Manitoba co operator

Confusing landscape

Inconsistent quality

Better rural strategy needed » PG 3

Canada’s reputation slipping » PG 8

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April 21, 2016

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Pork industry expects hog barn surge The end of a lengthy moratorium and new lending guidelines are driving a spike in inquiries about building new barns

BY RON FRIESEN Co-operator contributor

A

rash of hog barn construction is about to break out in Manitoba.

The activity follows last year’s easing of a long-standing provincial ban on new and expanded operations.

Two for mal applications for new hog barns have gone through in the last two weeks and the Manitoba Pork Council is getting a growing number of phone inquiries from producers.

Mike Teillet, MPC’s sustainable development manager, said some inquiries are just tire kicking. But genuine interest has picked up in the last two months and producers are now increasingly serious about starting construction.

“This is for real,” Teillet said during a break in the Manitoba Pork Council’s annual meeting in Winnipeg last week.

The two official applications so far are from the south Interlake and north of Brandon. Both are for brand new operations, said Teillet.

Former scientist puts Canadian wheat research under the microscope Stephen Morgan Jones discussed his findings and offered a prescription during the Canadian Global Crops Symposium

See HOG BARNS on page 7 »

BY ALLAN DAWSON Co-operator staff

PHOTO: THINKSTOCK

Publication Mail Agreement 40069240

C

anadian wheat research needs to pull itself together.

Right now there isn’t enough focus and co-ordination, there are too many parochial decisions being made at the provincial level, and the projects that receive support are too small and scattered, says a former senior research manager with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC).

“The average size of an agronomy project is $60,000 (a year), which is pretty damn small, while the average

size of the discovery project is around $300,000,” Stephen Morgan Jones told the Canada Global Crops Symposium in Winnipeg April 13.

“Perhaps what’s more important is there are no real targets as to what we really want to achieve with that research investment. So for example we talk about increasing wheat yield, but do we really have any idea of where we want to get to over the next five to 15 years?

“I don’t think we have that and in not having that we really have really very little to measure against as to whether we are being successful or not.”

Morgan Jones, who retired from AAFC in 2013 as director general of the Prairie/Boreal Plain Ecozone Science, heads his own consulting firm called Amaethon in Lethbridge, Alta.

Morgan Jones said wheat research would benefit from greater co-operation among national and provincial funders, including provincial wheat commissions, which can be insular, especially with agronomic research.

“Saskatchewan (agronomic) work is funded in Saskatchewan and Alberta work is funded in Alberta and the provinces tend to give grants to fairly See WHEAT on page 6 »

Celebrate: Soil Conservation Week » PAGE 19

2

The Manitoba Co-operator | April 21, 2016

INSIDE

Did you know?

LIVESTOCK

Did butter get a bad rap?

A fresh look at animal welfare It’s going to take a new mindset to get animal welfare right in the public eye

It’s not health food, but butter may be healthier than other options like high-linoleic acid oils

12

CROPS Cover crops for beginners Knowing just what problem you’re trying to fix is the first step in cover crop success

17

FEATURE Cuban ag reform agony Conservative politicians are slowing the pace of agriculture reforms in the world’s last Soviet-style command economy

29

CROSSROADS Housing that’s for the birds A retired carpenter says building purple martin houses has kept him happy and working with wood

4 5 8 10

Editorials Comments What’s Up Livestock Markets

32

Grain Markets Weather Vane Classifieds Sudoku

STAFF

B

utter might be better.

Since the 1960s, consumers have been told to swap butter and other saturated fats with “heart healthy” options like vegetable oils high in linoleic acid.

Now a re - e x a m i n a t i o n of previously unpublished data from the study that first made that claim is casting doubt.

Researchers at the Univer­ s i t y o f No r t h C a r o l i n a School of Medicine and the U.S. National Institute for Health recently reviewed the Minnesota Coronar y Experiment, conducted between 1968 and 1973.

It shows high-linoleic acid oils do reduce cholesterol levels, but fail to deliver on other promised health benefits.

In fact greater cholesterol reduction had higher not lower risk of death.

“Incomplete publication of important data has contributed to the overestimation of benefits and the underestimation of potential risks,” said Daisy

Replacing butter with vegetable oils might not be as healthy as originally thought. PHOTO: THINKSTOCK

Za m o ra , a re s e a rc h e r a t UNC and one of the authors of the paper, published Apr. 12 in the British Medical Journal.

The original researchers found replacing saturated fats with vegetable oils lowers blood cholesterol and later studies linked this to reduced heart attack risk.

In 2 0 0 9 , t h e A m e r i c a n He a r t A s s o c i a t i o n r e a f firmed its view that a diet low in saturated fat and moderately high amounts of linoleic acid and other omega-6 unsaturated fatty

acids probably benefits the heart.

H o w e v e r, r a n d o m i z e d controlled trials — considered the gold standard for medical research — have never shown the link.

Why linoleic acid-containing oils would lower cholesterol but worsen or fail to reduce heart attack risk is the subject of debate. Some studies suggest that these oils can sometimes cause inflammation, a risk factor for heart disease. There is also some evidence they can promote atherosclerosis.

READER’S PHOTO

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The Manitoba Co-operator | April 21, 2016

Economic development delivery needs improvement: draft report A draft strategy proposes ways to improve support business startups and other forms of rural development

BY LORRAINE STEVENSON Co-operator staff

R

ural Manitoba needs a more co-ordinated approach to economic development delivery.

That’s according to a draft strategy proposing some ideas for grappling with a system of too many groups working with neither a shared vision nor goals.

What’s developed over time is now a “confusing landscape of programs and services” that many potential entrepreneurs see as not only difficult to understand but to even gain access to, the report says.

The Rural Economic Develop­ ment Strategy, discussed in Brandon by municipal officials last week, identifies a “very crowded landscape” of multiple departments and organizations now funding or conducting activities in economic development.

It’s reached a point where many see it not merely as cumbersome and bureaucratic, but actually impeding the goal of advancing rural development, said the report’s co-chair.

“The No. 1 thing we heard is there’s certainly a lot of duplication of programs, and a lot of confusion,” said Joe Masi, who is also executive director of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM).

“A really big theme in all of this was certainly about trying to coordinate rural economic development better.”

‘We’ is the group of nearly a dozen stakeholders that sat down in late fall, under the direction of the provincial minister of agriculture, to scrutinize the delivery of economic development services and propose ideas for improving it.

The AMM was part of a group that also included Manitoba Chambers of Commerce, the Rural Development Institute, Aboriginal organizations, the Economic Developers Associa­tion of Manitoba (EDAM) and others.

But the key thrust of the draft report, now circulating for further comment, isn’t new to AMM itself.

In 2009 it released its own review of service delivery, citing municipal governments’ growing concern about a plethora of federally and provincially funded development corporations, plus dozens of locally funded community development corporations, all trying to promote business development at the same time, and often overlapping duplicating the other’s efforts.

“There’s a lot of similar themes in this,” said Masi. “The difference is that one was ours, and this time the province brought together a group of stakeholders to work through some of the challenges.”

The draft document, completed just before the provincial blackout ahead of the election, is posted on MAFRD’s website.

One of the key directions is for a “single window” or “onestop shop” service for economic development be created, Masi said.

This isn’t about wiping the slate clean on existing agencies and groups, but rather creating a co-

Growth in private sector businesses is indicative of a strong economy. But there are communities in rural Manitoba getting scant or no attention from economic development agencies. PHOTO: LORRAINE STEVENSON

ordinating “backbone agency” to bring more coherence, coordination and focus to what everyone is doing, Masi said.

The strategy also calls for improved training and professionalization of economic development officers, and for expanding information to help communities better identify priority industries and opportunities in their areas.

There is also a need for local government leaders to get up to speed on the issues related to economic development. Ironically, even as a plethora of programs exists there is also “limited awareness, capacity and capability in many rural communities about economic development,” the report also says.

Rivers community leader Donna Morken, who co-chaired the report, said many local government leaders themselves are confounded by it all and there are some who don’t even really understand what economic devel­op­ment is. It’s more than just business development and job creation, she said.

“I think in some cases councils believe if you hire an EDO (economic development officer) you’re going to have six new businesses tomorrow. It doesn’t happen that way,” she said.

Many communities “... do not have the resources and/or population to grow and expand at the rate that is necessary for longterm sustainability,” the report says, which points to this need for more collaboration between communities and regions.

Or, as Morken says, “... some communities have economic development officers, some don’t.”

Masi said AMM has a role to play in getting its members to make economic development a higher priority.

The report was put together in a matter of weeks, and doesn’t include detail on how to implement a co-ordinating agency, or what it would look like, Masi said.

“At some point it will be a final document and will be discussed with the province,” he said.

“Our committee is hoping after the provincial election to

meet with the new minister, wherever this is housed under, and make them aware of what the report says. Hopefully it was written in such a way that whoever forms the next government takes it seriously, and doesn’t just scrap it and start over.”

The strategy also describes the current state of rural Manitoba’s economy and lays out some goals for rural development.

Thirty-five per cent of Manitoba’s total GDP is generated from outside of the Winnipeg region, contributing over $16 billion to the provincial economy. There are

approximately 12,000 businesses in rural Manitoba.

“While it is important that rural Manitoba offers excellent health care and that social services are provided to those who need them, it is understood that growth in private sector businesses and the resulting jobs is indicative of a strong economy,” the document says.

The strategy has set a goal of increasing the rural population by 150,000 and establishing 3,000 new businesses by 2025.

“Hopefully it was written in such a way that whoever forms the next government takes it seriously, and doesn’t just scrap it and start over.”

Joe Masi co-chair

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The Manitoba Co-operator | April 21, 2016

OPINION/EDITORIAL

The trouble with science: it changes

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rowing up on the farm in the 1960s, two events caused a dramatic shift in the family’s eating habits.

First, the cow died. She was replaced with skim milk powder, which scientifically speaking, offered similar nutrition, was less expensive, stored better and was much more convenient than maintaining a cow and milking two times a day.

Laura Rance But it tasted terrible. The family lore Editor is my older brothers paid for their first bicycles by drinking milk after my parents offered to pay them a penny a glass.

The second major shift also involved dairy. Butter at the dinner table was replaced by a similarly sized brick resembling lard. Except it was made from plant-based sources and came with a bright orange packet of dye to make it look more like the butter. This occurred after my father was diagnosed with high cholesterol and told to avoid eating saturated fats. At that time, eggs were also deemed dangerous.

The science of the day pronounced margarine as a much healthier choice and that was widely disseminated to the public through media, dietitians and the medical profession. Thirty years later they started reporting the new science that showed that hydrogenating vegetable oil to make it solid created trans fats, which are now considered worse than the saturated fats in butter.

We are now told the links between cholesterol in our foods, cholesterol in our bodies and our long-term health are much more nebulous.

All of this came to mind last week while sitting in on an Agricultural Institute of Canada (AIC) conference and workshop on how to get research results into the hands of end-users.

A background document identified key challenges facing researchers communicating about science. One is that the process from research to end use is no longer “linear,” or a “pipeline” as it was back in the days when most research was conducted by public institutions. Researchers made a finding, they told everyone about it, industry adopted it and the public good was realized.

Sandra Schillo, assistant professor of the Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa, told the conference that taking research findings through to implementation these days is much more complex and not always driven by end-user needs. There are more stakeholders involved, ranging from regulatory agencies, public/private partnerships, and a public that appears to be increasingly skeptical that the purveyors of science have its best interests at heart.

The public is distanced from the farm and has no direct economic stake in the value chain, yet — to the industry’s chagrin — it can influence when and how new technologies or practices are introduced through something that’s come to be known as “social licence.”

“Ninety per cent of respondents agreed there is a need to bridge the gap between researchers and consumers in order to retain agriculture’s social licence to operate and produce,” the AIC backgrounder said.

The document acknowledged that the consumer’s role in the research value chain has been poorly recognized in the past.

But respondents also noted “that many consumers are not open to learning facts based on science.”

What constitutes a fact when it comes to food science? Was the now disproven science on margarine 30 years ago “good science” or “junk science?”

Delegates at the conference had a lot to say about so-called “mommy bloggers” and unscientific attacks on modern production practices. They point to publications such as The Real Dirt on Farming as a credible source of information. However, it also makes some challengeable claims, such as saying Canadians enjoy one of the lowest-cost food baskets in the world.

That assertion is based on the percentage of annual income spent. By global standards, Canadians are relatively wealthy and their food is relatively expensive.

When people are told to “trust the science” or “the science says… ” it comes across as doctrine. Science is a process for discovery, not a belief system.

The trouble with science is that it keeps changing. Presenting the latest findings as a fact, leads to confusion and skepticism as new information comes forward.

The public becomes especially wary when “The science says… ” lecture comes from someone with something to prove — whether it is a company seeking regulatory approval for a new product, or critics of modern agriculture.

Do farmers really want all decisions about food to be based strictly on science? If that were the case, consumers would be gobbling up the scientifically proven safe protein sources such as mealworms and yeast grown on waste paper. The science says those protein sources are far more efficient than beef or chicken. laura@fbcpublishing.com

Land use policies challenge new farmers

BY SUZANNE ARMSTRONG Christian Farmers’ Federation of Ontario

N

ew farmers face many challenges as they attempt to get established in the business of farming.

Last week we examined the issues of farm size and financial risk from the perspective of starting farmers. This week we will look at land use policy relating to new farmers.

This issue was brought to our attention by an organization helping new farmers called FarmStart.

Christie Young, the executive director and founder of FarmStart, spoke at our March provincial council meeting. She shared stories of how her organization has been able to help many new farmers get started into farming. FarmStart works with a diverse group including recent immigrants, some of whom have farming experience from before they came to Canada. Often they know how to grow foods from their home country and find an eager market in the greater Toronto area and beyond.

Other new farmers are young and may be fairly new to farming. FarmStart helps farmers through incubator farms, training programs, and through its FarmLink program. FarmLink connects new farmers with established farmers and farmland owners, helping them to access farmland once they are ready to get established on their own.

Land use policy is important for helping new farmers get access to land. With the average age of farmers going up, and significant farming acreage set to change hands in the next decade, helping new farmers get established is more important than ever.

OUR HISTORY:

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Young challenged us to consider the impact of land use policies that allow consolidation of farms, and severances of farmhouses with no acreage attached. She pointed out that as farms get bigger, and houses in the countryside are either severed or torn down, there are fewer and fewer opportunities for new farmers to find parcels of farmland at a size and price they can afford. This has a negative impact on the overall health of agriculture and the future of farming.

Despite the challenges, Young had many success stories of farm entrepreneurs who have worked with FarmStart and who are now making a living farming. Farm operations she described ranged from market gardeners, to a mushroom operation, to rotationally grazed beef. Among them she talked about a couple who has a market garden operation on 1.5 acres. They have been able to net $70,000 a year, have paid their mortgage, and have a lifestyle they enjoy on their farm, including vacation in the winter.

Her examples illustrated that successful farm businesses don’t all look alike, and that diversity within farming, of size as well as commodities, is valuable for a vibrant sector.

Young left the CFFO provincial council with some challenges in terms of farm policy to support new farmers. FarmStart began in Guelph, and most of its work is focused within the broader Toronto and Guelph areas. There is a need for greater support for new farmers in all areas of the province, and in other provinces across Canada as well. Young pointed out that other jurisdictions (such as Quebec) have grants for new farmers that have proved very effective.

April 1990

his Agricultural Diversification Alliance ad from our April 26, 1990 issue invited farmers to support a plan to lock in the $720-million annual Crow benefit payment by having it converted to a 25-year annuity paid directly to Prairie farmers instead of to the railways. The ADA argued that removing the subsidy on export grain would encourage more livestock and value-added activity on the Prairies, and warned that paying to the railways would be subject to trade action. The debate over which way to pay the benefit ended in 1995 when the cost-cutting Chretien government eliminated it altogether.

In other subsidy news, Manitoba hog producers were considering a lawsuit claiming up to $50 million against other provinces for losses caused by their subsidy programs.

The overseas grain export subsidy war continued — the U.S. sharply increased its Export Enhancement Program (EEP) subsidies the previous week, allowing the Soviet Union to buy wheat at $132.50 per tonne ($3.60/bu.) with a subsidy of $31.53.

Seeding was reported to be underway, with about five per cent of cereals seeded around Melita.

At a special ceremony, Manitoba Crop Insurance celebrated its 30th anniversary, and special licence plates were issued to 211 producers who had been in the program since its inception.

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The Manitoba Co-operator | April 21, 2016

COMMENT/FEEDBACK

Healthy soils mean a sustainable future Causes, consequences of and solutions to soil erosion are always connected

BY DON LOBB, P. AG

H

ealthy societies and healthy economies are the product of healthy soil. Healthy soil produces abundant inexpensive food in a sustainable and reliable way. This requires soil care on the part of land managers and courage on the part of policy-makers who oversee soil protection.

Scientists who understand soil formation tell us the only sustainable way to use soil is to mimic nature. Here, the Prairies were covered with deeprooted grasses and moist regions were covered with forest. Plant debris and undisturbed root systems stabilized the soil and protected it from intense storms. Living organisms (biota) in the soil contribute to the plant nutrient supply. Some soil biota produce a carbon-rich sticky material called glomalin that binds organic matter from decaying vegetation and dead biota to soil minerals to form aggregates.

Aggregates are the small crumbly bits of soil found in undisturbed areas, such as native prairie or a forest floor.

Aggregates are nutrient rich, resist water and wind erosion, allow water infiltration and support a healthy balance of air and moisture. They are the strongest indicators of soil health.

Cropland tillage destroys aggregates and these soil functions. Because most soil bioactivity is at or near the soil surface, even shallow or intermittent tillage is devastating, as is aggressive direct seeding.

Progressive farmers have been able to mimic nature through the use of high levels of science, careful management and commitment. They have developed and use a practice called no till, strip tillage or direct seeding with only a narrow strip of soil disturbed where the seed is planted. The undisturbed inter-row area retains necessary bioactivity to maintain soil health. Undisturbed roots and residue from the previous crop provide protection from erosion and moisture loss. Extended crop rotations improve soil and plant health. When cover crops are planted to provide extra soil cover and protection during the non-crop season, bioactivity and soil health improve so we can actually

build and improve soil while growing agricultural crops. Never before in history has this been possible.

The benefit of soil health is clear.

In 2015, a new corn yield record of 532 bushels per acre (three times normal) was set in Virginia on ground that has been no till since 1987. We have corn and soybean yield champions in Ontario on ground that has not been tilled for more than 20 years. Intensive grazing triples beef production on the Prairies and horticulturists are capturing water with grassed inter-row ground.

Yet much cropland continues to be tilled in pursuit of short-term benefit.

Habit and traditional values persist – regardless of known costs and longterm consequence. Tillage reduces soil productivity through tillage erosion, compaction, destroyed soil biota, oxidized organic matter and lost nutrient.

Tillage releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and tillage destruction of soil aggregates and plant material destabilizes soil so that in humid regions sediment and nutrient contaminate waterways and dust storms recur on the Prairies.

Soil care and protection is everyone’s issue: • Farmers can contribute to sustainable soil management by adopting practices that contribute to soil health.

With care, they can do this without sacrificing profit.

• The public has a responsibility to take an interest in how farm soils are used – or abused. Everyone’s food supply and the environment are at risk.

• Politicians, policy-makers and planners have responsibility in the protection of good foodland soils. This is not optional.

• Accelerating population growth will be mirrored by food demand. Food demand and availability impact price and standard of living. That matters to everyone who eats.

We know the importance of soil care and cropland protection. We know the consequence of indifference and carelessness. What will be our legacy to future generations?

Don Lobb is a recipient of the L.B. Thomson Award, a member of the Canadian Conservation Hall of Fame and a lifelong soil-care advocate.

Blank cheque economics no answer

The government should make any compensation for supply management part of a cohesive plan

BY SYLVAIN CHARLEBOIS

T

Letters

o blindly compensate supply-managed sectors makes as much sense as bailing out Bombardier through federal support.

Stephen Harper’s defunct Conservative government pledged last fall to pay out $4.3 billion over 15 years to the supply-managed dairy, chicken and egg sectors. That amount is allegedly based on the premise that Canada is opening 3.25 per cent of its dairy market to duty-free imports in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), as an example. Most of these numbers are the result of nebulous accounting conducted behind closed doors. Not the best way to win the trust of Canadians and make our country a major trading player across the globe.

With no clear strategy on trades, our nation is highly vulnerable in a world in which trade and open markets are part of our global economy’s DNA. Supply management needs a fix, and fast.

Compensation is currently superseding a real and much-needed debate on what matters most: how to grant our country a true trade agenda, a debate we have not had since we signed the North American Trade Agreement in 1992.

Such an approach is futile without thinking of how to reform our decades-old supply management scheme. Our protectionist approach to these sectors has clearly reached its expiry date. While supply management supporters claim that the system

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works as it has shown it can adapt, the facts are suggesting a different reality.

In dairy, for example, the system is really showing signs of dysfunction. This past year, Canadian dairy processors such as Parmalat, Saputo and dairy farmer-owned Agropur and Gay Lea have imported well over $200 million worth of dairy protein from the U.S. Since industrial milk prices are uncompetitive in Canada, our supply management regime is forcing industrial buyers to look elsewhere.

Since supply management is about producing what we need, imported dairy protein has generated an unforeseen market imbalance. This situation led to the butter shortages we witnessed in recent months, which has forced Canada to import more butter.

To address this issue, since April 1, dairy farmers in Ontario have dropped the price of industrial milk by creating a new class of milk for dairy processing.

The aim, of course, is to entice domestic processors to buy Canadian proteins. But again, this measure is purely reactionary and speaks to how jumpy the sector is right now. The dangers of creating a new class of milk is real, as it can be perceived as a hidden subsidy and attract more criticism from TPP trade partners. This is not a good position to be in. Most recent decisions related to supply management are certainly not part of any long-term rationale strategy.

To define what is the appropriate compensation package without having a ratified deal or knowing how our agricultural economy will be impacted makes little sense. Ottawa should figure out what

Water Band-Aids not enough Regarding “Prairie water woes need collective action, not more words,” in the March 21 issue of the Manitoba Co-operator, I agree there’s a need for action, but fear at this point, we’re applying Band-Aids where a tourniquet is needed.

We have been down this repetitious road so many times before, only to be detoured and disappointed at the results. The measurements of phosphorus continue to rise in Lake Winnipeg, having doubled in the past 15 years.

A study I’m familiar with attributes 53 per cent of the phosphorus pollution coming into Lake Winnipeg to U.S. sources and notes that unless that

our trade strategy should look like before putting a number on the table for industry to consider.

The Comprehensive European Trade Agreement (CETA) is to be ratified and implemented in 2017 but offers no clear compensation to affected sectors. Still, CETA creates a real breach in supply management, providing market access to the extent of two per cent of our domestic dairy market. Ottawa’s position on CETA is only adding more anxiety to an already tense situation. Pretending that supply management and an aggressive trading agenda can easily coexist is highly hypocritical and economically dangerous.

With a strong mandate, Ottawa should attempt to resolve this as soon as possible.

But let’s not forget that Canada, in the grand scheme of things, plays second fiddle to both Japan and the U.S. in this deal. What both of these countries will do matters a great deal to us, and the presidential elections are complicating TPP’s path to a successful ratification. Most current presidential front-runners like Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have all expressed their opposition to the TPP. The TPP may die a good death outside our borders, but in the meantime we should embrace this opportunity to become a much stronger trading economy.

Sylvain Charlebois is professor in food distribution and policy and associate dean of the College of Management and Economics, University of Guelph.

contribution is significantly reduced the lake will continue to experience the infestation of algae, some of which is toxic.

However, according to Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship, the ongoing negotiation and ratification of treaties with the involved states are not expected to be completed until 2020.

We also contribute to this problem here. Before the Jenpeg dams were put in place for Hydro power and the Hecla Island causeway was built, the lake and the lake waters were substantially healthier. The pollutants were not trapped as they are now, and there were few algal concerns.

Nature has its way of dealing with situations; humans sabotage nature, and now there is a huge problem — a

problem that was initiated some 45 years ago.

In 1974, scientist John R. Vallentyne, predicted that we would be living with an environmental disaster he called the algal bowl by the year 2000.

Just as the dust bowl of the 1930s was created by misusing western farmland, he forecasted that continued misuse of lakes would also lead to water degradation. A second publication in 2008 by David Schindler reiterates the situation of Lake Winnipeg.

Today, those waters suffer from our ignorance and denial. Their grim predictions have been realized.

Canada is in desperate need of a water commissioner.

John Fefchak Virden

6

The Manitoba Co-operator | April 21, 2016

FROM PAGE ONE WHEAT Continued from page 1

large numbers of people and as a result of that we have this small funding (per project),” Morgan Jones told reporters later.

A well-prepared plan would make it easier to get more federal government funding, he added.

Wheat research co-ordination is necessary and is improving, said Tom Steve, general manager of the Alberta Wheat Commission.

“The three provincial wheat commissions... have all been taking and we have been coinvesting in certain projects where it makes sense,” Steve said later in an interview. “We have started making a lot of progress in that area.” (See sidebar.)

About $45 million is invested annually into publicly funded wheat research.

There are 266 active public research projects, based on Cereal Canada’s newly developed research database. They fit in five main categories: discovery, variety development, pathology/entomology, agronomy and quality.

Most of the projects — almost 80 — are on pathology/entomology, followed by variety development, at just over 60 and agronomy at just under 60.

However, most of the money — 40 per cent — goes to variety development, followed by discovery research at just under 30 per cent, pathology/entomology at just under 20 per cent and agronomy and quality at about nine and seven per cent, respectively.

“I would question as to how much overall progress those projects are going to make just based on the resource commitments,” Morgan Jones said.

The same applies to disease research, he said. There are more than 30 projects on fusarium head blight, a yield- and quality-robbing fungal disease, but after 25 years and millions spent, little headway has been made, he said.

“The obvious small project size and scope of agronomy projects I think is a cause for concern.”

Wheat yields increase on average by about 1.3 per cent a year, Morgan Jones said. About half comes from improved genetics and the rest from improved agronomy, estimates suggest, but agronomy gets less than 10 per cent of total research funding.

“I would argue that because of that importance of crop management in the overall picture that it needs a lot more investment,” he said.

Public investment in agronomy makes sense because it’s an area in which the private sector doesn’t get much return on investment. Farmers also see “independent” agronomy research as more trustworthy, Morgan Jones said.

There are tensions over who should co-ordinate wheat research. Cereals Canada was formed to represent the wheat value chain after the Canadian Wheat Board monopoly ended in 2012.

“B u t i t n e e d s t h e s u p port of the organizations that are not at this point in time a participant in Cereals Can­ ada,” he said, alluding to the Saskatchewan Wheat Develop­ ment Com­mission. That group hasn’t joined Cereals Can­ ada, arguing it lacks farmer representation.

The Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF), founded in 1981 with an endowment fund star ted with surplus money from a defunct farm support program, has years of experience. It also used to collect a checkoff from the wheat board’s final payments to farmers. When the board’s monopoly ended the checkoff was put on at the point of wheat sales, but ends July 31, 2017. Then the money will be collected and spent by the provincial wheat commissions.

“Now whether it ( WGRF) is the right organization to bring that forward and represent all of Western Canada, that I think

number of active wheat projects (266)

80

60

40

20

0 Discovery

Variety/ development

Pathology/ entomology

Agronomy

Quality

Source: Cereals Canada Project Database

“Perhaps what’s more important is there are no real targets as to what we really want to achieve with that research investment.”

