The Agri Post
February 27, 2015
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History Preserved By Harry Siemens It was a great day for historic preservation, for the Pembina Threshermen’s Museum, the extended Elias family, and others as the Hasket elevator, also known as Elias Seed Plant, moved from the site where the Elias family built it in 1944 with help from many others, to place it where will stand on the museum grounds west of Winkler. Bernie Wiebe of B B Wiebe & Sons Ltd of Osterwick, Manitoba took on the task of moving the elevator from it’s location near Hasket to move west and then north. It also took Manitoba Hydro employees cutting and re-attaching at least 12 power lines that hung too low for the 40foot plus structure as it moved to its new home. Wiebe and his two sons, and the rest of the moving crew took the better part of two days to move it onto blocks and move it half a mile along the edge of the field so they could get it to the right roads for its journey to the Museum. “While not tackling something this high before, our past experiences moving all kinds of buildings throughout Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta
Abe and Shirley Unger of California and Sylvia Josse of Winnipeg looked on as the movers, B B Wiebe and Sons wait for the Manitoba Hydro crew to cut the last set of power lines before moving onto the yard of the Pembina Threshermen’s Museum.
The Hasket elevator moves down the main street of the Pembina Threshermen’s Museum near Winkler to stand for all to see beside the Hasket store.
helped us through this one too,” said Wiebe. He said to move it onto the blocks and eventually onto the beams and get a solid base, they had to knock off about two feet of the bottom of the elevator because of wood rot. However, the rest of the structure is in great shape. Bill Reimer, one of the VicePresidents for the Threshermen’s Museum said the board had looked at getting an elevator for a number of few years. One of the rea-
sons is because these wooden elevators are fast disappearing from the countryside. When something did become available, it was too big and too far away. This one was close, smaller and it would fit into the Museum’s yard. “We are happy to preserve this one at the museum,” he said. “We have a flour mill that we didn’t have a place for - we think it will fit in very well.” Reimer said volunteers shingled the roof last spring
because it still had the original shingles when the Elias family built it in 1944 and were in poor shape. Now with some additional funding and volunteer help, they will repair the bottom of the structure, and then Wiebe will come back and move it onto its new foundation, right next to the Hasket Store moved there some years ago. Sylvia Josse of Winnipeg and Shirley Unger of California, the two family members paying for the $20,000 moving bill took in the two-day
move, happy to see it happen. “Maybe it was a dream to have some artefacts of my father’s [George G. Elias] history reside somewhere and be kept for future generations to enjoy in some way,” is how Shirley responded as to why this was happening. “After dad died, during the auction thinking about things and how things could be preserved, and talking with Bill Reimer from the museum about the various buildings on the farm yard, and both the family and museum had interest in preserving the elevator.” Shirley said it is a historic event not only for the two sisters, but also for their family, and for the people of the province of Manitoba. “It is an honour and privi-
lege for us to be here,” she said. “It is something dad dreamed of and we assured him many times that we would preserve something and leave a legacy for him. It concerned us a little about how it would stay there on the farm, but now we know it is in good hands.” Sylvia said it would take a few months to get it into shape for people to actually walk through the elevator. “The museum has a grain mill that is waiting for a home. The first floor of the annex part is where the grain mill will go. The second floor in the annex will house some historical artefacts from the Elias Seed Farm. We thank the museum for taking on this project and preserving this great piece of history,” she added.
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February 27, 2015
The Agri Post
The Agri Post
Cattle Associations Commend BSE Surveillance Programs Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) is continuing to monitor the developments surrounding a confirmed case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in a beef cow in Alberta. Although any case of BSE is a concern, MBP is encouraged that the various protocols in place led to the discovery and display the strength of Canada’s BSE surveillance program. “That the animal was found through the national BSE sur-
veillance program shows the program is working,” said Manitoba Beef Producers President Heinz Reimer. This recent case is the first since 2011. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is continuing to investigate but has confirmed that no part of the animal’s carcass entered the human food or animal feed systems. The South Korean ban occurred just after International Trade Minister Ed Fast completed a trade mission to
South Korea. Fast even participated in a cooking demonstration, where he prepared Canadian beef for his South Korean partners. If South Korean officials act as agreed and CFIA provides the necessary information as soon as it is, available the expectation is that the suspension may only “Last days,” said John Masswohl, Director of Government and International Relations for the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association.
February 27, 2015
Amidst Confirmed BSE Case Beef Prices Move Up By Les Kletke According to the president of Manitoba Beef Producers the checks and balances of the Canadian system are working. Heinz Reimer acknowledged that the discovery of an animal with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is not a good thing for the Canadian cattle industry still, the fact that it was found without entering the food chain should add to confidence in the Canadian system. “It has been a number of years since there was a case of BSE and there is an allowable number of cases under regulations,” said Reimer. “So this is not a panic situation, and the fact the animal did not enter the food chain supports the system we have in place to detect these animals.” Reimer said that mainstream media made the item more a case than the beef industry did. “The prices have moved up a bit the week after the animal was found and that tells me that it was not really an issue,” he explained. He cites the drop in value of the Canadian dollar as having more of an impact in the market. “The lower dollar has American buyers in the market place and we see strength in every sector of the market, there is not one segment that is really hot or none that is lagging back. The market is strong,” Reimer continued. The current upswing in prices is part of the industry in his view. “The cattle business has always had 10 year cycles and this is a peak in the cycle,” said Reimer. The anomaly that he sees is the market missed the last peak. “We should have seen strong prices 8 or 9 years ago but we missed that because of a number of factors, one being the BSE even then and other things that followed it. If you adjust for inflation we are probably right where we should be with this market,” he said. “I remember 6 cwt weight calves selling for $1,000 in 2003 and that is not that far off from where we are.” Reimer said he is encouraged by the young people showing up cattle meetings. “We have young people interested in the business because it is viable again, some fellows held on through the tough times and are selling out, and that is creating opportunity for the next generation to get into the business,” he said. “The down times were not attractive to bring new people to the business.”
Camera Technology Gives Farmers More Options Farmers are always looking for a better way of doing things and with better technology come improved profits. Allen Leigh Security & Communications of Brandon has come out with the first innovative Implement Camera that
allows farmers to see colour in a completely dark environment such as in an air-seeder tank. White LED Cameras eliminate the annoying and restrictive reflection issues common with IR night vision cameras, giving the operator a much clearer picture. This improved visibility allows for better decision making. The technology allows you to clearly see the tanks’ grain and fertilizer levels, as well as flow patterns. Knowing that there are no complications with seeding or harvesting operations reduce down time and waste, all the while making the life of the farmer safer and less stressful.
Above: A white LED Implement Camera allows farmers to see colour in a completely dark environment. Below: Camera images taken in complete darkness.
