The Agri Post
July 26, 2013
1
2
July 26, 2013
The Agri Post
The Agri Post
July 26, 2013
3
American Pollster Takes Issue with Stance on Pig Pens HumaneWatch.org, a project of the Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) an American non-profit firm that lobbies on behalf of the fast food, meat, alcohol and tobacco industries, released the findings of a new poll of Canadian adults regarding pork farming. The poll reveals animal liberation groups’ calls for banning individual maternity pen (IMP) housing on pork farms are not backed by Canadian consumers. Unlike the misleading “push poll” recently released by the Humane Society International, an arm of the vegan Humane Society of the United States, HumaneWatch.org finds when provided the information that IMPs are a humane option approved by veterinarians, 63 percent of the public supports using in-
Acres Grow to Help Alleviate Hunger By Elmer Heinrichs In an end of June update, Harold Penner, Manitoba Regional Coordinator for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB) said, “We have eight different crops growing on over 5,500 acres this year.” They consist of hard wheat, winter wheat, canola, oats, soybeans, barley, corn and hay. “That’s up by about 15 percent from our acreage in 2012,” says Penner. “There may be some acreage added yet at harvest time because of our ’30 for 30' push this year.” With 2013 marking the 30th anniversary of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, celebrations are ongoing through the year. “It’s exciting to see communities planning something special to help celebrate this occasion,” Penner said. “Growing Projects are a wonderful way of bringing in over half of our annual budget at CFGB as well as raising awareness of world hunger and building community spirit as people work together to help end hunger.”
dividual pens. “Canadian farmers shouldn’t roll over for the radical PETA types at Humane Society International who have deceptively manufactured public opinion on individual maternity pens,” said Will Coggin, CCF’s Senior Research Analyst. “HumaneWatch.org’s new poll demonstrates that Canadians are much more likely to favour the individual maternity pens when given information that is backed by sound science, instead of one-sided propaganda.” Animal liberation activists have been trying to ban sow maternity pens in hopes of forcing farmers to make
“Farmers shouldn’t be pressured to change vet-approved procedures just to please a small group of radical vegan agitators who will never eat a slice of bacon.” costly infrastructure changes. These changes are designed by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and its international arm will increase production costs and in turn raise the price of meat for consumers. Additionally, farmers and veterinarians recognize that the HSUS agenda can reduce animal well being since when housed in groups;
sows often fight and inflict significant injuries to each other. A similar ban in the European Union on maternity pens was recently instituted, and experts predict it will drive up prices for consumers. “Swine veterinarians and Canadian farmers know what’s humane for their animals,” continued Coggin. “Farmers shouldn’t be pressured to change vet-approved proce-
dures just to please a small group of radical vegan agitators who will never eat a slice of bacon.” The poll was conducted by phone by ORC International, a market researcher headquartered in London, England. They recently surveyed 1,005 Canadian adults from June 611. After hearing that some animal rights activists claim that IMPs are cruel and inhumane, those surveyed were asked the following question, “One reason farmers use individual stalls for pregnant pigs is that pregnant pigs can be violent and aggressive with weaker pigs when housed in group pens. Pigs in group-pens suffer more in-
juries and can be bullied away from food. The two largest veterinarian associations also say that individual housing stalls for pregnant pigs are a humane option and offer the farmer the ability to apply individual feed and medicine to pigs. Knowing this information, are you in favour of the use of individual stalls or against the use of individual stalls?” The response was, in favour of stalls (Net) 63%, very in favour of stalls 26%, somewhat in favour of stalls 37%, somewhat against the stalls 8%, very against the stalls 7%, against the stalls (NET) 15%, don’t care enough to comment 14% and don’t know or refused 8%.
4
July 26, 2013
The Agri Post
Class of 2013 May and June are reserved for graduations and July is the time for inductions, just about the time that the Hockey Hall of Fame was naming this year’s inductees, the Manitoba Agriculture Hall of Fame was honouring their 2013 entrants at a ceremony in Winkler. The irony was that the names were just as recognizable (for me) at both events. I only attended the Winkler one. In his opening remarks Art Petkau, Reeve of Stanley, noted that the names of every inductee immediately brought about the topic of their attention, Butch Harder, the Wheat Board; Vern McNair, communications; John Kuhl, potatoes and on down the list. In my mind I played a little game making the connection before he mentioned it, and I felt some pride in getting them all, but then it hit me, I knew these people. The next thought that came to mind was, “How old am I when I count the people being named to a Hall of Fame as contemporaries?” No, I did not say equals, I said contemporaries. I have spoken to each of these people often enough to call them by their first names. I thought back to early Hall of Fame Ceremonies I attended as a reporter and how most inductees were named posthumously. Then it was explained that the intent was to catch up on early honourees and name them while they were still available to receive the honour. The class of 2013 certainly was that. They were all there and shared some great stories. In fact, John Kuhl left most people in attendance hoping they would be as alive as he would when they reached 86. As I listened to the commendations, my mind wandered off to the place where I wondered what happened, I was still covering the event as a reporter and those I counted as friends were being inducted to the Hall of Fame. Was I really that old? What happened? My mind cleared and I realized how fortunate I was to count these people as friends, to be able to greet each one of them by their first name and feel that the handshake I intended as congratulatory was being accepted by a friend, someone I had the privilege of travelling with on the road of life. I consider myself lucky to know these individuals and work in an industry that they helped shape not for themselves but for future generations. I am not old, I am fortunate and my friends are being recognized for the work they have done.
Frustration with Lack of Access to Generic Crop Protection Products The Protection of Proprietary Interests in Pesticide Data in Canada (PPIP) regulation administered by the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) has been a serious obstacle for farmers getting access to lower cost products. It has made it near impossible for companies to register generic crop protection products, leaving little competition in the market and farmers with few alternative product choices unlike farmers in most of Canada’s main trading partners. This has created a serious disadvantage for Canadian farmers, and must be rectified immediately in order to close the gap with our competitors. In 2005, the Pest ManageBy Ron Bonnett ment Regulatory Agency (PMRA) formed a taskforce with farm organizations and crop protection companies to address issues in the pesticide regulatory system that were creating an uncompetitive environment for Canadian farmers. The taskforce identified key recommendations to level the playing field, including: 1. Accelerate increased harmonization with the US to produce more joint review registrations (either with the US or globally) of new pesticides so Canadian farmers have access to innovative technology at the same time as their competitors. 2. Create the Grower Requested Own Use (GROU) program to allow growers to import the US version of a Canadian registered product if a significant price differential exists. 3. Improve the policy for protecting intellectual property rights by providing: a) a system to increase minor use registrations that benefit Canadian growers, b) timely and predictable process for registering generics and c) fair data
Hall of Fame... Observations The Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame induction ceremony recently held in Winkler brought back some fond memories, nostalgia, a couple of good laughs, and pride in an industry that has such good people to make it work so well in this great province of ours, not to mention our great country. First, a little glance back to the year 1978 and the first induction ceremony at the Agricultural Threshermen’s Museum in Austin. After a provisional board put the basics into place laying the groundwork for an organization that would go on to honour the fine men and women who have served the industry well (and even some institutions we hardly can do without), it was time to move on. I had the privilege of serving as the first emcee for three years and served on the board of directors at that time. What an honour for me, a relatively young farm broadcaster, to serve with the likes of people that have since been inducted into the Hall of Fame. When I arrived at the event last week, I came in a little late. Much to my surprise the hall was full, every chair taken. I thought it might be a small family gathering with family members coming to respect their elders. No such thing. The guests and dignitaries had filled every available chair. In looking back to that first event in 1978 in the hall at Austin, what we now would call humble beginnings, and to see the number of people at this event in Winkler, I’m thrilled to have played a small part in the beginning back then. The other thing that gripped me was the people that were inducted this year. The Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame’s Annual Induction Ceremony is there to recognize those who have made a significant and lasting contribution to agriculture, provincially, nationally or internationally during their lifetime. I remember Charles Froebe, now of Carman, but formerly of Homewood, as Charlie who I could call on at anytime to give me a story and sometimes a scoop. A square shooter, what you see is what you get. Thanks Charlie for being a friend in the business of farming. Wilfred (Butch) Harder of Lowe Farm, while we didn’t agree on farm policy, our farming and marketing practices certainly did agree. Had he relied only on the Canadian Wheat Board for its wheat and barley marketing Butch couldn’t have farmed 5,000 acres and bought one of the first Case-IH track tractors in the area. I remember stopping by his farm with my then MTN 13 television crew to do an interview for the Manitoba Farm Report, and he was out there on that Case-IH. As you know, they have four tracks, one for each drive wheel. I asked him rhetorically, so this unit cost $100,000? He looked at me in his unique way, and I quickly added, “Per track.” We both knew it wasn’t cheap. Butch worked hard for what he believed in and that is why he’s in the Hall of Fame today. Herbert and Helen Kletke of Teulon, while I’d didn’t know them well, I remember visiting their seed farm and doing a story or two with them. Hard working and innovators in the seed business, great job. John Kuhl of Winkler, today still active and going strong, reminds one of the pioneer of yesteryear, someone who wasn’t and isn’t afraid to put his foot forward to make things happen. Whether it was in church, on the farm, or setting up organizations dealing with the products he produced on his farm, now a fifth generation farm, you could always count on John to give you the lowdown. Thanks John. Vern McNair of Winnipeg – WOW! – Vern taught me many things about the broadcast and communications business. Vern had forgotten more about them at that time than I knew. He pioneered some programs and I aired them. He represents an era of ag communications when people had the best interests of the food producer at heart. For Vern, while living in Winnipeg, perimeter vision (meaning nothing matters outside the perimeter around Winnipeg) just didn’t apply. This year they inducted representatives of 4-H Manitoba Leaders, one from the past, one current leader, and one from the future. Let me say, I’m glad to see the 4-H movement recognized in this way, and every other way that’s positive. It is an excellent program and our country is richer for it.
