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The AgriPost

July 30, 2021

Let’s Work Together to Save Manitoba’s Livestock!

#DROUGHT21

See Related Articles in Section #1

Cattle Producers Forced to Make Tough Decisions

Dry pastures that yielded a lot less hay than usual can be seen in many areas of the province currently. Photo by Myriam Dyck

Cattle producer Ian Smith of Argyle Manitoba said this drought may force him to make a difficult choice but claims he is better off than most cattle producers in Manitoba. The big decision he faces is whether to reduce his herd or unload them all. When anybody 55 years and older gets out of cattle, they probably won’t come back in, and who would blame them. Submitted photos

By Harry Siemens When Ian Smith’s parents at Argyle bought the quarter section farm in 1953, it came with some dairy cattle. In the late 60’s they switched from dairy to hogs but kept some cattle with a mixture of Black Angus, Charolais and eventually Limousine. When son Ian took over the farm, he added the Shorthorn breed to keep his herd docile as calmer cattle gain more weight and are easier to work with. They are also excellent milkers and yield nice calves with the marbling of their meat that the consumers like.

Fast forward to summer 2021, and the severe drought is threatening his cattle business along with most of the livestock producers in Manitoba and many in Western Canada. Ian recently explained to a news reporter that this drought may force him to make a difficult choice but he claims he is better off than most other cattle producers in Manitoba. He has a well for his cattle in the pasture and relatively fewer mouths to feed, a little more than two dozen cows and some 200 pigs. But the future could still turn grim. For the first time, Ian has

fenced in his yard and ditches so his animals can graze around his house. He figures that should give him another month’s worth of feed. Another month takes him to the end of August and then what? The big decision he faces is whether to reduce his herd or unload them all. When anybody 55 years and older gets out of cattle, they probably won’t come back in, and who would blame them. Ian believes many neighbours will cull their herds and the sector will lose optimal genetics many ranchers have spent a lifetime cultivating.

While Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau announced Thursday some support for the hard-hit sector, he and his neighbours still feel forgotten. He has good advice for the rest of the ag industry because the only hope right now is for beef farmers and grain farmers to work together to weather the storm. He believes it will only hurt the industry in the longterm if those providing feed aim for the highest price possible. This isn’t a dog and pony show for him, but a stark reality throughout the whole Interlake and the province.

Ian believes many neighbours will cull their herds and the sector will lose optimal genetics many ranchers have spent a lifetime cultivating, maybe never to be replaced.

For the first time, Smith has fenced in his yard and ditches so his animals can graze around his house.

The AgriPost

July 30, 2021

Severe Drought Hits Cattle Sector Hard By Harry Siemens The severe drought in Manitoba and in many parts of western Canada has forced some cattle producers to sell off portions of their herd. Langruth cattle rancher Tom Teichroeb said it is tough to navigate through this. Last year 340 acres yielded over a thousand bales said Teichroeb. “This year, we’re at 283 on the same acres. It is very concerning.” Even more concerning was that by cutting hay this started several fires. He describe one day at about noon, one fire started, He was able to put it out very, quickly. However an hour later, the low-to-the-ground mower struck a rock starting another fire which was more difficult

Alfalfa field at Langruth.

to extinguish on his own. “I just pulled out because I didn’t want to take the risk of losing what was left there. So it’s serious; adding to it, grasshoppers,” said Teichroeb. In 2019 the Thanksgiving snowstorm in October added about 9 inches of water to the subsoil helping to produce a much better hay crop in 2020 although still below average at 900 bales. Today there is no reserve making it very difficult and the crops planted this year, grain, feed, hay and pasture are not growing he said. While scouting the corn, which is drought tolerant and a good feed source he described the crop as “burning up”. “We’ll have to source feed elsewhere and different types of feeds to somehow push ourselves through. I’m not exactly sure how we’ll pull that off, even without some culling plan here to reduce our numbers. And we certainly do not want to go that way,” he said. Even if hay and feed are available elsewhere rather than hauling to his farm, he said that moving his cows to a feed source is often fiscally more responsible. However,

Several images showing alfalfa, greenfeed and cover crops give a perspective of what the drought conditions looks like compared to before. Above is the same place. The green image (right) was taken on June 2 and the dried-up pasture (left) on July 12, 2021. Photos supplied by Lee Wirgau at Narcisse, MB

even that option of getting winter feed somewhere else and paying somebody to pasture his herd is slim with the drought and heat devastating crops and pastures across western Canada. The other option of culling the herd is indeed happening with livestock auction markets holding sales throughout the summer, which is something that rarely happens he said. Cattle producers requested the summer auctions so that farmers can at least cull some of their herd. “They’re looking for a place for them right now,” said Teichroeb. He said the need to reduce herd size for more producers is conjuring up images

of BSE in 2003. However, the most frustrating thing for people who love this industry for a lifetime is leaving the industry altogether. “I’m a producer. At 54, I certainly do not plan to exit the industry. And even this year, if we have to cull, I don’t think it would have to be at an extreme level, but for some producers, it is.” For those producers his age and younger they are barely managing debt during good times, then when forced to cull at an inopportune time at lower prices it becomes tough to imagine that those producers would be able to come back and would want to come back to cattle. “We do not want to see

that,” stressed Teichroeb. While difficult to say what prices farmers will get for selling off cattle over the summer and fall, it has become a buyers’ market and definitely at a reduced rate he noted. There are examples of cattle producers preparing to exit the cattle industry and most likely will never be back. He recalled one farmer located 30 miles north of Winnipeg who said, “I think this will be my last year in cattle. I sold six head last week to test the market, and it has already dropped by 15 per cent.” “But you can only navigate through something like this for so long, and sooner

or later, for those of us in the industry, regardless of what your equity position is or isn’t if your business does not generate profit, there is no use in expiring what you already have,” summed up Teichroeb.

Greenfeed and cover crop. Submitted photos

Cattle Farmers Begin Selling Herd By Les Kletke Steve Pearson’s plan is to sell some of his calves early to save his cow herd for next year. Pearson runs a 300cow herd near Melita and said that this year’s drought has him marketing his calves earlier than usual. “We don’t have enough grass to go around, and I can’t make any money feed-

ing the calves so they will go to market two months earlier than usual,” he said allowing him to maintain his cow herd for next year, when hopefully feed is more plentiful. “We knew going into spring that things were dry,” he said. “We needed at least average precipitation to have enough grass but with

the little bit of precipitation we have had that did not happen and so the calves are going to town early, and I am hoping to maintain the cows.” He said even the cows are suffering from a lack of grass which translates to more feed and cost over the winter months. “I would like to see the cows put on

more weight than they have at this time and that is not going to be good going into fall,” said Pearson. “That is not the case and even if we get some rain now and the pastures come back it is not the same as when they are grazing in June and July.” He is hopeful that he will be able to maintain the herd of mainly Angus cows he

has built up. “Everything is dry and we will likely get enough snow to recharge the watering holes but we need significant moisture for the ground water to come back, this is two years of drawing down on it and it is like a bank account, it needs some deposits as well.” Pearson knows that there are other producers plan-

ning the same strategy and that could hold down the prices. “I will be selling calves lighter than usual because of the early marketing and I might be looking at lower prices because more of them are coming to the market early,” said Pearson. “We need rain, it is too late for this year but we need it for next year.”

The AgriPost

Help Save the Manitoba Cowherd By Harry Siemens “Calling on all our crop friends out there! The cowherd in Manitoba is in jeopardy. Let’s work together and find some feed sources. We will need to harvest these critical feed sources in the next few months,” said Andre Steppler of Miami on a FaceBook podcast who manages with his family the largest active registered Purebred Charolais herd in Manitoba. He said that the goal is to get the message out for everybody to know there is a crisis. The first step is to let everyone know what the issues are. Steppler said that because of COVID restrictions, many farmers have not travelled far into other parts of the province to see the devastation of feed and grain crops. “It is about getting that message, “Hey, look, we’re in trouble. We’ve got to save this cowherd.” The other message is about bringing together community and that resonates with many people. “Hopefully, we can get enough people putting pressure at the right places to come up with some innovative solutions. So that’s the second goal now, is to get some action out of it.” Steppler said. “It’s vital to have access to the grain crops at the right time. There is a short window to take advantage of a deteriorating crop, especially silage, which needs moisture to be of value for feed,” he noted. “One example had a custom cutter approaching a grain farmer with 1,200 acres of oats adjusted by Manitoba Crop Insurance at 15 bushels an acre. The owner decided to take a risk and wait for one more rain. Unfortunately, it didn’t rain, and ten days later, the same

custom cutter checked it, and it was already too dry.” Now this farmer is looking at discing the crop or leaving it until harvest to take what he can get, but the opportunity to turn it into silage disappeared. Steppler stressed that time is the number one factor and every crop will time out at different stages of this summer. “We need people who will allow Crop Insurance to write off their crops and giving some incentives to the grain farmers to allow cattle guys to come in.” Cattle producers, always remember that it is a grain operation and one of the field considerations is the need for stubble to catch snow in the fall, keep field nutrients, and timing is critical. Access to the crop at the right time with an incentive for the grain farmer is need he said. For Steppler he sees the Miami area as important since there is a lot of corn however crop insurance does not like writing off corn until October. But by that time, it is too dry. “And especially in a year like this, we need crop insurance to be innovative and forward-thinking, to get out there in August in saying what is viable and what is not?” It may cost the program some extra money, but cattle producers can feed many cows by accessing that crop on time. “I think we missed the boat on a lot of these cereals. It’s the corn crop that is in trouble, and we need to have access to that one, for sure.” Next on his list is getting silage and straw bales to cows with a program that allows it to be simple, easy, and affordable. “We all know what a program will do for surrounding rates, and we have to make that realistic for the cattle guy to be able to get

that hay and feed to those cows.” Steppler plans to wean his calves and evaluate the cow herd before the auction decision is made. He said that he is also assessing crops, budgeting feed needs and making some crop storage decisions to safeguard for their own use. “We have the luxury that we have both sides, so that’s something we’re going to take advantage of probably.” The next decision is assessing the length and extending the grazing period. The

longer Steppler can keep the herd out in their natural environment, grazing land, the better the bottom line. Most of their crop acres have fences but he expects to run out of grass, between August 10 to the 15. At that time cows are weaned and clean up of the cropping fields occurs to extend grazing by a month. He said that maybe it rains generating some regrowth by September on pastures and grain land. He said just the ability to access any regrowth could be a saving grace for his herd.

Andre Steppler who farms near Miami shared images of his herd on dry pastures and the farm’s dried out crop.

Dried out crops near Miami, Manitoba.

Dugout is almost empty.

Photos submitted by Andre Steppler

July 30, 2021

FCC Offers Support for Western Producers Impacted by Drought Farm Credit Canada (FCC) is offering a customer support program to farmers and ranchers across western Canada who are facing production challenges due to adverse growing conditions. Many parts of western Canada have not received any significant rainfall through the spring and summer months. Extreme heat and dry weather have already reduced the potential yield of many crops. The unfavourable weather has also stifled pastures and hay production in many areas. “We are watching the weather situation very closely and are talking to customers daily,” said Michael Hoffort, FCC President and CEO. “We already know that several ranchers are feeling the impact, while grain and oilseed producers are watching their crops deteriorate in the fields,” he said. “If these conditions persist, many operations could face cash flow challenges, so we want our customers to know we’re ready to support them and find solutions.” “Our customers work hard to grow high-quality food for consumers at home and abroad, so they deserve our support when facing circumstances beyond their control,” Hoffort added. FCC said it will work with customers to come up with solutions for their operations and will consider additional short term credit options, deferral of principal payments and/or other loan payment schedule amendments to reduce financial pressures on those impacted by unfavourable weather. “Producers across western Canada are doing their best during difficult circumstances. Our government is working very closely with FCC, provincial partners and stakeholders to respond as quickly as possible to the drought in western Canada,” said Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “During these challenging times, Farm Credit Canada is rolling out their customer support program to help farmers with solutions that address their unique financial challenges.” Customers in western Canada are encouraged to contact their FCC relationship manager sooner rather than later to allow for the most flexibility in discussing options available to them. Customers can do this by contacting their local office or the FCC Customer Service Centre at 1-888-332-3301.

The AgriPost

July 30, 2021

Bee Vaxxed!

Read the AgriPost Online www.agripost.ca

Did you get the Jab? One shot or two? Brand X or brand Y? Maybe a little bit of both, kind of a tank mix? Or are you, perhaps, an objector? But here’s the real question: what about vaccinating the bees? How would they get the needle in a bee’s arm? Those who aren’t in the business wouldn’t give it a second thought. But vaxxing one’s bees is an actual thing, or at least it looks like it will be, if it isn’t already. Just like other animals, and people, bees pick up all sorts of pathogens out there that try to kill them. Forager bees encounter nasty things all the time as they’re going about their business, and then bring them back to the hive. That causes all sorts of problems, particularly

for baby bees, whose immune systems haven’t been overly tested yet. For the longest time scientists didn’t really know how it worked, but some kind of natural vaccination was always taking place in the hives. In 2015, researchers finally cracked the code. The key lay in a bee blood protein called “vitellogenin.” Its transmission resembles how they get the Caramilk inside the proverbial Caramilk bar. Worker bees make a special “royal jelly” just for the queen. It contains, among other things, all the nasty stuff from the outside world, which is digested and transferred to the bee’s equivalent of a liver. Pieces of bacteria then get bound to vitellogenin proteins and carried through the blood to developing eggs. This is

how they get naturally vaccinated before they’re even born. Pretty cool. The discovery was a breakthrough that led to the production of man-made vaccines which the bees eat (so no need for needles) and then pass on to their offspring the same way. In 2018 it was announced that one such vaccine had been developed against the deadly American foulbrood disease. Here’s how it happens. They give an edible sugar patty to a queen bee that delivers a vaccine dose of between 10 to 15 grams over the course of a week. It was done as a “proof of concept” experiment to see if it was actually possible to vaccinate bees against microbes. And it worked. It triggered antibody production in the queen’s offspring.

Penner’s Points

Fast forward to February of this year. A By Rolf company called Da- Penner lan Animal Health, using research that originated in Finland, applied for a US patent for preventing Nature Food, and the comAmerican foulbrood dis- pany website has a waiting ease in honeybees by orally list for orders. administering a vaccine to They’re also working on the queen bee. They now duplicating these results to have a go-ahead from the protect against other insecUS Department of Agricul- ticides. ture to pursue a conditional Most of us either take approval process for this bees for granted, if we even vaccine. They hope it will notice them at all. Yet they be commercially available play an important role in in the near future. our world, pollinating more Another interesting can- than 80% of all plant spedidate, falling under the cies. It’s nice to see that trade name Beemmunity, we’re figuring out ways to appears to have developed make their lives a little easa vaccine that protects bees ier. Vaccines have been a against the popular insec- boon to humanity and liveticide Malathion. The re- stock industries alike. It’s search paper it’s based on only fair that bees now get can be found at the journal their turn.