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February 27, 2015
Penners Points
The Agri Post
Another Shot of Scotch
by Rolf Penner
The use of pesticides in agriculture worries many people. This concern stems from a generally poor understanding of the science and testing that regulates these substances, rolfpenner@agripost.ca and from an unhelpful media. In January, on the science 2.0 website, Hank Campbell did a great job of explaining how benign the products really are and how the process leads to this conclusion by using an image familiar to people, namely a shot of Scotch. Campbell writes, “Imagine you read a headline claiming that drinking Scotch was linked to massive brain damage and sudden death.” Pretty scary stuff. Folks might immediately move all sorts of bottles from the liquor cabinet to the garbage bin, even though people themselves have had all sorts of personal experience drinking Scotch without ever seeing any of these catastrophic results. Few people would get excited; however, if the first sentence of the article noted that, “It would take 10,000 shots of Scotch to get that dangerous effect.” In a nutshell, this is the problem that laypersons have with reading sensational headlines and reports based on toxicology. There are far too many “scary” headlines and far too few real-world explanations of what scientists have really looked at. No one is going to down 10,000 shots of Scotch in one sitting. But, as Campbell points out, that’s, “How a large number of toxicology results get portrayed – and the public doesn’t know it unless they read the fine print.” Further complicating matters is the common practice of adding a surfactant to whatever chemical is under study in order to improve its uptake. Again, the average person generally doesn’t know about any of this. And again, Campbell has a good explanation. A surfactant is, “Basically a detergent that breaks the natural surface tension of something, such as between a chemical and animal tissue. A famous surfactant experiment in K-12 science labs is a needle and water. When laid flat, a sewing needle will be held up by surface tension and float on top of water. If you add a little bit of detergent, however, that surfactant eliminates the surface tension and the needle immediately sinks.” So what about a slow build-up of a particular toxic substance over time? That’s actually one of the reasons scientists use things like surfactants and “gavage” (tubes going straight into the stomach) dosing. They are trying to “Simulate in a short amount of time what might be happening after buildup over many years. Using these methods in a month for a rat is about 30 of our months, so 90 days in their test was almost 8 years.” And these tests are replicated multiple times. The whole process and the end result are actually kind of boring, because it’s monotonous and nothing sinister is going on. Boring is good. Boring is what we want. Unfortunately, boring isn’t what brings everyone’s eyes and ears to the various news outlets, and without that attention they can’t sell enough expensive ad space to make a living. One needs to remember that the “news” business isn’t just about news or keeping the public informed; it’s also very much about selling advertisements. It’s not unusual for scientists to increase the orders of magnitude in a study all the way up to the equivalent of 10,000 shots of scotch and it’s interesting to see the results. But like Hank Campbell says, “Understanding how chemicals work in the real world will make the public feel a lot better.” Now there’s an idea worthy of pouring a couple of fingers of scotch and raising a toast!
Questionable NDP Tactics Lets Down Small Scale Producers and Processors The recent report of the Small Scale Food Manitoba working group provides a positive view of how to move forward for farmers involved in this vitally important sector. It represents the result of substantial efforts of small-scale producers and procesBy Dr. Jon Gerrard sors over the last year while working with a government, which has caused considerable distress to this sector over the last several years. Unfortunately, the valuable input and necessary representation of this group were only temporary and have been discontinued. The disbanding of the working group at a time when it is needed most to ensure the recommendations are actually implemented is a mistake. A regular continuation of the working group is what is needed to hold the government’s feet to the fire to move quickly on action. The recommendations, while substantial, are often generalized in nature. For example, one recommendation is to, “Develop a plain language guidebook.” Surely, there are no better people to be involved in developing the guidebook than the experienced members of the working group. The fact that the government did not set specific target dates for implementing recommendations when releasing the report on January 14 is a red flag regarding our government’s responsibility in following through with action. Why did the government adopt the general recommendations without deadlines and targets for implementation? Every day that this work is incomplete is a day when uncertainty, instability and tensions will continue in the small-scale local food sector. The working group did an excellent job in identifying problems in the current approach by the government. For example, “Small scale producers do not fit well into the present model of applied continuing education and extension delivery.” Another example is the, “Confusion about what constitutes a direct sale of farm products.” The report sadly did not provide any clarification on this confusion, and the government has not committed to a clear and consistent approach. Such deficiencies must be addressed quickly if this critically important sector is to thrive. The government needs to get its act together so that different arms of the same department are no longer praising a food processor one day and punishing it the next. Many issues also occur for both small producers and processors as well as for larger ones. So the recommendation to “Facilitate a process to allow small scale producers and processors to organize themselves,” needs to be considered and whether such an organization needs to be separate from the Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) and the Manitoba Food Processors Association (MFPA), or if these organizations have the capacity to adapt and well represent small local producers and processors. Small local producers and processors will and must make that decision themselves – but perhaps KAP and MFPA should be given a chance to present reasons why and how they can adapt to help this group of producers and processors, and how they would more effectively work with organizations like the Farmer’s Markets Association of Manitoba. Additional issues like on-line marketing still need addressing. It is likely that more issues will arise and the working group is needed to ensure such issues are addressed and addressed quickly to avoid the damaging past mistakes of this government.
Myth Busters Today’s column may take a little different route, path, direction if you like. First off, I want to get a couple of myths out of the way. For years, eating butter was bad, and for many it still may not be the greatest thing to eat, but after re-looking at old studies butter, in total isn’t all that bad. I’m not here to present all kinds of research, you can find that anywhere, and if all else fails, google it. I’m here to say that for so many years, the dairy industry and dairy farmers had to fight all that negative publicity that someone put out there, including governments. Then of course, eggs, a Big Mac meal and other goodies containing bad cholesterol are totally bad for you and especially your family. In this case, the Golden Arches had enough money to spend to counter much of that bad publicity, but still many people felt guilty, me included, waiting in the line-ups with the other bad people, eating bad food. Again, don’t get me wrong, this stuff with loads of everything and repeats every day may tend to help you gain weight. However, several weeks ago, stories came out that maybe just maybe after all; this stuff isn’t that bad for you. It is a bit like diabetes, if your body isn’t producing enough insulin, then diet, staying away from certain sugary foods, and walking is an option. I digress. In July of 2013, my doctor looked me in the eyes and said, Harry if you don’t change some things, a year from now you will be asking for medication, meaning I’d be a diabetic in one year. Both my wife Judith and yes me, although not quite so fast as she, said no way. Placing the results of being diabetic on top of my heart issues wasn’t a good idea. One year later, this same doctor’s office called after another set of tests, Harry you are not a diabetic. Wow the change in diet and walking most mornings is paying off. Well, last fall my heart wasn’t performing that well either, so I increased my walking, changed my diet even more, and combined with taking on the would-be diabetes and shelving that disease, I’m doing much better, thank you very much. The reason I share this here is because while research changes and someone busts a myth or two it doesn’t give us license to get back to our old habits. The thing that I like the most is the fact I can eat eggs without a guilty conscience and know that they are good for me, and I’m supporting yet another group of farmers. I eat very little processed foods, mostly fresh meat, fruits, veggies, and a sliver of dessert here and there. Let me remind you though, what you eat in private shows up in public. Another negative has to do with the fact that people, and many in the media keep calling BSE, that dreaded brain-rotting disease, Mad Cow. It isn’t mad cow - calling it that just gives farmers and the sick cow a bad rap. If you can’t say the long name that BSE stands for, don’t. This came to my attention with the case of BSE in Alberta this past week, the first one since 2011. Shutting the border in 2003, with our first case of BSE, hurt the cattle and beef industries, and destroyed many farm families, and even some lives because it just about broke the once thriving industry. And it had nothing to do with what the cattle people did or didn’t do. One of the worst-case scenarios I’ve witnessed in my years of farm reporting. The seven years of bad pork prices could be a close second. Here is a statement from the Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP), which continues to monitor the developments surrounding a confirmed case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in a beef cow in Alberta. Although any case of BSE is a concern, it is great the various protocols in place led to the discovery and displays the strength of Canada’s BSE surveillance program. “That the animal was found through the national BSE surveillance program shows the program is working,” said Manitoba Beef Producers President Heinz Reimer.
