AgriPost November 27 2020

The AgriPost

November 27, 2020

Government Announces Project to Address Need for Skilled Ag Workers

Combination of Smaller Soybean and Corn Crops Plus Increased Demand Sends Prices Higher

As one person described it, last year’s harvest was from Hades and this year is a harvest from Heaven. This year farmers could take off their crop, and it ended up as a very good crop.

Photo by Harry Siemens

By Harry Siemens Jonathan Driedger, a market analyst with LeftField Commodity Research who lives in Grunthal, said selling grain is all over the map.

“In some cases, a sense from some farm clients, let’s call it regret, for having sold too much, too early,” said Driedger.

But Driedger thinks that might be maybe the wrong

way of looking at it. “If you look at where prices are today, much higher than anyone would have guessed. Say when we look back in June, July the old prices, farmers are making sales at the time, were pretty good prices,” he said. “For the most part, they were good disciplined business decisions to lock in margins.”

However, the move to higher prices recently is for most of

these crops, beyond what people thought. “We had a pretty friendly outlook for some of these crops, but you see, for example, the most recent moves here today even in canola, soybeans, etc., that was higher than we expected,” he said.

In terms of sales levels, it varies from one farm to the next for many different reasons.

Most farms had booked sales coming into fall and took ad-

vantage of these fall rallies, and in hindsight, they looked like they jumped the gun too early, but he thinks regret would be the wrong way of looking at those sales.

He said each crop, of course, has a different story, the oil seeds in particular. “We see the futures market trade to multi-year highs in soybeans and canola, and again, it’s one Continued on Page 2...

The governments of Canada and Manitoba are collaborating with the Enterprise Machine Intelligence and Learning Initiative (EMILI) to address the availability of skilled workers in Manitoba’s agriculture sector.

“Intelligent technologies and agri-food data can open new opportunities for our industry and grow Canada’s position as a global leader in agriculture,” said federal Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau. “We must continue to find ways to use technology to sustainably feed a growing population. These investments are helping EMILI lead the charge on the future of innovation in agriculture, driving major advances in productivity and sustainability.”

“Adopting new and innovative strategies is the key to ensuring industry meets growth targets,” said Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development Minister Blaine Pedersen. “Partnerships between government, industry and academia will ensure curriculums provide training relevant to future workforce needs to allow Manitoba’s agriculture industry to continue to thrive.”

Governments are investing $630,000 from the Canadian Agricultural Partnership to support EMILI, the Enterprise Machine Intelligence and Learning Initiative. The funding will assist EMILI in establishing a Manitoba industry, academia partnership to align education and training with industry demanded skills including digital asset mapping, and creating work integrated learning opportunities for students at all levels.

“EMILI is grateful for the support of the governments of Canada and Manitoba through this investment in the digital agriculture industry. Digital agriculture in Manitoba is growing and will continue to be a driving force of our economy,” said Ray Bouchard, board chair, EMILI Manitoba. “EMILI’s leadership of the Manitoba Digital Agriculture Table and the technology tools being developed will empower our people and our businesses with the resources needed to seize this important digital agriculture opportunity.”

EMILI was created to prepare and empower the Manitoba economy to leverage digital disruption for success with a specific focus on digital agriculture.

EMILI works with industry and academia to accelerate the adoption of intelligent technologies and to provide people with the skills and training required in a digital economy. For more info see emilicanada.com.

November 27, 2020

The AgriPost

Agriculture Plays a Critical Role in Canada’s Economic Recovery

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is urging Agriculture Ministers to fix Business Risk Management programs and deliver real results.

Farmers are poised to play a key role in Canada’s economic recovery, according to the CFIB’s Small Business Recovery Dashboard.

In a virtual meeting in late November the CFIB urged Agriculture Ministers to focus on policies that will help drive growth in the agriculture and agri-food sector so that it can perform to its potential.

“Almost eight months have passed since the first lockdowns and we know far too many small businesses across the country are still left struggling to survive,” said Marilyn Braun-Pollon, CFIB’s vice-president of Western Canada and Agri-business. “But the agriculture sector has fared somewhat better than many

sectors. Thankfully, due to the essential nature of their operations, many farms and small businesses serving the agriculture sector were able to keep operating and were not subject to mandatory government shutdowns.”

According to CFIB’s regular update of its Small Business Recovery Dashboard, 66 per cent of Canadian businesses are fully open, 42 per cent are fully staffed, but only 28 per cent are making normal sales, compared to the Agriculture sector, where 78 per cent are fully open, 53 per cent are fully staffed, and 56 per cent are making normal sales.

“While these statistics paint a more optimistic picture for the sector, it doesn’t hide the fact that some farms and small businesses took it on the chin during the pandemic. We also know many are still worried about the economic repercussions of COVID-19 and the uncer-

tainty of a second wave,” explained Virginia Labbie, CFIB’s senior policy analyst, Agri-business. “We hope the Ministers will be discussing policies this week that will help improve the bottom line of our producers including finally coming up with some meaningful improvements to Business Risk Management Programs (BRM) after years of review.”

CFIB recently sent a letter to all Federal-Provincial-Territorial Agriculture Ministers outlining its farm members’ priorities: - Address the inadequacies of BRM programs and ensure they are timely, responsive, effective and transparent.

- Create a more competitive tax environment (e.g. freeze CPP premiums & federal carbon taxes, as well as exempt natural gas, propane and aviation fuel used for farming activities).

- Make it easier to sell agri-

businesses to family members.

- Reduce red tape for farmers.

- Address the shortage of labour in the agriculture sector.

- Introduce a Grocery Code of Conduct (the unbalanced and unfair power relationship between retailers and smaller grocery suppliers must be addressed).

- Focus on trade and market access for all Canadian agrifood products.

“We encourage the Agriculture Ministers to tackle these important issues.

Further delays in BRM enhancements cannot be put off until the next in-person meetings in July 2021 or the next new policy framework in April 2023,” concluded Braun-Pollon. “Focusing on policies that ensure farmers remain competitive will help the agriculture sector play an important role in Canada’s economic recovery,” concluded Braun-Pollon.

Combination of Smaller Soybean and Corn Crops Plus Increased Demand Sends Prices Higher Continued from Page 1... of those that, certainly much more aggressive than maybe people would have been thinking,” said Driedger.

“We’ll admit to not being bullish enough, maybe a couple of months back, on these crops.”

He said with trading in multi-year highs, both meal and oils, part of the complex process which is not just for canola and soybeans, rather it is global, including Palm oil, have all moved aggressively higher. Corn futures are trading at the highest level in a year and a half, the upper boundary of what has happened in the last number of years.

It’s not just the futures market; it is cash prices as well he explained. One of the ways of validating a futures price move is what is happening in cash markets. For example, prices in western Canada for feed wheat and feed barley and so forth, even just at the local feedlot level, are at some of the highest levels in a long time.

He noted that spring wheat is sitting at a little bit off its recent highs. Wheat prices are not bad, but not showing the same aggressive move that some of the other crops have. Wheat prices are a bit

lagging.

Driedger said the right decision for each farmer depends on individual circumstance, when a sale should be made and how best to proceed going forward. “First of all, it’s pretty harsh to beat yourself up about it; in hindsight you sold too much. For example, in summer when prices are much lower. You want to make good defensive risk management decisions as well, and that’s just prudent business,” he said. “One of the things that... sometimes there’s maybe an element of hanging on too tight when you maybe feel like you sold too much, too early.”

A person can sometimes get caught making a mistake the other way too by hanging on too long, or holding out for too high prices which never go up and then the opportunity to sell is missed.

Driedger said the unexpected rise in most prices is a combination of things. “Take soybeans and corn in the US, there’s a pretty clear example of what’s transpired, and it can almost act as a generalization for all crops,” he said.

“But if you look at where we’re at, for example, in summer, expectations were for the US production to be higher

than it turned out to be, here in hindsight, at least based on recent USDA reports. So we’ve shrunk the supply and the production side of it, at the same time that demand is increasing.”

“So some years, crops are smaller, and demand is steady. In this case, they’re working from both sides, a smaller production and a bigger demand, tightening up stocks. China is a big buyer,” said Driedger. “Some has to do with phase one of the trade deal. But as they rebuild their swine herds, rebuilding some stocks, they maybe had some production losses from typhoons in the summer.”

Other countries, for example, importers of wheat, are a little bit more aggressive.

There appears to be a general appetite globally for countries to make sure that their inventories are well-stocked, store shelves with food on them, and those sorts of things in these uncertain times.

It is a combination of factors that have helped drive the demand side simultaneously, with some production losses relative to expectations early on. “That combination has just triggered a pretty aggressive move in some markets,” he said.

The AgriPost

November 27, 2020

Ag Ministers Position Farmers and Processors for Recovery and Growth

Canada’s Federal, Provincial, and Territorial (FPT) Ministers of Agriculture held the first of two virtual meetings in the latter part of November as part of their annual conference. Ministers gathered virtually to make key decisions to help ensure that the agriculture and agri-food sectors remain ready to address the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and sector development. They discussed a number of initiatives to help Canadian producers and processors build on the sector’s solid fundamentals and chart a path forward for growth and sustainability.

As COVID-19 continues to impact Canada’s economy, and poses ongoing challenges for the agriculture and agrifood sector, the contributions of the women and men in the sector will be an important element of economic recovery.

The sector has shown great resilience, adapting to tremendous change and continuing to deliver for Canadians. FPT governments have been working to support these essential businesses throughout the pandemic, to ensure that Canadians continue to have access to safe and nutritious food on their grocery store shelves.

FPT governments recognize the challenges farmers are facing. To help farmers continue to contribute to the recovery, Ministers reviewed and discussed possible options for improvements to Business Risk Management (BRM) programs which aim to provide producers with tools to protect the viability of their operations and to manage risks beyond their control.

Ministers will focus on workers across the food supply chain whether Canadian citizens, permanent residents

or temporary foreign workers provide an essential service to Canada, and emphasized the importance of working to prevent and reduce the spread of COVID-19 to provide safe and healthy workplaces. They also noted the need to be ready for the potential that longstanding labour challenges are compounded by COVID19-related disruptions in the upcoming 2021 season.

All agreed that labour will remain a top priority looking ahead to the next agricultural policy framework. To this end, FPT governments will work with their respective ministries of labour to help ensure the continued availability of labour to support the agriculture and agri-food sector, and highlight the opportunities that exist for Canadians looking for work.

Governments will continue to collaborate with industry to share best practices on current and future competencies needed to support sector renewal, careers in the sector, new and changing technologies, and recruitment and retention strategies.

Also government’s will continue to look for opportunities to support innovation and facilitate the deployment of technology to improve productivity and competitiveness, and continue to build on measures introduced since the spring to support producers and food processors.

This includes efforts to ensure the safe arrival of Temporary Foreign Workers into Canada and the prompt sharing of relevant data among government partners. Additional key elements may include efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and address outbreaks, and to support health and safety measures on

farms and in agri-food businesses, in collaboration with the relevant ministries within their jurisdiction.

Given the significant threat that African Swine Fever (ASF) continues to pose to the Canadian pork supply chain, it was agreed that further action is required to prevent and prepare for ASF. The government-industry Pan-Canadian ASF Action Plan that is being supported will enable a timely and coordinated response to reduce the risk of an outbreak in Canada and, should an outbreak occur, support industry with a pan-Canadian coordinated, cooperative and prompt response to market challenges and disease eradication. Ministers asked officials to conduct more analysis on how an outbreak could impact different provinces and regions, and to return with regular updates on progress made on the PanCanadian ASF Action Plan.

Ministers also endorsed the progress made in the creation of Animal Health Canada, a proposed new governmentindustry management structure. Animal Health Canada is intended to help enhance stakeholder collaboration to implement actions to prevent, prepare for, and react to animal health emergencies, such as ASF. In support, there will be further development of the coordination mechanism between FPT governments and industry using the ASF Executive Management Board as a working model, now currently in a pilot stage.

In official meetings in preparation for their annual conference, Ministers reviewed ongoing work on key regulatory priorities, towards a more agile regulatory system that protects food safety

Revamped CanExport Shifts into Small Agri-Food Businesses In light of the challenges presented by COVID-19, the Government of Canada announced the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service’s CanExport SMEs program is pivoting to better support small and medium sized businesses by covering some of the costs associated with developing and expanding their e-commerce presence, attending virtual trade shows and other business-to-business events and, help them to navigate new COVID-19-related trade barriers.

CanExport SMEs offers small and medium sized busi-

nesses up to $75,000 to assist with international market development activities in markets where they have little to no sales. Since international travel is currently restricted due to COVID-19, these new measures will help many of the agri-food businesses continue to promote their products internationally.

These expansions are key for the thousands of small agriculture and agri-food businesses from across the country who continue trying to break into global markets amid COVID19.

Since they opened the Can-

Export SMEs program to small agri-food businesses in August 2019, it has already supported 173 agricultural small businesses with over $6 million in funding.

Just as many agri-food businesses are adjusting to the lost opportunity normally offered by dozens of key trade shows abroad; the Government of Canada is adapting to deliver the support they need to market their high-quality products.

They are encouraging owners and managers of small and medium sized agri-food businesses to look into this program and apply today.

while enabling competitiveness in global markets. They underscored the importance of effective collaboration to respond to concerns from industry and the public to ensure that imported products respect Canada’s strict requirements, and to prevent food fraud.

FPT governments also noted key accomplishments to streamline regulations to spur innovation and growth and re-

duce internal trade barriers.

The Canadian agri-food sector remains resilient, as exports of agri-food products continue to grow. Ministers noted that close collaboration among FPT governments remains important to spur this growth, in preparation for economies around the world to rebound.

Ministers also discussed ways to maintain and develop new market opportunities for high-

quality Canadian agriculture and food products to meet the export target of $75 billion by 2025.

Although COVID-19 has disrupted global supply chains, the Canadian agri-food sector remains resilient, and exports of agri-food products continue to grow, trending up eight per cent through the first eight months of 2020 compared to the previous year.

The AgriPost

November 27, 2020

Lockdown 2.0

A few weeks from Christmas, and here we are, wondering if the COVID era will ever end. Might we ever be able to get back to some kind of normalcy? Odds are that’s probably not going to happen by the holiday’s, and nobody really has any idea when it will.

At the time of writing, all of the Manitoba numbers were at record highs and climbing. What’s most concerning is the number of people hospitalized, particularly in intensive care units. Space is, of course, limited. For the first time since this all started many months ago, one has a real sense that our healthcare capacity might be overwhelmed. Capacity can be increased by shuffling things around, but that strategy has its limits.

Months after seeing the virus sweep through seniors’ homes in places like New

York, southern Ontario and Quebec, ours are now, too, falling victim to the scourge.

It’s also showing up in hospitals and medical staff. You can hear, among the daily briefings, an admission that officials really don’t have a handle on transmission chains or how the virus is spreading.

This is probably as good a reason as any to tighten restrictions when numbers are climbing.

It’s being called a “second wave.” But is it? While the rest of the world was being ravaged, we were patting ourselves on the back about what a good job we did. But what if it just took this long for the virus to really get going here?

That would make it far more of a force of nature, like a blizzard, than something we

can significantly control. We don’t like to think of it that way, but it looks like that’s what it is.