Stephen Morgan Jones

would be a matter of debate,” Morgan Jones said. “I think we need to move it up to be a national discussion rather than a regional discussion and build up the national priorities.”

Much of the new research technology can be done in any laboratory across the country, he said.

Asked if there are too many groups, including provin cial ones, Morgan Jones said: “That’s a minefield. All I would say... is each one performs a purpose, but there is a cost to that purpose so at the end of the day the efficiency of some of those services delivered may be questioned.” allan@fbcpublishing.com

There are too many poorly funded wheat research projects, according to former Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research manager turned consultant Stephen Morgan Jones. He said the research needs to be more focused and better coordinated. PHOTO: ALLAN DAWSON

Provincial wheat groups say they want to co-operate on wheat research

Collaboration is growing as the groups become more established and form alliances and relationships

BY ALLAN DAWSON Co-operator staff

T Alberta Wheat Commission general manager Tom Steve says the provincial wheat commissions are increasingly collaborating on wheat research projects. PHOTO: ALLAN DAWSON

om Steve didn’t take offence with Steven Morgan Jones’ calls for a more co-ordinated approach to wheat research at the Canadian Global Crops Symposium in Winnipeg April 13.

In fact, Steve, general manager of the Alberta Wheat Commission, praised the former researcher, for identifying the current gaps in wheat research.

“When Stephen Morgan Jones did his original research about a year ago and we (the provincial wheat commissions) probably weren’t talking and so some of this is a matter of timing,” Steve said. “The provincial wheat

commissions’ research managers have learned how to pick up the phone and talk to each other. We have a lot of collaborations that are evolving on a fairly timely basis.”

Brent VanKoughnet, the Manitoba Wheat and Barley Growers Associ­ ation’s manager, has said in previous interviews co-operation is the best way to leverage funds, especially for a small association like Manitoba’s.

Research priorities are being iden­­­ti­­­ fied by the Canadian Wheat Alliance and by the University of Sask­a tch­ ewan’s Crop Development Centre, he added.

“We’re all looking for the sweet spot — the big projects that we should be collaborating on.”

Wheat research priorities are also being developed through the indus-

try roundtable led by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Cereals Canada, said Cam Dahl, president of Cereals Canada. The process includes breeders, the Canadian International Grains Institute and feedback from Canadian wheat customers, he said.

Asked if there are too many wheat projects, Dahl said it’s a valid question the industry has to answer. Capturing all the projects in one database will help determine that, he said.

Are there too many organizations in wheat research?

“I don’t think there are,” Dahl said.

“Each organization is doing a pretty good job of collaborating across with their sister organizations when that’s possible and not duplicating efforts.” allan@fbcpublishing.com

7

The Manitoba Co-operator | April 21, 2016

HOG BARNS Continued from page 1

Teillet said he received four phone inquiries in the two days prior to last week’s annual meeting and expected more once he got back to his office.

There’s a lot of pent-up demand for new hog barns in Manitoba, following a moratorium, either total or partial, stretching back nearly 10 years, he said.

The province first implemented a temporary freeze on new hog barn construction in Manitoba in late 2006, pending a Clean Environment Commission review of the province’s hog industry. In 2008, the government passed Bill 17 which banned new construction in 35 municipalities in southern and eastern Manitoba, as well as in the Interlake. Finally, in 2011, the province adopted The Save Lake Winnipeg Act which effectively prevented new or expanded hog barns throughout the province.

“I’ve been here for 8-1/2 years and I’ve never felt the kind of energy and excitement I do now.”

cesses for starting or expanding pig farms in Manitoba.

All these developments are signs the long-suffering hog industry has finally turned a corner, said Teillet.

“I’ve been here for 8-1/2 years and I’ve never felt the kind of energy and excitement I do now.”

The prospect of new hog barns and increased production is welcome news to Manitoba processors who have been operating below slaughter capacity for several years.

Andrew Dickson, Manitoba Pork general manager, told delegates processors need 1.3 million more finished pigs a year to fill their capacity. Meeting that demand would require the equivalent of 80 new barns each with 4,000 pigs at a total construction cost of $160 million.

The demand for more pig production in Manitoba is even bigger when exports are considered.

Producer delegations from Iowa and Minnesota told the meeting that five new hog plants

The floodgates appear set to open on new hog barn construction in Manitoba. file photo

in four Midwestern states are expected to come on stream within the next two years. Several have the capacity to slaughter 10,000 pigs a day and could require imports from outside their borders to help fill them.

Livestock exports to the U.S. have been stimulated lately by

the low Canadian dollar and the recent repeal of the U.S. country-of-origin labelling rule which restricted foreign live swine and cattle shipments.

George Matheson, MPC chairman, said signs for the industry in the year ahead are positive.

Prices, although down from the

2014 peak, were still decent in 2015 and are expected to remain level in 2016. Manitoba’s pig producers largely escaped last year’s PED virus outbreak which severely affected U.S. operations.

Also, several recent international trade deals are expected to boost Canada’s pork exports.

Mike Teillet MPC

However, in April 2015, the province and producers agreed on a pilot project allowing new barns if they meet certain environmental requirements such as two cell lagoons and limits on soil phosphorus.

The result is the current spike in interest which could lead to a resurgence of hog production in Manitoba.

Teillet said the timing is critical because Manitoba pork packers face a shortage of pigs at a time when many aging hog barns in the province need replacing.

Other favourable factors for hog expansion include: lower grain prices which encourage livestock feeding, a low Canadian dollar which promotes exports, and more flexible lending policies from key financial institutions.

An important development occurred recently when Farm Credit Canada agreed to lend producers 65 per cent of the price of a new barn based on their cost of construction, not current market value.

Because many Manitoba hog barns are 25 to 30 years old, their market value is low and loans based on that would be too small. Basing loans on construction costs instead enables producers to finance a bigger portion of their building expenses.

“With this, everything turns around,” Teillet said.

He added producers today are better equipped to afford loans after paying down debt during a period of record prices in 2014.

Manitoba Pork has asked DGH Engineering to prepare detailed budget estimates for building 2,000- and 4,000-head finisher barns. The plans aim at giving producers an idea of the potential costs of constructing new facilities.

The council has also published a 50-page guide on the approval and regulatory pro-

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8

The Manitoba Co-operator | April 21, 2016

Country’s largest bread company says quality of Canadian wheat must improve Gluten additives to offset the protein shortfall cost the company $1 million last year alone

BY ALLAN DAWSON

“I think we do have the best-quality wheat, but... it can be great one day and then the next day not so great.”

Co-operator staff

C

anada’s biggest bread maker is struggling with the inconsistent quality of Canadian milling wheat.

Connie Morrison, Canada B r e a d’s v i c e - p re s i d e n t o f marketing, told reporters on the sidelines of the Canada G l o b a l C r o p s Sy m p o s i u m in Winnipeg Apr il 12 that Canada’s reputation for providing the Cadillac of wheat is slipping.

“Everybody viewed Canadian wheat as the gold standard and now we are getting feedback from our other business units that are asking, ‘what the heck?’” Morrison said.

“Canadian wheat isn’t as good as it used to be, is the feedback we’re hearing. It pains me because I am a proud Canadian.”

Canada Bread uses around 300,000 tonnes of Canadian wheat flour a year. The company is owned by Mexicanbased Grupo Bimbo and sources Canadian wheat for some of Bimbo’s bakeries in Latin America.

Canada Bread started seeing inconsistency in Canadian w h e a t f l o u r ’s f u n c t i o n a l ity two years ago, but it was “really prevalent” last year, she said.

Canada Bread paid $1 million last year to buy gluten to add to its recipes when Canadian wheat failed to deliver enough, she said. When gluten is lacking, loaves of bread don’t rise as high as required.

Connie Morrison

After visiting some of Can­ ada’s foreign wheat buyers last fall, Canadian officials said complaints about weak gluten wheat had declined from previous years.

Customer complaints go back four or five years. The Canadian Grain Commission says it’s the combination of increased production of varie-

ties on the lower end of acceptable gluten strength and growing conditions.

Consolidation of Western Canada’s grain-handling system has also resulted in less natural blending, also credited with boosting wheat quality uniformity in the past.

During her speech to the symposium Morrison attrib-

WHAT’S UP Please forward your agricultural events to daveb@fbcpublishing. com or call 204-944-5762.

April 29: Invasive Species Council of Manitoba annual general meeting, Living Prairie Museum, 2795 Ness Ave., Winnipeg. More details TBA. For more information call 204-232-6021 or email invasivespeciescouncilmanitoba@ gmail.com.

April 30: Last day to register as host farm for Open Farm Day, which runs Sept. 18. For more info or to register visit www.openfarmday.ca.

April 30: Manitoba/Saskatchewan Auctioneers Championship, 10 a.m., Cowtown Livestock Exchange, Hwy. 724, Maple Creek, Sask. For more info call 1-800239-5933.

July 5-7, 12-14: Crop Diagnostic School, Carman. For more info or to register call 204-745-5663 or email monika.menold@gov.mb.ca.

July 10-12: Canadian Seed Trade Association annual meeting, Hyatt Regency, 655 Burrard St., Vancouver. For more info or to register visit cdnseed.org/meetingregistration/.

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July 28: Horticulture School, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 370 River Rd., Portage la Prairie.

For more info or to pre-register (required), call 204-745-5663.

45829_NFC_2016_Cereals-ManCoop_17-4x10_a2.indd 1

u t e d i n c re a s e d i n c o n s i s t ent wheat quality with the end of the Canadian Wheat Board’s sales monopoly in 2012. However, she later said it probably had more to do with the increased production of weaker gluten strength wheat varieties that occurred around the same time.

Morrison said Canada Bread is looking forward to changes to Western Canada’s wheat class system starting Aug. 1, 2018, which will see lower gluten wheats removed from the premium milling Canada Western Red Spring wheat class and to a new class called Canada Northern Hard Red. “I think we do have the bestquality wheat, but... it can be great one day and then the next day not so great,” Morrison said. “If we can consistently achieve great outputs then I

think we’d be better off, but it’s that inconsistency that’s creating some challenges not only in our bakeries but in our other businesses.”

One grain industr y official said Canada Bread might have to get more involved in selecting wheat under contract from farmers like British Baker Warburtons. That company has a laboratory in Winnipeg to test the wheat it buys through Richardson International and Paterson GlobalFoods. “ We’re working with the ( Ca n a d i a n ) m i l l e r s i n t h e interim to see if there is anything we can do different... maybe specing it a little differently,” Morrison said. “We’re obviously open to anything that would help improve the quality and consistency.” allan@fbcpublishing.com

9

The Manitoba Co-operator | April 21, 2016

Manitoba Ag Hall of Fame inductees named Four more Manitobans are joining the ranks of those named to the membership rolls over the past 40 years STAFF

A

zero-till pioneer, the f i r s t p rov i n c i a l s o i l specialist, a farm leader and a Hutterite writer and researcher are the 2016 inductees to the Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame.

The Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame was established in 1976, its objective is to acknowledge those who have made an outstanding contribution to Manitoba agriculture and to a better way of life for farm families.

G o r d o n Mc P h e e , f r o m Dauphin, is known as one of the pioneers of zero tillage in the province. Dubbed, “ The Soil Hero,” McPhee played a major role in preserving one of our most precious resources, the soil, and working with the agricul-

tural industry towards sustainable development. He also served on a variety of provincial and national agricultural boards and committees. McPhee won the 1997 L.B. Thomson Conservation Award for outstanding work in promoting soil conservation and pioneering zero tillage.

Jack Parker, from Winni­ peg, began his working career in 1946 as the province’s first soil specialist with Manitoba Agriculture.

In 1954, the minister of agriculture established the Soils and Crops Branch and commissioned Parker to direct and supervise soils, crops, forage horticulture and weed control services being delivered to Manitoba. He took it upon himself to organize “Save the Soils” clubs and engaged far m-

The Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame was established in 1976.

ers in a variety of demonstrations ultimately resulti n g i n t o d a y ’s p r o v i n cial conser vation distr ict p r o g r a m s. Pa r k e r s e r v e d during the Second World War and after the war ended he toured throughout Germany and the Netherlands where he reported on the state of farmland in the aftermath.

After being raised on the family farm, Weldon New­ ton, from Neepawa, attended the University of Manitoba a n d o b t a i n e d h i s d e g re e

in agriculture majoring in soil science. Weldon and h i s b r o t h e r Mu r ra y t o o k ove r t h e f a r m , a f a r row to-finish hog operation in 1 9 8 4 w h e n t h e i r p a re n t s retired. Weldon, along with h i s b r o t h e r Mu r r a y a n d sister-in-law Donna, were named the 2002 Red River Exhibition Farm Family of the Year. Newton served for 20 years on Manitoba Hog Producers Marketing Board and 16 years as a Keystone Agriculture Producers board m e m b e r, i n c l u d i n g f o u r years as vice-president and two years as president, and was noted for demonstrating leadership, especially during the BSE crisis.

Selma Maendel, from Portage la Prairie, worked with a number of medical industry professionals to further understand the

genetic basis for many of the disorders seen in Hutterite children and adults. In addition, her astute computer a n d o rg a n i z a t i o n a l s k i l l s p r ov e d t o b e e x t r e m e l y beneficial. First, in the development of her Farm Histor y Manager software program for recording and maintaining crop records.

Secondly, during a schizop h re n i a re s e a rc h p ro j e c t conducted by the University of Pittsburgh, the results, of which, are co-authored

by Maendel and appear in t h e Am e r i c a n Jo u r n a l o f Psychiatry. Her inside look into the Hutterite community and its contr ibution to agriculture in Manitoba was a popular feature in the Farmers’ Independent We e k l y n e w s p a p e r, s i n c e merged with the Manitoba Co-operator.

FESTIVALS Contact us with your event, dates, location and contact info at news@fbcpublishing.com.

CONTROL YOUR WEED CONTROL.

May 27-29: Grunthal Spring Rodeo. Call 204-392-7475 or email allissa@hanoverag.com.

June 4-5: Stonewall/Rockwood Fair. Call 204-467-5612 or email janicerutherford@mymts.net.

June 5: Family Day, Holland. Call 204-526-2263 or email Theresa@ tntharness.com.

June 5: Back 40 Folk Festival, Morden Park, Morden. Visit back40folkfest.com.

June 8-12: Manitoba Summer Fair, Keystone Centre, Brandon.

Call 204-726-3590 or visit provincialexhibition.com.

June 10-11: Lundar Agricultural Fair and Exhibition. Call 204-2783255 or visit www.lundarfair.com.

June 10-11: Olde Tyme Country Fair, Niverville. Visit nivervillefair. com.

June 11-12: Montcalm Heritage Festival, St. Joseph. Visit museestjoseph.ca/festival/.

Nufarm’s complete lineup lets you choose what’s right for your cereal acres.

June 17-19: Pelican Lake Fair, Ninette. Call 204-523-4139 or visit www.pelicanlakeagsociety. wix.com/pelican-lake-ag.

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June 25: Rapid City Fair.

Call 204-826-2273 or email mkbayes@xplornet.com.

June 25: MacGregor Fair. Call 204-771-2357 or visit www. macgregorfair.com.

June 25-26: Miami Fair and Rodeo. Call 204-435-2288 or email janmoody@mymts.net.

2016-03-22 2:06 PM

10

The Manitoba Co-operator | April 21, 2016

LIVESTOCK MARKETS (Friday to Thursday) Winnipeg Slaughter Cattle Steers — Heifers — D1, 2 Cows — D3 Cows 80.00 - 87.00 Bulls 117.00 - 126.00 Feeder Cattle (Price ranges for feeders refer to top-quality animals only) Steers (901+ lbs.)

155.00 - 177.00 (801-900 lbs.)

168.00 - 190.50 (701-800 lbs.)

188.00 - 206.00 (601-700 lbs.)

200.00 - 226.00 (501-600 lbs.)

205.00 - 248.00 (401-500 lbs.)

215.00 - 276.00 Heifers (901+ lbs.)

135.00 - 162.00 (801-900 lbs.)

145.00 - 170.00 (701-800 lbs.)

157.00 - 181.00 (601-700 lbs.)

165.00 - 192.00 (501-600 lbs.)

175.00 - 207.00 (401-500 lbs.)

185.00 - 216.00

Heifers

Alberta South — — 95.00 - 108.00 80.00 - 97.00 — $ 165.00 - 176.00 176.00 - 190.00 193.00 - 211.00 211.00 - 230.00 223.00 - 247.00 236.00 - 247.00 $ 150.00 - 162.00 160.00 - 174.00 171.00 - 184.00 181.00 - 197.00 194.00 - 215.00 231.00 - 236.00

($/cwt) (1,000+ lbs.)

(850+ lbs.)

Change -0.75 -0.47 0.67 -0.50 -0.55 -0.60

Feeder Cattle April 2016 May 2016 August 2016 September 2016 October 2016 November 2016

Cattle Slaughter

April 15, 2016

Previous Year­ 51,198 12,144 39,054 N/A 504,000

CNSC

$

Close 154.93 149.93 150.98 149.85 148.50 144.28

Change 0.78 0.13 -0.40 -0.95 -1.53 -2.07

Week Ending April 9, 2016 1,301 29,083 9,284 287 542 6,125 189

Prime AAA AA A B D E

Previous Year 1,374 30,476 10,907 492 640 6,668 123

Hog Prices (Friday to Thursday) ($/100 kg)

Source: Manitoba Agriculture

E - Estimation MB. ($/hog) MB (All wts.) (Fri-Thurs.)

MB (Index 100) (Fri-Thurs.)

ON (Index 100) (Mon.-Thurs.)

PQ (Index 100) (Mon.-Fri.)

Current Week 170 E 158 E 154.59

Last Week 173.51 160.76 156.81

Last Year (Index 100) 164.98 152.83 139.76

158.94

158.99

140.84

Futures (April 15 2016) in U.S. Hogs

Close

Change

April 2016 May 2016 June 2016 July 2016

66.80 73.43 77.13 77.78

-0.33 -2.50 -2.95 -2.40

August 2016

77.38

-2.22

Sheep and Lambs Winnipeg Wooled Fats

Choice (110+ lb.)

(95 - 109 lb.)

(80 - 94 lb.)

(Under 80 lb.)

(New crop)

— — Next Sale April 20th — —

Chickens Minimum broiler prices as of April 13, 2010 Under 1.2 kg..................................................$1.5130 1.2 - 1.65 kg....................................................$1.3230 1.65 - 2.1 kg....................................................$1.3830 2.1 - 2.6 kg.....................................................$1.3230

Turkeys Minimum prices as of April 17, 2016 Broiler Turkeys (6.2 kg or under, live weight truck load average) Grade A ................................................$1.885 Undergrade ........................................ $1.795 Hen Turkeys (between 6.2 and 8.5 kg liveweight truck load average) Grade A ................................................$1.870 Undergrade .........................................$1.770 Light Tom/Heavy Hen Turkeys (between 8.5 and 10.8 kg liveweight truck load average) Grade A ................................................$1.870 Undergrade .........................................$1.770 Tom Turkeys (10.8 and 13.3 kg, live weight truck load average) Grade A..................................................$1.835 Undergrade.......................................... $1.750 Prices are quoted f.o.b. producers premise.

F

eeder cattle prices in Manitoba were lower on the week, according to one auctioneer, while the butcher trade held steady.

The province’s ranchers, meanwhile, are anticipating the conditions warmer weather will bring.

“I’m the bearer of bad news,” said Robin Hill of Heartland Livestock Services at Virden.

Feeder cattle prices were weaker at Hill’s 2,007-head sale on April 14, most notably on cattle weighing more than 700 lbs.

“The dollar keeps jumping up and down,” he said. “And we keep going back to the CME (Chicago Mercantile Exchange). It’s been very negative here again this week.”

Cattle futures were pressured throughout the week by high volumes south of the border, but picked up on April 15 with stronger demand.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture revised its 2016 beef production estimate upward to 24.825 billion lbs., up 1.2 per cent from March’s estimate.

The butcher trade was fully steady on the week, as Manitoba’s volumes have moved lower, Hill said.

Most ranchers, he added, had been calving through March and April and will continue into May, so many butcher cattle have already been marketed.

There will be another flush of cows coming around June and July, he said, which will add pressure back into the market.

Demand is strong, but it could be better, Hill added. “It could be greater. The yearling market doesn’t look as good as we all thought it would.”

Producers are watching moisture levels heading into the summer, he said.

“A small amount of moisture is a good thing, but we’re not looking for a large amount.”

The new general manager of Manitoba Beef Producers, Brian Lemon, said the cattle market

robin hill Heartland Livestock Services, Virden

is in transition, having left a period of strong pricing, but he said he expects the sector has a bright future.

“In Manitoba, we’re not the biggest herd in the country, but sometimes being smaller allows us to be a little more nimble too,” he said. “Maybe there are opportunities in that as well.”

Looking to spring and into summer, Lemon said the weather will dictate the availability of forage.

“We are a bit of the water basin for Western Canada, if there’s going to be water issues anywhere, it’s going to be here,” he said. “I think when you start looking at provincial issues that may or may not come around and bite us — they are environmental.”

Those environmental issues could include either a lack of moisture — resulting in a shortage of forage — or too much water.

“Then our forages are all under water somewhere; those are things that you can’t really predict,” Lemon said.

If Manitoba producers are interested in applying for calf insurance, the deadline is May 31.

Manitoba producers are able to apply for the Western Livestock Price Insurance Program, which provides producers with protection against unexpected drops in prices, covering risks a cow-calf producer might have while marketing.

Feeder and fed cattle insurance is available year round.

Jade Markus writes for Commodity News Service Canada, a Winnipeg company specializing in grain and commodity market reporting.

briefs

Other Market Prices $/cwt Ewes Lambs

“A small amount of moisture is a good thing, but we’re not looking for a large amount.”

Jade MarkuS

Cattle Grades (Canada)

Week Ending April 9, 2016 47,573 11,910 35,663 N/A 535,000

Feeder cattle face pressure from CME futures, dollar Butcher trade holds steady as cattle volumes move lower

Ontario 135.34 - 161.10 127.08 - 161.91 73.06 - 96.60 73.06 - 96.60 101.73 - 123.66 $ 156.81 - 188.03 171.42 - 197.31 169.21 - 209.17 182.79 - 224.53 195.10 - 237.54 176.17 - 245.04 $ 150.17 - 164.79 158.38 - 181.34 153.28 - 179.75 161.95 - 204.79 171.59 - 217.15 166.43 - 211.86

$

(901+ lbs.)

(801-900 lbs.)

(701-800 lbs.)

(601-700 lbs.)

(501-600 lbs.)

(401-500 lbs.)

(901+ lbs.)

(801-900 lbs.)

(701-800 lbs.)

(601-700 lbs.)

(501-600 lbs.)

(401-500 lbs.)

Futures (April 15, 2016) in U.S. Fed Cattle Close April 2016 131.68 June 2016 121.75 August 2016 117.40 October 2016 117.20 December 2016 117.18 February 2017 116.28

Canada East West Manitoba U.S.

$1 Cdn: $0.7777 U.S. $1 U.S: $1.2858 Cdn.

column

Cattle Prices

Slaughter Cattle Grade A Steers Grade A Heifers D1, 2 Cows D3 Cows Bulls Steers

EXCHANGES: april 15, 2016

Toronto 90.28 - 128.10 161.42 - 224.48 224.87 - 241.54 238.00 - 272.95 275.46 - 338.69 —

SunGold Specialty Meats —

Eggs Minimum prices to producers for ungraded eggs, f.o.b. egg grading station, set by the Manitoba Egg Producers Marketing Board effective November 10, 2013.

New Previous A Extra Large $2.00 $2.05 A Large 2.00 2.05 A Medium 1.82 1.87 A Small 1.40 1.45 A Pee Wee 0.3775 0.3775 Nest Run 24 + 1.8910 1.9390 B 0.45 0.45 C 0.15 0.15

Goats Kids Billys Mature

Winnipeg (Hd Fats) — — —

<1,000 lbs.

1,000 lbs.+

By Tom Polansek and Julie Ingwersen CHICAGO/Reuters

Hedge funds and commodity investors are turning up the heat in U.S. grain markets, with open interest, volume and prices surging as traders plow money into a sector that has been dull, burdened by an oversupply of crops.

Managers of trend-following funds have flocked to the farm markets as recent advances in crude oil and weakness in the U.S. dollar have encouraged investments in other physical commodities, traders said.

In corn and soybeans, they see the potential for volatility and prices to increase from low levels, presenting opportunities for funds to make money.

“The funds are like mosquitoes to a light in the middle of the night when volatility starts spiking,” said Tregg Cronin, market analyst for Halo Commodities in South Dakota.

Money has been flowing into agricultural markets despite the lack of any major changes to the outlook for massive inventories to constrain prices into next year.

Trend followers are not making bets based on supply or demand forecasts, though, said Jim Gerlach, president of brokerage A/C Trading in Indiana. Rather, they’re buying up cheap supplies in hopes of cashing in on high prices later.

“This is more of a mentality change from some of these traders out there looking for value,” he said.

Toronto ($/cwt) 150.63 - 438.09 — 90.14 - 300.04

Horses Winnipeg ($/cwt) — —

Fund money heats up U.S. grain markets burdened by big supply

Toronto ($/cwt) 10.00 - 72.50 58.29 - 70.37

Looking for results? Check out the market reports from livestock auctions around the province. » PaGe 14

11

The Manitoba Co-operator | April 21, 2016

GRAIN MARKETS column

Manitoba Elevator Prices Average quotes as of April 14, 2016 ($/tonne)

Canola stocks less bearish as export projections rise A stronger Canadian dollar wrestles futures downward Phil-Franz Warkentin CNSC

C

anola futures were hard pressed to see much activity during the week ended April 15, drifting down overall despite a rally in Chicago soybeans.

May canola was down $3.20 per tonne on the week, settling at $476.90. Meanwhile, May soybeans were up 39.25 U.S. cents, to US$9.56 per bushel, hitting their best levels since August.

The divergence between the two oilseeds can be partially explained by the Canadian dollar, which was up by a full cent relative to its U.S. counterpart, finishing just under 78 U.S. cents.

Soyoil prices were also down in the U.S., as crude oil turned lower and U.S. soyoil supplies beat expectations.

That combination of a rising loonie and falling soyoil should cut into crush margins. However, canola seed prices were down enough to keep margins relatively steady on the week, and still highly profitable for the processors.

The domestic crush continues to run at a record pace, while solid exports are also cutting into the available supplies. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada released updated supply/ demand estimates during the week, raising its expectations for canola exports during the current 2015-16 crop year by 500,000 tonnes, to 10 million. That half a million tonnes of extra exports mean ending stocks may also be much less burdensome than originally thought — which also makes the upcoming 2016-17 crop that much more important from a marketing standpoint.

Statistics Canada releases its first surveybased estimates for the upcoming growing season on April 21. This year, there is heightened attention on pulse acres, with expectations for sizable growth in both peas and lentils at the expense of most everything else.

From a fundamental supply/demand perspective, the canola market needs acres to at

Future

Basis

Cash

E. Manitoba wheat

192.35

41.84

234.20

W. Manitoba wheat

192.35

34.28

226.64

E. Manitoba canola

476.90

-11.57

465.33

W. Manitoba canola

476.90

-17.31

459.59 Source: pdqinfo.ca

Port Prices

For three-times-daily market reports and more from Commodity News Service Canada, visit the Markets section at www.manitobacooperator.ca.