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When Out of the Box Becomes Mainstream I got a note this week from Dr. Elmer Stobbe who has retired to the west coast, informing me of the passing of Jim McCutcheon of Carman. The world has changed and now a guy in B.C. tells me of the death of a fellow in Carman, that’s what the internet has done. We sometimes think that changes come in one Big Bang but in reality, they seep into our lives, as the internet and minimum tillage have. Jim McCutcheon could tell that story better than anyone could and Dr. Stobbe and I reminisced about the factors that brought it about. “The drop in the price of Roundup,” said Stobbe. “We could talk all we wanted but until farmers saw the economics it didn’t matter. I first met Jim in 1978 when the U of M Diploma Class of 1979 visited his farm on what was then called the Summer Tour. He had converted his Carman area farm to zero till at a time when recreation tillage (as we now call it) was a major summer activity. McCutcheon was either a visionary or a lunatic fringe depending on how you viewed the idea, but Roundup was $30 a litre and he was using it instead of a deep tiller to control the weeds on his farm. He told us about the importance of a sprayer and how it needed to be in top-notch condition to apply the products he was using on his farm. He was an interesting presenter though not what we typically thought of in farm information at the time. Now nearly 40 years later we accept the concepts McCutcheon was developing as a pillar in western Canadian agriculture. Not everyone has converted to the gospel of Zero Till but tillage is much reduced from what it was 4 decades ago. Looking back, I now see the value in those out of the box farms we visited on Summer Tour, and how some of the ideas they were based on moved to mainstream, and more importantly, I see how important people like Jim McCutcheon are to the evolution of our industry. He was willing to take some steps away from the masses of the time and try something new; he made a commitment to the practice and followed it, when conventional wisdom said otherwise. People like Jim have had a great impact on our industry, and maybe we need to give a few more of the outside the box thinkers another look. Our industry lost a great one in Jim, and he would be the last to take credit, he would just smile and carry on.
Countries Less Likely to Use BSE to Pull the Embargo Trigger BSE is back in Canada, and South Korea has now responded by halting all imports of Canadian beef. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced recently that it has confirmed a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in a beef cow in Alberta, a first since 2011. The announcement was eerily reminiscent of 2003, when Canada found its first native BSE case that plunged an entire industry into a deep economic depression overnight. With this case, the entire Canadian cattle industry is still holding its collective breath. South Korea’s move is evidence that more information is needed to reassure markets, and fast. To be clear though, the global food safety landscape is a different place than it was back in 2003. Depending how you count cases of BSE, this is likely Canada’s 18th native case, so we have a number behind us. Regulators and industry are more accustomed to manage these cases now. But most importantly, consumer perceptions have changed everywhere, and politicians are aware of that. We know more about BSE and its link to the human variant of mad cow, Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, a rare, fatal disease. Even if risks are awfully low, some nervous countries like South Korea remain highly cautious. Back in 2003, BSE was a troubling unknown in the general consciousness. The US was still BSE-free and Japan, a major export market for the US and Canada, was just coping with the aftermath of its first native case a few years earlier. At the time, more than 100 McDonalds’ restaurants closed for more than a week and beef sales dropped 35 per cent in a year. With more than 180,000 cases found worldwide now, countries are less likely to use BSE as an excuse to pull the trigger and issue embargoes against each other. Very few BSEfree countries remain. Norway recently found its first case and nothing happened. In Canada, BSE has never been regarded as a food safety issue by consumers themselves. Back in 2003, after Canada found its first native case, domestic demand for beef went up 5% within nine months after the announcement, even if retail prices barely dropped. But internationally, the politics are very different. China is dealing with this issue right now in the wake of its baby formula scandal. When food safety is top of mind for consumers, science often takes a backseat to fear. Anxiety management often leads to irrational dogmatism. According to a recent food safety survey, Canadians are the most trusting consumers in the world. Therefore, it is obviously difficult for many Canadians to understand how food safety situations can be so intricate. Aware of the broader complexities, the CFIA is now frantically working to determine how the latest animal became infected and to trace out all animals deemed to be of equivalent risk so they can be destroyed. It may take weeks, perhaps a few months, before knowing the true cause of this latest case. In the era of globalized food safety intelligence, time is of essence. Finding this confirmed case suggests that our system is working. It took just one week between the samples being
By Sylvain Charlebois taken from the animal in Alberta to the CFIA confirming the results. Back in 2003, the process took months. Such a diagnostic should be supported by readily available data on the animal’s origin, age and feeding regiment to reassure markets. Further delays will suggest that our food traceability systems are lacking. In light of South Korea’s decision, to see other countries follow suit is not impossible, particularly if the animal is younger than when the ruminant-toruminant feed ban was implemented in 2004. It is believed that feeding cattle with meat and bone meal to previously uninfected cattle causes BSE. As for consumers looking for a better deal at the meat counter, they will likely need to wait a little longer. The impact on markets was muted, given that it is considered an isolated case. Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is Professor of Food Distribution and Policy at the University of Guelph’s College of Business and Economics.
February 27, 2015
Lack of Trust in Floodway Decisions Dear Editor: The province recently concluded a public consultation for a review of operating guidelines for the Red River Floodway, Portage Diversion and Fairford Water Control Structure. The regularity and severity of flooding that landowners and communities have experienced over the last several years have taken a financial, physical and emotional toll. Several common themes were heard throughout the review process, and of particular concern was a “mistrust of government.” In fact, the review committee heard this concern so often that it ensured it was noted on several storyboards throughout the meeting rooms. The committee is focused on issues such as a lack of any requirement to notify municipalities north of the Floodway when it has gone into operation, and a perception that emergency summer operation of the Floodway mainly benefits Winnipeg. Another issue is the negative impact of flooding on water quality for people and wildlife. I anticipate the committee will make sound recommendations in its final report at the end of February, but only the government can address the issue of mistrust. The NDP must treat floodaffected farmers, cottagers and landowners fairly and stop putting out false information, such as claiming the average payment per farmer for the 2011 flood was $300,000 while documents show it was less than $70,000. The mistrust of government threatens to remain a stumbling block to the resolution of these issues, regardless of how reasonable property owners may be. Shannon Martin MLA for Morris/Conservation and Water Stewardship Critic
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Fast Facts: Small Scale Food Report is Food for Thought By Kate Storey Public demand to buy food directly from farmers is growing. In Manitoba the government response has been slow and the regulatory hurdles are discouraging. The recent release of Advancing the small scale, local food sector in Manitoba is a first step but farmers are asking if it will really make any difference. Many farmers are willing to sell a side of beef, a few dozen eggs or a bag of potatoes to their acquaintances. Indeed, farmers have been direct marketing since agriculture began. At one time, governments encouraged them in the art of safe food production and processing. For example, remember the 4-H lesson on how to properly butcher a chicken for sale. At one time, farm direct sales accounted for a significant percentage of food purchases. Many citizens knew their farmer. Then came the agribusiness revolution and farmers were encouraged to abandon their small enterprises and specialize to fill commodity markets. People became consumers and within two generations, the social link between table and farm was broken. Now, corporate grocery stores rule the food system with a massive, complicated and expensive network of middlemen who ensure a constant supply of every food imaginable, in and out of season. In order to keep this food as cheap as possible, efficiencies must be found and corners cut. Citizens have gradually noticed that, although food is plentiful, the quality and taste have changed. Occasional food recalls and stories of factory conditions have contributed to a general worry about industrial food quality. Consumers grumble and keep going to the grocery store anyway, but a growing number of citizens are seeking their food directly from farms. Some farmers are answering the demand. Direct food sales at the farmgate and farmers’ markets are expanding. Networks are developing to streamline sales; the internet and word of mouth are used. Governments jump on the bandwagon and proclaim their support for local foods, however little support is provided for small local food producers. Other farmers do not see selling food to a neighbor as marketing and cannot believe that anyone could make a living that way. They have bought into the idea that bigger is better and taken it one step further to believe that smaller is bad. This type of thinking has led to the commodity associations, which represent farmers’ also adopting the notion that small farms are inferior. These commodity associations are the lobby groups to government who advance regulations that ignore the needs of small-scale food producers and actively discourage farmgate sales and farmers’ markets. When challenged, government and commodity associations talk about food safety. A look at the regulations show that many have nothing to do with food safety and everything to do with making small farms disappear. International traceability, export protocols, food sizing, fancy packaging, double washrooms, double signatures and paved parking lots are not necessary when the farm is small and the consumer can question the farmer directly. Governments have mandated commodity associations to focus on expanding export markets with no focus on small-scale food. Small producers continued to operate until attention was drawn to these issues when a popular farm was first commended by government and then raided and fined by over a regulation technicality. The resulting public furor was loud and long. When faced with public outrage, a government’s strongest defense is to commission a report.