A Plea to the Ag Industry Brings the Ag Community Together to make. However, with cattle farmers out of feed and things looking bleaker to get more feed, what happens next February when temperatures drop to -35 °C and there is no feed? With the severity of the This is why the efforts by drought in Manitoba and Andre Steppler, a cattle proparts of western Canada, ducer at Miami are so vital, mental health is a huge factor plus responses equally cruthat can sidetrack a farmer if cial in building community not careful. and extend the helping hand. It is one thing to be out of At the time of this writfeed now and to scramble to ing, cattle producers in more make decisions that farm- northern areas of Manitoba ers would not usually have are already out of feed and how many grain farmers responded, indicating they’re willing to participate in this together. “It’s amazing how my FB Messenger app lit up from two groups of conversations. I couldn’t believe how many grain farmers reached out saying, ‘Hey, look, I got 1,200 acres. I got another thousand.’” My response when Grain farmers helping feed hungry cattle. Andre shared that If YOU have a resource that a cattle producer can use, please reach out to them with me, was, “Wow, and see if they need forage or feed to get Wow!” through the winter. Photo by Myriam Dyck “It’s amazing how

many guys were saying; I got, I got, I got. It’s amazing how many guys were sending me letters that they’re sending into government, Manitoba Crop Insurance, Manitoba Agriculture saying, ‘Look, we are grain guys and want to help out. Let’s get our act together.’ The other side, unfortunately, had cattle producers saying, ‘I’m in trouble. My cows are gone. I’m out of it.’ With the age of our cattle farmers; ranchers are too old. They will not come back.” This is a huge part of the Manitoba economy in trouble. Okay, these cows hit the market now. Cattle producers are going to have tax implications, and government needs to look at some tax deferrals. It’s not fair for these farmers forced to get out, so that’s another issue. Once the cows leave, it will affect that whole cycle for five years before the industry can replace them. And that’s going to drastically decrease the amount of Manitoba income and western Canada incomes in rural areas. The cattle industry saw it with BSE. “We know what

is facing us how detrimental it is to everybody, and we got to come up with these solutions now to keep those cows here because it’s not this year’s issue anymore. It is a five-to-10-year issue, and I hope people are thinking about that when they’re making these decisions,” said Andre. Andre cautioned cattle producers to be smart about it, starting with culling their cows. Step two is getting the calves off the cows. And then, step three is looking at older cows. Priority is to keep the four to five-year-old and the bred heifers. Those are the core group of cows that we got to keep going because that’s the life in the industry, right there he explained to me. Another effect is there won’t be any heifer retention. So all those producers will lose their work or genetic progress for the year, which is awful. But again, if you’re going to be feeding a mouth, feed something that’s pregnant, that can carry your farm forward he said. You’re exactly right. We’ve got to do this orderly.

When Andre put out his first video, it was to reach out to all the grain farmers saying the cow herd is in jeopardy in Manitoba for this winter; just to find feed or the access to feed. His message was, “So I do want to ask all our friends and fellow people in the agricultural community that if you do have a resource that a cattle producer can use, please reach out to them and see if they do need some forage or feed to go through the winter.” He reemphasized what it’s going to cost cattle ranchers to hold those cows over to next year in order to get to that next season. So then that’s a key piece to making sure that we’re successful in developing programs for you to get enough feed sources. “Please, if you guys can do those simple steps as we start going through this process, I know there’s going to be more coming as we go forward, but that’s somewhere where we can start. Thanks for now. Look after yourself. If anybody wants to connect, feel free to do,” said Andre in his plea to the farming community.

The AgriPost

July 30, 2021

COVID-19 and Relief Coming to Manitoba Producers International Workers Affected by Drought Producers in Manitoba facing severe drought conditions can expect relief with several initiatives announced by federal Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau and Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development Minister Ralph Eichler. “Our government is working around the clock with the provinces to help farm families coping with extreme weather conditions exacerbated by climate change,” said Bibeau. “The support through the Hay Disaster Benefit is one way we are helping Manitoba producers, who are under tremendous stress, to get through this crisis and toward a sustainable future.” The first of the initiatives, available through Manitoba Agricultural Services Cor-

poration’s (MASC) Hay Disaster Benefit, will provide an additional $44/tonne (for every tonne below coverage) to insured forage producers to help offset the additional cost of replacement feed and transportation due to the severe shortage of forage throughout the province. The benefit was last triggered in 2019 when over $5 million was paid on close to 1,200 claims. Typically, the determination of payments for this benefit would not be made until January, once the majority of claim and harvested production report data is processed. “We recognize that this has been an extremely difficult year for many producers with the lack of precipitation and extreme heat,” said Eichler. “With pastures drying up and minimal sources of feed for livestock, it’s

important to give producers the resources they need to secure feed to maintain their herds. All livestock producers play a critical role in our food supply and provincial economy, we’re proud to support them with early release of this benefit.” MASC is also applying a quality adjustment factor to appraisals on crops that are being put to alternate use under the AgriInsurance program. A 60 per cent adjustment factor to in-field appraisals will be applied on small grain cereal crops (all varieties of wheat, oats, fall rye, barley, and triticale). Reducing the appraisal of claims by 40 per cent reflects the expected reduction in quality resulting from the drought conditions. The full yield appraisal will be used to calculate future coverage, which provides producers

who repurpose their crops for livestock feed an added benefit. This reduction will apply retroactively to producers who have already put their cereal crop to an alternate use this year. Under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, AgriInsurance premiums for most programs are shared 40 per cent by participating producers, 36 per cent by the Government of Canada and 24 per cent by the Manitoba government. Administrative expenses are paid 60 per cent by Canada and 40 per cent by Manitoba. Discussions are also underway to expedite the completion of the AgriRecovery Assessment process and the implementation of a Livestock Tax Deferral to assist impacted livestock producers.

Happy New Year

Somehow the first of August equates to a New Year on the farm. The concept was no doubt strengthened in the days of the Canadian Wheat Board when the new permit book would go into effect. I remember a few occasions cutting the barley early in hopes of having it dry enough to combine the last days of July and get it into the ‘old permit’ book. That was time that quotas were usually wide open at the end of the

old year and the new year meant restrictions on the amount of grain that could be delivered. While I am sure there are a few old timers that still remember a thing called a permit book and the issue of where to store it – at your elevator or at home, for the most part the generation that is operating the farms of today views talk of permit books as about as relevant as threshing machines and walk behind plows. That was one of the reasons August 1 marked a new year, but along with that came the cleaning out of grain bins in the days before hoppers. Younger readers who are still with us at this point will

roll their eyes to think that there were days that grain was stored in small wooden rectangular buildings. My father had farmed through the drought of the 1930s and believed that you kept enough grain in the bin until you were sure you had seed for next year. It was not just a saying, some years they did not get the seed back and had to rely on grain from a previous year. So the hottest days at the end of July were often spent cleaning the last grain out of the corners of the bin, but you could not do that when you were hauling the almost last grain to town earlier in the summer. I did not understand it but I had not farmed

in the 1930s. So that was what was done. We are in a drought and starting a new year, things have changed. We no longer save grain from last year’s crop for seed, there is no longer a Canadian Wheat Board but have things really changed? What was a promising crop a few months ago has taken a drop in potential; the high prices in the market won’t matter much if it is a small crop. Farmers still rely on the weather despite all the tools that have come to the game. My Dad would have been 121 on August 1 and he saw a lot of changes in the business of farming but so much of it is still the same.

KAP Welcomes New Agriculture Minister Dear Editor: Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) congratulates Ralph Eichler on his appointment to cabinet as Minister of Agriculture and Resource Development. We look forward to working with him to grow Manitoba’s agricultural industry. KAP would also like to acknowledge the contributions of Blaine Pedersen, outgoing Minister of Agriculture and Resource Development. As a producer and advocate, MLA and cabinet minister, we have appreciated Minister Pedersen’s passion and engagement and wish him the best. Bill Campbell President, Keystone Agricultural Producers

Dear Editor: Despite some reports, producers in Manitoba are not blocking international workers from getting vaccinated. We value them and the contributions they make to our farms and communities. It is an understatement to suggest that keeping international workers healthy and safe is critical to the success of Manitoba’s agricultural industry. As a beekeeper, I rely on workers from Nicaragua and the Philippines to manage bees and harvest honey. They are like family, and the experience and skill they bring is irreplaceable. Similarly, producers across sectors rely on international workers as a significant part of their workforce. No matter the commodity, international workers are vital. I have been troubled to hear reports that some producers are not doing all they can to help international workers get vaccinated for COVID-19. On my farm near Fisher Branch, international workers are quarantined upon arrival and must test negative for COVID19 three times before proceeding. Then, we bring them to a pop-up clinic to receive their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Some variation of this process is occurring on farms throughout Manitoba. Doing everything we can to protect these essential workers is the right thing to do. That is the primary reason for taking the steps necessary to ensure access to vaccines. It is also in a producer’s best economic interest. If an employee becomes sick, this can shut down a farm for weeks, resulting in severe financial impacts. Dr. Joss Reimer, medical lead for Manitoba’s Vaccine Implementation Task Force, has been clear that it has been rare to find incidents where employers were not taking the steps necessary to make vaccines available to employees. Nevertheless, one case is too many. The agriculture industry must ensure that all international workers know that they have a right to get a COVID19 vaccine and how they can access the distribution process. Keystone Agricultural Producers is working with the provincial government, providing COVID-19 and vaccine-related information in primary languages like German, Spanish and Tagalog. This will help break down the language barriers that may exist. On-farm pop-up clinics are another way to ensure that every international worker is vaccinated before they return home this fall. Producers do not take international workers for granted. They are not just employees; in many cases, they are friends and like family. We also understand their importance to the financial viability of every part of Manitoba’s agricultural industry. Paul Gregory Fisher Branch, MB. Director, District 10 Keystone Agricultural Producers

The AgriPost

July 30, 2021

Programs for Livestock Producers Managing Water During Dry Conditions Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development is reminding agricultural producers affected by dry conditions of the programs and services available to livestock producers. To date, low levels of precipitation and soil moisture have slowed the growth of pastures and forage crops and reduced water levels in dugouts in parts of Manitoba. Livestock Producers Tools and resources for producers to manage the water supply for their livestock include the Funding for Management of Surface and Ground Water Sources for Livestock on Pasture, Canadian Agricultural Partnership funding provided through the Managing Livestock Access to Riparian Areas beneficial management practice (BMP) under Ag Action Manitoba, Assurance. Eligible items include: - Water source development, constructing new or rehabilitating existing wells or dugouts; - Solar, wind or grid-pow-

ered alternative watering systems; - Permanent fencing to restrict livestock access to surface water and dugouts; and - Permanent pipeline development. Applications for the next intake will be received until September 1. Details on the BMP are available at gov. mb.ca/agriculture/canadianagricultural-partnership. Well and Groundwater Resources The Constructing and Sealing Water Wells in Manitoba guide provides information to private well owners on who can construct or seal a well, standards for well construction and information on well maintenance. The guide provides information when a permit, such as water use licence is needed and information on what needs to be reported to the Water Branch. It also outlines the well owner’s responsibilities after the well is constructed. To view the guide, visit gov.mb.ca/water/pubs/wa-

ter/groundwater. The Manitoba Well Aware booklet provides information on groundwater, water wells, water quality and waterwell maintenance and can be viewed at gov.mb.ca/sd/ pubs/water/well_aware. The Water Branch can provide information on your current well if available and what the expectations might be for constructing a new well. Email your contact information, the legal land location and the information you are looking for such as existing well information or groundwater potential to groundwater@ gov.mb.ca. Feedback provided may include aquifer depths, potential pumping rate, and if available the water quality in the area. Watershed Districts Manitoba’s 14 Watershed Districts offer agriculture producers a variety of locally developed land and water stewardship programs to protect and improve watershed health. During dry conditions

To date in 2021, low levels of precipitation and soil moisture have slowed the growth of pastures and forage crops and reduced water levels in dugouts in parts of Manitoba. Photo by Myriam Dyck

and where there are watershed health benefits, some districts provide incentive programs to assist producers with the development of livestock watering systems, water supply, pasture pipelines and riparian area fencing. Watershed Districts also assist producers with accessing funding for habitat protection, soil conservation, land restoration and water management projects through the GROW and Ag

Action programs. More information on Manitoba’s Watershed Districts can be found at manitobawatersheds.ca. More information on Manitoba’s GROW (Growing Outcomes in Watersheds) program can be found at gov.mb.ca/water/ watershed/grow. Producers can visit the Managing Dry Conditions section of the department website for information on managing dugouts and wa-

ter quality at gov.mb.ca/agriculture/dry. They will also find timely information about grazing practices and alternative strategies for sourcing feed during dry conditions. Producers can contact their local ARD and MASC Service Centre, or call 1-84-GROW-MB-AG (1844-769-6224) for more information on any of these programs and services, or go to gov.mb.ca/agriculture under Quick Links.

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Crop Twitter Survey of Western Canadian Farmers Results in Mixed Expectations By Harry Siemens A twitter survey of farmers in Canada and the US, in early July with emphasis on western Canada resulted in mixed expectations for this year’s crop harvest. For some farmers the dryer weather improved crop conditions. For others, the heat is hurting crops. Dane Froese, the oilseeds specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, said the heat negatively impacted maturation, moving crops to an earlier maturing stage and stressing crops at a critical time of flowering and reproductive development. However, there are several bright spots in Manitoba. Jeff Elliott at Grandview in western Manitoba said for the most part they still have the potential for an average to above-average crops in the majority of fields. “Rain will be welcome of course. Fungicide season is just beginning with wheat heading and canola flowering in the early stages. Peas in the area are receiving fungicide applications now.” Brian Kennedy with Alberta Cereals said crops on dry land in southern Alberta may not come back very well and the rest of the province is at the wait and see stage right now. “Modern varieties and farming practices always seem to surprise positively. Send rain,” he said. Rob Stone at Davidson, in southern Alberta said he was hoping to cover barley, wheat, and canola contracts while lentils are looking okay but everything else is not. Vicki Dutton in Saskatchewan said, “We missed all the June showers; those in this area that received showers in later June are looking much better. It’s a lottery.” Ken Foster of Arborg said it is really dry. The hay crop is very short, and pastures are hurting. Grasshoppers are a real problem. Cereals are heading out but very short. “If we could get rain soon, I think canola and beans could be okay. But, unfortunately, rains come in small amounts and spotty.” In a tweet from JL Seeds, Jamie and Lindsey Hodson at Woodworth said things look, “Ok. Rains are hitting and

Jeff Elliott at Grandview in western Manitoba described his crop prospects as not a bin buster but there is profit-earning potential. “It’s in mother nature’s hands now.” Submitted photos

missing lately. Early seeded cereals faring better. Canola is all over the map. Peas are looking decent, soybeans up in the ‘air’ dependant on July rains. We can’t complain, though. Wishing for showers where needed.” Eldon Klippenstein near Altona said crops look good for the most part. “I would be thankful for the rain, but at the end of the day, I’m praying for a good crop.” On July 3, the Altona area did receive significant rain. Eddy Vanderveen of Rapid City said crops are average or above. “Cereals and peas are looking good, canola doesn’t know what to do, but some fields are catching up. As always, a bit of rain wouldn’t hurt. Canola is bolting out first flowers.” Philip Shaw at Dresden, ON tweeted that “Waterlogged would be a good word. Gotta get the tap shut off; crops don’t like wet feet.” Chance 2 Farm Ltd. at Minitonas, had no idea where it is finding moisture to look as good as it does and has some optimism still that it will be a good crop. “Wheat was wet [dew] again this morning,

so that that fungicide will be going on tonight.” It is his second go-around, hence the company name, Chance 2 Farm. “I farm in the northern extremity of Manitoba. Crops include wheat, barley, oats, canola and soybeans.” Gilbert Sabourin at St. JeanBaptiste said, “At my farm the top yield potential was probably a week ago, every day we go without rain from now on, the yield potential is on a downward spiral!”

Derek Bain’s SW Alberta canola.

In a tweet from JL Seeds, Jamie and Lindsey Hodson at Woodworth said crops are looking okay even though rains are missing lately. Their early seeded cereals are faring better. Canola crop is all over the map, peas are decent, soybeans up in the ‘air’ and are dependent on July rains.

Row crop beans west of Winnipeg will need some moisture soon.