As of Monday April 14, 2016 ($/tonne) Last Week

Weekly Change

U.S. hard red winter 12% Houston

184.73

-6.52

U.S. spring wheat 14% Portland

230.01

2.75

Canola Thunder Bay

490.10

-2.10

Canola Vancouver

511.10

-2.10

Closing Futures Prices

As of Monday, April 14, 2016 ($/tonne)

least hold steady on the year, which means an acreage intentions number in line with, or below, 2015 levels (20.1 million acres) would be bullish from a pricing standpoint.

Wheat acres Spring wheat futures in the U.S. could also see some strength if the Canadian acreage is down on the year. U.S. spring wheat acres are already expected to be down considerably on the year, and now opinions are mixed as to whether Canadian growers are following suit.

Canadian wheat prices have also not been the best this past year, but the weaker loonie has helped Canadian exports fare better in the global market.

U.S. wheat futures were up and down during the week, with improving moisture conditions for the U.S. winter wheat crop a bearish influence in the background.

Both soybeans and corn moved up during the week, with the biggest gains in beans.

Excess rainfall and flooding in Argentina were a bullish influence there, as up to three million tonnes of soybeans were thought to be lost in the South American country.

For corn, the attention the next few weeks will remain firmly on spring planting conditions and whether acres actually end up as big as projected — or if some swing acres get put into soybeans instead.

Phil Franz-Warkentin writes for Commodity News Service Canada, a Winnipeg company specializing in grain and commodity market reporting.

Last Week

Weekly Change

ICE canola

480.10

-2.10

ICE milling wheat

236.00

-1.00

ICE barley

172.00

0.00

Mpls. HRS wheat

191.99

3.31

Chicago SRW wheat

168.93

1.01

Kansas City HRW wheat

167.19

0.28

Corn

147.24

4.92

Oats

125.15

4.38

Soybeans

348.33

15.98

Soymeal

319.69

25.68

Soyoil

742.86

-9.04

Cash Prices Winnipeg As of Monday, April 14, 2016 ($/tonne) Last Week

Weekly Change

Feed wheat

199.13

6.25

Feed barley

173.62

-8.73

n/a

n/a

439.35

-2.36

Rye Flaxseed Feed peas

n/a

n/a

Oats

169.24

2.59

Soybeans

379.57

8.45

16.00

-0.05

Ask

Ask

Sunflower (NuSun) Fargo, ND ($U.S./CWT) Sunflower (Confection) Fargo, ND ($U.S./CWT)

Prairie spring wheat bids tick lower Canada Western Red Spring prices slipped roughly $1-$2.50 per tonne

BY DAVE SIMS CNS Canada

C

ash spring wheat bids across Western Canada were slightly weaker during the week ended April 15, as the Canadian dollar gained ground relative to its U.S. counterpart.

Depending on the location, average Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) wheat prices were down by roughly $1 to $2.50 per tonne over the course of the week, according to price quotes from a cross-section of delivery points across the Prairie provinces compiled by PDQ (Price and Data Quotes).

Average CWRS prices ranged from about $225 per tonne in southeastern Saskatchewan to as high as $239 in southern Alberta.

Quoted basis levels varied from

Average Canada Prairie Spring Red bids were down by about $1-$3 per tonne in most locations.

location to location, ranging from $33 to $47 per tonne above the futures when using the grain company methodology of quoting the basis as the difference between U.S. dollar-denominated futures and Canadian dollar cash bids.

When accounting for currency exchange rates by adjusting Canadian prices to U.S. dollars, CWRS bids ranged from US$172 to $186 per tonne; which was steady compared to the previous week. That would put the currency adjusted basis levels at about US$6-$17 below the futures.

Looking at it the other way around, if the Minneapolis futures are converted to Canadian dollars, CWRS basis levels across Western Canada range from $8 to $22 below the futures.

Average Canada Prairie Spring Red (CPSR) bids were down by about $1-$3 per tonne in most locations. Average CPSR prices came in at about $183-$210 per tonne in Saskatchewan, and $197-$211 per tonne in Alberta.

Average durum prices were down by $1-$3 per tonne during the week,

with bids in Saskatchewan ranging from roughly $283-$289 per tonne.

The May spring wheat contract in Minneapolis, off of which most CWRS contracts in Canada are based, was quoted April 15 at US$5.235 per bushel, up 2.5 U.S. cents from the previous week.

Kansas City hard red winter wheat futures, which are now traded in Chicago, are more closely linked to CPSR in Canada. The May K.C. w h e a t c o n t ra c t w a s q u o t e d a t US$4.5775 per bushel on April 15, down 2.25 U.S. cents compared to the previous week.

The May Chicago Board of Trade s o f t w h e a t c o n t ra c t s e t t l e d a t US$4.5975 on April 15, down by 0.5 U.S. cent on the week.

The Canadian dollar closed April 15 at 77.9 U.S. cents, up by roughly a cent compared to the previous week.

12

The Manitoba Co-operator | April 21, 2016

LIVESTOCK h u s b a n d r y — t h e s c i e n c e , S K I L L O R ART O F F AR M IN G

Look at your farm the way a consumer would, says animal welfare expert The term ‘producers’ is a problem, and so are a host of common practices

By ALEXIS KIENLEN STAFF/OLDS

P

roducers need to talk and think about animal welfare differently to gain the trust of consumers, says an official overseeing animal welfare at one of the largest dairies in the U.S. “Everything happens through people,” Jennifer Walker, a veterinarian and director of dairy stewardship at Dean Foods, said at the recent Livestock Care conference hosted by Alberta Farm Animal Care.

“It is people who make the difference. If I have one person on my farm who treats animals incorrectly, 100 per cent of my animals are affected.”

But animal welfare is much more wide ranging than not abusing animals, said Walker.

For instance, improving animal welfare standards is also key to increasing production and feeding the world, she said.

“How are we going to do that if we accept current disease and death rates?” she said. “They will continue to climb if we don’t address them. When I look at sick or dead animals, what I see is a waste. I see a failure in my system that I’ve implemented on the farm, and in my ability not to waste food. Poor welfare is unsustainable.”

For many large food retailers, animal welfare is about protecting a brand. Customers expect ethical behaviour, and their expectations regarding welfare of livestock are increasingly influenced by their relationship with their pets.

“Special interest groups have capitalized on that concern,”

said Walker. “They’re not creating the concern for animal welfare, but are capitalizing on the fact that our collective industries have not addressed them.

We didn’t get ahead of it, and they’re taking advantage of it.

If we’re going to manage this, we have to figure out why we’ve been on the wrong end of this conversation.”

Even the way people talk about farming adds to the disconnect.

“When I look at sick or dead animals, what I see is a waste.”

Jennifer Walker

Consumers trust farmers, but the word ‘producer’ doesn’t resonate with them, said Walker.

“I would argue that people might produce corn, but we raise cows. We are caregivers. So we are farmers and we shouldn’t be surprised because people are a little bit disconnected because we tend to talk about ourselves in very industrialized terms.”

In a consumer’s mind, largescale farmers who view agriculture as a business instead of a way of life are seen as putting profit above all else. Another mistake that farmers make is talking about how they care for their animals to ensure productivity.

“Take a moment and think about what a consumer hears,” said Walker. “A consumer hears

that if you could not take care of your cow and still make money, you would. In my opinion, when you’re out there talking to the public, the only thing that will resonate with consumers is, ‘I take good care of my cows because it is the right thing to do.’”

Consumer trust is based on ethics, rather than economics or science.

“We need to reconcile that ethical knowing is different from other knowing,” she said. “It’s not science based. It’s not made to describe how the world is, but how the world ought to be.”

Trust is built with transparency and that requires accountability.

“What we’re faced with today are not questions about what we can do, but about what we should do,” she said.

And what does that look like on a dairy farm? Walker gave several examples.

It means not keeping lame cows just because they are good milkers. It means never shipping downers to slaughter or taking unfit animals to sale barns.

It means everyone working on the farm is properly trained and knows how to treat animals. It even means zero tolerance for verbal abuse of animals because that is often the first step to physical abuse.

And it means looking at your farm practices the way a typical consumer would.

“We have to understand what that looks like to the public and ask if that’s how we want to be portrayed to the world,” she said. akienlen@fbcpublishing.com

Producers need to reconsider their ideas about animal welfare, said Jennifer Walker, director of dairy stewardship at Dean Foods. PHOTO: ALEXIS KIENLEN

Pork industry awaiting decision on promotion agency The move is part of a growing push for producer-funded promotion and research agencies throughout the ag sector

BY ALEX BINKLEY Co-operator contributor

T

he Canadian pork industry is eagerly awaiting pending approval for a farmer-funded promotion and research agency.

It would be close in design to the existing Canada Beef agency for the cattle business, and is part of a push from a variety of sectors, including strawberry and raspberry producers, to create similar agencies.

The Canadian Pork Council (CPC) is waiting for the Farm Products Council of Canada to conclude its study of the proposal.

CPC’s Gary Stordy said the FPCC board has to approve

the proposal, which received widespread support among pig far mers and processors during public hearings in Januar y and Februar y.

Then it will be presented to Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay for government approval.

Neil Ketilson, Saskatchewan Pork Development Board general manager, said there is support from producer groups across Canada for the national pork agency.

Swine Innovation chairman Stewart Cressman says his group also supports the proposed agency because a national levy on pork would put the Canadian industry on an equal footing with that of the U.S. Innovation Pork.

“The new agency would administer the collection and distribution of a national levy collected on the sale of pork, i n c l u d i n g p o rk i m p o r t e d from other countries, primarily the United States,” he said.

The proposal would give the industry the tools for collecting those funds, and would provide oversight into how they were dispersed for both domestic and foreign promotions.

“This is a way of ensuring that pork that is flowing into the country from outside countries and primarily the U.S., that they would pay in an equal fashion,” Cressman said.

“It mirrors what happens

to Canadian pork that is exported from Canada into the U.S. or live hogs that are exported from Canada into the U.S.” Pork producers in nine provinces already fund market promotion, development and research activities. While these efforts have been successful, the group says issues are becoming more complex and interwoven, making a national co-ordinated approach the best one.

A national agency would be better able to fund domestic and export market promotion initiatives as well as increased animal science and technical research aimed at improving production efficiencies and competitiveness of pork in

domestic and foreign markets, industry groups say.

Meanwhile FPCC chairman Laurent Pellerin says one of the agency’s priorities is to work toward the creation of national promotion and research agencies.

He told a recent presentation to the Chicken Farmers of Canada (CFC) that the agency was looking forward to the CFC’s proposal for a chicken p r o m o t i o n a n d re s e a rc h agency.

In its 2015 annual report, CFC general manager Dave Janzen said establishing an agency like this is a longerterm objective of the group and consultations with provincial groups are in the works for later this year.

13

The Manitoba Co-operator | April 21, 2016

Manitoba Pork recognizes industry participants at AGM Steve’s Livestock Transport and manure management specialist Scott Dick were singled out for ongoing contributions to pork sector’s success Staff

“This company is dedicated to creating value for its customers and ensuring the success of our industry.”

M

anitoba Pork Council (MPC) has recognized two industry partners who have contributed to the overal success of the pork business at its 2016 annual general meeting.

The group presented awards to Steve’s Livestock Transport and AgraGold Consulting co-founder Scott Dick to recognize their ongoing commitment to the hog sector.

Steve’s Livestock Transport was recognized for humane animal handling, safe transport and on-time deliveries.

“This company is dedicated to creating value for its customers and ensuring the success of our industry,” MPC said in a news release.

Founded in 1987, the company has expanded to become the largest commercial livestock transportation fleet in North America. The locations in Manitoba and Alberta also feature commercial washing and large equipment repair service facilities.

In the last several years the company has reduced the risk of spreading viruses, in particular PEDv, by developing and maintaining strict disease risk management protocols to provide transport of livestock in a biosecure environment.

Manitoba Pork Council release

Manure management specialist Scott Dick was one of the industry partners recently recognized by the Manitoba Pork Council.

PHOTO: Courtesy scott dick

“ Without Steve’s, our industr y would likely have been devastated by this tough bug,” the release read.

Biosecurity The company has also invested significantly in new technology and facilities, including undercarriage washing and baking bays for live-

stock trailers to enhance biosecurity and a water misting system to cool animals in trailers on hot days.

Scott Dick was recognized for “... his exceptional leadership skills and his commitment to protecting Manitoba’s environment, through continuous innovation and raising the bar for excellence in nutrient management.”

Dick grew up on a grain farm in the Carman area and has been working in the hog industry since 2001, when he became one of the first agronomists in North America to be solely dedicated to livestock nutrient planning.

In 2 0 0 7 , h e a n d p a r t n e r C l i f f Loewen launched Agra-Gold Con­ sulting, a company that specializes in livestock nutrient management plans that optimize the value of nutrients while ensuring environmental sustainability. Since its inception, AgraGold has overseen the spreading of more than 3.5 billion gallons of

manure and helped to sell over $3 million worth of nitrogen, and has distinguished itself as a proponent of the most modern technology and environmentally sound treatment systems.

Dick has also been involved in industry groups, including serving from 2005 to 2007 as MPC delegate for Elite Swine. He has participated on Manitoba Pork’s various committees and contributed to meeting the many regulatory and policy changes the industry has faced. He has also served as a director of the Manitoba L i v e s t o c k Ma n u re Ma n a g e m e n t Initiative, leading a number of its research projects and studies.

Dick is also featured as one of the professionals in Manitoba Pork’s “I am part of the solution” advertising campaign and plays a key role in the 10-minute “Manure Matters” video, explaining the process of developing and executing a nutrient management plan.

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14

The Manitoba Co-operator | April 21, 2016

LIVESTOCK AUCTION RESULTS Weight Category

Feeder Steers No. on offer

Ashern

Gladstone

Grunthal

Heartland

Heartland

Brandon

Virden

Killarney

Ste. Rose

Winnipeg

13-Apr

14-Apr

12-Apr

12-Apr

13-Apr

11-Apr

14-Apr

15-Apr

810

514*

312

1,137

2,007†

440*

520

1,200

Over 1,000 lbs.

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

150.00-167.00

900-1,000

n/a

140.00-169.00

n/a

160.00-175.00

160.00-178.00

n/a

n/a

150.00-177.00

800-900

160.00-178.00

165.00-183.00

155.00-179.00

180.00-195.00

178.00-192.00

170.00-185.00

170.00-183.00

164.00-185.00

700-800

178.00-205.50

190.00-202.50

170.00-197.00

190.00-208.00

185.00-204.00

190.00-204.00

187.00-206.00

177.00-211.00

600-700

180.00-217.50

210.00-223.50

200.00-225.00

205.00-223.00

194.00-225.00

205.00-226.00

210.00-220.00

190.00-224.00

500-600

190.00-236.00

230.00-260.00

215.00-236.00

215.00-235.00

205.00-239.00

220.00-240.00

220.00-234.00

200.00-230.00

400-500

200.00-234.00

240.00-268.00

225.00-240.00

220.00-250.00

220.00-248.00

240.00-260.00

220.00-233.00

200.00-235.00

300-400

n/a

250.00-290.00

230.00-260.00

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

200.00-250.00

900-1,000 lbs.

139.00-159.00

120.00-156.50

n/a

150.00-162.00

n/a

n/a

150.00-162.00

n/a

800-900

150.00-169.50

140.00-163.00

150.00-165.00

160.00-172.00

148.00-160.00

n/a

165.00-179.00

150.00-164.00

700-800

159.00-182.00

150.00-182.25

160.00-177.00

165.00-181.00

160.00-176.00†

n/a

160.00-185.00

160.00-175.00

600-700

170.00-184.50

170.00-190.50

175.00-203.00

175.00-190.00

170.00-182.00††

175.00-190.00

180.00-195.00

165.00-188.00

500-600

180.00-193.00

180.00-205.50

180.00-207.00

185.00-202.00

190.00-206.00

190.00-203.00

190.00-205.00

170.00-205.00

400-500

185.00-205.50

190.00-222.00

200.00-220.00

215.00-235.00

195.00-225.00

200.00-233.00

175.00-215.00

200.00-235.00

300-400

n/a

200.00-226.00

220.00-252.00

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

200.00-250.00

116

72

183

125

Feeder heifers

Slaughter Market No. on offer

100

D1-D2 Cows

80.00-89.00

n/a

n/a

93.00-100.00

91.00-97.00

86.00-94.00

89.00-99.00

92.00-98.00

D3-D5 Cows

72.00-78.00

n/a

n/a

82.00-92.00

85.00-90.00

n/a

81.00-90.00

84.00-93.00

Age Verified

90.00-99.00

n/a

n/a

n/a

93.00-100.00

n/a

n/a

n/a

Good Bulls

101.00-129.00

n/a

n/a

123.00-133.00

120.00-130.00

115.00-125.00

110.00-130.00

120.00-125.00

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

Butcher Steers Butcher Heifers

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

Feeder Cows

n/a

n/a

100.00-112.00

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

104.00-114.00

Fleshy Export Cows

n/a

n/a

87.00-90.00

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

Lean Export Cows

n/a

n/a

77.00-85.00

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

Heiferettes

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

110.00-139.00

n/a

* includes slaughter market

Breeding heifers sold at †187.00 ††196.00

(Note all prices in CDN$ per cwt. These prices also generally represent the top one-third of sales reported by the auction yard.)

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15

The Manitoba Co-operator | April 21, 2016

COLUMN

Preventing or repairing ‘proud flesh’ on horses Proper management from the onset is important in avoiding its appearance, especially on lower limbs Carol Shwetz

DVM

Horse Health

N

ature has a way of healing wounds in horses and for the most part, h a s a r e m a r k a b l e i n h e rent ability to return the skin to its original state. However, horses, more so than any other species, tend to be particularly prone to a troublesome complication of wound healing referred to as ‘proud flesh.’

Whenever it appears, it prevents a wound from healing fully.

Proud flesh is the unchecked and unproductive growth of granulation tissue, a normal component of natural wound healing and which is necessary to fill in the wound bed.

It is the newly formed reddishpink granular or pebbly flesh that appears within a healing wound. It is very resistant to infection, fills the gap left by an open wound and provides the surface for skin cells to migrate and/or “crawl” across the wound.

While migrating, these skin cells produce chemical signals which encourage granulation tissue to contract. In doing so the wound edges are drawn towards each other, reducing the size of the wound.

Once skin cells have covered the surface of the wound, the process of granulation tissue is switched off and remodelling

and repair processes proceed at deeper levels.

Whenever the delicate balance between theses processes goes unchecked by the body, an abnormal accumulation of granulation tissue forms. The mounds of cauliflower-like pink tissue protruding beyond the surface of the wound are then referred to as proud flesh.

Skin cells are no longer able to grow over the tissue bed and healing cannot continue.

Lower limbs prone Although proud flesh can appear anywhere on the horse’s body, the lower limbs i.e. below the carpus (knee) and hock, are particularly prone to this affliction. Contamination, tension and/or movement across healing surfaces, or a history of ill-advised wound treatments, can disrupt fragile healing pro­ cesses and tissues. This places a wound at an increased risk for the development of proud flesh.

A properly managed wound from the onset has fewer tendencies to develop proud flesh, even more so with wounds to the lower limbs.

If primary closure and/or suturing is not an option, the wound must heal through secondary intention with granulation tissue. Thorough cleansing of the wound as well as maintaining a clean environment for the healing tissue is ideal for productive healing. Hence bandaging of wounds on the lower limb is highly advised.

In addition to maintaining a

Both wound and hoof care have been neglected on this horse, considerably increasing the risk for the development of proud flesh. photo: supplied

healthy environment for healing, well-placed bandages can reduce motion across the wound surface and create pressures which help prevent granulation tissue from becoming exuberant.

Fragile and delicate healing tissues can become very reactive when inappropriate dressings are applied to the wound surface. For all stages of healing, use only products labelled for use on horses. Simple dres­ sings such as Derma Gel and moistened saline pads are recommended. Meat tenderizers, used oil, lime bluestone and other home remedies irritate and significantly affect the behaviour of the granulation tissue, often leading to its overexuberance.

Options Once initiated proud flesh can become quite a nuisance to resolve. If the flesh begins to grow beyond the level of the wound edges a number of options are available to the horse owner.

Mild overgrowth of tissue i.e. barely protruding above the surface of the wound, will most likely be controlled with the application of a corticosteroid cream and/or bandaging.

When the growth of proud flesh becomes moderate to severe, surgical removal is generally the preferred course of treatment. Excessive nonviable granulation tissue is excised to be level with the skin’s edges. This then allows

the skin cells to crawl over the wound once again.

While there are no nerve endings in granulation tissue, it does have an extensive blood supply. Bleeding can be quite pronounced once the excessive tissue is debrided, often requiring a pressure bandage to control the bleeding. The extent of the proud flesh may or may not necessitate sedation or anesthesia of the horse.

Following surgical removal of proud flesh, a corticosteroid cream and/or ointment may be prescribed by the attending veterinarian. Topical corticosteroids have been shown to inhibit the formation of granulation tissue without inhibiting epithelialization or formation of superficial skin cells. Under certain circumstances a cast may be necessary to prevent the granulation tissue from regrowing and enable the skin edges to advance and cover the wound.

A number of caustic products are promoted to horse owners to “eat away” proud flesh. The problem with caustic substances is that they nonselectively destroy both healthy and non-healthy tissues, further damaging the wound. The surgical method of addressing proud flesh tends to result in the best overall healing and cosmetic results, as it removes the unwanted granulated tissues while leaving the healthy tissue unharmed.

Carol Shwetz is a veterinarian focusing on equine practice in Millarville, Alberta

Dairy farmers step up pressure on Ottawa over diafiltered milk

Milk producers say the rules around use of diafiltered milk in cheese making need to be enforced

BY ALEX BINKLEY Co-operator contributor

D

airy Farmers of Canada and a coalition of Quebec farmers and processors are stepping up the pressure on the federal government to curb importation of diafiltered milk.

They’re calling on the government to enforce eight-year-old changes to cheese compositional standards that barred the use of high-protein milk products.

DFC president Wally Smith joined Quebec Agriculture Minister Pierre Paradis and the heads of the Quebec Milk Producers Association, the Union des Producteurs Agricoles and Agropur Dairy Co-op at a news conference in Montreal for a joint appeal to Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay to enforce the standards.

The Quebec groups have the backing of 59 other businesses and dairies in the province.

“Canada’s dairy farmers speak with one voice on diafiltered milk,” Smith said. “We are collectively disappointed with the lack of action on enforcement of the cheese standards. The government does not need to pass a new law or new regulation and the solution is

“We will continue to advocate vocally for fair enforcement of these rules.”

Wally Smith Dairy Farmers of Canada

simple. It needs to enforce the existing standards.”

In response to the farm groups, Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay said nothing about what or when the government might act, other than saying fixing the problem is “of the highest priority” to the government, and wanted to continue engaging farmers to ensure a durable solution to the issue.

“This is an issue that was inherited from the previous government,” MacAulay said. “We fought for and implemented supply management and we will continue to work for what is in the best interests of Canadian farmers from coast to coast to coast.”

The minister set himself up for the call to action when he told the Commons agriculture committee recently that they

were looking to ensure the standards were clear to everyone and that diafiltered milk was never intended to be used as milk.

“We are working with the industry, and intend on having further discussions on this issue to ensure that standards are clear,” MacAulay said.

Paradis said MacAulay personally assured him back in February that he was working to make it clear that diafiltered didn’t meet the cheese compositional standards. Even Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the issue a serious problem, Paradis added.

UPA president Marcel Groleau said the farmers are exasperated with Ottawa’s failure to protect the compositional standards.

DFC said in a statement that under the existing regulations a minimum portion of the required protein must come from milk. Milk protein substances, such as diafiltered milk, are less costly and are typically made from heavily subsidized foreign milk.

Some processors have taken to using milk protein substances as part of their required minimum percentage of “milk” when making cheese, instead of using it as a part of their allowable percentage of added ingredients. This is inconsistent with its classification at the

border, where the ingredients are not even being considered under the dairy chapter of the Customs Tariff Schedule, entering the country tariff free.

“As a result, more ingredients are being used in cheese making than are allowed under the cheese compositional standards, resulting in less Canadian milk being used and a loss of revenue for Canadian farmers,” the statement read.

Smith said the former government put the standards in place and then never enforced them.

“We will continue to advocate vocally for fair enforcement of these rules,” Smith said.

MacAulay has said the government has been besieged with complaints from farmers and the dairy industry on the issue.

Industry sources peg the value of the imports at $100 million annually, which cuts the demand for Canadianproduced milk. Diafiltered milk isn’t used to make cheese in the U.S. Dairy Farmers of Canada has also urged the government to fix the lack of coherence between the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) when it comes to enforcing the cheese standard.

16

The Manitoba Co-operator | April 21, 2016

WEATHER VANE “Everyone talks about the weather, but no one does anything about it.” Mark Twain, 1897

Warm start, then a little cooler Issued: Monday, April 18, 2016 · Covering: April 20 – April 27, 2016 Daniel Bezte Weather Vane

U

nfortunately, last week’s forecast was right on the money, as a large upperlevel low broke off and stalled well to our south. This resulted in a very wet and cool weekend across nearly all of southern and central Manitoba. For this forecast period it looks like our weather pattern will continue to undergo changes as it tries to settle into a more summer-like pattern.

After a nice warm start to this forecast period, with highs on Wednesday expected to be close to 20 C, it looks like we’ll cool down during the second half of the week. A large area of low pressure crossing northern Canada will drag a cold front down on Thursday. I don’t think we’ll see any precipitation with this front, but there will be a mix of sun and clouds, with daytime highs cooling down to around 10 C and overnight lows around the 0 C mark.

Over the weekend an area of low pressure is forecast to

track across the Dakotas, but with high pressure to our north, any precipitation from this low should stay south of the border.

Temperatures will be nice, with highs around 15 C in areas that stay sunny, with cooler temperatures over extreme southern regions that have the best chance of seeing clouds.

The first half of next week also looks to be fairly mild and dry as weak high pressure dominates. During the second half of next week, the weather models show several storm systems coming in off of the Pacific, bringing several chances for wet weather into the early part of May. Currently, it looks like most of this wet weather will stay to our south thanks to high pressure sitting to our north, but after a fairly wet start to April, this pattern definitely bears watching.

Usual temperature range for this period: Highs: +6 to +20 C; lows, -4 to +5 C. Daniel Bezte is a teacher by profession with a BA (Hon.) in geography, specializing in climatology, from the U of W. He operates a computerized weather station near Birds Hill Park.

Contact him with your questions and comments at daniel@bezte.ca.

GFS MSLP (mb), Total Precipitable Water Normalized Anomaly, & 850mb Wind (kt)

The latest precipitation map was not available at the time of publishing, so instead, this issue’s map shows the amount of moisture that was in the atmosphere over North America on Saturday, April 16. You can see the large area of low pressure sitting near Colorado, with a trough of low pressure extending northward toward southern Manitoba. To the east, a large area of high pressure sits over southern Quebec. Together, these two features allowed for tropical moisture to flow northward. The dark-green areas represent moisture values between two and 3.5 standard deviations above average.

