The AgriPost
October 30, 2020
COVID-19 Forces Couple to Create First Online Ram Sale
Sheri and Jeff Bieganski of Shereff Stock Farms of Carberry, MB, held their first online ram sale earlier this year because of COVID-19. Sheri and Jeff run a mixed livestock, cattle, and sheep farm while Jeff still works full-time off the farm.
By Harry Siemens Sheri and Jeff Bieganski of Shereff Stock Farms of Carberry, MB, held their first online ram sale earlier this year because of COVID-19. Sheri and Jeff run a mixed livestock, cattle, and sheep farm while Jeff still works fulltime off the farm.
COVID-19 did not change too many things for Sheri. She had two children at home; making her thankful she worked from home. With the cattle and the sheep, prices remaining strong during the fall run for both and the calf market has remained strong.
“We’ve moved some calves, and we’ve topped the market with our calves. So we’re happy with that,” said Sheri. She is also happy that the fall lamb price remained strong, selling a group of lambs born in late May that always struggle over the summer with the
heat. She said that they do not gain as well as the lambs born in the fall and the winter. In the spring, market predictions had prices dropping at the fall run but it did not happen. “I don’t have an answer for that,” Sheri said. Continued on Page 2...
Emergency On-Farm Support Fund During COVID-19 Announced The Government of Canada will continue to protect the health and safety of all Canadians from COVID-19, including those in the agricultural sector who work hard to provide us with high-quality food. Agriculture and Agri-food Minister, MarieClaude Bibeau has announced that applications are now being accepted for the Emergency OnFarm Support Fund in certain provinces and territories. This fund provides a $35 million investment to improve health and safety on farms and in employee living quarters to prevent and respond to the spread of COVID-19. The Emergency On-Farm Support Fund will provide support to farmers for direct infrastructure improvements to living quarters and work stations, temporary or emergency housing (on or off-farm), as well as personal protective equipment (PPE), sanitary stations, work stations and any other health and safety measures to safeguard the health and safety of Canadian and temporary foreign workers from COVID-19. Contributions under the AAFC-managed program will be cost-shared 50:50 with the applicants up to $100,000. An additional 10 per cent will be provided to women and youth applicants making the split 60:40 as the government is taking steps to promote and empower women and youth in the agricultural sector. Currently, the federal government is working with the Province of Manitoba to finalize the delivery arrangements with announcements expected through the coming weeks. Eligible applicants are primary agricultural producers such as a farm, ranch or other operation that produces agricultural products for resale. For more information about the program please contact toll free 1-866-367-8506.
The AgriPost
October 30, 2020
COVID-19 Forces Couple to Create First Online Ram Sale The Easter lamb market was strong too despite COVID-19 that keeps families apart during the big celebrations. The pandemic pushed Sheri to make an online ram sale this year, which is something they have never done. It was the first year selling their new imported genetics from New Zealand and Australia. The original plan was to take a good size group of animals to the Classic, the only national show in Canada, this year at Ancaster, Ontario. Instead Sheri and Jeff hired professionals to help them plan, prepare, and hold their online ram auction to do justice to their excellent breeding stock. They hired Maureen Tubman from Show Champions and used the DLMS platform, the Direct Livestock Marketing Systems, with Mark Shologan, out of Alberta. “If this is the world we’re going to live in, we’re going to have to pull up our socks,” said Sheri. “The sales exceeded my expectations, it was unbelievable. We sold stock from Alberta to New Brunswick.” Despite low and next to no internet services in many parts of rural Canada and older breeders not so keen on the technology, the Bieganskis and Mark from DLMS made it work. Sheri and Jeff put up 25 yearling rams for sale, test-
ing the waters. “You have to start going outside your comfort zone sometimes to realize that yes, I can do it, and yes, it can be successful,” she said. “I’m looking forward to the next one and will offer some females, too. Typically we sell females privately, but with so many requests, we’ll throw a few of the females in there and see how that goes.” Sheri said the great thing about having it online is that the animal never left the farm until they went to their new home. No hauling them to town and the auction barn. “We like to pride ourselves on our biosecurity, putting in much effort and time on our biosecurity with our sheep and picky about where we get our breeding stock,” said Sheri. “So we know what we don’t have because sheep can be very diseased animals.” For them, biosecurity began with talking to people for over a year before purchasing any breeding stock from reputable breeders. “It’s pretty easy to figure out whose reputable and who’s not, who’s just trying to make the sale,” said Sheri. “And who is passionate about what they’re doing and want to see their stock succeed no matter wherever they go.” The 25 animals averaged around $1,400 each for their first-ever online ram breed-
Continued from Page 1...