July 30, 2021

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Farm Organizations Urge Swift Support for a Drought-Stricken Industry In light of the devastating drought and its impact on cattle and grain farmers across the country, both the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) and the Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) thanked Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food for invoking the late participation provision for AgriStability. The announcement was made recently during the Minister’s tour of hard-hit areas in Manitoba. “Our Government is working closely with our provincial partners to respond on a rapid basis to the evolving drought situation in western Canada. I am here to listen and help those farm families hard hit by this extreme weather. Our Government is taking action to help them through the challenges we face today and ensure they are supported for a sustainable future,” said Minister Bibeau after meeting with drought-impacted farmers in Manitoba’s Interlake Region to see first-hand how drought conditions are creating crop losses, affecting crop quality, and reducing forage and water supplies available to livestock. As a result of the announce-

ment, livestock tax deferrals are being implemented by the Federal government. The tax deferral provision for livestock producers covers parts of BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario. Producers who have to sell at least 15 per cent of their breeding herd will be eligible to defer a portion of their income to 2022. Farmers and ranchers who have not yet enrolled in AgriStability can still access program support, provided the provinces invoke the late participation provision, which remains a critical measure to support Canada’s grain farmers. However, farmers will still not feel the full effects of these measures until the compensation rate for the program is increased from 70 to 80 per cent, a move which will rely on cost-sharing with the individual provinces and territories. At the press conference Minister Bibeau repeated the Government of Canada’s offer to raise the AgriStability compensation rate from 70% to 80% and urged Prairie governments to match it. GGC reiterated that while the provinces do face unique fiscal challenges, an invest-

ment in agriculture is more than worth it to support rural communities and the food security of all Canadians. “This is a time where we must come together,” Harpe added. “We need everyone at the table to avoid playing politics and act quickly to provide an actionable and accessible support system for farmers.” “Canadian farmers and ranchers are facing one of the most severe, widespread droughts and one of the largest feed supply shortages that they have experienced in decades. We appreciate Minister Bibeau and the federal government taking the time to visit one of the hardest hit areas of the drought and subsequently taking swift action to support farm families. We will continue to work with the Minister, the provinces and impacted stakeholders to seek further necessary supports for beef farmers and ranchers,” said Reg Schellenberg, Vice-President, CCA. The original proposal to increase AgriStability’s compensation rate was discussed during the 2020 Federal, Provincial and Territorial Agriculture Ministers’ Meeting.

Unique Projects to Foodgrains Fund Raising By Elmer Heinrichs Most Foodgrains Bank growing projects in Manitoba raise financial support by growing and selling plant crops, but Manitoba representative Gordon Janzen said they have two somewhat unique projects as well. The Rock Solid project near Stonewall has diversified into beef production. Nick Matheson and his father Bill have close to 100 Hereford Simmental in their herd, and wondered how they could incorporate beef cattle into a Foodgrains project. Wayne Johnson of Tearfund heard of Nick’s interest, and an arrangement was made for two heifer cows to be purchased for the project. Nick’s contribution is to care for and feed the project calves as part of his herd. Any proceeds from the two project cows will go to the Tearfund account at Canadian Foodgrains Bank. The

first two calves are expected to be sold later this year. The Scratching River Growing project is also trying something new this year. For many years the growing project near Rosenort has supported the Foodgrains Bank by growing cereal grain crops. Last year members of the project applied to the province of Manitoba to grow a forage crop on 7 acres of previously cultivated “borrow pit” land. They were granted the rights to grow a crop on this land that is reserved in case it is needed to build up the riverside dike. “One of the goals of this project is to help improve the soil,” noted project coordinator Garret Hamm. “We would like to re-establish productive grassland on a permanent or rotational basis with mixed perennial forage crops.” In spring, community members planted a mix for-

age blend donated by Imperial Seeds and Friesen Seeds. The blend, a 65-35 per cent mix of alfalfa and forage grasses, with a cover crop of oats is helping to manage weeds and provide a hay crop the first year. The project area is next to the Morris River (Scratching River), an area that has been severely affected by flooding in the past. By re-establishing productive grasslands, the project anticipates improved soil quality and health, reduced nutrient and water run-off, plus increased biodiversity and carbon sequestration. Despite the dry season, the crop has emerged well. The first cut of the oats cover crop was completed on July 8, and is being baled for feed and offered by donation, with the proceeds going towards land rental for the larger, more traditional Foodgrains projects in the future.

July 30, 2021

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July 30, 2021

Manitoba U-Pick Fruit and Vegetables Ready for Consumers

By Elmer Heinrichs Manitoba U-Pick gardens and market gardens are busy providing to consumers who like to indulge in the bounty of the Manitoba summer season with fresh produce. Today, Manitoba grows over 120 varieties of vegetables for local consumption but also for export markets in the US, Asia, Europe and Latin America. Growers have found a positive response from Manitobans who are ready and eager to buy. The vegetables and fruit ready changes through the season as asparagus, potatoes, raspberries, cantaloupe, honeydews and watermelons as they mature in June, July or August. Waldo Thiessen, spokesperson for the Prairie Fruit Growers Association (PFGA), said “The strawberry crop this year ranges from excellent for a few, to quite poor for others.” Recent sunshine and warm temperatures have really pushed growth of strawberries, saskatoons and raspberries. ” Firstpick strawberries are all but done, and raspberry picking is in full swing,” said Thiessen. Thiessen, who operates Berry Hill Farm, said, “Our first crop of strawberries are done, and we

have some raspberries available on a U-pick or we’ll pick basis.” Dalen Goossen grows almost an acre of raspberries near Gretna and picking started in mid-July. Fruit is available on a U-pick basis or purchase by the pint. Frost, he said, seems to have damaged his saskatoons and he doesn’t expect to sell any this year. New growers, Tim and Amanda Braun, at Rosetown, have planted strawberries and hope to have about a quarter of an acre ready for picking next year. Of course it is nice to fill the refrigerator with fresh produce for good daily eats and special desserts. It looks like it is time now, to stock up on fresh fruit and vegetables for out-of-hand eats. Some consumers may be checking their pantries and freezers as well in time to replenish. A trip over to a U-pick, farm or market may only be a few miles away. In addition to the availability, an added incentive for consumers is avoiding the high cost of store fruit and vegetables, and receiving additional value in fresh, tasty and delicious local produce. If you do not have time to pick your own, fresh fruit and vegetables are also available at farmers’ markets in most communities.

Mother Nature Can Help Squeeze a Bit More Out of Soybean Potential

By Les Kletke

“Look at them beans” is a title track from an album Johnny Cash released in 1975 but it could be a song that more than a few of the province’s farmers could be singing this fall. The province’s soybean crop has handled the hot dry conditions of June and July better than most crops. Soybean acreage across the province has increased dramatically in the past decade and the crop has proven itself through more than a few challenges. Agronomist Don Lepine says that the soybean crop has changed a lot since it was tried decades ago. “Breeding programs have changed the plant, and there has been an emphasis to expand the production area northward,” he says, “but it is not the short growing season that provided the challenge to the crop this year... it is the lack of moisture.” Lepine works as an independent crop consultant across the province and says that soybeans are the crop that has held up the best under the dry conditions. “Corn would certainly benefit

from a rain at this time because of crop at seeding and conditions, and the longer season it takes to mature environmental stresses reduced the but soybeans have held up well in yield from its potential as it goes the drought most of the province through the season. has faced, and sure, they would “Everyone starts with a bumper benefit from some moisture at this crop when they are seeding but time.” then the stresses that come along He is cautious what he asks for reduce that yield from the potenthough. tial,” he says. “We have had that “We don’t want to get into the potential reduced but soybeans are situation we had a couple of years one of the crops that could really ago where we went through a dry benefit from a rain at this time and spell and then had a wet fall which it would show up as an extra bean made for very difficult harvest con- in the pod and that means extra ditions but a rain now would still beans in the hopper.” have a positive impact on soybean yields.” “Moisture now would ensure the pods would fill,” he says. “It is more a matter of the crop reaching its potential yield than increasing the yield potential. If it stays dry we will just see few beans in each pod and that reduction could be disastrous.” Lepine subscribes to the theory that produc- Soybeans could benefit from moisture to reach its yield ers start with an ideal potential for this year. Submitted photo

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Crops Ripening, Harvest Set to Start By Elmer Heinrichs Crops are maturing faster than normal and grain and pod filling on cereals, canola and peas will be affected by heat and limited moisture this week. Deterioration of crop conditions and moisture reserves was noticeable across Manitoba as the western heat dome moved in bringing record-breaking temperatures. High temperatures, strong winds and lack of widespread rain has continued to stress Manitoba crops for much of the month, while crops in localized areas of most regions benefited from intermittent showers. Drought concerns persist with downgraded yield outlook seen for spring cereals, canola and corn. Some cereal crops are being cut for greenfeed, and canola stand architecture appears to be thin and pods are smaller than normal after prolonged heat and drought. Manitoba agriculture oilseed specialist Dane Froese said while the smoke rolling in is unfortunate it has the effect of cooling things down and crops have a bit of time to recover from heat stress. Isolated rainfall events recently brought some rainfall west of the escarpment and to southern parts of central region much needed moisture for parched crops, but for many the damage is already done. Winter cereals and perennial rye-grass are nearly ripe and the harvest of early fall rye and winter wheat fields

is getting underway. Wheat, oats and barley are holding west of the escarpment where cooler temperatures and moisture conditions have been more favourable than in the Red River valley. Soybeans appear to be a brighter spot, with most crops assessed as fair to good throughout the province and handling heat well but will need timely rains. Pulse crop specialist Dennis Lange said moisture in the weeks to early August will be telling for dry bean yields as crops fill, as well as for soybeans, now podding. With about 1.3 million acres, soybeans are a large Manitoba crop. Lange estimates that peas will be yield 25 to 45 bushels an acre. Dry beans are generally looking good, with some good yield potential seen, and potatoes, now in the tuber formation stage, also look good and are receiving supplemental irrigation where available. Most of Eastern regions has not received any recent significant rainfall so crop development continues at a rapid pace in the hot and dry conditions and producers are expecting lower yields and decreased bushel weights. Corn, soybeans and sunflowers will still benefit from some substantial timely rains. Among the cereal grains, oats seem to be hardest hit by the moisture stress, with drier areas of fields beginning to dry down prematurely. Some

fields are also coming off as green feed. Elsewhere sunflowers have flowered, corn has tasselled, and corn silage acres are showing signs of wilting in many areas. Dairy producers are finishing second cut alfalfa with lows to just below average yields. Pastures are in poor condition with more dugouts drying up. Winter cereals are starting to be desiccated, with about 80 per cent at hard dough stage with low fusarium levels. Cereal straw is expected to be limited in supply this season as crops are short and demand expected to be high given the poorer hay harvest. Some farmers are turning their oats, barley and wheat into a green feed source to supplement cattle. Low hay yields have pushed producers to cut ditches and other grassed areas for feed. Some producers are cutting oat and barley fields for silage. Additional acres of corn intended for grain may be silaged as well. The rural municipalities of Armstrong, Bifrost-Riverton, Coldwell and St. Laurent, all in the Interlake region have declared states of agricultural disaster due to persistent growing challenges including insects and lack of rainfall over several weeks. Farmers have been busy haying, researching their options around water infrastructure and some have already begun prepping their harvesting equipment.

Summer 2020 Regen Ag Tour The Manitoba Forage and Grasslands Association (MFGA) is hosting a Regen Ag Farm Tour at South Glanton Farms (68107 Road 106W, RM of Elton) on Thursday, August 5 from 1 pm to 5 pm. The event will be held rain or shine. Limited Spots are available so everyone must register. Go to mfga.net/ events/mfga-summer-fieldtour to register. Attendance

will be capped at 25 registrants due to COVID-19. Topics in the Ryan Boydled presentation and tour of operations will include total grazing and one year results, defining optimal recovery period, setting up pasture pipeline and fencing to enable ultra high stock density grazing, crop residue, chaff grazing and low cost wintering options for the cowherd and

drought management. The fee for the event is $50 per person (payable at the door). It includes the Field Tour, Bottled Water, 2022 MFGA Membership, and a deposit for MFGA’s 2021 Regenerative Ag Conference (NOV 15-17, 2021). This tour is presented by MFGA, South Glanton Farms, and DUC Grazing Clubs.

July 30, 2021

Extreme Weather Cycles Reduces Strawberry Crop By Elmer Heinrichs The demand for strawberries is up this summer but many Manitoba farms do not have the yield to meet the demand as the industry was hit hard by the weather. From lack of winter snowfall to spring frost to summer drought, Manitoba’s small berry farm operators are feeling squeezed. The current drought has some farms cancelling strawberry picking appointments to give them time to irrigate their fields and slow down ripening, while others were unable to open for picking due to winterkill. Strawberries are perennial, meaning the previous winter and fall affect the plants’ productivity, and the issue is not only the current drought, they can irrigate to deal with it but the irregular warming and cooling cycles has killed many plants. Angie Cormier, executive director of the Prairie Fruit Growers Association, said it has been a devastating year for some fruit farms in Manitoba. “Almost every grower has probably experienced a loss of some sort,” said Cormier, but because it is still the middle of the harvest, she does not have exact numbers yet. Last year’s drought, the low snow cover over the winter, frost at the end of May and the current drought have made the last two years difficult, said Cormier, who has been farming for 16 years and with her husband Darren operating Cormier’s Berry Patch in La Salle, MB. Despite the challenges, however, Cormier said it has produced enough strawberries to allow the public to pick their own, only by appointment and with smaller limits.

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Harvesting Ditch Hay

By John McGregor When conditions are as dry as they are across most of Manitoba, producers are scrambling to find forage to get their livestock thru this summer and into next spring. One way to help supplement this shortage may be to harvest ditches along roadways. Ditch hay, while not ideal, could provide additional tonnage to your winter feed supplies and be a cost effective alternative to your stockpiled forage if done correctly. There are two main points to consider before putting up ditch hay. First, I would suggest that you check with your local government (RM) and/or highways department to see if there are any permits or permissions required to cut and bale hay along roadsides. Secondly, before you start cutting make sure that the ditch is tractor safe to avoid a roll over situation. Many ditches have steep inclines that aren’t safe for the standard wheel width of most field tractors and/or haying equipment. Below are some important considerations outlined by A. Garcia, South Dakota State University, if you are planning to harvest ditch hay.

Check the area to ensure it is clean of garbage such as bottles, cans, plastic, etc. This material could end up in the bales fed to cattle or damage the harvesting equipment. If the hay is going to be sold, the reputation of the seller and/ or harvester and the satisfaction of the buyer are on the line. Metals consumed can be deadly to cattle. So this step, while time-consuming and tedious, could save a lot of heartache later on. Check the nutrient quality of the ditch hay. Under ideal conditions, it would be advisable to test the bales at least for crude protein (CP) and Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN) and balance diets accordingly. Since there is quite a large variability in nutrient content between bales this is unlikely and using average nutrient composition values can oftentimes result in unbalanced diets. This high variability in nutrient content poses challenges in assessing the feeding value of ditch hay. The reason for this variability, however, doesn’t seem to be as much the plant species composition, but rather the time of harvest. There is an alternative to formulate a feed ration using ditch hay. It’s common for

producers to skip nutrient testing on ditch hay but one alternative to overcome the lack of lab reports is to formulate diets using the lowest likely analytical value for a particular nutrient in the hay and balance the diet for the lower end of the animal requirements for each particular nutrient. By using this approach, under the worst-case scenario the requirements of the animal will be covered, and any underestimation in protein and/or energy in the hay will result in increased animal performance. In the study (above chart) the ditch hay consisted mostly of cool season grasses (smooth brome grass) and the author felt that based on the data it seemed safe to formulate rations using conservative values for ditch hay of 8.5 percent CP and 52 percent TDN. Producers can then adjust, gradually cutting supplementation back until the desired growth, body condition and/or weight are attained. Mineral should always be available. Importantly check to see if the ditch has been sprayed for weeds. This may not be a big concern in most areas but as a precaution if your local municipality does carry out a roadside spraying program

you may want to check if the area you are planning on harvesting has been sprayed and what was used. There’s a twofold concern with herbicides. First, several are not cleared to be used as forage to be fed to livestock. Second, some broadleaf herbicides sprayed on ditch hay fed to cattle are eliminated intact in the manure. Picloram (commercial names: Tordon, Grazon, and Pathway) and clopyralid (commercial names: Stinger, Curtail, and Transline) are popular herbicides used to control broadleaf weeds along roadways. These herbicides can carry over in the manure and if applied to crop fields can affect subsequent broadleaved crops for up to two years. John McGregor is a MFGA Extension Support specialist.

Though ditch hay might come at a favourable price point, the road right-of-way is also wrought with peril for both machinery and cow. The rear bumper off an ’86 Chevy offers little feed value and may just be downright traumatic (and expensive) for a mower conditioner.