What to do, what’s been done, what’s really going on, who’s to blame, and who to shame? All those topics are generating plenty of arguments and hostility, particularly online, where, thanks to social media, amateur and professional screen jockeys alike can add their two cents anytime the mood hits.

With harvest and field work wrapped, up farmers are joining in more than ever.

It’s a good time to remind ourselves that both traditional and social media platforms have a business model that depends on generating traffic and clicks that they can sell to advertisers. Over time,

they’ve learned the best way to do that, through a combination of fear and animosity.

When you’re scared or fighting with others online, you’re making them rich. COVID has been a boon for them because you keep coming back for more.

Ask yourself. Are you scared and angry because you should be, or is it because you read something scary and angry and you’re just adopting someone else’s thoughts? We like to think that we’re independent thinkers, but most of the time our opinions come, like osmosis, from elsewhere.

Media companies and politicians are masters of manipulating our thoughts and feelings. They’ve become so good at it; we don’t even know it’s happening to us.

Penner’s Points Sometimes we

By Rolf can see it in other people, Penner but it’s almost impossible to detect in ourselves.

What is the right amount of fear, anger and maybe respect we should have for what’s going on around us now? That’s the real question. The answer is going to be different for every single one of us.

Everyone has a different tolerance for risk, but the amount of actual danger we all face is also quite different.

We need to acknowledge that before we jump down someone else’s throat. We need to realize that not everyone else thinks just like we do, nor will they.

There’s COVID, there’s

the lockdown, and there’s a certain amount of chaos and confusion surrounding it. All of that is important, but to paraphrase the Roman stoic, Marcus Aurelius, “One of the goals in life should be to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.” That’s easier said than done in 2020.

Or maybe the way the Scottish rock band, Stealers Wheel, put it is better, “Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, here I am, stuck in the middle with you.” That sounds like a new Christmas classic, COVID-style.

The Legendary ‘Big O’ Hangs it Up Orion Samuelson, my mentor, friend, and farm broadcaster colleague, 86 years young, and a booming voice that rings out over all in a given room hangs up the microphone on December 31, 2020.

Orion finished 60 years as the farm broadcaster at WGN Chicago, where I joined him several times in person and many times by telephone and Skype. In a recent interview to commemorate his 60 years, most likely the longest time a broadcaster anywhere spent at the same radio station, we talked and shared stories and thoughts.

First off, I asked Orion what’s the most prominent three changes that come to mind. “Number one, the technology that farmers and ranchers have adopted and have done it, I think, rather quickly because well, we milked cows by hand on our dairy farm. Today, they’re milked automatically by robots. And so for the dairy industry, you’ve got to change that technology. But when you look at the crop protection products we have and the inability yet with the technology to get away from things like African Swine Fever and bird flu. When you look at those stories, you realize that agriculture, is truly international, doesn’t recognize borders a great deal, and we’re certainly having to live with that. But at the same token, we, I think, rather quickly,

The legendary “Big O” - Orion Samuelson.

come up with the technology to stop the spread and to get ready for the next pandemic,” said Orion.

He said with the COVID19 situation, that he has never gone through a summer with so many postponements and cancellations of agricultural events. “I mean, we did a virtual Farm Progress Show, and we’re going to do a virtual Commodity Classic, and we’re going to cancel the Outstanding Young Farmer Program for next year. It’s a combination of talking about what’s going on market-wise, weather-wise, and putting that with; this will be virtual. I’m getting very tired of the word virtual because it’s nothing at all like talking to people face to face, but that’s part of the situation.”

In commenting on the US election, a new president will

mean a new Secretary of Agriculture. Will the US maintain Republican leadership in the Senate to counterbalancing the Democratic White House? So your job and my job never ends thank God. When asked to look into his crystal ball, with everything that is happeing, where he sees agriculture goeing, Orion said we are, “Always going to have to eat, although we’re now looking at plantbased hamburgers and that sort of thing. They come from agriculture. And cattlemen don’t agree with the origin of the plant-based Beyond Meat products, and I don’t either,” he commented. “I’m just old fashioned enough that I say I’m going to continue to enjoy the foods that I’ve enjoyed for my entire life. And it’s going to come from agriculture one way or another. I don’t want laboratory-based foods. I want real food is what I call it.”

He gets a little heat on that from consumers and city people who say, “But that’s so terrible for animals. And why should human beings have the right and the opportunity to consume animals when we can grow plants?” But it all still comes from agriculture and the agricultural community, and the families.

Orion thinks and talks about the families that get up early, work long and hard, and have to put up with government and trade regulations and

with the weather and markets, and God bless them for being willing to do that.

“And I’m so lucky to have had the opportunity to work with people like you to provide what farmers and ranchers need, which is fruitful information,” he said. “What concerns me is the social media that I think gets misused so many times by people who don’t have to identify themselves and say who they are or what they are, but they can put whatever they want to on social media. So I keep an eye on that as carefully as possible because it can hurt, as we found out in the riots and other activities that we had here this year in the United States. After all, some people get on social media and say, “Meet us in downtown Chicago, and we’ll tear the storefronts down, and we’ll do this and that.” And it’s gotten to the point I have not gone to downtown Chicago since March.”

He said that he will not walk away from the agricultural industry. We’ll have a new Secretary of Agriculture. Our good friend, Collin Peterson, a Democrat in Minnesota who was chairman of the House Ag Committee, did not win re-election in November. And so we’ll have a new chairman of the House Ag Committee, and it’ll be interesting to see what kind of policy we get from the new administration.

But it will be different.”

The AgriPost

The Year That Won’t Quit

It is that time of year when we talk about the year that is drawing to a close and start to make plans for the one that will be arriving soon. A lot of ink has been spent on 2020 comparing it to dumpster fires (and worse) and what a joy it will be to get rid of this calendar, but the year is not going to go away.

In the short term, depending on your definition of short we need to see the COVID numbers in our province decline and perhaps even bottom out.

The result of what is happening is not because of the pages on the calendar, it is about individuals doing stupid things. It is that simple, the entire population needs to take this thing seriously and that needs to happen now.

Best guess is that we will have a vaccine ready by June and control of this thing next year at this time so it looks like it will have a huge impact on next year as well.

In our industry Ag Days, the provinces premier Ag show has already been canceled, and that sends a pretty strong message.

Many fairs and local events were canceled this year and are very uncertain about next

year. What will that do to the volunteer base, we don’t know but reviving is always harder than continuing and some fairs and rodeos may be added to the COVID death column.

Not everything has been bad, we have learned to do business in other ways and virtual delivery of information makes it available to more people and at a lower cost. Though there is nothing that can make up for the personal contact and while some companies have done a pretty good job of delivering their information the world does business by personal contact.

The calendar will change but COVID won’t go away, and neither will its impact.

Will the handshake ever return to the business world?

Probably not, and certainly not with the ease it was exercised previously.

COVID has changed the world and it is not done yet.

It was Darwin who said the species that survive are not the strongest or even the most intelligent but those that are most willing to change, and COVID is going to prove that. Most everyone is ready to change the calendar but are they going to make the other changes that are required? We will see at this time next year.

Let’s wrap this one up and move to the new year in the safest way possible. It has been quite a journey.

COVID-19 Affects Us All

By Dr. Jon Gerrard Today there is heightened concerned about the COVID19 pandemic in Manitoba as the number of people who are testing positive has been very high for the last two weeks.

Hospitals and staff, including in Steinbach, are facing very challenging times with the large number of people infected.

It is important to consider whether special attention is needed for those working in agriculture in Manitoba. To a considerable extent, many who live on farms in our province are living and operating separate from others.

Moreover, being outdoors, transmission is less likely.

However, there remain some areas of concern where people can be exposed, and this is particularly when people gather indoors.

For example, increasing evidence now shows that the SARS-CoV2 virus which is causing the COVID-19 pan-

demic is being transmitted by children and that schools contribute to the spread of the virus. Early during the pandemic, it was thought that schools were not so important. But recently, studies are showing that school age children and their gathering in schools does contribute to increased spread and that when schools are open there is more likelihood of increased spread. Thus farm families with children attending school are at greater risk of getting the virus.

It is also important to know that a considerable proportion of school age children who get the virus are asymptomatic, and that people who are asymptomatic can spread the virus. The spread of the virus by people who are asymptomatic is one of the reasons that this coronavirus is so dangerous.

Interestingly, in Bob Woodward’s book RAGE, he shares information that US intelligence was aware that

in China the best evidence in January of this year was that about 50% of people are asymptomatic. Thus, if you have children who are in school, you may want to consider being more careful than usual to prevent the spread of the virus. Indeed there are already reports of children being infected in several hundred schools in Manitoba. It is for these reasons that our Manitoba Liberal Caucus has called for a temporary closure of schools until we are able to substantially reduce the number of people becoming infected each day.

There have also been concerns raised about the spread of the SARS-CoV2 virus through animals. There have, for example, been a small number of reports of dogs becoming infected. At this point, we do not know how often this occurs, and we do not yet have a full appreciation of which species may become infected. The Centre for

Disease Control in the United States says in relation to pets the following: Treat pets as you would other human family members – do not let pets interact with people outside the household. If a person inside the household becomes sick, isolate that person from everyone else, including pets. This is a rapidly evolving situation and information will be updated as it becomes available.

We need, in Manitoba, to do what we can to decrease the spread of the SARSCoV2 virus. This starts with information about where there are potential sources of infection. I wish all who read this article a safe and COVID-19 free life at this difficult time, and I hope that all will join in the community effort we need to stop this virus’s spread.

Dr. Jon Gerrard is the Manitoba Liberal Health Critic and MLA for St. Boniface.

Celebrating the 4H Movement Dear Editor: On November 4, 2020, I rose in the house to celebrate the 4-H Program in Manitoba on Show Your Colours Day. November has been proclaimed 4-H month to recognize the programs long-standing success and its impact on youth and communities.

From the beginning of the Canadian 4-H movement in Roland Manitoba in 1913 to today, the 4-H program has helped young people develop their individual skills. Building skills that nurture leadership and service to community through collaboration, diversity and understanding is at the heart of the 4-H program.

It has evolved from a ruralbased farm and home program to a wide-ranging selection of projects. While beef and horse clubs still abound across Manitoba, there are now hands on projects like food preservation, starting a business, small machines, fitness and so much more.

Of course, 4-H would not be complete without the nervewracking communications competitions but this is more than offset by honing critical public speaking skills, not to mention the travel opportunities across Canada and around the world. This is yet another example of the leadership qualities young people learn in the 4-H program.

Our government is investing $1 million to establish a new 4-H Manitoba Trust Scholarship Program that will provide post-secondary scholarships to current and former 4-H members beginning in 2021.

On a personal note, my wife Dianne and I were both involved in 4-H clubs as youth and spent more than 10 years as leaders as our family was in a 4-H beef club. To watch young people grow and mature in the 4-H program is such a rewarding experience.

Just as 4-H started out 107 years ago in rural Manitoba, the sky is the limit for 4-H to continue expanding into

urban and northern communities. The program fosters responsible, caring and contributing community leaders and we need to keep encouraging that right across our great province.

Thank you to the 2000+ Manitoba 4-H members and the 600+ volunteer leaders who pledge: My head to clearer thinking My heart to greater loyalty My hands to larger service My health to better living For my club, my community, my country and my world.

Sincerely, Blaine Pedersen, Minister of Agriculture and Resource Development

November 27, 2020

November 27, 2020

The AgriPost

Keep Your Pig Stocks at Capacity

By Harry Siemens Dr. John Carr, a world livestock consultant, veterinarian, and lecturer, living in Brisbane, Australia, said with African Swine Fever and COVID-19 restrictions, Canada continues to feed the world with pork.

“My attitude is I still breed the sows this week because I don’t know what’s going to happen in a year,” said Dr. Carr. “If the prices are bad this week and you decide not to breed the sows because you think, well, I’m just losing money, in a year you kick yourself because you have no pigs.”

In one year, he said this planet needs 20 kilos of pork per head per person, per year.

Using simple math that means seven billion people need 140 billion kilos of pork. Another way of looking at it is that each pig provides food for three people a year. For seven billion people, “We need three billion pigs a year.”

Population growth has not stopped. With the current average population increase estimated at 81 million people per year he thinks that Canada does not appreciate its own pig industry, nor does the planet appreciate Canada’s pig industry.

Dr. Carr wakes up in the morning, and his job is to feed people pork, a highquality protein, with calcium, vitamins and omega 3. In no way is he knocking poultry producers, fishers, and cattle operations because he wants various foods himself.

However, 40 per cent of the world’s meat protein in one day is pork. Again, when there is African Swine Fever (ASF), the demand is high.

The world needs Canada, the US and South America be-

China needs pork; Asia needs pork. The planet needs pork and Canada is blessed with reasonably good health status. “So let’s do what we’re good at, making pork.”

cause Europe and Africa have problems. Western Europe is very concerned because Germany has ASF. With all the talk of animal disease and human viruses worldwide, biosecurity is vital and essential whether on the farm or through travel venues. Carr does not think ASF is a particular threat to Canada because it mostly spreads through ignorance.

Invariably bringing a pork sausage from a different part of the world to Canada can cause the spread of ASF or other diseases from farm to farm. “We take things for granted, but there are some acts that seem reasonably innocent, but it’s a good way of spreading African Swine Fever.” he said.

While biosecurity keeps improving on pig farms in Alberta and Manitoba, almost no one has a fence and no control program for the feral wild pigs. Canada has this valuable resource, but he thinks the government does not take it seriously enough.

“We play politics, but I think it’s a duty of care. I think Canada’s pig industry, although it might not think so, has a duty of care to feed this planet.”

Dr. Carr said ASF continues to be out of control except

for the farms he consults with shpoing no sign of ASF. He is building farms elsewhere and recently bought some gilts, not breeding stock. He will not produce pork for another year, to 18 months. China lost millions of gilts, and many need to go back into being breeding gilts.

Carr has no idea what will happen in a year or next week.

A producer has to cover the costs and the easiest way is to produce more pork without breaking the law.

“We have stringent stocking density regulations. But I still think the Canadians have got to cover their cost, so you’ve got to fill the farm,” he said. “So be joyous, be happy. Breed the sows with a smile. Because for some reason, there’s a big difference between, if you breed with a sad face, the [pigs] don’t get pregnant.”

Carr said people still have a role to play. COVID-19 has illustrated how fortunate people are who work in agriculture and produce food for the world.

China needs pork; Asia needs pork. The planet needs pork and Canada is blessed with reasonably good health status. “So let’s do what we’re good at, making pork.”

Dr. John Carr said that we still must breed sows this week because we do not know what will happen in a year, even if prices are bad this week in a year you may kick yourself because you have no pigs.

Photo by Harry Siemens

The AgriPost

November 27, 2020

Manitoba Pork Outlines Pricing Options

By Harry Siemens At the recent Manitoba Pork fall producer meeting, general manager Andrew Dickson outlined a pricing program that works for Quebec pig farmers and packers, following Alberta general manager Darcy Fitzgerald presentation on the need for a made-in-Manitoba pork price.

