AgriPost July 31 2015

The Agri Post

July 31, 2015

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M-COOL Saga Continues South of the Border Agriculture Ministers Collaborate on Sector Challenges and Opportunities

Federal Agriculture and Agrifood Minister Gerry Ritz and his provincial counterparts at the annual meeting of Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers of Agriculture in Charlottetown.

Federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) agriculture Ministers wrapped up their annual meeting recently with commitments to ongoing coordinated activity to boost the competitiveness of a sector that generates over $100 billion to Canada’s economy, representing close to seven percent of GDP and one in eight jobs.

“Agriculture continues to be a major driver of Canada’s economy. Continued federal-

provincial-territorial collaboration is crucial to ensuring that billions in strategic investments translate into real benefits for our producers and processors through more innovation, improved competitiveness and access to new markets,” said Gerry Ritz, Federal Agriculture Minister and Co-Chair.

Ministers support the development of new markets around the world including the Trans-Pacific Partnership,

while continuing to preserve the integrity of the supply management system. Updates were provided on developments in Canada’s ambitious agricultural trade agenda, which has resulted in trade agreements covering 38 countries and 44% of the world’s agriculture and agri-food markets. Recent developments include agreements with the European Union, South Korea and Ukraine.

Up for discussion was the

importance of efficient transportation systems in order for Canada to be a reliable supplier of agriculture and agrifood products to customers around the world. Noting potential taxation implications, they underscored the importance of building markets in Canada and efforts to reduce interprovincial trade barriers, such as direct-to-consumer shipping of wine.

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By Harry Siemens The M-COOL battle rages as two different bills reach the US Senate floor in late July.

Legislation introduced on July 24 by Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, would repeal country of origin labeling requirements for beef, pork and poultry and stave off trade retaliation from Canada and Mexico.

The proposed amendment comes on the heels of last month’s passage of legislation by the House of Representatives to repeal COOL. Senator Roberts said to protect the US economy and ensure Canada and Mexico drop their pursuit of retaliation the Senate must take up the House passed bill repealing COOL. “Whether you support COOL or whether you oppose COOL, the fact is retaliation is coming unless the Senate acts to stop this program that the WTO has found to be discriminatory,” said Roberts. “Over the years this body has attempted many times to craft a workable COOL program for all stakeholders while still living up to our international trade obligations.”

“However, as I mentioned earlier, again and again the WTO ruled in favour of Canada and Mexico,” he said.

“The Canadian government, which will determine whether or not retaliation on US products will take effect in the near future, has made it clear the only acceptable outcome remains for the United States to repeal COOL or face $3 billion in annual retaliation.”

“We’re grateful that Chairman Roberts recognizes that repeal of COOL meat labeling is the only move left, with retaliation from Canada and Mexico imminent,” said National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) President Dr. Ron Prestage, a veterinarian and pork producer from Camden, South Carolina. “The US had its day in court, and it lost.

We’re in the sentencing phase now, and without repeal, a sentence of up to $3 billion soon will be imposed on our exports.”

Iowa State University economist Dermot Hayes said the average US pork producer could lose $10 per hog beginning later this year and into next year and most likely would double pork producer losses.

A measure also introduced on July 24 by Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow,

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July 31, 2015

The Agri Post

The Agri Post

Breaking that Canola Bushel Barrier Contest

By Les Kletke It was only a few years ago Dr. Don Flaten did a presentation at farm meetings entitled “How to Grow 100 Bushel Canola”. The title was a tongue in cheek reference to all the methods that claimed to increase canola yields by 5-10 %.

The point was that if a

farmer used all the methods of improving yields, he promised yield increases. Flaten then went on to explain a more practical approach.

Now the yield target is a reality. Rob Saik of Agri Trend announced the Canola 100 contest at Ag in Motion an outdoor Farm Show held near Saskatoon in July. This is the first year of the outdoor show and if it can continue to announce contests of this nature, it should help establish it as the Farm Show to attend on the summer circuit.

The prize matches the yield, with the winning farmer receiving a line of John Deer equipment for 100 hours of use.

Saik said that he has heard of farmers getting 80 bushels an acre of canola. Making 100 bushels is in the realm of possibility but certainly not eas-

M-COOL continued...

Continued from page 1 would repeal mandatory meat labeling and replace it with a voluntary labeling program.

However, because Stabenow’s bill, like the existing law calls for labels to provide information on where animals are born, raised and slaughtered, it still would necessitate segregation of Canadian and Mexican livestock, leading to discrimination against them, which is a violation of international trade rules.

Canada has rejected the voluntary approach outright continuing on the course of retaliation. “The only acceptable outcome remains for the United States to repeal COOL,” said Agricultural Minister Gerry Ritz and Trade Minister Ed Fast. “Senator Stabenow’s COOL 2.0 fails to address Canada’s concerns and would continue to undermine our integrated North American supply chains,” said their combined statement. “By continuing the segregation of and discrimination against Canadian cattle and hogs, Senator Stabenow’s measure will harm farmers, ranchers, packers, retailers and consumers on both sides of the border. This is contrary to successive World Trade Organization (WTO) decisions that have clearly ruled in Canada’s favour.”

NPPC’s Prestage said it does not satisfy Canada and Mexico, so it will not stop retaliation, and the industry can not afford to have their products restricted, through tariffs, for two of their top three markets. “We don’t like it, Congress doesn’t like it, but the reality is that after four losses at the WTO, Canada and Mexico hold the cards,” said the NPPC President.

ily attained.

The contest will run from 2016-2018 and requires a verified yield of 100 bushels an acre on 50 acres of canola.

Entries will be taken beginning September 16 and there will be no charge for entering in the competition.

Saik believes that any one entering will be a winner because the contest will encourage producers to improve their management practices and record keeping since the first year may be more of a trial to see what inputs bring the biggest bang. Those practices that increase yields will be put into play the following years and can be used on the rest of the farm if economically viable.

If no one reaches the 100bushel barrier in the three years of the contest, the prize will be awarded to the farmer that has attained the highest yield through the course of the contest. The 100-bushel mark may be attainable but does not take into account economic re-

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Rob Saik announces the 100 bushel canola challenge at a trade show in Saskatoon. The first farmer to break the 100 bushel barrier will win the use of the John Deere equipment for a year.

turns of the practices.

Champion corn and soybean grower Kip Cullers resorted to placing tin foil between the rows of his crop to reflect more light back to the plant. He confirmed it did not show the desired return and gave up on the practice. With the same ingenuity and creativity prairie, farmers could be trying some very innovative techniques to growing canola. Ironically, no fertilizer company was involved in sponsoring the contest.

Dedicated Spirit and Innovation Describe Inductees into Agricultural Hall of FFame ame

At their annual Induction Ceremony in Portage la Prairie recently, the Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame was pleased to recognize those who have made a significant and lasting contribution to agriculture provincially, nationally or internationally during their lifetime.

Those recognized were Harry Airey of Rivers, Clarence Baker formerly of Beausejour Area, Morris Deveson of Winnipeg, Glen Findlay of Shoal Lake, William Gregor of Brandon, Robert Hopley of Brandon, David Jeffries of Portage la Prairie and Robert Roehle of Winnipeg.

Ag Ministers Discuss continued...

Continued from page 1 To broaden the scope of innovation, competitiveness and market development they looked at how it could be applied to a broader range of food products, such as seafood. A commitment was made to continue reviewing business risk management programs, and to facilitate the development of new industry-led products available for producers to manage their business risks.

Also discussed were the significant contributions of the food and beverage-processing sector, recognizing it as a strategic industry in Canada, and renewed their support for coordinated action through the FPT Food Processing Industry Development Forum.

Provincial and territorial Ministers restated the vital importance of temporary foreign workers to the agri-food and seafood industries and discussed the implications of the changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. They encouraged the federal government to continue discussions to evaluate the program changes in order to meet labour requirements.

They agreed on the need for policies that are based on sound principles of science, which are internationally recognized and respected, focusing on bee health and on controlling pests.

There was a discussion on social license and public confidence in products and processes in agriculture and food, noting the extensive efforts throughout the supply chain to adhere to the highest standards of food safety and sustainable production practices. Ministers reaffirmed their support for continued review and modernization of sciencebased regulations for food safety, animal health and welfare, and plant health and emphasized the importance of an outcome-based framework.

Participants expressed a growing concern about recent challenges with food and farm tampering, which is a criminal offense. Provisions under the Safe Food for Canadians Act will provide the Canadian Food Inspection Agency with explicit authority to take enforcement actions against persons who tamper with or threaten to tamper with food commodities. Ministers will continue to work closely with industry stakeholders on strategies and initiatives to maintain the confidence of consumers, processors, retailers and food service buyers.

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The Agri Post

Thinking with Your Tax Bill It has been said that tax avoidance is the greatest factor affecting farm management decisions, and I had another example of it this past week.

“Sell cows?” said the gentleman with the large buckle. “The price has never been higher; we are finally making some money in the beef business. How could I sell cows?”

It is a lot easier to make financial decisions on someone else’s balance sheet. I thought about what he had just said and what he was going to do. Cows were in fact the highest price they had ever been and he was going to buy more of them.

This fellow has more wrinkles than hair, so I can only assume he had been through the cycle once or twice before and yes I am aware that the down time in the beef industry has been longer than usual and times have been worse than tough for the last decade. Still financially it does not justify buying into this market.

Too often, we get stuck in the rut of thinking that things will be the same as they are at that moment in time. The reality is that things change and high markets crash or at least correct themselves and low markets improve though never as fast as we want.