The upper-level low brings rain and snow Moisture flowed our way around an upper low parked over the U.S. southwest Table 1: Manitoba’s wet weekend (millimetres of rain) Deerwood (Miami) Selkirk Arborg Carman Gladstone Manitou Gimli Great Falls Winnipeg (Forks) Beausejour McCreary Portage la Prairie Winnipeg (Airport) Pinawa Inwood Pilot Mound Fisher Branch Morden Deloraine Killarney Wasagaming Dauphin Emerson Gretna Kleefeld Brandon Steinbach Morris Virden Sprague * - mixed with snow

49 47 44 43 43 43 43 43 42 42 40* 40 38 37 37 35 35 32 31* 30 30* 29* 28 28 26 25* 21 19 17* 14

BY DANIEL BEZTE Co-operator contributor

I

n the last issue we talked about upper-level lows and how they can stall out, bringing prolonged periods of wet weather. Well, that’s exactly what happened last weekend. A large upper low formed over the southwestern part of the U.S., then broke off from the main flow, resulting in the low just sitting in place. This allowed for plenty of moisture to flow northward ahead of the low. In fact, atmospheric moisture ahead of this low and flowing into our area was at times between three and four standard deviations above average for this time of the year.

Most days we see values that are within one standard deviation; occasionally you might see times where it is within two standard deviations. Less than one per cent of the time would you see values that are three or more standard deviations from the average. So, the amount of moisture over our region was very unusual last weekend.

That said, while we did see some impressive rainfall totals, considering the amount of moisture available, it could have been worse. Table 1 lists

some of the unofficial totals as provided by Environment Canada. The totals include rainfalls from midnight Friday to 7 p.m. Sunday.

In parts of southwestern Manitoba, enough cold air was available for some of the rain to change into snow. Table 2 shows some of the snowfall totals, in centimetres.

Hopefully we’ll see this weather pattern switch to one that will allow us to dry out a little bit.

Arctic melt begins On a different topic, here’s a quick look at Arctic sea ice extent as the winter freeze-up period comes to an end and the Arctic begins the melt season. As of March 30, the amount of ice cover looked as if it had peaked and was beginning the summer decline. The peak ice extent topped out at around 14.5 million square kilometres, almost two standard deviations below the 1981-2010 average.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like we’ll have sea ice data available for the next little while as one of the sensors on a meteorological satellite providing some of the data to accurately determine ice coverage is malfunctioning.

Due to this, ice coverage data will not

Table 2: The weekend’s snow (in centimetres) McCreary Neepawa Wasagaming Oak River Rivers Waldersee* Oak Lake Melita Souris Boissevain Virden Brandon

9 9 7 7 6 6 5 5 2-5** 4 4 2

* - southeast of McCreary ** - estimated

be available and it is not known if the problem can be fixed on the satellite or whether they need to switch to a new satellite.

In the next issue we’ll begin our annual look at thunderstorms, as temperatures continue to warm and we head toward May, which is typically the first month in which we see thunderstorms across our region.

… considering the amount of moisture available, it could have been worse.

17

The Manitoba Co-operator | April 21, 2016

CROPS h u s b a n d r y — t h e s c i e n c e , S K I L L O R ART O F F AR M IN G

Cover cropping – tips of the trade

BY JENNIFER PAIGE

Gabe Brown is pictured while hosting a field tour on his North Dakota operation in October 2015. Photo: Michael Thiele

diverse cropping strategies, which he says has improved his mineral and water cycles and the health of the soil.

Planting your first Brown said there can be a number of issues producers address with cover crops.

“Are you trying to improve infil­ tration, increase organic matter, cycle nutrients, do you need more residue on the surface?” he said.

Once you have determined your goals, you can begin to figure out your cover crop mix.

Start out with the basics such as the length of your growing season, soil type and average precipitation.

Narrow down your species and then look at the remaining options and which species will best support your goals.

“Plant a different crop on each field according to the resource concerns,” Brown said. “In order to have healthy, productive soils we need to figure out what the soil needs and plant what is neces­ sary to heal that particular piece of land.”

From there, nail down a spe­ cies combination and according to Brown, don’t be afraid to plant a number of different species; the more diverse the better.

“Over time our soils have become degraded and it is important to understand that it will take some time to get all these water, mineral cycles working again.

You won’t see instant results but the results you get in the long run will be worth it.”

Gabe Brown North Dakota producer

“Diversity is king,” he said. “When you have multiple plant species in the ground working together, they feed off one another and feed the microbes in the soil and the whole system gets going.

“We actually planted over 70 different cover crop species this past season. We planted a 19-spe­ cies mix into one field. Thirty-six pounds an acre and it cost me (US)$34 an acre to do, but in one year I am feeding that soil 19 dif­ ferent root exudates and am jumpstarting the soil biology.”

When selecting species, also consider the size and shape of the plant.

“Our whole profit system as farmers revolves around pho­ tosynthesis,” said Brown. “The more sunlight we can capture the more growth we’re going to get, both above and below the surface.

Consider the plant leaf size, shape and how the species will align together.”

Once you have plants in the field, Brown warns producers to be patient as it can take up to five years to see the true benefits of a diverse cropping system.

“Over time our soils have become degraded and it is impor­ tant to understand that it will take some time to get all these water,

*Post-infection protection varies by disease.

T

he first step to success using cover crops is defining the problem you need to fix.

Gabe Brown, a North Dakota farmer and cover crop advocate, told an April 6 Ducks Unlimited grazing club meeting in Lenore that too often farmers plant before they truly have a strategy.

“The first thing you need to do is to ask yourself, ‘what is my resource concern?’” said Brown.

“Cover crops are all the rage in the States right now. The problem is, that we get a lot of producers who just go plant something. Well, even though it is a good thing that they are planting something, to get the true benefits you need to ask yourself, what is my resource con­ cern, what am I trying to do?”

Brown has made a name for him­ self throughout North America for the success he has achieved with cover crops on his own farm near Bismarck, North Dakota.

“We have 5,000 acres. Two thou­ sand acres of cropland, 2,000 acres of true native range that have never been tilled and then there are another 1,000 acres that were crop­ land at one point, but have been seeded back to perennial forages,” said Brown.

Brown actively experiments with

As with all crop protection products, read and follow label instructions carefully.

Member of CropLife Canada.

Co-operator staff/Brandon

Unless indicated, trademarks with ®, TM or SM are trademarks of DuPont or affiliates. © 2016 DuPont.

Cover crop grower Gabe Brown says the best place to start when designing a species mix is to understand what your field needs and find the species that best addresses those issues

mineral cycles working again. You won’t see instant results but the results you get in the long run will be worth it.”

According to Brown, producers should expect to see a decreased yield in the first few years but should begin to see other benefits, which can include reduced salinity, better water absorption, reduced compaction, reduced erosion and reduced dependence on chemical products. jennifer.paige@fbcpublishing.com Online resources Brown recommended looking at Green Cover Seeds website and its SmartMix calculator, www.greencoverseed.com/ smartmix.

Green Cover Seeds is an American website so Canadian users should expect some differences, but the website allows you to enter all your field considerations and then recommends the best species matches, seeding rate and estimates seed cost per acre.

For more insight into cover crops, Brown has a number of YouTube videos with more explanation as well as a Ted Talk video. Visit, https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=UTMwxYwtj1Y.

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18

The Manitoba Co-operator | April 21, 2016

Global GMO area dips in 2015 in first-ever decline Canada cut back its GM canola area last year, a global review shows

BY KARL PLUME Reuters

T

he world scaled back biotech crop planting for the first time ever in 2015, led by a decline in the U.S., which has fuelled rapid expansion of genetically modified crops since their commercial launch two decades ago, according to an annual report released April 13.

The decline was blamed largely on lower crop plantings overall due to lower commodity prices, according to the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Ap p l i c a t i o n s ( I S A A A ) , t h e group that released the report.

Planting area was unchanged or lower in eight of the top 10 biotech crop-producing countr ies, including a 2.2-million-hectare drop in the U.S., the world’s largest grower, according to data from the ISAAA, which promotes the use of biotechnology in agriculture.

Biotech crops are genetically modified to resist pests or disease, tolerate drought or withstand sprayings of chemical herbicides such as glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto’s popular Roundup.

Brazil and Argentina, South America’s largest crop producers, were the only two nations in the top 10 that measurably expanded biotech seedings, adding two million and 200,000 hectares, respectively, according to ISAAA data.

In terms of total acres planted to biotech crops, Canada came in fifth at 11 million hectares, having seeded 400,000 fewer hectares of biotech canola in 2015, the ISAAA said.

Total biotech crop acreage is expected to improve when crop prices improve, the ISAAA added, noting Canada, for one, forecasts canola area this spring returning to 2014 levels.

Globally, biotech crops — including corn, cotton, soybeans, canola and other crops

A farm worker prepares to plant soybeans in Argentina’s Buenos Aires province in November 2012. Lower crop prices led to a worldwide decline in the use of biotech seed in 2015, but Argentina boosted its biotech plantings last year by 200,000 acres. Photo: Reuters/Enrique Marcarian

— were sown on 179.7 million hectares in 28 countries in 2015, down from 181.5 million hectares the previous year, according to the group.

In China, biotech crops were planted on 3.7 million hectares, down 200,000 from 2014, nearly all of it biotech cotton.

Despite the country’s rising demand for grain and oilseeds, cultivation of biotech corn and soybeans is not allowed in China.

The Febr uar y agreement by state-owned ChemChina to buy Swiss seeds and agrochemicals company Syngenta for US$43 billion has fuelled speculation the biotech grain cultivation ban could soon be reversed.

There has been increasing pressure from some consumers and environmental groups who argue that biotech crops lead to increased pesticide use and pose threats to the environment and human health.

EU countries are discussing whether to extend the EU-wide licence for glyphosate after the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer classified it as a prob-

able human carcinogen last March.

Some U.S. states have pas­ sed laws requiring food labels to disclose GMO ingredients.

Industr y-backed efforts to

block the regulations failed in the Senate last month.

The ISAAA noted new biotech crops were commercialized in 2015 in several countries, including Canada, the U.S. and Brazil.

HOT.

news

China may cultivate GM corn in next five years BEIJING/REUTERS / China, the world’s second-largest corn consumer, may allow commercial cultivation of pest-resistant genetically modified (GM) corn within the next five years, an Agriculture Ministry official said April 13.

“We will push forward the commercial process of new strains of pest-resistant cotton and pest-resistant corn among other key crops,” during the 13th Five Year Plan (2016-20), Liao Xiyuan, a department director with the ministry, told a press conference.

Liao gave no further details.

However, for staple grains rice and wheat, the country will focus on research and efforts to be the global leader in GM rice technology rather than commercial growing, said Liao.

Beijing has delayed commercial cultivation of its own GM corn and rice even after it gave safety approval in 2009 due to public concern over the safety of the technology.

“As a big agriculture country, China must have a role to play in the genetically modified technology,” said Liao.

China, the world’s largest buyer of GM soybean, has not allowed domestic cultivation of GM crops, except cotton and papaya. The ministry will intensify its crackdown on illegal plantings of GM crops, particularly during the current planting season, said Liao.

The world scaled back biotech crop planting for the first time ever in 2015 due to lower commodity prices.

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Among the approvals worldwide were Innate bruise-resistant potatoes, non-browning Arctic apples and the first biotech food animal, genetically modified salmon.

BIG.

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19

The Manitoba Co-operator | April 21, 2016

Soil Conservation Week highlights land stewardship, public education Soil conservation makes land more productive, but the benefits go well beyond that STAFF

“We want Canada to be a world leader in using sustainable management practices and production systems that ensure our agricultural landscapes continue to produce food, fibre and other products in the best manner possible.”

T

here are few things more important than the soil beneath our feet and this week — National Soil Conservation Week — highlights just how critical it is.

Running Apr. 17 to 23, this year the focus is the importance of land stewardship for soil and other resources under the care of the agriculture industry, Paul Thoroughgood, chair of Soil Conser vation Council of Canada (SCCC) said in a recent release.

“Canadian farmers realize in order to operate sustainably for the benefit of future generations, soil, air, water and wildlife need to be cared for properly,” said Thoroughgood.

Proper soil conser vation does make land more productive, but the benefits go well beyond that, he said. Farmers can also contribute to solving other larger issues like greenhouse gas emissions, carbon sequestration, overall water and air quality and biodiversity.

ALAN KRUSZEL SCCC

Soil health is getting better, but there is still plenty of work to do. PHOTO: Lorraine Stevenson

The annual event, led by SCCC, aims to put the spotlight on continuing success in soil management and at the same time keeping the issue

at the forefront for both farmers and the public.

Soil Conservation Week was e s t a b l i s h e d t o c o m m e m orate the importance of soil

health and agricultural sustainability, as championed by the late Hon. Senator Herbert Sparrow, a passionate champion for protecting Canada’s soil and the founding president of what would become the SCCC.

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SCCC’s Summit on Canadian Soil Health in December 2015 outlined the views, issues and challenges that far mers, scientists and industry face in soil conservation and health. Results from the summit made the case that more work is needed in Canada to support the intensification of agriculture in a sustainable way as world food demand grows.

“We want Canada to be a world leader in using sustainable management practices and production systems that ensure our agricultural landscapes continue to produce food, fibre and other products in the best manner possible,” said SCCC vice-chair Alan Kr uszel. “Sustainable agriculture is dependent on good soil conser vation practices. Environmentally responsible food production should be everyone’s priority and ultimately starts with the soil.”

As soil conservation continues to go mainstream, it’s become apparent soil health comes in many guises, including science-based approaches such as Fertilizer Canada’s 4R nutrient stewardship, which promotes the right nutrient source at the right rate, right time and right place. The program seeks to balance nutrient management decisions within a framework of economic, social, and environmental goals.

This program is proving to be an increasingly important tool for farmers to help them remain sustainable in their operations while also benefiting the environment, said Nutrients for Life chair Bob Adamson.

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Adamson added educating the next generation on the importance of soil science

to sustainable agriculture is another important goal.

“It’s crucial for youth to know the science behind food production. Learning about the 4R Nutrient Stewardship framework, in conjunction with National Soil Con­s er vation Week, helps us to inspire the next generation to be good stewards of our land,” said Adamson.

To illustrate the importance of soil health and conservation to Canadians, Nutrients for Life Foundation Canada and SCCC partnered with the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum to create an exhibit on soil, launching in 2017. It will highlight the link between soil science and food security. It will also serve as the n e w h o m e f o r t h e S CCC ’s Canadian Conservation Hall of Fame, which recognizes individuals who have had a national impact and made an outstanding contribution to the care of soil and all it affects.

The Conser vation Hall of Fame was established by SCCC in 1990 and now has 28 inductees. These inductees represent a range of backgrounds and contributions ranging from agricultural extension specialists, soilcare leaders from university, government, and supportive organizations, and individuals who have campaigned for soil conservation and demonstrated that soil protection and care contributes to sustainable, reliable, and profitable crop production. That’s especially important since Canadians sometimes feel like we have land as an endless resource, Thoroughgood said.

Only a small amount of our land is suitable for agriculture, and much of this area is threatened by soil degradation, urbanization, and other uses,” he said. “We have the land management skills to do a better job of producing food in a sustainable way.”

To celebrate National Soil Conservation Week, SCCC is also launching a photo contest that focuses on the themes of soil, water, air and biodiversity as they relate to healthy agricultural landscapes in Canada.

For more information, visit www.soilcc.ca.

20

briefs

Transport minister still studying CTA review

BY ALEX BINKLEY Co-operator contributor

The federal government is no closer to making a decision on the fate of grain transportation protections implemented by the former government.

With just over three months left before they expire on July 31, Marc Garneau, federal transport minister, told the Commons during a special question period the government is studying recommendations from a review of the Canada Transportation Act, which include a recommendation the protections be allowed to expire.

Garneau said the deadline is a consideration within the whole process of evaluating more than 60 recommendations from a review headed by former cabinet minister David Emerson.

“We know that this is something that we will have to make a decision on at some point,” Garneau told Conservative Senator Michael MacDonald from Cape Breton.

Parliament is scheduled to begin its summer recess in late June, which means the government is under an even tighter timeline if it needs parliamentary approval.

The protections include minimum weekly haulage targets, extended interswitching and fines on the railways for shortfalls in grain transportation, implemented by the Harper government in March 2014. Unless renewed they will expire at the end of the current crop year.

The Emerson report also urged the government to scrap annual ceilings on the revenue that CN and CP can earn hauling Prairie grain to export ports. Western farm groups have called on the government to extend all the protections.

Garneau said the Emerson review, commissioned by former minister Lisa Raitt, was “on all transportation, but there’s a special emphasis on grain.”

The government hasn’t announced a formal consultation on the Emerson report. Transport Department officials are talking with transportation organizations about possible forums for discussing the recommendations.

However, that’s been complicated by the wide scope of proposals for the rail, air and marine sectors as well as government agencies such as the Canadian Transportation Agency and the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.

Garneau has said the government will make a substantial effort to hear from stakeholders across Canada about the review’s findings.

“This will then allow us to propose initiatives to strengthen the transportation system and its contributions to our economy,” Garneau said.

The Manitoba Co-operator | April 21, 2016

AMM calls for municipal input into infrastructure spending The Association of Manitoba Municipalities says a united voice from civic leaders made infrastructure a top election issue

BY JENNIFER PAIGE Co-operator staff/Brandon

T

he Association of Manitoba Municipalities doesn’t care who the next provincial government is, it’s just happy its message on infrastructure needs cut through the campaign noise.

That was the message from Manitoba’s reeves and mayors at the recent meeting of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities in Brandon, where infrastructure spending topped the agenda.

It’s a message that reverberates from the biggest city to the smallest town and rural municipality, said Rick Chrest, Brandon’s mayor.

“We are all in this together and even the smallest Ma n i t o b a c o m m u n i t y h a s the same needs as the largest when it comes to acquiring infrastructure funding,” said Chrest. “Enabling each municipality to have a say in how and where these dollars get spent will go a long way in addressing the real needs of communities everywhere in the province.”

T h e i n f ra s t r u c t u re i s s u e has been a growing problem f o r Ma n i t o b a’s t ow n s a n d r ural municipalities. Most recently it was highlighted by an annual CAA Manitoba event where, for the first time ever, streets and roads in rural Ma n i t o b a w e re v o t e d t h e worst in the province. That distinction is usually reserved for Winnipeg’s perennially potholed streets.

That didn’t stop Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman from s p e a k i n g u p i n f a vo u r o f greater infrastructure investment, noting during a press event that the widespread dissatisfaction speaks volumes for the scope of the issue.

“I firmly believe that great results can only be achieved by having more voices contributing than less,” said Bowman.

“I don’t recall a time in my lifetime where I have seen all 137 Manitoba mayors and reeves stand united and call for the same priority in a provincial election campaign and I think that the results speak for themselves.”

Fairness campaign T h e re s u l t s B ow m a n w a s alluding to were from a sixweek-long AMM campaign to engage Manitoba’s political parties and voters on the topic of infrastructure.

“Our goal with this campaign was to engage Man­ itobans and our provincial parties in a conversation about the need for municipalities to receive a fair share of infrastructure dollars and a fair say in how they’re spent,” said Chris Goertzen, president of AMM and mayor of Steinbach. “Clearly, the mess a g e re s o n a t e d w i t h b o t h Ma n i t o b a n s a n d w i t h o u r party leaders.”

In February, AMM launched the ‘Fair Share, Fair Say’ campaign with the goal of draw-

(L to r) Brandon Mayor Rick Chrest, AMM president and Steinbach Mayor Chris Goertzen and Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman. Photo: Jennifer Paige

“Enabling each municipality to have a say in how and where these dollars get spent will go a long way in addressing the real needs of communities everywhere in the province.”

Rick Chrest Brandon mayor

ing attention to how infrastructure dollars are currently managed.

“We often have little to no say of how infrastructure dollars are spent in our jurisdictions. So, what we called for with this campaign is a greater share of the monies that are collected, as well as a fair say as to how that money is spent,” said Bowman. “Not only did we initiate a conversation but we also got the main parties to take these issues seriously enough to make it part of their campaign commitments.”

Currently, municipalities are responsible for 60 per cent of infrastructure work in their jurisdiction but only receive eight cents of every tax dollar to carry out the work. They also have very little say as to how the remaining 92 cents are allocated.

A recent report card released by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities said one-third of all infrastructure in Canada is at risk of rapid deterioration and that, despite the best efforts of local councils, action needs to be accelerated or costs will continue to escalate.

AMM’s ‘Fair Share, Fair Say’ campaign offered up a number of suggestions on how existing tax dollars could be more efficiently allocated.

Fo r e x a m p l e, e x e m p ting or rebating the $25 mil-

lion municipalities pay to the province through PST, ensuring all infrastructure dollars budgeted by the province are fully allocated and spent in each budget year, or dedicating a full one per cent of PST to infrastructure.

“We were intentionally flexible with our requests because we knew that each of the party’s commitments would have to fit into the context of their overall vision for the province,” said Bowman. “And, as a result each party has taken a different approach to addressing this issue.”

G oer tzen says AMM will look to continue this conversation with whoever forms the next government in the coming months, noting the organization has always worked with whichever party voters elect provincially.

Over the course of the provincial election, each political party addressed infrastructure and made commitments as to how they would respond if elected.

Both the Liberals and PCs announced the commitment to give AMM a fair say at the table when it comes to setting priorities for major capital infrastructure projects and confirmed that they intend to utilize the full expenditure of annual infrastructure budgets.

The Conservatives laid out plans to initiate a new basket

funding model, single window access to programs and greater autonomy in setting and addressing local infrastructure priorities.

They also committed to spending no less that $1 billion on infrastructure.

The Liberals vowed to rebate the PST municipalities pay the province and committed to dedicating one per cent of the PST to a municipal infrastructure fund.

The NDP has committed to funding road projects in Brandon 50/50 and increase its five-year local road commitment to Winnipeg.

Voter priority AMM representatives were also pleased to see Manitoba voters embrace the need for change when it comes to infrastructure management.

“At the municipal level we have long known that this is our No. 1 priority and I am pleased to know that voters across Manitoba agree,” said Bowman while pointing out the results of an independent poll that was released on April 12 in regards to voter priorities.

The poll conducted by Probe Research, indicated infrastructure as the most important issue on the minds of Manitoba voters.

“I think that it is very rare that you see infrastructure as a higher priority for Manitobans than health c a re a n d e d u c a t i o n ,” s a i d Goertzen. “While health care and education are very important, I think that Manitobans have realized the real challenge our communities face when it comes to our streets, sewers, and recreation facilities. They see that they are in disrepair and they want a solution.” jennifer.paige@fbcpublishing.com

21

The Manitoba Co-operator | April 21, 2016

MPSG adds on-farm technician and communicator to staff More staff will enable the group to deliver on ongoing commitments and priorities STAFF

An on-farm researcher and a communications professional are the latest additions to the staff roster of the Manitoba Pulse & Soybean Growers (MPSG).

Greg Bartley will be the group’s research technician and will contribute to the growth of the On-Farm Network, a program of farm-level pulse and soybean research fully funded by the MPSG. Bartley, who grew up on a farm near Roland, completed a bachelor of science in agronomy in 2013 at the University of Manitoba, where he is currently completing his master’s degree in plant science. His past work includes co-ordinating and implementing residue management experiments with the U of M and MPSG’s On-Far m Network. Bar tley also held an NSERC Industrial Postgraduate Scholarship with MPSG, which allowed him to gain valuable industry experience.

“I’m looking forward to working with the On-Farm Network and the research team at MPSG,” Bartley said. “It’ll be great to collaborate with farmers, conducting research on their own farms.”

Toban Dyck will be the organization’s new director of communications.

He took over the family farm in 2012, and has been involved in agriculture writing since.

An award-winning columnist with Grainews magazine, Dyck has also written for national publications and teaches writing at Red River Com­ munity College.

“There’s strong, exhilarating momentum here,” said D yck. “ There’s a wealth of expertise in this office, and I’d like to help every pulse and soybean farmer tap into it.”

The staff additions are representative of the organization’s trajectory of growth and ongoing commitment to bring increased value to members and participate fully in initiatives and campaigns such as the UN’s declaration of 2016 as the International Year of Pulses, said MPSG executive director Francois Labelle.

“The level of expertise represented in Greg and Toban will help us raise the standard for the value we deliver to our membership, pulse and soybean farmers,” said Labelle.

OmniTrax alleges non-disclosure violation by premier and senior minister The company alleges the unapproved disclosures were made to an accounting firm and First Nation government STAFF

A

s the province headed to the polls the Winnipeg Free Press was reporting NDP Leader Greg Selinger, senior cabinet minister, Steve Ashton and the Manitoba government are being sued by OmniTrax Canada.

Selinger and Ashton, the province’s infrastructure and transportation minister, are accused of breaching a non-disclosure agreement in relation to the proposed deal to sell the Hudson Bay Railway and Port of Churchill to a group of First Nations, the article states.

According to court documents obtained by the newspaper, the parties entered into a nondisclosure agreement in March 2015 after Selinger and Ashton were provided with confidential information about the company’s

business plan. The lawsuit alleges they then disclosed confidential information to an accounting firm and Opaskwayak Cree Nation (OCN) a First Nation near The Pas, about 600 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg.

The claim states OmniTrax was at the time exclusively negotiating the sale with Mathias Colomb Cree Nation, 800 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg. The deal, with a consortium of 10 northern Manitoba First Nations led

by Mathias Colomb Cree Nation, was formally announced in January.

“The unlawful and wrongful conduct of the defendants… amounts to a deliberate, highhanded, wanton and outrageous interference with the plaintiff’s right,” the claim, filed in the Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench, states.

None of the allegations has been proven in court.

A spokesman for the Manitoba government said the province has not received the statement of claim and has not filed a statement of defence.

The NDP, in a written response, called the allegations in the lawsuit “unsubstantiated” and said government officials are reviewing the claims.

OmniTrax Canada operates the Hudson Bay Railway, which connects many isolated northern communities as well as the Port of Churchill, which once relied heavily on grain shipments from the Canadian Wheat Board.

The CWB was dismantled as a single-desk buyer of wheat and barley by the former federal Conservative government.

Merv Tweed became president of OmniTrax after he resigned as the Conservative MP for Brandon-Souris in 2013.

Prior to that, Tweed was a Manitoba Tory MLA.

NDP Leader Greg Selinger is facing a lawsuit from OmniTrax Canada. file photo

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22

The Manitoba Co-operator | April 21, 2016

FARMER'S

MARKETPLACE selling?

Call to place your classified ad in the next issue: 1-800-782-0794 FAX your classified ads to: 204-954-1422 · Or eMAiL your classified ads to: mbclassifieds@fbcpublishing.com

Classification

Index Tributes/Memoriams Announcements Airplanes Alarms & Security Systems AntiqUes – Antiques For Sale – Antique Equipment – Antique Vehicles – Antiques Wanted

Your guide to the Classification Categories and sub-listings within this section.