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Manitoba’s Forgotten Port

By Les Kletke There was a time when the new crop year would bring anticipation of grain movement thought the Port of Churchill. “The port used to be a big employer in town, but now it is down to a skeleton staff,” say Chris who did not want his last name used. “It started when the Wheat Board was disbanded about 10 years ago and there has been less and less grain shipped through the port every year.” “Because we are not complainers in Churchill, this is typical of the way we are treated but we find a way to carry on and get things done.” Chris did not live in Churchill when the CWB was sold off, he is from southern Manitoba but he is well aware of the history of grain movement through the port and how it has declined. “The worst thing that every happened to the port was OmniTRAX,” he says. “They took ownership of the rail line and got the money to repair it but did nothing to upgrade the line.” The rail line was severely damaged by flooding in 2017 and discussion over repairs has continued but the short season of repair time means little has been done by Arctic Gateway the company that now owns the line and is working on its repair

The grain terminal sits at the end of Main Street in Churchill, a solemn reminder to the time the port was an important employer in the town. Submitted photo

and upgrading. Churchill is Canada’s only deep water Arctic port and provides a less expensive route to Europe for many of Canada’s grain customers. Typically the first grain ship would arrive in port in August and mark the beginning of the short shipping season that saw as many as a half dozen ships in the ports heyday. The Hudson Bay Route Association, a long time advocate of the port, strongly promoted it as a viable part of Canada’s grain industry. Years ago, 659,000 tonnes of grain were shipped through the port. In 2019-20, the last

year for which figures are available the port handled 137,000 tonnes of grain. Chris says that while grain was not the only commodity ships handled, it was vital to the port’s success. “We see other shipments coming into town and it is always interesting to see what there is on the dock, but we also have a terminal that could be handling grain and loading ships and nothing is being done with it.” The terminal marks the end of the town’s main street which is straddled by hotels and souvenir shops, but for now sits idle.

July 30, 2021

Farm Group Coalition Urges Producers to Know Their Options Ongoing drought conditions across Manitoba have a coalition of farm groups urging producers to know their options when making decisions about their crops. Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) and Manitoba Forage & Grassland Association, along with Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP), Manitoba Crop Alliance (MCA), Manitoba Bison Association (MBA) and Manitoba Sheep Association (MSA), are warning that ongoing drought conditions pose a significant challenge to livestock, grain and forage producers. “With drought conditions reported across Manitoba, we recognize the detrimental impacts across the crop and livestock sectors,” said MCA chair Fred Greig. “Producers need to know their options so they can make the best business decision for their operation.” Before making decisions about drought-damaged crops, the coalition is asking producers to contact Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation (MASC) about putting crops to alternative use. “Successive droughts in some regions of the province have taxed livestock producers’ ability to secure feed, so being able to source alternative feed and roughage sources is critical,” said MBP president Tyler Fulton. “Producers with damaged crops should consider salvaging as much feed as possible.” There are resources to help producers determine the value of a crop harvested as silage or greenfeed. Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development (ARD) provides information regarding the cost of production for grain and silage crops, forage supply management, pricing for baled forages and piled silage and the value of straw as a crop fertilizer. As the challenging growing season continues, the coalition is reminding producers to consider their mental health and the mental health of others. “From a stress perspective during these challenging times, producers should be mindful of their ability to look out for themselves, their neighbours and their community,” said MFGA chair Larry Wegner. “Talking to someone like a neighbour or friend is a great pressure release and opens the door for more conversations that may be necessary, including using mental health resources designed to support producers.” The Manitoba Farm, Rural & Northern Support Services (MFRNSS) provides free, confidential telephone and online counselling to producers. MFRNSS is available 24/7 by calling 1-866-367-3276 or visiting supportline.ca. The coalition is working with ARD and MASC to identify programs to support producers through this challenging time.

July 30, 2021

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July 30, 2021

Northern-Grown Produce is a Unique Market

At least one Churchill company is trying to meet the need for vegetables in the north. The northern weather takes its toll on structures. Submitted photo

By Les Kletke While most greenhouse operators in southern Manitoba focus on establishing customers and getting products to their markets, a greenhouse project in Churchill faces additional concerns. Boreal Garden Research is working on growing greens for the town’s residents, and the restaurant industry that is beginning to revive as Provincial Health Regulations over Covid-19 start to relax. Carly Basler heads a project that produces greens that are generated in two converted 40 foot containers. Currently the only source of greens is what the Northern Store can bring in on the train. This adds to the retail cost and often means unavailability when the train is delayed. Boreal Garden Research is a result of the brainchild of Growcer, a hydroponic focused company based in southern Canada but has great interest in the northern communities. They promote a “hydroponic container farm” system that can be adapted even in the harsh northern climate. The flooding that damaged the Churchill rail line in 2017 and kept it out of operation for nearly a year has spurred interest in growing some of their food locally to create a cost effective and reliable source. “We are used to hunting and being self sufficient in

meat,” said one resident, “but we are not used to growing vegetables.” Locals are used to harvesting the berries that nature provides and are often in competition with the local goose population for it. There is also a community garden just off the town’s main street with the raised plots housed in old tires. Large tires that come off of vehicles like Tundra Buggies are sometimes utilized. The tires are raised to protect the garden from animals such as the Arctic Hare which would find them attractive as they

scamper down the town’s main street. The extended hours of sunlight are beneficial for growing plants from spring to early summer but variety selection is extremely important as the plants do have a short growing season. In late July the sun rises at 4:30 am and sets at 9:50 pm in Churchill. The effect is evident in the wildflowers that cover the ground just outside of town. While Growcer presents an opportunity for production of vegetables in the controlled

environment of the converted containers there is also a traditional greenhouse on the edge of town that must deal with the harsh conditions the north presents. Not only does it get long hours of daylight it also has to deal with the challenges that strong winds deliver to the structure. Not many towns offer a greenhouse on the list of tourist attractions but Churchill is an exception and that might be the biggest insight on how important local vegetable production is in the community.

CFA Urges All Provinces to Raise AgriStability Compensation Rate In light of the recent announcement that Ontario has decided to increase the AgriStability compensation rate from 70% to 80%, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) is urging other provinces to follow suit so that farmers across Canada can be better supported through uncontrollable events that severely reduce their income. CFA also calls on the federal government to contribute its 60% of costshared funding to those provinces that elect to enhance AgriStability in this fashion. This development comes after the recent federal proposal for AgriStability in late 2020, where the government proposed to remove the Reference Margin Limit (RML) and increase the compensation rate from 70% to 80%. The Federal and Provincial governments eventually came to the agreement to remove the RML, but left the compensation rate unchanged. “While the removal of the RML was greatly appreciated, both pieces of the federal proposal need to be adopted to bring the AgriStability program back to the strength it held before it was weakened in 2013,” said Mary Robinson, CFA President. “We hope that this bold action from Ontario, building on similar program enhancements in BC, PEI and Quebec, can inspire the other provinces to make a similar change. This change would help ensure that the AgriStability program is responsive when farmers are in need. The AgriStability program only pays out when farmers see a significant loss of income from uncontrollable events such as droughts, floods and disruptions such as COVID19,” she added. CFA hopes to see Canada-wide adoption of the increased compensation rate for AgriStability, across all provinces and with federal support, sending a strong signal to farmers that their work in feeding Canadians and the world is both valued and worth protecting.

July 30, 2021

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Heat and Shorter Prairie Innovation Centre Welcomes Flowering Stage New MPSG Supporter Reflect in Smaller Honey Yield

The Collaboration Zone within the Prairie Innovation Centre for Sustainable Agriculture welcomes a new industry sponsor, the Manitoba Pulse & Soybean Growers (MPSG), who have committed $200,000 to this project. “MPSG members know the importance of formal training to meet the farming industry’s demand for skilled employees,” said Cal Penner, Chair of the Manitoba Pulse & Soybean Growers. “We were eager to sign on to support the Prairie Innovation Centre; it’s a timely addition to Manitoba’s Ag training landscape.” The Prairie Innovation Centre is Assiniboine’s vision for the future of agriculture training in Manitoba. The Centre aims to expand seats in agriculture-related programming from 300 to more than 800. Key to the success of the Centre is the Collaboration Zone, enabling connection and innovation with industry partners. The college’s relationship with MPSG is not new. The commodity association representing pulse and soybean producers has previously supported and partnered

with Assiniboine on applied research projects. Most recently, MPSG matched a $41,850 grant to support Dr. Baljeet Singh’s research focused on white mould management in bean crops. “I have been fortunate to have MPSG as a great partner in my research and extension activities, said Dr. Singh. “As we have worked together, we have built trust and a collaborative environment to help each other excel in the agriculture sector.” The Centre, to be located at Assiniboine’s North Hill campus in Brandon, will expand the college’s ability to meet growing demands in the agriculture sector, and will increase applied research capacity in collaboration with and in support of industry goals and initiatives. “Having forged a research partnership with Assiniboine, we are excited at the prospect of the college increasing its capacity for research through the Prairie Innovation Centre,” said Daryl Domitruk, Executive Director of MPSG. “This is a great addition to farmers’ support network, especially in Westman.”

By Les Kletke The province’s canola growers are not the only ones that will feel a drop in yield because of the short canola bloom brought on by the hot dry weather in June and July. The dry spell combined with above average temperatures has meant that the blooming season was reduced to about half of normal. That will translate to a reduced seed yield but has already meant a reduce honey yield for the province’s honey producers. Over 80% of the province’s honey is produced by bees working canola fields and while the acreage of canola was there to make it start out as an average or above average year, the short season of blooms means the province’s honey yield will likely be well below average. Mike Fehr considers him-

self a hobbyist beekeeper and has hopes to grow the number of his hives eventually. “I am glad I do not rely on my bees for all of my income or this year would be a disaster,” says the Carman area operator. “I was looking to use the profits from this year to expand my operation but that won’t provide for much expansion.” He only places his bees in canola fields, so for him the season is over. “I got about half the yield per hive that I did last year,” he says. “The season was just so short and the bees are not as active when the temperature is that high. So it was a double whammy – short season and even during days of flowering, the bees were not as active as they might be.” While canola producers ex-

pect that yield could be down 25% from last year due to hot weather during the crops flowering stage, beekeepers are expecting as bigger hit. “I won’t exactly know until I process the honey,” says Fehr, “but I know that the boxes are not as heavy.” Indications in early spring were good for the provinces beekeepers but things went south quickly when the canola crop did not have the normal lengthy bloom period. “Canola likes cooler temperatures and cooler nights,” says Fehr. “So, that is what beekeepers like too and we did not get that, so we are going to be facing a smaller crop.” Fehr says the next concern is to have the hives going into winter in good condition. “There is not much we can do about this year.”

While canola producers expect that yield could be down 25% from last year due to hot weather during the Submitted photo crops flowering stage, beekeepers are expecting as bigger hit.

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With Fluctuating Hog Prices, Lock in Some Profit

Tyler Fulton, the director of risk management with HAMS Marketing Services said a legislated reduction in US hog processing capacity would have its most significant negative impact on hog markets this coming fall and winter. Submitted photo

By Harry Siemens Tyler Fulton, the director of risk management with HAMS Marketing Services said a legislated reduction in US hog processing capacity would have its most significant negative impact on hog markets this coming fall and winter. Fulton said that there is not much of an issue with packer capacity and the available supply in the summer months. Current hog numbers are among the lowest weekly production numbers for the year, and that is a reasonable trend. However moving into the fall time frame, there are

some new concerns. That has to do with the new law that could see a reduction in the US hog processing capacity. While others suggest a2.5 % percent decline in processing capacity, Fulton said it would not be an issue at this time of year. But, at peak production in October, November, December, it could result in a significant influence on the markets if the legislation slows the slaughter pace. He said that many hogs are moving from Ontario into the US where any constraint in processing will show up in price as extra hogs not com-

mitted on long-term contracts and discounted. “If we do see a distinct difference in US processing capacity, it will also filter back to isowean producers in Canada.” Given a recent softening of live hog values, Fulton advises a prudent approach to forward contracting into the fall and winter months. Although live hog prices remained strong, they softened recently; he recommends setting targets when forward contracting, not necessarily trying to pick off the highs but rather securing reason-

able profitable prices on hogs out into the winter months if the profit is there. In the first part of July cash markets dropped from some of the record highs, some of the highest levels in the last five years. But a week later there was a bit of a recovery and still reasonable profitable prices were available through the summer and into the fall. “We might come under some pressure from a profitability standpoint in December despite seasonally strong prices in forward prices. There’s just a lot of price pressure on the feed side of the equation squeezing margins, so there is some question there,” said Fulton. “We’re definitely down from the highs on the winter months, but I don’t think we can rule out a recovery in forward prices, at least back to levels seen a couple of weeks ago before we saw the larger decline.” Fulton said coming off the highs, producers who have room to secure profitable prices into the fall should consider locking in 30 to 40 percent of their production. “Using targets is an excellent tool because, during a short volatile stretch, we can hit levels not fundamentally supported, which can trigger a short-term price rise and an opportunity to secure prices that would be profitable,” he said.

July 30, 2021

Bill Exempting Farmers from Carbon Tax Passes Through Parliament The House of Commons has passed Bill C-206, an Act to amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act (qualifying farming fuel). This legislation, introduced by Conservative MP Philip Lawrence and co-seconded by Provencher MP Ted Falk, will exempt farmers from paying carbon tax on natural gas and propane used for farming operations. “This is great news for farmers and all of us who enjoy the great products they produce,” said Falk. “Our farmers face so much uncertainty from weather conditions to global trade disputes.” Conservative, Bloc Québécois, NDP, and Green MPs voted to pass the bill, while Liberals voted against it. The final vote was 181 in favour, 150 opposed. “The Liberals voted against saving our agriculture sector $250 million over the next four years, money that would stay in our communities and support local jobs and small businesses,” said Falk. “It was great to see other opposition parties step up to get this bill passed.” Bill C-206 now goes before the Senate for consideration. The Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) are calling on the Senate to vote and pass Bill C-206 before Parliament rises for the summer recess. “This is not about politics, this about what farmers need,” said GGC chair Andre Harpe. “With an important summer and harvest season ahead of us, we urge the Senate to rapidly approve this bill so we can work on meeting our country’s ambitious growth targets for the agricultural sector.” “We recognize that this legislation is not a total fix for the increased cost burden of the carbon price,” added GFO chair Brendan Byrne. “However, this bill would provide some initial and urgent relief for farmers across the country who have no alternative fuel sources to dry their grain after its harvested.” Without proper grain drying when faced with wet conditions and adverse weather, grain often spoils and becomes unsuitable for international markets that farmers, and the Canadian economy, count on. Bill C-206 requires the Senate’s approval and Royal Assent to become law.

July 30, 2021

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July 30, 2021

Manitoba Heavy Horses Do Well At Calgary Stampede By Joan Airey Nicolas Gee, originally from Virden, moved to Calgary with his fiancée Shelby Medd and purchased a farm on the outskirts of the city where they raise Belgians under their farm name N-erGee Belgians. Growing up in Virden, Nicolas worked along side his parents, Kim and Grant and sisters showing Belgians originally called Golden Sands Belgians started by his grandparents Donnie and Marg Gee. Later, his parents started Roselea Equine Ranch. In later years they teamed up with a businessman to form Moresky Belgians. They showed horses

across Canada from Calgary Stampede to Agribition. N-er-Gee Belgians won Reserve Senior Champion Belgian mare at the Calgary Stampede with N-er-Gee Libby. They went on to win Grand Champion Junior Mare and Reserve Grand Champion Junior Mare with N-er-Gee Bling. “Before we retired from raising horses, I loved showing and visiting the nursing homes with the Belgians,” said Kim Gee. “Going to Calgary to help Nicolas show made me realize what hard work it is.” Clark Wallace of Dauphin showed his Clydesdales in a six-horse hitch and nu-

Nicolas Gee showing his Belgian Mare at Calgary Stampede. Photo by Kim Gee

merous other classes at the Stampede placing well against stiff competition. Other exhibitors from

Manitoba were Darcy and Cathy Plett along with son Luke of Virden showing their Percherons.