The cow market is going to fall, they are making new cows everyday and while it may take a while, the herd numbers will be rebuilt and beef prices will come down. The strategy employed my many producers at this time is to take the money they are making in this market and invest it in more cows, that saves paying the tax man. I understand that but the real problem might be down the road when you have more cows and the market returns to normal and you’re not making money. It will indeed help with your tax situation because the losses with be real, not only on the tax sheet.

I also remember a long time cowman showing me a cheque with a lot of zeros on it, the last time the cow market was high. “You out of cows?” I asked more than somewhat surprised.

“Yup,” he said. “I’ll buy them back for half the price in two years. That bank is stupid enough to give him the money to buy cows, and it is up to me to take.” He did and he did.

While it is easy to get good advice, it is more difficult to follow it when it means giving some money to the government. Guys will buy cows to avoid the tax, as sure as anything will.

The guys that don’t are going to buy those cows cheaper in a year or two.

Culture and Information Exchange Between Canadian and Paraguayan Farmers On July 29, we left for Chaco, Paraguay as guests of the Menno Colony to do eight farm presentations. Judith begins several health staff round table discussions, and I will preach one message in the Menno Colony Mennonite Conference church arranged by host for that weekend, Elmer Kehler. We will be returning on August 18.

While presenting on Canadian farming techniques to the governance of the Menno Colony, mayors and elected officials, the employees and technicians, farmers, bankers, I will also interview some of the people attending these sessions, making this an exchange of information between the Mennonites in two countries.

It is interesting to note, the Menno Colony Mennonites originally came from Manitoba in the 1926-27 period to what was then the most unwelcoming site. Many didn’t survive and others turned around and came back on the next ship. However, those that remained, persevered, worked hard, suffered greatly and today thrive in a country that may well be lost without them, especially in the realm of producing food.

Elmer Kehler, a fellow singer with me in the Faith & Life male choir for several years, about 12 years ago, made the original contact for the La Cooperativa Chortitzer Ltd that runs the Menno Colony back in January 2014 via numerous Skype conversations, many emails and text messages.

While a co-op, farmers and businesses operate in a very free enterprise system within that co-operative growing peanuts, sesame, corn, and soybeans. They are just starting to use fertilizer and experimenting with corn and soybeans. They have a thriving dairy and cattle industry with modern meat, milk, and cheese processing facilities that export to Europe and surrounding countries.

Ethanol’s Food or Gas Dispute Heats Up In June, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that in 2015 it would require retailers to blend 14 billion gallons of ethanol into gasoline. For the moment, at least, the US government is still looking favourably at ethanol. But the arguments in favour of continuing this mandate are getting weaker. It’s just a matter of time before something changes.

Three main reasons for the ethanol push have remained constant. It is cheaper than gasoline, it will help the US become energy-independent and it’s good for the environment. In a recent article in National Review titled “The Corn Penners Ethanol Boondoggle Continues,” author and journalist Robert Bryce, whose primary focus is enPoints ergy, disputes these advantages.

First, is ethanol cheaper for consumers, as proby Rolf ethanol groups often claim? According to Bryce, Penner “The exact opposite is true. Ethanol is more exrolfpenner@agripost.ca pensive than gasoline. In fact, on an energyequivalent basis which is the essential factor in comparing motor fuels it has been more expensive than gasoline for more than three decades.”

What about energy independence? It’s not that ethanol has had no effect; in 2014, the output was equivalent to 620,000 barrels of oil per day. But that’s just a drop in the bucket compared to what innovations such as horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing have made possible. Bryce points out that, “Since 2005, just the increase — repeat, just the increase — in US oil output, nearly all of it from shale deposits, equals more than five times the output of every ethanol distillery in the country.” The need just isn’t there the way it once may have been.

Bryce deals with the supposed environmental benefits by citing a report by researchers from the University of Minnesota. “While corn-ethanol-fueled vehicles emit marginally less greenhouse gases than those fueled by gasoline, the combined climate and air quality impacts are greater than those from gasoline vehicles. Jason Hill, one of the authors of the report, said flatly that if we’re using ethanol for environmental benefits, for air quality and climate change, we’re going down the wrong path.”

In a separate article, Emily Cassidy, a research analyst with the Environmental Working Group, points out how corn ethanol right now actually produces more CO² emissions than the proposed Keystone pipeline would. She shows this using the EPA’s own carbon estimates. Last year’s production of roughly 14 billion gallons of corn ethanol, “Resulted in 27 million more tonnes of carbon emissions than if Americans had used straight gasoline in their vehicles. That’s worse than Keystone’s projected emissions. It’s the equivalent of emissions from seven coal-fired power plants.”

Both Bryce and Cassidy make compelling cases that corn ethanol is not delivering the benefits promised to consumers who are forced to use it. Farmers around the world have received an economic benefit from redirecting a certain amount of the corn supply into people’s fuel tanks every year. But that’s a win-lose scenario that just can’t last forever.

Sooner or later, things are going to get rebalanced. When that mountain of corn moves back into the food market, we had better be ready for it. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.

They have a modern hospital in Loma Plata, our headquarters for the most part, a nurses training school, and a seniors home where Judith will have several round table discussions.

When I spoke with Elmer Kehler about farming in the Chaco, he said that they raise peanuts, sesame, some soybeans, and the rest of the land is in pasture and hayland. He also raises cattle for beef and runs a modern dairy. All of their commodities are marketed through the co-op. There are no restrictions on what and how much they produce except for the prices they get, climate, rainfall, or the lack thereof.

The information that I’ll share during our stay comes from farmers, agricultural supply people, technicians, and other related research people over a 43-year period, and ten years before that farming with my father and brother.

In the last year, I have changed my information gathering slogan to, “As a freelance farm journalist and podcaster, I help farmers and Ag people tell their stories one person at a time. I want to help you to tell yours.”

For the people in Paraguay, my focus is on production, management, marketing, succession practices and transitions, financials, and how farmers and ag people treat the land, the environment and their families while still making a good living and feeding the rest of the world.

“Canada is always an ally when it comes to top quality food supplies. We work with a lot of government agencies, people around the world. Paraguay does ship some product around the world and into Europe. We will be shipping product their too,” said Agricultural Minister Gerry Ritz when I asked him for a short greeting on behalf of Canada to the people I will be presenting to. In other words, Ritz says we work together where we can, but also compete with all the rest, when the playing field is right.

We ask for your prayers for a safe journey, that our Low German will be clear, and continued health and safety.

As mentioned earlier, stay tuned. I will be reporting our experiences and the stories of these southern farmers.

The Agri Post

When Trade is a Sacred Cow Investor Protection Displaces Common Sense Trade did not begin when the Canada-US Free Trade Agreement was signed in 1989, and neither will it stop if the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) is not signed.

Trade agreements’ investor protection clauses that enable corporations to force governments to compensate them when social or environmental policy impedes profits are contrary to democratic values. Today, Canada’s supply management system is under attack.

Some trading partners, such as New Zealand and USA want to sell their dairy products to Canadians, and lobbyists from other sectors within Canada would like to sacrifice the supply-managed sectors as a way to obtain benefits for their own sectors. While CETA, the TPP and NAFTA are called “trade” deals, they are really sets of rules that limit governments and empower corporations. The corporate sector may make profits the top priority, but for Canadians, it is common sense to guarantee that our people can rely on both the quality and quantity of food produced by our farmers.

Canadians support supply management for good reason.

It is an innovative solution, first developed in Ontario and Quebec in the 1960s.

Supply management addressed the problems that led to both milk shortages and over-production and waste, along with uncertain, volatile incomes for dairy farmers. Prices were often below the cost of production and at times, processors would turn farmers away.

Elsewhere in Canada, fresh milk supply was inconsistent, sometimes with no milk available at all. Farm gate prices also fluctuated seasonally. In 1969, in exchange for a commitment by all dairy farmers to apply production discipline, the governments of Ontario and Quebec implemented supply management regulation for dairy. Other provinces soon followed.

Today’s dairy farmers supply a daily stream of fresh, high quality milk.

Their farms are highly sophisticated, capital intensive operations that require specialized, experienced labour and management. In exchange, they receive a price based on the cost of production.

Unlike their European and US counterparts, Canadian dairy farmers do not rely on government subsidies to

make their living.

Canadian dairy processors also benefit from the predictability of milk supply, allowing them to run plants efficiently, using near full capacity year-round, unlike those in Europe and the USA. Because it is so perishable, a constant, predictable supply of fresh milk is needed every day for efficient dairy processing. To meet this need, dairy farmers must carefully plan for calving intervals, herd size, herd health, nutrition and feed inventory. The drive to efficiency in production is important, but is only truly valuable if real costs are reduced. Obtaining lower milk prices by compromising quality standards, off-loading environmental costs and under-paying labour is not progress. Subsidies provided in some but not all jurisdictions give the appearance of efficiency when costs are just shifted from the marketplace to the public purse.

We could be faced with severe food shortages in future. Over the last century, we have seen the total farm population implode from one-third of all incomeearners to less than one percent being involved in agriculture today. Canada has a significant agricultural resource land base, but it takes vision and common sense to utilize the land’s potential.

Climate change adds to the

By Jan Slomp challenges farmers are facing.

Those who would put trade agreements such as the TPP ahead of having a made-inCanada solution to the challenges of providing milk to the population must be confronted with serious questions. How fresh would imported milk be? How reliable would the supply be, and at what price? What kind of quality standards could consumers expect, and who would enforce them?

What would the Canadian countryside look like? How would the local economy change after losing its local family-owned and operated dairy farms and their related employment? The picture is uninviting at best, if not dangerous and bleak. Supply management has a proven record of providing the right amount of affordable, high quality dairy products at all times. Free trade deals like the TPP are not sacred cows, but do supply a lot of bull.

Jan Slomp is the President of the National Farmers Union.

