaching consequences for both human and animal health.”

ETEC is a major cause of diarrhea in pigs and causes significant damage to the swine industry worldwide. Streptococcus suis is one of the most common swine diseases in Canada and is a common cause of meningitis and death in young pigs.

Dr. Steven Theriault, CEO and CSO of Cytophage.

Submitted photo

The AgriPost

June 25, 2021

The War on Farmer Sausage

Read the AgriPost Online www.agripost.ca

Head for the hills! The “follow the science” crowd has declared war on a Mennonite super food and secret weapon … Farmer Sausage. Meat consumption is bad enough they breathlessly proclaim but processed meat, gasp, will put you into an even earlier grave. Or so they say.

Well that’s Poppycock.

They only want to save you from yourself, besides which they can prove it. Well, actually they can’t. They have a beautiful hypothesis but a rigorous look at the evidence says they don’t have a pork chop to stand on.

A couple of years ago in the peer reviewed journal Plos One, a number of researchers dug up everything they could find on the subject going all the way back to when Menno Simons was a Roman Catholic priest. It’s called, “Processed meat intake and chronic disease morbidity and mortality: An overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses”.

Chronic diseases of all types are supposedly associated with these murderous meats.

Esophageal cancer, head and neck cancer, pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, gastric cancer, brain cancer, ovarian cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Lung cancer, oral cavity cancer, renal cell carcinoma, colorectal cancer. A virtual cornucopia of cancers. Then to round things out there’s diabetes, coronary heart disease and strokes. Oh my!

Here’s the thing, “Overall, the quality assessments of primary studies of the reviews are generally lacking; the scientific quality of the systematic reviews reporting positive associations between processed meat intake and risk of various cancers, T2D and CVD is moderate, and the results from casecontrol studies suggest more often a positive association than the results from cohort studies. The overall certainty in the evidence was very low

across all individual outcomes, due to serious risk of bias and imprecision.”

What’s that? They’re actually seeing “positive associations”? So now farmer sausage is a health food? Well fire up the barbeque and call me Abraham.

Interestingly enough a lot of people don’t buy into the “meat is bad” narrative to begin with and some who do aren’t particularly interested in reducing their consumption of it. They’d rather adjust other aspects of their life in the pursuit of health such as eating more veggies and getting more exercise.

An article in the Annals of Internal Medicine titled “Meat Consumption and Health: Food for Thought” talks about exactly that, “participants were reportedly unwilling to give up meateating or switch to meat substitutes, even when presented with information about potential negative health effects. Many reported a belief

that they had already reduced their levels of meat consumption.

Others felt that the negative health effects were negligible By Rolf compared with those Penner of such activities as smoking tobacco. A willingness to change other lifestyle factors in pursuit of better health, such as immediately accept what’s increasing exercise and fruit being said without question and vegetable consumption, because that’s what “good” was reported. Mistrust of the people do. Heaven forbid we scientific information pro- have an open debate about vided was often reported as anything, including Farmer contributing to participant’s Sausage.

Galileo certainly didn’t reasoning for not reducing stand for it when the Vatimeat consumption.”

Given what’s in the lit- can insisted that the sun erature it looks like that revolved around the earth. mistrust is well founded. Why should we when some It’s looking more like fear busy body wants to get beinduced propaganda than it tween us and that magical does science. Unfortunately smoky flavoured pork and so are a lot of things when delightful coarse texture?

Suicide by sausage? Oh the popular catchphrase, “follow the science” gets contraire, more like savoury invoked. That’s the last sausage salvation in my thing people want you to do books. The only real queswhen they say it. You are to tion is patties or links?

Penner’s Points

To My Father Henry C. Siemens… Thank you.

Like all other days, Father’s Day also comes and goes, but I love to sit down, ponder, give thanks, and write something about what my father, Henry C Siemens meant and means to me today.

Yes, I admit, being the youngest, Dad spoiled me but he also looked after himself. He bought a Lambretta scooter for me when I was ten years old, brand new from a cycle shop in Winnipeg for $450. Why, so I could drive to Plum Coulee during Little League baseball season five miles away because he was too busy farming 1,200 acres of cropping land and growing seed grain for distribution.

While I ended up as a farm journalist, Dad instilled in me the love of agriculture (you notice I didn’t say farming) and the importance of being on the cutting edge of farming. He was one of the first to use improved agronomy practices, plant and soil protection products, to help improve yields in some cases

30 to 40 percent compared to the neighbours who didn’t change.

I had a great baseball career catching for six years and in school pitching in all the softball games, sometimes two a week from grade three to nine.

After completing grade 11, the two of us went to the mail and low and behold; my report card arrived from the Manitoba Department of Education. Dad looked at it, smiled a little and said, “Harry, it is time to start farming!”

I had failed five of the seven courses, including English, at 25 per cent. So yes, today I’m in my 51st year as a farm journalist.

That fall to earn some money I moved to Winnipeg and tried my hand at several jobs.

Then, following a three-week trip to California in January February with mom and Dad, he mapped things out for me to start farming.

In 1967, Dad, my brother Jack, and I bought a quarter section of land from a neighbour where Dad had me promise I’d farm forever if he would underwrite the loan. Forever is a long time.

Several things happened that year; at the encourage-

ment from my parents and then my girlfriend Judy, I attended the Elim Bible School in Altona.

We got engaged, but Judy coaxed me to go back to school next fall in GVCI and take my grade 12 as a mature student. “I don’t mind marrying a farmer, but not a dumb farmer,” she said.

The rest is history - One year of grade 12, two years of General Art’s courses at the University of Manitoba.

Farm prices tanked, and when I came home from the U of M for the last time in the spring of ‘71, with plans to get married that summer, Dad astonished me.

“Harry,” he said. “There is an advertisement in the Red River Valley Echo where CFAM radio is looking for a farm broadcaster.”

Wow, in my wildest dreams, had I ever thought of doing something like that.

I applied, and the production manager and morning man Jim McSweeney hired me within the month, “$300 a month and all the old records I could eat.”

Stop for a moment and let that sink it. In the fall of ‘67, I promised my Dad I’d farm forever, and here he suggest-

ed this move.

After working the evening shift for less than a year, I became the farm program director, a fancy title so Elmer Hildebrand didn’t have to pay me overtime, lol.

What a turn of events, and what a golden opportunity for me and 51 years later I’m still at it.

Thank you, my dear father.

After broadcasting for some months, Dad kept asking me, “Harry, what did you mean in today’s broadcast?”

Finally, after carrying on this way for a bit, I came to a stark revelation - If Dad can’t understand me, I’m wasting

my time. I decided always to speak, write, broadcast so Dad could understand me.

Whether on radio, television, farm meeting, and the church pulpit, my communication was such, Dad can understand me.

Dad, I miss you so much; I will always love and respect you.

Dad’s faithfulness in his Christian walk influenced me not only for this life but for all eternity.

Thank you for always being you, sometimes brutally honest, but I could always count on you. God help me to be the same.

While I ended up as a farm journalist, Dad instilled in me the love of agriculture and the importance of being on the cutting edge of farming.

The AgriPost

Doing Your Share Another crop of high school graduates is set to leave the buildings or screens after 12 or so years of exposure to our education system.

Just like last year’s class they will be inundated with messages about how unique this situation is and never has a class had to graduate in these conditions, and without sounding trite next year’s class will get much the same message.

No one is going to argue that the current pandemic has changed conditions

around the world, and we are not done yet. We don’t know when this thing will be sorted out, and what the long term effects will be. That remains to be seen, and we don’t know when.

Long before the final effects of the pandemic will be felt, these young people need to decided about their future, and they not only have to deal with the uncertainty of their minds but the uncertainty of what next fall might look like.

I am sure that along with all the other virtual messages that have been delivered to the class of ‘21 there have been recruitment efforts from various institutions of higher learning. Those in-

stitutions have been sorting out how they deliver education that they have taken on as their role, and I am not sure how much time they have had for recruitment.

Just like you and me these kids are tired of zoom meetings and virtual classes and everything else that comes on a computer screen. They need a personal message and by that I mean a message delivered by a person for a person, one-on-one. It may be through a mask or at a distance of 6 feet but still a one-on-one message about choosing a career in agriculture.

It is going to be decades before the final effects of this pandemic are felt, I doubt my grandson will

ever pay enough taxes to repay the debt our government has incurred in the last 18 months of fighting COVID-19. He is five now, and I don’t think it will happen in his life time. But what will happen is that the world will need food, and science and technology are going to be delivering new ways to produce that food.

Take the time to talk to a young person in your life and encourage them to consider a future in agriculture, you may make a difference in their life, and they will make a difference in our business in the future.

Congratulations to the graduates of 2021 and all the best as you embark on the future.

End of Session Summary

By Blaine Pedersen On June 1, 2021, the spring session of the 42nd Legislature concluded and featured some of the most robust changes in our provinces history. Our government passed a record 65 bills that focus on protecting Manitobans while sustaining economic growth and recovery during this pandemic. As your MLA for Midland and Minister of Agriculture and Resource Development, I am proud to share a few initiatives and programs from this year so far.

We recently mailed out the Education Tax Rebate cheques which provide $250 Million in rebates and tax relief to owners of more than 600,000 properties. In 2021, home and farm owners will receive a 25 percent rebate, which will increase to 50 percent in 2022. Other property owners will see a 10 percent rebate this year.

The 4-H Program has a 107 year history of successfully providing opportunities for Manitoba youth to increase skills ranging from leadership, communication and confidence to agriculture, science and environmental sustainability. This year our

government has continued its long term commitment to supporting youth skills development and the importance of post-secondary education through a $1 million endowment to the Brandon and Area Community Foundation to establish the Manitoba 4-H Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship Program.

These scholarships will be offered through and administered by the Manitoba 4-H Council. This year, the Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship Program will offer one scholarship of $12,500 and three scholarships of $10,000 for a total of $42,500. I encourage those who are eligible to apply by visiting 4h.mb.ca.

Our government successfully passed Bill 62: The Animal Diseases Amendment Act, and Bill 63: The Petty Trespasses Amendment and Occupiers’ Liability Amendment Act. These two pieces of legislation are critical for agricultural producers across the Province when it comes to dealing with trespassing and maintaining biosecurity and the integrity of our food system.

Considering the dry conditions our Province has endured this spring, our gov-

ernment issued a bulletin in May, outlining the programs, tools and resources available for crop and livestock producers affected by dry conditions. We will continue to provide updated tools and resources on our website on managing dry conditions.

Forage coverage has been enhanced in 2021 with the introduction of individual productivity indexing for silage corn and an increase to the transportation allowance included in forage insurance and the Hay Disaster Benefit. The deadline to enroll for AgriStability has also been extended to June 30.

Our government recently launched online public engagement to seek input for changes to Manitoba’s angling regulations, which are outlined in Manitoba’s Recreational Angling Strategy.

Please check engagemb.ca/ angling to give your input on these changes.

Our government recently announced a $1million dollar investment to fund activities, projects, and studies that will support the development and implementation of Manitoba’s new provincial water management strategy.

This new water management

Blaine Pedersen, MLA for Midland and Minister of Agriculture and Resource Development

strategy will focus on conservation of wetlands, enhancing resiliency, improving water quality, managing nutrients, protecting biodiversity and sustaining economic development. The recently established oversight committee, led by the Enterprise Machine Intelligence and Learning Initiative (EMILI), will be spearheading the important work of managing this critical resource for generations to come.

The Pandemic has impacted all aspects of our lives; vaccinations are proving to reduce hospital admissions, which is key to returning to some resemblance of normalcy. Get vaccinated, and encourage others to get vaccinated, so all of us can enjoy a Manitoba summer. Stay Safe.

Producers Invited to Take Part in Agri-Food Tech Labour Market Survey Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association (MFGA) has partnered with the Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC) to help conduct a survey to better understand the use of tech-

nology in Canada’s agri-food sector and the labour market implications of new tech.

The survey results will help inform ICTC’s “agri-food tech” labour market report, which will be published later

this year and generate industry-specific data for MFGA. The survey will remain open until July 30 and takes approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. Your answers will be kept 100% confidential.

The MFGA will be providing $20 gift cards from ICTC to the first 200 eligible respondents.

To take the survey, go to surveymonkey.com/ r/2WZDWN9.

June 25, 2021

Funding Options Available to Address Dry Pasture Conditions The governments of Canada and Manitoba are advising that livestock producers who have been affected by dry conditions on pasture in Manitoba can apply for funding to support water source development under Ag Action Manitoba.

“Safe and reliable water sources are critical for livestock producers during dry conditions,” said Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Marie-Claude Bibeau.

“Through this cost-shared program, livestock producers can access funding to protect valuable ground water sources and adopt sustainable management practices.

With the emerging risks posed by climate change, these farmer support programs are more important than ever.”

“Our summer has been dry, and we recognize that many of our producers may require additional assistance to secure a safe and reliable water supply for their livestock,” said Agriculture and Resource Development Minister Blaine Pedersen. “Properly functioning and adequately protected ground and surface water sources are essential to ensuring the health of livestock and ground water sources.”

Funding is provided through the Managing Livestock Access to Riparian Areas beneficial management practice (BMP) under Ag Action Manitoba - Assurance.

Eligible items include water source development, constructing new or rehabilitating existing wells or dugouts; solar, wind or grid-powered alternative watering systems; permanent fencing to restrict livestock access to surface water and dugouts; and permanent pipeline development.

“Having access to stable water supplies is integral to cattle production in our province and water availability is certainly a key concern right now,” said Tyler Fulton, president, Manitoba Beef Producers. “Making this program available will help provide some producers with tools to better manage their water situation in the near term and on a longer-term basis. We thank the federal and provincial governments for opening up this program and look forward to continued engagement with them about the effects of the drought conditions and how to mitigate that.”

Any projects for water source development occurring after April 1 are eligible. Projects will need to be assessed prior to approval, and may require additional components (e.g. fencing of the dugout, alternative watering systems, etc.) in order to meet the BMP criteria.

Applications are now being accepted and will be reviewed on an ongoing basis until September 1. Applications can include retroactive expenses incurred as of April 1. Upon project completion, applicants must submit proof of a valid Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) with their claim (see ManitobaEFP.ca for more info).

“As we head into the hot summer season and with low precipitation amounts received over winter and spring, there is increasing concern around dry conditions and water quality and availability for livestock producers in Manitoba,” said Larry Wegner, chair, Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association (MFGA). “MFGA sees this as a proactive and appreciated step by the governments of Canada and Manitoba for livestock producers who have been affected by dry conditions on pasture in Manitoba to apply for funding to support water source development under Ag Action Manitoba retroactive to April 1, 2021.”

Producers can contact their local Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development office by calling the department toll-free at 1-84-GROW-MB-AG (1-844769-6224) and for more information on any of these programs and services, or go to gov.mb.ca/agriculture under Quick Links.

The AgriPost

June 25, 2021

Cross Border Cooperation and Collaboration Key to Addressing ASF

By Harry Siemens Dr. Liz Wagstrom, the chief veterinarian with the National Pork Producers Council said addressing the threat by the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF) in Asia and Europe is an example of how the pork sector throughout North America is working together to manage the disease.

The spread of ASF throughout Asia and Europe and efforts to prevent its introduction into North America and prepare for an incursion were among one of the topics discussed at the recent real and in-person World Pork Expo in Des Moines, Iowa.

Dr. Wagstrom said pork sector organizations, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the North American Meat Institute and several state veterinarians meet weekly to discuss strategies and ensure a consistent approach from state to state. A good example of how North America is working together.

“Under the chief veterinary officers of Mexico, the United States and Canada put together a North American swine health working group

where the governments and the industries are talking together about how to increase biosecurity of the North American continent,” said Dr. Wagstrom.

One of the goals is to harmonize laboratory techniques so that laboratory tests run in one country will be accepted in another. To do this the group is developing acceptable standards for regionalization of each other’s countries.

She said there are multiple discussions every day among stakeholders and regulators to consider ASF prevention and preparation. The more the industry can decide beforehand, the better off everyone we will be if something develops.