protection for industry to promote innovation in Canada. The Government has made important improvements with the first two recommendations. Farmers have seen tremendous progress by PMRA and crop protection companies by increasing the number of innovative products available to farmers through the joint review process. For GROU, farmers now have 20 products available for import from the US. While there is still much work to be done to complete the regulations and improve the flexibility of the program to allow for more new products on the import list, GROU has been a good example of crop protection companies, farmers and PMRA working together. In 2010, PPIP regulations were introduced to address issues concerning the third recommendation, and unfortunately, to date, success has been limited. The implementation of PPIP has not resulted in the hoped for increase in minor-use registrations. Registrations are actually down from 83 in 2010-2011 to 66 in 2012-2013. It certainly has not resulted in a timely or predictable process for registering generic crop protection products. As of 2012, approximately only 15 percent of total applications of generic end-use products were registered under PPIP. Conversely, in the past several years, a steady stream of pesticide products have become available for generic registration, and farmers in the U.S have benefited greatly from this increased competition due to their comparatively streamlined and timely registration process. Once again, our regulatory system is cutting into our competitive edge and Canadian farmers remain in a situation where there is an extreme lack of competition in the generic pesticide market. I have heard from several frustrated farmers trying to sustain successful businesses and maintain productivity that increased generic competition is an important way to ensure that capacity remains. The current environment simply does not make good business sense and is not in line with this government’s cost competitive agenda. The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) and its members implore the Government to implement recommendations made by the generic crop protection industry that would address the serious imbalance in the PPIP regulations. We look forward to working in partnership with the Government to address these issues and continue to strengthen Canada’s position in the marketplace by ensuring an essential mix of new innovative products, minor uses and generic pesticide options. Ron Bonnett is the President of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture and a Cow/Calf Operator.
The Agri Post
Manitoba’s Water Management Needs Retention with Drainage The recent floods in Calgary and in southwestern Manitoba have emphasized, once again, that we are living with climate change. This is a time when southern Manitoba can expect more flooding than we have known historically. Certainly, the trend in just the last 15 years, which has seen the flood of the last century in 1997 followed by the flood of this century (so far) in 2011 illustrate this pattern. What is also becoming clearer is that we will need to change, to improve the way we manage water systems in Manitoba. Drainage, without water retention, moves water through the system faster, contributes to the severity of flooding and increases the amount of phosphorous going into Lake Winnipeg. This approach to water management is no longer sustainable and it is unacceptable. A prime example is a photo showing dramatic erosion at Blackbird Creek in western Manitoba due to drainage unbalanced by any water retention. Instead, we need to, at a minimum, balance efforts in drainage with efforts to retain water. How to do this best is the issue. We do have successful models of how this works, By Jon Gerrard like the 27 small dams on South Tobacco Creek. These dams retain enough water to reduce peak runoff by 25 percent, have reduced flooding of agricultural land by 75 percent and have also reduced the amount of phosphorous released downstream. The Weidenhamer Backflood Project near Deloraine and the L6 Medora Creek Water Retention project are further examples. The Alternative Land Use Program piloted in Blanchard Municipality, with a modification running in the R.M. of Dufferin offer an alternate approach as well. David Lobb at the University of Manitoba is promoting widespread use of large dugout-like water retention areas. Whatever the particular form it takes, it is clear that if we are going to reduce flooding in the future, and if we are going to reduce the phosphorous going into Lake Winnipeg, causing the algal blooms that are afflicting our great lake, we must change our approach to one, which puts water retention front and centre. This requires a dialogue. As the Manitoba Liberal leader, I continue to talk with people around the province about how best to change our approach to water management and prevent future flooding. I welcome comments at jon.gerrard@leg.gov.mb.ca.
In western Manitoba, the Blackbird Creek photo shows dramatic erosion. According to Gerrard, changing the approach to flooding and water management requires a dialogue, and like the South Tobacco Creek Project, it will need the involvement and leadership of farmers as well as governments.
Counting the Cost of Regulation
July 26, 2013
Penners Points by Rolf
Anyone who spends time complying with them Penner knows that regulations cost money. Farmers, who rolfpenner@agripost.ca operate in one of the most regulated sectors, are certainly not immune to such costs. What they don’t exactly know is, “How much?” A new study by economists John Dawson and John Seater tries to put a number on it. The cost is staggering. Dawson and Seater don’t look specifically at agriculture. They assess the entire U.S. economy and conclude that the cumulative effect of the last 60 years’ worth of regulations is much greater than most people could imagine. Had these mandates not been implemented, average household income would be in the neighbourhood of $330,000 versus the $53,000 it is today. Looking at the big picture from a wider angle, the study reports that the annual economic output for 2005 was 28 percent of what it would have been had regulatory burdens stayed at the 1949 level. Therefore, in their absence, the current GDP of the United States would have been around $53.9 trillion, as opposed to the $15.1 trillion that it is today. Dawson and Seater’s research started with the construction of an index of federal regulations. Over time, they tracked the number of pages in the Code of Federal Regulations. In 1949, it contained 19,335 pages, by 2005, it was up to 134,261 and in 2011, the number climbed to 169,301. Then they plugged this information into what economists call an “endogenous growth theory model” in order to calculate how these new regulations influenced economic growth. (An interesting side note: Dawson and Seater realized that deregulation can actually increase the number of pages in the registry rather than reducing them, so they adjusted their data to account for this.) What about regulations that benefit economic growth? They might include things like lower levels of pollution, work place safety and speed limits, considered by many to be positive aspects of regulation. Dawson and Seater took both costs and benefits into account while doing their research. Their conclusion is not that these benefits do not exist but that “whatever positive effects regulation may have on measured output are outweighed by negative effects.” Perhaps this study isn’t completely accurate. Maybe benefits are underreported and costs overemphasized. But, given the dramatic difference in the numbers, it is hard to conclude anything other than that regulations come at a tremendous net cost to individuals and society. If we take the numbers at face value, an average household income of $330,000 would mean that the average person could afford a lot better education, healthcare, housing, and all sorts of other goods and services than they can today. It’s hard to fathom that such a magnitude of benefit is hiding somewhere in today’s regulatory quagmire. If there’s such a huge cost, then why all the regulation? In their paper, Dawson and Seater mention three possible theories. One is the notion that regulations correct market failures and thereby improve society. Another is the theory that industries use regulatory agencies to exclude competitors from the marketplace. The third is that regulations exist mainly for the benefit of politicians and regulators themselves. The authors are quick to admit that they didn’t set out to prove or disprove any of these popular theories, or really look at the question of “why society allows excessive regulation.” As macroeconomists, their goal was to find a net benefit or cost and quantify it. Whatever the reasons for the regulatory burden, it is clear that life would be much better if we could roll back some of the never-ending number of rules and regulations by which we all have to abide. It would be nice if we could even just draw a modest line in the sand, and say to the politicians and the bureaucrats, “From here on out, for every new regulation you come up with, you have to get rid of an old one.” At the very least, the politicians and bureaucrats who pass and implement new regulations should be required to calculate and state their real costs. Moreover, ordinary citizens whose prosperity may be sacrificed on the regulatory altar should be clearly informed of such unintended consequences.