The people selected for the Small Scale Food Manitoba Working Group included three small-scale direct marketing farmers. Five were staff from associations representing heavy weights like Parmalat, Maple Leaf Foods and Canada’s biggest egg conglomerate, Burnbrae Farms. Chair Wayne Lees should be commended for making an extraordinary attempt to advance the small-scale local food sector in the report the group produced, Advancing the small scale, local food sector in Manitoba: a path forward. Many of the recommendations are welcome. The Report estimates about 3% of Manitoba food is sold directly from a farmer at the farmgate or farmers’ market. It then suggests that this market share could be grown to 10% by 2020. If direct marketing is seen to be in direct competition with commodity agriculture and industrial operators see 10% as the difference between profit and loss, will they be willing to give up a share of their market? One recommendation in particular has made direct marketing farmers wonder if the consultation was futile. The report recommends that small scale food producers create their own association and use it, not to lobby government, but rather to work inside the other, larger associations. Small producers are busy and do not have the capacity currently to create such an organization. The report does not offer any ideas for funding either. Furthermore, the report does not acknowledge the power imbalances inherent in these struggles for share of the agricultural market. The report recommends that associations, “Foster a diversity of production methods,” and recognize small-scale producers, “As legitimate members of the commodity group.” The report then goes on to call for, “A collaborative, inclusive context among the existing boards, small scale specialty producers, government policy analysts and consumers.” Small farmers are understandably sceptical that large associations can make these changes given the vested interest of commodity associations in the status quo. Is collaboration possible? In the past, government labelled small farms as inferior, mandated commodity associations to replace small farms in favour of export oriented industrial production system and gave them a virtual monopoly. Now the associations are being asked to embrace diversity and give up a piece of their market. Public support for small farms is strong and getting stronger. As the report points out, commodity associations “Have been granted a social license to provide a predictable supply of food to the public.” But the growing popularity of small-scale food and farmers’ markets is a sign that the public wants more. The question is what will governments do to make a real place for small-scale producers at the table? Kate Storey is a Manitoba farmer and direct marketer.
Grain Collaborators Publish New Commercial Trade Information The not-for-profit Canada-US Grain and Seed Trade Task Group recently published new information that will help commercial grain handlers and buyers understand the regulations on cross-border trade. Included are new options for commercial handlers to obtain a phytosanitary certificate for US, Canadian or commingled grain shipments to third countries loaded at elevators in either country. The website now provides four trade modules, covering US producer deliveries, Canadian producer deliveries, seed trade and the new commercial module as well as industry news updates. Although, the Canadian Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act of 2011 ended the mandatory marketing requirement for western Canadian farmers and changed several aspects of the commercial trade, including the elimination of end-use certificates international requirements still need to be met. One of the requirements is that wheat, durum, and barley are still subject to phytosanitary regulations. “US and Canadian government agencies in both countries clarified the requirements governing how phytosanitary certificates are issued for commodities transshipped through either country,” said Tyler Bjornson, Interim Executive Director of the Canadian Grains Council. “The new rules provide more transparency about the origin of grain, but they can be complex. Now grain handlers and buyers can reference the new commercial module and share their questions and comments on the website.” “This new information should answer many of the questions that commercial traders had following the open-market transition about cross-border trade opportunities in both countries,” said Gary Martin, President and Chief Executive Officer of the North American Export Grain Association. “We are very pleased to provide this kind of support that has only been possible because so many grower and industry stakeholders on both sides of the border have been willing to work together.” The information is posted on the group’s website canadausgrainandseedtrade.info.
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February 27, 2015
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Soil Moisture Mission Rockets into Next Phase A new US NASA satellite now orbiting Earth will scan land surfaces for the next three years to detect moisture held in the topmost layer of soils. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) scientists will use these soil moisture measurements to help improve our understanding of processes that affect weather and climate, and in turn, agricultural production. On January 31, NASA launched the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite from California. This mission will produce the most accurate, highest-resolution global maps of soil moisture, temperature and freeze-thaw cycles ever obtained from space. The information will be particularly useful for the agriculture sector by helping to improve weather prediction and crop productivity models, monitoring areas affected by Photo courtesy of NASA/Bill Ingalls drought or excess moisture and improving flood forecasts. “The SMAP satellite will become an important source of soil moisture data for Canada, and SMAP data will support agriculture across the country,” said Dr. Heather NcNairn, a Research Scientist with AAFC. The SMAP mission, headed by NASA, is a large-scale collaboration with scientists, governments and universities in both the US and Canada. In 2012, an AAFC team from Ottawa and Winnipeg ran a large field campaign, or validation experiment, called SMAPVEX12. “Soil and plant measurements we collected in the Portage La Prairie–Carman area of southern Manitoba were used to calibrate and validate SMAP processing models,” said Jarrett Powers, Manager, Knowledge and Technology Transfer Office, AAFC, Winnipeg. “These data are now available to scientists worldwide.” For the duration of the SMAP mission, at least three years, AAFC will provide NASA with data from AAFC’s network of nine soil-monitoring stations in Manitoba and five in Ontario installed at private farm sites. That information will be used to assess data coming from the satellite and test soil moisture mapping products. Maps from SMAP satellite data will help AAFC researchers monitor surface soil moisture conditions that affect agricultural production and update models used to predict crop yields. The new information will help Canadian producers make informed farmoperation decisions based on changing weather, water and climate conditions.