NDP Ignore FFarmer armer Delegation Dear Editor: On June 23, members of the Manitoba BiPole Landowners Committee (MBLC) travelled to the Manitoba Legislature to bring their concerns about the impact the BiPole III project will have on their family farms.

Instead of acknowledging the MBLC members, Ron Kostyshyn, NDP Minister of Agriculture and MLA for Swan River, stared at the floor and refused to even acknowledge their presence in the chamber gallery. Multiple requests for a meeting were ignored and the minister ran off before the members could speak with him.

This is a shameful attitude, and it highlights the NDP government’s disrespect for all Manitobans and for the environmental

stewardship of agricultural producers across this beautiful province.

After saying in January he would meet with the MBLC members, “Very soon, Kostyshyn has still not done so.

Blaine Pedersen Opposition Agriculture Critic, Progressive Conservative MLA for Midland

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Canada Must Negotiate To Be Part of the TPP Canada is one of twelve countries negotiating the TransPacific Partnership (TPP) with other major trading countries

By Rick Bergmann like the United States, Australia and New Zealand. The prospects of a TPP agreement being reached, and soon, appear favourable and can happen with or without Canada’s participation. As discussions near the finish line, the Canadian Pork Council wishes to point out how crucial it is for our industry that Canada be a part of such an agreement.

Canadian pork exports to Japan - one of the major players in the TPP - could very quickly grow by 10% given the improved access provided by the deal to the Japanese market. That alone adds up to an additional 1,000 jobs and $87 million a year for the Canadian economy. Our exports will continue to grow over the phase-in period of the agreement, easily reaching, in our view, $300 million in sales and another 4,000 jobs.

The TPP also would open doors for us to countries like Vietnam and Malaysia and give Canada an opportunity to negotiate improved terms of trade with potential new entrants in the TPP like South Korea and the Philippines.

However, Canada missing out on being a part of the TPP would create enormous challenges for us. We would quickly see deterioration in our ability to compete within the market composed of TPP member countries, which collectively make up almost 40% of the world’s gross domestic product.

As a trade-dependent sector – exports are well over 65% of Canada’s total pork production – we cannot afford for Canada to be left out of an important deal. Our industry has already been there, done that.

In 2007, Canada left unfinished FTA negotiations with South Korea that had begun in 2004. Soon after that, we saw our competitors, including the United States, complete trade deals with Korea. Canada’s pork exports to South Korea plummeted by more than two-thirds within just two years of the implementation of the Korea-United States Free Trade Agreement, falling from a quarter-billion dollars in 2011 to only $76 million in 2013. Thankfully, Canada and South Korea last year resumed talks and we were very pleased that the Canada-Korea FTA was implemented at the start of this year.

However, it will take several years for Canada to catch up with its competitors on access to South Korea. If a Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement is reached, which includes the US, Japan, but not Canada, the impact on the Canadian pork industry would be much worse, and our lost competitiveness likely would be much longer lasting. That’s because the Japanese market is several times larger for Canadian pork exports – close to $1 billion annually – and our exports to Japan are more concentrated in higher valued products for which no ready alternative markets exist that offer comparable returns.

Independent analysis performed for the Canadian Pork Council estimates that if Canada was left out of a TPP that includes Japan, Canadian pork producers would lose about $5 per animal and the volume of pork exports to Japan would in short order decrease almost 40% - that’s $330 million in sales. Furthermore, 4,500 jobs would be in jeopardy.

The long-term results would be even more serious. The diminishing economic viability of Canada’s pork sector would lead to permanent cutbacks and closures for Canadian pork producers, processors and exporters.

We learned from our experience with South Korea how quickly we can lose a market when our competitors gain tariff advantages through comprehensive trade deals.

Canada must negotiate to be part of the TPP. Rick Bergmann is Chair of the Canadian Pork Council.

Support for New Equipment in Manitoba’s Hemp Seed Industry The Canada and Manitoba governments are funding new equipment to support the growth of the hemp seed processing industry.

Nearly $390,000 will be provided to Hemp Oil Canada Inc. (HOCI) to purchase and install a new optical sorter and packaging system at its new processing facility in Ste. Agathe.

The equipment will modernize the packing line, improve food safety and ensure the company can remain competitive in the international hemp seed market.

HOCI is the largest hemp seed wholesaler in North America, with annual sales

of more than $25 million.

The company employs 30 full-time staff and purchases 10 million pounds of hemp from prairie farmers every year. The new facil-

ity, which is expected to open in summer 2015, will help create 10 new jobs.

Government funding represents 50% of the cost of the new equipment.

Virden Auction Market Receives Award The Canadian Angus Association (CAA) has honoured Heartland Livestock Services from Virden, Manitoba with their Auction Market of the Year Award. CAA Director of Field Services, Brian Good, and Manitoba Field Staff, Lois McRae, presented this award in Winnipeg, at the Livestock Markets Association of Canada annual conference.

Heartland Livestock Services has been connecting buyers and sellers for over 60 years. The auction mart handles over 100,000 head annually, drawing cattle from Manitoba as well as Eastern Saskatchewan.

The Auction Market of the Year Award was introduced in 2006 to recognize and honour those auction markets that work hard to promote Angus cattle.

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July 31, 2015

The Agri Post

Quilts That Are Bigger Than Life

By Les Kletke It began with a trip to the US and has turned into 15 quilts that are larger than the typical quilter would image.

Jan Skene is one of the organizers of the Interlake Barn Quilt Trail and said that the idea came from a trip to the US where she saw the quilt patterns painted on the sides of barns.

“The area was looking for something to develop a trail through the area that would get people to drive through some of our smaller communities and I suggested to Gail Mc Donald that we could develop a Quilt Trail. She liked the idea and it took off from there,” said Skene who has her own quilt at her home on a signboard.

The official opening of the trail was held July 29 at the Arborg and District Multicultural Heritage Village in Selkirk but the trail already has 15 quilts in place with the possibilities of adding more next year.

Skene said she chose a pattern that featured four maple leaves and it measures 4” x4”.

“I thought the Maple Leaf was a great symbol of Canada and would be a message for those travelling the trail,” she said. While it is not a traditional quilt pattern she did work with a small quilting pattern on graph paper and with the help of painters tape blocking out the larger pieces of the sign board.

“We used sign board instead of plywood because it is a bit more durable and longer lasting,” said Skene. The Inter Lake Co-op allowed members use of one their buildings for the project and the group works on 7 pieces at one time.

“Because of the different colours and waiting for the paint to dry, we worked on several at one time, and would put in

a couple of hours and have to come back the next day,” said Skene.

While Skene’s features maple leaves several of the others carry a provincial theme, one showing the provincial flower, the Prairie Crocus and another features a Lady Slipper and four other flowers. “Some have a personal theme, the one at Anderson Strawberries combines the ancestry of the people, Métis and Danish to celebrate their cultures,” she said. “There is another at Gimli that has tulips to recognize the Dutch ancestry.”

“We hope to get people off of the #1 highway and enjoy the Barn Quilt Trail,” said Skene who is already planning another one.

The Barn Quilt Trail opened officially on July 29. The trail features quit patterns painted on boards mounted on buildings throughout the Interlake.

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July 31, 2015

The Agri Post

The Agri Post

Bull Rider Thanks Morris for the Memories

By Les Kletke Tyler Thompson was optimistic for what he believes will be his last trip to the Manitoba Stampede in Morris. Thompson boarded a plane in Calgary Sunday morning and hoped to be back to his ranch in Black Diamond, Alberta by nightfall.

“Sunday is payday in Morris,” he said with a smile. “This rodeo has been good to me; I’ve won it three times and finished second twice. Hopefully I can be in the money again.” Thompson is a bull rider and has been coming to Morris for 14 years riding professionally. He counts 6 years before that in a career that has taken him across the prairies and northern US. It has also taken a toll on his body.

“At 36, I am starting to feel the aches and pains,” he said. “This will be my last year of riding. Twenty years is enough.”

Thompson admits it will be tough to give up the rodeo but he has been easing into it, “I don’t think I will get to 35 rodeos this year, where as it was nothing to do 100 events [a year] when I was in my 20s.”

It is not just the aches and pains that are catching up to him; it is other things on the calendar. “I have a lot of things going on right now and it is time to pay attention to them and build a future,” he said. Those things include 650 beef cows on his ranch southwest of Calgary.

He is not sure what will happen with the cowherd this fall but feels it might leave the farm. “With the prices the way they are the cows might be going to town,” he said. “If I can get $3,000 to $3,500 a cow I might sell them and buy some more land and equipment for when I buy the cows back.”

For Thompson the price of feed and shortages in other parts of the province might play into the plan. “The shortage of feed might mean more cows coming to market and I could by some cows get a calf out of them and sell them next year while the market is still high,” he said smiling. “But that all depends on the price of feed.”

He explained that if he does sell the cows he would not be at a loss for something to do. He is developing a solid guide business, hosting cougar hunts from his ranch and surrounding area at Black Diamond. “We have about an 8 week season in the fall,” said Thompson. “So I might buy a few horses and train them for the hunt or train them for rodeoing.”

There may be many things on his calendar but for one Sunday, everything focused on an 8-second ride in Morris that did not work out as planned. Sunday was not payday in Morris for Tyler Thompson. He does not plan to be back but he carries a hat full of memories from the Morris Stampede and had highest praise for the event.

Holistic Management Canada Field Days Holistic Management Canada is inviting farmers to attend one or more of their field days. Learn how to better manage your animals, land, finances and people as part of these experiential, peer-to-peer field days.