5
6
The Agri Post
July 26, 2013
Legal Action Filed to Block USDA’s Mandatory COOL Rule On July 8, a legal challenge was filed with the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia by members of the U.S. and Canadian meat industry to stay USDA’s Mandatory Country of Origin Labelling (COOL) rule. The Canadian
Pork Council (CPC) and the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) are coplaintiffs in this action. The lawsuit follows a move last month by the Government of Canada to release a list of U.S. commodities that could be tar-
geted for retaliation in relation to the COOL dispute. The Government of Canada has said it could seek retaliatory compensation of approximately $1.1 billion following the completion of ongoing World Trade Organization (WTO) proceed-
Make Changes before Trade War Sets in By Harry Siemens The livestock industry on both sides of the 49th parallel is keeping the pressure on the United States government to make right the issues surrounding the Mandatory Country of Origin Labelling in order to avoid a trade war. Ralph Eichler, the Canadian delegate on the State Agriculture and Rural Leaders Association (SARL), said the U.S. needs to resolve concerns related to M-COOL before U.S. pork and beef processors begin adjusting to rules that may ultimately be struck down. “Once you get down the road too far it’s always hard to make a reversal on that and it’s not too late at this point,” he said. “But once the production lines and the processors get that ball rolling it’s really hard to stop it because consumers become used to it. Eichler said he’s proud to work in partnership with the American producers because it is better for government leaders to have others see them as working together rather than opposing each other on an issue that’s so important to trade between the United States, Canada and Mexico. “Congress has its best opportunity now to deal with the issue through the U.S. Farm Bill which is currently under discussion,” he added. Texas House Representative Doc Anderson, the Vice Chair of the Livestock and Agriculture Committee in the Texas House of Representatives, warns the amended M-COOL legislation will have a devastating economic impact on U.S. livestock producers, processors and retailers. Anderson, who introduced the resolution, suggested the focus should be on strengthening North American competitiveness. “The USDA actually estimates what the cost would be to implement the M-COOL as written,” he said. “It would cost packers about $7.20 a head for
cattle and a $1.80 per head on hogs. That’s a tremendous economic hit there.” Doc Anderson said the National Grocers Association suggested it will cost them about $100 million a year to implement this labelling process and the producers are often left out of the process. The reality is that farmers and ranchers have to raise these animals and will have to ear
tag and track their animals through the process. The cost would be anywhere from a $1.00 to $2.00 per head at that point. He said the National Meat Alliance anticipates the amended legislation could jeopardize seven processing plants within the United States and it will severely influence the Canadian and Mexican beef and pork industries.
ings, which will move forward independently of this U.S. based litigation. Plaintiffs believe that a legislative change is required for the U.S. to come into compliance with its WTO obligations on COOL. “The U.S. Congress missed an opportunity to implement a legislative change to COOL in the farm bill deliberations,” stated CPC’s Chair Jean-Guy Vincent. “CPC has partnered with its U.S. counterparts in this legal challenge to quickly resolve this dispute as legislative options for the U.S. to come into compliance with its WTO obligations become fewer.” “I am encouraged by the response and support we receive from the U.S. meat industry,” added Vincent. “Our American counterparts are clearly concerned that COOL will have a seri-
ous economic impact on their industry, leading to plant closures and lost jobs as well as reduced international cost competitiveness of the entire North American meat industry. This will likely lead to increased prices for consumers.” “The CCA is forced to take this step with its allies as the USDA chooses to continue down a path of unfair trade discrimination that undermines the job security of American workers and harms the U.S. meat processing industry in addition to placing an unfair burden on Canadian cattle producers,” CCA President Martin Unrau said. As presented in the analysis, COOL has had a severe impact on the overall Canadian livestock industry. Since the implementation of mandatory COOL in 2008, there has been a decrease in exports to the U.S. of Canadian live swine
by 41 percent and 46 percent for beef cattle. Total estimated damages due to price declines, lost sales and added costs to the Canadian livestock sector have exceeded $1 billion per year. This legal challenge represents a third channel by which the CPC is seeking a resolution to COOL and its discrimination against Canadian livestock exports. The CCA’s position remains that the only outcome that would bring the U.S. into compliance with the WTO ruling of June 2012, which found that COOL violates the U.S.’s WTO obligations, is to amend the COOL legislation to allow either a single mandatory label for all meat produced in the U.S. or to allow for voluntary labelling. The CCA has, to date, spent in excess of $2 million in legal and advocacy expenses to fight COOL.
The Agri Post
July 26, 2013
7
8
July 26, 2013
The Agri Post
The Agri Post
Rodeo to Take Over Richer By Dan Guetre The Richer Roughstock Rodeo will take place in Richer at the Dawson Trail Park from August 9 to 11 feature participants from throughout the province and beyond all competing for points, cash prizes and custom designed buckles on their road to the Heartland Rodeo finals. The rodeo will feature Saddle Bronc, Bareback, Ladies Barrels, Steer Wrestling, Tie-Down Roping, Team Roping, Bull Riding and Country star Quinton Blair will hit the stage during more. Richer’s Roughstock Rodeo. “We have been working hard to get the site ready and are excited to show visitors a great time during the weekend,” says Pat Stolwyk, one of the organizers of the event. “The rodeo is a key feature of the weekend but we have added an exciting Family Fun Zone, a Friday Night Social in the Park, and a live music concert featuring Quinton Blair on Saturday.” Stolwyk has also arranged for a mechanical bull to be setup all weekend for those who want to test their courage. Food vendors, craft and souvenirs kiosks will be setup in the park. For those who want to take in the entire weekend, accommodations can be arranged at the Richer Inn (204-422-5482), Wild Oaks Campground (204-422-6175), Rock Garden Campground (204-422-5441, Cripple Creek Campground (204-771-0242) and Lilac Resort (204422-5760). All of these are within 15 minutes of the rodeo venue. For more information, you can call Pat Stolwyk at 204-422-6972 or email rodeo@simplyconnected.ca. Competitors will be vying for the custom designed “Ride ‘em Wild” buckle.
July 26, 2013
9
10
The Agri Post
July 26, 2013
Stay Safe, KKeep eep RRanching anching Sometimes we have the tendency to give lip service to the notion of common sense and being safe on the farm. We think we are paying attention and that accidents or injuries will not happen to us. However, the facts do not back up these beliefs. Agriculture is an inherently dangerous industry. Every day we work with large animals that can cause serious damage. Large machinery is essential to our daily chores. Over time, the risks become part of the routine. We stop paying attention. In a rush, we take shortcuts and park common sense, just for a moment. Those brief lapses have meant many trips to the emergency room and worse. I recently heard an anecdote of a rancher who was trying to finish bailing before a severe thunderstorm. I am sure 99 percent of beef producers know the situation and have done exactly the same thing. But, is getting those few extra bales in before the rain, really worth the risk of being in your tractor in the middle of severe weather? Fortunately, in this case no one was hurt. But why do we take the risk? And we do take risks. I can remember sitting down for Manitoba Beef Producers board meetings and looking around the table at directors who were limping, wearing slings or casts, and on pain medication. We shrug and say, “That’s ranching.” But, our industry’s safety record is more than just bumps and bruises. From 2000 to 2012, over a quarter of all the workplace fatalities in Manitoba occurred in agriculture. This is a very sobering statistic. This is a time of year when farm accidents happen. We are busy. Whether the year is a success or failure is often decided in the next few weeks. Hours are long and we are often tired. This is when we may take shortcuts. We don’t put the shield back in place (just have to take if off again anyways). We try to unplug equipment before shutting it down completely. We go too fast on the ATV. We put cattle through the chute before welding the broken pieces (a broken arm or worse can be the result). This brings up the single biggest piece of safety advice that anyone can offer, slow down! Take the time to ensure that whatever you are doing is being done safely. Sometimes this will mean that the baling won’t be done today. Sometimes this will mean that the bull gets away or the repairs will have to wait. But getting home in one piece is more important. After making safety a priority for you, take the time to ensure it is a priority for your family and for your hired workers. Sit down and talk about safety on the ranch. Set up a safety checklist for everyone to review. We can give you some samples. Stop to correct the bad safety habits of those working for you. Think about the safety of the suppliers, service people or visitors who may come to your farm. Remember that ranch safety is your responsibility. Don’t forget about the dollars and cents arguments around farm safety. If you or another key player on your ranch gets injured it can have serious economic consequences for your operation. Not only will you need to hire a costly replacement, you will also likely see a drop in your ranch’s productivity. Your replacement won’t have your wealth of knowledge about your operation, or work as efficiently. And, your insurance premiums may rise too, if you have an accident.