The disease is not a food safety or human health issue although the strain of ASF circulating throughout Europe and parts of Asia is very virulent and has a high mortality rate. Hence, the concern. It would be a tradelimiting diseases if it were to come to the North American continent with, both the US and Canada, being major pork exporters.

“So that we could discuss

trade between the North American countries in the event of an outbreak in any one of them,” Dr. Wagstrom said. “We’re not only concerned with the health of the animals and the mortality we might see, but also the loss of export markets.”

The North American swine health working group looks at ASF in three ways. First, it prevents entry into the country, establish early identification if it happens, and have a response plan that could effectively control and eliminate the virus on prevention.

Second is working closely with customs and border protection by supporting agricultural inspectors and increasing agricultural inspections that work at airports and border crossings.

A group of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians, the Swine Health Information Center and the National Pork Board put together a study to look at a biosecurity review of the US. “What are we bringing into the US? How are we moving animals? So it’s industry biosecurity rather than an

individual farm biosecurity review,” Dr. Wagstrom noted.

“And to identify any areas we might have overlooked that could potentially provide a risk of entry of the virus into the US.” An example of prevention is that the group is encouraging the USDA to write regulations on the best way to import safely, rescue dogs from ASF virus-positive countries.

“We know that dogs can’t get ASF, but their coats could carry contaminated blood or manure, their crates, the bed-

ding and if they come with dog food, dog food could be a source of ASF,” noted Dr. Wagstrom. “We are also building a response strategy and keeping the rules the same for everyone. What happens on day one? What happens on day three? What happens if a farm is found positive versus a positive pig in a packing plant?” are the many questions that need to be answered.

Dr. Wagstrom said there are two different outbreaks globally. In Europe, ASF is mov-

ing from east to west, after starting in Russia. It moved west primarily from their wild boar population.

“Some commercial sites became positive but mainly it is the wild boar population. And that’s a tough scenario because it’s hard to contain and hard to depopulate,” added Dr. Wagstrom.

In Asia, the outbreak is found in commercial pig production, or at least domestic pig production moving with people as they move commercial pigs she said.

At a “Farm Animal Welfare: How We Really Treat Our Animals” educational briefing for Capitol Hill staff the discussion was led by (left to right) NPPC Chief Veterinarian Dr. Liz Wagstrom [far left], Michigan pork producer Bob Dykhuis, Minnesota veterinarian and pork producer Dr. Mark Fitzsimmons, and animal scientist and Director of Swine Welfare for the National Pork Board Sherrie Neikamp.

Photo supplied by the World Pork Expo

The AgriPost

June 25, 2021

Ceres Global Ag Unveils New Canola Crushing Facility in Saskatchewan

By Harry Siemens The company that bought Delmar Commodities with headquarters in Winkler, MB in March 2019, Ceres Global Ag Corp is building a canola crushing plant in Northgate, SK. The Minnesota-based company is constructing a US $350-million integrated canola crush facility that will take advantage of the unprecedented demand for oilseed crush in North America.

Ceres Global Ag president and CEO Robert Day called it an exciting time for the company and outlined why another crushing plant in Saskatchewan and why at Northgate. There are no other crush plants in that location where farmers grow lots of canola, and the company owns the site.

Ceres Global Ag president and CEO Robert Day called it an exciting time for the company and outlined why another crushing plant in Saskatchewan and why at Northgate. He said that there are no other crush plants right there where farmers grow lots of canola, and the company owns the site. “It’s a very developed site, has all the rail and road infrastructure and well suited to develop a plant like this,” said Day. “[It was] always part of the vision and laid out in a way to accommodate such a plant.”

The most compelling reason is the growth in the renewable diesel industry in the US; he sees a significant increase in demand today and in the future for vegetable oil. This demand keeps driving the price of vegetable oil higher, and it is increasing the attractiveness of crush margins specifically for canola because it has a high oil content in the canola seed relative to soybeans.

With canola acres maxed out based on proper agronomic rotations, he thinks

farmers manage their rotations very effectively. At the same time, near rotational capacity, the local area at Northgate can increase acres planted in Canada slightly.

However, on the US side of the border, there is an opportunity to increase the number of acres planted to canola significantly.

Another advantage is that the company’s property connects directly to the BNSF railroad. “We’re able to get to US destinations more cost-competitively than the other Canadian canola crush plants, and the source of demand for renewable diesel is primarily in the US.” The demand for canola meal is plentiful in the US from the dairy industry. The plan is to truck in the canola and load out the meal and the oil by rail. Also, the plan is to bring canola by rail on the BNSF from North Dakota and Montana.

Day said the biggest challenge for the other canola crush plants coming up, is a portion of the demand for canola meal in North Amer-

ica needs to go for export by vessel.

“And so our position with this unique access to the US market, more cost-competitive, we believe we can get that demand in the US.” Most canola oil crush plants use mostly standard technology which has been around for a long time. Day said more important is to work with the top equipment suppliers and designers globally to build a first-class operation.

Delmar Commodities helps the North American grain and oilseed supply chain company, but the ambition is to take oats, durum, and spring wheat to a new level.

To be the number one company with those three product lines in North America, serving customers in the US, Mexico and internationally off the east Coast.

“With that in mind, Delmar offers a significant amount of origination of those products; buying a lot of wheat and oats through the Delmar elevators. Delmar then brings some interesting diversity to

The company that bought Delmar Commodities with headquarters in Winkler, MB in March 2019, Ceres Global Ag Corp is building a canola crushing plant in Northgate, Sk. The Minnesota-based company is constructing a US$350-million integrated canola crush facility that will take advantage of the unprecedented demand for oilseed crush in North America.

Photos courtesy of Global Ag Corp

Ceres, a soybean crush plant in southern Manitoba, a very nice market for that size of an operation.”

The Manitoba company has a specialty grain blending business, manufacturing bird feed in southern Manitoba, a seed hybrid sales business, growing and selling soybeans and corn in western Canada. These are good examples of how the Delmar acquisition helps Ceres double down in agriculture in the regions with developed expertise and then diversify revenue.

Ceres Global is a turn-

around story that developed a strategy about six years ago, selling and adding some assets.

“Six years ago, we didn’t have customers, or suppliers. Today we are the number one supplier to many high-quality milling companies, and it’s a great story.

We’re traded publicly on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol CRP. If people want to be a part of the story around our core products and this canola crush investment and the opportunity, I encourage them to get on board.”

June 25, 2021

The AgriPost

Bioreactors Chip Away at Nitrogen Pollution

Natasha Hoover (left) and contractors (Con-Struct Inc) install the culverts to be used as sampling wells.

Contractors place concrete bioreactor liners into the trench.

Concrete linings are partially filled with woodchips during installation and monitoring wells are visible.

Photos by Michelle Soupir

Bioreactors are underground trenches filled with woodchips that have been gaining traction as a tool to remove nitrogen from the water in agricultural settings.

The water draining from fields is channeled into the bioreactors; then natural microbes living on the woodchips remove the nitrogen compounds in the water as it flows through.

Because it is the bacteria that do this water-cleaning process, it’s called a biological process, hence the name bioreactor.

The result is that the water exiting the bioreactors has much less nitrogen, making it healthier for the environment.

In a new study, researchers tested parameters that could help estimate the working lifespan of these bioreactors.

“Our goal is to give farmers and other stakeholders a better understanding of how long these systems will last when they are used in the field,” said Abby Schaefer, lead author of the study and a researcher and engineer at Iowa State University.

The study spanned two years and researchers tested

nine bioreactors. By the end of that time, all the bioreactors were still effectively removing nitrogen from the water.

Removing nitrogen from the drainage water in agricultural settings is crucial because nitrogen can be a double-edged sword. Crops need nitrogen to grow and produce food. But too much nitrogen in the wrong place can cause problems.

Excess nitrogen can contaminate groundwater and waterways. In these aquatic environments, too much nitrogen can fuel harmful algal blooms. The algae quickly use up all the oxygen in water bodies. This can lead to dead zones, which are areas with too little oxygen to support life.

Woodchip bioreactors are one way to reduce the amount of nitrogen entering waterways. The bioreactors have several advantages over other denitrifying techniques.

Bioreactors can consistently reduce 30-50% of nitrogen compounds from water.

“Some bioreactors can achieve even higher reductions,” added Schaefer.

“Bioreactors require very

little land to be taken out of crop production,” said Schaefer. “Plus, they require very little maintenance.”

The bioreactors also do not impact the effectiveness of farm tile drainage systems. This means water in fields can still be drained to help prevent flooding.

One challenge with woodchip bioreactors is the settling and breakdown of the woodchips. This affects how efficiently the bioreactors work. The researchers found that the woodchips closer to the entryway of the bioreactors settled and broke down faster than woodchips further inside.

That’s an important finding. Woodchips near the bioreactor inlets can be replenished without having to excavate the entire bioreactor.

Additionally, the researchers determined that the first three-quarters of the bioreactors was where most of the nitrogen compounds were removed from water.

That means replacing the woodchips near the entry point of a bioreactor could prolong the lifespan.

The team also studied the amount of time any given

drop of water spends within the bioreactor. This measurement is called the hydraulic retention time. “Hydraulic retention time is one of the main criteria for designing denitrifying bioreactors,” said Schaefer. “We wanted to understand the impact the retention time has on all facets of bioreactor performance.”

The researchers tested three different hydraulic retention times at 2 hours, 8 hours, and 16 hours. Most changes seen in the bioreactors over time were similar for the different retention times tested.

However, woodchips decomposed faster when the hydraulic retention time was 2 hours. But those bioreactors still removed nitrogen compounds from water effectively.

Schaefer and colleagues are now aiming to have a better understanding of how the bioreactors work over even longer periods of time.

Abby Schaefer is a researcher and engineer at Iowa State University. This work was supported by the Iowa Nutrient Research Center.

The AgriPost

June 25, 2021

Regenerative Agriculture Works for Koscielny Family

By Joan Airey Regenerative agriculture is not a new concept; however, it has rapidly gained popularity with farmers and ranchers the world over for the last ten to twenty years.

Zack Koscielny grew up on a multi-generation farm in the Strathclair area. Green Beach Farm and Food is a small family farm consisting of 5 quarters that Zack started farming with his parents when he graduated from university. He is the fourth generation to farm this land.

In 1995, Jason and Karen joined Zach on the family farm and expanded the herd of Charolais cattle. Under the farm name Salt Lake Charolais they developed a purebred herd and began marketing bulls to other cattle producers.

When parents Neil and Val transitioned out of farming, Karen and Jason continued in cattle with a smaller herd of thirty cows. The post BSE world on the farm saw a change in farming at Salt Lake Charolais, with the reduction and eventually elimination of all chemical inputs and increase in direct marketing of beef and pork.

Since the mid 2000’s the

farm has been growing and diversified its production in order to create a resilient business model that builds soil health.

“On our farm, we try to incorporate all five principles of Regenerative Ag by reduced tillage or other soil disturbance, maintain soil coverage with residue or cover crops, diversity on landscape through a diverse crop rotation and intercropping by maintaining a living root in the soil cover crops or perennial, integrate livestock on cropland as well as perennial stands,” said Zack.

The biggest changes they have made as they move down the regenerative path involve changes to their cattle management. They have moved to smaller paddocks with more rapid (usually daily) moves to new grass as well as grazing warm season annual grasses on their cropland to cycle nutrients and establish soil coverage. With the little bit of cash cropping they do, they intercrop everything so that they have two or more plant species growing at all times, which promotes a more diverse soil micro biology.

“The most significant costs

Travis and his sister Emma Jean checking on their herd at Green Beach Farm & Food a small family farm located south of Strathclair, Manitoba.

to moving to more regenerative way of farming has been investments in fencing and water for the livestock. In hindsight, I could have saved a bit of money on fencing by sticking with temporary fences, versus putting in permanent wood posts with high tensile wire. But I guess hindsight is 20/20,” said Zach. “I believe these costs have been more than paid for with the amount of extra grass we have been able to grow with more frequent

moves. We now feed bales to the cows for about ninety days and I anticipate being shorter this winter.”

“Aside from lowering our cost of production by taking regenerative approach, we are further increasing our margin by selling meat off the farm and growing some certified organic grains. As a small farm, I feel it is crucial for us to make the best use of our land, and sell high value products in order to remain profitable and viable as a

Cattle on the Koscielny farm grazing in front of solar panels which provide hydro to their operation.

farm business,” added Zach.

The Koscielny’s hope to expand direct marketing by expanding the beef and

pork sales and include flour, rolled oats and lentils. Green Beach Farm has a website at greenbeachfarm.com.

10

The AgriPost

June 25, 2021

Canadian Agriculture Meets Big Pharma in a Symbiotic Relationship

By Brenda Hunter Since the early ‘80s, the livestock industry has played a vital role in saving premature babies in NICUs worldwide, yet publicly, is little known.

Since the lungs are the last major organ to finish developing in an unborn fetus, premature babies are born without sufficient lung surfactant.

When a baby is born without surfactant, it is called Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS).

Most premature babies, receive a treatment shortly after birth called BLES, which

stands for bovine lipid extract surfactant (BLES). In other words, they are treated with lung surfactant from a cow.

“Surfactant is a phospholipid produced by specialized cells in our lungs,” said Deb Fraser, a neonatal nurse practitioner working in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at St. Boniface Hospital. “The analogy that I like to use is that surfactant is like Teflon on a frying panit keeps things from sticking together. Alveoli are like balloons- they take effort to inflate the first time and, if they are wet inside, the walls stick

together and it’s very difficult to inflate them.”

Fraser attends deliveries of high-risk newborn infants to determine the babies that would benefit from receiving the surfactant, and then administering it.

She continued, “In premature infants with RDS, animal-derived surfactant is given through a tube inserted into the trachea soon after birth to improve gas exchange and reduce the need for mechanical ventilation.”

The first infant treated with BLES in a trial back in 1983 proved to be a monumental

Most premature babies, receive a treatment shortly after birth called BLES, which stands for bovine lipid extract surfactant (BLES). In other words, they are treated with lung surfactant from a cow. Submitted photos

breakthrough for the medical community. Wide-spread use of animal-derived surfactant began in earnest following this discovery.

Fraser sees the value and importance of BLES and the contributions of the cattle industry for this very special population of babies, firsthand, every single day of her life.

“I have worked in the NICU for 40 years, both pre- and post-surfactant introduction,” said Fraser passionately. “I have seen many changes over the years but can truly say that surfactant therapy is one of the most beneficial innovations that I have seen. The difference in the severity of lung disease is nothing short of miraculous. In premature infants, severe lung disease and the need for oxygen therapy and ventilation increases the risk of infections, damage to the developing brain and eyes and can greatly increase the length of stay in the hospital.

The ability to give a therapy that so dramatically reduces the number of complications of prematurity, greatly improves the lives of premature babies and their families.”

Synthetic versions have been investigated and produced but none have been overly successful.

“There have been a number of synthetic surfactants that have been used but, to date, none of them have produced the success that bovine surfactant has,” Fraser stated.

“It seems that the ability to mimic the complex mixture of proteins and fats (found) in natural surfactant, has so far, eluded scientists.”

Fraser added, “Critically ill adults can also suffer from damage to their surfactantproducing cells. Surfactant therapy has been studied in adults but, so far, has not been as successful as it is in newborns.”

Enter COVID-19. Just last summer, Lawson Health Research Institute in London, Ontario released a news article stating that they had launched a study to investigate the use of BLES in the treatment of COVID-19 patients that were severely respiratory compromised.

The study suggested that if BLES were given at time of intubation, it could reduce the risk of mechanical ventilation, and improve the systemic inflammatory response, gas exchange and length of hospital stay.