The 25 animals averaged around $1,400 each during their first-ever online ram breeding stock sale for the Shereff Stock Farms.
ing stock sale from the Shereff Stock Farms. Jeff also works full-time off the farm. Expansion is done slowly for both cattle and sheep. Currently they have a flock of around 300 sheep. They expanded a couple of years ago, adding a third breed buying a flock of Rideau Arcott from folks they know well in Ontario.
Manitoba Harvested a Good Crop By Elmer Heinrichs It was a near ideal fall with warm temperatures and little rain and Manitoba farmers took advantage of this late summer weather to take a good chunk out of crops left to harvest. Good harvest conditions continued through the first two weeks of October and when the weather changed and snow arrived October 20 there were few crops left in the fields. With only a little rain and day-time temperatures in the mid-teens to low twenties and moderate winds, combines moved quickly clearing the remaining crops and leaving only a little soybeans, sunflowers and corn in the fields. Ninetynine per cent of the crop was in the bins. By this time, many growers were already done or close to wrapping up harvest operations, and tillage was in progress. Volunteer grain and weed growth was poor this fall given the dry topsoil conditions. The corn harvest progressed well across central regions with Manitoba agriculture’s October 13 final crop of the season report saying harvest ranged from 20 per cent done in the Portage area to 60 per cent in the Al-
tona area. Yields varied from 130 to 160 bushels an acre, with some yielding higher. The canola harvest was completed and yields reported ranged from 35 to 50 bushels an acre or in the averaged range with the crop coming off in good quality. The edible bean harvest is considered done with reported yields above average at about 1,800 to 2,000 pounds an acre. The flax harvest is also complete with good yields in the 35 to 45 bushels an acre range. Industrial hemp harvest is also done. Potatoes were harvested in near excellent conditions according to Dan Sawatzky of Keystone Potato Producers and a number of producers finished up in record time. Due to high heat in summer and little moisture, yields are less than average. Across Eastern regions from the Red River to the Steinbach area harvest progressed well with minimal interruptions and the soybean harvest is virtually complete with yield reports in the 35 to 60 bu/acre range, an average of about 40-45 bu/acre. Crop quality was rated as good. The grain corn harvest was about 50 per cent
complete by the October 13 with the greatest progress made in the southern and central districts. Yield reports ranged from 130 to 150 bu/acre with moisture content of 20 per cent. Grain dryers have been going but less than last year. The sunflower harvest was about 35 per cent complete with yields for both oil and confectionery seed ranging from 2,500 to 3,000 pounds an acre with good quality. Some of the crop was harvested at 12 per cent moisture with aeration used to further dry down the crop. Good progress was made on fieldwork with fall nitrogen applications in full swing. The feed harvest across Eastern regions is close to complete with good progress on baling of remaining second-cut beef hay. But yields remained below average. With pastures in poor condition, producers were shipping calves to market. Cattle are being removed from community and private pastures, and back to overwintering yards. Greenfeed silage supplies have boosted some farmers’ outlook for overwintering feedstocks. Fall fieldwork continued on harvested fields and anhydrous ammonia applications were underway when the snow stopped field operations.
The AgriPost
October 30, 2020
Provinces Have a Role in Implementing CUSMA-USMCA North American state and provincial agriculture officials gathered virtually recently for the 29th annual Tri-National Agricultural Accord. Manitoba Minister of Agriculture and Resource Development Blaine Pedersen led the Canadian Delegation. Key figures representing agriculture for their respective nations (Canada, United States and Mexico) issued a joint communiqué underscoring the role of states and provinces in successful implementation of the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) Trade Agreement. “The USMCA has delivered an era of modernized free and fair trade which will secure North America as the most powerful trading bloc in the world,” said the representative for the US and Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture Ryan Quarles.