Manitoba Canola Growers Take on Research with New Manager Hire Manitoba Canola Growers welcomed Amy Mangin as she takes on the new position of Research Manager. Mangin will manage all aspects of MCGA’s research, focusing on fostering innovation to gain continuous improvement in canola production and marketability. Growing up on a farm, Mangin brings a practical agriculture background in addition to her solid academic

Amy Mangin

research experience. She received her undergraduate degree in agronomy at the University of Manitoba and worked as an agronomist for Pembina Coop before starting her master’s degree at the University of Alberta centered on herbicide resistance. After receiving her MSc she went on to work as a research agronomist in the soil fertility lab at the University of Manitoba and is currently finishing up her PhD in the Department of Plant Science at the University of Manitoba. “We are thrilled to have Amy join our excellent team at MCGA,” said Delaney Ross Burtnack, Executive Director. “MCGA’s research file has grown in recent years driving the need to introduce a dedicated manager who can take our research and extension capabilities to the next level for our membership.

Amy brings expertise, innovation and vision that we look forward to tapping into.” Research and agronomy have always been among the most important and valuable program areas serving canola farmers in Manitoba. Introducing a dedicated research manager will further advance the strong canola research network and ensure efficient resource utilization, allowing MCGA to bring even greater value back to Manitoba farmers by growing their ability to connect farmers’ needs with research results. “This year is a prime example of the importance of relevant, timely research insight for farmers,” said Clayton Harder, MCGA President. “Farmers need innovation to manage changing pest pressures, changing climate, and changing market demands, all while continuing to oper-

ate a successful and sustainable farm business. As our research program continued to grow and evolve, the board recognized this opportunity to expand our resources dedicated to research and agronomy in Manitoba, to the benefit of farmers. We are introducing this three-year term position to explore how we can level up our research and extension work, ideally transitioning to permanent support at the end of the term.” Mangin will work out of her home office near Notre Dame de Lourdes, MB on her fiancé’s family farm where they currently operate a Percheron PMU and grow wheat, oats, canola, soybeans and have now ventured into field peas and flax. To learn more about research funded by the Manitoba Canola Growers visit CanolaGrowers.com.

Research Funding Targets AI Tool and Grassland Carbon Offsets The Canadian Forage and Grassland Association (CFGA) has landed over $2.6 million in support for three projects that will assess and improve alfalfa growth using artificial intelligence and develop a Canadian grassland carbon offset system. “The Canadian Forage and Grassland Association is very excited about this funding from AAFC’s Canadian Agriculture Strategic Priorities Program,” said CFGA executive director Cedric MacLeod. “Alfalfa is an important ingredient that feeds many other agriculture sectors in Canada, and this funding will help provide forage producers with valuable decision-support tools to help alfalfa crops thrive.” Funding will be used to develop a tool to improve yield and forage nutritive value from alfalfa fields using artificial intelligence. The tool will identify potential agronomic, climatic and soil-related factors affecting alfalfa yield. It will also predict potential yield and nutritive value loss through soil nutrient analysis and health diagnostics. Total funding is up to $998,185. Another research project to develop a tool to assess and improve alfalfa’s winter survival rates with artificial intelligence and persistency by combining data and remote imagery with artificial intelligence received funding of up to $996,190. The remaining project will receive up to $621,572 to develop an assurance system for farmers to produce and sell carbon offsets, contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and retention of Canada’s grasslands. Canadian Forage and Grassland Association expects that more than 5,000 hectares of Canadian grasslands will be protected by land conservation agreements, and 10,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) will be saved through third-party verified carbon offset credits. Alfalfa is a key forage crop producers rely on to capture and fix carbon, return nutrients to the soil and improve soil health. These projects will help farmers better understand alfalfa growth, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The funding is geared towards new and innovative means for farmers to improve the yields of their cover crops and building a sustainable agriculture sector. Funding for the first two projects comes from the Canadian Agricultural Strategic Priorities Program. Funding for the third project comes from the AgriAssurance Program.

July 30, 2021

Farm Debt Under Control But Watch for Higher Interest Rates The potential for higher interest rates is the darkest cloud shading recent news that farm debt in Canada recorded the smallest increase in six years, according to Farm Credit Canada’s (FCC) chief economist. Statistics Canada data showed outstanding Canadian farm debt increased by 5.9 per cent to $121.9 billion as producers invested in land, buildings and equipment. However, this was the smallest increase since 2014 and below the 10-year average of 6.5 per cent. Farm cash receipts climbed 8.3 per cent. “These are positive signs the overall financial picture of Canadian agriculture improved in 2020,” said J.P. Gervais, FCC’s chief economist. “We are now projecting record high farm revenue in 2021, outpacing expected growth in farm debt outstanding of around six per cent.” Gervais said it’s important to recognize revenue growth hasn’t been consistent across all sectors and regions of Canadian agriculture. Total livestock revenue, for example, decreased nearly one per cent in 2020, largely due to COVID-19 disruptions induced by temporary shutdowns of processing plants and closure of the food service sector. He also noted a sharp and sudden rise in interest rates could have a significant impact on the ability of farm operations to service debt. Driving factors of net farm income, such as trade, weather conditions and high farm input costs, could also impact farm revenue and debt forecasts. “With the level of debt in the farm economy, producers must be aware of the potential for higher interest rates and factor that into their risk management plans,” Gervais said. “Higher interest rates affect your working capital and your ability to service debt obligations. While current low short-term rates are attractive, it may be appealing to lock in long-term rates at the current low levels.” There’s still much uncertainty around the permanent nature of current inflationary pressures, according to Gervais. “On the one hand, current supply chain bottlenecks and strong consumer spending causing inflation could subside in the second half of 2021,” he said. “On the other hand, accumulated savings in the economy could further increase consumer spending and unleash permanent price increases that warrant higher interest rates.” Demand for agriculture commodities and food is strong and inventories are generally lower than their long-term average. This generates a positive outlook for the industry coming out of the pandemic. But there are no guarantees the high prices recorded in many sectors won’t return to normal levels, he cautions. “The overall balance sheet for Canadian agriculture remains healthy, despite the current uncertain times,” Gervais said. “But producers need to understand their financial situation and build resilience into their business plans so they can thrive in this dynamic operating environment.”

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Farming is a Stressful Business By Brenda Hunter And 2021 is shaping up to be a doozie. A dry summer across most of the northwest US and western Canadian provinces, is leaving producers wondering how much worse it can get. “It has been our experience that many producers will not reach out during the actual time of crisis (although some do) because they are too busy trying to deal with the immediate situation,” said Kim Hyndman-Moffat of Strathclair, Manitoba, who has been involved with the Manitoba Farm, Rural and Northern Support Services (MFRNSS) toll-free phone line (formerly known as the Farm & Rural Stress Line) since its inception in 2000. “It is very common for us to see a bump in our call volumes six months or even a year following the crisis event.” Over the decades, she has witnessed an increase in the number of callers per year and the types of stressors that farmers are experiencing. Anxiety and depression seem to be the most common mental health issues facing today’s farmers, with many contributing factors to blame. She added that although choice is usually considered

a positive, it can be overwhelming for farmers inundated with too many choices to make; that can cause confusion, take too much time to explore, and can be anxiety provoking. The technological age has certainly been challenging, especially for some of the more-established farmers. Relationship struggles such as multi-generational farming, marriage breakdown, and transitional farming that comes with a boatload of expectations to take over a family farm and succeed, are just some of the issues facing farmers. Add to that, remote and isolated working conditions which can lead to loneliness; fatigue and burnout from long days and short nights; and too much time spent in solitude dwelling on negative thoughts and the ‘what ifs’ in a farming operation can wreak havoc in the mind of a farmer. The assumption of high-risk stakes usually falls squarely on the shoulders of the owner/operator of the farming operation, who is well aware that a bad decision can be detrimental when there is little to no room for error. Take that times a 24/7 work week, over the course of 365 days a year (for mixed livestock/

grain operations) and it can seem like a life sentence. It is no wonder that it can lead to an exhausting and unhealthy work/life balance. There’s no union to bail you out, no sick time or stress leave to take – the responsibility of knowing that if you don’t do the work, it doesn’t get done. That, along with social, economic and media pressure, public scrutiny, cultural barriers, limited time and access to care, concerns about animal health and welfare, and the never-ending ‘to do’ list can take its toll. And, of course, factors like weather, the markets, uncertainty in the industry and other circumstances that are beyond the producer’s control are as prevalent today as they’ve always been. The fact that the industry is still predominately male also cannot be ignored. While mental health issues are not gender-biased, traditionally men have been taught to suppress their emotions and not to open up and talk about their problems or what they may be feeling. “I had a farmer that called the line for a number of months as he was struggling with a marriage breakup and impending loss of his family’s generational farm,” re-

called Hyndman-Moffat. “He was distraught, felt defeated and calling the line was his last hope before making the decision to end his life. He shared what the farm meant to him and his family, and his fears of knowing what he would do if he wasn’t farming.” “We didn’t solve his problems in one call or even six. But over a few months of regular check ins, the producer committed to stay connected and to work daily on small manageable tasks that he felt capable of performing. As his self confidence increased, so did his ability to consider other options for working through his legal issues and feelings of depression,” said Hyndman-Moffat. “He later shared that calling the line that first time was his last act before taking his life. He has since been an advocate in his community and with his circle of friends to push past whatever barriers are there in order to get help. This is not an uncommon kind of call and it is what makes this service valuable and relevant.” Hyndman-Moffat strongly encourages anyone who is having problems, or anyone who has concern for a loved one’s well being, to reach out to explore ways for support.

Gardening Filled with Challenges this Year By Joan Airey Nothing is more frustrating than finding that a mole has found your potato patch. After talking with a trapper friend on the best way to rid my garden of the mole I phoned our local Home Hardware to see if they had a trap in stock. While there, a gentleman told me, he bought a length of large PV pipe to put his trap in before he buried it in the mole run because he didn’t want his dog to get caught in it. The next morning the traps and pipe were on his front step thanks to his dog. I haven’t checked our trap yet because we had rain over night. My cousin tells me she has two mole traps (two black and white cats) that present her with the odd mole before they are able to get in her garden. Brenda tells me she purchased two Tumbler tomatoes at Walkers Greenhouse in Rivers and they are producing ripe plum size tomatoes which are delicious. I’ve marked them on my list for 2022 as a must grow. The Year of the Garden is com-

ing in 2022 let’s hope it is a normal year and gardens flourish. I purchased two Fresh Bite pepper plants at the Trestle Greenhouse in town and so far each plant has produced more than a dozen peppers some green some red. I also bought one for my cousin and she tells me they have been using peppers from their plant regularly. As I write this it has started raining which is great as it is much needed by cattle producers, grain farmers and gardeners across most of the province. Hope our friends in the Interlake are receiving rain too. Guess maybe the peas will not get picked until another day. Not complaining we desperately need this moisture. Young Blake has got me into growing more herbs this year. She wanted mint to fuse in water so I picked up two different mints at the local greenhouse. While talking with the owners Eleanor and Doug a retired teacher who in retirement, now works where I learned Lemon Verbena is great fused in water

or dried to make tea. I had asked for Lemon Balm when I went to the greenhouse but Eleanor said it left a bitter taste something Verbena doesn’t. Eleanor said she uses it when she is making stuffing too. After I got home I was reading my The Gardener and it gave the same advice. Lemon Verbena has to be grown from a cutting. I have decided I will buy most of my herbs from a greenhouse as not all herb seeds keep long as a package of seed lasts. A couple of packages of old seeds Blake

planted for me did not germinate I’m sure that was because the seed was old. Blake planted Kent strawberry plants in two planters on my patio and she has harvested lots of strawberries off the ten plants. Think we will plant several more plants that way next year since they out produced the ones in the garden by size and taste. Mind you they never lacked water and we fertilized them with Smiley Worms fertilizer. Hope by the time this reaches you all Manitoba has received a much-needed rain.

Lemon Verbena Aloysia citrodora.

Photo from Wikipedia.

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July 30, 2021

Small But Sweet Harvest By Les Kletke The provinces u-pick operations felt the heavy hand of this year’s drought and are trying to recover from what many term a crop failure. “We have years when we don’t know what to do with the berries and make special efforts to get more pickers, but that was not the case this year,” says Bob Braun who operates a u-pick strawberry farm near Portage la Prairie. He says that the demand for berries exceeded the supply this year, but most people understand that producers are relying on nature, and this year, the resulting crops are skimpy. “Our customers know that this is not like going to the supermarket and knowing that the produce will be there. They have come to appreciate locally grown fresh fruit and that is why they come to pick but this year the berries

were just not there.” He says the dry hot conditions took their toll on berry production, and it was not only the berry count that was down. “Word spread pretty quickly on social media,” he says with a chuckle. “When things are good we like to see that but it works when things go south as well.” He says the number of pickers that came to visit his farm was about half of what it has been the last couple of years. “Word spread pretty fast that the berries were not there,” he says. “We had customers calling and wanting to get out into the field earlier to make sure they got the amount they wanted, but we can’t do that. It is not fair to the other customers and soon we would have people here at all hours.” He says the volume of the berries was down both in the

Bob Braun who operates a U-pick strawberry farm near Portage la Prairie says that the demand for berries exceeded the supply this year. Submitted photo

number of berries and the size. “Customers measure things in pails of berries, and this year, with smaller and fewer berries, it was a double whammy for picking. It took a long time to fill a pail,” says Braun. “The berries are tasty though as it seems like the plant packs as much flavour into that smaller fruit.” Braun is hopeful that next

year will bring a closer-toaverage yield if spring conditions are more favorable and he is confident the pickers will return. “There is not much we can do now. The season is over and it is about getting the plants into good condition going into winter and then hoping for a good spring. If we have a big crop out there word spreads, and everyone likes strawberries.”

Researchers Explore Mechanisms Responsible for Gastric Ulcers in Pigs By Harry Siemens Scientists with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine are researching to optimize the inclusion of pea starch in swine rations. Increased use of peas to provide protein for manufacturing human food products, such as energy drinks, results in an abundance of finely ground starch co-products available for use in livestock feed. These co-products are a low-cost energy source, but extremely finely ground feed ingredients can cause gastric ulcers, reducing performance or even killing the pig. Dr. Matt Loewen, an Associate Professor in Veterinary Medical Biosciences with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, said particle sizes range from 400 to 16hundred microns compared to these pea starch co-products at about 40 microns. He said the industry would like to use this cheap starch in swine in western Canada because it’s a cheap energy source. “We’ve increased plant protein production in western Canada, but we don’t have a use for that starch,” said Loewen. The first goal in this research is to determine what

the inclusion level should be of this very finely ground starch and to study the reason why gastric ulcers occur by finding out what is going on in the stomach. “We don’t know if it’s a microbiome change or it’s just some change in physiology. Does the finely ground starch produce more acid secretion that causes the erosion?” Once the researchers understand the basic mechanisms of why this finely ground starch causes the results will be used as better guide in adding to the diet formulation to prevent gastric ulcers from occurring. He said there are three lines of thought on why this finely

ground pea starch results in more gastric ulcers. One is a physical one in that it somehow changes the viscosity of the gastric solution that is in the stomach once the pig eats. So somehow, the viscosity of it changes causing more gastric reflux and that somehow results in more ulcers occurring. The second hypothesis is a physiological change within the gastric mucosa in that somehow these particles are increasing the genes responsible for acid secretion ending up with more acid secretion. As a result, the pH of the stomach is much lower, and a lower pH is detrimental to the lining of the stomach,

causing gastric ulcers. The third hypothesis is that it is a microbiome change. This starch is causing some change in the microbiome, meaning that some bacteria get overgrown and cause some change in the gastric mucosa. One thought would be that it is some lactobacillus producing lactic acid, which lowers the pH, and that is enough to cause gastric ulcers. Dr. Loewen said researchers hope to determine safe inclusion levels without modifying the diet, identify the mechanisms that result in gastric ulcers and develop strategies that will allow inclusion rates to increase.