“BLES has been studied in pediatric and adult populations with (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome) ARDS,

Deb Fraser, a neonatal nurse practitioner working in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at St. Boniface Hospital.

and we have found that it improves outcomes in patients with direct lung injury when compared to patients receiving standard treatment,” said Dr. Jim Lewis, Lawson Scientist and Respirologist at St. Joseph’s Health Care London in the press release. “We have proven this treatment effective in the past, and COVID19 seems to be another prototypic case that we think will respond well.”

BLES is evidence of another contribution made by the Canadian agricultural industry to society as a whole. Without the existence of cattle and pork producers, there would be none of the lifesaving surfactant harvested, instrumental in saving the precious lives of premature babies and now, potentially, COVID-19 patients, across Canada and around the world.

The AgriPost

June 25, 2021

11

Be Aware of Invasive Species The Manitoba Weed Supervisors Association (MWSA) is asking producers to be aware of invasive species that are popping up in Manitoba.

The MSWA is reaching out by highlighting just a few of the invasive plants considered to be a significant threat to the landscape of the province. Many of these invasive species are mistaken for wildflowers, but unlike native wildflowers, these species threaten agricultural productivity of both cultivated and non-cultivated land, as well as waterways and natural areas.

The Noxious Weeds Act of Manitoba (NWA) requires control or destruction measures for different invasive plants. A comprehensive listing of noxious weeds is found in The Noxious Weeds Regulation, which contains schedules that ranks plants according to their threat levels and specifies the areas of the province to which these levels apply.

Prevention measures, early detection and rapid response by Weed Supervisors, who are individually employed by Weed Control Districts formed by one or more Municipalities, are critical for protecting habitats and agricultural land from these types of invasive species.

Tall Waterhemp Waterhemp is native to the US but was not considered a major agronomic problem until the 1980s. Herbicide resistance and changing production systems that included more corn and soybean favoured the “weediness” of this plant.

This member of the pigweed (Amaranth) family can rapidly establish patches and greatly decrease crop yield. The native habitat of waterhemp is wet, low-lying areas, but it is quite at home in reduced tillage and no-till environments.

Watch for patches to pop up along field edges or near field entrances, along ditches and waterways. The plant typically grows to 5 -6 feet tall, with glossy, hairless and more elongated leaves compared to redroot or smooth pigweed.

Waterhemp is well-adapted to warm growing temperatures and intense sunlight and is capable of producing up to a million seeds per plant that can germinate over the whole summer.

It has very tiny seed, (similar to red root pigweed seed), so it is easily transported in equipment, with water and by wildlife, and can be a contaminant in

seed lots.

Removing small patches of waterhemp prior to seed set, and destroying the plants, is one of the most effective strategies to eradicate this weed. Tall waterhemp populations can be resistant to multiple herbicide groups, making it very hard to control this weed in field crops. Waterhemp samples in Manitoba have been tested and confirmed resistant to 2 herbicide groups. This has serious implications for local producers.

New populations have been discovered since it was first detected in Manitoba in 2019, with confirmed presence in 8 municipalities by 2020.

Palmer Amaranth Palmer amaranth is an aggressive, invasive weed native to the desert regions of the southwest US and northern Mexico. It was accidentally introduced to other areas and has devastated crops in the South and Midwest US as it rapidly be-

came herbicide resistant.

With the ability to emerge all season, grow 2-3 inches per day and set seed over the entire season this highly invasive weed can drastically reduce crop yield. Infestations have slowly moved north through contaminated seed, equipment, animal feed and bedding and the digestive tract of wild birds.

Palmer amaranth was first detected in North Dakota in 2018, and is spreading throughout the state. Considered to be the #1 weed in the US, this plant can grow 6-8 feet tall and produce one million seeds and heavy infestations can reduce soybean and corn yields by approximately 80-90%.

A member of the Amaranth family like redroot pigweed and tall waterhemp, Palmer amaranth can be difficult to distinguish from its cousins.

Smooth-stemmed like tall waterhemp, its leaves are a little wider, more like redroot pigweed, but can be distinguished by the long petiole

Tall Waterhemp in a farm field. (inset) Seedling.

Tall waterhemp photos courtesy of Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development (file)

(stem-like structure that attaches the leaf to the main stem). Petioles of Palmer amaranth are longer than the leaves, while its cousins have shorter petioles. Long, snaky seed heads that can be up to 2 feet long are a distinctive feature of Palmer Amaranth.

Identification is crucial, and removal of individual plants and small patches is critical to prevent this weed from establishing in our province. Unconfirmed reports of individual plants in Manitoba have been noted, and we ask everyone to be diligent in identifying and reporting this weed.

Leafy Spurge This invasive perennial, first recorded in Manitoba in 1911 is a serious pest of forage and grazing land. A study presented in 2010 by the Rural Development Institute (Brandon) estimated that leafy spurge infested over 1.2 million acres and caused a staggering annual economic loss (direct and indirect costs) of approximately $40 million. If we compare that to a 1999 report (Leafy Spurge Stakeholders Group) stating a $20 million (annual) impact and approximately 340,000 acres infested, we can see how much this problem had grown in 10 years and has likely grown in the most recent decade.

Unfortunately, Leafy spurge has managed to gain a foothold in many places in Southern Manitoba and numerous producers are familiar with the damage it can cause and the struggle to control it. In other areas of the province it is rarer and should be treated as a dangerous invader.

Palmer’s Amaranth plant. (inset) Close up.

Photo courtesy of Joe Ikley, NDSU Dept of Plant Sciences

Prevent its spread from the movement of contaminated hay or machinery.

Early detection and rapid response to new patches will pay dividends as your first cost will always be your least cost with perennial invaders. All landowners have the responsibility to control this weed, either eradicating new infestations or stopping the spread from existing patches. Tier 2 weeds like leafy spurge, by legislation

must be destroyed if patches are less than 20 acres while larger infestations must be controlled.

More information on Invasive plants either threatening or already present in Manitoba can be found in The Noxious Weeds Act (C.C.S.M. c. N110) and the Noxious Weeds Regulation (Man.Reg.42/17), by contacting your local Weed District or at the MWSA website at www.mbweeds.ca.

Leafy spurge. (inset) Closeup.

Photo courtesy of Michele Ammeter

12

June 25, 2021

The AgriPost

The AgriPost

June 25, 2021

13

Seeded Crops Growing Quickly, Haying Underway

By Elmer Heinrichs The Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) said 2.4 to 3.2 million hectares (up to 8 million acres) of Prairie crops were still unseeded to June 14 because of wet weather, Manitoba’s eastern and central region farmers have the 2021 crop in, and are eying an average-or-better harvest.

In Manitoba’s June 13 crop report, central region reported that early-in-the-week showers delayed and limited field activity until later in the week.

But seeding has progressed well with canola being broadcast seeded and harrowed.

Cereals, soybeans and edible beans were planted last week although total acres of soybeans and edible beans will be lower than initially intended.

Seeding progress in the Starbuck-Carman area is approximately 75 to 80 per cent complete. Morden, Morris, Altona areas are at 95 per cent done. Somerset, Treherne is at 75 per cent, Carberry is finished; Gladstone is underway at 25 per cent, and Portage is 60 per cent complete.

Altona farm production advisor Brian Jack said a majority of farmers are finished seeding with the area from Halbstadt to Emerson struggling to try and finish.

“Seeding was a not an easy task this year with all the rain and cool weather mixed in, and then moving from field to field to try and find a dryenough field,” said Jack. “All crops are emerging. Cereals are at 4-leaf and tillering,

corn is two-leaf, canola 4, soybeans unifoliate stage, and sunflowers in first true leaves,” reported Jack adding that “A lot of corn went in and acres were not much less than expected because of weather issues.”

But soybeans are down 15 to 20 per cent because farmers could not seed when needed. Edible beans acres are down 25 to 30 per cent because of weather and timing.

“Canola was floated onto a lot of acres this spring in wet conditions. When airseeders couldn’t be used, the seed was harrowed in. Herbicide is now being applied with good results,” said Jack.

“Winter wheat is progressing well, alfalfa stands are being cut, and yields should be average, and if rain stays away, the quality should be good.”

Morris farm production adviser Ingrid Kristjanson said a vast majority of farmers are done; some acres are left adjacent to rivers, and coulees, and will not be seeded. She said it has been a struggle to get crops in. Seed bed conditions were often poor, and farmers had to go field by field.

“Uneven emergence is evident in some fields. Cool wet conditions resulted in slow emergence, and there were some problems with seed rotting, especially in low areas,” said Kristjanson.

West of Lowe Farm, extending to Kane, to Sperling, and west, a strip received less rain last fall, and farmers were able to get on the fields earlier this year, in bet-

ter seedbed conditions.

Kristjanson said some rotations were changed, due to struggles to get crops seeded in adverse conditions. She noted that crop spraying will be a challenge on some fields, especially where preseed burn-off could not take place. And there will be a lot of “wet weather” weeds, she added.

It looks like farmers are set up for an average year, if conditions going forward allow.

The harvest will be later than average for most, with lots of hope for warm conditions and rains only when needed, concluded Kristjanson.

In central areas corn is emerging well and is at the two-leaf stage, canola is at the 3 to 4-leaf stage, and cereals are starting to tiller.

Soybeans have emerged and are at the unifoliate stage, and sunflowers and potatoes are also growing well.

Herbicide is being applied to early seeded crops. Weed issues are of concern because of the wet weather, as crop emergence is not uniform making timing for herbicides more difficult.

Reseeding is occurring for a number of different crops; some fields have been reseeded to the same crop while a majority of others have changed to canola.

Flea beetles are chewing on canola and may be even more evident with spotty emergence and slow growth.

Diamondback moth counts are very low and Bertha moth traps were placed in fields last week. Tan spot is being reported in wheat fields.

Dairy quality alfalfa has started to be cut and forecasted rainfall may impact quality. Pastures are maintaining growth with rain and warmer temperatures.

Edible bean planting has neared completion in Manitoba. Acres are expected to drop from last year’s 138,000 acres to roughly 45,000-55,000 acres in 2021.

The acreage drop is due to last winter’s higher competing commodity prices and the delayed seeding.

In eastern region’s June 13 report, some producers reported rainfall in excess of 25 mm in various locations, and hail, mixed with heavy rain, caused limited damage to field crops since a majority of crops had not yet emerged.

Seeding progress was general throughout the week in all districts with producer reports of corn, peas, flax, soybeans and barley now 100 per cent done. Seeding progress was hampered in areas southwest and north of Beausejour, and other fields have issues with excess moisture.

Across the region 90 to 100 per cent of wheat is seeded, with up to 60 per cent emerged where significant early seeding occurred.

Canola and flax are both near 100 per cent, with as much as 80 per cent of the canola emerged and approaching four-leaf stage.

Vita farm production advisor Peter Petrash said seeding in the Sprague to Dominion City area is about 90 per cent complete. Some wet

spots did not get seeded, and so some producers are thinking of putting in millet or oats for feed. For most, seeding went fairly well, added Petrash.

Crops are emerging quickly and are looking good so far, and spraying for weeds is in full swing. There are some drown-out spots in fields, but usually only an acre or two he noted.

Some dairy producers started harvest last week with good yields of alfalfa.

Hay fields which were fertilized with hog manure look good, and fields fertilized with commercial fertilizer are also okay. Some producers are thinking of starting haying any day now, said Petrash.

St. Pierre-Jolys farm production advisor Roger Robert said a large majority of farmers have completed seeding, with some low-lying fields remaining unseeded. The St. Pierre-Jolys Steinbach region is above 95 per cent done. Remaining unseeded acres will not be significant.

He said that seeding was easy for some and a struggle for others. It all depended on seedbed preparation and general field conditions from last fall to the amount of excess moisture and sporadic precipitation this spring, added Robert.

He said that crops are all emerging very nicely, and the focus is now on spraying.

In general this spring there was a stronger focus on beans and wheat, less on oats, noting that winter wheat is in flag leaf to early boot stage,

and most fields look very good.

The eastern areas also reported that soybean and corn planting is complete with from 40 to 100 per cent of soybeans emerged. Corn emergence ranges from 50 to 100 per cent. Sunflower planting remains unchanged at 75 to 80 per cent done.

Area land rolling of soybeans and herbicide application continued into the weekend.

Hay field conditions continue to be rated as good across the region with a third of the alfalfa crop already harvested. Alfalfa silage is yielding 3T/acre (wet) while timothy fields are starting to head out. Pastureland is rated fair to good, and some cows are now out in pastures.

Overall Prairie seeding progress has reached an estimated 86-per-cent complete, according to CWB crop and weather analysts on June 13.

Progress is slightly ahead of last year, but well behind normal, when 96 per cent of the crop would be seeded by this time. The CWB added that “rainfall of between 10 and 85 millimetres continued across saturated southern growing areas of the Prairies last week.”

“Pockets of Saskatchewan and Manitoba made some good seeding progress, but many farmers are now being forced to abandon significant acreage due to excess moisture. In more northerly regions, more rain is badly needed, with only light showers received last week.”

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The AgriPost

June 25, 2021

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Edible Beans and Soybeans in Good Condition

By Harry Siemens With bugs, wind, heat, lack of rain, and in some cases even too much rain, crop conditions across the province vary.

Dennis Lange, known as “Mr. Bean” and Manitoba Agriculture pulse specialist said, pulse crops, more specifically edible dry beans and soybeans went in as expected. “Growers are happy with the seeding conditions this year, other than some areas that are very dry. That was a bit of a challenge, I guess, so some growers did have to go a little deeper.”

Dennis Lange, “Mr. Bean” and Manitoba Agriculture pulse specialist said pulse crops; more specifically edible dry beans and soybeans went in as expected.

At first farmers called about emergence issues because planting in cool weather meant that beans were planted a little deeper. Then the heat came, followed by some good rains; stands now look good for the most part.

“At this stage of the game, you need moisture to germinate and for that initial growth, so this rain will help get your stands established,” said Lange.

He said ideally, the best time to get rainfall for yields, for pulse crops is late July, early August when the plants are still in the growing stage.

Good moisture at this time, and the rest of the year relatively dry means good yields can still happen. Those timely rains in July and August really can put on the yield.

Near mid-June growers had sprayed few acres of the dry beans. A little bit of weed control was done early on; pre-emergence but the next extensive weed control was to occur a week later. “But I think we’ll roll. As long as you have good even stands and there’s some moisture down below, the plants will look for it and tend to pull some of that moisture from down deep because they can

root down fairly deep,” said Lange.

Manitoba growers planted 185,000 edible bean acres last year, a big number not seen since the mid-2000s.

Since then more in that 140 to the 130,000-acre range noted Lange.

“This year, with the 185,000 last year, I’m expecting those acres to be around the 150,000 range, down a bit from last year, which is okay; there’s a lot of competing crops to work with,” noted Lange.

He said that over the last number of years he has noticed that when growers planted fewer edible bean acres the yields went up. Growers planted edible beans on soils more suited for dry beans. With drier years, beans do reasonably well in dry years. He said it is the wet years that are hard.

He added that there is a similar mix to last year, some whites, blacks, and pintos are making up the most significant share of the acres, with pintos probably at 60,000 to 70,000 acres.

He thinks soybeans acres will be higher this year with his best guess, between 1.3

Megan Bourns posted this picture on Twitter @meg_bourns, noticing that soybean unifoliates seem higher up this year compared to the past couple seasons commenting “Am I out to lunch? What’re you observing in your soybean fields?” Jason Voogt CCA, PAg replied to her, “Yup seeing that as well in all varieties to some degree.”

Submitted photos

and 1.4 million, which is up from the 1.1 million last year.

For the most part, soybeans are doing okay, he said.

Again, some growers elected not to roll their soybeans in spring because of drier conditions. He sees growers will do some post-emergent roll-

ing over the next few weeks.

He noted that stands are okay, but there is some unevenness because of soil and growing conditions. In the same fields, soybeans may be emerging, and others plants at first trifoliate, so that will even out as the summer continues.

“But overall, stand counts are good, and no real frost issues in our region here.

There were some frost pockets up in the Beausejour area that growers got hit a little harder. But overall, I think we made out okay in Manitoba for the frost on the beans and the soybeans.”