BUiLding & renovAtions – Building Supplies – Concrete Repair – Doors & Windows – Electrical & Plumbing – Insulation – Lumber – Roofing Buildings Business Machines Business Opportunities

Arenas AUCtion sALes – MB Auction Parkland – MB Auction Westman – MB Auction Interlake – MB Auction Red River – SK Auction – AB Auction Peace – AB Auction North – AB Auction Central – AB Auction South – BC Auction – Auction Various – U.S. Auctions

BUsiness serviCes – Crop Consulting – Financial & Legal – Insurance/Investments Butchers Supply Chemicals Clothing/Work wear Clothing/Western /Specialty wear Collectibles Compressors Computers

Auction Schools AUto & trAnsport – Auto Service & Repairs – Auto & Truck Parts – Autos – Trucks – Semi Trucks & Trailers – Sport Utilities – Vans – Vehicles Various – Vehicles Wanted BeeKeeping – Honey Bees – Cutter Bees – Bee Equipment

ContrACting – Custom Baling – Custom Feeding – Custom Harvesting – Custom Seeding – Custom Silage – Custom Spraying – Custom Trucking – Custom Tub Grinding – Custom Work Construction Equipment Crop Inputs Dairy Equipment Electrical Engines Entertainment FArM MAChinerY – Aeration – Conveyors – Equipment Monitors

Belting Biodiesel Equipment Books & Magazines

tiLLAge & seeding – Air Drills – Air Seeders – Harrows & Packers – Seeding Various – Tillage Equipment – Tillage Various trACtors – Agco – Allis/Deutz – Belarus – Case/IH – Caterpillar – Ford – John Deere – Kubota – Massey Ferguson – New Holland – Steiger – Universal – Versatile – White – Zetor – 2-Wheel Drive – 4-Wheel Drive – Various

– Fertilizer Equipment – Grain Augers – Grain Bins – Grain Carts – Grain Cleaners – Grain Dryers – Grain Elevators – Grain Handling – Grain Testers – Grain Vacuums – Hydraulics – Irrigation Equipment – Loaders & Dozers – Parts & Accessories – Potato & Row Crop Equipment – Repairs – Rockpickers – Salvage – Silage Equipment – Snowblowers/Plows – Specialty Equipment – Machinery Miscellaneous – Machinery Wanted

Fencing Firewood Fish Farm Forestry/Logging Fork Lifts/Pallet Trucks Fur Farming Generators GPS Health Care Heat & Air Conditioning Hides/Furs/Leathers Hobby & Handicrafts Household Items Iron & Steel

hAYing & hArvesting – Baling Equipment – Mower Conditioners – Swathers – Swather Accessories – Various CoMBines – Belarus – Case/IH – Cl – Caterpillar Lexion – Deutz – Ford/NH – Gleaner – John Deere – Massey Ferguson – Versatile – White – Combines - Various – Accessories

LAndsCAping – Greenhouses – Lawn & Garden LivestoCK Cattle – Cattle Auctions – Angus – Black Angus – Red Angus – Aryshire – Belgian Blue – Blonde d’Aquitaine – Brahman

sprAYing eqUipMent – Sprayers – Various

– Brangus – Braunvieh – BueLingo – Charolais – Dairy – Dexter – Excellerator – Galloway – Gelbvieh – Guernsey – Hereford – Highland – Holstein – Jersey – Limousin – Lowline – Luing – Maine-Anjou – Miniature – Murray Grey – Piedmontese – Pinzgauer – Red Poll – Salers – Santa Gertrudis – Shaver Beefblend – Shorthorn – Simmental – South Devon – Speckle Park – Tarentaise – Texas Longhorn – Wagyu – Welsh Black – Cattle Composite – Cattle Various – Cattle Wanted Horses – Horse Auctions – American Saddlebred – Appaloosa – Arabian – Belgian – Canadian – Clydesdale – Draft – Donkeys – Haflinger – Miniature – Morgan – Mules – Norwegian Ford – Paint – Palomino – Percheron – Peruvian – Pinto

– Ponies – Quarter Horse – Shetland – Sport Horses – Standardbred – Tennessee Walker – Thoroughbred – Warmblood – Welsh – Horses For Sale – Horses Wanted poultry – Poultry For Sale – Poultry Wanted Sheep – Sheep Auction – Arcott – Columbia – Dorper – Dorset – Katahdin – Lincoln – Suffolk – Texel Sheep – Sheep For Sale – Sheep Wanted Swine – Swine Auction – Swine For Sale – Swine Wanted Speciality – Alpacas – Bison (Buffalo) – Deer – Elk – Goats – Llama – Rabbits – Emu/Ostrich/Rhea – Yaks – Various Livestock Equipment Livestock Services & Vet Supplies Misc. Articles For Sale Misc. Articles Wanted Musical Notices On-Line Services orgAniC – Organic Certified – Organic Food – Organic Grains

Outfitters Personal Pest Control Pets & Supplies Photography Propane Pumps Radio, TV & Satellite reAL estAte – Commercial Buildings – Condos – Cottages & Lots – Houses & Lots – Land For Rent – Land For Sale – Mobile Homes – Motels & Hotels – Resorts – Vacation Property – farms & Ranches – Acreages/Hobby Farms – Manitoba – Saskatchewan – Alberta – British Columbia – Pastureland – Farms/Ranches Wanted reCreAtionAL vehiCLes – All Terrain Vehicles – Boats & Water – Campers & Trailers – Golf Carts – Motor Homes – Motorcycles – Snowmobiles Recycling Refrigeration Restaurant Supplies Sausage Equipment Sawmills Scales CertiFied seed – Cereal Seeds – Forage Seeds – Oilseeds – Pulse Crops – Specialty Crops CoMMon seed – Cereal Seeds – Forage Seeds – Grass Seeds – Oilseeds – Pulse Crops – Common Seed Various

seed/Feed/grAin – Feed Grain – Hay & Straw – Feed Wanted – Grain Wanted – Hay & Feed Wanted – Seed Wanted Sewing Machines Sharpening Services Silos Sporting Goods Stamps & Coins Swap Tanks Tarpaulins Tenders Tickets Tires Tools trAiLers – Grain Trailers – Livestock Trailers – Trailers Miscellaneous Travel Water Pumps Water Treatment Welding Well Drilling Well & Cistern Winches CAreers – Career Training – Child Care – Construction – Domestic Services – Farm/Ranch – Forestry/Log – Health Care – Help Wanted – Management – Mining – Oil Field – Professional – Resume Services – Sales/Marketing – Trades/Tech – Truck Drivers – Employment Wanted

✁

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Published by Farm Business Communications, 1666 Dublin Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3H 0H1 WINNIPEG OFFICE Manitoba Co-operator 1666 Dublin Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3H 0H1 Toll-Free in Canada 1-800-782-0794 Phone 204-954-1415 in Winnipeg FAX 204-954-1422 Mailing Address: Box 9800, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 3K7

AGREEMENT The publisher reserves the right to refuse any or all advertising for any reason stated or unstated.

Advertisers requesting publication of either display or classified advertisements agree that should the advertisement be omitted from the issue ordered for whatever reason, the Manitoba Co-operator shall not be held liable. It is also agreed that in the event of an error appearing in the published advertisement, the Manitoba Co-operator accepts no liability beyond the amount paid for that portion of the advertisement in which the error appears or affects. Claims for adjustment are limited to errors appearing in the first insertion only.

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ADVERTiSiNG DEADLiNE:

CAUTION The Manitoba Co-operator, while assuming no responsibility for advertisements appearing in its columns, exercises the greatest care in an endeavor to restrict advertising to wholly reliable firms or individuals.

However, please do not send money to a Manitoba Co-operator box number. Buyers are advised to request shipment C.O.D. when ordering from an unknown advertiser, thus minimizing the chance of fraud and eliminating the necessity of a refund where the goods have already been sold.

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tion Privacy Policy, write to: Information Protection Officer, Farm Business Communications, 1666 Dublin Ave., Winnipeg, MB R3H 0H1.

Occasionally we make our list of subscribers available to other reputable firms whose products and services might be of interest to you. If you would prefer not to receive such offers, please contact us at the address in the preceding paragraph, or call 1-800-782-0794.

The editors and journalists who write, contribute and provide opinions to Manitoba Co-operator and Farm Business Communications attempt to provide accurate and useful opinions, information and analysis. However, the editors, journalists and Manitoba Co-operator and Farm Business Communications, cannot and do not guarantee the accuracy of the information contained in this publication and the editors as well as Manitoba Co-operator and Farm Business Communication assume no responsibility for any actions or decisions taken by any reader for this publication based on any and all information provided.

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23

The Manitoba Co-operator | April 21, 2016

Dowler Auct ion rt & o p

for Olive & the late Don Olsufka

Sat., may 14, 2016 Arden, Manitoba at 10:00 AM

Directions: From Hwy #16, North 4 miles on Hwy #352 (just north of Arden), west 1.25 miles on Rd 87N. Farm on south side. Watch for signs.

Let the news come to you.

Sign up for daily enews at manitobacooperator.ca

AUCTION SALES AUCTION SALES Manitoba Auctions – Parkland

Parkland – North of Hwy 1; west of PR 242, following the west shore of Lake Manitoba and east shore of Lake Winnipegosis.

Westman – South of Hwy 1; west of PR 242.

Interlake – North of Hwy 1; east of PR 242, following the west shore of Lake Manitoba and east shore of Lake Winnipegosis.

Red River – South ofHwy 1; east of PR 242.

The Pas

Svc

Farm auction

ANNOUNCEMENT NOTICE- BILL ALFORD, General Manager, h@ms Marketing Services. h@ms Marketing Services is proud to announce the appointment of Mr. Bill Alford to the role of General Manager effective Apr 21, 2016. Bill grew up on a grain farm in Oakville, MB & knew that agriculture was his calling from an early age. Bill has a degree in Agriculture from the University of MB & a solid background within the industry. Bill has been the Director of Marketing & Producer Services w/h@ms since 2010. He has outstanding communication skills, superb management skills & his ability to develop & maintain relationships is second to none.

As General Manager, Bill will be responsible for the day-to-day business operations including effective planning, delegating, coordinating marketing & sales functions & decision making to attain desirable profit making results for our organization. Bill will be a great benefit to our company in his newly appointed role & will actively participate in our continued growth. Please join us in congratulating Bill on this great success.

AUCTION DISTRICTS

AUCTION SALES Manitoba Auctions – Parkland

Lam

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Featured Items: 2009 MF 5455 Dyna 4, FWA, 3ph, 2600 Hrs • 2003 Challenger RB 56 Round Bale • 1995 Jiffy Bale Processor • New Idea 3732 Manure Spreader, excellent condition • 1995 Blue Hills Livestock Trailer,16’ (new floor and repainted)

PLEASE VIEW OUR WEBSITE www.lamportanddowler.com FOR FULL LISTING AND PICTURES!

AUCTION SALES Manitoba Auctions – Red River

MILTON AND BRENDA SHIRTLIFF SATURDAY, APRIL 23, 10 AM STARBUCK, MB

Birch River

Swan River

Winnipegosis

Roblin

Dauphin

Grandview

Ashern

Gilbert Plains

Fisher Branch

Ste. Rose du Lac Russell

Parkland

Birtle

Riverton Eriksdale

McCreary

Langruth

Neepawa

Gladstone

Rapid City

Melita

1

Brandon

Carberry

Elm Creek

Treherne

Killarney

Crystal City

Sanford

Ste. Anne

Carman

Mariapolis

Pilot Mound

Lac du Bonnet

Beausejour

Winnipeg

Austin

Souris

Boissevain

Stonewall Selkirk

Portage

Westman

Waskada

Interlake

Erickson Minnedosa

Reston

Arborg

Lundar Gimli

Shoal Lake

Hamiota

Virden

1 MILE NORTH OF STARBUCK AND ½ EAST THEN ½ SOUTH WILL HAVE SIGNS UP AUCTION DAY

Winkler, MB • 1-204-325-4433

Minitonas Durban

St. Pierre

242

Morris Winkler Morden

Altona

Steinbach

1

Red River

AUCTION SALES Manitoba Auctions – Westman

www.lamportanddowler.com John Lamport 204-383-5711/204-841-4136 Tim Dowler 204-803-6915

COMBINED RV/WOOD WORKING & HOUSEHOLD AUCTION for Gill & Brigitte Verville & David Plett Sat., April 30th at 12:00 noon in the Austin Skating Rink. 97 Ford Escort LX Wagon; 24.5-ft Terry 5th wheel; 17-ft Smokercraft; Riding Mowers; Appliances & Furniture; Shop Tools; Wood working tools and more, check website for Full listing www.nickelauctions.com Sale conducted by Nickel Auctions Ltd (204)637-3393 cell (204)856-6900

Stretch your advertising dollars! Place an ad in the classifieds. Our friendly staff is waiting for your call.

1-800-782-0794.

Hit our readers where it counts… in the classifieds.

Place your ad in the Manitoba Co-operator classifed section. 1-800-782-0794.

AUCTION SALES Manitoba Auctions – Interlake

AUCTION SALES Manitoba Auctions – Interlake

Plan to attend this complete farm auction of well maintained farm and cattle equipment including various shop and misc. items. Hope to see you there!

AUCTION SALES Manitoba Auctions – Red River

McSherry Auction Service Ltd

FARM AUCTION SALE

• Case IH 7120 MFWA 2950 hrs new rear tires/894 Allied loader with joy stick • MacDon 1993 30ft Swather with mounted roller 2300 hrs • John Deere F91 diesel 60 in front mount mower • Kubota G1800 Diesel-450 hrs-with leaf bagger • John Deere 7000 maxemerge planter 8 row 30” spacing always shedded • Case Sickle mower • 13” fireglass Boat with 35 HP Gale motor • 3” self-priming Irrigation Pump Wisconsin air cooled engine • Miniature Bauer travelling gun • 1976 Ford F600 Box & Hoist VG condition new rear tires, roll tarp and lots more

See our website www.billklassen.com for more list or check our spring catalog.

Owners: 204-735-2880

See our website: www.billklassen.com for complete listing or call 204-325-4433 cell 6230

BILL KLASSEN AUCTIONEERS AUCTION SALES Saskatchewan Auctions

AUCTION SALES Saskatchewan Auctions

Unreserved Public Farm Auction

Ruthles Bison Ltd.

Les, Ruth & Family

Neilburg, SK | April 27, 2016 · 11 am

Don Cheslock

Saturday, April 23rd @ 10:00 am

St Andrews, MB − Jct. Hwy 8 & Hwy 67 North 2 Miles on Hwy 8 then 1 1/2 mile Easton Rd 79 Internet Bidding @ Bidspotter.com | Contact: 204-485-4833 Tractors: Case IH 7210 Magnum Cab P Shift 3PH Duals 4752 Hrs. * 10 Case IH 45A 3 PH 283 Hrs * JD 5010 * MH. * AC B * Equipment: JD 7720 Titan II Combine * JD 222 22' Straight Cut Header * Coop 722 Cab Dsl 22' Swather * 12 Farm King 6640 1000 PTO Grain Vac * 2 Case IH 7200 28’ Hoe Drill * Int 6200 20’ Press Drill * 2) Int 310 15' Discer Seeders * Farm King 50' Diamond Harrows * Int 5000 18' Vibra Chisel * Coop 806 15' Deep Tiller * 3 Yard Hyd. Scraper * Eureka Potato Planter * MH PTO Drive Potato Digger * Farm King 620 6' Trailer Style Rotary Mower * Along w Augers * More Tillage & Misc Equip * Farm Misc * Antiques Stuart McSherry (204) 467-1858 or (204) 886-7027 www.mcsherryauction.com

2009 New Holland CR9070 & 2005 New Holland CR970

2008 New Holland T9020 & Leon 47-14 17 Ft 6-way

2012 John Deere 4730 100 Ft

2014 MacDon M155 30 Ft

1998 Peterbilt 379 & 2013 Doepker 45 Ft Tridem

2005 Peterbilt 378

McSherry Auction Service Ltd

AUCTION SALE

EISNER AUCTION CENTRE Swan River Sat., April 30th 9:00am Manitoba’s Largest 46th Annual Spring Equip Consignment Sale Inc Farm Dispersals Noble Butte Farms Ltd (Ralph Ketel) Don Warkentin & Many Other Farmer Consignors. SPRAYER: 98 854 Rogator; 86-ft. Brandt tandem; TRACTORS: 876 Ford Vers 4WD; 2001 NH TM165 FWA FEL/Grapple; 91 JD 3255 FWA FEL; Case 4490, 2470 4WD, 2290 FEL; 79 JD 4440; CRAWLER: IHC TD6 DSL, approx 5-yd pull scraper; ROUND BALERS: 2011 NH BR7090; NH BR 780; NH 664; JD 510 HAYING/SILAGE: 2013 13-ft. NH H7450 disc bine; 2004 Hauser 28-ft. 10 bale 5th wheel side dump trailer; NH 488 9-ft. & JD 14-ft. haybine; NH 166 hay inverter; NH 359 mixmill; 3 steel 20 bale trailers; Tube line bale wrapper; Kuhn Speedrake SR112; Hay buster 2620 bale shredder; Ag-way Chainless silage bale mulcher feeder; Heinke 240 silage feed wagon. All kinds tillage misc campers farm & sporting check website daily updates www.eisnerauctions.com 100’s of items 1000’s in attendance consign today LAWRENCE EISNER AUCTIONS MINITONAS LAWRENCE (204)525-2225, RYAN (204)734-0191.

HOUSE BY AUCTION www.meyersauctions.com 185 North Hwy #5 Lot B Neepawa, MB. 1:00PM Apr. 23rd, 2016. 3 Bdrm 560-sq.ft. approx Bradley Meyers, Auctioneer (204)476-6262. The owner will be available to show the house Apr. 16th from 10:00am to 1:00pm & Apr. 20th from 6:00pm to 8:00pm www.meyersauctions.com MEYERS AUCTION Retirement Auction for Shirley Kopytko- late Ernie Kopytko 10:00am Apr. 30th, 2016 McCreary, MB. Directions: Approx 8-km S of McCreary on Hwy #5. 2013 NH BR7090 Round Baler, XtraSweep PU, has made approx 497 bales serial # PIN YCN 175244; NH Super 1049 Self Propelled Bale Wagon, 160 bale capacity, approx 2,097-hrs; NH Hayliner 326 Square Baler w/hyd tensioner; NH 400 Hydrostatic Swather; 1980 Ford F-700 Grain Truck 3-Ton 16-ft. box; 7-ft. Farm King 3-PTH model Y840 FK Snowblower; Craftsman 5/23 walk behind Snowblower; Vicon RP1511 Round Baler; 2, Ford 8700 Tractors, 18.4x38 Duals, Dual Hyd, Cab; Ford 5000 Tractor, Loader, Cab; Field Sprayer; Fence Post Pounder; JD 9350 Press Drill 18-ft.; Case 310 Diskall 18-ft. Drill; JD 18-ft.

Discer; 10-ft. Corral Panels, approx 25; Cattle Oiler; NH 256 Hay Rake; NH 258 Hay Rake; NH 260 Hay Rake; Morris Harrows 50-ft. model 56HDB; JD H-1520 Discer 12-ft., nocked front disks; Swath Roller; Big Red Honda Trike; Sperry NH Haybine 1495, Hydrostatic Dr, 4,282-hrs showing; NH TR85 Combine; Pallet Jack; 21-ft. Steel Hay Wagon; 46ft. Westfield W80-46 PTO drive Auger; 41-ft. Westfield 707-41 Auger w/Briggs Engine; 36-ft. Bale Elevator, no motor; Honda Fourtrax AT 4x4 Trail Edition Quad; Quad Yard Wagon; Ford 2000 Tractor, 3-PTH; Cattle Handling Chute; 3, 30-ft. Corral Panels made from drill stem; Wood Creep Feeder; Western Saddle & Bridle; Belts; assorted bolts; Socket Sets; Power Hacksaw; Floor Model Drill Press; Advantage Battery Charger; Floor Jack; Welder; Chop Saw; Bench Grinder; Fuel Tanks; 1977 Vers 500 Row Crop Edition: 3-PTH & PTO low hrs since rebuild. Meyers Auctions & Appraisals Service Bradley Meyers, Auctioneer (204)476-6262 www.meyersauctions.com

Ruth Falk Sawatzky (Late Abe)

Sunday, April 24th @ 10:00 am Stony Mountain, MB − 41 Richard St. Contact: 204-344-5595 87 Dodge 2500 Classic Royal Leisure Van A/C 87,693 Km - Safetied* Norland 4 Wheel Gas Pit Car * 70 Motobecane 49 cc Moped * 7.5 HP Outboards * Camping * Fishing * J D 655 Cab MFWA Hyd * 3PH w JD FEL * 3PH 48" Rotovator * McKee Frt Mt 60" Snowblower - Wood Splitter * JD 3PH 6' Blade * JD LX 178 Hyd R Mower * JD 100 R Mower * Case 118 R Mower * Rear Tine Tiller * 6.75 HP 22" Weed Eater * Jari 3 PH Sickle Mower * Push Mowers * Snow blowers * Gas Dethacher * Mini Roto Tillers * Snap On Tool Cabinet * Snap on Wrenches * Snap on Socket Sets *Coats 40-40A Tire Machine * Metal Band Saw * 20 Ton Hyd Press * 250 Amp Welder * Mig Welder * Drill Press * Wood Lathe * Table Saws * Acetylene Torches * Air Compressors * Gas Air Compressor * Sandblaster * Band Saw * 12" Planer * Power Tools * Air Tools * Much Larger Amount of Tools! * B H 8' Flat Deck * Utility Trailer * New 10' x 17' Car Port * Karcher Mdl HD 5500 Heated Pressure Washer * 5000 Watt Generator * Platform Scale * Pallet Jack * Truck Tool Box * Trailer Light Kits *Home Repair Items * Various Lumber * Parade Mini Model T Fire Truck Gas Powered * 60's JD Pedal Tractor * Household Items * Deep Freeze * Washer * Dryer * Medical Stair Chair Lift System Stuart McSherry (204) 467-1858 or (204) 886-7027 www.mcsherryauction.com

McSherry Auction Service Ltd

CLOSE OUT AUCTION

Landscaping & Tree Service

Saturday, April 30th @ 10:00 am East St Paul, MB − 3184 Henderson Hwy, 5 Mins North of 101 Perimeter Contact: Kim 204-951-1861 or text Brad 204-818-0420 Skidsteer & Equip: Bobcat 7753 Dsl, Enclosed Cab w Heater, Bucket 4,200 Hrs * Stevens Skid Steer Mt 3 Blade Hyd Tree Spade* Hyd Skid Steer Auger * Pintle Hitch 16' Flatdeck Tandem Trailer * B H 12' Flat Deck Trailer * Hyd. Wood Splitter * Walk Behind Gas Sod Cutter * FMC Tree / Turf Sprayer * Antique Car: 1930 Ford Model A Town Car * Yard & Recreation: 2) Yard Sheds * 82 Honda Silverwing 500 cc * Woods RM 400 3 PH 60" Finishing Mower * 3PH 60" Rotovator * Snowblowers * 50 Gal Water Trailer * Push Gas Mower * Sprayer * Patio Furniture * Tools: Table Saw * Wood Band Saw * Karcher Pressure Washer * 1HP Dust Collector * Radial Arm Saw * Acetylene Torches *Drill Press * Pipe Bender * Pedistal Tire Changer * Stihl Chainsaw * Power Tools * Shop 2 Ton Crane * Building Jack * Hand Tools * Wrenches * Socket Sets * Material: Tank w Stands * Plumbing Fittings * Infloor Piping *Electrical Items * Welding Material * Windows * Lumber * Plywood * Bridge Timbers * Chain Link Gate * 33" Tree Wire Baskets *Home Repair * Misc: Poly Barrels * Landscaping Transit * Scaffolding * Briggs & Stratton Engine * Arborist Climbing Equip * Alum Step * 8 Hole Rims * Tires * Trailer Lights * Receiver Hitch * Chain & Hooks * Load Strapping * Alum Folding Loading Ramps * Office Items * Wood Heater * Construction Heater * 8 Boxes Furnace Filters * Antique Heater * Stuart McSherry (204) 467-1858 or (204) 886-7027 www.mcsherryauction.com

AUCTION LOCATION: From NEILBURG, SK, go 6.43 km (4 miles) West on Hwy 40, then go 10 km (6 miles) North on Cliff Rd, 0.25 miles East. Yard on North side. GPS: 52.929402, -109.715192 A PARTIAL EQUIPMENT LIST INCLUDES: 2008 New Holland T9020 4WD Tractor · 2012 Kubota M9960D Dual Speed MFWD Tractor · 2008 McCormick XTX165 XTRASPEED MFWD Tractor · 2009 New Holland CR9070 Combine · 2005 New Holland CR970 Combine · 1992 New Holland TR96 Combine · 2014 MacDon M155 30 Ft Swather · 1998 Peterbilt 379 Sleeper T/A Truck Tractor · 1997 Western Star T/A Grain Truck · 1987 Caterpillar D6H Crawler Tractor

·2006 INGERSOLL-RAND VR-1056C 10000 Lb 4x4x4 Telescopic Forklift · Leon 550 5.5 CY Hydraulic Pull Scraper · 1999 Bourgault 8810 52 Ft Air Seeder · 2014 Salford I-2140 41 Ft Vertical Disc · 2012 Bourgault 7200 72 Ft Heavy Harrows · 2012 John Deere 4730 100 Ft High Clearance Sprayer · 2012 Double A AGSI 3500 Imperial Gallon Fertilizer Cart · (2) Unused 2016 JTL Force Air 1825 6388± Bushel Hopper Grain Bins...AND MUCH MORE!

For more information:Ty Thiessen: 780.871.2790 (c), ty@jtlindustries.ca

Nick Peat: 780.872.6523 (c), nick@jtlindustries.ca Les Thiessen: 780.808.3509 (c), les@jtlindustries.ca

For complete list of details visit:

rbauction.com | 800.491.4494

Travis Sack

Agricultural Territory Manager North West Saskatchewan

306.280.0829 tsack@rbauction.com Auction Company License #303043 & 309645

SAVE on CLASSIFIEDS! Call today to find out about our pre-pay bonus.

Pay for 3 weeks - get 2 free. Call for details.

1-800-782-0794

24

The Manitoba Co-operator | April 21, 2016

AUCTION SALES Saskatchewan Auctions

AUCTION SALES Saskatchewan Auctions

FARM MACHINERY Parts & Accessories The Real Used FaRm PaRTs sUPeRsToRe Over 2700 Units for Salvage • TRACTORS • COMBINES • SWATHERS • DISCERS Call Joe, leN oR daRWIN (306) 946-2222 monday-Friday - 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Unreserved Public Farm Auction

Ted & Julie Mansuy Parkman, SK | April 29, 2016 · 10 am

WATROUS SALVAGE WaTRoUs, sK. Fax: 306-946-2444

FARM MACHINERY Machinery Miscellaneous

2009 John Deere 7330 & 1997 MacDon 5000 16 Ft

7200 INTERNATIONAL PRESS HOE drill. 14-ft $1,000 OBO. Also for parts, NH 1400 combine.

Call:(204)837-1553.

1996 John Deere 9600

FOR SALE: 2 ENDGATE drill fills: 1 Westfield, in mint condition; 1 Metal Industries, good condition.

Phone:(306)452-3582.

1993 International 9400

2013 Wilson 20 Ft

AUCTION LOCATION: From CARLYLE, SK, go 25.7 km (16 miles) East on Hwy 13 to Grid 601, then 8 km (5 miles) North, then 0.8 km (0.5 mile) West. Yard on South side.

GPS: 49.6774000, -101.9263889

A PARTIAL EQUIPMENT LIST INCLUDES: 2009 John Deere 7330 MFWD Tractor · 1996 John Deere 9600 Combine · 1995 MacDon 36 Ft Draper · 1993 International 9400 T/A Grain Truck · 2013 Wilson 20 Ft T/A Gooseneck Stock Trailer · Hesston 5431 T/A Manure Spreader · Ravens

Super Cooler Fertilizer Applicator · 2002 New Holland 688 Round Baler · 1997 MacDon 5000 16 Ft Hydra Swing Mower Conditioner · Custombuilt 3 Pt Hitch Potato Planter · Bale King 3100 Bale Processor · New Holland 357 Mix Mill · Lrg Qty of Livestock Equipment...AND MUCH MORE!