“By leveraging our growing power as a North American trade alliance, we will expand the opportunities of current and future generations of farmers. And there’s no doubt state and provincial governments play a key role in this success.” Beyond the joint statements on the bilateral meetings with Canada and Mexico, the three countries held productive sessions on USMCA implementation, state and provincial response to COVID-19, prevention, surveillance, and rapid response to African Swine Fever (ASF), and the future of agriculture through innovation including gene editing. “As state and provincial governments, we are the leaders best suited to address the local and regional concerns of our farming communities. Our mutual response efforts to the global COVID-19 pandemic are
critical to the resilience of our rural communities, and strength of our increasingly more connected food supply chain. Together we will work with our federal governments to expand resource availability specifically to state and provincial agriculture departments for pandemic response efforts,” Quarles said. The Accord represents a longstanding commitment among the senior state and provincial agricultural officials of Canada, the United States, and Mexico to work together collaboratively on agricultural trade and development issues. The Mexican delegation was led by Secretary Carlos Muñiz Rodríguez, Hidalgo Ministry of Agricultural Development and President of the Mexican Association of Secretaries of Agriculture and Rural Development.
GGC Chair Urged Government to Make Change for Agricultural Producers By Harry Siemens In advance of the Throne Speech, Jeff Neilson, chair of the Grain Growers of Canada appeared before the House of Commons Agricultural Standing Committee to discuss the government’s response to COVID-19 on behalf of Canadian grain farmers. Nielsen said Canadians across the country had felt the impact of COVID-19. “But as a farmer, I’m a natural-born optimist, and I know the clouds are going to clear. We can recover from this, and Canada’s agricultural industry uniquely positioned to drive our economic recovery in the months and years ahead,” he said. “In rural communities where farmers live, there is a general rule, when someone needs help, we all show up. No questions asked. Right now, our community is Canada. Farmers want to help, and we are eager to help. We need the federal government to set us up to do so.” Neilson outlined six areas in which Canadian grain farmers need immediate support through changes to the business risk management program, AgriStability which is the best avail-
Jeff Nielsen farms canola, malt barley, and wheat at Olds, Alberta and chairs the Grain Growers of Canada.
able support for farmers he said. “The Feds implemented the program’s current parameters when farm incomes were higher, and trade barriers were lower. That is no longer the reality. And as a result, many farmers can’t use the program today. Along with several other farm organizations, we feel the program should reflect the current realities of farming. We have one clear ask for the government, to immediately restore program coverage to 85% of historical reference margins and remove the reference margin limit.” Nielsen went on to say that science and innovation are critical to maintaining the farming sector’s profitability, competitiveness, and sustainability with access to new tools and technology, plant breeding innovations to help increase productivity and sustainability, improve crop nutritional value and quality, combat pests and disease, and enhance food safety. “To be leaders in this area, Canadian farmers need a regulatory environment that creates a clear and predictable pathway for investments to ensure this innovation comes to Canada.” “We need a commitment to make up for the field trials lost due to COVID-19 and to prioritize agricultural research now and into the future. Modernize the regulations to enable innovation in plant breeding. Pave the way for investments in new technologies to benefit farmers, consumers, and the environment, such as gene editing. Increase funding towards Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research,” said Neilson. “As farmers, we rely on the Pest Management Regulatory Agency, PMRA, to approve products that help us maximize our growth potential, protect the health of citizens and our environment, and protect Canada’s reputation for deliv-
ering safe, high-quality crops to the world.” However, in the next ten years, the annual number of PMRA projects involving pesticide re-evaluations will triple, exceeding existing capacity and resources,” commented Nielsen. “The government must assure farmers it will provide the necessary support to ensure PMRA can keep doing its job and ensure farmers have the tools to do theirs.” “We also need to ensure our agencies can generate accurate data going forward to protect the health of people and the environment and our global reputation for safety and scientific accuracy. Provide adequate funding to the PMRA to keep up with their increasing workload. Establish a panCanadian water monitoring program under the preview of the PMRA to ensure access to accurate data,” he said. “For our industry to thrive, we need to diversify and expand markets for Canadian grains, pulses, and oilseeds.” “We need you, our legislators, to stand up for free trade and ensure proper implementation of our existing free trade agreements. Our bottom line depends on it.” Neilson also highlighted that the carbon tax directly affects farmers using propane and natural gas to dry their grain. “To date, there is no alternative energy source available to do so, meaning the tax will not encourage the transition to lower carbon options as intended,” said Nielsen. “Instead, it just unfairly penalizes farmers. Furthermore, farming conditions in recent years had required above normal use of grain dryers, meaning higher costs for farmers at a time when their profit margins were already fragile,” he added. “We are all looking at you, our elected leaders, to restore certainty and peace of mind to our daily lives and sustainability to our economy.”