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The AgriPost

With a Timely Rain, Crops Could Be Average

By Les Kletke

Doug Moore knew that he would need timely rains to produce a crop when he seeded this spring. The rain did come in the early part of the growing season, but it has not appeared lately and his crop is showing the effects.

Moore farms at Fannystelle and said that as of June 20 his crop was deteriorating due to a lack of moisture. “We knew it was dry when we seeded,” he said. “It was dry last fall and we did not have a lot of moisture to replenish the soil. The dry conditions also helped with the seeding.”

The lack of moisture during seeding was a near ideal this spring he said. For him it was a bonus on the clay soils that he farms. The clay has also held what little moisture he has received and been a benefit to the crop.

By late June he had not received even half of the normal rainfall. “The soybeans have held on,” he said. “They are a pretty resilient crop and would still come back if we got some significant moisture now.”

He said his cereal crops, wheat and barley, have been impacted by the lack of rain and the die has been cast for a less than average yield he noted. “That has already

been determined,” he said. “If we get normal precipitation for the rest of the growing season we could get an average or slightly below crop but that moisture has to come soon.”

Moore said that a few days with above average temperatures and strong winds in mid June took even more moisture from the crop. “We had a couple of hot windy days that are tough on plants at best but with the limited soil moisture it is even more damaging,” said Moore.

This is not the first time he has had dry conditions on his farm and far from the worst he has seen. “We have had some pretty good crops on dry years but you have to have the rain at the right time to make things happen and that is not happening this year,” said Moore.

He said that higher commodity prices have helped but it would be more helpful to have a good crop to sell into the up market. Moore has priced some of this years’ crop but has been careful with the amount sold. “We price some, usually enough to cover our expenses and reduce the risk on that side but we still need some moisture to bring the crop along to an average yield.”

Curbing Plant Pandemic Threats to Global Food Security

The idea is to, “Detect these plant disease outbreak sources early and stop the spread before it becomes a pandemic,” said lead-author Jean Ristaino, William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor of Plant Pathology at North Carolina State University.

Submitted photo

Plant diseases don’t stop at national borders and miles of oceans don’t prevent their spread, either. That’s why plant disease surveillance, improved detection systems, and global predictive disease modeling are necessary to mitigate future disease outbreaks and protect the global food supply, according to a team of researchers.

The idea is to, “Detect these plant disease outbreak sources early and stop the spread before it becomes a pandemic,” said lead-author Jean Ristaino, William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor of Plant Pathology at North Carolina State University. “Once an epidemic occurs it is difficult to control.” Ristaino likens it to the efforts undertaken to stop the spread of COVID-19.

“We’ve seen how important information sharing, data analytics, and modelling have been in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. These types of tools could also be leveraged to help build resilience to future plant disease outbreaks, from identifying risk in global crop trade networks to local citizen science monitoring,” said co-author Graham MacDonald, Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography at McGill University.

While some diseases are already under some sort of global surveillance, such as wheat rust and late blight, an important pathogen that affects potatoes and caused the Irish famine, other crop diseases are not routinely monitored.

“There are a few existing surveillance networks, but they need to be connected and funded by intergovernmental agencies and expanded to global surveillance systems,” said Ristai-

no. “We can improve disease monitoring using electronic sensors that can help rapidly detect and then track emerging plant pathogens.”

Working Together to Protect Crops The researchers said the efforts from a wide range of scholars, so-called convergence science are needed to prevent plant disease pandemics. That means economists, engineers, crop scientists, crop disease specialists, geneticists, geographers, data analysts, statisticians and others working together to protect crops, the farmers growing crops and the people fed by those crops.

Research is underway to model the risk of plant pathogen spread and help predict and then prevent outbreaks, they report in the paper. Modeling and forecasting disease spread can help mobilize mitigation strategies more precisely to stop pandemics.

Plant Disease Outbreaks are Increasing Global plant disease outbreaks are increasing in frequency and threaten the global food supply, the researchers said. Mean losses to major food crops such as wheat, rice and maize ranged from 21 percent to 30 percent due to plant pests and diseases, according to a paper published in 2019.

Take the case of bananas, specifically the Cavendish variety, which has no resistance to a specific pathogen called Fusarium odoratissimum Tropical race 4, which causes Panama disease. That pathogen spread rapidly from Asia to Africa, the Middle East and recently into South America, where it affects the main type of banana grown in the Americas for export.

Climate Change Exacerbating Outbreaks The researchers said that climate change will likely exacerbate these outbreaks.

In Africa, for example, climate change and drought in Saharan Africa affects the population and range of locusts, which devastate crops further south in sub-Saharan Africa. Climate data can help drive disease forecasting and spread models.

“More frequent rainfall can allow airborne plant pathogens to spread and fungal spores can move with hurricanes, which is how soybean rust came to North America from South America, via storms,” said Ristaino, who also directs North Carolina State’s faculty cluster on emerging plant disease and global food security. “There are also cases of early emergence, when pathogens emerge earlier in the growing season than usual due to warmer springs.”

Further, the global nature of food trade is driving some plant disease pandemics. The emergence of new harmful plant pathogens adds other risks to the food supply, which is already strained by growing global demand for food.

“Globalization means that agriculture and food supplies are increasingly interconnected across national borders. Analyzing these crop trade networks combined with greater information sharing among countries can help to pinpoint risks from pests or diseases,” said MacDonald.

The researchers said there is a need to link human global health and plant global health scientists to work together. Food security and livelihoods are linked to agriculture and human health is linked to the food we consume.

The AgriPost

The Magnificent Clydesdales Are Coming to Brandon in 2023

Boulder Bluff Hummer after winning the Bred and Owned Cart class at the 2018 World Clydesdale Show, driven here by Britney Martin. He also won Registered Gelding Cart at that show. Charity purchased Hummer as a two year old and he was raised by her parents, Blaine and Trinda Martin.

Photo by Ken Siems

By Joan Airey Many volunteers are needed to bring this prestigious World Show to Brandon and financial donations to back

Charity (right) with her husband Eric, their son, Tuckerand their dog, Fancy.

Photo courtesy of Charity Martin Thevenot

the show. Hours of work have already been put into the show which was moved to July 2023.

A lady with many talents Charity Martin Thevenot is serving as the secretary for the World Show. She knows what it takes to put on a show of this calibre having shown six horse hitches in many shows across North America.

“My husband Eric and I run a cow/calf operation with my parents, Blaine and Trinda Marin. We have cropland that provides grain and hay land which is used for feed,” said Charity. “We also have approximately one hundred Clydesdales and raise thirty to forty-five colts a year.”

“I work full time on the ranch, training, driving both our own and client’s horses, calving cows, lambing ewes and foaling mares. In 2020 Eric and I became parents to Tucker who was born in Au-

gust 2020 who is the light of our life. I have enjoyed showing him all things equine and ranch life,” said Charity.

Charity together with her parents, sister Britney and brother-in-law Tyler, show a six-horse hitch of Clydesdales, as well as a number of young halter horses every year. They typically only show horses that they have raised to promote their breeding program, Boulder Bluff Clydesdales.

“I’m always filled with pride as I drive or watch our home bred, trained, and fit geldings at home and at shows!” said Charity with pride.

The Martin family also enjoys showing hitch and halter horses for N.C. Clydesdales from Saskatchewan as well as for other local individuals.

Charity drove their sixhorse hitch in a recent 2011 World Clydesdale Show

winning showmanship. She won the Registered Gelding Cart class and the Bred and Owned Cart class at the 2018 World Clydesdale Show with her all-time favourite gelding Boulder Bluff Hummer which she owns. These shows took place in Madison, Wisconsin.

“My sister Britney, being very ambitious, had the idea that we could host a World Show in Manitoba and very quickly gained my support to help make it happen.

With the amazing support of the Manitoba Clydesdale Club, we created a committee that consists of individuals from our club and other Clydesdale enthusiasts from Saskatchewan and Alberta.

I’m looking forward to help bring this prestigious event to Brandon,” said Charity.

Over the next year we will introduce you to the people working behind the scene to put on a magnificent world show in Brandon.

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Feedback Received on Proposed Sustainable Crops Code of Practice The results of an extensive five-month industry consultation on the Responsible Grain draft Code of Practice are now available online. Posted on the Responsible Grain website, responsiblegrain.ca, the feedback was gathered from over 24 consultation sessions and hundreds of survey responses from Canadian farmers and commodity organizations. The feedback has been summarized into a report highlighting the overall findings, general comments about the Code and recommended practices, feedback on module requirements and next steps.

“There was a high level of engagement and input throughout the consultation process. In fact, 92% of the participants were farmers, with representation from across Canada,” said Jason Lenz, Chair, Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Crops Steering Committee (CRSC), explaining that more than 850 participants reviewed and shared their comments on the proposed Code through an online survey.

Responsible Grain is a proposed, voluntary national Code of Practice that is intended to demonstrate Canadian grain farmers’ care and commitment to the environment. This proactive approach is meant to address consumers’ priorities that will help earn public trust, as well as to assist in responding to sustainability issues in international grain markets.

The summary of consultation results marks the next phase in the development of the Responsible Grain Code of Practice. The CRSC Steering Committee will be analyzing and assessing the consultation results, communications and consultation process used to develop the draft Code. The next steps in the process will see the development of a “white paper” that will investigate the utility, limitations and feasibility of a voluntary Code of Practice to enhance/maintain “public trust” and “market access.” This work is expected to be complete by fall 2021 and all results will be available to Canadian grain farmers at that time.

“The consultation participants asked some fundamental questions about market access, public trust, feasibility and the cost/benefit to farmers,” said Lenz. “We’ll focus on the questions posed by farmers as we analyze the feedback and consultation results. And after a thorough review, the CRSC Steering Committee will determine the best way to move forward.”

According to the executive summary on the initial feedback and concerns heard was that a Code will pave the way for even more regulations or that the proposals were duplicates of existing regulations and result in time consuming detailed record keeping.

Other respondents said that the proposed requirements and recommended practices are too specific and suggested that it should be kept at a higher level, to focus on general principles or outcomes; that the committee did not take into account the most recent practices being used on farms from Province to another or from one region to another and that Code does not allow for the adopting of future technology.

For further information on the consultations visit responsiblegrain.ca.

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The AgriPost

June 25, 2021

Tracking Nitrate in Farm Fields

For years it’s been relatively easy to measure pollution from, say, a factory. At a factory, there might be just one pipe of waste to measure.

Easy enough.

But what about a farm? We might not typically think of farms as sources of pollution. But they can have big impacts on the land over time. Unlike at a factory, the waste filters slowly through soil across the whole plot of land.

This waste of excess nutrients from fertilizer can eventually reach groundwater.

If too much nitrogen enters groundwater, it can be dangerous to drink. In the form of nitrate, this nitrogen is es-

pecially bad for infants. The groundwater can eventually feed lakes or streams. There, the nitrate can cause algae blooms and dead zones without oxygen.

Thomas Harter, a member of the Soil Science Society of America, is trying to solve one of the most complex puzzles in farming; how to track nitrate as it moves through farm fields.

Scientists have tried for years to predict how nitrate will flow from the surface into groundwater. That information can help farmers balance fertilizing their crops with protecting the water they and others rely on. But there are many challenges.

The types of soil, crops and fertilizers can all affect this slow process.

So Harter and his team designed one of the most detailed studies yet. Across a single 140-acre California almond orchard, they gathered 20 deep soil samples and installed wells to measure groundwater. Few studies have been so detailed across such a small plot of land.

They found that a complex quilt of different soils lies underneath the almond orchard. These different soil types made it very hard to predict how nitrogen from one part of the farm would affect another area. Nitrogen levels varied widely across

the farm, even though it was managed consistently by a single grower.

“We did not expect the significant variability in nitrate concentrations between monitoring wells, given the relatively uniform management across the site,” said Harter.

Older studies often measured groundwater across entire regions. Those researchers usually assumed that different crops and growing practices controlled groundwater nitrate. But Harter’s team has now seen that even a single farm can harbor big differences. Nearby patches of soil and water can look very different.

Some factors could predict the amount of nitrate in groundwater. The total amount of nitrogen and water entering the field affected the nitrate in groundwater.

Scientists saw that the nitrogen in the sandy soils predicted how much ended up in wells. That’s because of how water moves through different types of soil. Sandy soils let nitrogen and water move freely compared to sticky clay soils.

But because of how much nitrogen varied across the fields, new methods are needed to monitor and evaluate this source of potential pollution.

“We must develop efficient alternative tools that can be validated at field sites like ours but then used at thousands of individual fields and farms to assess their contributions to groundwater,” Harter said.

Going forward, the scientists also hope to see how new irrigation and nitrogen management practices might improve groundwa-

ter quality at this farm. This work will help design and test solutions to improve groundwater quality.

“This work provides the foundation for better design and interpretation of field studies that are the foundation of improving agricultural practices and ultimately groundwater quality,” said Harter. “Over the long-term, this will lead to better solutions for protecting well water quality as well as stream water quality in agricultural regions.”

Thomas Harter is a groundwater researcher at the University of California, Davis. This work was supported by the Almond Board of California, the Fertilizer Research Education Program, and the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

MCGA Commit to Sponsoring Assiniboine’s Prairie Innovation Centre An almond blossom in mid-February on the groundwater quality test site near Modesto, California. The site served as a hyperlocal test for how nitrate moves through the soil.

Photo by Thomas Harter

The Manitoba Canola Growers Association (MCGA) has committed $100,000 to sponsor an industry collaboration area, the Collaboration Zone, within Assiniboine Community College’s Prairie Innovation Centre for Sustainable Agriculture.

“Working with industry is an integral piece of the vision for the Centre,” said Tim Hore, Dean of the School of Agriculture and Environment at Assiniboine. “This is an important partnership and it’s quite fitting to welcome a major commodity association like MCGA aboard the Prairie Innovation Centre project. I look forward to our continued collaboration in enhancing the agricultural landscape in Manitoba.”

The Prairie Innovation Centre is a one-of-a-kind Canadian college project that will bring together collaborative learning spaces, applied research labs, multipurpose spaces and amenities that will serve both industry and the college community.

A vital part of the Centre, the Collaboration Zone, is where

education and industry connection meet.

“MCGA is proud to expand our longstanding support of Assiniboine Community College,” said Delaney Ross Burtnack, Executive Director, Manitoba Canola Growers Association. “We recognize the invaluable role Assiniboine plays in developing agriculture’s future people and innovations, and the Prairie Innovation Centre Collaboration Zone will become a central point connecting agricultural education to industry. We are honoured to play a role in bringing this new facility to life.”

Danielle Tichit is a faculty member in the School of Agriculture & Environment.

In the courses she teaches, students build a thorough understanding and skill set regarding canola production and marketing.

“Canola is essential to agriculture in the Prairies, making up one third of the acres here in Manitoba,” said Tichit. “Our students will either be growing canola in their own future farming operations or supporting the cano-

la industry with financial or production advice. We are fortunate to have had a longstanding partnership with the Manitoba Canola Growers, and I look forward to seeing the Prairie Innovation Centre provide a space for enhanced collaboration and networking with industry.”

The MCGA have long provided significant support to the college, sponsoring the Manitoba Canola Growers Association Culinary Theatre in the Manitoba Institute of Culinary Arts along with student financial awards for Culinary and Agribusiness students and several event sponsorships.

“Assiniboine is a valued institution to western Manitoba and to agriculture. In fact, three of my kids launched their careers through Assiniboine programs including Communications, Culinary Arts and Agribusiness,” said Bill Nicolson, who is a farmer and MCGA board member from Shoal Lake, Manitoba.

“I’m pleased to support MCGA’s investment in the future of education and agriculture in Manitoba.”

“MCGA is proud to expand our longstanding support of Assiniboine Community College,” said Delaney Ross Burtnack, Executive Director, Manitoba Canola Growers Association.