Educating Young People about Soil Health, Regenerating Land with a Pasture Plan and Cover Cropping - On Tuesday, August 4, at Pogson Ranch, Dave and Val Pogson Farms at Clearwater, Manitoba. The field day covers how to use cattle for grazing to improve grass, planned grazing (timing) to increase plant diversity and reseed pastures, how to stabilize creek banks, how to reduce tree and shrub encroachment, how to use cover crops for soil health and structure and how to extend cattle grazing into fall and winter.

Regenerating Land through Livestock and Improved Fertility - On Wednesday, August 26, at Breault Ranching Ltd., Clayton and Shauna Breault Farms near Toutes Aides, Manitoba. Daylong action begins with how does grass grow and what is recovery time? Followed by the importance of litter on the surface, solar collection the first step, what makes an effective water cycle and our most important ally- the microbes below our feet and more topics.

Capturing Carbon through Cover Cropping - On Tuesday, September 1, at SG&R Farm, Ryan and Sarah Boyd at Rapid City, Manitoba. Learn about profit vs. production, how does one integrate both livestock and grain into a farming operation, learn about no-till, low disturbance seeding, what is Mob Grazing and using mixed annual forages and watch how to move cows and mow down some of these mixtures. The day ends with how to create healthy soils and enhance soil biology and structure on annual crop fields.

Sometimes the bulls win. Tyler Thompson came to Morris to wrap up his bull riding career after 20 years but went home with empty pockets.

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July 31, 2015

Implement a Good Post-Weaning Dairy Heifer Program on Your Farm Almost every time that I make a visit to a lactating dairy barn, I try to make it a point to look at the post-weaned replacement heifers as well. That’s because raising young dairy heifers can be one of the greatest challenges found even on the best run dairies. Therefore, I believe that implementing a good post-weaning

heifer program makes a lot of sense, which contributes to their future success as high milk producing dairy cows.

Sometimes it’s hard to realize that post-weaning heifers from 2 – 6 months of age are not simply miniature mature dairy cows, although by looking at them, it might appear that way. Rather,

these young replacement heifers have immature rumens, which takes up to six months of age before they are fully developed and functional; containing enough rumen microbes, digestive enzymes and volume to consume and efficiently digest all types of forages and other common dairy feedstuffs.

With such anatomy and digestive information in mind a respective young dairy heifer diet should contain enough starchenriched grains in order to promote this rapid and continuous rate of rumen development. Research has demonstrated that recent post-weaned calves that consume a significant proportion of

grains versus forage in their diet develop have significantly faster rumen development than dairy calves of the same age reared on a predominantly forage-based diet.

Good steady growth on these young dairy heifers is also a matter of providing enough essential nutrients that match a 2 – 6 month old heifer’s relatively high nutrient requirements for balanced optimum growth rate of 1.8 – 2.0 lbs per day (increased to 2.0 – 2.2 lbs after puberty at about 9 – 10 months of age).

Therefore, a heifer grower diet for 2 - 6 month old animals should contain about 67 – 69% TDN (total digestible nutrients), 16 - 18% protein, and fortified with adequate levels of macroand trace-minerals and vitamins. One should also keep in mind that young dairy calves from weaning (180 lbs) to six months (400 lbs) of age have a limited dry matter intake from about 6 – 10 lbs per head per day.

Luckily, many straightforward diets can be set up for 2 – 6 month old heifers that promote good rumen development and growth performance. For example, a University of Minnesota field trial fed 90 dairy replacement heifers from 3 – 6 months of age, weighing on average 222.2 lbs for 84 days on a balanced ration consisting of free-choice high quality hay (16.7% CP) and a 18% grain ration (based on cracked corn and soybean meal) fed up to 5lb/head/day.

As a result, average daily gain was found to be relatively consistent among the heifers; recorded at 2.1 – 2.2 lb/ head/day. Addition of some dried distillers grains to replace some of the soybean meal in the diet as an alternative protein source did not impact growth at all. Such demonstrations also prove that high quality forages and sufficient amounts of grain are required in order to achieve an acceptable level of performance.

In contrast, I am not an advocate of feeding 2month old dairy heifers’ total mixed ration (TMR) containing silage, either specifically formulated for them, or producers that

simply feed them lactation leftovers. In particular, I believe these young postweaned heifers have limited rumen capacity, which is not fully developed in the first place and bulky TMRs containing silage challenges their daily intakes in order to obtain enough essential nutrients. As proof, I have on occasion seen young heifers with their “big balloon” bellies filled with silage and gas.

Another reason not to feed TMRs is some ensiled feeds such as high-grain corn silage contain excessive energy and often not enough protein, which could possibly over-condition young growing heifers. If a dairy producer wants to feed them TMR/ensiled feed, I recommend that we wait until heifers become older; 4 – 6 months of age, so silage might be formulated up to 25% of the total forage dry matter consumed.

Dairy producers should also parallel good postweaning heifer management when providing these nutritious diets.

Many dairy specialists and I recommend to first wean 6 – 8 week old heifers that are consistently consuming about a kilo of calf starter for a few days. Wait a couple of weeks before removing them from hutches or individual stalls and then segregate them into small groups according to their size and weights. All of these young dairy candidates should be moved into groups that contain no more than 5 to 7 heifers per pen. These pens should finally have adequate space for animals to move around and rest, be clean and well-bedded, with water provided on a free-choice basis.

By feeding the right diet that matches young replacement heifers’ nutrient requirements and in a stress-free environment that keeps them healthy and makes them growth makes sense to me. Most of the time, I don’t need a weigh scale or measuring stick to see young replacement heifers are doing well.

They are lively and cannot wait until they become good mature milk cows!

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Square Bale Gardening Wheat Acres Holding Up Near Manitou

By Joan Airey Leanne and Ed MacKay live and garden near Lake Watopanah.

Their first priority was finding a way to keep the deer from dining in their garden. The MacKays solved the deer free range dining experience when Ed constructed a twelve-foot high fence around their garden.

The other priority was how to set up a healthy low-maintenance garden. “When touring the Winnipeg Conservatory I saw bales positioned in squares with compost piled in the middle and vegetation growing in them. So I did some research online to learn more about the idea. I found Joel Karsten’s Straw Bale Gardens and downloaded the book on my Kindle app. Last year my Leanne MacKay in her front yard neighbour offered me near Lake Watopanah. bales they had used to protect their trees over the winter. They wanted to get rid of the bales and I needed bales to try out this idea. So I thought it was a win-win situation for both of us. I placed them strategically in the section of my garden that was covered with landscape fabric. This year they gave me twenty-five bales so I was able to expand my bale gardening project. The bales I used last year to plant in I spread between the bales I planted in this year to prevent weeds from growing,” said Leanne.

You have to start this project early she explained. Once you place the bales, they have to be conditioned for ten to twelve days. The bales have to be put cut side up to absorb the water and granular fertilizer. Lawn fertilizer that has at least twenty percent nitrogen is required for conditioning bales not the slow release kind. After twelve days the bacteria inside the bales, starts digesting the straw making nitrogen and other minerals available to the plants you grow in them.

“The first day to start conditioning the bale you sprinkle 1/ 2 cup of high nitrogen fertilizer over the top surface of the bale, then water by hose till it disappears into the bale. On the second day, water the bale only and on the third day, fertilizer and water. Alternate this process on four to six days. Day’s seven to nine you add a quarter cup of fertilizer and water.

Day ten use one cup of 10-10-10. I recommend if you are

By Les Kletke

Potatoes growing in square bales are easy to harvest with your hand.

Photos by Joan Airey

going to try this project go online and download the book,” continued Leanne.

While walking through the garden you could see that the vegetables and fruit stay cleaner because they are high off the ground and make picking easier. “This method of gardening means less weeding and easier on the back. This year I left more room between the bales especially the ones I planted squash in. Rebar at the ends of the rows would be perfect for making a trellis or staking. You need them in a sunny location with access to a water supply. A soaker hose running along the rows would be the ultimate way to go but we managed with an overhead sprinkler system,” said Leanne.

The MacKays also constructed a few raised garden beds to grow beans and perennial herbs. This year they used raised beds for their sugar lace peas, tender green beans, multiplier onions and zucchini, plus three varieties of onions. “I don’t recommend growing green beans and onions in the same bed as the beans take over the area,” said Leanne.

“I prefer the straw bale gardening over the raised beds. I found the corner brackets for the raised beds at the Green Spot but I’m sure most garden centres have them. I used landscape fabric under flax straw between the rows in my raspberry patch but you still have to pull weeds between the plants,” noted Leanne.

The MacKays have everything from apples to zucchini growing in their garden and planted new varieties of raspberries that When MacKay is not were producing tasty fruit. As watering with a hose she fills bottles with proof of their gardening, techwater and pushes them nique Leanne was busy harvestinto the bale and they ing raspberries and cherries slowly water the plants. when we visited.

Knowing better to count on a crop until it is in the bin, Derrick Harms is not counting his bushels yet.

“Certainly things look good to this point, the cereals are a good as we can expect at this time,” said Harms who farms at Manitou and balances his acres between soybeans, canola and cereals.

The farm has a set rotation but this year might be a bit heavier on wheat acres. “Just the way things worked out at seeding time,” he said. “The fields that were dry got planted first and that turned out to give us more wheat acres. That looks good for now but we will see what the market brings when we have the crop in the bin.”

Harms said he prices a small amount of his crop through the growing season but prefers to sell what he has in the bin, compared to what he expects to harvest. “We carry more crops over into the new year than some farmers,” he added. “It is just a matter of what you’re comfortable with and we prefer to sell what we have, I don’t get into the situation where I am selling crop for two years out.”

He said the moist weather meant an extra treatment of fungicide this year but that was easier to handle on the balance sheet when there is a good crop standing. “It is difficult to justify the expense when it is just a so-so crop and this year looks good so we spent the money on extra inputs.”