For up-to-date equipment listings, please check our website: rbauction.com Ted Mansuy: 306.452.3247 (h), 306.452.7701 (c), juliemansuy05@gmail.com Ritchie Bros. Territory Manager – Kevin Ortt: 306.451.7388 800.491.4494

BUILDINGS

BUILDING & RENOVATIONS BUILDING & RENOVATIONS Roofing

PRICE TO CLEAR!!

75 truckloads 29 gauge full hard 100,000PSI high tensile roofing & siding. 16 colours to choose from.

AFAB INDUSTRIES IS YOUR SUPERIOR post frame building company. For estimates and information call 1-888-816-AFAB(2322).

Website: www.postframebuilding.com CONCRETE FLATWORK: Specializing in place & finish of concrete floors. Can accommodate any floor design. References available. Alexander, MB. 204-752-2069.

We know that farming is enough of a gamble so if you want to sell it fast place your ad in the Manitoba Cooperator classifieds. It’s a Sure Thing. Call our toll-free number today. We have friendly staff ready to help.

1-800-782-0794.

BUSINESS SERVICES

B-Gr. coloured......................70¢/ft.2

BUSINESS SERVICES Crop Consulting

Ask about our blowout colours...65¢/ft.

FARM CHEMICAL / SEED COMPLAINTS

Also in stock low rib white 29 ga. ideal for archrib buildings BEAT THE PRICE INCREASES CALL NOW

We also specialize in: agricultural complaints of any nature; Crop ins. appeals; Spray drift; Chemical failure; Residual herbicide; Custom operator issues; Equip. malfunctions.

Licensed Agrologist on Staff.

For assistance and compensation call

Multi-coloured millends.........49¢/ft.2 2

FOUILLARD STEEL SUPPLIES LTD.

ROLLWORKS

ST. LAZARE, MB. 1-800-510-3303

CONTRACTING Custom Work STAN’S MOBILE REPAIR & Welding. CWB Certified Welding, Structural Welding, Welding Repairs to Grain Bins & Mechanical Repairs to Grain Systems. Contact Stan Cornelsen (204)612-7191 or stancornelsen@gmail.com Morris, MB.

CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT 2004 D-6-N LGP CRAWLER, 6-way dozer, A/C, cab, diff-steering, Allied W6D winch, $86,000; 2006 Hitachi ZX 270-LC Hyd excavator w/quick attach bucket w/hyd thumb 11-ft stick, axillary hyd, 6,382-hrs, $65,000 USD. 2010 CAT 324 excavator w/hyd thumb, $95,000 Canadian.

Phone: (204)871-0925.

6 QUICK ATTACH EXCAVATOR buckets, some trenching & clean-up buckets, plus 6 excavator rippers, some Cat’s & WBM’s. (204)871-0925, MacGregor MB.

AUTO & TRANSPORT Trucks 2009 FORD F350 LARIAT, Super Duty Crew Cab, 4x4, 6.4 PWR stroke DSL, w/DTF taken out, moon roof, heated seats, factory remote back-up camera, many more options, asking $20,000. For more info Gilles (204)510-3483, La Salle, MB.

FOR SALE: 37-FT LAURIER land packer; 36-ft IHC #45 cultivator w/harrows; Case 414 plow. All machinery in good shape. Phone:(204)745-2784.

Back-Track InvesTIgaTIons

1-866-882-4779. www.backtrackcanada.com

BRAND NEW RWD HYD thumb, for 200 size excavator, $7,500. Call Claude (204)250-2523

CROP INPUTS AN ORGANIC CALCIUM SOURCE: Calcium (Lime for field crops). DRAMM fish fertilizer. OPAM approved. Contact Harvey Dann:1-800-665-2494 or Cell:(701)213-8246. Or Email: harvey@alertagri.ca

FARM MACHINERY FARM MACHINERY Fertilizer Equipment USED DRY FERTILIZER SPREADERS 4-8 Ton Large Selection Val-Mar Applicators 16-20, 16-55, 24-20, 32-55; 18-ft. Drill Fill w/brush auger.

(204)857-8403 www.zettlerfarmequipment.com

FARM MACHINERY Grain Augers CLASSIC SEED TREATER Straps to your auger. No pump or wiring required. Large 35L tank w/6-in. cap makes it easy to mix inoculants & treat pulses.

(888)545-1228 www.lockhart-industries.com

FARM MACHINERY Grain Dryers WESTERN GRAIN DRYER manufacturers of grain dryers w/fully automatic moisture & drying control systems. Updates for IBEC/Vertec & roof, tiers, burners, auto moisture controller. Used dryer is available. 1-888-288-6857, westerngraindryer.com

FARM MACHINERY Grain Elevators

Decker Colony, Decker MB

FACTORY DIRECT METAL ROOFING SIDING CLADDING

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION GUARANTEED rollworksinc@gmail.com

FARM MACHINERY Grain Vacuums

BUILDING & RENOVATIONS Doors & Windows

1999 REM 1026B GRAIN Vacuum, new hose, always shedded, $6,700; JD 930 Header, 60 series, hook up, sunflower pans & trailer, $6,300.

(204)746-8188.

CALL TODAY 204-412-0234 BUILDING & RENOVATIONS Doors & Windows

80-FT. BUCKET ELEVATING LEG w/3 phase 10-HP electric motor. Phone (204)886-3304.

CURT’S GRAIN VAC SERVICES, parts & repair for all makes & models. Craik SK, (306)734-2228.

FARM MACHINERY Irrigation Equipment BRAND NEW 60-IN. ROTARY ditcher w/deflector, requires 180-HP, large PTO & 3-PTH. Will deliver & demonstrate to interested buyer, $24,500. Call Claude (204)250-2523.

Serving Manitoba, Saskatchewan, NW Ontario & Alberta....Since 1937 • Quality Commercial/Agricultural/Residential Overhead Doors & Operators.

• Aluminum Polycarbonate Doors Available.

• Non-Insulated and Insulated Sectional Doors Available.

• Liftmaster Heavy Duty Operators.

• Mullion Slide Away Centre Posts.

• Commercial/Agricultural Steel Man Doors and Frames.

• Your washbay door specialists. • Quality Installation & Service.

• 24 Hour Service. • Replacement Springs & Cables.

Phone: 204-326-4556 Fax: 204-326-5013 Toll Free: 1-855-326-4556 www.reimeroverheaddoors.com email: kurtis@reimeroverheaddoors.com

FARM MACHINERY Parts & Accessories GOODS USED TRACTOR PARTS: (204)564-2528 or 1-877-564-8734, Roblin, MB.

GEHL 500-BU. TMR CART, $10,000; Knight 250 CF TMR Cart, $5,000; Artsway Mixmill, $1,500; Hewke 30-in. Rollermill, $3,500; JD 780 Manure Spreader, $10,000; JD 7000 Planter 8R30, $7,000; Phoenix Rotary Harrows 30, 40 & 50-ft. Brandt 4000 Grain Vac, $8,000; 4500, $8,500; New 10-ft.

Box Scraper Landleveller, $2,450; Used Fertilizer Spreaders 4-8 Ton 10-Ton Tender, $5,000; REM 1026 Grain Vac, $4,500; JD 535 Baler, $5,000; JD 510, $1,500; JD 336 Square Baler, $3,000.

(204)857-8403 GRAVITY WAGONS- NEW 400-BU., $7,400; 600bu. $12,500; 750-bu. $18,250; Large Selection Used Gravity Wagons 250-750 bu $2,000 Up; Used Grain Carts 400-1050 bu. PTO & Hyd Drive Gehl 8500 500-bu. Feed Cart w/Scale $10,000; Little Auggie Feedmix Cart $5,000; Mohrlang 420 JD 780 Spreader Hydrapush $10,000; Dual Loader $2,000; Buhler 2795 Loader $4,500; Grain Screeners $250 Up. (204)857-8403.

ROWCROP CULTIVATORS 4-8R LILLISTON Cultivators 6-12R Discs Wishek 16-ft., $23,000; 30-ft., $33,000; Breaking Discs Kewanee 150ft., $25,000; Tonner 18-ft., $30,000; Vers 36-ft., $20,000; Bushog 25-ft., $7,500; IHC 14-ft. 770, $6,500; JD 1630, $3,500; DMI Disk Ripper 5 Shank, $8,900; 7 Shank, $10,900; JD 3970 Harvester, $6,000; IH 781, $2,000; 12-ft. Dump Wagon, $3,000; Vermeer 23 Hyd Rakes, $9,500 & Up; Hay Conditioners, $800 & Up; JD 9-ft. Sickle Mower, $2,000.

(204)857-8403.

TRAILER AXLE COMPLETE W/4 very good 10.00Rx15 tires, $1,500; Allied HD loader & dirt bucket in good shape, $950; 2 like-new 18.4x34 tires, tubes & rims, $1,050 for set. (204)385-2685.

HAYING & HARVESTING HAYING & HARVESTING Baling Equipment HESSTON 4925 ACCUMULATOR MINOR fire damage; JD 535 round all options rotation tires as new; NH 495 High River AB (403)938-3888

HAYING & HARVESTING Various INVENTORY REDUCTION APR 25-30, 2016 Swather & Haybine knives 50% off Tanks & Canvas 15% off All other parts 30% off Fouillard Implement LTD. St. Lazare, MB (204)683-2221

Combines COMBINES John Deere 2 JD 9600 COMBINES always shedded, both have 3,500 sep hrs, years ‘90 & ‘92, w/PU heads & chaff spreaders, $31,000 OBO each. Also avail 2, 930 straight heads. Call (204)773-0111.

COMBINES Accessories AGCO MF CAT flex platforms: In stock Models 500 Gleaner 25-ft. & 30-ft.; Model 8000 30-ft. & 8200 35-ft. MF; Cat FD30 flex; FD40 flex. Reconditioned, ready to go. Delivery in SK, MB, AB. Gary: (204)326-7000, Reimer Farm Equip, Hwy #12 N, Steinbach, MB. www.reimerfarmequipment.com CASE/IH FLEX PLATFORMS: MODELS 1020 25ft. & 30-ft. w/wo sir reel; 2020 30-ft. & 35-ft., 2020 30-ft. w/air reel; 2011 3020 35-ft. Can install new AWS air bar for additional $11,500. Deliver in SK, MB, AB. Gary (204)326-7000, Reimer Farm Equip, Hwy #12 N, www.reimerfarmequipment.com Steinbach, MB. JD FLEX PLATFORMS: 922, 925, 930, sever- al newer ones w/full finger augers & air reels; 630-635 w/wo air bars. Deliver in SK, MB, AB. Gary (204)326-7000, Reimer Farm Equipment, Hwy #12 N, Steinbach, MB. www.reimerfarmequipment.com NH FLEX PLATFORMS: In stock Models 973 both 25-30’; 74C 30-ft. w/air reel; 88C 36-ft. flex draper; 94C 25-ft. rigid draper w/trailer. Deliver in SK, MB, AB. Gary (204)326-7000, Reimer Farm Equip, Hwy #12 N, www.reimerfarmequipment.com Steinbach, MB.

TILLAGE & SEEDING Seeding Various GLY 1 SOYBEAN SEED. Early, mid, long season available. Top yields. Bulk or bagged. Keep your own seed, with the convenience of glyphosate! No contracts or TUAs. Dealers wanted. Call or text Nate: (204)280-1202 or Norcan Seeds (204)372-6552

TILLAGE & SEEDING Tillage Equipment 2008 47-FT ST830 C.P. 5-plex, 650-lb trip, 8-in knock-on shovels, Anhydrous Raven Rate control, factory hitch, hyd winch, 9/16th heavy harrows, $82,500 OBO. (204)733-2446.

Ultra-portable version available.

Download the app at agreader.ca/mbc TILLAGE & SEEDING Tillage Various FOR SALE: 1985 IHC 7200 hoe press drill ,always shedded, very clean. For more info phone evenings (204)859-2724

TracTors TRACTORS Case/IH CASE 2096 TRACTOR, CUMMINS engine, new rubber, very good, $13,000 OBO; JD Gator, 6 wheeler, very good, $3,500 OBO. Jack Pawich (204)827-2162, Glenboro.

TRACTORS John Deere 8300 MFWD, DUALS 18.4X46, 3-PTH, quick coupler, 3 hyds. Motor, trans, paint all in VGC! Retiring call for details Jim (204)745-8007 or (204)745-3543.

JD 2950 2WD W/LOADER & cab, 3-PTH, very good 18.4x38 tires, 7,200-hrs, 85-HP, c/w quick detach bucket & bale fork, tractor runs & looks excellent, asking $28,000 OBO. (204)825-8340 or (204)825-2799 Farming is enough of a gamble, advertise in the Manitoba Co-operator classified section. It’s a sure thing.

1-800-782-0794.

TRACTORS Kubota FOR SALE: 2014 KUBOTA TRACTOR L3560 HST, w/cab, air, radio, block heater, hydrostatic transmission & industrial tires. Very low hrs, 105-hrs, regularly serviced, asking $30,000; Attachments for tractor include: 2014 L4479-GL60 (74-in) front snowblower used 3 last winters to clear farmyard, asking $3,000; 2014 FarmKing 6-ft rotary mower w/3-PT model 620, asking $1,500; Bought in 2015, Kubota front loader, model LA555, asking $3,000; Prefer to sell tractor & 3 attachments together, always shedded, all VGC, must see! Total Package $37,000. lpayette@goinet.ca Call (204)836-2293.

TRACTORS Massey Ferguson MF 180 3-PTH row crop, good tires, new clutch, $6,500. Phone (204)685-2124 or (204)871-2708

TRACTORS New Holland 2004 TM120 MFD, CAB, air, pwr-shift trans, left hand reverse, 3-PTH, 4,600-hrs, quick attack loader, 65-hrs on new engine, $45,000 or trade for hay.

Phone (204)730-3139.

94 8970 16-SPD, 7,000-HRS, super steer, 3-PTH, $50,000 or trade for hay. Phone (204)730-3139

TRACTORS 2-Wheel Drive STEVE’S TRACTOR REBUILDER specializing in JD tractors in need of repair or burnt, or will buy for parts. JD parts available. Phone: 204-466-2927 or cell: 204-871-5170, Austin.

FENCING S&D Custom AG Services

Ranching family business offering custom fencing.

Self propelled, all terrain fencing machine at $2,200/mile (we supply staples). Compact track loader with a wire roller & post puller. Get the old fence lines cleaned up at $1,100/mile. Mulcher head for the track loader to keep back the trees & brush at $100/hr. Daniel Leblanc (403)821-0502

MURPHY SALVAGE New & used parts for tractors, combines, swathers, square & round balers, tillage, press drills & other misc machinery. MURPHY SALVAGE (204)858-2727 or toll free 1-877-858-2728.

HEAT & AIR CONDITIONING

WANTED: AN ATOM JET kit to fit a Versatile 895; Also 20.8x38 tires on JD rims, 16 lug; Also Complete engine to fit IH 4186 tractor, must be in good condition; Also Deutz engine to fit 100-06 tractor in good condition. (204)655-3458.

The Icynene Insulation System®

FYFE PARTS

1-800-667-9871 •• Regina 1-800-667-9871 Regina 1-800-667-3095 •• Saskatoon 1-800-667-3095 Saskatoon 1-800-387-2768 • Winnipeg 1-800-667-3095 Manitoba 1-800-222-6594 •• Edmonton “For All Your Farm Parts”

www.fyfeparts.com

HEADER TRAILERS & ACCESSORIES. Arc-Fab Industries. 204-355-9595 charles@arcfab.ca www.arcfab.ca

Tillage & Seeding

• Sprayed foam insulation • Ideal for shops, barns or homes • Healthier, Quieter, More Energy Efficient®

TILLAGE & SEEDING Seeding Various FOR SALE: 42-FT, MODEL 7200 Case IH hoe drill, factory transport & carbides, good condition.

Phone: (204)745-7445.

www.penta.ca

1-800-587-4711

25

The Manitoba Co-operator | April 21, 2016

LIVESTOCK LIVESTOCK Cattle Auctions

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Red Angus 2 YR OLD PB Bulls. Phone (204)371-6404.

WANTED: BUTCHER HOGS SOWS AND BOARS FOR EXPORT

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Charolais 1 PB CHAR 2-yr old bulls for sale, good dispositions, $4,000. Phone (204)843-2917, Amaranth, MB.

Hwy #205, Grunthal • (204) 434-6519

GRUNTHAL, MB.

AGENT FOR T.E.A.M. MARKETING

REGULAR CATTLE SALES

every TUESDAY at 9 am April 19th & 26th

Monday, April 25th at 12:00pm

Sheep and Goat with Small Animals & Holstein Calves

Saturday, April 30th at 10:00am

Tack & Horse Sale

For on farm appraisal of livestock or for marketing information please call

REAL ESTATE Land For Sale

LIVESTOCK Swine Wanted

2-YEAR OLD & YEARLING bulls sired by Silver Bullet & Specialist. For calving ease & yearling growth, Polled & semen tested. Martens Charolais & Seed (204)534-8370.

P. QUINTAINE & SON LTD. 728-7549 Licence No. 1123

FOR SALE: COMING 2 yr old Charolais bulls, grandsons of Bluegrass. Will be easy calving, good dispositions & guaranteed. K.E.H Charolais phone Keith Hagan (204)748-1024, Virden.

LIVESTOCK EQUIPMENT

PUREBRED CHAROLAIS BULLS, 1 1/2-yr olds & yearlings, White & Red factor, some good for heifers, semen tested, guaranteed & delivered. R&G McDonald Livestock.

(204)466-2883, (204)724-2811.

ALTERNATIVE POWER BY SUNDOG SOLAR, portable/remote solar water pumping for winter/summer. Call for pricing on solar systems, wind generators, aeration. Service & repair on all makes/models. Carl Driedger, (204)556-2346 or (204)851-0145, Virden.

PUREBRED CHAROLAIS YEARLINGS & three 2-yr old bulls for sale by private treaty, White & Red factor. Phone Brad (204)523-0062 www.clinecattlecompany.ca

GARY FILIPCHUK OF GARLAND is offering the following private land for sale: SW 3-32-21W; SE 3-32-21W; SW 35-31-21W; NW 35-31-21W. The successful purchaser will be considered by Manitoba Agriculture, Food & Rural Development for possible transfer of the Crown land forage lease associated with this ranch unit. This forage lease currently consists of the following: NE 19-31-21W; NW 23-31-21W; NW 34-31-21W. If you wish to purchase the private land contact the Lessee Gary Filipchuk at PO Box 13, Garland, MB R0L 0W0. If you wish to comment on or object to the eligibility of this Unit Transfer write the Director MAFRD, Agricultural Crown Lands, PO Box 1286, Minnedosa MB R0J 1E0; or Fax 204-867-6578.

REAL ESTATE Farms & Ranches – Acreages/Hobby Farm N of Brandon, MB. 121.68-ac: 13-kms from Brandon off Prov. Highway 10. 30-yr old house, 2,040 -sqft. Country/Western style, excellent condition, geo heat. Very modern. Good source of H2O: Mature shelterbelt. Very suitable for horses. $720,000.

Phone: (204)728-1480 Email: grocky71@gmail.com

KELLN SOLAR SUMMER/WINTER WATERING System, provides water in remote areas, improves water quality, increases pasture productivity, extends dugout life.

St. Claude/Portage, 204-379-2763.

FARM SALES: GRANT TWEED specializing in farm property. If you plan to sell, buy or rent, I can help.

Tel. (204)761-6884 grant.tweed@century21.ca

Harold Unrau (Manager) Cell 871 0250 Auction Mart (204) 434-6519

WE HAVE AN EXCELLENT selection of PB Charolais bulls, both Red & white yearling & 2-yr olds.

Pictures & info on the net www.defoortstockfarm.com. Call Gord or Sue:(204)743-2109.

WWW.GRUNTHALLIVESTOCK.COM

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Dairy

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Simmental

MISCELLANEOUS FOR SALE

REAL ESTATE Farms & Ranches – Manitoba

X BRED DAIRY COWS from grazing herd Jersey, Fleckvieh, Milking Shorthorn, Dutch Bett. Anything but pure Holstein, various ages, 18 fresh in March, more due in April, $1350ish. (204)378-2307

SIMM BULLS FOR SALE: 1, 2 yr old & 3 yearlings.

Phone (204)641-0660.

BAILER TRUCK FRAME W/axles & 6-FT tires. would make into good bale trailer $975. 6-FT bucket w/teeth for bales $295. Tumble bug scraper handy dirt mover to pull behind tractor $450.00.

Roy (204)385-2685

EXCELLENT LIVESTOCK FARMS: 1) 1000 head feedlot, Hartney. 2) 1732 deeded acs w/4,425-acs of Crown land, fenced, small bungalow, very good buildings & metal corral system, can carry 450 cow/calf pairs. 3) 1,270 deeded ac cattle farm by Lac du Bonnet, 640-acs Crown land, turnkey operation. 4) Cattle ranch, Pine River, 3,300 deeded & 1,200-acs Crown land. 5) Excellent horse ranch in Erickson MB, Riding Arena & Bldgs in Fantastic condition. Jim McLachlan (204)724-7753, HomeLife Home Professional Realty Inc, Brandon, MB, www.homelifepro.com

MB. Livestock Dealer #1111

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Angus 20 RED & BLACK Angus 2 yr old bulls moderate birth weights. Will semen test & deliver when you need them. Phone (204)278-3372, Inwood, Mb. Battle Lake Farm has Black & Red yearling PB Angus Bulls For Sale. Semen tested & EPD’s avail.

(204)834-2202 F BAR & ASSOCIATES Angus bulls for sale.

Choose from 20 two-yr-old and yearling Red and Black Angus bulls. Great genetics, easy-handling, semen-tested, delivery available. Call for sales list.

Inquiries and visitors are welcome. We are located in Eddystone, about 20-mi E of Ste. Rose, or 25-mi W of Lake MB Narrows, just off Hwy 68. Call Allen & Merilyn Staheli. Tel: (204)448-2124 Email: amstaheli@inethome.ca FOR SALE: RED & Black yearling & 2-yr old Angus bulls, will semen test, delivery available, call Wayne (204)383-5802 or (204)383-0100.

HAMCO CATTLE CO. HAS for sale Reg Red & Black Angus yearling bulls & 2-yr olds. Good selection. Semen tested, performance data & EPD’s available. Top genetics, Free Delivery. Contact Glen, Albert, Larissa Hamilton (204)827-2358 or David Hamilton (204)325-3635.

RIDGE SIDE RED ANGUS has: 6 red yearlings, 1 black yearling; 2, 2 yr old Red; 1 Red 3 yr old. Yearlings from AI Sires: Toast BC Hobo, Travlin Express, New Trend. Pasquale, Imprint; 3 yr old Provin, Bodacious X BC Hobo; 2 yr old are virgin. All bulls tested, long, thick, deep, good disposition.

Can deliver call Don (204)422-5216

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Black Angus 2 REGISTERED BLACK ANGUS yearling bulls.

Good tempered. Sire gained 4.18-lbs per day at Douglas Test. Dams have good udders. Working stock. Free delivery 75-mi. Birth weights 78 & 73lbs. $3200/each. Les Case (204)428-3625 Portage.

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Dexter 8 MONTH OLD BLACK Dexter Bull, $850. Phone (204)385-3621.

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Hereford 20 OPEN DE-HORNED YEARLING Hereford heifers. Call (306)743-5105, Langenburg SK. See www.vcherefordfarm.com FOR SALE: POLLED HEREFORD Bulls Yearlings & Long Yearlings, semen tested & performance records avail. Call Don Guilford, Hereford Ranch (204)873-2430, Clearwater.

PB POLLED HERFORD BULLS coming 2 yr old, developed slowly on a mostly forage ration, quiet, roped to tie, guaranteed, delivery avail. Herefords for over 75 years. Catt Brothers (204)723-2831 POLLED HEREFORD YEARLING BULLS. Vern Kartanson, Phone: (204)867-2627 or (204)867-7315.

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Salers

LIVESTOCK Cattle Various 45 RED, BLACK & Red Angus Cows & some Char.

Calving Apr, May & includes some pairs. Will consider calving & feeding to May 30th, 2016. For more details please call evenings (204)436-2060 or cell (204)750-4300, if no answer please leave msg.

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Shorthorn

SELLING 45 SIMMENTAL ANGUS & Charolais Angus cross heifers, now 1.5-yrs old, will pasture & breed to your calving needs. Preg checked Oct 1st.

Call for details (204)345-8492, Lac Du Bonnet.

YEARLING & 2-YR OLD Shorthorn bulls, Roan & Red. Orville Renwick (204)522-8686, Melita.

Various Cattle 8 - Simmental/Red Angus first calf heifers w/calves. Just over 2 years. Very quiet. $3,000 per pair. Phone (204)642-2669 Arborg, MB.

LIVESTOCK Horse Auctions

ORGANIC ORGANIC Organic – Certified ORGANIC PRODUCERS ASSOCIATION OF MANITOBA CO-OPERATIVE (OPAM). Non-profit members owned organic certification body. Certifying producers, processors & brokers in Western Canada since 1988, Miniota, MB. Contact: (204)567-3745, info@opam-mb.com WANT THE ORGANIC ADVANTAGE? Contact an organic Agrologist at Pro-Cert for information on organic farming: prospects, transition, barriers, benefits, certification & marketing. Call:(306)382-1299, Saskatoon, SK or at info@pro-cert.org

ORGANIC Organic – Grains FOR SALE: CERTIFIED ORGANIC Red Proso Cerise millet seed, 98% germination, Fusarium Graminearum free. Wanted: Organic producers, contracts available for 2016 crop year. Phone Reynald of Millet King Foods of Canada Inc.:(204)526-2719 office, or (204)878-4839, Cell & text:(204)794-8550. www.milletkingseeds.com reynald@milletking.com

PERSONAL TIME TO APPRECIATE RELATIONSHIPS... Life is Meant to be Shared. We are Here to Help You. CANDLELIGHT MATCHMAKERS. Confidential, Rural, Photos/Profiles to selected matches, Local, Affordable, Serving MB, SK, NW-Ontario. Call/Write for info: Box 212, Roland, MB, R0G 1T0, (204)343-2475.

AG DEALS TO GO!

Gladstone Auction Mart

Open Horse & Tack Sale

FOR SALE: BLACK ANGUS replacement heifers, 300 to choose from, call (204)937-3719, Roblin.

N7 STOCK FARM IS once again offering entire Bull pen by Private Treaty on farm. We have yearling Black Angus from some of the leading AI Sires as well from our own walking AI Sired bulls. Semen tested and ready to go. Delivery available. Gerald & Wendy Nykoliation (204)562-3530 or Allan’s cell (204)748-5128 Crandall, MB.

Download the app at agreader.ca/mbc

500 BRED HEIFERS. Reds, Blacks, Silvers & Tans. Start calving March 25th, 2016. Had all shots, preg checked, Ivomec, pelvic measured, weigh approx 1250-lbs. Phone:(204)325-2416.

FORAGE BASED BLACK ANGUS BULLS. Virgin 2-yr olds & herd sires available. Genetics w/maternal & calving ease traits. (204)564-2540 or (204)773-6800 www.nerbasbrosangus.com

FOR SALE: SPEED EFFICIENCY tested Angus bulls. Only top cut selected from over 400 cows.

Blue Gentian Angus. Norman Bednar (204)380 -2551.

Take us with you.

POLLED PEDIGREED SALERS BULLS on farm.

Red or Black. High performance herd, semen tested & guaranteed. Can arrange delivery. Ken Sweetland, Lundar, MB www.sweetlandsalers.com (204)762-5512.