Submitted photo

The AgriPost

Protein Industries Announce Joint Investment in New Plant-Based Products

Protein Industries Canada has announced a co-investment into a project that will utilize some of Canada’s most widely grown crops in the development of new plantbased foods and ingredients.

Merit Functional Foods, TWC Nutrition, Daiya Foods and Grand River Foods are partnering to utilize Merit Functional Foods’ pea, canola and blended pea-canola protein ingredients in new plant-based products. This could include alternative meat products, alternative dairy products and other beverages, developed by TWC Nutrition, Daiya Foods and Grand River Foods.

Merit has built a 94,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art production facility in Winnipeg, where it produces a portfolio of pea and canola protein ingredients with exceptional functional and nutritional values.

“Canada has become a global supplier of ingredients and plant-based foods. This project, led by Merit Foods, will help producers reach new markets while meeting growing consumer demand for alternative protein products. This will help us find high-quality Canadian ingredients and strengthen the Canadian economy,” said François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry.

“Adding value to our crops by turning them into innovative food products is a boon for our communities and the Canadian economy as a whole. This partnership will not only benefit Cana-

dian pea and canola farmers by expanding their domestic market, but it will also benefit consumers of plantbased foods by giving them more options for top-quality Canadian-made products,” said Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-food.

Protein Industries Canada is providing half of the investment into the project, with Merit Functional Foods, TWC Nutrition, Daiya Foods and Grand River Foods together investing the remaining half for a total project investment of $7.9 million. The project’s scaling up of Merit Functional Foods’ ingredient development represents a significant step forward not only in Canada’s intellectual property potential, but also the country’s ability to utilize its diverse crop selection in new ways that prioritize consumer health and taste.

“Canada is known for our diverse selection of high quality crops, but we have the potential to be known for what we can do with them,” Protein industries Canada CEO Bill Greuel said. “Merit Functional Foods has proven that our peas and canola make for ideal plant protein ingredients, and now TWC Nutrition, Daiya Foods and Grand River Foods will help show consumers around the world that these ingredients can be the base for healthy, delicious plant-based foods and beverages.”

Utilizing two widely grown Canadian crops in the project also presents significant op-

portunity for Canadian farmers, providing them with new options for marketing their commodities. Sourcing these ingredients domestically represents a new opportunity for Daiya Foods, TWC Nutrition and Grand River Foods, who will also be able to use them to expand both their Canadian and international markets.

“We’re thrilled to be a part of this exciting group of industry leaders working together to help solidify Canada as the global leader in plant-based innovation,” Merit Co-CEO Ryan Bracken said. “Supported by Protein Industries Canada’s generous investment, we will be accelerating the next generation of plant-based foods with our game-changing protein ingredients. Together with this team, we’ll make the taste, texture and fortification limitations of plantbased products a thing of the past. Whether used in a meat or dairy alternative, ready-todrink beverage, supplement powder or beyond, this collaboration and our novel and value-added proteins will lift the Canadian Agri-Food industry as whole.”

“The collaboration involved in this partnership will allow us to bring new plant-based innovations to our Kaizen Naturals brand of nutritional supplements that surpass the evolving consumer expectations for health products in Canada and around the world,” said TWC Nutrition Vice President of Marketing and E-Commerce Jason

Travis.

“Daiya is a proud pioneer of plant-based food breakthroughs. Our team at the recently opened Daiya Global Food Innovation Centre is excited to join Protein Industries Canada to help realize the innovation potential of pulse-based protein ingredients,” Daiya Foods CEO Michael Watt said. “For more than 13 years, Daiya has led the industry creating plantbased foods that surprise and delight our consumers. We welcome the opportunity to collaborate with Protein Industries Canada exploring the use of Canadian-grown resources to continue the momentum of the plantbased movement.”

“We are excited to be a part of sourcing Canadian-grown crops to feed Canadian consumers,” Grand River Foods Vice President Jeff Lanteigne said.

This is Protein Industries Canada’s 20th project announcement, and their 19th specific to their Technology program. Together with industry, they have invested more than $367 million to the Canadian plant-based food, feed and ingredients sector.

They are currently seeking Expressions of Interest for short-cycle projects under their Technology program stream, with a focus on commercialization and near-term market potential. They are also accepting ongoing Expressions of Interest as part of their Capacity Building programs.

Manitoba’s Fruit Crops Ready Soon

Most of the fruit crops have a very brief season and it now looks like strawberries will be ready for picking early next month.

Photo by Michael & Christa Richert from FreeImages

By Elmer Heinrichs It’s summer time and that time of the year when consumers across Manitoba take advantage of the opportunity to enjoy fresh producer, by buying or picking their own fruit, perhaps the delectable juicy strawberries, the always delicious raspberry, or the large Saskatoon berries Most of the fruit crops have a very brief season and it now looks like strawberries will be ready for picking early next month.

Angie and Darren Cormier, who run Cormier Berry Patch at La Salle, and executive directors of Prairie Fruit Growers Association, said some growers were hit by frost but the crops are coming along well, with Haskap berries ready soon, and strawberries ripe in early July.

Strawberries are one of the oldest U-pick fruit crops in Manitoba, and it also has the largest acreage of all fruit crops. Raspberries and Saskatoon will be ready to pick a little later, and will also be found at fruit stands and market gardens through the summer.

Fruit farms are located throughout Manitoba from Altona and Rosetown in the south to Lockport and Selkirk, with many in easy driving distance from Winnipeg.

About a dozen farms with berries across the province operate as “U-picks”, while others prefer to pick for you.

A listing of growers can be found on the Prairie Fruit Growers website pfga.com with many offering directions and picking times. COVID-19 safety protocols will be in place at all farms.

June 25, 2021

The Year That Tests Everyone’s Gardening Knowledge

By Joan Airey When April’s weather came in rather warm I thought we’re going to have an early gardening season. But before the tender vegetables were planted we had killer frosts.

It ended up being a hit and miss of guessing when it was safe to put out bedding plants.

This morning I turned to Facebook to check what new garden ideas were on Manitoba and Canadian Gardener. Before I got there though, I noticed a thoughtful video posted by Joanne, an acquaintance of mine. The video was a speaker, Kelly Corrigan at the Walker Collegiate Graduation. Corrigan said everyone everywhere has a story, so ask questions. If you want happiness you have got to connect with people.

That made me think that I’m lucky working for a newspaper. I get to meet new people and learn constantly even when I have to work from home.

This past week I visited Trestle Greenhouse in Rivers for the third time this season which isn’t unusual. I found Long Keeper Tomato plants in individual pots. I used to grow these ten or fifteen years ago but haven’t seen them available in recent years. Of course, I came home with some hoping to have an extended supply of my own tomatoes this year. I had already searched all the seed catalogues this year and they weren’t listed, however I did find them on the internet at several places so if you can’t find them at your local greenhouse you can order seeds next year.

They are a tomato that will keep for several months after been picked and if you’re lucky, you can have tomatoes into the new year. Visiting greenhouses like the Trestle Greenhouse and talking to those working there can be a great learning experience.

Audubon has revised and updated their Birdhouse Book. It not only has plans for birdhouses but has some great photographs of birds that are found in Manitoba. The patterns in the book are for safe, sturdy bird homes and easy to build for many of North America’s favourite birds. Check it out, it’s written by Margaret A. Barker and Elissa Ruth Wolfson.

We welcomed a much-needed rain on June 11, couldn’t believe how the garden jumped overnight and looked so much healthier. We have been enjoying rhubarb desserts and fresh asparagus from the garden and I’m hoping we can harvest potatoes from the greenhouse for Father’s Day.

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June 25, 2021

The AgriPost

School’s Out Bulls Need Lots of TLC for Summer Post Breeding Season – Maybe Not

By Les Kletke It has been nearly 50 years since rock star Alice Cooper had a hit with the line “School’s out for Summer” and it may hold true for some students who got an early pass from classrooms because of COVID-19 but it is not the case at Manitoba Agriculture.

The pandemic situation did not allow for the regular edition of the Crop Diagnostic School normally held over a week long period at the University of Manitoba’s Carman research facility. Instead the Department has chosen a different format with a panel gathering online for regular sessions on Tuesday morning that will continue through July 27. The panel on the zoom call is made up of specialists with Manitoba Agriculture and they deal with crop production topics of the day and what might be affecting growers in the next week.

The sessions are also available on YouTube following the live event so that producers have the option of viewing them when convenient.

The June 15 session had insect expert John Gavloski answering questions about flea beetle control. Gavloski said that while it is ideal to have contact with the pest, sometimes using spray control measures cannot be done when the insects are actively feeding. “It becomes somewhat of a balancing act,” he said. “There are times when control cannot be administered at the ideal time and research has shown that good control can be achieved when the plants are sprayed early morning or evening and the insects are not feeding,” Dennis Lange, Pulse Specialist, said that he had visited several fields of dry beans where the crop’s growth had been damaged by sandblasting of soil in high wind conditions. The original broadcast took place on the last day of re-seeding eligibility for crop insurance.

“Keep in mind that we are at June 15 and while you might be eligible for coverage under crop insurance, it is late for reseeding, and you should consider the stand that you have in the field and that some of it will recover,” said Lange. He went on to point out that it was mainly the ridges in fields where he had seen excessive damage and it was only in fields of dry beans.

During the panel discussion several of the questions dealt with crop application of nutrients and the most effective method of delivering nutrients at this time.

Producers were also advised that aphids have been showing up in some fields in the Altona area.

To make up for the fact that COVID made an in-person Crop Diagnostic School impossible in 2021, the ARD CDS team are holding weekly online interactive sessions (about half an hour long) where growers and agronomists can ask questions from the field and ARD specialists respond in real time. Go to register.gotowebinar.com/register/8308452334001034255 to register.

By Peter Vitti As a beef nutritionist, I recommend that bulls during the post-breeding season should be given lots of attention, namely; a physical exam, a good summer/fallfeeding program (winter programs to follow) and implement other timely considerations. As a result, mature and young bulls should maintain or achieve respective body condition and health, which contributes to next year’s cowherd conception success.

Before any real post-breeding program gets started, I would simply conduct a physical exam on each bull, moved to another pasture.

Granted, most people do a good job on watching their bulls on pasture during the breeding season, but I know of many beef producers that caught something physically wrong with their bulls during a complete examination, which ultimately saved them a lot of time and money. It saved the breeding bulls a lot of pain, too.

For example, a friend of mine rotates a number of Simmental-Angus bulls, both young and mature on breeding different pastures, where a 350 brood cows and 50 segregated heifers (bred three weeks first) graze.

He found that of the 15 or so breeding bulls pulled at the end of the season, 7 had early stages of pinkeye, and 2 were modestly lame due to bruised hooves (not foot rot).

Another producer that I know

- pulled 12 breeding bulls – one old bull had a broken shoulder that was attributed to fighting with a couple of two-year olds. Luckily, most people don’t find such drama happening to their bulls.

They are more likely to see a modest loss of bodyweight by 100 – 150 kg by the end of the breeding season.

In this way, we can focus on putting all bulls on a sound plane of nutrition that recovers optimum body condition. In addition, we want the yearlings to gain 1.5 2.0 lb. per head per day, so they achieve 75% of their mature bodyweight by their second birthday. That’s because beef bulls, regardless of age – mature, yearlings, two-year olds; are the most sexually active (libido) and fertile (highest sperm count and viability) when they have a body condition score of 5.5 to 6.0 at the start of the next breeding season. In contrast, skinny bulls with a BCS lower than 5.0 often have lower libido and sperm production.

Putting both young and mature bulls on good quality mixed legume-grass pastures is one of the best post-breeding bull feeding program until wintertime.

Ideally, it would be tamegrass fields with some timely rains. However, in a current year like 2021 – it might be a dried-out pasture that takes on spotty thunderstorms.

And, if is the case for the next few months, one should be prepared to supplement

Putting both young and mature bulls on good quality mixed legumegrass pastures is one of the best post-breeding bull feeding program until wintertime.

purchased protein-feeds such as low-molasses cattle lick-tubs to be on such latter pasture. Otherwise, postbreeding bulls might not be able to meet their respective nutrient requirements for desired BCS or weight-gains.

As part of this all-forage diet (re: feeding any grain in most cases is not necessary), a good mineral-vitamin program should be provided on post-breeding bull pastures. Since, I am not a fan of feeding trace-mineral salt blocks, I recommend that a good complimentary 2:1 loose cattle mineral with fortified levels of copper, zinc, manganese and selenium as well as vitamin A, D and E. It should be fed at 3 - 4 oz per head, on a daily basis. In addition, it should contain essential garlic oil in order to repel face-flies that cause pinkeye.

Such good pasture and mineral nutrition also need a good source of water that

is available to all bulls at all times. Case-in-point: A friend of mine, who set up his own post-breeding bull program, always makes sure that all water-pumps are in good working order and can easily fill water-troughs with lots of water during comfortable weather as well as during periods of hot weather and heat stress.

With such good post-breeding nutrition in place, a little more bull TLC is warranted.

Subsequently, it is a good idea to routinely check on each bull on pasture and see how they are doing. There still might be that occasional cloudy eye or single case of foot rot that needs to be treated. With such good feed and management attention provided until winter, beef producers help their breeding bulls successfully recover from this year’s breeding season and help prepare for another one, nearly a year away.

Federal Government to Update Plant Technology Regulations In light of two federal consultations on plant breeding that will have a significant impact on crop varieties available to Canadian farmers in decades to come; the Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) is trying to rally the grain industry to champion the role of modern plant technology in driving safe and sustainable growth for the grain sector.

Recently, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has launched online consultation until September 16, 2021 on guidance for determining whether a plant is subject to the Seeds Regulations part V. The CFIA’s proposed updated guidance aims to clar-

ify the requirements of the Seeds Regulations and make it easier to understand. Consultations will look at how the release of seed is regulated, how seed regulations maintain Canada’s high safety standards, when to inform the CFIA about a new plant line, when scientific premarket safety assessments are required, comparisons to international approaches and how new technologies such as gene editing technology can be used as a tool.

Back in March Health Canada held consultations on new regulatory guidance for novel food focused on plant breeding. The consultation looked at providing greater clarity,

predictability and transparency regarding the regulation of novel foods derived from plants, including those developed using gene editing technologies and a pathway to commercialization for new products.

“It will be key to emphasize the importance of modern technology in this area in the months to come,” said GGC Executive Director Erin Gowriluk.

Modern plant technology such as gene edited crops will be even more critical in the decades to come, added GGC Chair Andre Harpe.

“Gene edited crops can help farmers adapt to changing climate conditions and pest

pressures while continuing to grow safe, high quality, affordable food for Canadians and consumers around the world,” said Harpe. “Furthermore, it’s clear the agriculture industry will be a driving force in our country’s economic recovery post COVID.” According to the GGC, the consultation document released by the CFIA sends a strong signal about the safety and importance of plant breeding innovations but there are some areas that need additional clarification to ensure that Canadian farmers will be on a level playing field with their global competitors when it comes to access to new crop varieties.

The AgriPost

We Could Experience a Commodity Supercycle

By Sylvain Charlebois What was purely an academic supposition a few months ago is now actually happening. Along with higher interest rates, inflation is likely to become one of this year’s biggest business stories. And food prices won’t be immune.

Many agricultural commodity prices have skyrocketed over last year. Corn is up 84 per cent, soybeans are up 72 per cent, sugar is up 59 per cent, wheat is up 19 per cent and coffee is up 13 per cent.

And nothing suggests prices will drop anytime soon.

Once grains are affected, livestock sectors producing well-loved products like chicken, pork and beef will likely be impacted as well.

China is buying everything.

And with the world economy out of sync, Asia’s influence has grown significantly in recent months. China’s economy grew by more than 18 per cent last quarter, while the US is still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. This global economic unevenness will probably be felt for a while.

Some may experience déjà vu. Analysts suggest we may be experiencing an agricultural commodity supercycle like we witnessed in 2008, but without oil being involved. Last time, a barrel

of oil was worth more than US$140. The food-for-fuel debate was at its height.