Harms worries that his canola crop may have suffered from the heat during flowering, “It didn’t bloom as long as we would have liked, the flowers are dropping already but there should be a good seed set there if things continue like this. There is enough moisture to finish the crop.”

Soybeans are a long way from maturity on their farm and he knows it. “We will see in September when the leaves start to drop but it looks like a good crop canopy at this time and the crop has been blooming for a while,” he added. “We have been impressed with their ability to handles stress but we don’t ask for any more on the crop.”

Harms is hopeful that the early harvest will allow him to get some winter wheat into the canola stubble. “We don’t have any this year but I like it in the rotation for spreading the work load,” he said.

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July 31, 2015

Dairy Farmers Discuss TPP

By Harry Siemens The Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) held their annual summer meeting in Vancouver amidst the discussions focusing on the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership trade discussions.

Media reports suggest the United States, frustrated over the lack of progress with Canada over new rules for agriculture trade could complete a Pacific Rim trade pact that does not include Canada.

The report said a representative for Canadian Trade Minister Ed Fast, told Reuters, the federal government continues to work with all TPP partners to conclude an ambitious agreement that will create jobs and prosperity for Canadians. According to the report, the aid said Ottawa would continue to promote and defend Canadian trade interests across all sectors of the Canadian economy, including supply management.

David Wiens of Grunthal, a DFC Vice President said the mood in Vancouver was positive despite the ongoing TTP trade discussions. “Whenever there are trade discussions going on, we pay very close attention to that because it is always an area of concern, which ever trade deal it happens to be that they are negotiating,” said Wiens at the start of the meeting in Vancouver. “We also do have confidence the Canadian government certainly understands supply management, how it works, and the benefits. The government has certainly given no indication that things will change this time around in terms of the kind of agreement that they will sign.”

Dairy farmers realize the Canadian government is under pressure from certain other countries particularly United States and New Zealand. “We are in constant discussion with the federal and provincial governments and there is lots of strong support for the system and we continue to operate on that basis,” said Wiens who is also the President of the Dairy farmers of Manitoba. “We understand we have our critics out there who don’t necessarily understand how it works, but certainly from an ideology or philosophically viewpoint they may not agree.”

He said the governments recognize that supply management works supporting 250,000 jobs including 12,000 producers across Canada contributing $15 billion dollars to the Canadian economy annually. “All levels of government are well served by the $3.5 billion of taxes they receive from the industry annually, too,” said Wiens.

Hard on Humans but Great for Corn

By Les Kletke Jake Friesen admits the weather over the past couple of weeks has been a bit of challenge for getting things done around the yard but it has been great for advancing the corn crop.

“Tough on humans but great for the corn,” summed up Friesen.

He has just over 500 acres of corn south of Steinbach and said the recent progress has been amazing. He is not rushing off to town to buy more bins but said indications are for his best crop ever. “We have been growing corn for about 20 years and we have seen a real change in the genetics over the years, not only in earlier maturing but also in the yield,” said Friesen who grows 4 varieties to spread the risk and give himself an upside for years like this when the crop advances well.

“We know that we could have frost in August, we have before,” he said. “But at this time the corn is looking very good and the later maturing varieties are coming along well.” He plants some short season varieties to hedge his bets for cool years and the majority of his acres go into mid-range varieties that are most likely to mature.

“We also have some later stuff that should make it this year but definitely wouldn’t on a cool year or with an early frost,” he said. Friesen is hesitant to offer how many acres of the long season variety he planted. “We’ll see when I get it off, and we could sound pretty silly for planting it and getting a frost early.”

While he does not have any livestock he said the proximity to dairy farms and beef producers does provide a market if his later crop does not mature and he is forced to sell it for silage. “We have a number of dairy farms nearby and I am sure that if the crop was to freeze before it matured we could find a market for it, but that would be a last resort, we plant the crop with the intent of harvesting grain corn.”

The year has also been a good one for his expanded soybean acres. “We have 240 acres of soybeans that look pretty good,” he said. “They have done well in the heat and humidity, though they were on the verge of suffering under the excess moisture,” Said Friesen. “It is a matter of time to see how they finish but there is certainly enough moisture to bring them through to harvest.”

The Agri Post

Educational Tour Focused on Pork Production

By Harry Siemens When people from Washington, DC recently visited Canada on an educational tour, stopping at three different farms, Scott Peters a hog producer in southeastern Manitoba and a Director for Manitoba Pork said the visit helped him and those on tour understand each other better.

Peters feels the Americans received the message well and there appeared to be agreement that M-COOL has hurt the pork industry greatly and recognize there should be a freer flow of animal movements across the border. “They told us 25% of their Ag budget goes into education just for Ag awareness. That is quite something,” he said.

“That would be quite a large amount of money, and in that respect, I think the

Americans are further ahead.”

After spending a day with the visitors, Peters reiterates making friends is a good thing. “They are good people that are now our voice in Washington, DC and the United States, especially in terms of MCOOL, Ag education and awareness,” he said. “We put our best foot forward and we came out a winner.

I think we showed them that Manitoba is a great place to farm, raise livestock, to make food and to raise grain.”

He said a year ago, the challenge was staying clean of the PED virus and producers did fairly well in most cases in Manitoba.

Peters commented that some of the production holes have filled up; creating a surplus of pigs and pork that is affecting

The tour group visited Starlite Colony near Starbuck, a hemp field near Miami, a mixed farm near Roland, the border crossing at Emerson and the Bruce D. Campbell Farm and Food Discovery Centre. Here the group is visiting with Starlite Colony hog boss James Hofer.

Photo courtesy of Manitoba Pork Council

Scott Peters is an owner of Herbsigwil Farm, a Director and PR Committee Chair with Manitoba Pork and Canadian Pork Councillor Director.

prices too. “In terms of the moratorium and barn building, I think we’re making headway in being able to expand at some point if we stay patient and stay focused,” said Peters.

“We are seeing progress on that issue. Manitoba Pork Council is working very closely with the Manitoba government and we continue to create a strong relationship and make headway,” he said. “I think moving forward we will see some positive results in barn building in Manitoba. I’m confident of that, but don’t have a ton of backing for that right now, but my gut feeling says so.”

He added that there are some positive signs in being able to do pilot projects, closely working with the regulations and guidelines that the government has put in place. He feels the industry has taken some good steps forward.

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Rural Road Repairs, Biosecurity Raised at KAP Meeting At the General Council meeting of Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) recently, farmers expressed concern over the condition of roads in rural Manitoba.

“Our members are telling me many roads, including those in the southwest area, are deplorable,” said KAP President Dan Mazier. “For example, Highway 10 south of Brandon, the second largest north-south trade route in Manitoba, is crumbling.

“Speed has to be reduced to 20 or 50 km on some stretches of this highway and this is certainly not acceptable.

Much of Manitoba’s cattle are shipped to the US down this route, and producers are using it more to ship grain to the US due to our poor rail service. For shippers and residents alike, this road is an accident waiting to happen.”

Mazier also said the length of time it is taking for some roads to be repaired is unreasonable, noting that on Highway 21, bridge repairs took three years. The same thing is happening now on Highway 83. In both instances, the traffic was down to one lane.

KAP member representatives to the meeting called on the provincial and federal governments to address southwest Manitoba’s deteriorating transportation infrastructure.

Also at the meeting, members highlighted the need for better biosecurity measures on livestock farms, especially in light of the recent

outbreak of avian influenza that has seen cases in neighbouring Minnesota and Ontario. The Manitoba Turkey Producers asked KAP to work with utility, transport and supply companies, as well as government officials and anyone else entering a poultry farm, to follow proper biosecurity protocols.

Other resolutions included a call for the Manitoba government to maintain weed control,

via mechanical means where possible, on completed road construction sites until the area has recovered its vegetation.

As well, representatives called on utility companies and oil/gas companies to ensure lines and pipelines on farmlands are buried far enough to accommodate farming practices, and that information on how far down lines and pipelines are buried be made available upon request.

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The Agri Post

Absolute FFaith aith in the Hart-P arr Hart-Parr Tractor The following letters from two Manitoba farmers appeared in the August 1913 edition of the Canadian Thresherman and Farmer. The two farmers both operated Hart Parr 3060 tractors and got along quite well with the units.

Just what is meant by the line in Steward’s letter, “I do not consider it would be detrimental to land that might be in a condition to use an engine on,” is not known. Perhaps the printer missed inserting the word “it” at the end of this sentence?

The Manitoba Agricultural Museum’s collection contains two Hart Parr 3060s, both in operating condition. One tractor was donated by the Sims Brothers of Snowflake, Manitoba and the other 30-60 was donated by F.T. Venables and J.E. Kirk of Hamiota.

Hart Parr began building 3060s in 1907 and the design remained in production until 1918. While Hart Parr also built a 22-45 and 20-40 model during this time, the 30-60 was by far the most popular. Both 30-60s in the collection were built in 1912.

The 30-60 tractors featured a two-cylinder engine cooled by oil circulated using a centrifugal pump. The radiator was cooled by an induced draft from the engine exhaust, a very common feature on tractors until the late 1910s. The engine had a “hit and miss” governor.

The engine was started on gasoline and then switched over to kerosene when the engine was hot.

Oil as a coolant was common in the early years of tractors, as oil did not freeze, and oil cooling resulted in the engine running hotter which was an advantage when running the tractor on kerosene.

Water was injected into the carburetor in order to prevent the kerosene from preigniting in the hot cylinders or knocking which explains Stewards comment about burning 35 gallons of water a day when the tractor was working.