Winnipeg Harvest Benefits from Beef Auction Two fat beef steers were the object of a bidding war for a charity fundraising golf tournament hosted by Granite Financial’s Doug Lochhead. The event to benefit Winnipeg Harvest was held at the Southwood Golf and Country Club and included the beef auction which raised $3,000 for the non-profit organization. One steer was donated by Walking Plow Charolais, owned and operated by Emerson MLA Cliff Graydon, and the other was provided by Calvin Vaggs, of the Plains Processors and Associates. “I was proud to have been of service to Winnipeg Harvest at this event,” Graydon said. “Winnipeg Harvest is an important advocate for hunger and poverty issues and it is important to do all we can to help those in need.” The beef was auctioned off by Winnipeg celebrity Ace Burpee.
I talked about the responsibility you have for safety on your ranch. The word “responsibility” does not just have moral or familial connotations; it also has real legal meaning. I did not want to take this time to focus on specific government regulations but I would be remiss if I did not mention the fact that the Manitoba government is paying attention to farm workplace hazards. You have a legal responsibility to ensure the safety of your hired help and family working on your ranch. Manitoba Workplace Health and Safety has increased its enforcement activities and it is specifically looking at agriculture. If you have hired help, even casual or part time help from the neighbour’s kids, this will affect you. Feel free to call Manitoba Beef Producers if you want to learn more.
The Agri Post
July 26, 2013
11
12
July 26, 2013
The Agri Post
The Agri Post
July 26, 2013
21
He Was There at the Beginning By Les Kletke Charlie Coverington remembers the meeting that started the Big M Stampede in Morris more than fifty years ago; it was a twenty-something Coverington that took the minutes. He was the Secretary of the group that made the dream a reality. “Bruce McKenzie had the idea,” said Coverington. “He had been to the Northwest Roundup in Swan River and thought we should have a rodeo here. It was the only pro rodeo in the province and would be a good fit for the stock contractor and competitors.” The initial meeting of the Morris group attracted some 60 people from a wider area and at the conclusion, Harry Vold, of Alberta who was at the meeting, was selected as the stock contractor. “Someone asked about a contract because who knew if this guy would have cattle for us next July,” laughed Coverington. “Vold said he never had a contract, and Bruce got up and said that was good enough for him. They shook hands and the deal was done.” He acknowledged that not everything was as clear and clean cut as that, “In the early years we had to be more creative with finances and some of the deals but it all got done and the rodeo grew.” He remembers the first event had a gate fee of 50 cents that
generated over $15,000. To raise the $40,000 for the original grandstand, 100 people we contacted for 100 loans, which served as collateral for a bank loan. “In the early 1970’s we contacted the people to say we would pay them out with a 6 percent interest rate and only a couple collected,” he said. Coverington said that the early events had support from industry people like Vold and promoter Cliff Claggett, who had operated Claggets Wild West Show since 1947. “He was a promoter and could not have covered his expenses with what he charged us but he was a promoter and wanted to see the event grow,” said Coverington. “One year he had a contract to race wagons in the Huston Astrodome. He had some problems and ended up driving the wagons himself because of injuries to an outrider, but the show went on.” “No one knew much about rodeo in the beginning,” he said. “They had heard of the Calgary Stampede but no one knew the sport so they came out of curiosity and the crowds kept growing and after a couple of years we expanded the grandstand by 25 percent and added the roof. Those early years were pretty warm.” Looking back on 50 Stampedes, he still rates Cliff Claggett as one of his favourite rodeo personalities, “He was a great promoter and would do whatever he needed to put on the show. He used to have carloads of horses shipped to Morris and break them in May and June so they would be ready to run in the wagon races.”
Don’t Let a Little Mud Get You Down By Les Kletke
Charlie Coverington, the first Secretary of the Big M Stampede, thumbs through a history book released at the 50-year celebration event in Morris July 18. Photo by Les Kletke
Dave Paulson knew the show must go on but when he got to Morris for the Big M and the infield of the rodeo arena was what some might consider a quagmire, he knew there would still be a rodeo for him to announce. In fact, he had been warned about these conditions 15 years ago by long time announcer Bill Kehler. “Bill told me that when it rains the mud in the infield is like nothing I have ever seen,” said Paulson, at the Presidents Reception to mark the 50th anniversary of the Big M. “I have been coming here for 15 years and this is the first time I have seen it.” Paulson followed Kehler to the announcer’s booth in Morris and a few other places. “He hired me at the Calgary Stampede in the PR department,” said Paulson. “I worked there till my announcing career took off.” Today he announces roughly 120 performances a year. Morris is the only event where he calls the rodeo and the wagon races, “I have the wagons at other places but I am cutting back on that.” The busy schedule in Morris with two a day means he will work 29 performances in 30 days this month. What does the mud mean to the rodeo announcer? “You can’t change it so you might as well have some fun with it,” he said. “The cowboys are working hard in these conditions and you have to just go with it.”
Cowboys need all kinds of boots. Rain the night before made the infield more of a challenge for cowboys at the 50th anniversary edition of the Big M. Announcer Dave Paulson said he had been warned, but it took 15 years to actually see it happen. Photo by Les Kletke
Paulson admits that most of the crowds he entertains with his velvet tones are more informed about the sport of rodeo than the Manitoba crowd, but that is not a bad thing. “I try to add a little more explanation to the description,” he said. “But the crowd here is appreciative; they cheer a ride that might get a score of 71 points whereas some audiences don’t appreciate that ride and are a bit more subdued.” When not in the announcers stand Paulson authors books, mostly for the young adult audience and his most recent offering, Old Man, has been favourably reviewed by the National Post. While he calls Claresholm Alberta home, he has just completed a stint as the writer in residence at the Saskatoon Library. While opening night had its challenges because of the wet conditions, Paulson was sure things would get better and the show would go on just as it had for 50 years at the Big M, and he has been a part of it from his perch in the announcers stand for nearly 1/3 of them.
22
July 26, 2013
The Agri Post
The Agri Post
Cowboy Artist By Les Kletke Domain, Manitoba is not often thought of as the artist centre for cowboy art or any other art, but it is home for Diamond Doug Keith. Keith has called the Manitoba hamlet home for 11 years, settling there, “because it was a good place to raise his daughter.” For his line of work, proximity to the Winnipeg Airport was a great factor. He travels the continent reciting his cowboy poetry and he composed a special tribute for the 50th anniversary of the Big M. The poem was actually his second contribution to anniversary celebrations; he produced the commemorative artwork, which was well received by the committee who then asked him to work on a poem. His limited print was on sale at the 50th anniversary gala but his work started more than a year ago. “The committee spoke to
Ritz Continues ortfolio with PPortfolio The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) was pleased to learn that Minister Ritz would be continuing his role as Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food following the Cabinet Shuffle. “The sector has made several important advances under Minister Ritz’ leadership, notably increased market access, while continuing to protect supply management and emphasis on private-public partnerships focussed on growth and innovation,” commented CFA President, Ron Bonnett. “We look forward to continuing a strong partnership between industry and government in the months to come and to working with the Minister and the newly appointed Minister of State for Agriculture, Maxime Bernier, to further strengthen our industry,” Bonnett stated. “Minister Ritz has shown great leadership in agriculture, promoting open markets and greater market access for Canadian farmers,” said Levi Wood, President of the Western Canada Wheat Growers Association. “We’re very pleased the Prime Minister has seen fit to keep him as the Ag Minister.” The Wheat Growers note the continuity will allow Ritz to continue important reforms in agriculture, including changes to the wheat variety registration system, the modernization of plant breeders’ rights (e.g. ratification of UPOV 91) and reducing costs and improving services at the Canadian Grain Commission. “There are still several important files needing attention in agriculture,” said Wood.
me about two years ago,” he said. “While I have worked as a wrangler and am familiar with the events of the rodeo I wanted to get the images right so I took about 1,000 pictures at last year’s Stampede that I used for my imagery.” For Keith it was not only selection of the images but placement on the multi-image artwork that mattered. “The chuck wagons have always been a big part of the
event here in Morris so they went up in the top left hand corner and the barrel racers got the other top corner to represent women who have always been a part of rodeo and agricultural life,” he said. The centre of the print features a young rodeo bullfighter complete with grease paint. Keith used Scott Byrnes as his model for the youth, representing a youngster coming to the rodeo and dreaming of coming back as a bullfighter. The print also includes the agricultural component of the Big M with an image of a dairy cow representing the Black
and White Show, which has been one of the provinces’ premier outdoor shows over its existence at the Big M. Keith’s poem also celebrates the youth coming to the event with a 4-H steer and coming back with his family years later. “Fifty years of Thundering Hooves (the poems title) is about how a youngster comes to the show but dreams of being in the rodeo arena, then returning,” said Keith, who moves smoothly from one art form to the other, always showing his respect for the cowboy way of life.