A commodity supercycle is a sustained spell of abnormally strong demand growth for commodities. That makes it more difficult for businesses to cope with. In some periods in 2007 and 2008, food inflation in Canada reached seven to eight per cent.

Those are massive numbers, considering that the inflation rate since then has largely been a non-story. But supply chains have been under tremendous pressure since the start of the pandemic and economic pressures from Asia are making market conditions much tighter.

Many food manufacturers have already signalled that processing costs have gone up. They’ve been warning the markets for weeks.

What may happen to retail prices is always challenging to predict.

Just last week, food retail giant Metro stated that it doesn’t expect food prices to increase by more than 2.5 per cent by the end of the year.

But given the current macroeconomic environment, that’s highly unlikely. Prices will go up by as much as five per cent this year, as predicted by Canada’s Food Price Report many months ago. This represents almost $700 more for

groceries for the year for an average Canadian family.

Some grocers say prices should remain stable for a while since they don’t want to spook consumers and generate more food inflation anxiety. But that’s just food price politics and the blame game is well underway. Nobody wants to be blamed for higher food prices at the grocery store.

But what’s happening is beyond any company’s reach in the food business. The supercycle boogie man is now among us.

The Canadian dollar has been surprisingly strong against the American greenback over the last several months. This kept the price of many imported foods, like produce, at low levels during the winter months. As our own agriculture kicks in and we see more locally-grown produce returning to the grocery shelves, Canadians should see prices stabilize over the spring and summer.

But growing everything locally won’t fix the problem.

Everyone around the world is affected by this.

Things may get particularly complicated at the meat counter, with chicken and pork prices going up. And beef price hikes could happen as early as this fall.

COVID-19 didn’t help but

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

it’s not the only factor contributing to what resembles supercycle conditions. Every decade or so, we go through something like this, so carbon tax opponents should also not jump to conclusions.

The problem is that Canadians must also cope with another economic doublewhammy: higher housing costs and a weaker job market.

The good news is that our inflation rate will go up, which is exactly what we need to see interest rates go up. That’s the main reason real estate prices are out of reach for a greater number of people. Higher interest rates will calm things down for a while.

This may not be the kind of supercycle we’ve experienced before but it certainly will make things complicated for the rest of the year.

Manitoba Crop Prospects Improve

By Elmer Heinrichs Timely May rainfall improved prospects of emerging spring grains and oilseeds across the Prairies, following an extended period of dryness that favoured rapid

planting, reported the Canadian Drought Monitor.

However, the rains, the heaviest of which fell during the latter half of the month, was insufficient to fully recharge soil moisture and

significantly reduce drought levels. This was particularly true in Manitoba, as total monthly accumulations were below normal in most agricultural districts.

Manitoba farmlands also

experienced a late-month freeze that reportedly necessitated some replanting of summer crops, including soybeans. May dryness supported summer crop planting throughout the region.

Farmer’s Markets Open for Summer

By Elmer Heinrrichs Farmers’ markets are popular destinations for consumers looking to find locally grown and homemade foods.

Producers grow, pick, make and sell a variety of quality local fruit, vegetables, fresh baked goods, home preserves and unique crafts in one location to sell their goods directly to consumers.

Here’s where the shopper may go for the first fresh strawberries, raspberries or

saskatoons which are now in season.

Famers’ Markets are a place where consumers can interact with food producers and processors to ask questions about the products they have for sale. If you’re craving some fresh jam, bread and other local goodies, you may be in luck.

Enjoy farm fresh produce and delicious home baked goods produced by market gardeners, fruit and vegetable

growers and local bakers.

The farmer’s markets are open now and will run through the summer into early fall. The Altona farmer’s market, for example, will be open Saturday mornings downtown under the canopy from 10 am to noon with a variety of fresh produce, including baked goods, and honey.

Manitoba’s premiere farm market may well be the St. Norbert Farmers’ Market

which is now open yearround. It attracts Winnipeg residents and visitors from near and far.

From Winkler, with market Tuesday evenings, to Killarney, Beausejour, Steinbach, and in many other communities, similar markets and roadside stands are open for the summer throughout Manitoba. COVID-19 restrictions will still apply such as safe distancing protocols in place.

June 25, 2021

Second Half of Food Waste Reduction Challenge Launched Every year, over half of Canada’s food supply is wasted, and nearly $50 billion of that wasted food is avoidable.

To help spark new ideas and engage diverse perspectives, the Government of Canada launched the $20million Food Waste Reduction Challenge in November 2020, calling for innovators to deliver game-changing solutions to this long-standing and complex issue.

The Challenge’s novel technology streams (Streams C and D) are now open for concept applications with a closing date of August 31, 2021. Up to $6.5 million in prize funding will be awarded to innovators with novel technologies that can extend the life of food or transform food that would otherwise be lost or wasted.

Eligible applicants include, businesses and social enterprises of any size; not-for-profit and charitable organizations; Indigenous organizations and groups; academic institutions; and individuals or a group of individuals.

For Streams C and D, up to 18 semi-finalists will be selected by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada to receive $100,000 and move on to develop prototypes of their technology over an eight-month period. Then, up to six finalists will receive up to an additional $450,000 to evaluate the effectiveness of their solution over one year. At the final stage, one winner per stream will be awarded a grand prize of up to $1 million.

Applications for Streams A and B, which focus on business model solutions that can prevent or divert food waste at any point from farm to plate, opened November 19, 2020 and closed January 18, 2021. This first round of the Challenge attracted 343 applications from innovators in Canada and around the world and the 24 semi-finalists were announced on May 7, 2021.

To learn more, including how to apply, visit impact. canada.ca/en/challenges/food-waste-reduction-challenge-novel-tech. The Government of Canada is committed to reducing the amount of food wasted across Canada through a wide variety of initiatives and investments.

New Online Grain Calculator Available for Volume & Test Weight The Canadian Grain Commission has released a new online tool to help producers quickly and accurately determine the volume and test weight of their grain.

The test weight calculators for Canadian grains, which are available for free on the Canadian Grain Commission’s website (grainscanada.gc.ca), will make it easier for producers to calculate the test weight of their grain in 3 commonly used units of measurement that are kilogram per hectolitre (kg/hL), pounds per Avery bushel (lb/bu-A), and pounds per Winchester bushel (lb/bu-W).

The tool also includes calculators to help producers convert tonnes to bushels and determine the volume of grain in bins, piles, and containers.

With this information, producers will be better equipped to make business decisions for their farm.

For example, accurate volume estimates are critical for producers, especially when reporting for crop insurance. The tool will also help producers determine Winchester bushel weights when they are delivering against a US contract. Test weights are also important when calculating how many trips can be made hauling grain to elevators and storage facilities.

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June 25, 2021

Cyber Insurance Options On the Rise Would you be surprised to hear that since the start of the pandemic a substantial spike in cyber crime has occurred? As employees in most offices across the world were suddenly working from home, setting up their temporary workstations, cyber criminals were salivating at the opportunity like some of us used to at an all-you-can-eat buffet.

This cyber crime problem used to seem far away from our rural setting, affecting only large corporations who have substantial data and assets that are leveraged by cyber criminals to shut them down and hold them ransom for a settlement. However, this problem has slowly, but surely, become a risk for most businesses, regardless of the size, number of employees or complexity of security.

The insurance industry first entered the realm of cyber liability coverage to protect a business from the costs and risk associated with a data breach involving loss of confidential data. Then cyber insurance coverage morphed to include some cyber crime coverage, as well as coverage for things like data-ransom, phishing, and funds transfer theft, to name a few.

The threat of cyber risk continues to evolve, with stats showing that the average ransomware demand increased from $21,358 to $129,274 from 2019 to the pandemic in 2020. The FBI in the US has reported over a 300% increase in cyber attacks reported to their office since the start of the pandemic. While these are scary numbers, there is good news. As these numbers increased, so did the number of insurers willing to offer coverage, as they see this as a long-term need for Canadian businesses.

One of the challenges in placing insurance coverage to protect your businesses from cyber crime and liability has been the application process. Answering five pages of questions related to operating systems, security, hardware infrastructure, and data storage processes takes time, and often involves the assistance of professionals hired to put these systems together. Again, there is good news as insurers continue to evolve their process to help you get coverage in place.

As insurers continue to evolve and gain a greater understanding of the risk, they are able to fine-tune the application process, the coverage, and the rating to fit Canadian businesses. It’s fair to say the cyber risk has never been greater for Canadian businesses, and the good news is that it has never been easier to transfer this risk to an insurer.

It’s time our clients get to salivate at the cyber insurance options insurance brokers can present, and make you feel like it is your turn to visit the all-you-can-eat buffet.

Be sure to seek advice and purchase insurance from those who understand your business!

David Schmidt is an Account Executive and Rempel Insurance Brokers in Morris, MB, specializing in insuring farms and businesses across Manitoba and Saskatchewan. David is a member of the Canadian Association of Farm Advisors, Winnipeg Chapter.

Contact office 204- 746-2320, Text 204-712-6618, email davids@rempelinsurance.com or visit rempelinsurance.com.

Read The AgriPost Online at

www.agripost.ca

The AgriPost

Clean Technology Funds Now Available for Farmers and Agri-Businesses The Federal Government recently announced details of the new $165.7-million Agricultural Clean Technology Program.

Under the program, farmers and agri-businesses will have access to funding to help develop and adopt the latest clean technologies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and enhance their competitiveness.

This funding will help them continue to move towards a low-carbon economy by focusing on three priority areas: green energy and energy efficiency; precision agriculture; and the bioeconomy.

The new program has two funding streams.

The Adoption Stream will support the adoption of clean technologies, with a priority on those that meaningfully reduce GHG emissions. Eligible recipients will have access to non-repayable contributions for projects that are at least $50,000 in total cost.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will contribute up to 50% for projects with forprofit recipients and up to 75% for not-for-profit recipients.

This funding stream will extend over five years, from 2021 to 2026, and will allocate $50 million specifically for the purchase of more efficient grain dryers for farmers across Canada and $10 million towards powering farms

with clean energy and moving off diesel.

The Research and Innovation Stream will support premarket innovation including research, development, demonstration and commercialization of agricultural clean technologies. Eligible recipients will have access to non-repayable and repayable contributions of up to $2 million for projects, normally cost-shared 50-50 with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. This funding stream will extend over seven years, from 2021 to 2028.

The two-step intake of applications will launch later this month. Eligible recipients for both streams include for-profit organizations, not-

for-profit organizations and Indigenous groups.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada estimates that this program has the potential to reduce up to 1 megaton of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide equivalent) from the Earth’s atmosphere.

Canada’s agricultural industry is already making contributions in the fight against climate change, as farmers and agri-businesses continue to make their operations more sustainable.

Thanks to innovative best practices and technologies, agricultural production in Canada has doubled over the last 22 years while emissions have remained relatively stable.

Risk of Fusarium Head Blight Infection Mapped by Province Manitoba farmers have another tool to help them decide if they should apply a fungicide to combat (FHB) Fusarium Head Blight.

Manitoba Agriculture provides a map on its website that has up to date information on the risk of infection in their area.

The maps are posted daily from the beginning of the winter wheat flowering until the end of spring wheat flowering and shows the current risk for the development of FHB based on the previous 7 days of temperature and moisture data. Another animated map shows how risk has progressed over the same period. Warm moist weather favours the development of the infection.

Many areas of the Province have been experiencing drought like conditions but that has not meant the disease is not present. The humid warm conditions mean that the disease has developed even though the crop has been suffering from a lack of moisture.

The map is not intended as a standalone tool but rather an aid to management decisions. The disease requires three factors, a susceptible host, a virulent pathogen and the environment favourable for development.

Saskatchewan also posts maps of the potential danger

but uses slightly different criteria and therefore has a different look. The Saskatchewan maps use the last 5 days of conditions and the next two days of forecast. Both Provinces’ maps provide a rating of threshold values, low, medium and high with Manitoba also including an extreme.

North Dakota also provides a similar map but again with a different look and slightly

different criteria. Producers along the borders are encouraged to combine both maps in their decision making process when to apply fungicide to their crop.

The upturn in grain prices may have producers considering protecting the higher value crop but current dry conditions have them wondering if the stand justifies further expense.

They are reminded that it is

the conditions like humidity that trigger the development of the disease not soil moisture or growing conditions.

Officials with Manitoba Agriculture advise that these maps are intended as a tool only. Producers should monitor fields and consider them on an individual basis. The battle against FHB should have started much earlier with crop rotations and selection of resistant varieties.

The Fusarium Head Blight Risk maps are posted daily, from the beginning of winter wheat flowering until the end of the flowering period for spring wheat. Maps will be updated daily at www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/ crops/seasonal-reports/fusarium-head-blight-report.html.

The AgriPost

Wax Proves Key to Protecting Crops from Drought and Frost A team of researchers used the Canadian Light Source (CLS) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) to show that cuticular wax, a waxy layer that covers exterior surfaces of plants; much like human skin provides a barrier against low temperatures and dehydration.

While numerous studies have established the role of cuticular wax in impacting drought resistance, few studies have examined its role in plant frost resistance and even fewer have examined both, said Dr. Karen Tanino with the College of Agriculture and Bioresource at USask.

The ultimate goal of the research is to provide plant breeders with information that enables them to more efficiently select superior genetic lines and develop more climate-resistant crops, said Tanino. “People often think that under global warming, we no longer have to be wary of low-temperature stress,” she said.

“Actually, it brings on more problems with frost because as spring is getting earlier, plants begin to grow earlier but the night temperatures are still cold so plants can still freeze. Similarly, the fall season may get extended, but there is still a risk of frost.

The climate is getting to be more unpredictable and more extreme.”

The scientists studied the impacts of drought and cold temperature stress on the plant Arabidopsis, which is in the same family of plants such as canola and mustard.

Arabidopsis has been the plant of choice for molecular biology research because its small genome, the full DNA makeup has been mapped, and different mutations of the plant are available.

Tanino’s team studied the low temperatures and drought stress performance of an Arabidopsis variant with less cuticular wax, one that overproduces the wax, and a third wild variety.

“The plant with less wax actually froze earlier than the wild type or the one that had more wax. Results were also similar in terms of water loss,” she said. “It reinforced our thinking that these particular components in the cuticular layer are important not just to one stress but to multiple stresses.”

Cuticular waxes are a mixture of very long-chain, water-repelling fatty acids. The longer the chain, the more water-repellent the wax, thus less water can adhere to a plant’s leaves, stems, flowers

and other surfaces to freeze, she said.

The researchers used the Mid-IR beamline at the CLS to study Arabidopsis leaves to the depth of two microns (two millionths of a meter), which provided information on the quantity and quality of the surface wax.

A plant freezes from the outside in, Tanino explained.

Once water freezes on the outer surfaces, it quickly propagates inside the plant, where frozen cells then die.

She argues that the best way to keep plants from freezing is by selecting waxy variet-

ies. Breeding strong water-repellent qualities into cultivars will repel water from adhering to the surface.

“There are enzymes and biochemical pathways that upregulate this wax biosynthesis. So, if breeders and molecular geneticists can identify the target and then select from tens of thousands of potential pathways, they may be able to develop more climate adaptive plants a lot sooner in a lab than by exposing them to whatever stress exists in the fields,” Tanino said. More waxy types also did not appear to have reduced yield.

The team studied a variety of Arabidopsis phenotypes during the project.

Using infrared thermography, the team could visualize heat stress in the plants.

Submitted photos

Federal Government Targets Development of Biomass Technology

By Les Kletke It may seem a bit like taking coals to Newcastle but the Federal government has unveiled a plan to encourage farmers to go green.

Federal Minister Jim Carr announced funding for a program intended to get farmers more green.

Cabinet MP Jim Carr released details of the program on June 16 during a zoom meeting that allowed him to be present from his home and include a virtual tour of the Triple Green Equipment produced by the Morris Manitoba company.

Lyall Wiebe of Triple Green hosted the video highlighting equipment his firm manufactures and said that it could be tailor made for any drying system. The equipment is designed to use biomass to produce an energy source.