Dickson said a presentation by Quebec to Alberta industry years back landed on two things, price and how to get premiums for doing right things like quality, and penalties for doing things the wrong way.

He outlined a different approach on how to settle the price between packers and producers. It is an arbitration panel where the processors place their formulas, and the producer responds with what is needed for prices. The panel provides a rule that both sides have to live with it. It ends up as not a negotiation between the processor and the producers. Rater it is an arbitration panel just like a public utility board concept.

And the aim is to try and provide a balance between the needs of the processors and the farmers.

There is lobbying on both sides about the different

methods that may work. If western Canada wants to go that route, it would require new legislation. It guarantees supply to buyers and hog flow for producers where the producer has to go to a designated plant under the contract, and has built in penalties.

Dickson said the contract would have a base price with premiums. That means that six million, seven million pigs, go to the seven packing plants in Quebec with pricing mechanisms in place.

They arrive at the price by looking at the previous three or four years and then forward to the next three or four years. And it is almost like a constant presentation of their positions to the boards.

Dickson said Quebec is working with a cut out window to a benchmark using the USDA 201, but the price must be between the two levels of the PK602. Everybody will have to learn this number, the cut out value series used by the USDA that are published daily. Producers need to be careful of the various forms of the 201.

People say it is a CME 201, but a variation on those 201 prices. Ontario uses a different version of 201 for their formulas because they buy

pigs as a board and sell them through their co-op.

Dickson said it would take much work in presenting this information in front of the packers to show a clear understanding of how this thing works.

“The direction it is going concerns us. Is there another model, as Darcy pointed out, to bring more stability to this industry, so we don’t rely on government payments,” said Dickson. “No industry should be relying on government payments for its profitability.”

Following Dickson’s presentation, the Council presented a poll.

Fitzgerald said the best way is to have packers and producers figure this out for themselves without having legislation and regulations and hopefully, that can be the business model where the two sides realize that they need each other.

Fitzgerald said that the USDA collects the data for retail and packer value. And if you look at the spread, an enormous amount goes to retail. There certainly is more value to the packer than to the producer overall. The producer has stayed somewhat flat-lined in those 50 years.

“And, the two combatants, if you will, who shouldn’t be, the packer and the producer should be working together to get more of that value that’s going elsewhere.”

Dickson said 25 years ago, Manitoba used the auction system to establish prices, which did not work.

People were very unhappy about it. Then there was a switch to using formulas based on USDA published reports. Now, there seems to be a drift towards basing formula prices, future prices on another set of values, which looks like this pork cut out; in 20 years from now, it may be something else.

To wrap up the virtual meeting, 96 per cent said Manitoba Pork Council (MPC) is going in the right direction on this issue.

When asked if MPC should continue to encourage processors to look at moving to cut out pricing based formulas for pigs, likewise, 96 per cent said, “Yes.” The final question received a split response. “Do you feel knowledgeable about how the industry determines pig prices in Canada?” Fortysix per cent said, “Yes” and 54 per cent said,” No.”

Pork Promotion and Research Agency Welcomed Pork producers across Canada welcomed the announcement of the establishment of the Canadian Pork Promotion and Research Agency (PRA) by the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Marie-Claude Bibeau.

Pork producers and processors are expected to benefit greatly from the Agency’s promotional and research activities, especially as producers cope with impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The PRA will allow producers to take full advantage of the increased market opportunities, both domestic and international. As a result of recent trade deals, producers have preferential access to two-thirds of the world market. The Agency will also help mitigate and manage

the potential risks of African swine fever by investing in research activities that could boost on-farm biosecurity and surveillance.

“The PRA will be an important vehicle for producers.

It will help facilitate even greater collaboration across the value chain through increased research and promotion activities. In the long run, it will result in improving the long-term growth and competitiveness of the sector,” said Rick Bergmann, Canadian Pork Council Chair. “I would like to thank Minister Bibeau for championing this initiative and moving forward with the establishment of the agency.”

The discussion to establish the agency was initiated by former Canadian Pork Coun-

cil Chair, Jurgen Preugchas, with a small group of producers. The effort was picked up and actioned by his successor Jean-Guy Vincent and carried to this point by current Chair, Rick Bergmann.

“Producers and provincial organizations from across the country that have been engaged in the creation of the agency are pleased that the vision is finally being realized today,” said CPC’s Vice Chair Rene Roy. Individually, through their various provincial groups, Canadian pork producers already fund an extensive series of market promotion, extension services and research activities. Investments in these activities have been critical in enhancing the competitive position of the sector and in

raising consumer awareness of the advantages of the nutrient value of pork.

The pork industry believes that the producer-funded PRA, which also receives funds through the collection of a levy on the imports of live pigs and pork meat, is one mechanism that can further strengthen the industry. It is estimated that the fully functioning agency will provide an additional $2 million for research and promotion.

Similar agencies exist in other markets that have been successful, like the Canadian Beef Check-Off Agency that generates about $7.5 million each year towards funding initiatives that help beef producers expand their markets and increase sales.

Certificate of

The Certificate of Merit is presented by the U of M Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and the School of Agriculture in recognition of leadership with agricultural organizations and outstanding service to the community at large.

Each year two Certificates of Merit are presented, nor-

mally, one to a graduate of the Agriculture Diploma program, and one to a graduate of the Agriculture Degree program.

Nominations are considered by the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences Executive Committee and must be received no later than January 25, 2021.

Nominations should include a letter from the nominator describing the nominee’s leadership contributions and service to the community. Letters of support may also be included.

More information including a list of previous recipients can be found at umanitoba. ca/faculties/afs/school/merit.

Merit Call for Nominations Now Open

At the recent Manitoba Pork fall producer meeting, general manager Andrew Dickson outlined a pricing program that works for Quebec pig farmers and packers.

Photo by Harry Siemens

November 27, 2020

The AgriPost

The AgriPost

Turning Canada into a Diversified Food Exporter

One of Canada’s greatest opportunities for growth in global trade is in the food and beverage processing industry, according to Farm Credit Canada’s (FCC) latest trade report.

“World population growth, higher purchasing power in emerging markets and new trade agreements are key factors in potentially creating more opportunities for Canada to increase exports,” said J.P. Gervais, FCC chief agricultural economist, in releasing this year’s trade report Opportunities and Challenges to Diversify Canada’s Food Exports.

“Combined with our competitive advantages in natural resources and innovation, and a stellar food safety reputation, Canada has an opportunity to improve its world standing as a major food exporter, as well as to diversify its export markets,” Gervais said.

Canada has long been a major exporter of both agriculture commodities and food, ranking fifth as a global agriculture commodity exporter and 12th as a processed and prepared food and beverage exporter in 2019.

In 2019, Canada’s total food, beverage and commodity exports were worth roughly $67 billion, an increase of almost 10 per cent since 2015. Food exports increased by 27.8 per cent. Food and beverage exports represented less than half (45.5 per cent) of the total value of the country’s agriculture, food and beverage exports.

Canada’s agri-food industry has so far been able to adjust to COVID-19 challenges and meet the needs of Canadian and export customers, yet the disruptions to global food supply chains and trade caused by the pandemic underscore the need for Canada to diversify its export markets and seize related growth and diversification advantages.

The report indicates diversification of the country’s export markets can help reduce financial risks for Canadian

Export shares of food product categories relative to total food exports chart.

producers by lessening our dependency on current major markets. When borders close for any number of reasons, due to trade tensions or shock caused by disease or weather having a broader range of export markets allows Canadian exports to be re-allocated, rather than reduced.

The potential to diversify our export landscape is a function of the size and growth of import markets where our export presence has historically lagged, according to the report.

Of all vegetable oils, canola oil has been the fastest growing behind coconut oil. Imports largely used for consumption as opposed to biofuel show a definite preference for Canadian canola oil in multiple Asian and Western economies.

Beyond China, most of the markets in which Canadian pork has an advantage are small and well-established with slow recent growth. If Chinese markets were excluded, the markets that show the greatest potential for Canadian pork exports are the European countries of Italy, France, Germany, Belgium and Poland.

In 2019, Canada was the fourth largest exporter of potato products, worth just over

$1 billion. The expansion of the Western diet globally has increased demand for French fries and potato products.

While the United Kingdom is the largest and fastest growing importer, there is opportunity for expansion with other trading partners, such as Western and Eastern European countries and China.

From 2009 to 2019, Canada has been the world’s largest exporter of prepared crab, capturing 32.8 per cent of total global exports last year.

China, along with South Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and Hong Kong, represent a third of the global import growth.

Global prepared and preserved beef imports grew by 58 per cent between 2009 and 2019, and China accounted for almost 40 per cent of that growth. Over the same period, Canadian exports grew by almost 125 per cent. Last year China surpassed the US as the largest beef importer, including prepared and preserved beef. Other growth opportunities reside in Europe and other Asian export destinations.

While market diversification is desirable from a risk management perspective, Gervais noted that there are economic challenges that can thwart ef-

forts to diversify Canada food export markets.

“Diversification almost always entails seeking markets that are further away and more expensive to develop,” he cautioned. “Plus, selling into one market rather than multiple markets might be less expensive due to economies of scale.”

Some price-sensitive markets may also offer limited potential for diversification, due to the higher input and manufacturing cost associated with higher-quality Canadian products, and a slower pace of economic expansion worldwide can mean more timid growth in food demand, according to Gervais.

On the flipside, diversification allows exports to continue when trade partners become unavailable, possibly preventing or reducing business disruptions or revenue loss.

“Disruptions caused by the pandemic serve as a wakeup call at a time when global supply and demand of food are also becoming increasingly difficult to gauge,” Gervais said. “Canada has an opportunity to fortify and strengthen its position as a major food exporter by exploring new markets and ensuring we are not overly reliant on a few.”

Canada-UK Trade Continuity Post-Brexit The completion of negotiations for the Canada-United Kingdom Trade Continuity Agreement was announced recently by Minister Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade.

“The Canada-UK Trade Continuity Agreement provides important clarity on the Canada-UK trade relation-

ship in the post-Brexit environment,” said Dean Dias, Chief Executive Officer of Cereals Canada. “This is a positive outcome for Canadian wheat farmers and exporters, especially those operating in a highly integrated supply chain with important UK millers and food processors,” “The UK is a valuable and

consistent market for Canadian wheat farmers and exporters. Canada’s cereals industry has longstanding connections with UK partners and we look forward to the continued stability of export opportunities for both high- and medium-protein wheats in the post-Brexit environment,” said Dias.

“Now that negotiations are

completed, we are calling on the Canadian Parliament to ratify the transitional agreement before the end of the year. Given the interim nature of this agreement, we urge Canada and the UK to continue discussions towards a permanent trade agreement to support continued growth and stability over the longterm,” concluded Dias.

November 27, 2020

Global Grain Canada Ltd. at Plum Coulee in Receivership

By Harry Siemens On November 19, three companies, the parent company Globeways Canada of Mississauga, ON. Global Grain Canada Ltd., of Plum Coulee, MB, and Canpulse Foods of Tindersly, SA were placed into receivership, with Binder Dijker Otte (BDO) Canada appointed as the receiver.

“I can confirm that the Canadian Grain Commission holds security in the form of a payables insurance policy underwritten by the Guarantee Company of North America, GCNA. The amounts are $6.5 million for Canpulse Foods, $1.25 million for Global Grain Canada, and $50,000 for Globeways Canada,” said Remi Gosselin, manager, corporate information services. “Those security levels are to cover producer outstanding producer liabilities, so that’s the security that we hold to pay producers that not paid.”

Gosselin said some producers went to Global Grain Canada demanding the return of their grain as the primary elevator in Plum Coulee. Producers have this right under the Canada Grain Act. The Commission believes that the company has returned the majority of its inventory to producers who hold primary elevator receipts.

“We consider that to be a success story in the fact that producers were able to retrieve their grain.”

Frank Reimer, who sold the company to Globeways Canada some years back, but still a silent partner and an employee, said all employees at the three locations, Plum Coulee, Kindersley and head office in Ontario, are locked out.

In an interview with Gosselin back on November 2, the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) had suspended the licences of Canpulse Foods Ltd. and Global Grain Canada Ltd. and their parent company Globeways Canada Inc. because they no longer had security in place.

The CGC made this decision because its security provider notified the CGC; they terminated their coverage effective October 30. From that time, the companies had 30 days to obtain alternate security coverage; otherwise, the Commission would revoke their licenses. Their insurance provider had cancelled their security on October 30, so the next day, the CGC suspended their license.

The three companies interrelate through a common controlling interest. And the Canadian Grain Commission had licensed primary elevator facilities in Kindersley, Saskatchewan, for Canpulse Foods, and also a licensed primary elevator in Plum Coulee, Manitoba for Global Grain Canada. And then the third entity, which is Globeways Canada, Inc., held a grain dealer license, and it’s the parent company of Global Grain Canada and Canpulse Foods.

But a year ago, Canpulse Foods Ltd. sold processing facilities (at Zealandia, Lajord and Sedley) to Global Food and Ingredients Inc. (GFI), a processing and trading company based out of Toronto, ON. GFI provided toll processing services to Canpulse at these facilities but is not involved with Canpulse outside the processing agreement. The bottom line, backing for Globeways is offshore and could stand for monies owed to farmers, as reported. Yet those monies are also slow in coming.

And further comfort may come from the CEO of Global Food and Ingredients, who advised farmers the company, will honour contracts with Canpulse.

So far, there no word on whether that contract backing will happen.

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November 27, 2020

The AgriPost

The AgriPost

November 27, 2020

11

GROW’ing A Rare Convergence this Fall Outcomes

By Elmer Heinrichs After the October 20th snowfall the weather slowly changed for the better and farmers had one more opportunity to complete the harvest of soybeans and thousands of acres of corn and sunflowers, coming off with good yields and good quality. A nice finish to an amazing year! It was an unusually nice fall.

This year clear skies and warm temperatures shone on farmers harvesting and all grain, oilseed and pulse crops came off the fields in good condition and quality.

Not at all like last year

when an early October storm dumped an abnormal amount of heavy wet snow on southern Manitoba and basically shut down harvest operations for the year.

It was not until spring that some farmers were able to get back on the fields to finish harvesting what was left of the 2019 crop before putting down seed for the 2020 crop.

Potato growers could hardly believe the difference this year compared to last year.

All fields were harvested and the potato crop came off in good condition. The only

problem with the 2020 potato crop was the volume. It was simply too dry to grow a lot of tubers this year.

Morgan Cott, an agronomy extension specialist with Manitoba Crop Alliance, spoke about the corn crop.

“It seemed to be an easy crop to take off. Moisture content was quite low and required less drying, and that’s good.

Yields were quite respectable, not super high, but overall averages are good.”

With harvest done, farmers have engaged in post-harvest field work such as tillage, applying fertilizer, hauling

grain and bales, spraying weeds and moving cattle.

This year’s crop was grown with most parts of the agricultural regions receiving only 70-80 per cent of normal precipitation. As a result, soil moisture conditions across the west are well below average. A good snowpack this winter and timely rains in the spring will be needed.

But with the markets for grains looking promising and good rail movement to export ports well above average, crop farmers can enjoy a rare convergence of things going well for a change.