Diamond Doug Keith and the 50th anniversary commemorative print. The Domain artist worked from more that 1,000 images he photographed at last year’s Big M. Photo by Les Kletke
July 26, 2013
23
24
July 26, 2013
The Agri Post
Reduce SARA in Dairy Cows During Hot Manitoba Summers Manitoba is one of the hottest places in Canada during the summer. While most of it is excellent beach weather for us, dairy cows on the milk line often become heat stress victims. In order to cope with hot weather, they tend to change their feeding patterns and this leads to a greater risk of sub clinical rumen acidosis (SARA). At this time of year, dairy producers should put into practice some feeding strategies that help combat heat stress and thus damaging SARA in lactating milk cows. That’s because dairy heat stress and SARA start to go hand-inhand at about 26º C in the months of July and August, when dairy cows take protective measures in order to dissipate heat taken in from its hot environment and its own internal body heat produced by natural rumen digestion and metabolism. One such way to reduce such heat build-up, dairy cows will increase their rate of respiration and pant. Seriously heat stressed cows will visibly pant hard, taking more than 80 breaths per minute. Often seen during a summer barn-walk, these cows may also be lethargic and make more trips to the waterers, while making fewer visits to the
feed bunk. As a result of such panting and altered feeding behaviour by heat stressed dairy cows there is an overall reduction of dry matter intake of forages and subsequent intake of “effective forage fibre” to maintain natural rumen function, which creates a domino effect toward the SARA condition: (1) a primary reduction in “cud-chewing” by dairy cows; (2) reduction in the volume of sodium bicarbonate enriched saliva; (3) less saliva produced and swallowed means less sodium bicarbonate entering the rumen to function as a buffer against volatile fatty acids produced during normal fermentation and other digestive processes; (4) a subsequent build-up of acids and reduction of rumen pH and (5) pH drops below a healthy threshold of 6.0 - 6.5 and SARA results. One of the first indications that heat stress and SARA might be present on your milk line is that your bulk tank milk fat tests have been dropping in conjunction with periods of hot (and humid) weather. At the same time it is a good idea to conduct a barnwalk and watch groups of milk cows resting in their stalls and
pick out the ones that are panting hard (more than 80 breaths per minute), which ones are chewing their cud (2/3 of them should be actively regurgitating their last meal) and also a particular group of cows hanging around waterers and those cows failing to come to the feed bunk. In addition, watch for any heat stressed cows that do make it to the feed bunk. They tend to have a more selective eating behaviour and will heavily “sort out” smaller grain particles from the diet, which only deepens their SARA condition. Similarly, these dairy cows are forced to endure “off-feed, on-feed” cycles caused by a toxic build-up of rumen acids and periodic relief of inefficient rumen buffering. It is also a good idea to look at manure that is not “porridgelike” excreted by individual cows. Manure from SARA cows is diarrhoea-like, pasty, shiny (intestinal sloughing) and contains small bubbles rather than normal manure consistency, which is a porridge-like patty. Sometimes SARA cows that go through the above “off-feed, on-feed” cycle can cause SARA-type manure to disappear and be temporarily replaced by normal looking manure. Unfortunately, SARA conditions return as rumen acid levels rise, which causes water to be reabsorbed back into the gut and shiny loose SARA manure begins once again. Aside from improving the ventilation, system or setting up a sprinkler system in the barn to reduce the number of heat stressed cows (including SARA cows) is to make sure all dairy cows have enough water to drink. Dairy producers need to set up enough waterers that provide plenty of cool clean water to all the cows. Heat stressed cows drink about 50% more water compared to other more comfortable times. One guide recommends that at least one or two waterers (depends on the number of milking cows) be within easy access as the cows exit the milking parlour. It is also suggested that the incoming flow of all waterers be checked and bowls or fountains be cleaned on a regular basis. Cows that cool themselves with plenty of drinking water should come up to the feed bunk and be met with digestible forages in their total mixed rations (TMR). These forages should still contribute enough “effective fibre” to stimulate cud chewing (re: 28% NDF with 75% of this NDF coming from forage sources and some long-stem forage particles), yet any forages with relative low digestibility should be avoided. That is because these latter forages generate heat that is more natural during the fermentation process and thus contribute to heat stress. Therefore, a good feeding strategy is to select and feed better quality silages and hays to the lactation dairy herd during any hot weather periods. Some dairy nutritionists suggest that better quality forages fed to dairy cows during hot weather should be supplemented with pro-biotic feed additives such as live-yeasts, cultured yeast substrates or other types of direct-fed microbials. Heat stress research performed on lactation dairy cows has demonstrated such a biological approach can improve dry matter intake, lead to better digestibility of lactation diets, and stabilize rumen pH for improved rumen function. As a result, dairy cows fed these commercial products have exhibited less off-feed problems and lower milk/milk fat depression compared to controlled counter-parts during a hot summer. Other nutritionists recommend that feed intake, milk and milk fat production can also be stabilized by providing supplemental sodium bicarbonate in accessible barrels set around the lactation barn. They say that feeding additional sodium bicarbonate to dairy cows when they come to the feed bunk offsets the natural reduction of sodium bicarbonate enriched saliva/rumen buffering capacity in heat stressed cows. Providing sodium bicarbonate, pro-biotic additives, higher quality forages with greater digestibility and lots of cool drinking water are good suggestions that work together to significantly reduce SARA in heat stressed milk cows. Implementing them as soon as summer approaches helps lactating cows through periods of heat stress and thus rewards dairy producers with good milk (and milk component) performance.
Horsemanship
Oak River hosted their two-day fair in mid-July starting with a junior Fun Horse Show - a great place for children to learn horsemanship.
Photos by Joan Airey
The Agri Post
July 26, 2013
25
26
The Agri Post
July 26, 2013
Rivers Ag Fair Helps Mark Community’s Centennial By Joan Airey The Rivers Agricultural Fair and community went all out to help mark the town’s centennial recently. A Manitoba Gymkhana Rodeo Association (MGRA) Horse Show was hosted on July 2, starting with a pancake breakfast at the fairgrounds followed by the Rivers 4-H Beef Club show, an evening sale of the 4-H steers and a sunset supper. Visitors to the fair took in an antique tractor pull, domestic classes and a variety of entertainment for children. The Grand Champion Steer, shown by Naomi Best, sold for $2 a pound to Redfern Farm Services. The Reserve Champion Steer, shown by Kate-Leigh Heapy, sold to Landmark Feeds for $2.60 a pound. A Sunset Supper was held at the farm of Eleanor and Marlin Beever near the Little Saskatchewan River, where some of the first settlers arrived in the area. The Beever’s served up barbecued beef, baked potatoes, baked beans and several garden fresh vegetables. People had a choice of eating at tables under a tent or standing at huge square bales and using them as tables. Guests enjoyed a few luxuries not readily available to the early settlers, like the fantastic music supplied by the Kroeger Family. Many families returning for the centennial decided to use the bales as a setting for family photographs. The Rivers Women’s Institute presented a “Hundred Years of Fashion” Tea Party and Fashion show on July 5 in the local Legion Hall. “In 1907 the Grand Trunk Pacific Railroad stopped at the south bank of the Little Saskatchewan River. Passengers forded the stream and walked a mile to a little tent and shack town inhabited only by railroaders. In 1908, a trestle bridge was built over the Little Saskatchewan and Rivers grew quickly. The decade starting in 1910 was an exciting time in western Canada,” said Dianne Kowalchuk, commentator for the show. “Communities were being born and growing furiously. In 1910, the best rural women’s organization in the world found its way into Manitoba. That would be the Women’s Institute (WI) and a branch was formed in Rivers in 1917 with the purpose of educating the women so that they could better care for their families and communities.” Between 1914 and 1918, WI members devoted their time to war work, knitting and sewing for the soldiers overseas. It was a time fraught with strain and stress. With the end of the war, the economy saw an upturn. That was reflected in the change in women’s fashions. The “flapper” came into vogue and the hemlines rose as high as the knee. “World War II began in 1939 and lasted for six long years. Rivers WI worked so hard to support the war effort that membership in the provincial body was allowed to lapse in 1942; however, the pull of the organization was so great that Rivers WI came to life again in 1949 and has worked in the community without interruption since then,” said Kowalchuk. The celebrations continued through the weekend with suppers and socials for sold-out crowds in the new Sportsplex. A school reunion also took place at the Rivers Collegiate.