Steward also made a comment about plowing with a light furrow 14-inch Cockshutt gang, which was a Cockshutt engine gangplow equipped with 14-inch moldboards. Just what he meant by light furrow is not known at this time. As well he does not say how many bottoms this plow possessed. The Cockshutt engine gangplow came in 3 basic

Absolute Faith in the Tractor Dear Sirs, In reply to your request as to the success of the past season’s operations by the use of the traction power which I have used I am pleased to state that in spite of the unfavourable season, which we experienced in the Red River Valley that my opinion has not been altered as to the feasibility and advisability of the use of traction power on a farm where acreage consists of a section or more.

Owing to the lateness of the season and the previous fall’s unfavorable conditions, we found that we required to do a large amount of spring plowing, and without the traction power, we would have been unable to do it. Our engine is a Hart Parr 3060 and we estimate that the amount of fuel oil used will be about 3 gallons per acre. The oil laid down at the station costs us about 15c per gallon and the oil has to be drawn a distance of from one to four miles, according to the place where the engine is working. I estimate the cost of plowing to be from 55 to 60 cents per acre including fuel oil and lubricating oil. We do not perform any seeding or discing with our engine, as, owing to the heaviness of the soil, and in my opinion, it is not conducive on the best conditions to run heavy engines over plowed ground for seeding purposes unless the ground is much drier than we usually find it at seeding time.

I have found the Traction Power very satisfactory for plowing and threshing purposes. This is the only power work I have performed.

Yours Truly, H.B. Robinson Carman, MB Ideal for Fall Plowing Dear Sirs, I purchased a Hart Parr Gas Tractor 30-60 and a 32 by 52 Red River Special separator about the last of November 1911 and owing to the facts that I had no experience, the lateness of the season and the cold and rough weather, we got along extremely well.

In the spring of 1912, we did a little plowing using a light furrow 14-inch Cockshutt gang and broke 185 acres for ourselves at the cost of about $1.60 per acre and summer fallowed 100 acres in about 4 1/2 days using harrows behind at the cost of about 75 cents per acre. We use on an average of 60 gallons of gasoline and kerosene per day, and about 35 gallons of water.

We have not used it for any seeding operations so far, and do not think it would be a profitable speculation to equip ourselves with the necessary machinery, as some years we would be unable to make use of it on account of wet seasons, for instance, 1912.

I do not consider it would be detrimental to land that might be in a condition to use an engine on.

In conclusion, I might just say that I consider the gas tractor an ideal outfit for fall plowing, summer fallowing and threshing, in consideration of the fact that we do not have to employ so many men.

Yours Truly, W.H. Steward Miniota, MB

One of the two 30-60s in the Museum’s collection, this tractor was donated by F.T. Venables and J.E. Kirk of Hamiota.

sizes offering from 6 to 12 bottoms.

The Museum is open year round and operates a website at ag-museum.mb.ca, which can provide visitors with information on Museum events and location.

The Agri Post

Manitoba Foods Under Valued

By Les Kletke Consumers may not be realizing the true value of shopping locally, and eating Manitoba produced foods.

That does not mean switching to a 100-mile diet eating only what is produced close to home however it could mean making some choices that include a Manitoba food product.

Lee Anne Murphy is the Executive Director of the Manitoba Agri-Health Research Network and she said there are multitudes of food products produced in our province that have specific health benefits. “We are past the time of believing there is a magic food that if you eat some of a specific food every day it will ensure your health,” said Murphy. “It is a matter of making the right choices and we believe that there is a real benefit from some foods produced here.”

When asked what are the choices that lead to greater health Murphy said, “Manitoba produced oats are high in beta-gluten.”

“It is a matter of reading the label and being aware of the raw product that went into the food,” she added. She said consumers are paying much more attention to labels and while there are still discrepancies,

they do provide good information. “Labelling regulations vary around the world and they are not all held by the same standard but consumers need to look at the label as a source of information about what went into the product.”

The Agri Health Research Network is made up of the Richardson Centre for Functional Foods at the University of Manitoba, The Food Diversification Centre at Portage la Prairie and the Heart and Stroke Research Centre at the St. Boniface Hospital.

Dr. Grant Piers is the Executive Director of Research at the St. Boniface Hospital and he said, “We put ground flax in muffins, granola and bagels and other products and gave patients one of these products everyday for a year.

We saw that there was an extremely large decrease in blood pressure, which could result in less heart attacks, stroke, and death,`` he reported.

Murphy said that it is estimated that Manitoba food

products could contribute as much as $400 million in saving to healthcare costs if they were added to the diet. “This is not a radical change in eating habits, this is merely making choices that include some healthy foods that are produced in Manitoba,” she said.

A study currently underway is evaluating using Saskatoon berry powder in yogurt to manage pre and type II diabetes. The fruit’s deep redpurple colour is suggestive of high levels of antioxidants.

Studies indicate that antioxidants in Saskatoon fruit are greater than blueberries, strawberries or raspberries. The berry is known as a ‘Super Food’ containing more protein, fat, fibre, calcium, magnesium, manganese, barium, and aluminum than blueberries and is source of Vitamin A and Vitamin C.

Dr. Peter Jones is the director of the Richardson Centre for Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals (RCFFN).

Too Much Moisture Near Melita

By Les Kletke Dean Harris has farmed at Melita for more than 40 years and he cannot recall a succession of wet years like the previous and current one.

“We are not used to this,” said Harris referring to only seeding about 2/3 of his acreage and then getting much of that hurt by excessive moisture.

He said that it is hard to put an exact number on the acres he seeded because he was able to seed only one field corner to corner and the rest were a succession of working around puddles and low spots. “Some places there was standing water and others it was just too wet to drive so we worked around that, but now those low spots have grown with the

July 31, 2015 excess moisture this summer.” He estimates that he got close to 2,000 of his 3,000 acres seeded and of that another 500 has been lost to excessive moisture during the growing season.

“We used to be the driest part of the province,” he said. “We would grow malt barely believing that the dry fall would let us get it off in good condition. I don’t think there is any malt barely around after last year and it sure won’t be making a comeback.”

He said his wheat has been able to withstand the excess moisture more than his other crops and is hoping for a slightly below average yield. “We will be harvesting reduced acres and what we do harvest won’t be quiet average but that is the crop that is holding on the best,” said Harris.

He has given up hope on his sunflowers and is doubtful he will plant the crop next year. “They were a part of the rotation because they could come through the dry years and still give you a crop, that has not been the case last year and this year, and I don’t think I will plant them again until the

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weather pattern gets back to normal.”

Manitoba Agriculture’s crop report indicates his area has received 120% of normal precipitation and he feels his farm might have gotten even more.

“There have been some isolated showers that have dumped up to two inches on us and when things are wet that is a lot of extra moisture,” said Harris.

He noted that hay crops in the area have done well and pasture looks good but even they are suffering from excess moisture.

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July 31, 2015

Understanding Wet Hay

By John McGregor The timing of rain can make it difficult for cattlemen who are trying hard to put quality hay in the bale for next winter’s feed supply. All producers that harvest hay occasionally will put up hay that “gets wet” from time to time.

Therefore, ranchers and hay farmers need to understand the impact of “wet hay” in the tightly wound bales.

Extra moisture in hay can cause heat inside the bale. Heat produced by the bale comes from two sources: 1. Biochemical reactions from plants themselves as hay cures. This heating is minor and rarely causes the hay temperature to exceed 43°C. Very little if any damage occurs if the hay never exceeds 43°C. 2. Most heat in hay is caused by the metabolic activity of microorganisms. They exist in all hay and thrive when extra moisture is abundant. When the activity of these microbes increases, hay temperature rises. Hay with a little extra moisture may not exceed 50°C, whereas, wetter hay can quickly exceed 65°C. If the hay rises above 77°C, chemical reactions may occur that produce enough heat to quickly raise the temperature above 200°C, causing the wet hay to burn.

Heat damage causes hay to be less digestible, especially the protein. Heat damaged hay often turns a brownish color and has a caramel odour. Cattle readily eat this hay, but because of the heat damage, its nutritional value might be quite low. Some ranchers have reported that, “The cows ate the hay like there was no tomorrow, but they did very poorly on the hay.”

Testing the protein and energy content of stored wet hay will allow for more appropriate supplementation next winter when that hay is fed. Mouldy hay could be a source of mycotoxins that could present several health problems for cattle. Many animal disease diagnostic laboratories can examine feedstuffs for mycotoxins or can recommend laboratories that do such testing.

John McGregor is with Manitoba Forage and Grasslands Association.

It’s Time to Creep Feed Beef Calves in 2015

By Peter Vitti As a beef nutritionist, I have advocated creep feeding spring calves for years. That’s because as feeder cattle prices have steadily risen, there was a real profit due to creep feeding as well as some decent side-benefits. I haven’t changed this position for 2015 and advise each cow-calf operator to calculate their own situation and see the magnitude of such a positive impact can make to one’s financial bottom-line.

I believe creep feeders should be moved onto pastures at the start of the summer, even when calves are receiving lots of milk from their cows and grazing lush grass. Calves might only be eating only about 2 – 3 lbs of creep feed, but by midsummer (3 – 4 months after calving); their dam’s milk production is declining, such that the average beef cow might be meeting only about 50% of her growing calf’s requirements.

In addition, pasture quality is also declining; once lush grasses are maturing and essential nutrients such as energy and protein are not so readily available. As a result, the same calves are being drawn to the feeders and dramatically consume about 8 – 10 lbs of creep feed by summer’s end and well into autumn months before weaning.

Consequently, these creep feeders should be filled with a well-balanced creep feed; 14% protein, medium level energy (65 – 70% TDN), balanced with calcium, phosphorus, salt, fortified trace mineral pack (especially copper, zinc and selenium). Ingredients that I like to use in creep feeds include: barley, wheat middling, corn distillers grain, and soybean meal, while avoid all types of feed screenings in particular. A growth promotant and coccidiostat such as monensin sodium should added to the final creep formula.