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WTO Hears M-COOL Appeal as Need to Resolve Builds By Harry Siemens On February 16 and 17 a World Trade Organization, appeal panel heard the final US appeal for the US Mandatory Country of Origin Labelling (M-COOL) and how it is in violation of American trading obligations. Manitoba Pork General Manager Andrew Dickson, who heard the appeal in Geneva, said this case is precedent setting. “Many countries are looking to protect their home markets and using regulations to do that is a bug bearer of the advocates for free trade,” Dickson said. “We all know as producers, that free trade is good for farming. It encourages markets to open up; it brings greater returns to producers and lets countries play to their greater strengths.” He said in this particular case, Canadian farmers are good at producing beef and pork and want to access those markets. The M-COOL case will lay out the ground rules or set jurisdictional precedents for how the system makes changes on trade disputes on regulatory systems. “It’s very key that we win on this case because it’ll have long term implications for other measures that other countries might be thinking of trying to put into place to protect their producers from competition from countries like Canada,” added Dickson. The WTO appeal panel will report its ruling in late April or early May and if the US loses, Canada and Mexico will be in a position to begin the process of introducing retaliatory tariffs on US imports. Dickson said that process would take some time, which may give the US an opportunity to resolve the issue before retaliatory tariffs come into effect. Governments and industry alike estimate the impact of M-COOL on the Canadian cattle and hog sectors in 2012 to be around $1.1 billion dollars per year. Karl Kynoch, the outgoing chair of Manitoba Pork said support in the US for resolution of M-COOL to avoid retaliatory tariffs is building. That is a good thing because more and more people recognize, again no one but the lawyers benefit from retaliations. Kynoch said, in discussions with US pork producers attending the Minnesota and Iowa Pork Congresses recently, the desire to resolve this issue is building. “As M-COOL gets closer to a head, the one thing in the US made very clear to us in meetings at the Minnesota and Iowa Pork Boards, the pork producers in the US want MCOOL resolved,” he said. “They’re doing what they can with their Senators, with their Congressmen, who ever they can talk to. The one thing we don’t want to get into is trade retaliation, having tariffs and duties and if we don’t get it resolved by the end of this year that could be where we’re headed.” Kynoch stated the big change in the US in light of the WTO rulings on the matter is that many of the rock solid supporters of M-COOL see the writing on the wall and recognize they need to address and resolve the issue.
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Hog Barn Expansion Receives Conditional Approval By Harry Siemens During a recent meeting between the hog industry and the Manitoba NDP government agreement was reached in a conditional approval for a limited number of new barns in the province. Andrew Dickson, the General Manager of Manitoba Pork Council (MPC) said do not look for any ribbon cutting and barn openings any time soon though. “Limited relaxation,” said Dickson after a group representing the industry met once again with government representatives. “What they are prepared to do is contemplate a pilot project, to include a limited number of barns using alternative technology to the aerobic digester. It is not wide open.” In 2008, the Manitoba government established a permanent moratorium on hog barn construction or expansion in southeastern Manitoba, the Red River Valley Special Management Area, including the Capital Region, and the Interlake, and then extended those restrictions to the entire province in mid-2011. While economic hard times hit the hog industry for several years, continuing into 2014 solid profits offered hope to producers. Yet, for the industry in Manitoba, the ban kept processors’ capacity options limited. Dickson said the project has to come through MPC for review and they will indicate to the province whether the project is in line with the provincial limitations. After the Council review, the project is submitted to the province. “Not that we are approving them, but we are supposed to review them ahead of time and then indicate to the province as to whether these things will fit in terms of being alternative technology,” he said. “My gut feeling is we will get some through that way
“Limited relaxation,” said Andrew Dickson, of MPC after a group representing the industry met once again with government representatives. “What they are prepared to do is contemplate a pilot project, to include a limited number of barns using alternative technology to the aerobic digester. It is not wide open.”
because the province is also very determined to get some through.” Dickson stated that there are two caveats that producers need to bear in
mind. The first caveat is that barn projects will need to be accepted at the local level in each community to avoid the public pushback that was seen in the 1990s. “We have to build them in places where there is suitable space as much land base so they can handle the manure in an environmentally sustainable way as laid out by province,” said Dickson. “The manure has to be injected and the application rates have to be at the phosphorous annual crop removal rate.” Dickson said there has to be two different streams of manure. First, applicators must apply the manure on arable land, in other words injected into the soil, the soils cannot have more than 60 parts per million, and government will strictly control the application rates. Regulators also wish to see the location of any new facility to be in western Manitoba with a
connection to a processing plant in some way. The province will allow for example a nitrogen rate where the applicator puts on three times the level for a particular field, but must take the field out of rotation for manure application over the number of years needed to come back to the appropriate level. He said the province does not want to see any build up of phosphorous in the soil. In fairness, most of the soils in western Manitoba are deficient, at about 17 to 18 parts per million. Dickson hopes the province will be to see some additional production eventually, especially finisher barns to increase the finishing capacity so they can start to fill the plants better. The second caveat is that investors need to be found. This may be problematic because of the history of hog production over the last several years, stated Dickson.
Double Agents... Ally and an Adversary One in five of all known life forms on earth are a beetle. From the Tiny feather-winged beetles to the giant Titan beetle, they are found on every continent and have adapted to every terrestrial and fresh water ecosystem. Beetles, known scientifically as Coleoptera, play an important role in agriculture. They recycle soil nutrients, eat live and dead plant and animal tissue, can help control weeds, and eat insect pests like aphids, slugs, and caterpillars. Their hard work leads to healthier soil, and less competition for resources like light, nutrients, and water, which results in increased crop yields and reduced pest management costs for farmers. “I do think that beetles are the coolest and most intriguing creatures around. Several fields of science, including agriculture, use beetles as a research tool,” said Dr. Patrice Bouchard, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) coleopterist. Beetles have been successfully used by AAFC scientists as biological control agents to address weed problems in crops and rangelands. Mogulones crucifer, a weevil from the beetle family for example, has recently provided much relief to rangelands in western Canada affected by Houndstongue, a weed highly toxic to livestock. Beetles are not always an ally to farmers. Invasive beetles can damage or destroy crops and trees. If not understood and managed, they can cause significant losses to the agriculture sector by feeding on plants and eating up crop yields before harvest or after harvest when grains are stored. Take the rice weevil (Sitophilus oryzae), which has been a pest of stored grain for more than 4,000 years. To help deal with this ancient pest in Canada, AAFC researchers in Manitoba discovered a new way to control it using extracts from peas. Due to increased international trade, more types of beetles not yet present in Canada are intercepted at our borders each year. Research by AAFC helps identify allies from adversaries and works to ensure our borders stay open. You can find out more about these important insects in The Book of Beetles: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred of Nature’s Gems, edited by Dr. Bouchard. “I hope that this book will generate more interest in this group of insects and lead to important scientific discoveries in the future,” he said. The book is written to appeal to professional and armchair beetle enthusiasts alike. Basic biological information is given for each beetle, along with a map showing where it is found in the world, its conservation status and information on its cultural and economic significance.
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Manitoba Wheat and Barley Growers Building a Foundation By Les Kletke Some would ask why the province needs another farm group to speak on its behalf, and Brent VanKoughnet acknowledges it is a legitimate question. “Especially in what is a mature crop,” said the Executive Director of the newly minted Manitoba Wheat and Barley Growers. “There are groups formed when a crop established itself with significant acres but these crops have been around a while.” VanKoughnet said the need for a new group came about with the changes to the CWB. “A lot of these things were handled by the CWB but now there is a need for a group to speak on behalf of wheat and barley growers and administer the check off funds that go to research and market development.” He cites the Canola Growers, and Pulse Growers groups that developed as production of the crops grew. He is most clear about what the group is not, a policy group. “We are a part of Cereals Canada and they do a good job of that and getting information from their members,” he said. “Manitoba needed a group to work with the groups in Alberta and Saskatchewan [each has separate wheat and barley organization]. Ideally we would like to see the 5 groups come together with a western Canadian approach but we need to get an organization in place that can take those steps.” The group will also form a parent organization for projects that seek funding from government programs for Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD) or the Western Grain Research Foundation. The group had its first annual meeting in Winnipeg earlier this month and attracted 150 people. The proceedings featured the election of three board members to join part of the existing ad hoc board. “That helped with the continuity, and many groups said they wished they had done that,” said VanKoughnet. “We will elect the other half next year, but this allows the Board to continue functioning without redefining all the roles and focus of the group.” VanKoughnet is confident the group will find enough issues to keep it busy while staying out of the policy arena. “We have no intent of going there, we are focused on the market development and research of these two crops,” he said. “That is the role of a producer group.”