Saving Money Growing Corn in Perennial Groundcover

Using perennial groundcovers, farmers can merge high yield agriculture with natural resources conservation, while maintaining or improving profitability.

To make this work farmers first seed their acres with a groundcover, such as bluegrass or fescue. Then they plant their row crop. An Iowa State University team recently finished a study in which corn was grown into perennial grass groundcovers.

During the first year, the perennial grass grows along with the corn. It remains to protect the soil after corn harvest when the soil is otherwise bare. In following years, so the grass does not get too tall and interfere with corn growth, the groundcover is suppressed in the spring and goes dormant during the corn growing season. The groundcover comes out of dormancy and regrows after the summer heat and drought stress ends.

A key benefit of this system is that its management activities are like those of conventional corn. Conversely, most row crop systems are designed to use the entire growing season leaving little time to establish and remove or suppress an annual winter cover crop. In addition, other groundcovers, like annual cover crops, have annual planting costs, but perennial groundcovers do not.

This saves money, while regenerating the environment.

Another plus about perennial grass and corn systems is that they fit with the current farming model. Things like existing market forces and infrastructure investments both fit with perennial groundcover development.

Variations on this system have been adopted for largescale production. But questions remained for how best to manage perennial grass intercropped with an annual cash crop.

A model based on three years of data was created by Cynthia Bartel of Iowa State University. Their data was collected from fields that grew corn in perennial grasses such as bluegrass or fescue.

They use the model to better understand how the corn and grass interacted. They also explored both production and conservation benefits of the perennial grass and corn system.

Their modeling showed these systems can attain multiple conservation efforts while producing competitive corn yield. To achieve these conservation benefits, spring grass suppression is the critical factor affecting corn yield. When grass is well suppressed, the corn yield loss is minimal, and the environmental benefits are significant. Two of the most challenging water quality issues, runoff and nitrate leaching were reduced. The model

Changes in the perennial grass and corn system throughout a season. Left, early season, right, corn at mature height. The perennial grass supports soil health and provides conservation benefits without reducing corn yields.

Photo courtesy of Kenneth J. Moore.

also predicted increases in soil carbon. This improves soil structure and retains nutrients and water for corn to use.

On the flip side, when grass is not successfully suppressed, it reduces corn growth rates.

The perennial grasses compete first with the row crop for light and then water and nutrients. Together, these can translate into substantial corn yield losses at the end of the season.

The primary implication of the modeling work at their research lab is that well-managed perennial groundcover and corn systems can meet both production and natural resources management goals.

Yields remain high, and the conservation benefits are also high. They are currently using these findings to refine the management of the grass and to select corn and grasses that pair well and looking at ways that energy can increase perennial groundcover system profitability.

Graphic of the perennial grass and corn system. Note the roots of the grass are able to hold soil in place all seasons, without interrupting the growth of corn.

Graphic courtesy of D. Raj Raman.

By Blaine Pedersen In October of last year, our government announced the creation of the Growing Outcomes in Watersheds (GROW) Trust. This made-in-Manitoba initiative provides annual incentive payments to eligible farmers who retain, restore or enhance natural areas that provide ecological benefits. Over $5.6M has been allocated this year towards GROW and Conservation Trust projects throughout the province.

The next round of funding is now available, with up to $8.6 million available for successful applicants. To date, 20 projects have been approved for funding across all 14 Watershed Districts of Manitoba.

The GROW initiative supports Manitoba’s ambitious Climate and Green Plan. These projects fall in line with your government’s mission to improve water management and support conservation and restoration activities.

GROW is delivered through Manitoba’s Watershed Districts, and focuses on improving watershed resilience. GROW programs are proposed by Watershed Districts throughout Manitoba, and are reviewed by the Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation’s Technical Advisory Team. Final approval for projects is then given by the MHHC’s Board of Directors. Our government values the work of the MHHC Board and under the leadership of Executive Officer, Tim Sopuck these important projects are moving forward to mitigate the impacts of droughts and flooding, as well as improve overall water quality.

Each local GROW program is tailored to local watershed priorities, and therefore, will vary across agroManitoba. Projects may include small water retention structures, wetland and grassland restoration, shoreline area management along lakes and rivers, soil health improvements, and shelterbelt development. The projects celebrate the cooperative decision-making between landowners, municipalities and Watershed Districts.

Premier Brian Pallister and I had the opportunity to see GROW’s potential on the ground over the summer.

We had the pleasure of viewing projects in the Pembina Valley Watershed District and the Souris River Watershed District. These GROW projects will result in over 900 acres of protected class 1 and 2 wetlands, new water retention structures, several kilometers of new riparian fencing and over 1500 acres of a protected riparian area. In total, $500,000 in GROW Trust funding has been allocated towards the Pembina Valley Watershed District, and $440,000 has been allocated for the Souris River Watershed District.

Other examples, just to name a few, of GROW projects within the province include ‘GROWing EG&S’ in the Seine Rat and Roseau Watershed District, the Advancing Landscape Resiliency project within InterMountain Watershed District, the Whitemud Watershed 2020-21 GROW Program and the ‘Farming the BestConserving the Rest’ program within the Central Assiniboine Watershed District. Each of these mentioned projects are receiving $500,000 in GROW trust funding.

The GROW initiative continues to demonstrate your government’s commitment in preserving and restoring Manitoba’s unique and precious natural areas. Check with your local Watershed District to develop a project specific to your landscape.

Congratulations and thank you to all 14 Watershed Districts for their expertise in enhancing Manitoba’s natural advantages.

The next intake for projects is now open! To apply, visit the Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation website at mhhc.mb.ca.

Blaine Pedersen is Manitoba’s Minister of Agriculture and Resource Development.

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November 27, 2020

The AgriPost

The AgriPost

Make Every Bite Count in Dairy Cow’s Lactation Diet In the last six months, I have been focused on how much feed that milking dairy cows are consuming each day. It’s the only way, in which they can obtain large amounts of essential nutrients in order to maintain body functions (including pregnancy and reproduction), and to drive milk production. So, when I visit a dairy farm, I often look at the producer’s TMR mixing records and calculate the dairy herd’s current ‘as fed’ and dry matter intakes. From these calculations, it predetermines whether things are running smooth or there are dietary problems that should be addressed.

Although, there are many factors that affect feed intake in the lactating dairy barn, I usually follow the cow- and feed-related ones before bunk management. That’s because these two former factors, when brought together; follow natural patterns of milk synthesis in dairy cows.

For example, when a cow calves her early milk production naturally rises and peaks about 5 to 7 weeks, after calving. From this peak, milk production declines at a rate of about 6 - 8 %, and then finishes at about 305 days, post-calving. Similarly, dry matter intake of feed which is synonymous with essential energy intake (that largely drives milk production) also rise, but at a much slower pace - peaking at 9 10 weeks, after calving.

Consequently, it becomes very important to make dietary changes that accommodate this natural lag time,

particularly for cows between 0 - 100 days in milk (DIM). Some dairy nutritionists make higher energy dense diets for this early lactation period, which is okay.

However, I rather provide diets that contain high-quality forages, which promote high “as fed/dmi” intakes in order to produce milk.

In doing so, I take advantage of the straight-forward healthy fermentation of highquality forage by the resident rumen bugs. At the same time, I forgo feeding lowquality feeds (which tend to stay in the rumen longer to be digested and slowdown its rate of passage), which becomes a barrier toward more feed intake/milk production.

As well, I avoid feeding (the above mentioned) high levels of energy-enriched grains and energy-dense fats, which frequently lead to digestive upsets and thus unproductive dairy cows.

As a dairy nutritionist, my early lactation cow and one-group barn TMRs often employ many different highquality forages such as corn or barley silage, alfalfa haylage or grass hay, yet they are always designed to contain at least 19 to 21% ADF, 28 to 32% NDF (75% from effective forage fiber) on a dmi, basis. I also place limitations upon dietary non-fiber carbohydrates of 35 to 42%, in which limit-feed grains to 7.5 kg in the entire diet, which helps prevent subclinical acidosis. I also limit feed palm fat to 450 grams per cow per day, mainly to support milk-fat levels in

milk. Lastly, I target about a 50% moisture content in the daily TMR to targets 25 – 27 kg DMI in early lactation cows and 22 – 24 kg in milking 1st calf heifers.

One advocate of mine is a dairy producer, whom milks 330 dairy cows (40% replacement heifers) with an average DIM of 156 and feeds them a one-group TMR. His most recent ration contains a forage-base of 2/3 corn silage and 1/3 haylage (no hay), plus limited barley grain at 7.0 kg per head and a protein supplement fed at 3.0 kg per head.

He also feeds 500 grams of bypass palm-fat per head and water is finally added to this mixture to target a 50% dm, basis. From a 7-day recordkeeping chart, that he keeps in the milkhouse – I recently calculated his average cowherd “as fed” intake (with a 3% refusal rate) as 47.6 kg per head with a 51.7% dm

or 24.6 kg of dry matter feed intake. This amount of feed produces a respectable 33.4 kg milk production with a 4.45 % b.f. per head, daily.

This lactation barn is a good testament to the importance of good ‘as/fed’/DMI as it drives good milk performance in dairy cows. Aside from doing an occasional Shaker-box test of the same diet to assure that his lactation cows are receiving a well-balanced and nutritious diet, my friend also measures the moisture content of his final lactation TMR on a weekly basis. When he sees significant dietary moisture changes, which can adversely affect lactating cowherd ‘as fed/dmi’ consumption, he makes the necessary dietary adjustments that makes every bite count.

Dairy cows eating TMR.

Whole Grain Changes to the Food Guide

By Les Kletke The most recent Canada Food Guide is presented in a new format that suggest consumers consider each plate of their diet not the number of servings they have daily.

Dr. Jim House of the University of Manitoba recently chaired an online Cafe that examined the increased role that whole grains play in the recommendations but all three of the panelist agreed that recommendations are one thing; practicality in the diet may be another.

Dr. Carla Taylor of the St. Boniface Research Centre said that release of the guide and the invitation to the panel had her scurrying to the cupboard to see how much of its content did contain whole grains.

“I had one brand of crackers that did contain whole wheat,” said Taylor. “But that is not enough and just like myself I think other consumers are unaware of exactly what is a whole grain.” She explained that whole grain means every part of the kernel and in many cases especially wheat the component parts are separated during milling and then mixed back together to achieve a whole grain.

“That makes sense to extend the life of the component parts like wheat germ,” said Taylor. “But there are so many other grains that we produce in western Canada that could be considered. The benefits of whole grains haven been proven and the most obvious is the fibre content, it

is also thought to reduce the likelihood of type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer,” she noted.

While whole grains have been touted as a weight loss aid she said that most likely because of the effect of feeling fuller longer reduces snacking.

“Whole grains also affect the gut microbes and the increased fibre which is the food of the microbes can change the profile and produce better health in the gut microbes,” said Taylor. She suggested that dietary fibre could also help in the control of cholesterol.

Overall there is little risk or downside in increasing the amount of whole grains in the diet. She was adamant

that it would require more awareness of the labeling of food products and suggested that consumers who want to increase the amount of whole grain in their diet to meet the recommendations of the guide take the time to read the content on food packages and make sure that it is indeed whole grains.

Dr. CarlaTaylor.

November 27, 2020

13

A Year Like No Other What a year we have had in 2020.

In some ways it has absolutely flown by, leaving me wondering where the time went. In other ways, as I think back to memories of January and February, they feel like ages ago, not a mere ten or eleven months. With all of the chaos, uncertainty and surprises that 2020 presented us, it has been a year like no other.

Part of the adventure is that while we hope the flip of the calendar to 2021 will bring something entirely new, we simply don’t know. This upcoming year could be a time of learning to crochet and ballroom dance in our homes and repair muffler bearings in our shop while waiting for COVID to disappear, or it could be a year where we return to some form of normal – travelling, sharing time with friends and family, and gathering in large groups to cheer for someone shooting a puck or throwing a ball.

For the insurance industry, even before the pandemic, many insurers were in a state of scrutinizing their underwriting guidelines, rating, and goals for the sake of improving their profitability after years of declining results. This means that on top of seeing general rate increases on most lines of insurance coverage, brokers and clients were also asked to provide more information to insurers to qualify for the same coverage they had the previous year. Once the pandemic hit, we saw insurers react and tighten up even further than at the start of the year.

The one area of peace and tranquility for insurance markets this year has been insurance for grain farmers.

In the midst of the chaos, we have found farm insurers excited to continue to grow and welcome new grain farms to their companies. We have also found that farm insurers in general are improving their wordings, increasing the values that they can insure (to accommodate increasing machinery and farm infrastructure values), and providing flexibility to find solutions for “outside of the box” farms.

For the grain farmers reading this, one thing you can be thankful for is that while there were many disruptions to life in 2020, farm insurance has not been one of them.

We thoroughly enjoy serving the Ag community in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, and we love to give back to the communities we serve, and are doing so again this year. We encourage you to enter a local charity or community initiative in this draw for their chance to receive a $1,000 donation. You can find all of the details for our Season of Giving draw on our website at rempelinsurance.com.

On behalf of the team at Rempel Insurance Brokers, it is our hope that when you reflect on this past year, you will find lots of reasons to be thankful, lots of memories that bring you joy and an unimaginable amount of hope for the future. Merry Christmas!

David Schmidt is an Account Executive at Rempel Insurance Brokers in Morris, MB, specializing in insuring farms and businesses across Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Office 204-746-2320, Text 204-712-6618, email davids@rempelinsurance.com or visit rempelinsurance.com.

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The AgriPost

The AgriPost

Building Up Agriculture Programming in Schools The governments of Canada and Manitoba will be providing support to Agriculture in the Classroom – Manitoba (AITC-M) to adjust it’s educational and outreach resources in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Connecting Canadian youth with the farming and agri-food industry is more important than ever during these challenging times,” said federal Agriculture and AgriFood Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau. “This investment will allow Agriculture in the Classroom to help both Manitoba’s teachers and students adapt to new realities as they continue

to learn about our innovative agricultural sector.”

“The pandemic has renewed many Manitobans’ interest in our food, where it comes from and how it gets from farm to table,” said Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development Minister Blaine Pedersen. “This investment will help educate Manitoba’s youth on the importance of agriculture in Manitoba and the role it plays in our everyday lives.”

Through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, the governments of Canada and Manitoba will be providing AITC-M with up to $146,600

to adopt a new service delivery method to adapt to COVID-19 and an increased demand for digital, online and adapted in-person resources.

AITC-M brings together industry, government and educators to increase the public’s understanding about agriculture. AITC-M delivers curriculum based programs, activities and resources for teachers and their students to learn about agriculture and the role it plays in Manitoba. In 2019, AITC-M reached nearly 38,000 students through events, programs and professional development days for educators.

“Through this time of uncertainty, our vision to educate students about how their food gets from the farm to their table has never wavered, it just needs to happen differently,” said Sue Clayton, executive director of AITC-M. “We believe all students in Manitoba should be agriculturally literate when they graduate. Thanks to the generous support from the Canadian Agricultural Partnership program, we move closer to this goal as more students will be able to expand and deepen their knowledge of Canadian agriculture.”