Mark Your Calendar for the Provincial Pasture Tour Forage production this growing season has been good, estimated yield indicates an average harvest. This has been welcomed news for many livestock and forage producers that were challenged with a very dry summer last year that ended with overgrazed pastures and tight supplies of feed for the extended winter we just experienced. As the season progresses, it is important to be ready to get your hay harvested at a level of quality your livestock need. Indeed, in years like this, the old adage, “make hay when the sun shines” still holds true. The primary goal in forage production is to preserve the quality until it can be fed. Harvest losses will often derail your plan for top quality forage. If you are a producer looking to improve your forage production or pasture acres, circle Thursday, August 8 on your calendar for the annual Provincial Pasture Tour. This year the tour is being hosted in the Interlake region and begins at Meadow Lea Hall located north of Marquette. In one day, you will learn how to reduce your feed costs, improve your soil fertility and discover new options for winter feeds, including winter triticale. Tour stops include: - Darren Dalrymple Bale Grazing - learn how bale grazing can reduce winter feeding costs, improve soil fertility and pasture yields. - Lake Manitoba Flood Fields - discuss options to rejuvenate and recover from the effects of flooding. - EUR Ranch Sod Seeding and Water Pipeline - understand the benefits and issues surrounding buried pipelines for cattle watering and observe the results of sod-seeding flood damaged land. - Lunch at MTT Restaurant in St Laurent - provided by business sponsors. - Lyle Thorgilsson - Winter Triticale Field - hear about using winter triticale for high volume green feed. - Timothy & Tall Fescue Forage Seed and Livestock Feed Fields - observe the benefits of this palatable straw/hay source for winter rations. - Alfalfa Phosphorus Ramp Demonstration - see this site, which is part of a larger group of sites that help quantify how much phosphorus is economically ideal. - PESAI (Prairies East Sustainable Agriculture Initiative) Research Facility - get a complete tour of the facility including their forage and crop plots. Tour transportation from central collection points throughout the province is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives (MAFRI) staff from various regions will use vans to transport tour participants. GPS coordinates and times are provided for each stop for those using their own vehicle. Join fellow producers, agriculture retailers and industry for a day of touring and networking. For more information on the 2013 Provincial Pasture Tour, contact your local MAFRI office, to register or contact the Dauphin GO Office at 204-622-2006 before August 2.
Boulder Bluff Clydesdales four-horse hitch sponsored by Trestle Greenhouse drew great interest from the parade goers. Photo by Joan Airey
Culling Unprofitable Beef Cows is Necessary By Peter Vitti Our beef-breeding season will be pretty much finished in the next few weeks, and hopefully most cows are pregnant with next year’s calf crop. It’s a good time for producers to walk through their herds and start thinking about which cows that they want to keep and which ones should be culled. Such important decisions are not always easy because the profitability of some cows is not always clear. Therefore, producers should set up a few flexible parameters for culling beef cows that identifies animals, which do not contribute to better revenue and profits. Mature cows and replacement heifers are culled for a number of reasons, but removing open cows and problem breeders usually tops everyone’s cull list. After all, it’s the life-blood of generating cow-calf profits when all cows are pregnant by 80-90 days after calving, so that each cow drops a calf at about the same time every year. Straggler cows that routinely breed/ calve outside of a controlled breeding/calving season are also potential cull candidates because they are out of synch with the main herd’s reproductive goals such as a perennial short breeding/calving season that tends to generate newborn calves of more uniform size and heavier weaning weights that translates into more income for the operation. Such confirmation of truly infertile beef cows can often prove difficult because it may not be the fault of the cow in the first place. For example, since much of the breeding season falls during the hottest time of the year, many apparent infertile cows (as well as breeding bulls) actually suffer from heat-stress related infertility. Prolonged hot weather has significant negative effects upon cows’ follicular development/ ovum fertilization and their new foetuses are more prone to an early embryonic death. We should also keep in mind that heat-stressed bulls can suffer from temporary sterility. University studies agree and confirm that beef cows that are even moderately heat-stressed have about a 20 percent lower pregnancy rate than weather-comfortable control groups. Luckily, some observant producers have thrown these cows that could not get breed during the summer time into a special fall-calving group, where they are successfully bred using the same breeding bulls. Recognizing that such false-positive cull decisions (heat stress) in otherwise fertile beef cows might be made on occasion, there exists obvious beef cows that are no longer economically viable to any cow-calf operation and should be removed. The final decision to cull any particular cow starts out with these basic facts: healthy and fertile beef cows have an economically viable reproductive life through to about 8 years of age, and then overall fertility slips by 10 years old, and steeply declines after the cow becomes 12 years of age. Secondly, as young cows become old cows their bodies slowly break down, teeth become worn down and periodic digestive upsets take their toll on nutrient uptake, teats and udders structures collapse for good milk production, uterine disorders increase with repetition and lameness problems seem to multiply. Furthermore, as cows become significantly older they tend to become more susceptible to various infections and disease. Cows with serious disease and health problems such as cancer, persistent digestive disorders, advanced lameness or contagious diseases should be shipped, immediately. Confirmed cases of infertile cows (re: repetitively return to oestrus, palpitation or ultrasound), which are generally healthy and may still be milking after the breeding season might be kept until after their own spring calves are weaned. At this time, all cull-mates should be grouped together and the decision should be made to either sell them or put them into dry lot for further feeding and subsequently market at a later date. The option to retain and put additional bodyweight on these cull cows tends to be a modest opportunity to improve their economic value that otherwise would be considered as basic salvable dollars. Various field studies have demonstrated that cull cows will gain both lean and fat tissue mass in about the first 30 to 60 days after they are introduced upon a high-energy diet-feeding program. After 60 days, the same cows will likely lay down only body fat and thus desired average daily gains are expected to decline. The general consensus generated from a number of western American cull-feeding trials is that young, healthy females in thin to modest body condition are the best cull candidates for post-breeding or post-weaning feeding. Realized average daily gains ranged from 1.5 lb/head/ d on a diet of corn stalks and other crop residues to up to 3.0 lb/head/d on a high-energy corn silage/corn grain supplemented diet. Therefore, corresponding feed efficiencies tend to be around 10.0 lb and up to 7.5 lb of feed per lb of gain, which was dependent upon the type of respective diet, duration of feeding period and age/condition of the culled cows. Whether cull cows are put on a modest or high-energy diet in order to reach a general or specific target bodyweight, cow-calf producers should have a good idea of their input feed and ration costs as well as the seasonality and magnitude of present cull cow prices when a date to sell cull cows is proposed. Yardages, transportation, labour, clean out and other non-feed costs (e.g. medications) should also be penciled into any cull feeding program. In addition, producers should have designated facilitates that can hold and handle groups of cull cows, which are segregated away from the rest of the main cowherd. Once a group of fed cull cows are sold and the transport truck has left the yard with them, it is a good reminder that culling cows from the main cowherd is simply a way of life on a commercial cow-calf operation. This necessity also dictates that most profitable and healthy beef cows are those that produce a healthy and growing weaned calf every year. After leading a productive life, even the best of these beef cows are eventually shipped, which should make room for even more productive and profitable future beef cow-calf generations.