Parasites TTopic opic for MB Sheep AGM A full agenda has been prepared for the 2015 AGM of the Manitoba Sheep Association that will be held on Saturday, March 7 in Portage La Prairie. This year’s AGM will include speakers on parasites and intensive lamb production. As well, there are 11 Resolutions to be discussed and voted upon by members. Amongst the resolutions are the Canadian Sheep Federation tag levy, association financial support, the prohibitive cost and difficulty for emergency drug release and greater accessibility to sheep medications, the number of wool depots in the province, and the US M-COOL obstruction for lamb exports. For more information contact Jennifer at mb@mbsheep.ca or call 1-204-421-9434.
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Cattlemen’s Young Leaders Announce Semi-Finalists Replacement Dairy Heifers Need Good Nutrition Many weaned dairy heifers go from eating high quality milk replacer and calf starter in a nice cozy calf barn to being kicked outside and being fed leftovers from the lactating cows. Replacement heifers fed in this way, often fail later-on to reach their full potential as milk cows. In contrast, dairy heifers raised on a good nutrition program, which promotes steady good growth have a better chance at making good milk and good profit. Such economic success is really the end-result of implementing a good heifer-feeding program from 3 months to 24 months of age in replacement dairy heifers. This program is based upon three timeless, yet simple targets: 1. Reach 540 – 600 kg at 22 - 24 months of age at 1st calving and enter the milk-line. 2. Reach 380 – 430 kg at 13.5 – 15 months of age, show strong heats and be ready for first breeding. 3. Allow for 800g of gain per day after they reach puberty until calving. To attain steady growth rates, many universities around the world have collectively advised that young replacement dairy heifers should consume a palatable diet designed with an energy level of about 65 – 69% TDN. Some extension references are more definitive and dictate a dietary metabolizable energy of 2.3 Mcal/kg, diet. These research and field trial energy values are usually based upon above freezing temperatures, when little, if any significant metabolic energy is used to keep heifers, warm. In order to make Canadian cold weather energy adjustments, we should use the guideline of: for every 1 °C drop in temperature below 0 °C, most cattle TDN energy maintenance requirements increase by about 2%. That means we should increase the above heifer energy requirements in their diet by 40 – 50% when they are braving -20 to -25 °C temperatures (with wind-chill) in an outside pen. Protein levels in the same heifer rations are not usually affected by winter temperatures. Three to six month old animals need a diet of 16 – 18% protein, while older animals from six months to breeding age need a 15 -16% diet. After dairy heifers are bred at 14 – 15 months of age, these protein levels can lowered to 13 – 14%. Finally, about three weeks before they calve, one should implement a well-balanced 16 – 17% protein transition diet with a modest energy level. Such close-up rations for replacement heifers are similar to those fed mature cows, but are still important. In addition, supplemental mineral and vitamins in the transition diet should complement the forage. Water is important too, and a clean good supply should always be provided. Luckily, sound diets for dairy heifers formulated along these nutritional parameters should not be complex. It could mean providing a good quality mixed alfalfa-grass hay and a nutritious 16% heifer grain ration fed to younger calves, or providing a TMR (total mixed ration) containing limited amounts of highenergy barley or corn silage, complimented with a grassy hay, mixed with grain and a supplemental protein source. No matter what type of diet is being fed to dairy heifers, it is equally critical as to how replacement heifer diets are fed. Here is an outline of some key points of a typical dairy heifer bunk management program: - Segregate heifers - Avoid feeding small younger animals penned with older heavier animals. Bred heifers should be segregated from un-bred ones. As pregnant heifers get closer to calving, they need their own pen and a “transition” ration. - Check feed bunks - If bunks are licked clean, it’s a good sign to feed more heifer diet, so all energy requirements are met during cold weather. Reduce the amount fed if one has lots of leftovers. - Check on your heifers – By nature, they will have a social pecking order. You should be aware of animals that don’t readily come up to the feed bunk. It is also a matter of providing enough initial bunk space and then more eating area as they get older. - Provide appropriate shelter - Replacement heifers should be able to get out of the direct wind. Wind-chill decreased by 5 °C; saves 10% in additional dietary energy used to keep warm. Extra clean bedding should be put down on a frequent basis adding insulation against cold ground. - Scrape the pens - In melting weather, occasionally clean the concrete pad adjacent to the feed bunk. It doesn’t make sense that heifers should be forced to stand in mud, melted water and manure as they are eating. A good feed/management program should be designed for dairy replacement heifers that simply meet their own brand of nutrient requirements. Raising dairy heifers in this way returns them to the dairy barn as successful 1st calf cows. Afterwards, given the best milking cow nutrition should transform them into good mature dairy cows for many lactations to come.
Two Manitobans are in the top 24 vying for the one of the 16 mentorship positions with the 2015 Cattlemen’s Young Leaders (CYL) Development Program. Breanna Anderson of Swan River and Wilco van Meijl of Brandon made the top cut out of almost 70 applicants. Open to producers between the ages of 18 and 35 the CYL Development Program provides a combination of formal and informal opportunities to learn from existing beef cattle industry leaders and other youth organizations undertaking mentorship opportunities. The program is about opportunity to explore a potential career choice or rewarding provincial/national producer organization involvement, while gaining essential business connections and learning tools along the way.
“The program continues to grow due in no small part to the quality of our graduates and their enthusiasm for the program and our industry. CYL alumni have done an excellent job promoting the program to their peers and encouraging youth to apply,” Program Coordinator Jolene Noble said. “With each year and new set of applicants, I am even more impressed with the calibre of individuals in the Canadian beef industry.” The finalists will be selected at the CYL Spring Forum, which will be held from March 26-28, 2015 in Saskatoon. After final selection, CYL candidates will be paired with a mentor for a nine-month mentorship in their area of interest. The mentors are handpicked to best suit each individual CYL and set them up for a very successful and productive year.
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Grain Market Information Depot to go Online Producers who market their crops on their own or through a broker will soon have access to reliable and timely crop and price data at their fingertips. A funding package of $742,725 will enable the wheat industry to analyze gaps in crop data and price reporting for grains and offer a web solution that provides industry with timely, accurate and transparent market information. The project is being spearheaded by the Alberta Wheat Commission with financial support being provided by the federal government. “This site will be a valuable source of market information for farmers and other industry players,” said Levi Wood, President of the Wheat Growers. “Improving the flow of information makes for more competitive markets, and will give farmers another tool to help them in their seeding and grain marketing decisions.” The Wheat Growers see the development of the website as a one-stop shop for market information, including information on grain prices, crop estimates, grain movement, stocks, domestic use and export numbers. The project will identify the crop and price data needs for all participants in the grains value chain including primary producers, elevators, processors and transporters and offer an unbiased and verifiable online source for that data. Making this data available to producers and their brokers is expected to enhance and improve the market for all participants, most specifically farmers.