BLACK ANGUS BULLS YEARLINGS & Long Yearlings, some Heifer Bulls, semen tested & performance records avail. Call Don Guilford, Hereford Ranch (204)873-2430, Clearwater.

FOR SALE: REGISTERED BLACK Angus yearling bulls, moderate framed, good dispositions, EPD’s available, semen tested & delivered. Bloodlines include Kodiak, KMK Alliance, Pioneer & Brand Name. Also Registered open heifers. Phone Colin at Kembar Angus (204)725-3597, Brandon MB.

WE HAVE AN EXCELLENT group of polled yearling Simmental bulls. Your bull comes with a full guarantee, is semen tested, fed, insured until delivered (No later than June 1st), and delivered (Within MB.) when you need him, all at our cost. Call Ray Cormier at (204)736-2608. For more information, visit our website at www.riverbankfarms.com All bulls are sold out of the yard by private treaty.

YEARLING SHORTHORN BULLS, excellent growth, from big productive cows. Put some growth in your cattle, add to weaning weight, yearling weight & carcass quality. Two home raised bulls, have been shown. Also avail a roan polled bull, moderate frame & performance. Reasonably priced $3,500-$4,500. Herbourne Shorthorns, Bill Acheson (204)744-2525 Somerset, MB isabel.acheson@gmail.com

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Simmental

OSSAWA ANGUS AT MARQUETTE, MB has for sale: Yearling & 2-yr old bulls. For more info call (204)375-6658, cell (204)383-0703.

5W SIMMENTALS HAS FOR SALE: Reg Polled Yearling Simmental Bulls, Red & Blacks, Semen Tested, Will Deliver, Keep Until Needed. Purchase Sired Goldstandard, Mind Games, Skinner & Justice. Phone (204)868-5040 For More Info.

YEARLING & 2-YR OLD Black Angus bulls. Holloway Angus, Gerry Williams, Souris. Phone: (204)741-0070 or (204)483-3622.

RED AND BLACK YEARLING Simmental bulls for sale. All moderate birth weights. Semen tested. Will deliver. Call Mike (204)745-8750.

Saturday, May 7th at 12:00 noon Order of Sale Tack Performance Horses Regular Horses Receiving Horses Friday, May 6th from 1:00PM till 7:00PM Have EID forms filled out For more info call Tara Fulton Manager at the Mart (204)385-2537 License #1108

REAL ESTATE

FOR SALE: STE.ROSE Ranch(Ste.Amelie). 14quarters(2,234.85-acs) of fenced land in one block.

240-ac of Class 3 land under cultivation. 2-mi to paved hi-way. Contact Golden Plains Realty Ph:(204)745-3677.

REAL ESTATE Farms & Ranches – Wanted FARMS WANTED. If you are considering selling your farm, contact me. I have eight years experience selling farms and farmed all my life. All discussions are confidential. Rick Taylor, Homelife Home Professional Realty. (204)867-7551, rtaylor@homelife.com www.homelifepro.com

GRANT TWEED FARM AGENT

Planning to sell your farm?

I have several out of province clients coming to MB. over the next 3 months.

Contact me now & we can arrange to have your farm shown to these serious Buyers.

Phone: 204-761-6884 grant.tweed@century21.ca

REAL ESTATE Houses & Lots MARVIN HOMES INC- SINCE 1976- Your READY TO MOVE HOME BUILDER for 40 YEARS. Order now for 2016 delivery. Check www.marvinhomes.ca for photos. Contact us for more info and pricing. marvinhomesinc@live.com MARVIN VOGT, MARVIN HOMES, Mitchell, MB. (204)326-1493 or (204)355-8484.

REAL ESTATE Land For Sale

LIVESTOCK Horses – Draft

560-AC OF LAND FOR sale. 400-ac open, 160-ac bush. Fenced & cross-fenced, new four wire fence.

Good loading corrals, already sub-divided into 80-acre lots. Phone:(204)857-2561. Located S of Portage la Prairie, MB.

WANTED: DRAFT TEAM FOR fieldwork chores, not over 17-hand, 4-10-yrs old.

Phone (807)475-8761.

FOR DEVELOPMENT: 14 LOTS for sale, all in one place, close to mall, churches & halls. Contact:(204)638-6661 or (204)638-8415.

1-800-782-0794 Stretch your ADVERTISING DOLLAR!

RECREATIONAL VEHICLES RECREATIONAL VEHICLES All Terrain Vehicles BEST PRICES IN MANITOBA on Kids/Adults ATVS, Dirtbikes, Dune Buggies, UTVS! 110 ATV$849.00; 125cc Dirt Bike- $899.00; 125 Dune Buggy- $1,799.00 (Check Out Our Ads @ www.kijiji.ca) (Go to Manitoba/Brandon/110 ATVS) Phone (204)724-4372.

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Call Our Customer Service Representatives To Place Your Ad Today!

Outside Winnipeg: 1-800-782-0794 Winnipeg: 954-1415

26

The Manitoba Co-operator | April 21, 2016

Crosswor ossword Cr osswor d

Where to Plant Crazy Ideas

by Adrian Powell 2

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DOWN 1 And whatnot, briefly 2 Clue solver's exclamation 3 Stompin' Connors 4 ___ Doria that sunk in 1956 5 Like high rises 6 She's got milk 7 Where tap rooms can be found 8 One with a crib sheet 9 Persia, today 10 Benzene source 11 Zone Torontonians celebrate Xmas in 12 "Mum's the word!"

14 Popular farm truck in the 1940's 15 Religious scroll 17 Small bakery treat 20 African neighbour of Ken. 21 Contractual adverb 22 Fish tank device 24 Trouble-making Norse god 26 Pizza order, often 27 Buttercup relative 28 Unusual 30 Orchestrally slow 31 Stolen goods dealer 32 Bogart's "Key ___"

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East end of the church, usually Many honky-tonk rhythms Source of much govt. revenue Stinky Infamous spray, briefly Contempt Source of many tweets Feel bitter about Three-time Masters champ Mickelson Four letter word on a pump Sultana's chamber 1981's "___ Boot" Fujiyama actor on "Quincy, M.E." Guru's honorific, maybe Veggie from the Bolivian Andes Heated reaction Amazonia's ___ Negro 160 stone, in England SOLUTION TO PUZZLE

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66 Plot outline 67 Agronomist's studies and clue to the puzzle 68 Hops farmer's kiln 69 Hundreds of thousands of years

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ACROSS 1 ___ one's words 4 Spore sacs in fungi 8 Slaps with a ticket 13 Bedroom community 75 km.

N. of Toronto 15 Flail about 16 Got realistic 18 Sheena Easton's real surname 19 Popular kitchen wrap 20 H as used by Hippocrates 23 Creature used as sushi 25 Snitch 26 Zen Buddhist concept 29 The ropes, so to speak 33 "Right where we're standing."

34 Make do 35 Collected clippings 36 Went jogging 37 Kuwaiti dough 40 Radiation dose unit 41 Reach 43 Tax prep. expert 44 Tasty 46 Refused to yield 50 The Jays, on scoreboards 51 Long, flowery poem 52 Sizzling Saint-Tropez period 53 Time for a big Hanoi wing-ding 54 Use a lever 56 Prefix meaning "the same" 58 Spread some juicy gossip 65 Naturally lit courtyard

*Taxes included

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My Main crops are: No. of acres 10. Lentils ___________ 11. Dry Beans ___________ 12. Hay ___________ 13. Pasture ___________ 14. Summerfallow ___________ 15. Alfalfa ___________ 16. Forage Seed ___________ 17. Mustard ___________ 18. Other (specify) ___________ Livestock Enterpise No. of head 5. Hog farrow-to-finish (# sows) ______ 6. Finished Pigs (sold yearly) _________ 7. Dairy Cows ___________ 8. Other Livestock (specify) __________

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Last week's answer

9 3 2 4 8 7 1 6 5

8 5 1 9 3 6 7 2 4

6 4 7 2 5 1 3 9 8

2 8 4 1 6 3 9 5 7

7 6 9 8 4 5 2 3 1

5 1 3 7 2 9 4 8 6

3 7 8 6 9 4 5 1 2

4 9 6 5 1 2 8 7 3

1 2 5 3 7 8 6 4 9

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Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes.

The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

Phone: 204-526-2145 | www.zeghersseed.com Email: shawnz@zeghersseed.com

QUALITY PEDIGREE SEED:

GLY 1 SOYBEAN SEED. Early, mid, long season available. Top yields. Bulk or bagged. Keep your own seed, with the convenience of glyphosate! No contracts or TUAs. Dealers wanted. Call or text Nate: (204)280-1202 or Norcan Seeds (204)372-6552

North Star Seed - Forages Red Proso Millet

COMMON SEED Various

Zeghers Seed Inc. is also an Exporter! Flax, Mustard, Damaged Canola, Canary, Rye, Triticale, and other crops. We would be glad to help market your special crops.

CORN SEED $28 PER acre- Catt Corn, open pollinated seed, lower cost alternative for grazing & silage, high nutritional value & palatability, 7-9 ft tall leafy plants, 8-10 in. cobs, early maturing, 2250 CHU’s seed produced in MB, selling into SK, AB & MB for over 10 years, delivery avail. (204)723-2831

Ask about our volume rates.

FOR SALE: CERTIFIED AUSTENSON Barley, Certified Brandon Wheat, Certified Carberry wheat.

Dudgeon Seeds, Darlingford MB (204)246-2357.

JAMES FARMS LTD Brandon, Cardale & Faller wheat, Summit, Souris & Haymaker forage oats, Mcleod RR2 soybeans, Tradition barley, forage seeds, various canola & sunflower seed varieties.

Custom processing, seed treating, inoculating, as well as delivery are available. Early payment discount. For info call (204)222-8785, or toll-free 1-866-283-8785, Winnipeg. djames@jamesfarms.com PUGH SEEDS LTD: Cert Cardale Wheat, Souris Oats, Certified CDC Sorrel Flax. Phone (204)274-2179 or Cell (204)871-1467, Portage, MB.

CERTIFIED SEED Forage Seeds CERTIFIED CANADA #1 MF5301 Alfalfa seed, preinoculated, $3.75/lb. Call (204)642-2572, Riverton MB.

CERTIFIED SEED Pulse Crops CERTIFIED CDC JET 95% germ (Black) & Certified CDC Super Jet 95% germ (Black). CDC Certified Pintium (Pinto). Martens Charolais & Seed.

(204)534-8370.

COMMON SEED

REGISTERED & CERTIFIED AAC Brandon wheat; Registered & Certified CDC Glas flax. Please call Elias Seeds in Carman, MB:(204)745-3301.

SANDERS SEED FARM FOUNDATION, Reg, Cert, Brandon, Carberry, Thorsby, Elgin Wheat, Camden Oats. Phone (204)242-4200, Manitou.

CourtSeeds Presents:

Cardale CWRS Good vigour, consistent yields Excellent disease resistance Higher protein - higher returns Plumas, MB courtseeds@gmail.com 204 386-2354 courtseeds.ca

COMMON SEED Pulse Crops

• AAC Brandon Wheat • Faller CWIW class Wheat • Cardale Wheat • Souris Oats • Conlon Barley • Lightning Flax • Meadow Peas - Sold Out!

CERTIFIED SEED Cereal Seeds

DAUPHIN PLAINS SEEDS LTD Brandon, Cardale, Carberry, Glenn, Plentiful, Faller & Prosper wheat; Summit Oats, Mahovey, McLeod, Hero & new SL2250 R2X extend Soybeans. Call Jim Kaleta (204)638-7800, Dauphin jdkaleta@mts.net

YELLOW BLOSSOM SWEET CLOVER seed, 99.5% pure, low price, delivered. Contact Rick Smylski at (204)638-7732.

COMMON SEED Forage Seeds CANADA COMMON #1 MULTI-FOLIATE Alfalfa seed, $3.55/lb pre-inoculated in 50-lb bags; Canada Common #1 Timothy seed, $1.90/lb. Call (204)642-2572, Riverton MB. CERISE RED PROSO COMMON Millet seed. Buy now to avoid disappointment. 95%+ germination, 0% Fusarium Graminearum. Makes great cattle feed, swath grazed, dry or silage bale. Very high in protein. Energy & drought tolerant. Sold in 50-lb bags. 2000+ satisfied producers. 13th Year in Business! Millet King Seeds of Canada Inc. Reynald (204)526-2719 office or (204)878-4839, Cell & text: (204)794-8550. Leave messages, all calls returned. www.milletkingseeds.com reynald@milletking.com FOR SALE: ALFALFA, TIMOTHY, Brome, Clover, hay & pasture blends, millet seed, Crown, Red Prozo. Leonard Friesen (204)685-2376, Austin, MB.

PASTURE BLEND FALL RYE. (204)526-2527, (204)526-7374, Holland MB.

Phone

SEED / FEED / GRAIN SEED/ FEED/GRAIN Hay & Straw 1ST & 2ND CUT Alfalfa, Timothy, 5x6 round bales, have some w/70% alfalfa & some w/30% alfalfa. No rain, 1,400-lbs.

Phone: (204)661-1091 or (204)427-2601.

5X5 ROUND SOFT CORE bales. 120 first cut alfalfa, 100 second cut alfalfa, 200 wild. Phone: (204)762-5782. Lundar, MB. 5X6-FT HARDCORE ALFALFA BROME grass round bales for sale, 1500-lbs. Good quality & large quantity. First & second-cut. Feed test available.

Price negotiable. Loading available. Phone (204)967-2247 Kelwood, MB or Cell (204)212-0751.

FOR SALE: 1ST CUT alfalfa grass, hard core bale, no rain. Also 2nd cut alfalfa hard core bales, no rain, feed test available. Phone:(204)749-2194 or (204)526-0733.

FOR SALE: 65 ROUND bales, grass alfalfa mix, no rain, 3 cents/lb. Call Doug after 5:00pm (204)467-5093.

LARGE ROUND BALES, Feed tested, netwrapped, no rain. Phone (204)723-0658, email colletfarm@gmail.com Notre Dame, MB. LARGE ROUND BALES OF wheat & oat straw; Large round bales of hay. Phone:(204)325-2416.

LARGE ROUND OAT STRAW (204)859-2724, Rossburn, MB.

bales.

Phone

WE BUY OATS Call us today for pricing Box 424, Emerson, MB R0A 0L0 204-373-2328

Vanderveen Commodity Services Ltd. Licensed and Bonded Grain Brokers

37 4th Ave. NE Carman, MB R0G 0J0 Ph. (204) 745-6444 Email: vscltd@mts.net Andy Vanderveen · Brett Vanderveen Jesse Vanderveen

SEED/FEED/GRAIN Grain Wanted

FARMERS, RANCHERS, SEED PROCESSORS BUYING ALL FEED GRAINS Heated/Spring Threshed Lightweight/Green/Tough, Mixed Grain - Barley, Oats, Rye, Flax, Wheat, Durum, Lentils, Peas, Canola, Chickpeas, Triticale, Sunflowers, Screenings, Organics and By-Products √ ON-FARM PICKUP √ PROMPT PAYMENT √ LICENSED AND BONDED SASKATOON, LLOYDMINSTER, LETHBRIDGE, VANCOUVER, MINNEDOSA

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A Season to Grow… Only Days to Pay!

BUYING:

HEATED CANOLA & FLAX • Competitive Prices • Prompt Movement • Spring Thrashed

“ON FARM PICK UP”

1-877-250-5252

MALT BARLEY

Do you want to target Manitoba farmers? Place your ad in the Manitoba Co-operator. Manitoba’s best-read *6-Row* farm publication.

MALT BARLEY

Celebration & Tradition *2-Row* ACbuy Metcalfe, CDC Copeland & AAC Synergy We feed barley, feed wheat, MALT BARLEY MALT BARLEY oats, soybeans, corn & canola We buy feed*2-Row* barley, feed wheat, *6-Row* & AAC Synergy ACoats, Metcalfe, CDC Copeland soybeans, corn & canola & Tradition COMECelebration SEE US AT AG DAYS IN We buy feed barley, feed wheat, THE CONVENTION HALL SEE barley, US AT AG DAYS IN WeCOME buy feed feed wheat, oats, soybeans, corn & canola CONVENTION HALL BOOTH 1309& oats,THE soybeans, corn canola BOOTH 1309 COME SEE US AT AG DAYS IN COME SEE US AT AG HALL DAYS IN THE CONVENTION THE CONVENTION BOOTH 1309 HALL

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TIRES 2 USED 18.4X28 ARMSTRONG tires, $200 for both. Phone (204)371-6404.

TRAILERS TRAILERS Trailers Miscellaneous 80 MISC SEMI-TRAILER FLAT decks, $2,500-$22,000; 7 heavy tri-axle low beds $18,800-$55,000. www.trailerguy.ca Saskatoon, SK. Phone: (306)222-2413.

HAY WAGONS 9X40-FT BUILT from new metal, 1122.5 tires, $6,500. Phone KCL Repairs, Ashern (204)739-3096.

FARMING IS ENOUGH OF A GAMBLE...

BOOTH 1309

2013 Malt Contracts Available 2016 AOG Malt Contracts Available Box 238 Letellier, MB. R0G 1C0 BoxPhone 238 Letellier, MB. R0G 1C0 204-737-2000 Phone 204-737-2000 2014Toll-Free AOG Malt Contracts Available 1-800-258-7434 Toll-Free 1-800-258-7434 BoxMalt 238 MB. R0G 1C0 Agent: M &Letellier, J Weber-Arcola, SK. 2013 Contracts Available Agent: M & J Weber-Arcola, SK. Phone 204-737-2000 Phone 306-455-2509 Box 238 Letellier, MB. R0G 1C0 Phone 306-455-2509 Toll-Free 1-800-258-7434 Phone 204-737-2000 Agent: M & 1-800-258-7434 J Weber-Arcola, SK. Toll-Free Agent: Phone M & J 306-455-2509 Weber-Arcola, SK. Phone 306-455-2509

MALT BARLEY

SAINFOIN SEED FOR SALE. Nutritious, bloat-free, perennial forage loved by all animals & honeybees.

Research from Utah University indicates better meat flavor & nutrition from sainfoin supplemented forage. Prime Sainfoin is certified organic. www.primegrains.com Ph:(306)739-2900 jhusband@primegrains.com

CERTIFIED SEED

CERTIFIED CARBERRY & CDC Plentiful Wheat.

Certified Tradition Barley & Certified Summit Oats.

Ph:(204)385-2486 or Cell:(204)212-0531. Wilmot Milne, Gladstone, MB.

SEED/FEED/GRAIN Grain Wanted

*6-Row* Celebration & Tradition We buy feed barley, feed wheat, oats, soybeans, corn & canola

n Manitoba 110

BuyUsed Used Oil Oil ••Buy NOTRE •• Buy Buy Batteries Batteries DAME ••Collect CollectUsed Used Filters Filters • Collect Oil Containers • Collect Oil Containers USED • Antifreeze OIL & Southern,Southern Eastern, and Manitoba Western Western FILTER Manitoba DEPOT Tel: 204-248-2110

COMMON SEED Forage Seeds

COME SEE US AT AG DAYS IN THE CONVENTION HALL BOOTH 1309

atteries t Oil Containers

CERTIFIED SEED Cereal Seeds

RECYCLING

2013 Malt Contracts Available Box 238 Letellier, MB. R0G 1C0 Phone 204-737-2000 Toll-Free 1-800-258-7434 Agent: M & J Weber-Arcola, SK. Phone 306-455-2509

SED OIL EPOT

27

The Manitoba Co-operator | April 21, 2016

Advertise in the Manitoba Co-operator Classifieds, it’s a Sure Thing!

1-800-782-0794

How to find the used ag equipment you need…

Start here.

OVER 30,000 PIECES OF AG EQUIPMENT!

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28

The Manitoba Co-operator | April 21, 2016

advertorial

Edmonton-based firm invests acquires water works capacity water infrastructure is one of the fastest growing sectors in the world

by jim bentein special to the co-operator

Edmonton-based Stantec Inc., the engineering and infrastructure consulting company has announced the biggest deal in its 62-year history.

The all-cash deal for Broomfield, Coloradobased MWH Global, which Stantec said is expected to close in the second quarter could increase Stantec’s annual revenues by about 60 per cent, to more than C$4.5 billion, while its global headcount will increase from about 15,000 to 22,000.

The transaction will see Stantec expand in the a, one of the fastest growing infrastructure areas in the world.

MWH is a privately-held global engineering, consulting and construction management company focused on water and natural resources projects. It now has 6,800 employees worldwide, with 187 offices in 26 countries.

Stantec says the deal will position it as a global leader in water resource infrastructure markets, including in the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, South and Central America, Europe and the Middle East.

The transaction significantly expands Stantec’s footprint outside of Canada and outside the struggling energy sector, where it began life as an environmental consulting firm. After the transaction, about 70 per cent of its revenues will come from outside of Canada.

Gord Johnston, Stantec’s executive vice president of infrastructure said it is “the most exciting acquisition in the history of the company,” allowing it to grow substantially in the fast-growing areas of water and transportation infrastructure.

He said the “synergies” between both companies are ideal.

“We work with the same types of clients,” he said. “About 70 per cent of their clients are public agencies, while 50 per cent of our clients are the same. Among the private cli-

ents, including mining and oil and gas firms, we work for many of the same companies.”

Johnston said in the engineering and design field, corporate culture is a key component, since there essentially are few physical assets involved. He said MWH has a culture very similar to Stantec’s, with many long-term, experienced employees.

Also the companies both have a similar history, with Colorado-based MWH having beginning 1950s as a firm focused on water infrastructure.

He said U.S.-based media reporters had asked if the acquisition would lead to job losses in centres, such as the Denver area, where both companies have a presence.

“We’re far away from deciding what will happen at our offices (where they might be duplication),” he said.

However, he said there is little likelihood that will happen in Canada, since MWH has a minimal presence in the country.

Johnston said the deal is unlikely to lead to much of a growth in head office staff in Edmonton, where it employs about 2,000 people..

He said Stantec will want to maintain an MWH presence in many of the 187 offices it has maintained, adding that its strength has been in that local footprint.

The Stantec executive, who oversees the company’s 1500 employees engaged in water infrastructure, said he’s excited about the growth prospects in that area, given the strength of MWH in the sector.

Given concerns raised recently in the U.S. about poor water infrastructure, such as the lead poisoning scare in Flint, Michigan, where poor water infrastructure was cited as the cause of lead-related health issues, he said he expects the U.S. to greatly increase its spending on water-related projects going forward.

He expects the same thing to happen in Canada, where the federal Liberal government is committed to large expenditures on infrastructure.

Worldwide it will be a growing area of expenditures as well.

In addition, MWH has a large presence in the area of transportation infrastructure — also a Stantec strength — and he expects spending to be ramped up worldwide in that area.

Stantec was founded by Don Stanley, an Edmonton native who retired from the company he founded in 1983 and passed away in 2001. He launched the business with a focus on environmental services. But, with the subsequent addition of partners Herb Roblin, and Louis Grimble, with backgrounds in bridge and railway engineering, the firm diversified and grew quickly.

That growth continued over the next 30 plus years, as what was then known as Stantec Inc. became publicly-listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) in 1994 and was listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in 2005.

Sonia Kirby, head of investor relations for Stantec, said the company, a true Canadian success story, continues to have deep roots in Edmonton.

One of its largest recent acquisitions, prior to the MWH deal, involved privately-owned, Quebec-based Dessau, which was established in 1957 and had 1,300 employees in 20 offices located throughout the province.

Prior to that acquisition, which became effective in the first quarter of 2015, Stantec had a relatively minor presence in the province.

In a conference call that followed the release of its 2015 results, Stantec head Bob Gomes said the company will continue to focus on increasing its presence in the U.S., where it now has about 6,500 employees.

But he also said the company is planning to grow internationally, where it now has only about 300 employees and where revenues account for a small percentage of its overall operations.

This article has been sponsored by Glacier FarmMedia as corporate sponsor to the upcoming Centrallia conference in Winnipeg, May 25 to 27

29

The Manitoba Co-operator | April 21, 2016

MORE NEWS LOCAL , NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Cuban farmers in ‘agony’ waiting for promised reforms Irritation building over pace of reforms to one of the world’s last Soviet-style command economies

BY MARC FRANK Artemisa, Cuba/Reuters

I

n Cuban farm country — between sugar cane, vegetable patches and overgrown fallow land a world away from Havana’s tourist-filled streets — producers are seething.

They say the government’s backsliding on promised market reforms to make their lives better.

“It is still agony to farm,” said 36-year-old Martin, whose attempts to grow more vegetables near Artemisa in western Cuba have been thwarted by the government’s monopoly on distributing fuel, fertilizer and seeds, which are often in short supply.

Already covered with sweat and mud at 9 a.m., Martin swept his hand towards his crop of cabbage and chard and said he spent 8,000 pesos (C$424) on seed in the black market but that price controls reinstated since January to tackle inflation mean he will make a loss.

Some of his fields are bare because the government did not give him the seed and other inputs he needed. “I didn’t have the money to buy them on the street.”

Irritation over the pace of market-style reforms to one of the world’s last Soviet-style command economies mean these issues will be high on the agenda when the Cuban Communist Party convenes its seventh congress on Saturday.

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. At its last congress in 2011, the party vowed to implement market measures to free up more private enterprise and boost economic growth by 2015.

The government leased fallow fields to farmers and promised to let them buy pesticides, fertilizers and other supplies at wholesale markets instead of waiting for the government to assign them products. It began to allow farmers to distribute produce directly to vendors and consumers.

Left behind Enough was done elsewhere in the economy to allow some small businesses to blossom and create a nascent middle class. Along with Internet access and more freedom to travel, a detente with the United States and a related surge in tourism, it has given some Cubans greater opportunities and hopes for more.

But only a fifth of the reforms planned in 2011 have been fully implemented, according to the Communist Party’s own newspaper, Granma. Wholesale markets have not yet materialized, making it hard for farmers to keep up with rising demand from the new middle class and private sector restaurants.

Consecutive droughts added to their woes.

A man carries bags of maize at a wholesale market in Havana April 13, 2016. Photo: REUTERS/Enrique de la Osa

Food prices rose so in January the government balked and took a step back, shutting down some private street vendors and buying, distributing and selling more food in its own fixed price markets, a model that in the past stifled production.

Uncultivated farmland still dots the countryside and Cuba imports 60 per cent of its food needs, at an annual cost of C$2.57 billion of scarce currency reserves.

Cuba’s rural problems played a role in holding back economic growth to an average of three per cent since 2011, below the goal of five per cent. Despite booming tourism, the forecast is for two per cent in 2016.

Martin, leaning against an old rusting tractor, said that for farmers the reforms have been “a farce.”

“They say we can’t do as we please with our produce because there is not enough food. Why is there not enough? Because there is nothing to work with.

No fuel, no fertilizer, no pesticide, no nothing,” he said, visibly annoyed. He asked that his last name not be used.

The government’s decision to reassert control over food distribution has led to tomatoes and bananas rotting in the fields in the province of Artemisa, two farmers said, because government trucks do not arrive on time to collect harvests.

Such problems bode poorly for foreign companies looking to

“They say we can’t do as we please with our produce because there is not enough food. Why is there not enough? Because there is nothing to work with.”

‘Martin’

find a new market in Cuba as the United States relaxes its investment restrictions.

Wholesale headaches The four-day congress starting on Saturday will signal whether President Raul Castro’s government recommits to its reforms or whether conservatives who want to slow the move away from socialist economics gain more ground.

Castro has in the past scolded mid-ranking officials and party cadres for resisting change, but the spike in prices and rising inequality gave traditionalists ammunition in their fight to slow things down.