Research Needed on Whole Grain’s Phytochemicals

By Les Kletke Dr. Peter Zahradka of the Max Rady College of Medicine at the University of Manitoba said that more work needs to be done to find the long term benefits of increasing whole grains in the diets of Canadians as recommended by the latest edition of the Canadian Food Guide.

Zahradka who was part of a panel event sponsored by the University of Manitoba said that there is no danger to increasing whole grain in the diet but more work needs to be done to see the exact impact and that can only come about through longer term studies.

He said that whole grains do contain some phytochemicals which are organic com-

ponents of plants, and these components are thought to promote human health. There are suggestions that increased whole grain consumption can aid in weight loss. “We do not have any scientific evidence of that,” he said. “And while it may happen it could be due to the feeling fuller longer from the whole grains.”

The same sentiment was shared by fellow panelist Dr. Carla Taylor with the Canadian Centre for Agrifood Research in Health and Medicine and Professor with the Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, University of Manitoba. She said longer term studies were required to show the impact of increased whole grain consumption. “We also need

to do more work on other grains,” she said. “Much of this work has been done with wheat and other grains like barley or buckwheat which have a different profile and might have a totally different impact. We need to do work with the specific grains and see the impact they have.”

The panelists suggested that there are also indications that whole grains may have an impact of reducing Fatty Liver Disease, and increased fibre is of value in reducing the incidence of colon and rectal cancer. “We need to look at the outcomes,” said Zahradka. “Why we die is more important than reducing the risk factor.”

On the practical side he said that cooking whole grains

requires different times and temperatures and that can have an effect on the grain itself, as well as making it a viable alternative for consumers.

Dr. Peter Zahradka of the Max Rady College of Medicine at the University of Manitoba said that more work needs to be done to find the long term benefits of increasing whole grains in the diets of Canadians as recommended by the latest edition of the Canadian Food Guide.

Switching to a Whole Grain Diet Should be Gradual

Getty Stewart.

By Les Kletke Getty Stewart is a professional Home Economist and knows the pitfalls of a wholesale change of diet in the home.

“Don’t do it all at once,” she stressed. The transition to an increased amount of

whole grains in the diet should be gradual instead.

“Take stock of where you are and increase it gradually. An overnight change might be too crunchy or nutty for your family.”

Stewart was part of a panel at a Cafe sponsored by the University of Manitoba that featured three experts on the recommended increase of whole grains for Canadian diets.

“The Guide recommends having a third of the diet as whole grains and it suggests looking at every meal, so I try to incorporate the change into ever meal.”

For breakfast she suggested oats. “Oats is always whole grain and there are a variety of cuts and choices available,” said Stewart. “If you like pancakes or waffles you can add some oat flour to your mix.” She also suggested combining cereals if the whole grain route becomes to crunchy or the consumer does not want to go cold turkey from their existing cereal.

Stewart who grew up on a farm in western Manitoba acknowledged that there was little thought given to consuming the grain they produced. “We grew a variety of grain and sold it, then

we went to town and bought processed product,” she said with a chuckle. “Today I am much more aware of the grains produced in our province and how they could fit into our diets.”

For lunch she suggested a chicken brown rice soup, prepackage noodles or whole grain wraps instead of a sandwich on white bread.

“It requires a new way of thinking,” said Stewart.

“They do take longer to cook but they also freeze well so I always cook an extra helping or two and that helps with the preparation time for the next meal.”

“Oh and don’t forget popcorn as a snack” she said.

“Popcorn is a whole grain and a great snack. You can increase the whole grain portion of your diet; it just takes a little bit of thinking.”

November 27, 2020

Food Production Should Remain Diverse

By Les Kletke Diana Rodgers’ presentation to the Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association was entitled “Sacred Cow. Her message was that cows must be included in our diet and not treated as life forms equal to human beings and therefore above being part of the food chain.

Rodgers began her presentation with a disclaimer … saying that she does eat both plants and animals, that she does live on a farm that raises both plants and animals and that she believes that humans should eat both plants and animals. It was a message that brought immediate connection with most members of the Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association.

She was straight with her message and about the battle that people with her view are facing. “They are funded by big business and have an incredible amount of money to get their message out, while we have none.”

She used the example of Meatless Mondays in New York schools. “Can you imagine the amount of money it cost to get that message out and to have New York schools actually implement the practice? But yet when you consider the impact that a movement like that might have on greenhouse gas emissions it is negligible.” According to Rogers, her numbers indicate that if all the animals in the US were taken out of the equation greenhouse gas emissions would drop by 2.6%.

Rodgers sited a proposal to implement a meat tax in Germany and said that her investigations showed the concept brought mixed reviews across Europe. “It remains that meat is portrayed as the culprit in this one,” she said. “That is the concept and it goes on to say that there are many more ways of feeding the increasing world population than with nutrient dense meat.”

She noted that in cases like this, it is the poor in developing countries that often suffer the consequences.

“Many of these people are subsistence farmers and raise livestock because they can move to an available water source. This is a vital part of their diet, and people are talking about doing away with meat,” said Rodgers.

While being a cheerleader for agriculture she does acknowledge that production practices will have to change. She cited a United Nations study that predicted the world could continue food production for 60 years using current practices before a major famine. “We need to be more efficient,” she said. “And that can come with more diverse production systems and a holistic management system.”

Rodgers said that a diverse system is more likely to survive if attacked by an outside source and used the example of wolves in an Eco system. “Tightly bunched animals grazing and moving on is what is required in the wild when predators exist, but we can incorporate that into our grazing systems and take advantage of the concept,” said Rodgers on how she works with farmers that move their animals to different paddocks as often as 3 times a day.

Diana Rogers has a different view of sacred cows and the role Supplied photo they play in the environment.

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The AgriPost

Seed Company Leverages International Buyer Relationships for Growers

By Lilian Schaer In a year where non-GMO soybean supplies are plentiful, one Canadian seed company is offering growers something few others can; a guaranteed sale of all of their crop come harvest time.

Sevita International is a Canadian soybean genetics company dedicated to serving the Canadian market, with a particular focus on food-grade soybean produc-

tion. They contract directly with farmers across Canada to grow food-grade beans for their customers around the world, including Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Singapore, as well as China and other Southeast Asian markets.

Those contracts give farmers a guaranteed market for their entire crop based on the total acreage planted, not just tonnage before it ever goes in the ground. The contracts also

include a food-grade soybean premium for growers.

“When growers sign a production contract with us, they know that as long as they meet our contract requirements, we are going to buy that entire crop regardless of yield, not just a specified number of tons,” said Sevita’s Market Development Manager, Matt Renkema. “We offer 100% buy-back contracts at competitive premiums and on

high performing varieties.”

Sevita’s long-term relationships with buyers means the company can fairly accurately predict their future soybean demand and mitigate the risk of growing the crop for Canadian farmers. Those relationships have impact right back to the company’s soybean breeding activities, too.

End users have the ability to test varieties for quality, yield, and performance during Sevita has been developing international markets for its foodgrade soybeans for more than 25 years, most recently working to expand market share in China and other Southeast Asian countries.

Supplied photos

the breeding process to evaluate the suitability of potential varieties before they come to market.

“Sevita is making significant investments in genetics every year so we can find those varieties that perform in the field and likewise at the food processing plant,” says Seed Business Manager Sandy Hart.

The majority of soybeans are sold internationally, although some local manufacturers also buy from Sevita. The

Canadian-grown food-grade soybeans end up mostly in tofu, soymilk and natto; there is also strong demand from manufacturers of miso, soy sauce and tempeh.

For 2021, Sevita is offering grower production contracts with the buy-back guarantee for 18 non-GMO soybean varieties.

Sevita International is a seed company committed to breeding soybean varieties for the Canadian market and making Canadian genetics available to Canadian growers. For more information visit sevita.com.

Sevita has strong buyer relationships in countries like Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore for its food-grade soybeans, resulting in guaranteed sales for growers of its non-GMO varieties.

The majority of Canadian-grown food-grade soybeans end up in international markets for tofu, soymilk and natto, although there is also strong demand from manufacturers of miso, soy sauce and tempeh.

The AgriPost

November 27, 2020

Roquette’s Pea Protein Plant Nears Completion

The Roquette pea protein plant nears completion in Portage la Prairie.

See full story on Page 22...

Supplied photo

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New Emergency Fund to Protect Manitoba’s Farm Workers The Government of Canada recognizes the critical role of the food supply chain and is committed to improving the safety of these workplaces.

Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced that applications are now being accepted for Manitoba farmers under the Emergency On-Farm Support Fund. This $1.9 million investment will help farmers to better protect the health and safety of farm workers in Manitoba during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Eligible activities include direct infrastructure improvements to living quarters and work stations, temporary or emergency housing (on or off-farm), as well as personal protective equipment (PPE), sanitary stations, work stations and any other health and safety measures that safeguard the health and safety of Canadian and temporary foreign workers from COVID-19.

Contributions under the AAFC-managed program will be cost-shared 50:50 with the applicants up to $100,000. An additional 10 per cent will be provided to women, youth, visible minorities, Indigenous Peoples, and Persons with Disabilities, amounting to a 60:40 split as the Government of Canada promotes and empowers underrepresented groups in the agricultural sector.

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The AgriPost

Roquette’s Pea Protein Plant Nears Completion

By Harry Siemens In a recent interview, Michelle Finley, communications and public affairs manager for Canada and Bruce Brolley, senior agronomist of Roquette Canada, gave an update on the pea protein plants status at Portage la Prairie.

Finley said the plant is on track to start operations by the end of this year, making excellent construction progress, especially in the summer and fall. She listed four main reasons why Roquette decided on locating its pea protein plant, to Portage la Prairie.

Growers in Saskatchewan and Manitoba could grow and supply the 125,000 metric tons of yellow peas needed to run the plant at capacity.

The other three reasons were access to sustainable, clean

Flyover photo of plant construction.

hydroelectric power that Manitoba produces. Manitoba also has a very abundant supply of skilled workers.

And the third reason is that Manitoba is in the centre of North America and has terrific access to transportation routes by air, rail and road to primarily grow the market for plant-based protein in North America.

Brolley said Roquette would take all varieties of yellow peas, but starting with 2021, they will have a preferred variety list.

Yellow peas grow best in drier conditions, making the Red River Valley a less desirable place for growing the crop however the crop will most likely come from western Manitoba and eastern Saskatchewan.

When it comes to protein content, it is not what protein the company desires, but what protein content they get as well. “The protein level for yellow peas varies even more so than the protein level in wheat,” said Brolley. “The protein level in peas can go from an average of 21 and a half percent protein to 23 and a half, 24 per cent, depending upon the year. We have not figured out what factors line up to provide that consistent level of protein.”

For now, protein levels are at the mercy of Mother Nature for any given year. This year, producers seem to be coming in a little on the lower side, around 21.5 to 21.75 percent.

Brolley said the full-plant capacity at 125,000 tonnes of peas; his job is to get peas to

the plant with as high of protein as possible. “We changed our program and don’t focus on protein, but do focus on growing peas according to an identity-preserved system,” he said. “We have what’s called our Roquette Growing Protocol, and any farmer who follows it will receive premiums regardless of protein content levels. We’re looking for a specific quality of pea, and by following that protocol, we can achieve it.”

He said that pea yields also vary significantly from one area to the next. Roquette designed a procurement program to source peas from a relatively broad geographic area so that bad weather in any one area will not impact the volume of peas coming to the plant. The yields average

Supplied photos

around 1.2 tonnes per acre from the total pull area for yield by blending out.

Finley said the finished protein product leaves the plant in a powdered format shipped to their customers around North America. Those customers use it in various products, from plant-based meat alternatives to nutritional shakes, to other innovative food products. Plant-based protein is one of the fastestgrowing ingredient sectors globally, with people looking for diversity in their diets.

Roquette is also a major global supplier of plant-based pharmaceutical products that includes excipients and dialysis solutions which are a very successful part of their business during the COVID pandemic. Pea protein is nearly a complete amino acid, highly nutritious and versatile product.

The plant will also produce a significant amount of animal feed and the company is proud that the pea plant will have little waste after the protein production. “We will use nearly every part of the pea in some way, shape or form to be as sustainable as possible,” said Finley. “We will use portions of the pea to create a nutritious animal feed for pigs,

cows and other animals. Pea starch goes into pet nutrition, a big user.”

In a recent interview, Michelle Finley, communications and public affairs manager, Canada and Bruce Brolley, senior agronomist of Roquette Canada (pictured), gave an update on the pea protein plant’s status at Portage la Prairie.

Michelle Finley, communications and public affairs manager, Canada said the Roquette plant is on track to start operations by the end of 2020, making excellent construction progress in the summer and fall.

The AgriPost

Accept No Substitutes for Vitamin A in Winter Beef Cow Diets

By Peter Vitti

Early winter is the best time that many beef producers switch their cowherds onto a specialized “winter” vitamin-mineral premix. It seems like a wise choice, because gestating cows need more dietary vitamin A as they move throughout the winter and onto the last few months before calving. In this way, nobody gets caught short on providing such an essential nutrient to their beef cows.

As a beef nutritionist, I have received a number of farm calls that request their mineral-vitamin formula be customized in order to build up vitamin A status in the cows’ bodies, which often exceed the gestating beef cows’ NRC requirement by 100 - 200% (see table below).

Such high levels originate from lessons taught years ago that many winter vitamin A deficiencies are due to variable levels of vitamin A found in pastures during the grazing season or rapid vitamin degradation in stored forage. Also, significant genetic progress of cattle raised in the last thirty years simply needs more vitamin A. To insure enough supplemental vitamin A is formulated into a mineral/vitamin premix; I calculate the total amount of vitamin A supplied to each cow, which is based upon the premix’s dietary vitamin A concentration (iu/ kg) and its daily feeding rate (grams/head/day).

For example, a feed label of a commercial cow premix might list its vitamin A level as 700,000 iu/kg and it is to be fed at 112 grams (4oz or 0.25 lb.) to each gestating beef cow. As a result, it

provides 78,400 iu per head of vitamin A per day. In this case, this final amount exceeds the cowherd’s specific NRC requirement for vitamin A, yet is well below the CFIA maximum allowance of 100,000 iu/head/d for beef cattle.

Some producers forgo feeding highly fortified mineral and instead give vitamin A shots directly to their beef cows. The objective of this method is to either build them up for a few winter months or reverse a suspected vitamin A deficiency. In either case, the general recommendation is to inject 1.0 - 1.5 million iu per head of vitamin A with the option of periodic injections where warranted.

Regardless of which practice is used, scientific beef research proved a while ago that vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin in which cattle build vitamin A status by storing large amounts in their liver.

This happens when daily intake is 3 - 5 times greater than the average cow’s daily requirement. For example, an average gestating beef cow can store up to four months’ worth of vitamin A requirements in her liver.

In time, researchers also learned that severely vitamin A deficient cows usually have a hard time returning back to good vitamin A status, even though dietary sources are once again made available. Although not fully

Gestating beef cow. understood, it seems that dire cows have permanent internal damage; failure to metabolize dietary vitamin A as well as reduced liver storage capacity. In these situations, it may still make cows continue to exhibit common deficiency signs of vitamin A, such as reduced feed intake, high incidence of disease, edema, diarrhea, poor quality colostrum (for newborn calves), a high incidence of stillborn/weak calves as well as reproductive and calving problems.