When a Frost in February Can Kill By Les Kletke It is only a few hours in an airplane or two days of hard driving and yet agriculture in southwest Florida is a world away from southern Manitoba. As southwest Florida faced its first February frost in a decade, Mike Greenwell explained, “We are in peak production, a frost now would have the greatest impact on our production that is possible.” Greenwell grew up in Cape Coral, Florida and spent 10 years in the outfield for the Boston Red Sox before returning to Cape Coral and getting comfortable in another field. Today has 10 acres of vegetable production and a 300cow beef herd. His son and daughter-in-law raise horses for the barrel racing circuit and have buyers coming to visit from as far away as Australia. Greenwell explained that production stops June to August. “That time is just too hot here,” he said. “We don’t have much in the ground, though we do have the dragon fruit which is a cactus and grows year around.” The cactus originates in southeast Asia and produces a bright pink fruit that is close to a kiwi in texture.”
Mike Greenwell is at home in a tractor as he was in left field playing for the Boston Red Sox. He has 11 acres of vegetable production that peaks in February.
“We can’t get enough of them and are trying to propagate the trees with cuttings,” he said. “When the cutting is stressed it starts to root and that has worked well for us.” Greenwell was concerned about the frost that was called for in February and threatened much of the area’s crops. “We have nothing we can do; all of our irrigation is drip irrigation so we can’t mist the crops as they do in orchards. We can try to cover some of it but mostly we just hope it doesn’t get that cold.” The frost spared the area and vegetable
growth continued with a sign of relief. Greenwell’s view of the beef industry is different than most Manitoba producers as well. “Getting into the beef industry was the best thing I ever did, the returns have been better than any other enterprise.” He began building a herd of Branford cattle 6 years ago and now has 300 cows. The breed is a cross of Brahman and Hereford cattle that can withstand the extreme heat of summers in Florida and the dark skin does not sunburn.
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True Family Venture By Les Kletke “It is a business for the kids, they make the decisions and do the work,” said Michael Nesom about Townsend Farms. The Woodridge farm operated by Dawn, Michael and their children is much more than something to keep the kids busy. This southeastern farm is a mix of traditional agriculture with computer age marketing that appeals to an upscale market. Michael works in Alberta and helps with the business planning but he is very clear the four Nesom children age 11 to 17 decide on the ventures and work on the day-to-day operation. They have had good results with their pasture-raised chickens and are expanding not only the number of chicken for 2015 but also the type of fowl. Last year they sold 150 chickens so that flock is being expanded to 900. “They also have guinea fowl and Golden Turkeys as well to hit another market,” said Nesom. Their approach to production is to use heritage breeds for all species. “They are hardier and work better under the production regime we have here,” he explained. The farm raises hogs of the Large Black variety and the animals
Sophia with her registered horned dorset ram Kronos.
Hyrum (in charge of poultry production) and Reuben (in charge of pork production) testing new recipes for sausage production.
are outside except for farrowing time. “They have a barn that is used for farrowing but otherwise the hogs are outside and need to be hardy enough to handle the weather.” They have noticed the breed has some drag in litter size and might grow a bit slower than conventional varieties. “They work in this system and provide a tasty meat that consumers prefer,” said Nesom. Michael added that the slaughter of heritage breeds is the key to their revival. “You have to have a use for the animal; they won’t survive as a breed if no one is eating them. When they are slaughtered and eaten, people will raise more,” he explained. “It is something we talked about in the marketing plan of the farm.” The farm’s beef operation is based on a Belted Galloway herd, because the breed is extremely hardy. “They have long hair to protect them from the cold in winter and from the flies in summer,” he said. Again the breed has a bit of production drag and takes 30 months to get an animal to market, but the feeling is the quality of meat more than makes up for it. Currently the herd is composed of one bull, 6 females and soon they will introduce a new bull for bloodlines. “We wanted a project for the kids and this is a great one,” said
Nesom. The farm is much more than a project but rather a lesson in life. Everything is done by the rules and meat goes through government-inspected plants, the marketing is done conventionally as well as internet orders, and decisions are made by the group who then has to follow through. Even the feed inputs are considered in the overall business plan and the consumer response to GMOs. “We have a feed mill that mixes the feed to our specification and uses non-GMO crops,” said Nesom.
Annastasia and her belted Galloway bull Quark.
The Science of Hormones Whether you chose to use implants in your production model or not I think it is important for us all to understand the science behind hormones and the beef industry. Hormones are naturally occurring substances in all living things, including animals, humans, and plants. When I look up ‘growth hormone’ in my medical dictionary I find the following definition, “A substance that stimulates growth….that directly influences protein, carbohydrates, and lipid (fat) metabolism and controls rate of skeletal and visceral (any large internal organ) growth.” Hormonal growth implants can be used to promote this growth, especially in animals that are deficient in natural hormones, such as castrated bull calves. The implants, which are placed in an area not used in food production like under the skin in the ear, allow the animal to use feed nutrients better. So what does this mean? It translates into improved weight gains and a more efficient use of feed and water. This has a tremendous impact on the amount of resources used and the pounds of beef produced. Canfax statistics indicate that over a period of 30 years, Canada has slaughtered 20% fewer cattle but produced 11% more beef. These significant improvements can be attributed to improvements or changes in practices such as animal genetics, feeding management and the use of hormones. So, more beef cattle fed for a shorter period of time means less feed and water used, reduced environmental impact and more food produced for people. As well, there is a welfare component, as one of the main reasons male bull calves are castrated is to reduce aggressive behaviour and to prevent fighting and possible injury to other animals. But what about human health? All drugs and additives used in Canada’s livestock industry are approved for use by the Veterinary Drugs Directorate under Health Canada and have been reviewed for human and animal safety, and, random samples are taken from carcasses and tested for residues. Implant safety has also been reviewed by the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and they have cited no concerns regarding the use and level of hormones in beef that would pose a risk to human health. As noted earlier hormones occur naturally and are present in plants and animals, so there is no product that can claim to be hormone free. To compare hormone levels in common foods and in our own bodies refer to the following table:
Source: Adapted from Alberta Beef Producers, albertabeef.org/page/worried-about I have previously written about the importance of new markets opening up to Canadian producers, including those in Europe and Asia. All new markets provide opportunities for Manitoba producers and producers across Canada. Some Canadian producers may choose to pursue Europe as a marketing alternative, which means no added hormones. There is demand for this product and with demand, there will be supply from somewhere. In the end, the choice to use specific products or not in your operation should be based on your individual marketing goals. There are many opportunities out there for individual producers to take advantage of and I encourage all producers to understand the science behind this and other issues. Your voice matters, so whether or not you choose one form of marketing over another you can still speak for your industry using the facts. For more information on the research and science around hormones and beef production, I encourage you to visit the Beef Cattle Research Council website at beefresearch.ca or beefresearch.ca/blog/growth-promotants. Melinda German is General Manager of Manitoba Beef Producers.