Scientists with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine are researching to optimize the inclusion of pea starch in swine rations. Submitted photo

Partnership Promotes Inclusion of Indigenous Groups in Agriculture Protein Industries Canada has announced an investment into a project to develop a national strategy to improve diversity and inclusion of Indigenous groups in the Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector. Led by Indigenous Works, the project is part of the organization’s Luminary Initiative, a six-year program created to advance Indigenous-led research and innovation that will transform economies, generate employment and improve wellbeing of Indigenous groups in Canada. The Luminary Initiative brings together a consortium of more than 140 organizations from the Indigenous research and business communities to discuss and co-create Indigenous innovation strategies for a variety of sectors. “Through this investment in Indigenous Works, we are supporting the creation of new opportunities for Indigenous leadership and involvement in Canada’s agriculture and agri-food sector that will spur further innovation and economic growth,” said François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry. “Canada’s Protein Industries Supercluster is bringing together experts from across the agricultural sector to create high-quality jobs, helping firms scale up, and positioning Canada as a global leader in the plant-protein innovation space.” “Indigenous involvement is absolutely essential in our collective efforts to develop more innovative and sustainable practices and technologies in Canadian agriculture. We are excited by the role Indigenous Works will play in further engaging Indigenous groups in the agriculture sector,” said Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-food. The consortium will map the current state of Indigenous participation in the agri-food sector identifying ways of increasing collaborations between post-secondary researchers and Indigenous businesses; research knowledge mobilizations and new product/service innovations; and employment and business development. “The inclusion of Indigenous communities and other under-represented populations is vital in creating economic growth for Canada, especially in times of COVID economic recovery,” Protein Industries Canada CEO Bill Greuel said. “This project will impact our sector for years to come, creating job opportunities and business growth for Indigenous peoples across Canada, and addressing concerns such as food safety and sovereignty.” Canada’s current COVID scenario has brought attention to pre-existing highly important issues of food security and food sovereignty among Indigenous communities and businesses. While Indigenous people have a long history of agricultural activity among many communities, engagement in the modern commercial side of the agriculture and agri-food sector is still considered rudimentary. “Indigenous people want to expand their national and global businesses in ways which bring economic prosperity, jobs and well-being to their communities and this will help all Canadians,” Indigenous Works President and CEO Kelly Lendsay said. “By advancing an innovation culture with Indigenous businesses and communities, and growing the collaborations among researchers, research agencies and Indigenous business, we can develop new products, new service lines, new innovative approaches and solutions that are good for all Canadians and the Canadian economy.” The finalized strategy will be used by the plant-based food, feed and ingredient ecosystem to create programs, policies and initiatives to address identified gaps and improve diversity and inclusion of Indigenous people. Indigenous Works is inviting any company or organization in the Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector that would like to contribute to take part in the discussion. This is the second capacity building project announced by Protein Industries Canada, and 22nd overall. Together with industry, Protein Industries Canada has committed more than $377 million to the Canadian plant-protein sector.

July 30, 2021

Insurance Values and Inflation One of the most challenging things to do right now when advising clients on their insurance coverage is giving direction to building costs in light of the changes that have happened to the price of steel and wood in the last year. This has caused many insurers to increase the level of inflation they apply to replacement cost limits from previous years. For those not interested in reading another article about the cost of lumber and steel, let’s use the alternative pandemic lock-down waistline to do some math. If you started the pandemic in excellent physical condition with a solid core, maybe even with a hint of a six-pack of abs, there is the chance that you may be lucky enough to still have a similar physique. However, for the majority of Canadians, that six-pack may have been reduced to 4, 2 or even 1 ab now. In this hypothetical scenario, the waistline that used to be a tight 32 inches has now expanded to 34, 36 or maybe even the new trendy 38” waistline. To increase from a 32-inch waist line to a 38-inch waistline means that your waist has inflated by 6 inches, or 18%. That is a lot of inflation in an 18month window, but we are not in the business of judging waistlines! Chances are good that you have had to invest in some new pants and shorts, or have simply swapped your entire wardrobe for the new pandemic approved Dress-Sweat pants. There is one main difference between the hypothetical scenario above and the inflation that we see on rising building costs. When I shop for pants, while there is difference in sizes, retail stores do not charge more for larger sizes – so whether you are locked in at 32 or 38” waist, you are going to pay the same amount for those pants. With rebuilding costs, your insurance premiums are based on a rate per $100 of insurance coverage, so as inflation is applied the premium that you pay increases as you are requiring more insurance coverage to replace that same item. The rate may not be changing, but the amount payable will change due to the increases to limits. We have a few strategies that we are using to make sure that our clients are properly insured, while providing them options for premium savings through deductible and coverage options to make sure that they are adequately insured and getting the maximum value available to them. Are you getting the best value for your insurance coverage? Do you have questions about dress-sweat pants? Work with someone who will explain the differences and options to you to make the best decisions for your operation. Rempel Insurance Brokers Ltd. is open for business and glad to assist you with your insurance needs. David Schmidt is an Account Executive at Rempel Insurance Brokers in Morris, MB, specializing in insuring farms and businesses across Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Call or text 204746-2320, email davids@rempelinsurance.com or visit rempelinsurance.com.

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Farmers Encouraged to Interact with Consumers By Harry Siemens Cam Dahl, the General Manager of Manitoba Pork, called on farmers to seize the opportunity to interact with consumers and share the good news story of how they produce their food. To maintain the public’s trust, farmers, processors and everyone involved in supporting agricultural production, there is an increasing public demand for farmers to tell their stories and engage with consumers. Dahl said it is a growing subject across all agriculture, especially animal agriculture, where more and more consumers are asking where their food comes from, and farmers need to have ready answers. He said first off, consumers want to know that their food is safe through a combination of government regulations. “Having solid food safety regulations is important to consumers, and there is a trust with that, as well as having industry programs that help assure food safety.” He listed a few subjects areas that come up on how producers raise their animals, whether it is done humanely, are they getting the right feed at the right time, what is the use antibiotics in animal production and how are diseases treated when necessary. Dahl said those questions stick out in consumers’ minds and there are concerns about the impact on the environment and what are Manitoba

Cam Dahl, the General Manager of Manitoba Pork said that amongst consumers the story of how things are done on the farm is growing across all agriculture sectors, especially animal agriculture and farmers need to have ready answers. The first question is that consumers want to know that their food is safe and that animals are treated humanely. File photo

producers doing to reduce greenhouse gases as well as how efficiently are they using nutrients. “The hog industry has a good story to tell on all of those fronts. We need to tell it, and organizations like mine need to do a better job of communicating the good news story to consumers,” said Dahl. Dahl sees this discussion as an opportunity for farmers in Manitoba to reconnect with their customers. “We have a unique opportunity, and we need to grab it,” he said. Telling this good-news story applies not only in Canada but broad too. He said that we need to capitalize on opportunities to reconnect and interact with all consumers.

As Canada becomes more urban, this connection to the farm keeps eroding said Dahl. So much of the information that comes from Google and the internet is not nearly always accurate and correct. Without criticizing some people, their actions opposed to modern agriculture is resulting in some misinformation. Farmers need to provide consumers with sciencebased reliable information he stressed. Citing the Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Pigs produced through a committee that includes outside representation and third-party representation is a good start to the conversation said Dahl. The reason is that the com-

mittee has oversight that includes independent scientists and governments rather than promoting practices that the sector is doing on its own. He said d that this helps with consumer confidence because it is an important independent review. “Science is important, and we need to find a way of communicating that back to the public,” said Dahl. He reiterated that consumers want the assurance their food is safe, producers are treating the animals humanely, and farmers are taking steps to protect the environment. Canadian farmers have a good story to tell and must become more involved in telling that story said Dahl.

With Demand High, Farmers Add Canola Acres By Elmer Heinrichs Canadian farmers reported planting more canola, barley, soybeans and lentils, but fewer acres of wheat, dry peas, corn for grain and oats, according to the June 2021 field crop survey conducted by Statistics Canada. The biggest change was that they added almost a million acres to canola to 22.5 million acres. Dry conditions were a concern for farmers in parts of western Canada throughout seeding and into the start of the growing season. Precipitation at the start of the growing season was well below average, and although much of the Prairies have received some precipitation throughout May, lower-thannormal soil moisture continues to be a concern.

Dry conditions did allow producers to begin planting early, with provincial reports indicating that seeding progressed at a relatively fast pace. Canadian farmers reported planting 23.4 million acres of wheat in 2021, down 6.5 per cent from the previous year. Spring wheat declined 8.1 per cent to 16.5 million acres. Global wheat production is anticipated to increase compared to last year. If realized, higher worldwide production could result in lower wheat prices for Canadian farmers, possibly influencing some to plant less wheat than the previous year. Nationally, farmers reported planting 22.5 million acres of canola in 2021, up 8.2 per cent from a year ear-

lier. High global demand for oilseeds likely contributed to farmers’ decision to plant more canola. Increased demand has resulted in record high exports as of March 2021, resulting in lower canola stocks. High demand, coupled with decreasing supply, pushed prices to record highs in the first half of 2021; prices are anticipated to remain high for the coming year. Farmers in Manitoba reported that canola area was up 1.0 per cent to 3.4 million acres. Nationally, producers reported 4.9 per cent more area seeded to soybeans, hitting 5.3 million acres in 2021. Higher planted acres may have been attributable to farmers responding to high global demand and higher prices.

Manitoba led the increase in soybean area, up 14.5 per cent from a year earlier to 1.3 million acres in 2021, the first soybean area increase in the province in four years. Strong prices stemming from high demand for oilseeds and higher yields in 2020 compared with the last three years may have encouraged some farmers to increase soybean acreage. Farmers planted 8.3 million acres of barley in 2021, up 9.7 per cent from the previous year. High prices potentially contributed to farmers increasing barley area. Nationally, farmers reported that corn for grain acreage was down 2.5 per cent from a year earlier to 3.5 million acres in 2021. Corn for grain seeded area in Manitoba declined 1.4 per cent to 367,100 acres.

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July 30, 2021

FCC Says Outlook for Swine Heat Disinfection Sector Cautiously Optimistic Revolutionizes Transport and Biosecurity

By Harry Siemens Craig Klemmer, an economist with Farm Credit Canada (FCC), said despite the prospects of higher feed costs and rising interest rates, there is room for cautious optimism within the pork sector. As the Canadian economy recovers from the disruptions caused by COVID-19, livestock producers should still prepare for higher interest rates and higher feed costs amid uncertain consumer demand and overall availably of product said Klemmer. In particular, he said the swine sector has gone through quite a wild ride with COVID disruptions and plant closures hurting prices as inventory rose. He sees good growth and some significant improvements in margins for the hog industry but higher feed costs will partially offset some of those margins. Sitting on that optimism is the news about the hog herd in China reaching near pre-pandemic levels which is weighing down prices for producers so moving forward there is uncertainty about what that global supply of pork will be. However skepticism surrounding some of the numbers has impacted pricing. He noted that there is an overall reason for optimism. The industry has removed bottlenecks in processing, there is still a strong demand for pork domestically and with some disruptions to

Craig Klemmer, an economist with Farm Credit Canada, said despite the prospects of higher feed costs and rising interest rates, there is room for cautious optimism within the pork sector. Submitted photo

hog supply globally there is increased opportunities for Canadian exports. “I think there are some things that are good like with other sectors; there are some things that are some watch out factors, high feed costs and trying to weigh what this overall global demand will do and what are those true numbers of inventory out there.” Klemmer said higher grain and oilseed prices would mean higher feed costs, being current in processing with good demand for beef and pork domestically and internationally. Hence, there is reason to be optimistic. However, farmers and the agricultural industry need to be aware of potentially higher interest rates when making future investments he said. Canadian farm debt increased by 5.9 % to $121.9 billion in 2020, the smallest increase since 2014 while farm cash receipts climbed

8.3 %, but a rise in interest rates could impact the ability of farms to service that debt. He said revenue varies by sector, and there are signs of higher interest rates, but things are looking positive. In western Canada, commodity prices support solid revenue, depending on the 2021 crop in various stages of drought stress. The grains and oilseeds sectors saw good growth in 2020, and with current commodity prices, substantial revenues will continue in 2021. There are some specific challenges in the livestock sector, with plant closures impacting cattle and hog prices in western Canada and the returns. However, COVID becomes less of an issue as economies reopen and with no disruptions even at current in processing capacity he said. “There’s still reasonably solid or good demand for beef and pork domestically and in the inter-

national market.” “I think those are all going to be positive things that we see improvement on the industry,” continued Klemmer. The big questions are how to deal with the ever-rising input costs. “We are seeing rising input costs, whether its fertilizer prices coming in for the grain and oilseed sector and these high commodity prices for grains and oilseeds mean high feed costs for livestock producers,” he said. “I think we’re in a good spot right now to weather these challenges and, depending on which part of the industry you are in; there are some reasons to be optimistic. But I think there’s going to be that cautiousness that we need to think about as we’re making future investments and the potential impact of higher interest rates on those investments as well.” Klemmer noted that Canadian agriculture continues to be agile and resilient.

Bilateral Trade Agreements Important for Maintaining Trade During ASF By Harry Siemens Bilateral trade agreements that outline how nations will react in the event of African Swine Fever (ASF) can help minimize the negative impacts of an outbreak, says Dr. Paul Sundberg, the executive director of the Swine Health Information Center. ASF is an OIE reportable disease that carries significant trade implications when it enters a region. While the movement and pathogenicity of ASF has remained unchecked in Europe, Russia and southeast and east Asia, North America remains free of the virus. A deal involving Canada

and Singapore is a good example of how trade agreements reached prior to an outbreak can help improve communications and ensure everyone is on the same page if an outbreak happens. “Canada worked on an agreement with Singapore to help in the zoning of an ASF outbreak should it happen,” explains Sundberg. “Those types of bilateral agreements are important but difficult to set up. This is good progress for Canada.” “We want to be ready to respond and recover in the event of an outbreak but prevention should remain the number one goal,” says

Sundberg. “We don’t want this virus in North America so we have to be diligent about biosecurity every day.” Recently a ban came into effect on the import of live pigs from Thailand into Vietnam in respect to concerns related to ASF. In an effort to halt the spread of the infection, Vietnam suspended the import of live pigs from Thailand effective June 30, after finding the disease in the shipment of pigs from that nation in May. Dr. Sundberg said it is worth noting that while Thailand has not yet identified any ASF outbreak, Viet-

nam says some of the pigs recently brought in from Thailand are positive. “We expect very well that they brought ASF into the country from Thailand so we’re going to stop the importation of those animals [too],” says Sundberg. Dr. Sundberg said there’s a lot of information coming out on strains, movements, new research and on how the industry manages the virus as it moves through Europe, Russia, China and Southeast Asia. A lot of that information is available on the Swine Health Information Center website at swinehealth.org.

By Harry Siemens Dr. Terry Fonstad, the Associate Dean of Research with the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Engineering, said the application of heat to disinfect swine transport trailers is one of the most significant and widely adopted biosecurity advances for reducing the transmission of disease during transport. Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan, the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, the Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute and the Prairie Swine Centre are working in partnership with Swine Innovation Porc to automate the cleaning and disinfection of swine transport trailers. Dr. Fonstad said work conducted by VIDO, which determined heating trailers to at least 75 degrees for 15 minutes will kill swine pathogens, has dramatically improved transport biosecurity. So much so that it was a surprise to the researchers and was incidental to the original project plan. The project started with trying to figure out how to reduce the cost of washing trailers and how, clean is clean. Pathogen-free is clean said the research report. The researchers had noted that folks down in Iowa had pointed toward heating trailers as a cleaning method. “We were able to verify it with VIDO-InterVac and their capabilities. But the biggest thing, it got adopted across Canada. We didn’t know how beneficial it would be, and the trailer wash facilities jumped on board, any with modified dryers,” said Fonstad. Other facilities have invested in heating units and have increased the security on these trailers, which is impossible to do solely with chemicals. Yet, doing a white-glove cleaning, using chemicals, there is still too many nooks and crannies that could accommodate a pathogen. “This heating thing has, I think, probably is the biggest benefit to the livestock sector and opportunities in other sectors.” Dr. Fonstad said the adoption of heat disinfection by the swine sector was almost immediate. Along with this result sensors were developed to track the conditions within swine transport vehicles that affects biosecurity and benefits animal welfare. As part of a Swine Innovation Porc project, scientists worked to automate the washing and disinfection of swine transport trailers. In addition, the University of Saskatchewan oversees the durability testing of the sensors used to track such factors as temperature, humidity, vibration within the trailer, and other biosecurity measures that meet animal welfare parameters. Dr. Fonstad said these sensors developed by Transport Genie out of Guelph, Ontario; need to be exceptionally resilient because the sensor manufacturers are not always aware of how destructive a pig can be. “And putting a sensor down low in a trailer along a wall needs total protection, especially when pigs get bored they start eating away at it, and so they’ve got to be pretty durable,” he said. The sensors need to take pressure washing, chemicals, vibrations while going over railway tracks, travelling across a bumpy road or crossing wooden and earthen bridges. While operating the sensor needs to measure surface temperature, even down low on a wall, and measure the temperature and humidity, which might be the worst in the headspace above the animals. “It’s entirely possible but the sensors must work in a transport trailer that’s vibrating down the road and temperatures running from minus 40 outside if it’s an empty trailer and over 100 degrees Celsius in a baking system. Then the sensors can’t cost a lot,” explained Fonstad. “We’re on generation five and the latest gen has some good promise, and there’s probably going to be continuous development on it.” The same common problem occurs in automated mining and automated agriculture is, sensing, communications, analytics, and controls. In addition to being durable, sensors have to transmit where they are in the trailer, and the data has to go to where it is protected and accessed by the people who need it.