Plans to transform thousands of small- and medium-size state businesses into co-operatives have run into a wall of bureaucratic tangles and stalling.

A mid-level public administrator in Havana said only 25 of 120 state-run eateries in the city that were supposed to become cooperatives have made the switch.

“They need to take credible action to move forward more quickly. In politics there is

a clock ticking, one of economic expectations, especially since December 2014 when normalization with the United States began,” said Raul Hernandez, editor of Temas, a reform-oriented magazine.

Cubans rely heavily on creativity to find transport, afford and purchase basics like toilet paper and detergent, or parts for their bicycles, motorcycles and cars.

Many are hopeful that measures such as unifying Cuba’s dual currencies will finally be implemented after the congress.

For now, farmers and small businesses — like the restaurant visited by U.S. President Barack Obama in Havana last month — have to purchase supplies at retail prices, raising their costs.

Others turn to the black market.

In a move to quell the griping, the government on Tuesday unveiled a plan to allow some co-operatives and small businesses, including restaurants, to buy supplies from producers and wholesalers. The measures do not include any private businesses not formerly in state hands.

Weak finances The reticence to unleash private sector demand in part reflects Cuba’s weak public finances because the government has a monopoly on foreign trade so must bear the cost of imports.

Cuba has improved its financial credibility over the last five years, running trade and current account surpluses and restructuring C$64 billion in mainly old debt.

But weak global commodity prices have hit income from the sale of professional services to allied oil-producing nations such as Venezuela, making it harder for Cuba to buy imports such as the farm products Martin would like to buy wholesale.

Snack shop owner Juan Perez said he benefited from reforms that allow him to run a business, but that the high cost of ingredients means he and his wife and two grown children net a total of only around C$193 a month.

At a junction in Guanajay, a town in Artemisa province, he offers a small menu of juice, coffee, rolls with ham and mayonnaise, and pudding.

“We used to do a good business selling pizza. But we had to go to Havana in search of tomato sauce, flour and cheese when we got word it had appeared on the shelves. Many times it was gone when we arrived. We gave up,” he said.

30

The Manitoba Co-operator | April 21, 2016

Manitoba college heats campus with cattails Using cattails to provide heat makes wetlands more economically viable and therefore more likely to be retained STAFF

A

Andy Martin (l) of Providence College discusses cattail biomass with Dimple Roy (c) and Richard Grosshans (r) of the International Institute for Sustainable Development. PHOTO: Karla Zubrycki, IISD

local college says bio­ mass pellets that include cattails harvested from wetlands in the province have heated their campus through the worst of the winter.

Providence University Col­lege in Otterburn has been burn­ ing biomass since 2011 and in January of this year it used the first of the pellets made from a combination of wood and cattails, in partnership with the International Institute for Sustainable Develop­m ent (IISD).

Richard Grosshans, a senior research scientist with IISD, said the move proves the pel­ lets are a viable heating alter­ native, something that is signif­ icant to those who want to pre­ serve wetlands for their many environmental services.

“We always believed that one way to keep wetlands on

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“We have proven that the system can work in the depths of a Manitoba winter with a product supply that can match demand.”

Richard Grosshans IISD

the landscape would be to prove their economic values alongside the environmen­ tal values that they provide to society,” Grosshans said.

“Through our partnership with Providence University College, we have proven that the sys­ tem can work in the depths of a Manitoba winter with a product supply that can match demand.”

IISD’s innovative approach harvests cattails and other plants from marginal agri­ cultural land, water retention sites, and drainage ditches to remove nutrients and contam­ inants absorbed by the plants, and then uses plant biomass to produce low carbon energy to replace fossil fuels. With the elimination on the use of coal for space heating in Manitoba, there is an accelerating strong demand for quality processed biomass fuel. Manitoba’s Hut­ terite communities are leading this charge. “ With coal no longer an option, several colonies are pro­ ducing compressed biomass — including cattails — as fuel for their own heating demands,” said Grosshans.

The trial is part of Provi­ dence’s ongoing commitment to using environmentally friendly biomass, something it’s been doing since 2011, according to college spokes­ person Jarrad Peters, who said the first cattail pellets were used in January.

“They burned exception­ ally, and we were extremely pleased with the product,” said Peters.

Grosshans said these type of approaches can be applied globally, in places with far g re a t e r i s s u e s t h a n No r t h America.

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31

The Manitoba Co-operator | April 21, 2016

Researcher pulls erroneous freight data from CWBA paper Laura Larsen said she doesn’t want the rest of the report’s findings overshadowed Staff

A

researcher working for a group calling for the return of singledesk marketing misinterpreted data in former Canadian Wheat Board annual reports to conclude the board paid lower rates for shipping grain.

Several sources, including a former Canadian Wheat Board director, say University of Saskatchewan PhD candidate Laura Larsen used an inaccurate comparison in the report released by the Canadian Wheat Board Alliance (CWBA) on Wednesday.

To estimate what the private trade paid each year for grain freight during the last decade of the single desk, Larsen subtracted the “freight” cost listed in the CWB annual report from the combined maximum revenue entitlement (MRE) paid to Canada’s two major railways for Prairie grain freight.

However, the freight costs listed in the reports were for shipments outside of of Western Canada such as direct shipments to the U.S. or the winter rail shipments from Thunder Bay to ports in the lower St. Lawrence River, and had nothing to do with the cost of shipping grain

from elevator to port, says Ian McCreary, raised over this section have overshada Bladworth, Sask. farmer and former owed the rest of the paper,” she said.

The report, which concludes removal CWB director.

“It’s not comparable to the num- of the single desk is at the root of the ber that was used other places in the current problems in grain transportareport… because for the main part of the tion, marketing and handling on the movement from farm gate to port, the Prairies, was briefly removed from the freight was paid for directly by the grain CWBA site Thursday but was reposted later that day with a notice that some of company,” he said.

Under the previous and current mar- its numbers have been questioned and keting system, freight costs are deducted may be revised.

“The current configuration of the from farmers’ payments when they deliver grain to the elevator. Even under Prairie grain-handling, transportation the single desk, grain companies paid and marketing system has not provided Prairie farmers with a better share of the freight to port.

“There’s lots of evidence that the farm the port price, nor has it provided better gate price, relative to international price transportation logistics for grain movehas declined with the loss of the single ment,” Larsen wrote in her report.

“Solutions to the problems farmers desk,” McCreary said. But the data used

by Larsen in her study “is not a direct are facing need to take a comprehensive reflection of the rail freight cost between approach within the context of Western Canada’s agricultural history.” farm gate and port,” he said.

The CWBA is lobbying Ottawa to “Although I haven’t read the report in whole, it’s pretty clear she doesn’t under- reverse the decision by the former govstand the mechanics and the logistics of ernment led by Stephen Harper to end the system,” University of Saskatchewan the CWB single desk in 2012.

In light of the concerns raised over the agricultural economist James Nolan said.

In an email, Larsen said the section of freight comparison data in the paper, the report containing the freight com- I’ve decided to do further research and add an erratum to it. The erratum is as parisons has been removed.

B:10.25” “I deeply regret that the concerns follows: T:10.25”

In undertaking more research into freight payments before and after the single desk it has become apparent this is a very complex issue that would take considerable time to clarify. Therefore, I have decided to remove the section of the paper which makes reference to comparisons between freight payments.

I deeply regret that the concerns raised over this section have overshadowed the rest of the paper. This historical overview was intended to provide context to changes that have happened for farmers after the end of the single-desk Canadian Wheat Board and to provide an overview of how single-desk orderly marketing for Prairie grain has been used in the past.

The grain-handling, transportation, and marketing system is very complex and so changes to any aspect of it should be considered within the total framework of the system. From a historical perspective many of the issues facing Prairie farmers today have parallels to problems which have happened in the past. Therefore, solutions to the problems farmers are facing need to take a comprehensive approach within the context of Western Canada’s agricultural history.

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The Manitoba Co-operator | April 21, 2016

COUNTRY CROSSROADS CON N EC T I NG RU R A L FA M I L I E S

Retired carpenter building for the birds Gord Oleksuk says he’s built well over 100 purple martin houses over the past 18 years

Retired carpenter Gord Oleksuk says building purple martin houses has kept him busy and doing what he loves, working with wood. Photos: John Dietz

BY JOHN DIETZ Co-operator contributor

E

ighteen years ago Gord Oleksuk was a freshly retired carpenter in search of something to do — so he built a purple martin house.

More than 100 purple martin houses later, he’s still building them in the little shop beside his house, at the corner of Highways 10 and 25, north of Brandon.

It all started that fall when he asked a neighbour about the graceful birds that were sitting on a hydro line, flocking to leave for the winter. The neighbour said they were called purple martins, and were living in his purple martin house.

“I didn’t know what purple martins were at the time, but I went over and had a look at his house. I dreamt up my own plan for one in my head, and put one together,” Gord said.

“We really had good luck.

It filled up the first year. So I built another one. I didn’t get a

chance to put it up in spring, so I set it up by the road. I thought, maybe somebody will notice and want to buy one. It’s still there. Then I put a sign up. I’ve built well over 100 since then.”

At 81, Gord said he still has a few left to build. Gaby, his wife, is fine with that... for now. Next winter, though, she’d like to be living in Brandon, and the shop may be just a memory.

Gord builds a red and white plywood ‘house’ that gracefully spans six feet across at the outside peaks.

The martin house has four sides. Each side has a four-storey nesting arrangement, giving it a capacity for 16 nests.

The single-piece face of each side is hooked and hinged, making it easy to open once a year for cleaning.

The nest spaces increase in size at each level, due to the sloping outside walls. The walls rise to meet a sweeping roofline, giving an overall impression of open wings, ready to lift off.

Buyers receive five pieces, ready to assemble with a screwdriver but able to be trans-

Gord Oleksuk’s purple martin houses are all over after 18 years of building them.

“I didn’t know what purple martins were at the time, but I went over and had a look at his house.

I dreamt up my own plan for one in my head, and put one together.”

Gord Oleksuk

ported in a small car, he said.

The set weighs about 60 to 65 pounds, and has two coats of paint.

Buyers need to supply their own post, small winch and cable. He builds it to slide on a 4x4 wood post. He recommends a treated post that’s 12 to 18 feet long. For stability it needs to be three feet into the ground.

Oleksuk kept track of his time for building the first house that he sold. After expenses, he only made 90 cents an hour.

“That’s when I got to making jigs and templates, streamlining the work. It saved quite a bit of plywood, too. There wasn’t as much waste,” he said.

Now, when he needs to build another one, he can start in the morning with cutting up three sheets of plywood. It can be ready to pick up in about four days.

He uses five-eighths-inch plywood for the core or centre piece. He uses half-inch plywood for the side, the back and the front door. He uses threeeighths-inch plywood for the roof. Plus lots of screws, an airnailer, some hinges and hooks.

“I rough cut my plywood into lengths, then I start using the jigs. Mostly, I use a table saw and a cutoff saw. I build the four boxes for the houses first. I put the roofs on, then I build the carrier,” he said.

A few times Gord has custom painted to suit a buyer’s request – usually to match their home’s exterior colour.

“They have come back later and said they went back to red, because the birds weren’t coming. I don’t know what it is, but red paint seems to draw them when they’re looking for a place to nest,” he said.

Building purple martin houses has been a great retirement hobby, he said.

“For me, it’s given me an opportunity to keep using my tools and doing what I like to do – working with wood,” he said. “The most interesting part is, where they go.

The farthest east one is on Manitoulin Island. They’ve gone west into Alberta and Saskatchewan, north to The Pas and south to North Dakota and Minnesota.”

“We’ve got to really enjoy the birds,” Gaby added “They’re phenomenal. I love to hear them first thing in the morning. They’re singing away. You go outside and they’re flying around. I just enjoy them.”

33

The Manitoba Co-operator | April 21, 2016

COUNTRY CROSSROADS

Prairie fare Eggs are a healthful and budget-friendly food

By JULIE GARDEN-ROBINSON Food and Nutrition Specialist NDSU Extension Service

A

couple of weeks ago, my daughters and I were preparing food one afternoon for guests arriving the next day. I wrote a list of things to do. My older daughter enjoys eggs, so she wanted to complete the “hard cook one-dozen eggs” item from my list.

Although “hard boiled” often is used to describe eggs used in egg salad, technically we should avoid boiling eggs for appearance reasons. If boiled too long, eggs can develop a green halo around the yolk due to a chemical reaction between the sulphur in the egg white and iron in the yolk.

The green-tinged eggs are not harmful, but they are most appealing to Dr. Seuss characters who like “green eggs and ham.”

My daughter requested that we add two more eggs to the pot so she could have a snack.

She followed the “how to hard cook eggs” directions perfectly. She placed the large eggs in a saucepan and covered them with an inch of water. Then she heated them over high heat to boiling. Next, she removed the pan from the burner and covered the pan. Then she allowed them to stand 12 minutes. Finally, she cooled them under cold, running water.

Next, she took an “egg break.” She peeled an egg, and we could see no green around the yolks. She put the remaining eggs back in the carton and refrigerated them.

Eggs are a healthful and budget-friendly food. They provide six grams of high-quality protein per egg at less than 20 cents per egg, on average.

Egg yolks provide the pigment lutein, which is especially good for our eyes. In fact, having enough lutein in our diet from eggs, corn and dark, leafy greens may help reduce our risk for age-related macular degeneration and cataracts as we get older.

According to Purdue University researchers, you might want to add a hard-cooked egg to your vegetable salad. When you consume eggs with vegetables, your body may be better able to use the natural pigments in the vegetables.

If you have an 80-calorie egg for breakfast, you may not feel hungry as quickly because of the protein and fat the egg contains. Some research has shown that eggs may play a role in weight loss as part of an overall reduced-calorie diet.

Although old health advice told us to avoid eggs, nutrition experts now agree that one egg

PHOTOS: thinkstock

per day is considered fine for most people.

Researchers have shown that the cholesterol in eggs does not increase the blood cholesterol level in the body.

However, before making any major diet changes, be sure to consult with your healthcare provider. Along with an egg, have some whole grain toast, fruit and yogurt to round out your breakfast.

Egg yolks also provide choline, which is included among the B vitamins. Choline plays a role in nerve, muscle and kidney function.

As I was pondering the benefits of eggs, I didn’t see where my daughter placed the egg carton in the fridge. My younger daughter was ready to proceed with her task: colouring the eggs for our holiday meal.

My older daughter said they were on the second shelf in the refrigerator, so I opened the right-hand side of the fridge, found the carton and placed it on the counter. My younger daughter prepared the cups of coloured liquid to dye the eggs. While she was busy colouring eggs, I worked on other food preparation.

I stepped over to admire her progress as she moved the coloured eggs from the cups back to the carton. They looked a little blotchy to me, but that gave them an interesting pattern. I figured we needed to stir the dye a little more.

The next day, I removed the carton of brightly coloured eggs from the refrigerator. The first egg I touched was stuck in the carton, so I twisted it a bit. In doing so, I crushed the egg in

my hand and the gooey white and yolk flowed all over the counter and down the cupboard.

Yes, we had two cartons of eggs on opposite sides of the second shelf of the refrigerator: one cooked and one raw.

We had uncoloured cooked eggs for the holiday and now we have coloured raw eggs for baking. We keep learning lessons every day. Next time, we will the mark the carton “cooked.”

Although I didn’t put the eggs in the dye, the blotchiness during dying should have been my visual clue. Commercial eggs typically are washed before packing. This process removes the natural “bloom” on eggs, which functions to reduce moisture loss and helps prevent bacteria from entering the eggs through the pores.

Some egg packers treat eggs with a light coating of edible mineral oil. The eggs my younger daughter coloured might have had a light coating of oil on them.

Eggs are versatile ingredients that can be cooked, poached, scrambled, used in omelets and added to a variety of cooked or baked dishes.

Eggs have many functions in cooking and baking. For example, they help bind together ingredients when you make meat loaf or meatballs. They serve as leavening agents in making cakes, and they help thicken custards. Eggs also add nutrition and flavour to foods.

Here’s a simple way to use hard-cooked eggs, and it’s one of my favourites.

Heavenly Devilled Eggs 6 large eggs (in shell) 2 tbsp. light mayonnaise 1 tsp. mustard (or substitute a sprinkle of black pepper and salt) Optional garnishes (paprika, dried dill, sliced scallions, crisp bacon bits, sliced black olives, etc.)

Place eggs in a saucepan in a single layer and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Cover and allow to stand for 12 minutes. Drain water and cool under cold, running water. Peel eggs carefully. Split eggs in half lengthwise and remove yolks. Place yolks, dressing and mustard into a small zipper-lock plastic bag and squeeze to mix. Cut a small hole in the corner of the bag.

Squeeze mixture into egg white halves.

Garnish as desired.

Makes six servings (two egg halves). A serving has 90 calories, 6 grams (g) fat, 6 g protein, 1 g carbohydrate, 0 g fibre and 174 milligrams sodium.

34

The Manitoba Co-operator | April 21, 2016

COUNTRY CROSSROADS

Horse-drawn sleigh ride provides enjoyment Warm weather brings out almost 50 sleighs plus riders for the second year of the RMNP ride

By Darrell Nesbitt Freelance contributor

T

he Parkland escarpment from locations next to and within Riding Mo u n t a i n Na t i o n a l Pa r k (RMNP) captivated all ages last month, thanks to an oldfashioned horse-drawn sleigh ride.

“A few of us (team drivers) hit the trail prior to the sleigh ride and made it accessible for small and large sleighs, by clearing the route of large trees and smaller scrub,” said Dan Shwaluk of Shoal Lake.

“The trail is approximately 10 kilometres one way with wonderful views.”

The spectacular weather brought out about 28 sleighs plus riders from the south, and 18 or so from the north, pulled by all types of horses including Fjord, Percheron, Clydesdale, and Belgian plus well-broke quarter-horses, and even a pair of mules.

Handling the lines of a Per­ cheron/quarter-horse-cross team, Richard Bilinsky of Rossburn, said this is the second year for the special RMNP ride. Last year 42 teams took part with that number rising this year, and perhaps breaking the 50-plus mark in March of 2017, he added.

“Last year the weather was nice, but this year it was spectacular, with breathtaking

Richard Bilinsky of Rossburn was among the drivers on the RMNP ride. PHOTO: DARRELL NESBITT

views enjoyed,” said Shwaluk.

“From tall spruce, poplar and budding dogwood trees, dead trees carved out by woodpeckers, three water crossings, areas of controlled burns and a lone owl and raven watching over the caravan cutting

through the melting snow was all part of the day.”

A 50/50 draw by the Man­ itoba Percheron and Belgian Association brought forth a prize of over $700.

RMNP is an island of wilderness surrounded by a sea

of farmland, boasting 3,000 square kilometres of rugged nature just waiting to be explored. One of the ways to see the natural beauty of the park is by horse-drawn sleighs.

W h e t h e r y o u ’r e s e e k ing adventure, relaxation or

inspiration, Riding Mountain National Park has something to offer everyone from an extensive winter or summer trail system.

Darrell Nesbitt writes from Shoal Lake, Manitoba

A gardener’s trip to the auto wreckers?

If you are a car enthusiast — how about some auto-related garden accessories?

By Albert Parsons Freelance contributor

T

he outdoor gardening season hasn’t quite arrived yet, but like others, I am out in the yard seeing how the garden survived the winter. It is too early to start digging or planting, but there are some things we can do to get the season underway. One of these tasks is to get some of the garden accessories out of storage and put into place.

Heavy terra cotta pots and other containers that were stored in sheds can be taken out and put into place and garden ornaments can be cleaned up and placed.

Because there will be few plants in the garden for several weeks, these decorative objects create some interest in the rather barren-looking early-spring landscapes.

I have ceramic and brass birds that I place in the shade garden. They really catch the eye in spring and early summer when the hostas, pulmonaria and other plants are still quite small. Gradually as the plants grow the birds become less and less visible until finally in late summer I remove them as the plants steal the show and the decorative objects are no longer needed. The great thing about such

A garden that incorporates a theme is interesting because it makes the garden that much more personal.

accessories is that they can be added or taken away or moved to suit the everchanging garden.

Larger decorative objects often stay in place year round like my agricultural artifacts — implement seats and large gears. They are already rusty, (that is part of their appeal) so they do not demand protection from the winter weather.

Sometimes I move these around a bit in the spring to give them more prominence while the garden comes to life and then tuck them in among the plants as the garden matures.

Last summer I visited a couple of gardens whose owners are car enthusiasts, and the artifacts and accessories were mostly all car related. There were shiny

The possibilities for incorporating vintage car parts in the garden are endless.

PHOTO: ALBERT PARSONS

chrome wheel discs, old steering wheels, and even a couple of old car seats used as places to pause and sit for a spell. Old licence plates were found here and there in one of the gardens as well.

As I wandered through the garden I came across the shell of a vintage car tucked into shrubbery at the edge of the yard, as if it had been parked there for decades. I began to think of all the ways an old automobile — or part of one — could be incorporated into a garden.

Besides being displayed tucked into a row of trees or shrubs, it could be placed

in a more prominent place in the garden. Perhaps the trunk could be left open and the trunk itself planted with vibrant annuals spilling forth. Window box-type planters could be hung on the open window sills, either inside or outside of the car, again filled with annuals, including trailing plants that would cascade down the sides of the auto. Perhaps a large flat pan of plants could sit on the hood — maybe a drought-resistant succulent planter. If the vehicle is a truck, the box could be planted in a number of different ways — how about a truck box full of sunflowers? Trailing vines could wind their way out of the motor if the hood was left slightly ajar. The possibilities are endless.

A garden that incorporates a theme is interesting because it makes the garden that much more personal. Many farm gardens incorporate agricultural implements into the landscape. If you are a car enthusiast and have access to a friendly auto wrecker or know where there is a vintage car sitting in the bush on a neighbour’s farm, you might take this idea and see what you can do with it. An autothemed yard might be just the thing for you!

Albert Parsons writes from Minnedosa, Manitoba

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The Manitoba Co-operator | April 21, 2016

COUNTRY CROSSROADS

Springtime means changes in bird behaviour Watch for colour, diet and vocal changes in many varieties and the different ways they go about attracting a mate

By Donna Gamache Freelance contributor

W

ith the end of winter, birders begin to clean out bird feeders and change the type of food, as spring species begin arriving.

They may also be brushing out and closing up birdhouses for bluebirds, tree swallows and wrens, or putting up new ones.

But it’s not just birders who prepare for spring. Birds, too, ready themselves for the change of seasons.

The change in birds that is most noticeable is the migration of a large proportion of them. In winter, a backyard feeder will be lucky to attract five or 10 different species. In spring, the variety of birds can increase dramatically, especially if a late snowfall results in the birds halting their migration for a time.

Usually the earliest arrival, in late February or early March, is the horned lark. As March passes, eagles and crows appear in increasing numbers, and honking geese fly overhead. ( The first crow used to be a welcome sign of spring. Now, with their frequent overwintering in cities and towns, a crow isn’t so much a spring sign.)

With April most years (perhaps sooner this year) come robins, meadowlarks, bluebirds, grackles and blackbirds, and by May we watch for orioles, a variety of warblers and thrushes, and ruby-throated hummingbirds.

Moulting is another important change for many birds.

Adult birds shed their worn feathers for fresh ones, while last year’s juveniles moult into

A male goldfinch is a dull beige in winter but sheds these feathers for brighter-coloured ones. Gamache photos

their first adult plumage. In many species, this results in brighter colours, particularly for the males. This is very noticeable with the American goldfinch. Goldfinches in winter are a dull beige colour with black wings, white wing-bars and just a touch of gold — often not even recognized as goldfinches.

The change of the males to their late-spring and summer bright yellow and black is amazing.

The common redpoll, which may frequent feeders in winter, also changes as the males’ chests become a much brighter rosy pink. Even birds such as the blue jay are noticeably more vibrant.

Behaviour is also different.

Birds which migrate in flocks, such as robins, begin to disperse into pairs or singles.

Overwintering birds which may

have flocked in winter, such as waxwings, also disperse. Some species become increasingly aggressive as they compete for territory or mates or available food.

Diets may change too. As insects and nectar become available, some species which live on seeds all winter change to occasionally feasting on insects.

Bi rd s i n s p r i n g b e c o m e more vocal, chirping or singing loudly, perhaps even waking us before dawn. Others, such as the ovenbird (a type of warbler), may sing at night, while a variety of owls begin calling at night as early as March or late February. The chickadee changes its song to a three-note whistle, instead of the more recognizable “chickadee, dee, dee, dee.”

Early geese are a welcome sign of spring.

One spring activity of various woodpeckers, sapsuckers and flickers may be less a c c e p t a b l e t o u s, a s t h e y often drill their bills against wooden or metal parts of houses, as a means of attracting a mate or claiming territory. Another type of territorial drumming, heard in forests and most often in spring, is that of the ruffed grouse.

Some species of birds seek to attract mates in other ways.

Sandhill cranes may dance as part of a courtship ritual.

Bald eagles sometimes practise a spring ritual in which both fly to a high altitude, lock feet and tumble almost to the ground before releasing. Many other species, as diverse as crows, chickadees and hawks, practise courtship feeding.

With some birds, nest building starts even before they pair up. The male house wren, for instance, may begin to stuff nest boxes with twigs, perhaps to impress the female or to stake his claim to a territory. They may load up a variety of other cavities, too, such as old boots left on a shelf, or farm machinery sitting outside or in a shed. Many years ago my family found the sleeve of a shirt stuffed with twigs after it was left hanging out on a line overnight.

All of these activities are a sign that birds, like people, change with the seasons. So, if you’ve put away your bird books over the winter, it’s time to get them out!

Donna Gamache writes from MacGregor, Manitoba

This Old Elevator

I

n the 1950s, there were over 700 grain elevators in Manitoba.

Today, there are fewer than 200. You can help to preserve the legacy of these disappearing “Prairie sentinels.”

The Manitoba Historical Society (MHS) is gathering information about all elevators that ever stood in Manitoba, regardless of their present status. Collaborating with the Manitoba Co-operator it is supplying these images of a grain elevator each week in hopes readers will be able to tell the society more about it, or any other elevator they know of.

MHS Gordon Goldsborough webmaster and Journal editor has developed a website to post your replies to a series of questions about elevators. The MHS is interested in all grain elevators that have served the farm community.

Your contributions will help gather historical information such as present status of elevators, names of companies, owners and agents, rail lines, year elevators were built — and dates when they were torn down (if applicable).

There is room on the website to post personal recollections and stories related to grain elevators. The MHS presently also has only a partial list of all elevators that have been demolished. You can help by updating that list if you know of one not included on that list.

Your contributions are greatly appreciated and will help the MHS develop a comprehensive, searchable database to preserve the farm community’s collective knowledge of what was once a vast network of grain elevators across Manitoba.

Please contribute to This Old Grain Elevator website at: http://www.mhs.mb.ca/elevators. You will receive a response, by email or phone call, confirming that your submission was received.

A grain elevator at the railway siding of Bryd, along Highway 16 in the Rural Municipality of Yellowhead, was constructed in 1914

by Smith Murphy. It was purchased by the Paterson Grain Company in 1926 and an annex was constructed in 1956. The elevator operated into the early 1990s when a provincial government report said there were “no plans to close it in the foreseeable future.”

However, it closed in the fall of 1994, and the building was pushed over and burned in February 1996.

PHOTO: MANITOBA HISTORIC RESOURCES BRANDON (JULY 1993)

36

The Manitoba Co-operator | April 21, 2016

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