Wiebe, who grew up on a corn farm Manitoba, knows the problems of field corn stauver and said that American research shows that a typical corn crop can be dried with 25% of the stauver produced by the crop.

MP Carr said that the US has already ramped up its use of biofuels and gaining on its standing of using green

energy sources. “We want to make sure that Canada is not left behind in the move to cleaner fuels and the government is committing $165 million to the program to aid in the development of projects that will increase the use of green fuels,” said Carr.

The program will provide 50% of the funding for projects developed by for profits and 70% for non-profits.

“It will also focus on groups that are typically in underfunded jobs, the program will focus on youth, women and indigenous people,” said Carr.

The equipment highlighted in the Triple Green video was developed prior to the Federal program and new funding is intended to establish similar technology all the way through to commercialization. There is a second component to the program that will receive an additional $50 million for energy

efficient advancements.

“It will be targeted as a research and innovation stream,” said Carr.

Wiebe who has brought products to market without the benefit of the program sees huge potential in the development of biomass fuels, and is already working with a greenhouse in Manitoba that uses flax shives as an energy source.

Much of the company’s equipment goes to the mining industry where would chips are used as fuel source.

“We have developed several different hoppers for the applications in the mining industry along with the control panels that make our equipment fit for the various applications,” said Wiebe.

The program may not have immediate application on farms but it will aid in the development of new sources of fuel and Wiebe said there is lots of potential there.

June 25, 2021

Senate Urged to Pass Bill C-208 to Provide Tax Fairness for Canadian Farms The Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) are calling on Canadian Senators to immediately allow for a final vote on Bill C-208 before Parliament rises for the summer recess.

“Canadian farms are 98 per cent family-owned and operated and we want to keep it that way,” said William Van Tassel, GGC vice-chair. “Farm families today face a myriad of challenges, from the increasing cost of land to the capital requirements of those entering the industry. The passage of this bill would eliminate the burden of unfair tax rates that make it difficult to keep businesses under family ownership.”

If passed, Bill C-208 would allow small businesses, farm families, and family fishing corporations the same tax rate when selling their operations to a family member as they would if sold to a third party. Presently, when a farm is sold to a family member, the difference between the sale price and the original purchase price is considered a dividend. However, if the business is sold to a non-family member, the sale is classified as a capital gain. A capital gain is taxed at a significantly lower rate and allows the seller to use the lifetime capital gains exemption.

After the Senate Agriculture and Forestry Committee passed Bill C-208 recently, it was expected that the legislation would move to a third and final vote soon.

However, the bill has not yet come up for debate, nor has a vote been scheduled.

“It is time to stop playing games with something as important to the fabric of rural Canada as our family farms. We are calling on the Senate to cease the delay of this important bill and ensure that Canadian farms have a better chance to remain in the family,” added Van Tassel.

Canary Seed Becomes an Official Grain Canary seed will soon be designated as an official grain under the Canada Grain Act. Responding to producer calls for change and following consultations with stakeholders across the country, the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) is implementing regulatory changes that add canary seed to the list of official grains.

Effective August 1, 2021, grain producers will benefit from the same rights, services and protections on their canary seed crop as they do on other regulated grains, including the right to have their canary seed assessed for grade and dockage following official grading standards at time of delivery, the right to dispute their grain’s assessment at a licensed primary grain elevator at the time of delivery, payment protections through the Safeguards for Grain Farmers Program and access to no-fee quality assessments through the Harvest Sample Program.

The average production of canary seed in Canada over the last six years was 149,600 tonnes and the average seeded area was 273,050 acres.

Consultations with producer groups began after the failure of a grain company in 2019 left producers unpaid for $2.1 million of canary seed deliveries to the company. Those producers didn’t qualify for payment protection under the Safeguards for Grain Farmers Program because canary seed was not a designated grain under the Canada Grain Act. The CGC consulted with canary seed handlers and growers to determine the grade and quality specifications for this crop. A grade determinant table along with a moisture chart will be added to the website in July 2021.

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June 25, 2021

California’s ‘Proposition 12’ Affects Hog Producers Everywhere

By Harry Siemens Pat McGonegle, the CEO of the Iowa Pork Producers Association, told the Manitoba Pork AGM in April that California’s Proposition 12 can seriously disrupt pork marketing throughout the US. California’s Proposition 12, a ballot initiative passed in 2018 will come into effect January 1, 2022. It raises the minimum space requirements for veal calves, breeding pigs and egg-laying hens and bans the sale of products in that state of animals from farms that do not meet the new standards.

The new law will raise the minimum space requirement for breeding sows above anything in place on Iowa pig farms today. In California, producers will need sow housing that will require pigs to have 24 square feet per pig.

With the January 1 date on the horizon the National Pork Producers Council and others are taking legal action against it.

McGonegle said regardless of where products originate, they will have to comply with the new law to sell in California, so this is an issue that the entire US pork sector will need to deal with.

California’s legislation is unlike others. Proposition 12 has real consequences for farmers and animal agriculture. According to a report on the AGDAILY website, the Prevention of Cruelty to Farm Animals Act, the proposition’s official name, passed in 2018 with 63 percent of the vote. The Act’s most significant feature is that it applies to anyone selling these animals in California. So a California farmer must meet those requirements just as much as an Iowa, Michigan, Florida, or Massachusetts farmer.

“If you don’t follow the law, you’re not allowed to sell your products in the state,” said McGonegle on the crucial issue for producers. “I don’t know what the debate is nationwide, but we have a million sows in Iowa, and we figure none of those sows are compliant to Prop 12 that becomes effective January 1 of 2022, so we are hopeful the legal process will be successful.”

In April, the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) did not yet have the rules from California on what the exact requirements will be, but producers have bred those sows already.

McGonegle said the pig industry in Iowa generates about 147,000 jobs in the state and household income generated from the pork industry in Iowa is about 6.8 billion dollars.

The AgriPost

Good Calf Management Reduces Impact of Summer Heat-Stress Heat-stress starts to negatively affect dairy calves at about 22 °C with a relative humidity of at least 60%. At this humidex, I have seen many calves become restless, reduce feed intake, and significantly increase water consumption. As temperatures rise (coupled with more humidity) – most of them sooner or later; breathe rapidly and then exhibit openmouth panting, since they don’t sweat.

In addition, research demonstrates that their immune system literarily shuts down.

All the while, their general metabolism shifts away from growth to solely maintaining a normal body temperature.

Therefore, it’s our job to implement good calf management; whether they are housed outside or raised in a calf barn, so they remain healthy and keep on growing.

It’s actually rare to see pre-weaned calves die from heat-stress related diseases or extreme fever. What kills many of these baby calves is severe dehydration, caused by a loss of more than 10% of their bodyweight in bodily fluids. This heavy loss of liquid bodyweight is primarily made up of cellular/tissue water and dissolved electrolytes. We often see this type of dehydration in sick calves dying of pathogenic or nutritional scours, yet the considerable fluid loss in heatstressed calves doesn’t come from their guts or intestines, but rather from their lungs

and urine.

On my last calf barn tour, I put my hand in front of a panting calf with sunken eyes (sign of severe dehydration) and my hand got wet within a couple of minutes. That’s because a great amount of water as vapour is exhaled by the calf into the air. Such pulmonary water loss underlies one of the many reasons, why calves double or triple their water intake during heat-stress and then cause frequent urination, which further leads to a dangerous loss of vital electrolytes, namely; sodium, chlorine and potassium. It’s this loss of electrolytes, which are ironically involved in the retention or discharge of cellular/tissue water in preweaned calves, regardless of heat-stress status.

Electrolyte-treatments have been frequently used to save the lives of many heatstressed calves, yet it’s very important to make sure that their water requirements (10 litres – normal, 20 litres – hot weather) are first met; simply by providing extra water in addition to the amount of whole milk or milk replacer being fed. That’s because pre-weaned calves have a natural requirement for water, which is usually higher than what is provided by the majority of milk-based feeding programs – in normal or hot weather conditions.

Case-in-point: an APC Calf Research trial (1999) measured water consumption

in 120 newborn Holstein bull-calves. The researchers offered 4 litres of “extra water” to each calf on a daily basis in addition to a 6 litre milk replacer diet. Their results showed that calf water consumption significantly increased when outside air temperatures rose from 20 to 25°C which was comparably more than when the temperature rose from 5 to 10°C. I know of many dairy producers, who follow such “extra water” recommendations that parallel this research. At this point, I also see many of them add a packet or scoop of commercial “electrolyte supplement” to the same pails of “extra water”. These salts are typically less concentrated than the “treatment” electrolytes, which the former are fed as an aid to prevent a subtle loss of electrolytes (as mentioned above) that contributes to heat-stress dehydration.

Aside from providing enough water and a good electrolyte supplement to any group of heat-stressed baby calves, there isn’t much I would do to change their current whole milk/milk replacer and calf starter feeding programs. Afterwards, I would turn my attention in keeping these dairy calves as comfortable as possible.

For example, if the calves are housed in outside hutches, I would allow an outside area where they can leave the hutch and catch a breeze

as well as provide shade to keep them out of direct sunlight. If they are housed in a calf barn, each pen should have good air-flow ventilation. Finally, it important to keep all pre-weaned calves in a comfortable environment; frequently cleaned, appropriately bedded and dry (reduces heat-stress). A good fly control program is also recommended.

Much of these calf heatstress recommendations are similar to those successfully utilized to combat heat stress in the lactation barn. Therefore, it is important to implement good calf management to help reduce heat-stress in order to keep young calves; healthy and growing at an optimum level. Even though our summers can be unbearable at times, dairy calves should have a chance to enjoy them.

Pre-weaned calves.

Province Launches Agri-Plastic Stewardship Program

Pat McGonegle, the CEO of the Iowa Pork Producers Association, told the Manitoba Pork AGM in April California’s Proposition 12 can seriously disrupt pork marketing throughout the Submitted photo US.

Manitoba will become the second Canadian jurisdiction with a provincially regulated agricultural plastics stewardship program and the first to include multiple designated materials.

“We are pleased to announce that Cleanfarms Inc. has established another important stewardship program to take responsibility for recycling products and materials produced by its industry members,” said Conservation and Climate Minister Sarah

Guillemard. “This program will contribute to the recycling of plastic waste, which is a priority for all Canadian jurisdictions.”

Cleanfarms Inc. will operate the stewardship program on behalf of the agricultural industry and manage the collection and recycling of agricultural plastics. Manitoba producers will be able to drop off used grain bags and plastic baler twine at designated collection sites throughout the province without paying user

fees at the points of collection. Cleanfarms will arrange for pickup, transportation and recycling of these materials from the collection sites.

“The agricultural sector understands the importance of respecting the environment as well as any industry and we expect this program will make a significant difference,” said Agriculture and Resource Development Minister Blaine Pedersen. “Reducing the amount of plastic destined for our landfills is

critical and we are confident that producers will support this effort.”

Cleanfarms aims to capitalize on industry enthusiasm to launch the program that, like other stewardship programs, will be industry funded at no cost to the province, the ministers said. Like many other stewardship programs in Manitoba, this initiative will be supported through environmental handling fees included in the sale prices of program materials.

The AgriPost

Scientists Explore the Role of Lysine in Sow Milk Production

By Harry Siemens Researchers with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada expect to know by fall whether increasing the lysine content in sow rations during late gestation will stimulate the development of mammary tissue.

To increase the productivity of piglets, scientists working on behalf of Swine Innovation Porc are looking at various strategies to increase sow milk production, including the stimulation of mammary development.

Dr. Chantal Farmer, a research scientist in sow lactation biology with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Sherbrooke, said while energy requirements remain constant during gestation, protein requirements increase dramatically.

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Dr. Chantal Farmer, a research scientist in sow lactation biology with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Sherbrooke, said while energy requirements remain constant during gestation, protein requirements increase dramatically.

Lysine is essential for mammary development but as yet how much is needed is not known and whether increasing lysine will stimulate mammary development.

One study recently looked at increasing the amount of lysine intake. The researchers noticed an increase in the growth rate of piglets from the animals receiving more lysine and speculated this could be due to stimulation of mammary development.

“I did the same treatment, 20.6 grams per day of lysine fed to sows from day 90 of gestation up to day 110 of gestation compared to 14.7 grams per day of lysine. I slaughtered the animals on day 110 collected the mammary tissues and we are looking at the tissue,” said Farmer.

The researchers will dissect and remove the fat layer

around the mammary tissue called the extra parenchymal tissue, and keep the synthesizing and parenchymal tissue to compare the difference. The researchers hope to answer if there is more of this parenchymal tissue in the sows receiving more lysine in late gestation.

She said by stimulating mammary development; scientists are increasing sow milk production and improving the growth rates of piglets.

As part of this overall research by the Swine Innovation Porc, scientists are looking at novel feeding strategies to increase the milk yields of replacement gilts and lactating sows to improve suckling pig’s growth and weaning weights.

“We know the number of milk synthesizing cells present in mammary tissue at the beginning of gestation will impact the amount of milk produced,” said Farmer.

The more milk synthesizing cells present, the greater the amount of milk the sows could produce, so nutrition is one way and another one is their hormonal environment.

The late gestation stage was

picked because during the gestation period, mammary development takes place from 90 days of gestation until farrowing, and it is only during these periods where they can do anything to enhance mammary development. There needs to be some development to stimulate it further.

“If there’s no development, if you try to work with any treatment in early gestation, it will not affect mammary development because there is none,” she said.

In the first study, she looked at the effect of lysine, an amino acid from day 90 of gestation up to parturition, to stimulate mammary development. Another project is looking at the hormonal status of the sow during the lactation period and seeing how this can stimulate mammary development and the milk yield of the sow. This means the study will look at both aspects; nutrition in early gestation and the hormonal status of the lactating sow Dr. Farmer said sometime in the fall, she hopes to say whether increasing lysine in late gestation does stimulate mammary development.

New Forecasting Tool to Help Better Manage Soil and Water Flows From current drought and dry field conditions to flooding in recent years, extreme weather events continue to create challenges for Manitoba farmers. The Government of Canada is working with the agricultural sector to equip farmers with tools they need to proactively manage and mitigate risks associated with these events.

They have recently announced an investment of over $1.1 million for the Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association (MFGA).

The funding will be used to develop a new forecasting

tool that will help farmers and stakeholders better understand and manage extreme weather events within the Assiniboine River Basin.

With this funding, the MFGA will create a webbased tool that will provide seven-day, forward-looking forecasts for soil moisture, groundwater and surface water flow. Producers can use this real-time information to adopt better risk management strategies and inform decisions about their operations in the face of extreme weather.

“As a producer-led non-

profit organization, MFGA has full respect and understanding of the challenges farmers and producers face with their farm operations every day when it comes to planning around water and dealing with climatic events,” said Larry Wegner, Chair, Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association.

“MFGA is very grateful to AAFC’s AgriRisk Initiatives for the project funding and we are very pleased to be delivering this new interactive forecasting tool for farmers and land managers in the Assiniboine River Basin. Be-

sides the forecasting ability, we are equally excited that the tool will also showcase how beneficial soil and landscape management practices could potentially influence soil moisture, groundwater, and surface water conditions over the seven-day interval.”

The new interactive tool will also show how soil and landscape management strategies could influence moisture and water conditions over the seven-day interval, with the goal of encouraging adoption of beneficial management practices.

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Hog Market Outlook Generally Positive

By Harry Siemens Farm Credit Canada (FCC) said the economic outlook for Canada’s hog sector looks positive amid the reopening of the Canadian economy.

FCC principal economist Craig Klemmer said the hog sector sees strong demand domestically and in the export market. Still, higher input costs are creating some uncertainty and pressure in the marketplace.

“Things are looking pretty positive with a more opportunistic outlook including strong demand for pork domestically and in the export market showing up as much improved demand,” said Klemmer.

He said that extra support comes from higher futures in the US. When looking at it from a North American perspective, there is a bit of concern on the exports.