Let us consider the economic dynamics of creep feeding for 2015 as well as for the last four years of 2011 – 2014 using present and past dollar values on weaning calves and feed costs. Parameters include: I am creep feeding a group of largeframed calves with solid genetics (re: segregate out replacement heifers to other pastures and feeding programs). I also set up the actual selling price of $350 – 375/mt for 14% protein – medium energy commercial calf creep pellet that was made up of ingredients and nutrient specifications that I outlined above. My calculations also included the feed conversion of these pellets of 6.0 lbs of creep feed per lb of weaning weight gain and fed in about a 100-day creep feeding program.

Calves are weaned at 600 lbs in the fall.

Record high prices for weaned feeder cattle and modest creep feed prices, makes the decision to creep feed spring calves during this season attractive to myself and many people. I summarized my comparison for creep feed profitability in 2015 and recent years:

Net profitability due to creep feeding range: a nominal loss (2010) to $84.60 per weaned calf (2015); a market discount of $5 per cwt gain was accounted to determine the net worthiness due to creep feeding compared to “not” creep feeding.

Otherwise, creep feeding in 2011 would show $23 profit.

- ROI ranged from -6% (2011) to a steady increased ROI, topped at 142% in 2015.

- Value of creep gain has increased every year since 2010, mainly due to a steady increase in weaning weight calf prices.

Highest value of creep gain is projected for 2015.

Given the current profit picture due to creep feeding in 2015, I hear from producers that still don’t believe in the value of creep feeding. Some of their reasons for this year and past years are, “My pastures are good and green all summer, so calves don’t pick up creep feed.” “My calves pick up all the nutrition that they need from good grass,” or “My calves on creep feed get too fleshy and replacement heifers get too fat.” Lastly, “Weaned calves prices are so good anyways and creep profit adds little to my bottom-line.”

Some of these arguments could be very valid for one’s own situation, but in today’s cattle market there is money to be made by creep feeding spring calves. A custom feeding program should fit most people’s operation. When an approximate $85 per calf return due to creep feeding can bring a potential $25,000 to a 300 cow-calf operation, it’s time to creep feed calves.

Upcoming Events...

Dairy Day at the Farm and Food Discovery Centre Bring your family out to Dairy Day at the Bruce D. Campbell Farm and Food Discovery Centre on Thursday, August 6, from 10 am – 2 pm. Visit the dairy barn to learn how cows are milked. Turn cream into butter and strawberry, chocolate or vanilla ice cream. All ages welcome. Space is limited; reserve your spot today. Admission cost is adult $5, youth (6-16) $3.50, Child (15) is free and a family (2 adults and 1-4 youth) $14.50. For more information, contact ffdc@umanitoba.ca or 204-883-2524.

The Richer Roughstock Rodeo will take place from August 7-9. Bull-nanza, HRA rodeo, concert, social, giant Trading Post, lots of kids and family activities! Visit www.richerrodeo.ca for more info.

Canadian Cattlemen’s Association – From Tuesday, August 11- Friday, August 14 at the Holiday Inn, Winnipeg Airport, Polo Park 1740 Ellice Ave. Semi-annual meeting and convention for producers and industry affiliates, networking, entertainment, information sessions and policy setting, animal health and meat inspection, foreign trade, environment, value creation and competitiveness. Contact RSVP to Paula Jenkins at 403-275-8558, email jenkinsp@cattle.ca or visit cattle.ca.

2015 Rock The Harvest – From Thursday, August 14 – 16 at the Manitoba Agricultural Museum 3km south of the junction of Highways 1 and 34, at the Austin Corner. Food booths, pancake breakfast, music, bringing back some of your favourite bands; and some new talent up on stage.

Cost $60 until April 30, $70 from May 1 until the show.

Manitoba Great Western Harness Racing Circuit - On Saturday, August 15 – Sunday August 16 and on Saturday, August 22 – Sunday, August 23 in Morris.

Last Chance – U of M Organic and Non-GMO Soybean Variety Field Walk – On Monday, August 17 at St. PierreJolys from 3 - 4 pm. The soybean field “walkabout” gives the opportunity for farmers, agronomists, and community members to see non-GM soybean varieties from Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, and North Dakota grown under organic management. A unique chance to see the varieties when pod development and yield potential are evident, and may show differences between maturity ratings. It is the last year of the study to see some varieties grown in Manitoba under organic management. From the junction of Hwys. 59 and 205 just south of St. Pierre-Jolys, travel east about 2 miles on Hwy 205. The site is on the north side of the highway.

Contact Joanne at j_thiessen_martens@umanitoba.ca or 204-474-6236, 1-800432-1960 ext. 6236.

The Agri Post

July 31, 2015

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A Chance to Do Something About the Weather Agriculture’s Best Days Ahead Some people look with nostalgia at the “good ol’ days” thinking that the world would be a better place if we could just go back in time, give up on technology and return food and farming to the way it used to be. To these people I say, “poppycock!” These garbled views of the past are not only wrong-headed they are dangerous.

The days before science delivered modern agricultural practices, such as advanced plant breeding and effective crop inputs, saw the rural Canadian landscape filled with poverty, hardship and reduced life expectancy. And this is not that long ago – a generation or two at best. No one who lived through these times would want to go back.

People, who live in these conditions today, in developing parts of the world, deserve the chance to get out.

Agriculture’s best days are not in the past they are ahead and science and research is the path that will take us there.

Science and research have already delivered. Never in the history of human development has food been as cheap and abundant as it is today in the developed world. Never in the history of human development has food been as safe to eat as it is today in the developed world. And I would argue that never in the history of human development has agriculture been as environmentally sustainable as it is today.

Modern agricultural practices like zero and conservation tillage mean that Saskatchewan does not blow into Ontario anymore like it did when my dad was growing up. Precision agriculture and modern crop inputs minimize greenhouse gas emissions and maximize the efficiency of crop nutrients. New varieties developed through modern plant breeding are delivering more and more food without having to cut down more trees.

Safe food abundantly produced in a sustainable manner.

Brought to you by science, research and modern agriculture. The forecast for the future is more of the same, only faster.

You might not see this message on the internet much because agriculture has been particularly bad at communicating the benefits we deliver to society. Too often we assume everyone knows and just go about our business producing more food. But in an increasingly urban country with generations of separation between the city and the farm (if there ever was a connection) this assumption is dangerously wrong.

It is dangerous to assume that consumers are aware of the benefits of modern farming because the vacuum created by the lack of communication from agriculture is being filled by those who want us to reject science and turn our backs on the future benefits that research can deliver.

Farms and industry must speak out in defense of science or we will lose our ability to advance the industry. Examples of the anti-science message are all around us, from those who put us all at risk because they don’t trust vaccinations to those who want to ban pesticides, seed treatments or varieties developed through modern biotechnology.

Fortunately, we are seeing renewed investment in Canadian agriculture research. Recently the French firm Limagrain and Canterra Seeds announced a major research partnership. Alberta Wheat Commission and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada are partnering with private industry to deliver new varieties to Canadian farmers. Bayer has recently announced significant investments in wheat breeding in western Canada. Richardson has recently completed expansion of their research farm in Manitoba. These are just a few examples demonstrating great optimism in the future of Canadian agriculture.

The economic benefits delivered by agriculture research and development are part of the Canadian DNA. In 1904 Dr. Charles Saunders’ first planting of Marquis Wheat was 12 seeds. Less than 20 years later, there were 20 million acres of Marquis grown in western Canada and the US. This research, these 12 seeds, opened up the Canadian Prairies, delivered jobs and growth and was the backbone of communities that seemed to spring up overnight. Marquis Wheat is powerful demonstration of what research delivers. I have a sheaf of Marquis Wheat (a little sheaf) on my mantle at home. To me, it is a symbol of what agriculture research will accomplish again – if society lets it happen.

Cam Dahl is President of Cereals Canada.

By Les Kletke Few topics attract as much conversation as the weather and in farm communities more than anywhere.

Now members of the Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association are being offered to do more than talk about the weather, they can be a part of it by joining CoCoRaHAS. The acronym for the organization may justify monitoring it as a secret society but the name of the group is the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network.

The organization is intended to turn backyard information into more than coffee shop exchanges and asks members to report their conditional daily or as often as possible to the CoCoRaHS.org website, where it will be compiled into a larger database that is used by flood forecasters, conservation groups and Emergency Response Management teams. The organization also offers a fee app to use on mobile devices.

Provincial Coordinator Tiffiny Taylor said that severe weather events are on the rise and accumulating more data from a larger base will help forecasters in the future as well as preparation of maps detailing rainfall and extreme weather events.

The cost for registering with the organization is $30 for the kit, which includes a rain gauge certified in both metric and imperial systems.

Manitoba Forage and Grasslands Association is hoping to have enough of its members enrol in the program to hold a training session for those who become a member of the network. Those who do register will be included in a draw for a rain gauge.

The Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association is encouraging their members to become a part a weather recording network.

The organization’s website also has a survey page to evaluate the commitment involved in becoming a member.

The Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association is encouraging its members to be a part of the network and make up for the gaps that exist between automated weather stations across Manitoba. There is little or no reporting done from these areas and isolated events are lost from record.

This is a chance to do more that talk about the weather.

Excess MB Bales Could Move West

By Les Kletke Peter Fehr acknowledges that putting up quality feed has been a challenge this year although a challenge he does mind when the rewards are like this.

“We put our first cut into silage so that makes it easier than it used to be when we put it up as hay and need more drying time but this year the rains kept on coming and it was a challenge to get the silage up as well.”