The Agri Post
July 26, 2013
27
28
The Agri Post
July 26, 2013
Time for Boron? By Les Kletke The hot dry weather of recent weeks may mean that flowering crops could benefit from a treatment of boron. The nutrient, which moves easily in the soil, is not as transient in plants. During hot weather when crops are, producing pollen it is the highest demand time for the plant. Brian Elgert, of Omex Agriculture Inc. (Canada), said that while soil tests may show ad-
equate levels in the soil that may not be the case in the plants and particularly in various parts of the plant. “I tell fellows that soil testing provides them with a road map, but tissue testing during the growing season is like looking at your gas gauge during the trip to make sure that you have enough fuel to reach your destination,” said Elgert. “You may have adequate boron in the soil but it is not getting to the parts of the plant that need it.” Boron will move upward in the plant more easily during cool weather but is not as active during hot weather and may stay concentrated in the lower parts of the plant. Elgert said that crops like
canola, corn, and soybeans are most likely to benefit from a treatment of Boron and he recommends a half litre to a litre per acre, depending on the crop’s requirement. He acknowledges that farmers may not want to bother with a tissue test but he said it is the best way to see if the crop requires boron or any other nutrient treatment. Most companies provide a formulation of the product that can be mixed with a fungicide application and applied either with ground rigs or by air. “It is all about the location and foliar sprays are the best way to get the boron to the plant at the time and place it needs it,” he said. Corn shows the greatest response to an application during tasseling when the requirement for the boron is high during the production of pollen. Elgert, who is cautious about blanket recommendations, suggests that farmers’ tissue test their crops or try a small part of their field to get their own results. He said that little research work has been done with boron application in Manitoba. He has seen significant work done with the element in the U.S. where it has shown results on soybeans as well and the time of application for the best results is during flowering, “It may be in the lower leaves of the plant but unable to move to the top of the plant where seed is being produced.” Elgert said that pH is also a factor and boron shows the best results when applied with to a neutral situation, which has a pH of 7, but formulations have buffers to make them applicable in Manitoba where soils tend to be alkaline. “Producers should give it a try on a test strip and watch the yields at harvest,” he said. “They have a lot of inputs invested in the crop to this time and an application of boron may be the thing to help the crop finish and get a yield closer to their target yield.” Small amounts of refined boron compounds boron can strengthen the cell walls of plants, making boron necessary in soils. It has a low toxicity in mammals but is more toxic to insects and can be used in insecticides. Boric acid is also mildly antimicrobial. When boron levels in plant tissue exceed 200 ppm, symptoms of boron toxicity are likely to appear causing marginal and tip necrosis in leaves as well as poor overall growth performance. Boron
fertilization is increasing because of higher crop yields that reduced levels of organic matter and because of years of intensive boron removal by crops. The key to controlling boronuse efficiency is a good fertilizer program. It is a relatively rare element in the Earth’s crust, represent-
ing only 0.001%. Worldwide commercial borate deposits are estimated at 10 million tonnes. Turkey has 63% of the world’s reserves followed by the United States as the world’s largest producers. Omex Agriculture Inc. (Canada) is located in Oak
Bluff, Manitoba with headquarters in the UK. The Omex group develops and produces unique liquid fertilizers using advanced gel rheology, for soil and foliar application, which are sold in over 50 countries worldwide.
Money Saving Tips that an Insurance Brok er Can Answer Broker When renewing your insurance there are some key answers to questions and cost comparisons that, your insurance broker should be able to provide so that you can make the best decision. Deductible - You may consider increasing your deductible to the next highest option or even higher. The higher the deductible, the lower the annual premium. Tidiness - Always keep your property in good condition, from grass to roof. Insurance companies inspecting your buildings consider maintenance and housekeeping for rates and qualification to preferred programs. Claims - By not turning in the small claims that can be paid by you, your insurance carrier will keep you in a preferred no-loss status. This helps you qualify for better rates and keeps your file clean for more flexibility and options. Think long term - Try to stay with the same insurance company. Sometimes they will provide better terms or coverage’s when asked if your file is clean. Shop around - While you are trying to stay with the same insurance company ask your Broker to go to market for you. This process can determine if your current insurance company needs to sharpen their pencil. Your broker needs to know and understand the differences in the different company programs and he should be able to explain these differences to you. Check the policy annually - Property & Equipment values go up, while others go down. If you over insure you do not benefit. Payment - Try to pay your premium in full instead of on the monthly payment plan. The savings maybe considerable. Price - The lowest price rarely saves you money in the end! By buying a low-cost low-coverage policy, you run the risk of really losing money by experiencing a loss that is not covered or underinsured. Take your time with your broker. Make them understand that while you want to save money you also need solid coverage with a solid insurance company. Cheaper isn’t always cheaper! Be sure to seek advice and purchase insurance from those who understand your business! Andy Anderson is an Associate Insurance Broker specializing in General, Life and Group Benefits for Farm, Commercial/Agri-business Ph: 204-746-5589 Tf: 866 765 3351 andya@rempelinsurance.com /rempelinsurance.com /valleyfinancial.ca
The Agri Post
Cattle Producers Need to Beef Up in Emerging Markets In the face of rising feed costs and flat demand in markets such as in the U.S., Canadian beef producers need to focus on exports to emerging economies to maintain growth, according to BMO Economics. “Canada’s beef industry will struggle to expand production and sales if it focuses exclusively on traditional markets... for its products,” said Aaron Goertzen, Economist with BMO Capital Markets. “It will become increasingly important for the Canadian beef industry to go where the growth is, and that growth, as we’ve seen, is taking place in emerging market economies.” Goertzen noted that emerging markets like India and Brazil, with rapidly growing populations and faster economic growth, have steadily increased their beef consumption at a pace that the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization expects will be
sustained over the next decade. In fact, total domestic consumption of beef and veal in India was over 2 million metric tonnes last year, an increase of 73 percent since 2000. In Brazil, consumption was nearly 8 million metric tonnes, up 29 percent. In contrast, Canadians consumed just over 1 million metric tonnes last year. “It is true that increasing overseas exports is not a straight-forward undertaking, and that it will depend on domestic and foreign regulatory factors that are outside of the industry’s direct control,” stated Goertzen. “However, experience in other countries suggests that it can be done. With countries like Australia and New Zealand exporting beef heavily, it’s also difficult to argue that Canada’s relative isolation, excluding our large neighbour to the south, is a limiting factor.” “The livestock sector, and
agriculture overall, are key economic drivers in Canada. In a recent survey BMO found that Canadians love home grown beef, with more than half frequently purchasing locally produced beef,” said Mike Darling, Vice President, Southern Alberta Commercial District, BMO Bank of Montreal. “That being said, while this demand remains crucial, we encourage farmers to remain competitive beyond our borders by increasing productivity and focussing on efficiency through innovation and scale.” Goertzen emphasized that only the most efficient producers, within Canada and globally, will be able to generate profits reliably in this challenging environment. “There is sustained margin pressure resulting from upward-trending feed costs over the longer run. It is therefore imperative that the industry maintain an unwavering focus on productivity growth and cost management through both innovation and scale.”
Dad Was There and It Became a Family Affair By Les Kletke Shirley Irvine remembers hearing about the challenges of the early days of the Big M Stampede around the dinner table. Her father, Bill Irvine, was on the original committee that started the Big M 50 years ago. “I remember picking rocks from the track,” she said with a laugh. “That is what we did in the early years. Dad was working on the grounds and as kids we went along to help. My job was to pick the stones from the track.” It was not all work and no play. She also remembers going with her father to the Big M and being given a handful of ride tickets for the midway, “That made me a very popular kid.” While the family farmed at Broadview, just south of Morris, there was time to volunteer at early Stampedes. “When the spraying was done and the hay put up we would go to work on the grounds,” said Ken, a younger brother who was back in Morris for the 50th anniversary celebration along with twin brother Al. An older brother, Wayne (deceased), was President of the Big M from 197880. His son Brad was on hand and carries on the volunteer role, “Helping out when I can at the event.” The family said that while theirs was a mixed farm typical of the area and time, it only ever had one horse. “Dad was at an auction and made a bid in passing,” said Shirley. “No one else bid and I got a Shetland pony.” The auctioneer of the time was Harry Shewman, who also did duty as the MLA for Morris. The pony provided entertainment at home but never got the chance to go to the Big M. Shirley remembers that the
Big M was the discussion at the dinner table many nights and her mother became involved as well. With Bill’s passing in 1967 she decided to seek off-farm income and began working in the Stampede office with then Manager, Jack Hamblin. While dad had bought into the idea of starting a Stampede in Morris, Al said the kids or anyone else didn’t know what to expect in the beginning. “We had not been to a rodeo and didn’t know what to expect the first year,” said Al. “But people came to the event and kept coming.”
Ken remembers accompanying his dad to coffee with Buddy Heaton, an early speciality act that had a trained buffalo. “We went for coffee and he was telling us about appearing in Maple Leaf Gardens and having a run-in with Eddy Shack, who apparently didn’t like the smell of the buffalo,” said Ken. “It wasn’t a problem in Morris.” Shack is a retired hockey player, winning five Stanley Cups and was the first players to score twenty or more goals in a season for five or more NHL teams.