New rules for Canadian exports going to China with the resurgence of African Swine Fever in that country give Canadians less access.

“I believe only two or three facilities are left in Canada that have export approval into China. It’s opportunistic because of strong demand domestically with the reopening of the Canadian economy and the export market with some challenges about production, and that’s good,” said Klemmer.

However, there is less opportunity accessing the Chinese market because fewer plants Canadians have approval. It all supports prices, and margins should be in that profitable area for 2021.

“It’s going to be a numbers game, so we’re going to have to keep our pencils sharp. There are different opportunities for different parts of the value chain while others continue to feel some margin compression, so we’ll have to look for those opportunities,” said Klemmer.

There is Hope for Disappearing Ears on Hogs

By Harry Siemens Researchers with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine report progress in identifying the factors that cause ear tip necrosis.

Ear tip necrosis is a common condition that typically affects pigs after weaning where the tip of the ear turns necrotic, leading to partial or complete loss of the ear and, while there are multiple theories, the cause is unknown.

Dr. Matheus Costa, an Assistant Professor with the University of Saskatchewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine, said that scientists could replicate the initial lesions under a controlled environment for the first time using samples collected from infected pigs. It gives them a model at least to start exploring and looking deeper into this question.

“One finding showed that in our lesions, what we used for the inoculum, we could not identify any relevant viruses. We did not identify PCV2, we did not identify PRRS virus or any other relevant swine virus, but we did identify a group of bacteria that could be pathogenic.”

The researchers do not know if one of those alone is the main trigger, but there were different bacteria detected, and they all seem to have the tools to initiate the lesion, so that is very exciting news, he said.

Dr. Costa said it is a matter of exploring which one of those bacteria or what group of bacteria these initial lesions require and what other triggers are necessary to for the disease to the point when actual ear loss happens.

He acknowledged the animal health implications of ear necrosis are minimal, and it does not tend to impact performance, but it has animal welfare implications that need addressing.

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June 25, 2021

The AgriPost

Hog Prices Low in China and Record High in US and Canada

Cyber Attacks on Animal Agriculture Should Not Go Unnoticed

By Harry Siemens

By Harry Siemens

Hog farmers and industry people looked at a story published by the FT.COM titled, “China hog futures fall to record low on fears of pork glut.”

The Financial Times said mass slaughtering of pigs prompted fears that the world’s second-biggest economy faces a deluge of pork. Rising concerns that the local pork market is becoming inundated have led to a more than 30 percent fall in Dalian-traded hog futures, allowing investors to bet on the future direction of prices.

Dr. John Carr, an international livestock consultant and veterinarian when contacted in Australia, said, “Yes, there is too much pork but not as the ‘Times’ reported,” said Dr. Carr. “Yes the price has fallen, but farmers are selling their pigs before they die, afraid they won’t get anything for them when African Swine Fever kills the pigs.”

“Once we get over the ASF panic there will be no pigs again. And the rest of Asia still is in meltdown. The hog price is less than 50 per cent; its 15-17rmb falling from nearly 40rmb/kg,” he said.

In Canada, the opposite is true, which is why industry price watchers should carefully assess what is going on in China.

In the HB Hog group, which includes nearly 300 producers and industry reps, someone quipped, “Harry could you fly over to China and find out what this pork glut is, please?” When Dr. Carr responded, with, “Yes.” It was not because there is an actual pork glut, farmers are panic selling everything, and soon there will be no pork.

Tyler Fulton, the Director of Risk Management with Hams Marketing Services advised Canadian pork producers to consider grain prices as they make forward contracting decisions for the fall and winter months.

“Carcass values in the United States are bumping up against all-time highs and, since the prices the packers pay in both the United States and Canada reference those values, it’s a very profitable time for producers,” said Fulton. The prices in Canada are quite the opposite of what is happening in China.

Fulton said prices are coming close to $300 per pig and, even with exceptionally high grain prices; Canadian producers are still very profitable. “For producers looking to hedge some of their production, hedging at levels of close to $200 per pig for the fourth quarter of this year, that’s a pretty exceptional level to be able to secure,” said Fulton.

He added that those producers should be making decisions in the context of their feed costs because even $200 a pig does not necessarily secure absolute profitability. There is enormous volatility in the corn and soybean markets, and that is the main cost that hog producers have in their operations.

“Generally speaking, we’re pretty supportive of guys securing a quarter of their production into the fall months and winter months at current prices just because it is an outlier on the normal seasonal trend,” said Fulton.

Fulton said processing plants are running at a fraction of capacity compared to one year ago and are reporting steady uninterrupted processing, especially in the United States, and producers are making some of the best margins over the past eight or nine years.

Another cyber attack in the world’s largest meat processing company caused disruption in production where the company paid the equivalent of US$11 million to hackers who broke into its computer system recently.

Brazil-based JBS SA said it was the victim of a ransomware attack causing some interruptions. Agriculture has taken notice because the potential threat could be severe for some.

Hannah Thompson-Weeman leads the development and implementation of communications strategy for the Animal Agriculture Alliance (AAA) as the vice president and strategic engagement said the Alliance kept an eye on this cyber attack that forced JBS to shut down and alter their operations worldwide.

While the hackers were not identified, US animal rights activists applauded the attack.

“A lot of social media conversation about how great this is and how it is shutting down the operation of a large beef producer, so I do think it’s something we could see activist groups attempt to emulate,” Thompson-Weeman said.

The AAA knows there are

The futures market shows some signs of being toppy and some producers can expect to break the $300 a mark fairly easily said Tyler Fulton of @hamsMarketing.

Submitted photo

increased efforts involving cyber security and cyber-attacks and hacking from activist groups. It is a wake-up call for all of animal agriculture and meat production to follow protocols for cyber security.

“To protect ourselves against these kinds of attacks because we spend a lot of time talking about what to do if they show up in person to our operations. But that is, of course not our only vulnerability and this brings it to all of our attention that we need to make sure we’re doing all we can to protect our operations.”

With larger processing plants, one attack can shut down a large part of the industry. The AAA saw that similarly with the COVID19 related plant shutdowns due to concerns among employees.

“It is certainly true that with the current structure of our food system if activists or any actor like this cyber security situation, if they do target the right company, that they really can have a tangible and immediate impact on food production.”

She described a similar incident in Europe where a group of activists targeted a McDonald’s distribution centre effectively disrupting the operation. In that inci-

The largest meat processing company, Brazil-based JBS SA said it was the victim of a ransomware attack and paid US$11 million to hackers.

Submitted photo

dent activists parked outside and blocked it off so that trucks could not pick up and distribute products to McDonald’s restaurants, forcing at least one of their locations to close.

“It is a wake-up call again of the importance of making sure our food system is resilient because there are, unfortunately, people out there who would like to see it disrupted.”

Proposition 12 in California concerns hog farmers and what it could mean to hog production, not just in California. The concern is that whoever ships pork to California will be impacted.

“California is a pretty major state, so that has a lot of repercussions for producers across the country,” said

Thompson-Weeman. There’s a lot of ongoing legal challenges at different levels of the courts.”

There is optimism that the legal challenges will prevail because there are certainly interstate commerce repercussions. “The primary question asked in all the court challenges; can voters in one state vote for and pass a measure that dictates how producers across the country can operate?” she said.

“A lot of our members are following or commenting on those rules. And even within the proposed rules themselves, the California Department of Food and Agriculture has noted that this will have a significant impact on the production and cost of food in California.”

WCVM Reports Record Low Numbers of Influenza this Year

By Harry Siemens Dr. Susan Detmer, an Associate Professor with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine reported record low numbers of Influenza this year. Although the media tracks the spread of COVID-19, little mention was made of Influenza.

Dr. Detmer said the major cause of Influenza strain spread in the human population is international airline travel and the reduction in travel has reduced the prevalence of respiratory pathogens.

“For humans, we’re seeing record low numbers of Influenza infections. They rose a bit over the winter but dropped so low that a season of Influenza wasn’t actually declared in Canada. It did not make the threshold

for the minimum number of cases.”

The types of viruses, such as the Influenza B virus were about a third in Canada and the opposite proportion in the United States at two-thirds.

The Influenza As are mixed with H3N2 and the H1N1 pandemic strain along with other seasonal human Influenzas normally seen, but there is no distinct pattern.

“There’s not enough detected Influenzas in North America to say that there’s a distinct pattern like we normally have with one strain dominating in the human population.”

Dr. Detmer said with travel limited between countries and even within countries and all of the social distancing to prevent COVID transmission has a positive effect. All of

the respiratory pathogens including Influenza and even the common cold are way down in humans this year.

Back in December she said things could change quickly but in Canada that did not happen.

WCVM reports record low numbers of influenza this year.png Dr. Susan Detmer, an Associate Professor with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine reported record low numbers of Influenza this year. Although the media tracks the spread of COVID-19, little mention was made of Influenza this year.

The AgriPost

Changing Prevalence of Glyphosate Resistance

By Brenda Hunter Agriculture has become so heavily reliant on glyphosate that resistance to this chemical has become prevalent throughout Canada.

It’s one of the many concerns of agronomists and is becoming a huge problem, especially for the next generation of farmers, across the Prairies. Overuse of a good thing, has become a bad thing.

Glyphosate hit the market in 1974 and grew in popularity over the next several years. It was cheap, easy and it seemed to be the answer to every farmer’s problem. Or was it?

“Glyphosate resistance (GR) really started to take off in the mid-1990s around the same time that GR crops were introduced,” said Justine Cornelsen, Agronomy Specialist with the Crop Production and Innovation Team for the Canola Council of Canada. “[There] are over 40 confirmed GR weed species globally. This number continues to increase yearly.”

There was no one farming practice that proved to be the culprit. However, minimum tillage and genetically modified crops likely added to the problem. Jump ahead

30 years and the evidence of those decisions is now being experienced.

According to Cornelsen, in western Canada, kochia is the only known GR weed so far. However, in eastern Canada there have been four species identified as being GR: giant ragweed, Canada fleabane, common ragweed and waterhemp.

Cornelsen illustrated the problem a little more clearly.

“For example, kochia produces 15,000 to 25,000 seeds per plant, and mature weeds, once they break from their stems and start to tumble with the wind, can spread these seeds over a wide area.” One can surely see how a small problem can multiple and travel exponentially.”

There are several ways of determining GR weeds. Field scouting following glyphosate applications is crucial.

Weeds that appear green next to dead ones, or weed species grouped together that are still alive next to those that were recently sprayed, are clues, as are patches of weeds that continue to grow every year.

Weed seeds can be collected and sent away for analysis to confirm GR. It is of major concern to the future of farming. Despite repeated reminders by agrono-

mists and crop advisors who have been preaching the same message about GR for a number of years, there are still those that refuse to adopt the principles and practices to control it. ‘Not my problem’ is a common attitude shared by many.

“Ignoring glyphosate resistance will result in the loss of chemistry to be used on the farm,” Cornelsen warned.

“New chemistry and active ingredients are not easy to come by. This will then limit the crops that can be grown, as many are now glyphosate resistant. Some crops rely solely on a post emergent application of glyphosate, so with it ineffective at controlling weeds, yield losses will be seen.”

There have been discussions about banning the use of glyphosate, however that time hasn’t yet come. Cornelsen recommended several proactive steps to help reduce the risk and spread of GR. One way is to keep crop and product diversity at the forefront when making input decisions to help limit development of GR weed species.

“Look at using herbicides with different modes of action or different herbicide groups,” she advised.

Another suggestion is to

consider alternative methods of managing weed suppression using chemical and cultural options like dense plant stands, cover crops, strategic use of tillage applications and mechanical means to destroy weed seeds.

The third option, and one that makes sense is to target the source of the problem by decreasing the use of glyphosate and GR crops altogether.

She suggested that farmers ask themselves this question, “Is this application really needed?” “[When it is necessary] ensure the appropriate rates, water volumes and timing of applications are done to get efficacy out of the product.”

And it goes without saying that proactive scouting of fields to early identify herbicide resistant weeds should be utilized. “[Farmers] need to be using several management tools to effectively control weeds on the farm,” she added. “Using an integrated weed management approach.”

Cornelsen noted that in addition to GR that over 76 unique herbicide resistant biotypes are now found in Canada including resistant wild oats, green foxtail and cleavers.

Storing Hay is a Lesson Learned a Long Time Ago

By Les Kletke Dan Penner already knows that he will not get an average crop of hay this year.

“We should have one cut in storage already and the second growth advancing,” he said. “We have just cut our first cut, and it is not great.”

That was as of June 20.

Penner said that even with a less than average crop of hay he will be alright for this year and through the winter. “We were able to put up a significant amount of hay last year, so we are not in a panic situation,” said the eastern Manitoba dairy-

man. “But it is for years like this that we want to have a year’s supply of feed on hand.”

It is a lesson he learned long ago but in recent years the lesson has come into play all too often. “It seems that we are in the boom and bust cycle all too often now,” said Penner. “We were fortunate to have some carry over the previous year but used it up, then last year we could put some extra in storage and now it seems that we might be using it again through the winter and next spring.”

Penner said that good

moisture through the rest of the summer could mean a bigger crop but traditionally the first cut is the largest and this year it is not close to average. He said that the amount of moisture he receives in July and August will determine his management practices for the fall.

“We would like to get some rain and have some growth for a second cut,” he said. “But we also need some dry weather to put up the hay that we have cut.”

He would like to get some moisture in the fall to replenish the crop going into

winter. “Things have gotten late with the lack of moisture this year, so it is unlikely we will get anything in the way of a third cut this year,” said Penner. “We also want to leave some growth there for the fall and not stress the plants too hard going into the winter.”

Last winter proved a relatively easy one on his hay fields. “We had a really cold stretch but that does not hurt the crop as much as the thawing and freezing.

We did not have any of that, especially in February,” he said with a chuckle.

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Untapped Resource of Biomass Fuels

By Les Kletke Canadians are only scratching the surface with the use of biomass fuels according to Lyall Wiebe of Triple Green Technologies based in Morris. He said that Europe is miles ahead of using biomass fuels.

“In Austria most homes are heated with biomass fuels,” said Wiebe. “In Canada we export 98% of the fuel supply that is processed.”

He said research shows that drying a corn crop typically takes about a quarter of the stover produced by the crop. “Farmers that use corn stover typically use the stover from 250 acres to dry the corn from 1,000 acres,” he said. “That does away with the argument of taking the nutrients from the field. You can do it with a one in four year rotation.”

Wiebe who grew up on a corn farm in southern Manitoba said that corn stalks often proved a nuisance. “If you had the stalks in the field it prevented preparing a good seedbed so we would send the stalks through the chopper and have to double disc to get the stalks broken up and then worked into the ground and they could still provide a problem in the spring,” he said. “Using a portion of the stalks as fuel for drying still has the nutrients returned to the field and provides a benefit to the farmer.”

He said corn is not the only crop that provides a good fuel source explaining that his company provided equipment to a greenhouse in Manitoba that uses flax shives. “They use shives, but we can provide equipment that uses the processed stalks,” said Wiebe.

For most users it is a matter of convenience and they prefer to have the fuel source pelleted to aid in the handling. It does add to the cost of the fuel but in most cases the fuel is available at a very reasonable price he noted.

He has also worked with a greenhouse operator in Ontario who is paid to take the biomass because it is deemed a waste product. “There is a large amount of C and D [Construction and Demolition] wood that is currently going into landfills that could be used as a heat source,” said Wiebe. “The amount is greater around heavily populated areas so in southern Ontario there is a huge potential to develop the biomass industry.”

His company works to provide equipment for the handling of most forms of the product, including a 40 foot long hopper that has a walking floor to move the product to the burner. “We work with the client to put a system in place that is most convenient to them,” he said. “We have worked with a number of different systems, some use the fuel as pellets, some use it unprocessed.”

Lyall Wiebe of Triple Green says that his company will work with clients to make sure the equipment fits. He believes biomass has tremendous potential.

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