Fehr has 300 dairy cows near Grunthal and puts the majority of his feed in silage. He might have some extra feed this year because of the same rains that

proved a challenge for the first cut. “It has been raining and significant amounts,” he said. “That and the warm weather have aided in the growth of a second cut.” He is hesitant to say there is the possibility of a third cut even with rapid growth and adequate moisture.

He knows that feed will be in short supply in many parts of the prairies but has not yet decided what he will do with any excess. “The price is tempting but we also know that next year it could be us that is short of quality feed and I like to have some on hand in case things go poorly of us,” said Fehr.

He thinks he might have

Canada-Ukraine Trade Agreement Welcome News A more liberalized trade agreement between Canada and the Ukraine is a positive step according to the Canadian Pork Council (CPC).

“This will provide important additional export opportunities for the Canadian pork industry”, said Rick Bergmann, CPC Chair. “Given that we export well over two-thirds of our production, such new market possibilities help us to achieve the best overall return.”

“We look forward to the upcoming visit by Ukrainian government inspectors which should allow additional Canadian pork processing plants to become eligible to export to Ukraine,” added Bergmann, who farms in the Steinbach area.

“The industry estimates that the duty-free access which this new agreement will provide for pork would be between 30 and 40 million dollars in value.”

partial excess amounts from his second cut and if a third cut were to develop; he could bale it and sell it to producers in Alberta. Some predictions are for feed prices to hit $300-350 a tonne in Alberta this fall. “That would certainly be tempting but we don’t have excess feed yet, we have a good second cut standing in the field and it could provide us with a good amount of quality feed but until it is in the yard we aren’t counting on it.”

In Fehr’s judgement the corn stand looks to be an above average yield on corn silage as well. “The heat and moisture have done well for the corn and while it got off to a slow start it is well ahead of average now,” he said. He

will cut some corn silage to mix with the forage he has already put up and to this point is pleased with the way the year is shaping up.

“We struggled through some of the wet times this spring, and have some good feed, not the same challenges to get the second cut put away.”

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The Agri Post

July 31, 2015

Banded Turkey Vulture Shows Up in Manitoba

By Bill Stilwell A turkey vulture spotted resting near Wellwood, Manitoba has good reason to be tired. This raptor had just completed a flight of more than 6,000 km. This information was learned, in part, from a highly visible band attached to the bird’s wing.

The Turkey Vulture, wearing a green wing tag with white letters, was sighted while perched on a dead tree limb three miles west of Wellwood. The band, #74E, was recorded and submitted to the bird band website. The results came back almost instantly stating the bird was banded as a nestling by Dr. Stuart Houston and his team, at a location six miles south of Debden, Saskatchewan on July 8, 2012, making the bird three years old.

Turkey vultures are large birds, with a wingspan of up to nearly six feet. They are scavenging birds of prey that are easily identified by their featherless red heads and dark brown plumage. In flight, they hold their wings in a slight “V” above their backs.

Vultures have an acute sense of smell, which

helps them find carrion, which is their main food source. Often their nests are found in abandoned houses, barns, granaries and other farm buildings.

A call to Dr. Houston provided additional information. Theirs is the largest nestling Turkey Vulture wing-tagging program in North America. It started in 2002, with 1,226 nestlings tagged in 227 buildings. He explained that vultures likely spend their first winter in Costa Rica. During their second migration, they likely travel all the way to Venezuela. Turkey Vulture #74E had made the long trip south three times.

Back in 1976, I spotted my

first turkey vulture in the extreme southeast corner of the province, near Sprague.

This was a very rare observation at the time. Since then they have gradually expanded their range across the entire province, and now they nest here on a regular basis.

If you happen to have an abandoned barn, granary or other buildings on your property take a look and see if there is a turkey vulture nesting inside. If you have the misguided notion of getting up close and personal with a nestling, think again. Young turkey vultures have a unique defence technique. They can project vomit of rotten flesh.

Bill Stilwell is an award winning outdoor writer, author and naturalist based in Neepawa. He is the author of three best-selling nature books. His most recent book is Manitoba Wild, a book about amazing nature secrets found throughout Manitoba. His website is Manitobawild.com, or email manitobawild@mts.net.

Smaller Crop Forecast Due to Dry Prairie Conditions

By Elmer Heinrichs Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has assumed below trend yields in its July preliminary estimates of principal field crop areas due to extremely dry conditions in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Total production of field crops is forecast to decrease modestly but total supply is expected to fall by about 10% due to significantly lower carry-in stocks and imports.

For grains and oilseeds, production in Canada will decrease slightly.

Area seeded to wheat in Canada fell by 5% from 201415 with a marginal decrease

for spring wheat and a 32% decline for winter wheat, which fell due to the late fall harvest.

Hard red spring, other spring and extra strong wheat acres rose, while Canada Prairie Spring and soft wheats fell.

Production is forecast to fall by 9% to 21.9 Mt due to the loss in acres and lower yields.

The price of barley this year has been supported by dry conditions in Alberta and the western half of Saskatchewan, where 70-80% of prairie production is grown. Manitoba barley is generally in good shape but barley crop conditions deteriorate as you move further west. Barley production in Canada is expected to decrease to the new record low of 6.9 Mt. While poor corn plant populations and emergence, and early insect damage, caused some area losses, Manitoba’s corn crop is now in generally good shape after a rebound in the weather.

Growing conditions on the prairies have been less than ideal however; the main oatgrowing region on the prairies (Manitoba and eastern Saskatchewan) has had the best of the poor conditions with

oats being in generally reasonable shape.

But even in these areas, conditions can vary widely with near record yields suggested in parts of southern Manitoba to only fair crop conditions in parts of Saskatchewan.

Yield forecasts for canola have been lowered by 10% for Alberta, by 5% for Saskatchewan and left unchanged for Manitoba. Growing conditions are extremely challenging across the western half of the prairies, as the weather remains hot and dry.

Total production is forecast to decline slightly.

Canada’s soybean crop is predicted to rise by 2% as the focus of the crop continues to shift westward. While Quebec’s soybean acreage fell 10%, both Manitoba and Saskatchewan added acreage.

The area seeded to dry beans is down by 8% from 2014-15 because of lower potential returns compared to other crops, particularly soybeans and corn. Next to Ontario, Manitoba is Canada’s largest producer of soybeans. A reduced yield and price are forecast.

Barley Council Announces Joint Canada–China Feed Barley Study The Barley Council of Canada (BCC) has signed an agreement to collaborate with China Agriculture University (CAU) in the development of a joint Canada–China feed barley study.

The official signing ceremony was held in Beijing where signatories Dr. Hu, Professor at CAU, and Phil de Kemp, Executive Director of BCC, signed a letter of intent to work towards the development of a three-year Canadian feed barley study in China.

“Our council is very pleased to solidify this partnership,” said de Kemp.

“The door is now open to develop a strong relationship with the most prestigious agriculture university in China.”

The three-year feed barley study will consist of three individual feeding trials concerning dairy, hog and cattle operations in China.

The scope of the research to be developed will evaluate the use of Canadian feed barley in feed rations and its effects on dairy milk production, animal health, weight/carcass gain efficiencies and all aspects of cattle

and hog meat quality.

“This opportunity is huge for Canada’s barley industry,” said de Kemp. “It is our hope that the results of this collaborative study

will provide additional commercial and economic benefits for barley farmers in Canada, as well as dairy, beef and pork producers and consumers in China.”

The Agri Post

July 31, 2015

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Round-Up Great Experience for Next Generation of Cattle Producers

By Joan Airey Naomi Best is looking forward to attending Manitoba Beef Round-Up in Neepawa. She lives with her parents Wenda and Donald Best on Clay Hills Livestock farm south of Harding. Three years ago, she became an Angus representative on the MYB Round-Up Board with many duties including contacting sponsors about RoundUp. Another duty is to plan some of the fun events for the juniors to attend on the weekend.

“This year I have organized an Ag Challenge which is a timed event for all of the teams to compete in. It is an educational challenge as well. Some of the stations are names of feed, making a halter, tagging and tattooing cattle,” said Best.

She enjoys being actively involved in the livestock industry and has never missed attending Round-Up since its inception in 2008.

She turned sixteen and has eight years in her local 4-H Beef Club. This

year she donated ten percent of the money she received for her 4-H steer to help her school friend who is battling cancer.

“It’s a three event for enthusiastic livestock exhibitors. We have many fun activities like the Ag Challenge and Quiz Bowl.

Friday evening all the juniors arrive, register and get their cattle settled in.

We have supper all together and then we get our teams for the weekend

to compete in Ag Challenge. This is a chance for everyone to get to know who’s on their team and who they can go to for help throughout the weekend. On Saturday things kick-off with breakfast and then we start our compulsory events like individual judging, sales talk and impromptu speeches. The peewees and juniors take part in sales talk and intermediates and seniors

Naomi Best receives an award from Cody Nolan for top placement in Senior Judging in the Rivers Beef 4-H.

do the impromptu speeches.

After lunch, we have team grooming followed with team marketing and team judging. For supper on Saturday evening the teams are involved in a cook-off. To wrap thing up we have a quiz bowl for all juniors, which is a series of livestock, and non-livestock related questions. Sunday morning is showmanship

and after lunch we have confirmation classes.

Once the awards start after supper you realize how fast the weekend passes,” said Best.

“It’s the highlight of the summer for me because lots of my friends attend and we can wrap up our final summer show together attending Round-Up. I decided to become a board member to express some ideas that

we could have in our show and take on the role of becoming a leader to many other junior participants,” said Best.

Best’s enthusiasm for the livestock industry shows as her summer vacation was spent attending the Calgary Stampede to watch the UFA Junior Steer Classic.

Round Up takes place in Neepawa from July 31August 1.

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July 31, 2015

The Agri Post