Given such importance to prevent these deficiencies in beef cows and other livestock is actually not based upon a specific vitamin A nutrient.

That’s because vitamin A is actually a generic term (like no-name products), which scientists encompass a number of compounds with similar biological activities to a compound called retinol.

Retinol and its biologically active derivatives are not found in common forages and grains, but in nature, these plants contain the yellow beta-carotene which is converted by enzymes on the small intestine wall to retinol-metabolites which are absorbed and metabolized to meet cow’s “vitamin A” requirements. Commercial feed mills use highly bioavailable retinyl acetate or palmitate forms as their main source of vitamin A for cattle.

A few years ago, there was a major fire in a German factory that produced a significant proportion of the world’s vitamin A. Despite the price going up by ten times at feed mills, my greatest fear was the lack of available dietary or injectable vitamin A for beef cows, because there is no substitute for such commercial retinol-related compounds.

*Daily NRC requirements are calculated based on 500-pound growing or stressed calves and 1,200-pound cows.

This follows the October 9 announcement of their intent to introduce major expansions to CEBA to increase the limit to $60,000 and double the non-repayable forgivable portion to $20,000. Those expanded amounts will be available soon.

Not counting the number of farmers who are now eligible because of the change announced today, over 85,000 farm businesses will have access to the interest-free loans of CEBA, which equates to up to $5.1 billion, one-third

23

Dates Set for Hog Producer Quality Programs

By Harry Siemens

Emergency Funding Changes Make Applying Easier for Farmers The Government of Canada has announced that businesses that have been operating out of a non-business banking account can now access the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) by opening a business account.

According to Marie-Claude Bibeau Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, this has been an important ask from farmers and will help ensure the financial strength of the thousands of small agricultural businesses across the country.

November 27, 2020

of which is forgivable.

That means there is the potential of providing up to $1.7 billion directly to farmers through the forgivable portion of their interest-free loans.

“We strongly encourage farmers and food businesses who, have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic to take advantage of the generous terms offered by the CEBA loans,” said Bibeau.

“Throughout the pandemic, our Government has heard the concerns of farmers and continues to deliver critical

financial support, because we know they are working-hard to put food on the kitchen tables of Canadians from coastto-coast-to-coast.”

The extended deadline to apply for CEBA is December 31, 2020. To access this additional financing, businesses and non-profit organizations will be required to provide an attestation to the serious impact of COVID-19 on their operations. CEBA is available at over 200 financial institutions (banks and credit unions).

PigSAFE is the new name for the Canadian Quality Assurance (CQA) program for the Canadian Pork Excellence platform’s food safety component. The same Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) model used in the CQA program also retains biosecurity elements developed by the Canadian Swine Health Board in 2011.

Producer-led committees developed the program, were reviewed by expert validators and tested on 73 farms across Canada. PigCARE is the revised Animal Care Assessment program. This updated program will account for introducing the 2014 Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Pigs.

“I’ve always felt excellent programs develop good habits amongst producers when it comes to food safety and animal care,” said Manitoba Pork Council chair George Matheson in the introduction.

Mark Fynn, manager, quality assurance and animal care programs, Manitoba Pork addressed the fall producer meetings of Manitoba Pork on some key date changes.

Fynn said the good news for producers is the extra time available for more producers to join the programs. The CPC board of directors passed a motion in July to allow farms to stay on the CQA programs until their validation in 2023. “That’s regardless of whether you’re due for a full or partial validation in your cycle, 2023 comes you have to validate Pig safe, Pig care,” he said. “Manitoba Pork board also passed a motion to accept that approach.”

Fynn said business is as usual for 2020, 2021 and 2022 validations, following the typical or usual three-year cycle, the full or partial. He emphasized when a producer’s 2023 validation comes up, it must be Pig Safe, Pig Care validation. It is worth noting that the first validation must be a full onsite validation, no matter where in the typical CQA cycles an operation is at.

“Decide when you want to join, but no later than the 2023 validation,” said Fynn. “If you want to join before your 2023 validation this year, next year, or 2022, you are most welcomed to do so. But again, that first validation has to be an onsite full validation to get you registered onto the new programs.”

Fynn said during these COVID-19 times there could be some reluctance or fear of an onsite visit, there is a special process to give more time, but it requires a paper remote validation before the producer’s expiry date.

“We can put in a special process that we can follow up with a visit within six months after completion of the paper validation,” he said. “It is important if a producer wants a special exemption; it’s only for people due for full validations. For a partial, remotely, make sure to contact Manitoba Pork before your expiry date. Don’t go past and expect MP to do something for you retroactively; contact us before your expiry date.”

He noted that if a producer is unsure of the expiry date; contact him to verify the type of validation needed.

In response to the poll question, half the people said having that extra time in 2023 works. About a quarter of the people said that the original plan was okay, and this one’s good too, and then about 21 per cent said they would like to have more time.

Mark Fynn, manager, quality assurance and animal care programs Manitoba Pork, addressed the fall producer meeting on some key date changes.

Photo by Les Kletke

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The AgriPost

Choose to Change or Stay Exactly Where You Are

By Harry Siemens Tom Teichroeb, past chairman of the Manitoba Beef Producers, ranches cattle near Langruth, MB together with his wife Michelle and their two daughters.

In response to a recent letter to the AgriPost that stated cattle prices are not strong, at least not for every producer, Teichroeb has a suggestion for other producers to help them learn what has made his ranch of about 350 to 400 cows profitable. It’s not something he wants to brag about; it is information he would like for other cattle producers stuck in a rut and unable to move forward, expand, change or even grow.

The choices made to change must be continuous in order to be profitable.

Tom said when he first became chair of Manitoba Beef Producers, he wrote an article about his situation. “I always tried in all my time as a beef producer, even when things were a little tough, to give off the thing that we have had a few dark days, but there are more sunny days than there

are dark days,” he wrote. “We have different tools and different things, other business risk management options we never had before, and even with some of the ones that we have, even though they need improvement, there are different tools in our toolbox.

When I first moved to Manitoba, things we never had before I first moved, to sleep a little bit easier at night, knowing that you can insure some of your risks.”

When a producer responded in a mostly negative way, Tom wrote back at that time, saying, “Well, Mr. Producer, here is the option that you have. When things don’t work, you have the option to choose to change, or you can stay exactly the way you are.

I don’t know what your situation is or isn’t, but if things are not working for you right now, there are a few of us who have made changes who think we’re in a better place.

So if you are not, you need to make a change.”

Next, Tom related his story.

In 2018, it started getting dry, and his good neighbour

said he was not sure he could grow enough feed to background calves that year. His neighbour suggested finding a different place to put some more weight on those calves.

As the year continued, Tom sourced feed through various means paying more than he wanted to, but made it through the year.

“A little more money than we wanted to spend, but we could still pencil a profit margin because, and only because we were working with fairly large numbers. So again, the margins work differently,” he said.

His ranch had the same silage wagon, the same horsepower tractor, but feeding an additional 500 calves with precisely the same infrastructure.

“We were able to pay a little bit more and still make the numbers work, again, only because we have economies of scale.”

In 2019, with a severe drought, that same neighbour told him, “There is no way in the world, Tom, that I am going to be able to grow enough

Cattle rancher Tom Teichroeb of Langruth, MB said to succeed, producers will need to continuously change and improve which is one thing he has learned to do to make his ranch of about 350 to 400 File photo cows profitable.

feed for myself, let alone for you. So we will not be able to feed your calves in 2019.”

This meant backgrounding his calves. The family had prepared for this by having the necessary equipment and a shop to make repairs when machinery broke down. They had pre-planned and built the shop in 2014.

And 2019 comes along, and they make a move adding a silage wagon to make it work.

And it did not matter whether to pay the neighbour for feed or whether to grow the feed or corn, so then they switched over and grew corn.

“It didn’t work out that well in 2019; luckily, we have tools available to us now that we didn’t then. Western Livestock Price Insurance for loss in the cattle and Manitoba Crop Insurance for the lost corn silage,” he said.

He sold the calves in the nick of time before COVID19 set in, but before the markets fell apart and the plants shut down.

Thanks to a phenomenal crop year and including every cost, he is feeding his cows for under a dollar a day per cow. “I have never even come close to that. The best we could do the last number of years is at around the $2.10, $2.15, and in 2019, around the $2.50 mark,” said Teichroeb. “This year, I’m under a dollar a day.”

Adding up his cows at summer, it is about 90 cents a day and with everything accounted for, he is 365 days until the cows go back to pasture next year, “I’m going to average about a $1.30 a day through the entire year. If I can’t make money at that, I’m not a good businessman.”

Annual Fields on Wheels Goes Virtual The COVID-19 pandemic has dominated the headlines and forced Canadians to reconsider the resiliency of the entire food system, which continues to show itself to be robust. Such achievements will be celebrated and critically analyzed during the University of Manitoba’s 25th anniversary of the Fields on Wheels Conference, one Canada’s largest gatherings of agricultural and supply chain experts. Traditionally held in person, this engaging conference must be held virtually this year on Friday, December 11 for public health reasons so organizers are making it free and open to all online.

The Fields on Wheels conference brings together representatives from all segments of the agricultural industry from farmers to grain buyers and crop processors, to trucking, railways and ports, to discuss the latest advances affecting the future of the industry. Stakeholders in these critical industries, whether as a producer or a logistics service provider, exporter, industry manager, policymaker, regulator, academic, student or food consumer, are encouraged to register for this substantive event.

News coverage of the pandemic has distracted attention away from many positive sup-

ply chain developments, such as Roquette Canada opening the largest pea protein processing plant in the world.

Roquette Canada will open the conference with a discussion on what this achievement means for western Canada’s market diversification and for the future of other processing plants that could develop new markets for oil, protein and starch.

Resiliency in food processing depends upon a steady supply of raw materials. The impact of climate change remains uncertain, but better water management could reduce the threat of droughts.

Attendees will hear plans for

Prairie-wide collection, distribution and use of irrigation water. This session will address the impact that irrigation has had on southern Alberta’s food processing sector.

Attendees will also hear how food logistics is adapting to meet the changing demands for home delivery and cross-border transport. One tradition that will continue at the Fields on Wheels is a discussion of grain supply chain logistics. There are achievements to celebrate in containerization and bulk handling developments.

Register and learn more online at eventbrite.ca/e/25thfields-on-wheels-conference.

November 27, 2020

Managing Water for Eternity on Your Farm

By Les Kletke Mark Shepard farms in southwestern Wisconsin and some of his practices like feeding hogs on the vast chestnuts from his trees may not fit for Manitoba farmers, but the concepts behind the practice could make a great difference in the way they approach water on their Mark Shepard farm.

Shepard’s presentation to Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association was entitled Managing Water on your Farm and he began by saying there were some similarities on all farms.

“Water goes from the highest place to the lowest and how quickly it gets there depends on a number of things but it can have a great impact of the effective use of that water,” he said. “Getting 10 cm of rain and having it run off the hills and pond in the low spots means the entire farm did not get an effective 10 cm of rain; some got much less and some got much more. Our goal is to hold it on the high spots till it can soak in and keep it from flooding the low spots.”

He also reminded his audience that water is the most destructive substance on earth, not only for the mechanical damage that it does when flowing across a landscape but also as a solvent. “It will dissolve anything, it is just a matter of time,” he pointed out.

He noted that through the freeze and thaw action, water creates new soil by breaking up the parent material into smaller particles.

“Water is migrating across your farm and it is up to you how you want it to behave,’ said Shepard. “If you can get it to zigzag and store it in places, you can reduce that damage it does and have it for use later on.

You can change the direction of flow by adjusting your cultivation patterns.”

On his farm in he uses a series of terraces to slow water and has trees planted on the edge of the terraces to make them much more solid, and also harvests the fruit of the chestnut trees along with letting his pigs graze amongst these trees.

“We have sold some of our hybrid chestnut trees to Saskatchewan,” he said. “I am not sure if they use them to the extent we do, but they are the most winter hardy variety available.”

He had 4 recommendations to farmers who were considering a change to the way they manage water on their farm.

First use a poly culture of many varieties of plants and make it as close to the natural habitat as possible. The second recommendation is use the natural landscape sculpture of your farm and put your infrastructure in with the same flow. You do not want road or drainage cut in a grid across the system. Third is to manage for eternity by mimicking the natural forces, that way when they happened you can work around them. And his fourth suggestion is to manage the water to keep it on the farm, not in big reservoirs a mile down the road.

Mark Shepard suggests managing the water to keep it on the Stock photo farm.

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The AgriPost

November 27, 2020

Women’s Role Recognized in Farming

By Joan Airey Agricultural and Resource Minister Blaine Pederson announced the Manitoba government proclaimed November 15 to 21 as Manitoba Farm Women’s Week to recognize the critical role that women play in the agricultural industry every day.

Manitoba Farm Women’s Week was proclaimed the same week as the 34th annual Manitoba Farm Women’s Conference normally would have taken place.

However, the conference will be held virtually this year with three different sessions taking place in January, February, and March 2021. The Conference is a non-profit organization run by volunteer farm women. Its aim is to provide farm and rural women from around the province with an opportunity to expand knowledge, information and communication ideas along with enjoying their time together.

“For centuries women have always been a part of agriculture, and their roles are continuously changing as the industry moves forward. They are essential players in building resilient, successful and sustainable farms,” said Pederson. “Our government has proclaimed November 15-21 as Manitoba Farm Women’s Week to recognize the importance of women in the agricultural industry. From farm ownership, to providing animal health and handling finances, the work that these women do is significant and cannot be overlooked.”

For more information on the Manitoba Farm Women’s Conference visit manitobafarmwomensconference.ca.

Christmas Gift Ideas for Gardeners

By Joan Airey With COVID-19 having Manitoba in a red lock down I’ve been doing my Christmas shopping online or on the phone and trying my best to do as much shopping locally as possible. We are lucky to have a great Home Hardware and a Super Thrifty Drugstore in town .

I even picked up an Amaryllis at our local Co-op when I was buying groceries. I saw Amaryllis that were, $19.97 last week which are now at $6.97 at Home Hardware.

Gardening is supposed to be good for our mental health and during Manitoba winters flowers would brighten any ones day.

The new 2021 issue of The Prairie Garden was launched at McNally Robinson last night via zoom. I find this experience very interesting living a hundred and fifty miles from Winnipeg and I have never attended a book launch of The Prairie Garden before.

They have a special on and if you want a little more expensive gift at $45 for a friend or loved one a set of three beautiful additions called “2021: Flowering Shrubs and Ros-

es”, a fresh look at flowering shrub cultivars and new hardy roses guest edited by respected prairie horticulturalist Philip Ronald, the 2020 “Inspired by Nature”, how to build resilient and beautiful gardens by taking a cue from nature in everything from garden design to plant choice and care, guest edited

by Winnipeg naturalist and cultural resources Maureen Krauss and the 2019 “Growing Food-Insights”, with ideas on growing your own food guest edited by prominent urban gardener Tiffany Grenkow. The set of books can be purchased from theprairiegarden.com.

