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CATTLE COUNTRY June 2022
Farm Resilience Mentorship Program BY: DR. MARY-JANE ORR, MBFI GENERAL MANAGER Communities of Inquiry, Farmer Mentors to guide Manitoba Beef & Forage Initiatives (MBFI) is excited to be partnering with Farmers for Climate Solutions (FCS) in their Farm Resilience Mentorship Program (FaRM) to inspire change from fence post to fence post in Manitoba. Launched in 2020, FCS is a national coalition of farmer-led and farmer-supporting organizations advancing policies and programing that will support farmers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build resilience to the impacts of climate change. From 2021 to 2025, FCS is receiving funding to develop and implement peer-to-peer farmer training programs in Advanced Grazing Systems, Cover Cropping, and Advanced Nitrogen Management across Canada that will scale adoption of on-farm climate-friendly practices across two million acres of farmland in Canada. The overall FaRM program aims to increase the number of farmers adopting on-farm climate-friendly practices by providing free resources and peer-to-peer learning both online and in person. The program will be starting on a small scale this summer, with the Farmer Training Curriculum and mentor training being finalized in June 2022. The Advanced Grazing Systems curriculum has been developed by Canadian Forage and Grasslands Association with Steve Kenyon of Greener Pastures Ranching. Canadian Organic Growers developed the Cover Cropping curriculum and Climate-Smart Soils developed the Advanced Nitrogen Management resources. At MBFI, we will be supporting the implementation of the Advanced Grazing Systems program with three mentors representing Westman, Parkland, and Interlake regions. The Cover Cropping and Advanced Nitrogen Management mentorship programs will be implemented through the Manitoba Organic Alliance. Registering as a participant in one or in all three of the program areas will give each farm access to
your learning and provide helpful input, a management plan to support your on-farm implementation, useful resources and fact sheets, and a network of regional and national contacts. A Community of Inquiry is an online meeting space that fosters learning, knowledge sharing, and support among peers. The Advanced Grazing Systems program is designed to build understanding of the wide variety of grazing management approaches that support carbon sequestration. The goal of the online learning framework and in-person mentorship is to support successful adoption of practices that improve forage production, profitability, extreme weather resilience (drought and flood), biodiversity, and soil health. The curriculum is comprised of six modules, including Grazing Goals, Grazing Concepts, Grazing Plans, Extended Grazing, Record Keeping, and Margins (Economics of Grazing). The mentors are farmers already well versed in rotational grazing and interested in working with regional farmers to develop their own plans to improve grazing practices. MBFI will be working with regional mentors Cameron Hodgins (Westman), Ron Moss (Parkland), and Jonathan Bouw (Eastern Manitoba & Interlake) to deliver farmer training sessions covering FaRM curriculum and to tailor mentorship experiences to each mentor’s background and interests. The mentorship program will complement broader MBFI extension activities (Grazing Workshop Series: see Save the Dates below) with independent study and additional meetings. As a participant, farmers can expect a time commitment of five hours of class time that may be in person or online, two to four hours of independent review of resources, optional follow-up support with Farmer Mentors, and unlimited access to online learning platform including community clubs for the year. The FaRM program is a separate program from announcements for the On-Farm Climate Action Fund
MBFI General Manager Dr. Mary-Jane Orr (Photo credit: Mary-Jane Orr)
(OFCAF). FaRM is solely focused on training to support successful adoption of practices, whereas OFCAF, administered by the Manitoba Association of Watersheds in Manitoba, will provide cost sharing programs in the same areas of rotational grazing, cover crops, and nutrient management. For more information or to start a conversation please email MBFI at information@mbfi.ca or call 204-761-3300.
UPCOMING FIELD DAYS
SAVE THE DATES June 1, 2022; MBFI Brookdale Farm Electric fencing, solar power, and pasture water pipelines July 6, 2022; MBFI First Street Pasture & Brookdale Farm – Pasture and soil health assessments Aug 3, 2022; MBFI Brookdale Farm Annual forages and alternative feed rations
INSURE your CALVES BEFORE JUNE 9. Livestock Price Insurance (LPI) is an insurance program that provides price risk management to beef producers when market prices are volatile. • Get forward price coverage for calves you plan to market between September and February 2023 with the LPI – Calf program. • Coverage options are available to choose from every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 3 p.m. - 12 a.m. (CT). • The last day to purchase LPI – Calf policies is June 9. Visit LPI.ca or phone 1-844-782-5747 for program details.
www.mbbeef.ca Livestock Price Insurance (LPI) Summer 2022 ad Size: 9.63”wide x 7.75”deep