July 30, 2021

USask Research Has Potential to Make Fava Beans New Favourite A once popular high-protein legume crop with potential to make farming more environmentally sustainable is poised for reinvigorated popularity, thanks to an international research team, including plant geneticists from University of Saskatchewan (USask). While the fava bean plant is high in protein, well-suited to growing in colder climates, and capable of virtually eliminating the need for fertilizer, it has one fatal flaw, for an estimated 400 million people worldwide; eating the bean can have severe health consequences. In people deficient in a certain enzyme, eating the bean causes damage to a person’s red blood cells. In research just published in the journal Nature Plants, an international team of researchers including USask plant scientists have identified a key step in how the plant also known as the faba bean or broad bean produces the compounds vicine and convicine. In four per cent of the world’s population who carry a specific gene, digesting fava beans can trigger the blood disorder, known as favism. “Fava bean has been a neglected crop because of the favism issue,” said Dr. Albert Vandenberg (PhD), USask plant breeder and geneticist, and co-author of the research. “Now, we can reduce 99 per cent of the vicine and convicine, and using sequencing and genomics, we should be able to zero in, to shut it down, 100 per cent.” The international team also involving researchers from University of Copenhagen and Aarhus University in Denmark, University of Helsinki and Natural Resources Institute Finland in Finland, University of Reading, U.K., and Georg-August-University, Germany, has now identified the key biological pathway that results in vicine and convicine. While fava beans have been cultivated since the Roman Empire, favism has an equally long history, with the Greek philosopher Pythagoras discouraging his followers from consuming the bean as early as the fifth century BCE. By identifying how the plant produces these compounds, new low vicine and convicine fava beans could be a new, high-value crop for farmers. In addition to being rich with protein, fava beans are exceptionally good at adding nitrogen to the soil. “This is like a machine for replacing nitrogen fertilizer,” said Vandenberg. “It has huge ecological consequences in the future of agriculture, here and globally.” By adding fava beans to regular crop rotation, producers could reduce some of their use of nitrogen fertilizer, Vandenberg said. “Suddenly, everybody in the world is interested in this,” said Vandenberg. In additional to being eaten as a dry bean, fava beans are also consumed as a fresh vegetable, and are generating interest from the food industry due to growing global demand for efficient, plant-based protein. This work is the culmination of more than a decade of research and builds on a previous discovery by Dr. Hamid Khazaei (PhD), Vandenberg’s research associate currently at USask and soon to be at World Vegetable Centre–Taiwan, and co-author of the paper, identifying the specific genetic marker for the noxious compounds. Vandenberg expects seed supplies of fava beans without vicine and convicine in sufficient quantities for commercial production to be available in 2022.

Dr. Albert Vandenberg (PhD) in a University of Saskatchewan research field. Photo by Christina Weese.

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Strengthen Your Heat Stress Program in the Last Dairy Days of Summer Heat stress has been particularly hard on dairy cattle this summer, because temperatures have easily approached 40 °C across the prairies. And it really hasn’t been one hot day here and one hot day there, but several weeks of unrelentless heat. That’s why; dairy producers cannot really afford to let their guard down against hot weather in the milking barn. They should continue to use the best feeding programs and hot weather management that works for them, particular during the last days of summer. This cool attitude will help their cows cope with a brutally hot summer, which helps maintain good health and milk performance. One of the first things that unchecked heat stress does to lactating dairy cows is that it causes poor rumination and digestion of their dairy diet, and this leads to a significant reduction in its dry matter intake and finally decreases milk production. For example, Penn State field trials (2005) demonstrated that there is a direct correlation between environmental heat stress, rumination time and milk production. The researchers found with each 10-point rise in the THI over 72 F (Thermo Humidex Index) – lactating dairy cows spent an hour less “chewing their cud” which led to about a 3.0 kilogram drop in milk production. Applied to continuous 35°C weather (a broiling THI of 92 – 95); it has been no surprise to me that whenever I go into

a hot dairy barn - the lactating dairy cows are lying on their sides in their stalls, panting profusely and usually ‘not chewing’ their cud. On the last few occasions, I noticed that there was at least a 6 kg drop in milk than normal as recorded on the milkparlor sheets. I would also expect a continued loss of reproductive performance among these heat-stressed cows, which literarily pokes “holes” in their breeding performance. Such heat-stress phenomena are illustrated by the University of Wisconsin (1999) in which conception rates fall from a desired 40% to 15% as the comfortable temperatures of April turned into hot July weather. In a similar fashion, autumn conception rates steadily increased during cooler weather, but did not return to over 40% until November. Consequently, a dairy friend took notice of how such heat stress decimated otherwise good milk production and reproduction of his 350 lactating dairy cows every summer. So, in the last few years, he decided to do something about it. First, he remodeled his lactation barn in three ways; 1. Improved cow-stall comfort by installing pasture-mats that covered thick form in every stall of his loafing barn. 2 Improved airflow and ventilation by putting up more ceiling-mounted fans that worked in association with open-wall curtains. 3. Installed a heavy waterdrop sprinkler system along the

head gates (re: photo), where the cows come up to eat their lactation diet. My friend did not stop there. He then improved heat-stress feed and manmilk production. agement strategies, which - Good feed bunk managehelped alleviate the negative ment – My friend invested impact of heat stress upon in an automatic robot that his cows’ rumination/diges- pushes up the lactation diet tion/feed intake/milk perfor- about every 2 hours. In this mance. Here are a few tech- way, the cows are not able niques that he used: to sort their diet. Even dur- More cool drinking water ing weeks of outside 35°C – There are four waterers in weather - dry matter intake this barn to provide enough remains relatively constant water to all the lactating in the dairy barn. cows. They are also within My friend’s lactation barn an easy walk as soon as the is a good showcase, which cows exit the milking parlor. can help other dairy pro- More digestible feedstuffs. ducers strengthen their own His sole lactation diet main- heat stress dairy programs. tains 28% NDF with 75% of It is not to say, all heat stress this NDF coming from corn challenges are eliminated. silage and 2nd and 3rd al- It’s only to show that my falfa hay sources. A highly friend successfully tackled digestible source of bypass the major ones, and is now fat is added to help maintain progressively cooling off the dietary energy density and smaller ones, out of his dairy milkfat production. barn. - DFM/yeast is fed – A probiotic and yeast product is fed to all of these lactating dairy cows at the rate of 15 g per head, daily. It mimics a 2020 University of Florida study that demonstrated that Saccharomyces Cerevisiae (brewers’ yeast) retained good rumination, dry matter intake and Cow shower system in action.

Seed Industry Gathers at Seeds Canada’s Inaugural Annual Meeting The 2021 Seeds Canada Annual Meeting, hosted virtually in mid-July, brought together seed industry members, stakeholders, and government representatives from across the country to discuss a range of policy priorities and issues impacting the sector. This event also marked the organization’s inaugural Annual Meeting, following its launch in February of this year. “The strength of an industry coming together was on display at this meeting. Having representation from

across the seed value chain under one roof as shown at this meeting and going forward as Seeds Canada, will make us a stronger partner able to offer policy direction and member and client services from a broader base of understanding and resources,” said Seeds Canada President, Ellen Sparry. The Welcome Session featured an address from CFIA President, Dr. Siddika Mithani, who spoke to the Seed Regulatory Modernization process, noting the

Agency’s commitment to a full-scale review and openness to substantial change. Dr. Mithani also provided clarity on CFIA’s approach to Novel Products of Biotechnology. She acknowledged the need for innovators to have a clear path to market and clear regulatory guidance. Dr. Mithani noted the various joint opportunities and challenges facing the sector from climate change mitigation efforts to the effective use of digitized information

and called for continued close collaboration between CFIA and Seeds Canada. The meeting’s attendees also heard from Keynote speaker, New York Times bestselling author, Dr. JP Pawliw-Fry who spoke to change management and relationship building. Kendal Netmaker also addressed the meeting and spoke from an Indigenous person’s worldview about his experiences and incorporating diversity and inclusion in the workplace and day-to-day life.

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The Prairie Heat is On: Harvesting Small Grains for Forage

By John McGregor

With calls for a searing, west-approaching heat wave bearing down on us this week and next, the moisture situation across the province remains pointed at a significant moisture deficient with our hay and pasture fields. A very well-timed rain in late June brought a bit of relief, however, it is very clear that we depend on a continuation of these timely rains. Learning from past experience with dry conditions, more producers have opted to seed annual forages this year in an effort to ensure an adequate supply of forage through summer, fall and into winter. Looking at the 14 day forecast from today, chances of significant rainfall amounts run in the 10 to 30 per cent range. Daytime temperatures during that same period are close to or above 30 °C. Even if we were to get some rain during this period it is likely that the evaporation rate would exceed moisture accumulation. Conditions like this will have a major effect on both hay and pastures. As well, the heat dry conditions could affect cereal crops especially during flowering and grain fill. Cereal fields that are or could be negatively impacted by drought and/or heat stress have the potential to be salvaged as forage. Although we always hope that a crop will recover if we get moisture, the decision to take as forage earlier can provide a better forage rather than waiting. We can’t stress enough, the importance of contacting your MASC Service Center for an appraisal before you put any of your insured cereal crops to alternate use by cutting, silaging or pasturing them. Small Grains Make Excellent Forage Small grain hay and silage can make excellent forage. We can predict that forage supplies will tighten if the dry hot conditions persist. The forage quality of small grains is largely determined by the growth stage when small grains are harvested. If the primary objective is tonnage, waiting to harvest small grains until the dough stage will maximize yield, but will sacrifice forage quality. The heat and dry conditions have sped small grains along, meaning many are

at or beyond the boot stage already. Quality of the cereals will continue to decrease as the small grains mature. If small grains are severely drought-stressed and withering away, additional biomass will not accumulate without additional moisture, leading to decreased tonnage. Drought will likely not have a substantial impact on small grain forage quality compared to conditions with adequate soil moisture. Harvesting As drought conditions intensify, the lower leaves on small grains will dry out, increasing leaf loss potential when harvesting as forage. Cutting and harvesting small grains prior to excessive leaf loss will improve forage yield and quality. However, small grains will likely have lower nitrate concentrations as the plants mature. Chopping Silage Chopping small grains at 60 – 65 per cent moisture is best to make good silage. In drought-stressed situations, the moisture content may already be below this level, meaning direct chopping will likely be best. If the moisture content is still greater than 65 per cent, allow wilting time to decrease the moisture content. The hollow stems in small grains do cause some challenges in eliminating oxygen. Using a shorter cut length of 3/8 – 1/2 inches (nearly one cm- 1.27 cm) will assist with packing. Whether piling or bagging, insufficient packing will result in greater storage losses. Allow a fermentation period of at least 21 days before feeding to livestock. Another benefit of ensiling is it can reduce nitrates by 30-70 per cent, meaning ensiling is the preferred harvest method for crops with concerns about high nitrate levels. Making Hay Small grains can be made into dry hay, especially if nitrates are not a concern. More mature small grains

can be deceivingly dry in some cases due to moisture present in developing heads, which can take more time to dry compared to moisture in the stem. Ensure baled small grains are indeed dry enough, especially before storing inside buildings to prevent hay fires. Using a conditioner can aid in dry down. If the crop is later in maturity, conditioners may increase shattering losses, however. An alternative to making dry hay is making baleage, which works well for storing small grain forage. Ensiling at the soft dough stage helps with the ensiling process due to an increase in carbohydrate. Regardless of the moisture content hay is harvested at, ensure enough wrap is used (at least 6 mils), which typically means 78 wraps when accounting for the stretch of the plastic film. Be sure to check plastic regularly for holes and patch holes to prevent air entering the baleage. When making the decision to harvest annual cereals as forage there is a balance between yield and quality. The information below is from University of Minnesota Extension and it give some guidelines as to what one may expect in tons and protein at various stages of growth. Utilizing a Crop for Alternative Use: Call Before You Cut! (MASC) It is important to be aware of some details regarding your AgriInsurance coverage when you are considering putting a cereal crop to alternate use and utilizing it as a forage crop. Within MASC, “alternate use” means the insured crop has been put to another use or pastured, but not harvested in the generally accepted agronomic manner for that insured crop. Insured’s should contact their MASC Service Centre and register a claim so the

Table 1: Per-acre yields of spring small grain species.

applicable acres to be put to alternate use can be appraised for crop potential. MASC will send an adjustor to verify the acres, inspect and appraise the crop for yield potential. This is done at no cost to the insured and for the purpose of determining a yield from the originally intended insured crop. From a Claims Indemnity Perspective… If the appraisal is equal to or great than the insured’s coverage, no indemnity is paid. However, if the appraisal is below the insured’s coverage, an indemnity is payable depending on acres put to alternate use, whether total or partial acres. That means in certain situations (i.e. total acres with a very low appraisal) even if the crop is used for an alternate use (i.e. harvested as forage); there is the potential of receiving an indemnity on the originally seeded crop. From a Future Coverage Perspective… Appraisals are important as they affect the amount of production that is assigned in determining the Individual Productivity Index (IPI) calculations and Risk Area averages. This is important for insured’s future coverage calculations, the higher the better in the long run. If no appraisals are done ahead of utilizing a crop for alternate use, then MASC will deem the appraised production from those acres at 70 per cent of probable yield (10 year average). This affects future coverage and has potential of lowering an insured’s IPI and coverage. John McGregor is a MFGA Extension Support. Special thanks to Tim Clarke, Livestock & Forage Specialist – Manitoba Agriculture Resource Development, and Luc Roy, Business Development Specialist – Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation.

July 30, 2021

Manitoba Ag Ex 2021 in Planning Stage The Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba is excited to announce that it is moving forward with the planning of Manitoba Ag Ex 2021. “It is with great excitement and anticipation that we are thrilled to announce that Ag Ex 2021 will take place October 27 - 30. Cattle producers look forward to exhibiting their cattle at Manitoba’s largest purebred cattle show,” said Dallas Johnston, co-chair of the Manitoba Ag Ex committee. Manitoba Ag Ex is the largest all-breeds cattle show in Manitoba. It usually attracts exhibitors and guests from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. In past years they have hosted prestigious national cattle shows and sales for many breeds, which are major draws for cattle producers across Canada. In addition to breed specific shows, the Manitoba Ag Ex hosts a Jackpot Heifer Show, Bull Show, and Junior Show all culminating in the Supreme Breed Extravaganza, which sends winners on to Canadian Western Agribition in Regina. Along with the cattle portion of the event it was expanded to feature additional agricultural entertainment and events in past years. After the cancellations of all their major events since the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair in March of 2020, the planning for Manitoba Ag Ex has commenced in the hope that health restrictions in October will allow the event to take place. “We are thrilled to get back at what we do best and thankful our Board of Directors can make the long overdue announcement of the return of one of our Fairs! Thanks to our community and partners for their support during this pandemic! Our organization will be ready to host a fantastic event this coming October,” said Greg Crisanti, President of the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba.

The Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba is excited to announce that it is moving forward with the planning of Manitoba Ag Ex 2021.

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July 30, 2021

FCC Reports Strong Financial Performance Farm Credit Canada (FCC) reported strong financial performance last year, demonstrating the resilience and adaptability of the Canadian agriculture and food industry during a challenging time. “In a year filled with so much uncertainty, FCC was able to serve the agriculture and food industry as it stepped up to overcome many challenges,” said FCC president and CEO Michael Hoffort, in releasing the federal Crown corporation’s annual report. In 2020-21, FCC grew its portfolio by 7.6 per cent to $41.5 billion. The portfolio included payment schedule adjustments to 14.8 per cent of the total value of outstanding loans compared to nine per cent in the previous year. This increase was primarily due to pandemic-related support. Since deferring, 98 per cent of customers have returned to regular payments. “FCC continues to be in a strong financial position to support those in Canada’s agriculture and food industry,” Hoffort said. “In the early stages of the pandemic, FCC collaborated with the federal government to provide working capital relief and additional lending for the industry and our customers.” “We continue to respond to the needs of the industry,” Hoffort added. “We are currently offering support to customers whose operations are impacted by the extreme heat and dry conditions in western Canada. We stand with our customers during these and other challenges.” From March 2020 to the end of this fiscal year, more than 4,900 customers used payment deferral options on loans totalling $5.6 billion. Over the same period, more than 1,800 customers were approved for COVID19 FCC Credit Lines. As the year progressed, operations and businesses adapted resulting in a decline in requests for COVID-19 loan products. “Canadian farmers and agri-food businesses have shown incredible resilience through what has been a year filled with great challenges, but also great successes. When the pandemic hit, our government moved quickly to boost FCC’s lending capacity so that farmers and food businesses were supported as they headed into stormy waters,” said Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “The strong performance of the sector last year is reflected in FCC’s outstanding results. FCC is a key partner in supporting our government’s mandate to increase exports, job creation and innovation in Canada.” “Canadian food exports increased by more than 10 percent in 2020 compared to the previous year, getting us closer to our government’s target of $75 billion in exports by 2025. Not only is the increase good for farmers, but the results are also positive for Canadians as exports drive one in five jobs in this country.” Bibeau added. As part of FCC’s purpose to enhance rural Canada, the self-sustaining Crown Corporation continues to invest in communities across the country. In 2020-21, FCC contributed $1.5 million to 92 community projects. FCC’s annual Drive Away Hunger food drive also provided over 17 million meals for food banks and feeding programs nationwide, another record-breaking year despite disruptions caused by the global pandemic. FCC contributed to Ag in the Classroom, local clubs under 4-H Canada and promoted farm safety through the Canadian Agriculture Safety Association and support of STARS air ambulance service. “A year marked by COVID-19 highlighted the importance of something that has always mattered to us; giving back to the communities where we live and work,” Hoffort said. “Looking ahead, there is a lot of important work to do as we grow the next generation of producers, support sustainability and promote a more inclusive industry, including the delivery of our Indigenous lending strategy.” Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, FCC will hold an online annual public meeting on August 18, 2021. Details will be posted on the FCC website. A full copy of the annual report can be found at fcc.ca/annualreport.

Mineral Management Underscores Good Mineral Intake in Beef Cows By Peter Vitti

It is easy to open a bag of loose cattle mineral and pour it into mineral feeders or in a trough. Yet, many beef producers don’t realize the importance of providing essential minerals and vitamins to their beef cowherd on a regular basis. That’s why I encourage people to choose well-formulated cattle mineral and manage it throughout the entire year. As a result, they promote good mineral intake in beef cows, which contributes to good cowherd vitality and reproduction. The funny thing is that managing and achieving good mineral intake is harder than opening a bag of mineral, because there are many factors that deal with cattle mineral intake. Some of the natural reasons are mineral palatability, forage quality, and water quality. For instance, I recommended that an identically formulated 2:1 breeder cattle mineral with essential garlic oil be fed at two cow-calf operations; a 200 AngusSimmental cowherd and the other one, a 100 Charolais cow operation. The red cowherd ate the cattle mineral like candy, while the white herd didn’t touch it. A simple pasture walk showed me and the first producer that his cowherd with the sweet-tooth could be narrowed down to a dozen animals that ate the mineral (with distillers’ grains) like it was ground barley. This producer ended up adding about 1/3 salt to this cattle min-

eral. Within a few days, he achieved an acceptable 3 - 4 ounces (80 – 100 grams) per head per day mineral intake. The smaller herd presented more of a challenge; in which I even took a sample of pasture grass and a bottle of drinking water; tested both for sodium (Na), which is known to naturally curtail mineral intake. In both returned analysis, low sodium was found. The only thing that I can surmise is that the second producer fed a low-phosphorus (4%) in the winter, compared to the current 1:1 mineral with 12% calcium and 12% phosphorus. The latter high P, which tends to be unpalatable to cattle and might explain their current lack of interest. Otherwise, I have many cowherds on this same mineral, without incident. Aside from some of these natural reasons that control animal mineral intake, I believe many mineral consumption problems that fail to achieve a good target of 80 - 100 grams of cattle mineral per day are often manmade. Some of these manmade reasons are: failure to calculate the correct amount of mineral to feed in the first place, not putting mineral in a suitable mineral feeder and one of the biggest reasons of all – no routine to manage mineral consumption. For example, a 200 cowcalf operation might put out loose mineral every 3 days. We can then calculate the correct number of bags that are need by using the follow-

Beef cows eating mineral.

ing calculations: 1. 200 cows x 100 g = 2,000 g or 20 kg 2. 20 x 3 days = 60 kg. 3. Each bag = 25 kg. 4. Need 60/25 = 2 ½ bags. 5. Put out 3 bags. I also recommended that mineral feeders should be located where cattle will make frequent visits. Moving mineral stations closer to water sources generally increases mineral intake by cows, while moving feeders farther back will usually decrease mineral intake. Plus, it’s always a good idea to have enough mineral feeders for the whole herd; one standard goal is one feeding station for every 30 - 40 cows. Well-placed mineral feeders should always be accessible to all cows, yet the mineral should be protected from rain, wind, sunshine and sometimes the cows, themselves (re: defecating in it). I am the biggest fan of a two or three compartment durable heavy-duty plastic feeder with a fixed metal bar

in the center, which secures a weather-proof rubber flap. There are notches molded into the base to bolt it down on top of a truck tire and keep it out water and mud. Then, two bags of mineral and one bag of salt can be poured separately or mixed into the compartments. In contrast, I am not a fan of wooden boxes, oil drums cut in half or empty molasses lick tub barrels. About ten years ago, I got a call from a veterinarian which concluded his local 300 cowherd client had a copper deficiency and asked me to formulate a cattle mineral with “extra bioavailable copper”. During our conversation, the vet had absolutely no information about the cattle’s mineral consumption, yet I did learn the cattle’s owners visited their herd about every three weeks. It’s a good testimony, that good mineral management was probably needed more than my new high-copper cattle mineral.

Assessing Grasshopper Damage A recent report from the Manitoba Pulse & Soybean Growers said the warm, dry conditions this season have been conducive for grasshopper development and damage has been reported in fields within southern Manitoba. There may be lots of grasshoppers jumping around, but of the 85 grasshopper species in Manitoba, only four have the potential to become crop pests, including the migratory, twostriped, clearwinged and packard grasshoppers. The most common grasshopper species found this season is the clearwinged grasshopper, which is primarily a grass feeder that will not feed on beans. Thresholds and tips for control: - Grasshoppers are difficult to count in the field, but if you are seeing 8-12 grasshoppers per square metre,

control is usually warranted. - Defoliation thresholds may be easier to follow. For soybeans and dry beans, the threshold is 30% defoliation pre-bloom and 15% from bloom to pod fill. With most soybean crops now flowering, follow the threshold of 15% defoliation. Assess defoliation on 2 random plants within 5 different areas of the field for an accurate estimate. - Sweep net sampling is not recommended for assessing populations but is useful for identifying the development stage of grasshoppers for treatment timing. - Grasshopper populations are typically concentrated along roadsides and field edges, so a border spray may be all that is needed. - The best time to control grasshoppers is after most have hatched and before most

have turned into adults. As of June 27, grasshoppers were predicted to be mostly in the 4th to 5th instar, with grasshoppers now approaching the adult phase. They can still be controlled at the adult stage, but it becomes more difficult, as they can fly and disperse more easily, and some insecticides do not work as well on adults. Higher rates of insecticide may be needed at the adult stage, meaning control also becomes more expensive. Consider beneficial insects in your grasshopper management decisions. Ground bee-

tles, crickets, larvae of blister beetles and bee flies are all predators that feed on grasshopper eggs. Spiders, robber flies, some wasps, and different types of birds and rodents will feed on grasshopper nymphs and adults. There are also parasitoids and pathogens that can help control grasshopper populations. Also consider pollinators that might be present. If a crop must be sprayed at the flowering stage, apply as late in the day as possible and choose an insecticide that is not harmful to pollinators (e.g., Coragen).

Chart of grasshopper defoliation.

Submitted photo.

Not Too Late for Corn

The AgriPost By Les Kletke Crops across Manitoba are struggling under drought conditions but at least one crop could benefit from some rain late in the season. “The yield has been determined and will certainly be limited but some moisture now would still benefit the corn crop and at least see it fill to the potential it has,” says Don Lepine an independent researcher and crop consultant. “Yield potential is deter-

mined early, a lot sooner than we used to think it was,” says Lepine. “We are not going to see the bumper crop. That potential is gone but a rain now would help fill the ears to the end. If we do not get rain soon, we are going to see the potential dropping and it will move down the cob, and there will be fewer kernels.” Lepine has visited fields across the province and says that this year’s conditions will mean great variability in quality and quantity of

the crop. “We are going to see real differences even within the field,” he says. “Someone that got a rain at a critical time might have an average or slightly above average crop, but just a few miles down the road… the yield could be severely reduced.” There are several factors that will come into play. The first will be the amount of precipitation but with moisture levels being so critical other factors will pay a bigger role this year.

Tile Drainage Impacts Yield and Nitrogen As most kids know, a big pile of mud can be a load of fun. But not for farmers. Muddy fields mean too much water. And too much water means crops might not grow well. Farmers often install underground drains, called tile drains, in waterlogged soils to help move the excess water away quickly. The drier soils are beneficial to their crops. But there is one potential downside in nitrogen. In the form of nitrate, nitrogen contaminates waterways. Plus, any nitrogen that leaves the field means wasted money for the farmer, who paid for fertilizer. How can farmers balance draining their fields with holding onto nitrogen? For 31 years, researchers have studied how different farming practices and drainage strategies affect crop growth and nitrogen loss from fields. “Drainage is a necessary practice on naturally wet soils. So it’s common on our productive soils in much of the Midwest,” said Eileen Kladivko, a professor of agronomy at Purdue University. “But since the soil is leaky by nature, we want to know how we can reduce that nitrate concentration and load and still have good drainage.” In their latest research, scientists share how fields performed in the last 16 years compared to the prior 15 years. In particular, they focused on the effect of different degrees of drainage. Tile drains can be placed at different distances across a field. The closer they are, the faster they can drain water away from fields. At the study fields in Indiana, drains were spaced either 5, 10 or 20 metres apart. As Kladivko’s group expected, the closer the pipes were the more water flowed through them every year. The concentration of nitrate in the water was the same regardless of drain spacing. But because closer drains led

to more water flow, the total amount of nitrogen that left fields was higher when drains were closer together. “The bottom line is that when the drains are closer together, they’re put there for the reason of draining more water faster,” said Kladivko. “So if we drain more water faster, we also drain more nitrate.” The researchers also saw that most of the nitrate that left farm fields did so during the off season, when no big crops were around to use the nutrients. Over 31 years, the researchers changed how they managed the fields. For example, they switched from growing only corn to crop rotations between corn and soybeans. They also reduced the amount of fertilizer they applied. And they started to plant cover crops, which grow during the off season. These changes followed the latest research and mirrored current practices farmers are using. Because of these changes, the concentration of nitrate in the leaching water today is only a quarter of what it was three decades ago. This lower concentration means that less total nitrate leaches out than in the past. The researchers noticed another trend. In wet years, more nitrate left farm fields because more water was there to carry it away. Recent years have been wetter, likely due to the changing climate. “The takeaway is that as hard as we try, we cannot control every aspect of our farm fields,” said Kladivko. Because a lot of nitrate left fields in the winter, some farmers could use a system called controlled drainage to make smart seasonal choices. With controlled drainage, farmers can allow fields to be wetter and drain slower in the winter when wet fields will not hurt crops. Then in the spring, they can let drains work at full-speed and drain quickly.

Because the faster drainage does not help crops grow that much better, farmers can choose wider drain spacing, which also saves money on installation.

“My message to farmers is don’t over drain,” said Kladivko. “Try to determine the widest possible spacing that allows for close to optimum yield.”

The installation of a drainage pipe. These drains help remove water from waterlogged fields, which helps crops grow better. Photo by J. Kjaersgaard

Water flows out of a tile drain and into a nearby ditch in Indiana. Although draining waterlogged fields improves crop growth, drainage water carries nitrate, a water contaminant. Photo by J. Frankenberger

Eileen Kladivko collects soil samples using a hydraulic probe truck in the study fields that have been researched for more than 30 years to help farmers understand their farm management options. Photo by Eileen Kladivko

July 30, 2021 “Soil type is going to go a long way to determine yield this year,” he says. “Some of the heavier soils have held more moisture and while that may have been a problem in spring, that will show up as a benefit at harvest time.” “This year the previous crop might also come into play. There is not much that can be done about that from a management position but the previous crop will impact soil moisture levels and when we are trying to grow

a crop with this little moisture that can have a dramatic impact,” he says. “It may be something to consider when making seeding plans for next year if we do not get significant rain to recharge the soil moisture levels this fall.” “I have seen some fields that look pretty good, but across the province the crop is suffering,” he adds. “Often we are concerned about heat units. This year we had the heat but you need the moisture to go with it.”

“Ag in the Classroom” First Recipient of the Alexander Cherban Grant The Manitoba government and the Manitoba 4-H Council have selected Agriculture in the Classroom as the first recipient of the Alexander Cherban Agriculture Industry Development Program. “We are pleased to honour the fine work of Agriculture in the Classroom as it helps shape young minds and inspire future leaders in the field,” said at the time, Agriculture and Resource Development Minister Blaine Pedersen. “This important work helps shape our youth and help develop a better understanding of the important role agriculture plays in all our lives.” The Manitoba government launched the Alexander Cherban Agriculture Industry Development Program in 2020, which supports activities to strengthen industry development and leadership in the agriculture and food industry. The program is administered by the Manitoba 4-H Council Inc. Agriculture in the Classroom, Manitoba’s (AITCM) project entitled The Foundations of Manitoba Agriculture Educator Primer will provide education and awareness to enhance public trust in agriculture. In print, and online, the project will introduce the foundations of Manitoba primary agriculture production. “We are beyond thrilled to be the recipients of this incredible grant,” said Sue Clayton, executive director, AITC-M. “This new foundational resource will allow us to make major strides in educating teachers about agriculture in Manitoba, and in turn, expand our reach to more students in the coming years. It’s wonderful to reach students with our programs and resources, but when we can educate teachers, the expanse of our reach multiplies to hundreds or even thousands.” The Alexander Cherban Agriculture Industry Development Program provides up to $50,000 per year for projects from Manitoba non-profit organizations, governments or academic institutions for innovative province wide initiatives that increase public awareness about the importance of agriculture to the economy, build public trust for agriculture and processing, or support agriculture skills development and promotion of agriculture and food related career opportunities. For more information on Alexander Cherban program or how to apply, visit gov.mb.ca/agriculture/industry-leadership or the Manitoba 4-H Council Inc. website at 4h.mb.ca.

July 30, 2021

The AgriPost