A great gift for a gardener would be a bright coloured magazine like Canada’s “Local Gardener” based in Winnipeg which can be purchased from LocalGardener. net. Another great gift idea is “The Gardener for Canadian Climates” which I enjoy, is out of Saskatoon and it has lots of information on vegetable and fruit gardens.

Their website is gardenermagazine.ca.

T&T Seeds had on Facebook photographs of some ideas for gifts for gardeners

Some gift ideas for the gardener in your life.

who like to start their own plants. If you had a shut-in who would enjoy some seed catalogues one could order them online at T & T seeds, Stokes and Veseys to name a few.

Sage Garden in Winnipeg is on Facebook and has a website at sagegarden.ca.

They have a seed club where they send you different seeds every month of the year, everything from house plants to herbs, to salad makings with several pages of instructions on how to grow them.

Last year I received seeds

Photo by Joan Airey

for walking onions something I had been looking for.

I joined the club for a fee to cover the cost of the seeds.

They haven’t advertised it for 2021 yet, but I check every day because I plan to join again. Their website is worth visiting as they have podcasts which are very educational.

Dave one of the owners has a show in gardening season on CBC at eight-thirty Saturday mornings on 96.7 FM. Stay safe everyone. May beautiful moments and happy memories surround you with Joy this Holiday Season

The AgriPost

November 27, 2020

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Pig Farmers Need a Made-in-Canada Price year for the last five. Having a negotiated price made in Canada would be less reliant on the government business risk management programs.

“With COVID, our governments are not happy to speak to us about business risk management and changing things and allotting more money.”

With a better and more consistent price, pork producers would increase investments into maintenance, growth and new barns and find that entry supply opportunity for packers. There would be less competition in supply.

“When you have a strong relationship between the packer and the producer, it’s a great opportunity not to have to go off and look for somebody to give you a better deal, but

Darcy Fitzgerald reported on their meetings with three of the five packers in western Canada. The goal was to discuss the situation and highlight where producers are in western Canada and to lay out the facts and build a relationship to work together in the future.

By Harry Siemens Manitoba pork producers and hog sector partners participated in the online fall producer’s meeting west of the Red River and both Hutterite Brethren Districts on November 18. The last session with Darcy Fitzgerald and Andrew Dixon, respective general managers for Alberta and Manitoba Pork, discussed price mechanisms in western Canada.

George Matheson, chair of Manitoba Pork, said in a nutshell, it is about making pork production more profitable for the independent producers on the prairies. “Alberta Pork initiated this discussion because it’s always easy to let things go after a while when prices rebound and they rebounded,” said Matheson in

his introductory remarks. In HAMS Marketing Services producer meeting, general manager Bill Alford said, “It’s anti-cyclical this year.

The strong prices should be in the summer, the weak ones in the fall.”

Matheson said prices were weak in summer and rebounded to profitable levels in the fall. Nonetheless, historically, the price mechanisms in western Canada have not helped independent producers.

Darcy Fitzgerald reported on their meetings with three of the five packers in western Canada. The goal was to discuss the situation and highlight where producers are in western Canada, to lay out the facts and build a relationship by working together.

The most important point was to show the packers how the pig business in Canada sits stagnated with no growth in quite some time and has even shrunk in Canada for the total number of pigs produced. Farms have decreased over the past 20 years by 75 per cent with less than 20 per cent of the farms eligible to ship pigs to one of those federal plants.

He pointed this out by using the USDA’s report that highlight the decrease of independent producers in 2001.

Independent producers had 17 per cent of the pigs going through the system negotiated, today its less than 2 per cent and shrinking.

Matheson noted how the current pricing mechanism based on the USDA price is

not working. Even with running an efficient 600 sow farrow-to-finish operation, with a yield of 28 pigs per sow using the last four formulations within that five-year timeframe, western producers are seeing losses of about $11 a pig. “Over five years, we’re looking at a $3.27 million loss annually on net return of investment,” he said.

Other points focused on the benefits of change, for instance, less price volatility and swings, where the packer pays higher prices at the peaks and the producer absorbs the losses in the valleys.

Fitzgerald said it’ is difficult to ask a banker for more money to do maintenance, growth, operating loans, build new value when faced with a negative return every

Rural Broadband is Fundamental to Unleashing Agriculture’s Potential The Federal Government has earmarked $750 million in funding for the Universal Broadband Fund. This is additional funding to the $1 billion announced in the 2019 budget for the same purpose.

The government also announced a $600 million agreement to improve connectivity and expand highspeed internet coverage to the far north, rural, and remote regions across Canada.

These investments are crucial for Canadian farmers, as rural broadband is a key, foun-

dational step that will allow them to take advantage of cutting-edge technology. The government also announced that $150 million from the fund will be available immediately for projects.

The Universal Broadband Fund is predicted to provide 98% high-speed internet coverage by 2026, and 100% by 2030.

“With COVID-19 pushing many services to only be available online, rural broadband is a problem that can no longer be ignored.

Not only is this technology crucial for modern business, it is essential to attracting the next generation of farmers who see high-speed connectivity as an essential service for everyday life,” said Mary Robinson, President of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA).

“The more quickly this coverage is implemented, the faster Canadian farmers can adopt new technologies that can help unleash the real potential of Canadian agriculture. This potential has been

identified by the Federal government in the Barton Report and leading financial institutions like the Royal Bank of Canada. With these kinds of programs and the proper support, Canadian agriculture can be a powerful economic engine for Canada’s recovery,” said Robinson.

CFA will work closely with the government to ensure that these projects are implemented as quickly as possible to enable farmers’ access to high speed internet across the country.

rather you can work together and be strong together,” he said.

Also, dealing with the collaborative side even further support is needed for key initiatives affect trade, government and public issues. “We spend in western Canada, way too much time on pricing. There are so many other issues that we have to tackle and be in front of, and this is taking up way too much time,” said Fitzgerald.

This fundamental issue needs fixing to help build the brand together. “What better than to be proud of what you have; build a solid relationship between producer and packer, and to be part of the brand in the marketplace and be part of it.”

Provincial 4-H Scholarship Program Established The Manitoba government is investing $1 million to establish a new 4-H Manitoba Scholarship Program that will provide post-secondary scholarships to current and former 4-H members to further their post-secondary studies.

“More than 100 years ago, Canada’s 4-H movement began right here in Manitoba. The 4-H Program has a long and successful history of providing opportunities for Manitoba’s youth to develop skills ranging from leadership, communication, agriculture and environmental sustainability,” said Agriculture and Resource Development Minister Blaine Pedersen. “Our government committed to creating this scholarship in the 2020 throne speech, and we are happy to provide continued support to the 4-H program and the values the program represents. Our endowment approach supports how we as a government have worked with local foundations to continue building capacity to provide long-term, positive impacts in their communities.”

The province is working together with the Brandon Area Community Foundation and the Manitoba 4-H Council to create an endowment fund that will establish the 4-H Manitoba Scholarship Program. It is anticipated the endowment will support $42,000 in scholarships annually, Pedersen noted. The scholarship program will be administered by the Manitoba 4-H Council and will start being offered in 2021.

“We thank the government of Manitoba for this wonderful opportunity. We are honoured by the recognition of the 4-H Manitoba program and the value placed on 4-H youth’s ability to strengthen our communities through the leadership skills developed in the 4-H program,” said Candace Tolton, president of Manitoba 4H council.

4-H is an international youth and volunteer organization that provides members with the resources and activities to build leadership and practical skills while learning about topics of their choice. Members choose a project and work with volunteer leaders to develop their skills related to their venture.

In Manitoba, there are over 80 hands-on projects to select from including gardening, food preservation, starting a business, sustainable living, small machines, fitness and more. Today, 2,000 4-H members and 600 volunteers with strong partnerships with Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development drive 4-H clubs in Manitoba.

For more information on Manitoba 4-H, visit 4h.mb.ca.

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November 27, 2020

The AgriPost

GGC Video Highlights Modern Challenges for Farmers The Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) partnered with CropLife Canada have premiered a short video designed to bring attention to the challenges and realities facing Canadian farmers.

“Today’s Modern Grain Farm: A Harvest Across Canada” is a short film designed to educate Canada’s legislators and policy makers about the business of a modern grain farm. Featuring interviews and clips from farms spanning Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and the east coast, “A Harvest Across Canada” brings legislators up close and personal with farmers across the country to learn about what life is like on a modern farm.

“One of our main focuses at GGC is putting more farmers in front of policy makers, many of whom have no agricultural background, so that they understand the true impact of their decisions and the challenges our farmers face,” said GGC Executive Director Erin Gowriluk.

“This year we had to get creative in how we could do that virtually. This video is one of the outcomes.”

The video was strategically launched at the beginning of GGC’s bi-annual lobby week to complement the requests that farmers will bring to the federal government.

These will include improving the trade situation for Canadian grains, modernizing regulations preventing innovation in agricultural research, and further recognition for the environmentally-beneficial practices that farmers employ on their land.

“This video really demonstrates the innovation that exists on Canada’s modern grain operations,” said Gowriluk. “It also highlights the fact that we all share the same goal of growing the economy and creating jobs while also recognizing that we are responsible for preserving the land for generations to come.”

Watch the full video by going to youtube/XxtlRvYI7g8 or search on YouTube, Today’s Modern Grain Farm: A Harvest Across Canada.

Brendan Phillips of Hartney (top) was a Manitoba farmer featured in a recent film produced on farming in Canada.

Jim Leslie (right) of Portage la Prairie was featured in the film based on farming across Canada.

Canola Top Insured Crop Again

By Elmer Heinrichs Canola once again was the top insured crop in 2020 according to the Manitoba Agricultural; Services Corporation’s (MASC) market report.

Canola led the way followed by red spring wheat (varieties in the Canada Western Red Spring class), soybeans and oats.

Manitoba’s top four insured crops were unchanged from 2019, the report showed.

The annual variety market share report not only lists insured acres by crop, but by variety, providing insights into which ones are most popular. MASC’s report is based on seeded acreage reports filed after seeding by Manitoba farmers enrolled in crop insurance.

It showed that 3.37 mil-

lion acres of canola were planted in 2020, up nine per cent from last year and 10 per cent higher than the five-year average. Insured red spring wheat plantings of 2.66 million acres, while down 1.5 per cent from last year, were 12 per cent above the five-year average.

Insured soybean plantings of 1.03 million acres are down 24 and 39 per cent from 2019 and the five-year average, respectively. Despite the decline, soybean acres in 2020 were still well ahead of the No. 4 crop, oats with insured acres of 624,199 up 28 per cent from 2019 and 50 per cent from the five-year average.

This year insured barley, at 371,821 acres, rose to fifth position pushing grain corn (fifth in 2019) down its sixth place position.

The AgriPost

Sustainable Farming Put into Practice

By Les Kletke Following Mark Shepard’s presentation as part of the Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association Regenerative Agriculture Conference two farmers took the podium and provided their experiences of putting Shepard’s recommendations in place.

Both had read his book several years earlier and implemented the changes on their relatively small scale farms.

Justin Girard and his wife Tracey operate Hearts and Roots Farm at Elie and sell a good deal of their production directly off the farm. They have 20 acres in field crop which they integrate with their livestock production.

They are the 4th generation on the farm and he said that they are fortunate not to have a debt load for the price of the land.

“We have found that the cost of livestock initially impacted our cash flow and we saw that it would pay off longer term as we reduced our costs for things like commercial fertilizers,” said Girard.

He recounted that upon first reading of Shepard’s book he was excited by the opportunities but looking back at implementation he said he may have borrowed directly from the examples in the book.

“Mark uses them as examples and I think I took them too much as a prescription as to what would work on our farm. If I was doing it over again I would look at them more as principals and adapt them to our location. Especially in things like the plant types and kind of trees we try to incorporate.”

He faced a question about how sustainable and regenerative agriculture related differences are now to their farm’s practices. “My reply might set the normal definition on its ear,” he replied.

“But I see us on a transition from what was traditional

Mono Crop Systems Prevent Soil Health

By Les Kletke

Justin Girard and his wife Tracey operate Hearts and Roots Farm at Elie and sell a good deal of their production directly off the farm.

agriculture to a stage of sustaining the farm and moving on to regenerative agriculture where we make thing better than they are or better than they were.”

“I think the consumer is aware that we cannot continue producing food as we were and that we have to make changes to our production system,” said Girard.

“That includes a better job of managing our resources.”

His farm is a mix of class two and class three soils. He has planted the class three soils down to perennial forage and uses the class two soils as the basis for producing his vegetable crops. “It is a learning process,” he said.

“We keep on trying different things and building on the things that work.”

The other panel member was Takota Coen who farms south of Edmonton and is the 2nd generation of certified organic farmer on the land.

He said that climate wise he is in a zone 3b which means temperatures can vary from -40 to plus 40 C. “That makes some challenges for fruit production but we have been able to build a business with it,” he

Takota Coen farms south of Edmonton and is the 2nd generation of certified organic farmer on the land.

said. “I wish I would have followed Mark’s recommendation and tried to stay with plants natural to the area. I spend a lot of money on trees that did not survive and I have to replant.”

He faced a question about water retention systems on his farm and one producer asked if four years of water storage was enough. “When I started we built a huge pond that would have held 4 years of water but it never filled up,” said Coen, “You have to consider your source and I know now that Alberta agriculture recommends you build your pond in an area that will fill 8 out of 10 years.” He said that through time he also learned to do things with trees and his forages to catch snow and aid in the filling of his ponds with spring melt.

Coen has avoided using commercial institutions for loans by going to the community. “We expanded on the idea of CSA agriculture and had people invest when we were planting our trees.

We offer them a 10% return on their investment when they collect their fruit,” he added. “I also learned to use gift cards issued to the consumer rather than try to keep up with the book keeping that is involved.”

Coen said that he was a student at a course Shepard offered 6 years ago and also fell into the trap of taking Shepard’s recommendations to literally. “He is outlining the concepts and you have to figure out how to apply them on your farm,” said Coen. “It is not that he has the exact answer for your farm.”

To that end he views his livestock as an insurance policy that will provide an income in years when the other crops fail. “And that does happen,” he commented.

November 27, 2020

“There is much more life below the surface of your soil than above it,” Nicole Masters told those attending her presentation to the Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association Regenerative Agriculture (MFGA) Conference.

She went on to suggest that there were the equivalent of cities below the surface of the soil with different life forms playing various roles from the building blocks of structures to the glue that holds them together.

Masters from New Zealand appeared as part of a weekly series sponsored by the MFGA said that she has spent the last five years living out of her suitcase and studying soil structure along with presenting her findings. “COVID has slowed the travel and I have been speaking to producers virtually.”

She calls herself an Agro Ecologist and began her presentation by saying

there is little that producers can do about the climate and the changes that are making rainfall events more extreme.

Masters said that she was part of a farm that experience 3 or 4 floods annually and they would last for weeks at a time, “till the land began to stink.”

“While we can do little to change the climate, what we can do is change the way our soil reacts to these events and the amount of water it absorbs,” said Masters.

She explained that news’ stories from Australia last year where it was reported the first rains were starting to fill reservoirs was bad news.

“That first rain should be going into the soil, our goal is the have the soil hold as much water as possible.”

“We can improve soil health by paying attention to the metropolis underground,” she said. Her recommendations are to have as many types of plants as possible in an Eco system because the different types of root structures have different impact on the soil.