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How Much Mineral Are Your Beef Cows Eating? By Peter Vitti Putting out free-choice loose mineral to nursing beef cows isn’t a particularly difficult job, but it is an essen-
tial one. It’s a recommendation that I have made for years, because we need to maintain or elevate their post-calving mineral status that helps them cycle be-
fore the start of the breeding season and conceive early within weeks of letting out the bulls. In addition, we should feed cattle mineral in proper feeders and then monitor its
consumption by cows to assure they are eating sufficient mineral. Unfortunately, many people follow the feeding directions on the mineral bag’s label, but don’t check on how much mineral their beef cows actually consume on a daily basis. In many cases, they feed too little, which could allow a possible macro- or trace-marginal deficiency to develop and could easily lead to poor pregnancy rates. Others dump in too much, where they are constantly digging out uneaten rock-hard mineral, which is wasteful. Recently, I received a call from a veterinarian near Edmonton. She said that a client; a 300 cow-calf operator phoned her and thought they had a copper deficiency in their herd. Many of their cows had shown no signs of heat a couple of months after calving and often failed to catch during the breeding season. Within a few minutes of our conversation, she said that the herd showed subtle symptoms of a copper deficiency and asked me what I thought of significantly increasing the copper levels formulated in a commercial mineral that her client was feeding. Without judgment of the copper status issue, I asked how much mineral was fed on a daily basis to this cowherd. The vet replied that she did not know. Her clients visited their cattle grazing pasture about once a week and she assumed they put out a couple of bags of commercial mineral. At the end of our conversation, I gave her the best recommendation that I knew for feeding most commercial lowsalt beef mineral: feed 50 – 100 grams (2 – 4 ounces) per head per day. For a 300 cow-calf operations: (70 g x 300 cows x
7 day)/25-kg bags = 6 bags should be provided on a weekly basis. For those people that wish to keep tract of the amount of mineral that their cattle consume on a daily basis the steps to determine cattle mineral intake are: 1. Count how many cows and estimate how much total mineral is to be fed to them. 2. Fill each mineral feeder with one bag of mineral. 3. Come back a few days later. 4. Estimate/measure the amount left in each feeder, and 5. Do the following calculations. - (7 feeders (for 300 – cows) x 25 kg mineral) – (about 1/3 mineral leftover) = 117 kg - 117 kg/300 cows/3 days = 130 g per head per day. - 4.6 ounces (divide grams by 28) per head per day. Upon review of these results, a built-in variability exists in how much mineral that cows (and growing calves) actually eat. If consumption is significantly outside the 50 – 100 grams target, it is common to mix 1/3 salt with 2/3 mineral to either increase or decrease cowherd mineral intake. Producers might also double-check the nutrition of the cows’ total diet and make sure that cattle don’t avoid or gravitate toward mineral feeders, because something is unbalanced. Regardless of type and amount of loose mineral fed, it is always a good idea to have enough mineral feeders for the whole herd. One feeding station should be set for every 30 – 50 cows. They should be placed where cattle make fre-
quent visits. Moving mineral stations closer to water sources increases mineral intake by cows, while moving feeders farther back from the water will often decrease mineral intake. I suggest that producers check mineral feeders every 3 to 4 days, while others say a weekly trip is fine. It seems to me that more visits made to mineral feeding sites by producers, the better the chances of achieving optimum mineral intake by cattle. Lastly, the actual condition of mineral feeders should be checked out on occasion. Although each mineral feeder should contain enough good quality mineral and be easily accessible to all cows, it should protect cattle mineral from water, wind and sunshine. Water dissolves many soluble trace minerals. A strong wind will easily blow away small mineral particles, while sunlight degrades its vitamin content. Well-designed feeders should also be durable to withstand cattle abuse as well as survive our weather. I believe that replacing one or two damaged mineral feeders, putting enough loose mineral in all feeders, and occasionally checking out how much minerals are being consumed; helps most post-calving beef cows meet their mineral and vitamin requirements. It supplements essential mineral and vitamins of the rest of the cows’ diet in order to get them ready for the upcoming breeding season. It’s all part of sound feeding programs, which helps fertile cows become pregnant.
Farm VVersus ersus Commercial Insurance Do you operate both a farm and a business? Do you know that you need to discuss this with your insurance broker? All policies contain limitations and one very basic one is that a farm policy covers farm property and operations while a commercial policy covers business property and operations. A farm policy will not automatically cover business exposures and property. This is not to say it can’t but you need to discuss this and make the necessary arrangements for the added exposure. Otherwise, the insurance policy may not respond at the time of a loss. A few examples of business operations are custom combining, doing business work in your farm shop, storing business use machinery in your machine shed or selling a product from your home. In any of these situations, you may find yourself without coverage. More specifically at the time of the claim, if it is discovered that the workshop is used to manufacture a product and they have not been made aware of the commercial business operation. The building insurance and all of its contents, even if it is listed on the policy, may not be covered at all. It is possible that a loss that has nothing to do with the business operations (i.e.: hail damage) could also be declined. This would mean no payment for the loss simply because you did not talk to your broker about your operations. Talk to your insurance broker about all of your activities today. Be sure to seek advice and purchase insurance from those who understand your business. Andy Anderson is an Associate Insurance Broker specializing in General, Life and Group Benefits for Farm and Business. He can be reached at 204-746-5589, F: 866-765-3351, andya@rempelinsurance.com /rempelinsurance.com / valleyfinancial.ca.
The Agri Post
Planning Ahead Can Extend Your Growing Season by Weeks By Joan Airey Now is the time to map out how you plan to plant your vegetable garden. Taking the time to record what vegetable varieties grew best from apples to zucchini is a great way to improve your vegetable garden. Big Beef hybrid tomatoes were the best producers in my garden in 2014. A neighbour started them since she had a hundred percent germination she gave me some to transplant for my own use. I found out this year that Pontiac potatoes make the best oven fries using the recipe from the Manitoba Canola Producers on the Great Tastes of Manitoba website. In the Veseys catalogue, I found a package of All Season Blend cauliflower and broccoli seeds. I started them under grow lights then moved them to the greenhouse before transplanting. This gave two families fresh cauliflower and broccoli from the beginning of July until October plus we had a few extra to share with family and friends. In 1992, Bob and Brenda Eisler decided to invest in a greenhouse at a cost of less than twenty-five hundred dollars. This gives them ripe tomatoes a month earlier than planting them in the garden and extends their growing season late into the fall. It also gives them a place to start their own bedding plants, have an early crop of lettuce, green onions and spinach for fresh salads. They replenish the soil in their greenhouse every year by adding composted manure. Besides tomatoes, they grow cucumbers and cantaloupe. The Eisler’s have built frames covered with greenhouse plastic to have early potatoes or to extend their green beans growing season into the fall. They have also built a screened frame for protecting their strawberries from chickens and chipmunks. Many varieties of lettuce can be started in the garden even when it is hot outdoors. We enjoyed a mixed package of lettuce planted in August until October 24 this year. That was the day the men spread a load of compost on the garden or we could have enjoyed fresh lettuce for a few more days. Once the sun is low enough in the south it is possible to grow lettuce and miniature herbs indoors in a planter in a south window. With last year’s bountiful carrot harvest, everyone is looking for places to store a winter’s supply of fresh carrots. One way is to dig the carrots let them dry if the ground is damp and then put them in large clear plastic bags
with several sheets of paper towel. Make sure to punch a few holes in the bags. Or you can layer them with damp peat moss in an old canner or copper boiler and store them in your cold room. These seed companies have websites full of gardening information. Veseys - veseys.com Stokes - stokesseeds.com T & T Seeds - ttseeds.com William Dam Seeds -
damseeds.com Garden Making gardenmaking.com. If you are looking for a gardening show to listen to Duayne Friesen has one on 1220 Saturday mornings at 9:15 called the Lawn and Garden Journal. Dorothy Dobbie is on CJOB 680 at eight Sunday mornings. I’m told CBC has a gardening show, which is great too, but so far I haven’t had a chance to listen to it.
Early Boy tomatoes growing in Eisler’s greenhouse in late September 2014.
Above: Cover for green beans during a frost warning.
Right: Beans with cover lifted on a warm day after a frost.
Raised Strawberry beds protected from birds by netting over rubber hose.
February 27, 2015
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February 27, 2015
The Agri Post