July 26, 2013
29
Start Your Sheep Marketing Strategy The Manitoba Sheep Association (MSA) Annual Show & Sale will be hosted at the Rivers Recreation Centre in Rivers located northwest of Brandon from Friday, August 23 to Saturday August 24. The MSA sees the annual event as the prime starting point for many sheep farmers to plan their marketing strategies and to select new genetics for their flocks. This year, participants will also have input and a chance to learn about the launch of the Canadian Lamb Producers Cooperative’s new code on the Practice for the Care and Handling of Sheep. The show and sale is open mature animals born after January 1, 2009 for both purebred rams/ ewes and commercial ewes, market lamb and jackpot ewe lamb classes and hair sheep categories for both Dorper and Katadhin breeders. Participants are welcome to show their sheep with no obligation to sell, provided one animal is entered in the sale. Breeders who want to promote their sheep, but are limited on the number of animals they can commit to the sale can take this opportunity to display young stock and drum up interest for sales at a future date. The association will be continuing their focus on maternal genetics since Manitoba is in need of top quality female lines. Since the event is all about the promotion of sheep and not the show ring, there is no problem if there has been no experience showing, everyone is welcome. Prior to the show there will be a 2-day Sheep Shearing Course starting on Thursday August 22 at the Tony Atkinsons Collection Yard in Brandon. The cost will be $275 and includes lunch, a comb and two cutters or for those who supply their own equipment the cost is $200. The course is open to beginners and shearers who want some advance training. Also on the Thursday, there will be wool preparation instructions for shearers and producers, which is open to everyone at no cost. For more information visit mbsheep.ca. Deadline for entry forms is Friday, August 9.
30
July 26, 2013
The Agri Post
Manitoba Agriculture Hall of Fame Welcomes New Crop By Les Kletke For only the second time in its history, the Manitoba Agriculture Hall of Fame has inducted a group into its membership and just like its initial name of farmwomen; there can be little argument with naming 4-H leaders to the honoured position. There are those that would say the groups have played similar roles and, in many cases, membership would overlap. Fittingly the group was inducted into the Hall during the celebration of 4-H’s 100th anniversary. The citation read during the group’s induction said in part, “By following the 4-H motto of “Learn to Do by Doing”, leaders have shared their knowledge and skills and mentored youth in the development of life skills that have enabled them to achieve success in agriculture, business, home and community. The total contribution of 4-H members to society throughout their entire lives is immeasurable, and many members directly attribute their success in part to the dedication and commitment of their 4-H leaders.” Accepting on behalf of the leaders were three individuals representing past, present and future leaders. Pete Peters said that using the current membership of 932 members in 4-H clubs in the province and projecting that over 100 years it would mean that 93,000 people have been impacted by the organization. “The leaders of those clubs did not do it for wealth or fame but to see the growth of the individuals involved and we did see that,” said Peters. Amanda Hamilton Seward, representing current leaders, said that, “We do what we do as others before us, why would you need a different reason. We are impacting tomorrow’s leaders by using the skills we have today.” Future leader Madison Enns said she wanted to be a leader like her mom, grandma, and great grandma had been, “I want to help mould people into the great organization we have become.” The induction ceremony for the Hall of Fame was held in the Winkler Mennonite Church in early July, featuring the induction of four individual members and one couple. Charlie Froebe of Carman was recognized for his work with Canola. Froebe, who farmed at Carman, was instrumental in bringing about the Cash Advance Program for Canola. Fittingly Froebe had been a member of the Homewood 4-H Sugar Beet Club while growing up. He went on to receive a Diploma in Agriculture from the University of Manitoba and study in the United States before marrying and farming at Homewood. He became involved with the Manitoba Rapeseed Growers in 1980, the group that evolved into the Manitoba Canola Growers Association and was the driving force in getting the Canola Advance program into operation. For many years, the Froebes ran the program from their home. At the time of their retirement in 1996, it was a $200 million program with 12 employees. Froebe was not only involved with the Cash Advance but in many other areas of promotion for the crop, particularly in the U.S., but he travelled extensively internationally for the advancement of canola. In his thank-you for his induction to the Hall, he showed the effects his travels had on him by offering thank-you in a variety of languages. Butch Harder, a long time supporter of orderly marketing, may be best known for his role as Chairman of the Canadian Wheat Board Advisory Committee but played key roles in many farm organizations. He is a long time member of the National Farmers Union (NFU) and has served several roles in the organization as well as being involved with his local at Manitoba Pool and serving on the company’s Board of Directors as it moved through a series of mergers and name changes to what has become Viterra. He has been recognized with awards from several co-operative organizations and is a 30-year member of the Canadian Seed Growers Association. Today he farms 5,000 acres at Lowe Farm with his wife Joyce and son Dean. In his acceptance of the honour, Harder noted that his daughter-in-law Rose-Ann (Nesbitt) already had a grandfather and great-grandfather in the Hall. Harder also credited his father with introducing him to free speech, “It was always accepted that you could voice your opinion at the dinner table. You had to be respectful of other people around the table but there was not a fear of having an opinion.” Harder recounted his entering into public service at Lowe Farm High School where he was elected President of the student council, “There were a few people who wondered about a guy in a jean jacket with a turned up collar and a pack of cigarettes in his pocket. But, I learned a few key things there that did me well at other meetings over the years.” Harder also recounted an early NFU meeting where he had delivered the address and a more senior member questioned his view from the floor saying the young fellow on the stage didn’t know anything, “That was my dad.” The remark drew a round of laughter from the assembly and in true Harder fashion; he made his point with a chuckle. Harder has been involved in most aspects of his community including a stint on the Rosenfeld Lutheran Church Council. John Kuhl was recognized for his contribution to the vegetable industry, in particular the potato industry, and as a founder of the
John Kuhl, in his home town of Winkler, was recognized for his contribution to the Manitoba vegetable industry at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Winkler.
Bill Anderson, of the Manitoba Agriculture Hall of Fame, presents Charlie Froebe, of Carman, with his certificate of induction at the Hall of Fame Ceremony in Winkler.
Only the second group to enter the Hall of Fame, 4-H leaders were represented by the future, past and present leaders. Madisson Enns, Peter Peters, and Amanda Hamilton-Seward accepted on behalf of 4-H leaders in the group’s centennial year.
Helen and Herb Kletke, of Teulon, with their plaque that will hang in Brandon’s Keystone Centre, home of the Manitoba Agriculture Hall of Fame. Photos by Les Kletke
Bill Anderson presents Vern McNair, long time Manitoba Agriculture employee, with his plaque upon entry to the Agriculture Hall of Fame.
Southern Manitoba Potato Company. In his citation, it was noted that he had served in just about every capacity of the Horticulture Council and Vegetable sector boards. For Kuhl the ceremony in Winkler was a matter of ‘local boy makes good’ as he farmed all of his life in the Winkler area, returning to the farm after a brief stint at the University of Manitoba. He had early intentions of entering the Faculty of Medicine. He surprised the crowd in his remarks when he mentioned that he had 85 good years and was thankful for it, a collective gasp came from the crowd, many placing his age a decade or two less than 85. His command of the language and comfortable manner put the crowd at ease and his welcome to Winkler was viewed as meaningful by Mayor Martin Harder. He said he counted himself fortunate to see his sons and grandsons taking over the family operation. Vern McNair was the only non-farmer introduced and if no one recognized the name, they recognized the voice when he stepped to the podium for his remarks. McNair began his career with Manitoba Agriculture as the Ag Rep in Carberry and in 1955 went to the CBC as a farm broadcaster. He returned to Manitoba in Agriculture in 1959 and pioneered radio and television programs for the department. He ended his career as the head of information services with Manitoba Agriculture. McNair said that he never expected awards for the work he did and, “Did not look for a prize at the end of the line but rather to help farmers every day.” Over his 30-year career, he was responsible for hiring 60 people, “And they were highlights.”
Bill Anderson, of the Manitoba Agriculture Hall of Fame, with Butch Harder, as Harder is recognized for his contribution to farm policy.
He noted that he and his wife Marjory were approaching their 67th anniversary of their first date, “Who would know I would spend my whole life with someone that a teenager picked out, but it has been a pleasure.” The couple have three children, all of which have degrees in Agriculture from the University of Manitoba. Herb and Helen Kletke entered the Hall of Fame as they have farmed, together. The couple were also joint winners of the Canadian Seed Growers Association Robertson Award last year. Born in Rosenfeld, Herb moved to Teulon, as a youngster and with his father established the farm that has been come Kletke Seed Farms, which is now transitioned, to the couple’s son, Glen. The couple has worked at innovative ways to produce and store seed, always paying attention to detail. While they have been involved with several community committees, they are firm believers in “doing what you do well” and concentrating on the home operation. Herb was a member of 4-H in the 1940s and was always an early adapter. “You have to accept and use technology,” said Herb. “If I look at the changes we have seen since 1959 (when they started) it is amazing and it will continue on. You have to accept technology, but you cannot replace the people. The business is still about people.” The Manitoba Agriculture Hall of Fame is accepting nominations for next year’s inductees and the deadline for nominations is November of this year. The organization will also host a fund raising banquet in Winnipeg on October 17.
The Agri Post
July 26, 2013
31
32
July 26, 2013
The Agri Post