She went on to outline how

a mono crop system was preventing a soil from being as healthy as possible and encouraging different life forms to live within it.

Masters faced questions after her presentation and one dealt with using animals as a method of reseeding and introducing new plants to a system.

“It is said that this doesn’t work and that you can’t use animals to introduce plants to a pasture, but we found that including plants in a mineral box worked well and we found manure pats through the pasture include these seeds,” said Masters. “In fact grasses are designed to be spread this way.”

Nicole Masters

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November 27, 2020

If You Can See It, You Can Be It A new activity book features women in agriculture, science. With the recent celebration of Manitoba Farm Women’s Week near the end of November, a special resource called “Way to Grow!” is now available to help girls and young women envision themselves in the many careers that support agriculture and food.

“If you see it, you can be it. This phrase says so much, and it needs to be said to girls as well as women,” said Dr. Annemieke Farenhorst, Professor in Soil Science at the University of Manitoba and the former Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Chair for Women in Science and Engineering.

The goal of introducing younger female audience to role models in the agriculture sector was achieved through the development of a 44-page activity book. Sixteen women in varied careers share a brief description of their work and a fun memory from their childhood. Each section also includes “Did You Know” facts and a puzzle, game or quiz.

Throughout Farenhorst’s two terms in the Chair position, she and her team have endeavoured to raise the profile of women in the STEM or science, technology, engineering and math fields and to create opportunities to empower and enable women through mentorship and networking programs.

Project coordinator Kimberley Stefaniuk helped guide the development of the content of the book, primarily designed for children aged 6 to 10.

“We wanted girls and young women to really ‘see’ the diversity of women in the Ag sector, women who are professors and researchers, executive directors, financial specialists, members of government, and so on. Images were an important component of the creative element,” she said.

“Then we wanted our young audience to realize that these women played games, collected rocks, built forts, rode bikes, grew vegetable gardens with their grandmother, so they each shared a memory of when they were younger.”

The two sections which bookend the document are of particular note. An introductory article by Susan Wade describes the impact of First Nations women on advancing agriculture practices. First Nations women responsible for planting and harvesting gained experience and knowledge, much like a scientist, to replant the strongest crops, which resulted in crops like corn thriving in Canada.

Also of note is a concluding profile of Ella Cora Hind, Manitoba’s first female agricultural journalist and a women’s rights activist, whose perseverance helped establish her own remarkable career and created paths for women who have followed.

“Although we know that the reading level might be above our identified age group, we hope that the featured pieces might be read to the audience, and also create the opportunity to discuss the women’s accomplishments,” said Stefaniuk.

Farenhorst has received several emails from parents and grandparents who said they looked forward to sharing the activity book with their young readers and expressed delight in comparing some of the role models’ experiences to their lives. She added, “There is always that extra excitement when the first name of one of the role models matches the name of a child.”

The Way to Grow resource, which is available in English and French, has been shared with organizations such as the UM’s Bruce D. Campbell Farm & Food Discovery Centre and Agriculture in the Classroom-Manitoba, and with programs engaged in science education.

Schools, organizations or groups wishing to have print copies can learn more at the Way to Grow website by visiting cwse-prairies.ca.

“This book is to let all females, daughters, mothers, sisters, grandmothers and their family members, brothers, sons, fathers and grandfathers know that opportunities exist for women in all areas of the agriculture sector, and also to say we are also standing by to encourage them, welcome them, and open the door to let them ‘see’ what they can be,” said Farenhorst.

The AgriPost

Geothermal Requires a Holistic Approach

By Les Kletke Too often the geothermal option gets omitted from a building plan because the contractor or architect does not take the time go through the proper calculations or discuss the client’s long term needs.

Ed Lohrenz is with GEOptimize, a Winnipeg based firm, and recently presented a seminar that considered the options of geothermal heating.

“A lot of times the consideration of geothermal is done on the back of an envelope and the contractor has a rule of thumb on how many feet of in ground pipe are required for a certain number of

heat units,” said Lohrenz.

“He does the calculation and comes up with what seems a lot of pipe to be put in the ground and at an exorbitant cost and the option is put aside,” said Lohrenz. However, the total needs of the client should be considered and the various methods of heat storage considered when planning for heat and cooling options.

Lorhrenz has used thermal heat for his home for several decades and this year installed solar panels on his house to recharge the heat he has taken from the ground.

“Over the years I see the temperature has decreased and I am hoping that in the next couple of years I can put some heat back into the

ground and keep the system working efficiently.”

He said many rural communities have found that heat transfer is a good option and that heat generated by an artificial ice plant may be used to hear other parts of a building. “Miami has found this very beneficial and uses heat from their ice plant to heat their community hall,” he said.

Lohrenz said dairy farms have taken a lead. “Dairy farms need to chill the milk, and that heat used to be lost but we have several that now use that heat to warm water or heat other parts of the barn,” said Lohrenz, “We can use that heat in other buildings if the larger consideration is made.”

Rather than a back of an envelope evaluation he recommends a holistic approach.

“There are times when heat that is generated can be stored for later or it can be transferred to other buildings where heat is required,” he said. “Systems and technology have advanced in the last couple of years and we need to look at the entire system.”

He is cautious when asked about a rule of thumb for pay back on a geothermal system. “It depends on the current heat source and the costs at this time as well as if heat can be generated on farm like the milk cooling system,” he said. “Each case should be dealt with individually. It is the generalizations that can cause trouble.”

Local Producer Spotlight

Holy Hanna Art

Hanna Brandt and her husband have been turkey producers and have lived in the Gardenton area for over 30 years.

By Hanna Brandt Nature has always called to me and, as a child, I spent as many hours as possible with my dog or horses alone in the woods, listening to the trees and squirrels and birds. Since I was also very creative, it was only natural that, as soon as I could hold a crayon, I tried to replicate what I saw and felt around me.

For my high school graduation, my family gifted me with an easel, oil paints and brushes. A whole new world opened up for me. I began producing art that surprised me. Landscapes and animals came to life in front of me.

Later when our first child was learning to walk, he resented his stiff little shoes. How could I fix this problem?

I got a deerskin, created a pattern and sewed a pair of soft little moccasins, which he loved immediately. And so, nearly forty years ago, began my leather crafting escapade. From moccasins to mukluks to mittens and gloves to fixing saddles and baler belts. For me, anything is worth a try

and everything is art. Painting pictures, fixing a fence, welding up a horse-drawn sleigh, carving, felting or making swords with the grandkids - all are important and valuable to me.

Lately I’ve taken up painting silhouettes and making greeting cards. Pictures speak to the heart and so I put unique captions on my cards that speak to the heart

rather than merely addressing an occasion.

My vision for the future is to host workshops and retreats with creative themes - crafting, horses and sharing my heart with others are very energizing for me and I hope to bless many in this way.

The best way to see what I do or order my art is through my Etsy shop at

etsy.com/ca/shop/HolyHannaArt, Instagram #holyhannaart, or email me at hannabrandt04@gmail.com.

For more information on local products and producers and notice of upcoming markets, join the Stuartburn Emerson-Franklin Local Food Initiative Facebook group, sign up to our email list, or email initiativelocalfood@gmail.com.

The AgriPost

AgriStability - Changes to the Trigger/Payment Rate Needed Dear Ministers: Canada’s 7,000 pork producers play an important role in their rural communities and are key contributors to agri-food exports and ensuring the security of Canada’s food supply.

However, their contributions are at risk due to unprecedented market volatility, much of it beyond their control.

In the current market, AgriStability should be serving as an anchor to help producers ride out the storm. Unfortunately, the drop in support levels introduced in 2012 has resulted in a program that provides little, if any support. Farmers have been left exposed to significant risk, and effectively left to manage that risk on their own. AgriStability must be fixed.

At its core, it is a good program. It is tailored to our individual situations. It only pays out when we face a significant loss. It is trade compliant. While it offers support to producers, it does not mask important signals that tell farmers’ adjustments are required.

Pork producers are expected to lose more than $500 million due to COVID-19, losses that are expected to continue well into 2021. However, the impacts on producers, their rural community, supply chains and the Canadian economy can be mitigated if Ministers fix AgriStability.

In order to return AgriStability to its former role as a meaningful backstop that delivers the support producers need, when they need it, the fix must include changes to the payment trigger or the payment rate.

If all Ministers do is remove Reference Margin Limiting (RML), governments will have failed farmers once again.

Please choose to protect farmers, rural communities, the food system, and the economy.

Sincerely, Rick Bergman Chair, Canadian Pork Council Jack DeWit Chair, BC Pork Brent Moen Chair, Alberta Pork Casey Smit Chair, Saskatchewan Pork Development Board George Matheson Chair, Manitoba Pork Eric Schwindt Chair, Ontario Pork David Duval Chair, Fédération des producteurs de porcs du Québec Margie Lamb Chair, Pork Nova Scotia Hans Kristensen Chair, Porc NB Pork Paul Larsen Chair, PEI Hog Commodity Marketing Board

Canadian Hemp Industry Continues Its Growth

Ted Haney was appointed as first President and Chief Financial Officer of the Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance.

Keith Jones is Board Chair of the Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance.

Submitted photos

The Canadian hemp industry continues to grow in 2020 despite the challenges posed by COVID-19 said Keith Jones, Board Chair of the Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance (CHTA).

The 2020 CHTA National Hemp Conference in mid November, themed “Marketing the Hemp Advantage”, saw speakers and participants from around the world including Canada, the US, Europe, Latin America, Japan, China, and Australia participate in in-depth sessions on the business of hemp.

“This year saw us take our annual conference online,” explained Jones. “We had speakers and attendees from around the world but rather than meeting in person we were 100% online.”

As one of the most highly regulated crops in Canada, the CHTA is pleased to hear that the Canadian government remains firmly behind seeing the industry continue to grow.

“The speakers from the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Health Canada were clear that hemp is here to stay from a regulatory point of view,” continued Jones.

According to incoming CHTA President and Chief Executive Officer Ted Haney, there were more than 92,000 acres of hemp seeded in Canada in 2019 and exports of hemp in 2019 exceeded $110 million, both trending up by almost 20% for 2020. Haney went on to say that the membership in the CHTA continued to remain strong with more than 270 members from eight provinces across Canada and from a number of foreign countries.

“One of the most important things we do each year is to elect the Board of Directors at the Annual General

Meeting, held the day before our conference,” explained Jones. “The members have elected a strong Board with representation from across the country and across the hemp value chain.”

The new Board of Directors includes volunteer Board Chair Keith Jones, Rowland Farms; Past Chair Russ Crawford, Agronomics IT; Vice Chair Clarence Shwaluk, Fresh Hemp Foods; Secretary/Treasurer Ryan Jackson, Folium Biosciences Canada; Director Keanan Stone, Valley Bio Ltd.; Director Tyler Mosher, BC Hop Co.; Director Aaron Barr, Canadian Rockies Hemp Co.; Director Don Dewar, Dewar Farms; Director Jan Slaski, InnoTech Alberta; Director Clarence Shwaluk, Manitoba Harvest; Director Shane Chrapko, Birds & Bees Farmeries; Director Carlos Agudelo, Eko-Terre; Director Wilson Johnston, Blue Sky Hemp and Director Jason Finnis, Bast Fibre Technologies.

“Changes in our governance were approved by the membership this year, to enable the CHTA to continue to lead as a national agriculture and food industry association,” concluded Jones. “I am pleased to announce the Board’s appointment of Ted Haney as our first President and Chief Financial Officer.”

The Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance is a national industry association that champions a diverse and robust Canadian hemp industry that benefits all stakeholders along the value chain.

Members include farmers, processors, equipment suppliers, consumer products companies, services and consulting companies, students, NotFor-Profit organizations, and governments.

The key functions of the Alliance are to disseminate information, promote the use of nutritional and industrial hemp products, develop standards and coordinate research.

November 27, 2020

How the Pandemic Affects Farmers

By Elmer Heinrichs The COVID-19 pandemic we are all living through is providing some benefits to farmers and others in the food industry. Not since the onset of the Spanish Flu over one hundred years ago has the world been so struck by a universal health problem.

The viral disease has struck nearly every country in the world. The number of people who have been infected with it is measured in the millions.

Over 1.3 million have died and over 10,000 people die daily.

It stopped sporting events in its tracks. Schools closed.

Businesses shuttered. Many, who worked in places that didn’t close, were compelled to work from home.

When the pandemic forced closure or cutback of service in restaurants across the country it had a major impact on the food people buy. Restaurants are huge consumers of milk, eggs and other foods.

One example was milk.

When the food service industry closed down, this sector stopped buying milk which is used to make meals or cream coffee and ordered by the glass. A big surplus of milk soon built up and some had to be dumped down the drains.

When people couldn’t go out for restaurant meals, they had to cook more at home. And that led to huge purchases of such ingredients as flour and pasta. When people stopped eating meals in restaurants, they also stopped eating the most popular side dish, french fried potatoes.

The benefits while few in number will still be considered as a plus by historians in the future. The biggest benefit for farmers, especially for those who live further from major centres, may be an improved internet service, wrote columnist Jim Rae, former host of Information Radio on the CBC. Farmers and other

business people who live in remote corners of the province do not have access to the same internet services that most of the rest of us do.

People living in rural areas have been lobbying for years to get this service.

The isolation which farmers endure throughout the year is bad, but the virus with its social distancing made it even worse.

And the government has recently announced a $600 million agreement to improve connectivity and expand high-speed Internet coverage to the far north, rural, and remote regions across Canada.

The Canadian Federation of Agriculture said these investments are crucial for farmers, as rural broadband is a key, foundational step allowing them to take advantage of cutting-edge technology.

Mental health professionals fear this will be a busy winter. The combination of reasons should finally push government and industry to act. As we look back on the corona virus and the outcomes we saw, we note that off-shore labour was an issue that never did get resolved.

Another was the concentration of some industries such as the meat slaughter business. The disruption will force a rethink about the supply chain. Another disruptive factor this year was the weather and the climate changes we seem to be going through. One academia thinks we are at the beginning of a century of disruption.

Perhaps one day we will look back at the year 2020 as a memorable turning point in the evolution of agriculture in our country.

AAFC Projects Record Crop

By Elmer Heinrichs Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), in its November outlook estimates the current crop at 98.1 million tonnes (Mt), four per cent higher than in 2019-2020 and the largest harvest on record, surpassing marginally the 2013 record, and six per cent above the previous fiveyear average.

Production increased for most crops, notably for durum, 22 per cent, lentils, 29 per cent, oats, by six per cent, and corn, by five per cent.

Canadian oat production is estimated to increase by 7 per cent to 4.5 Mt on expected higher acres with good yields.

The three Prairie Provinces all

reported good oat quality in their final crop reports.

Exports are projected to increase on the basis of a strong start.

Dry bean production is estimated to have increased by 15 per cent to 365 Kt. This includes the Navy (pea) bean and coloured bean types. Overall production in Ontario decreased due to lower yields and increased in Manitoba with higher yields.

The economic outlook for the world and Canadian grain markets is expected to continue to be impacted by the domestic and international uncertainty caused by COVID-19.

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November 27, 2020

The AgriPost