The Canadian delegation was led by Manitoba Minister of Agriculture and Resource Development Blaine Pedersen.
The Mexican delegation was led by Carlos Muñiz Rodríguez, Hidalgo Ministry of Agricultural Development.
Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture Ryan Quarles led the US delegation.
The AgriPost
October 30, 2020
Canada Brand Marketing During COVID-19 Receives a Refresh The Government will refresh the Canada Brand platform to ensure industry and partners have access to new graphics and tools optimized for today’s digital platforms. The refresh will also enable them to reach more consumers and enhance virtual connections with international buyers, and will include a modernized look, signature, messaging, and suite of digital-first marketing products for the Canada Brand. COVID-19 has changed how businesses across Canada operate and market their products, from finding new market development channels, increasing the use of e-commerce and participating in virtual events. The same is true for Canada’s agriculture and agri-food businesses, which are working hard to find new ways to promote their products to consumers across Canada and around the world. The Canada Brand launched in 2006, offering registered members access to a suite of promotional products designed to raise the profile of, and help differentiate, Canadian agri-food products from the competition. The Canada Brand program is open to Canadian entities that have a role in producing, promoting or supporting Canadian agriculture, food and seafood products. It currently includes branding and graphics material, photography for use in marketing and promotional materials, Canadian content statements, messaging on Canada’s advantages and promotion at Canada Pavilions for international trade shows. Currently, the Canada Brand has approximately 800 members who have been approved through an application process.
SM 2.0
Discussions around supply management usually fall into two camps. One is that we should get rid of it completely; the other is that nothing much should change. A new paper out of the University of Guelph called, “Supply Management 2.0, A possible Roadmap For The Canadian Dairy Industry” takes a different approach, and it argues that what’s really needed is a major overhaul of the system to deal with current realities. There are numerous challenges facing the industry and the authors predict that if the status quo persists “Canada could see half its current dairy farms disappear by 2030”. Saputo has announced the closure of two of its plants. Starbucks is looking to reduce how much dairy it serves. Consumers have mixed feelings about animal welfare and the environment. Dairy alternatives are becoming more prevalent. Trade deals have increased foreign market share and it’s estimated that now 8.14% of our domestic market gets satisfied by other countries. Fluid milk sales have been steadily dropping for the last twenty years. The vast ma-
jority of our dairy farms and processing ability is highly concentrated in Ontario and Quebec, leaving other provinces underserved and underutilized. Interprovincial trade and non-tariff trade barriers get in the way of producing and selling small but high value artisanal dairy products. And contrary to popular belief all dairies are not necessarily doing well financially, there’s a lot of smaller producers struggling to make ends meet. On top of all this, like it or not, the world is moving towards freer and more open trade and will continue to do so with or without us. More importantly though Canada is a trading nation and will continue to negotiate trade deals that open up new markets. Shielding domestic industries from this is difficult and continues to become less appealing over time. The paper outlines five general goals. Maintain dairy farming and processing in all regions of the country. Allow dairy farming to become more financially appealing. Make our domestic production capacity more competitive. Adopt a value chain-focused approach to reform. And develop a
Penner’s Points
strategy that focuses on innovation and growth, doBy Rolf mestic and inPenner ternational. It’s that last goal that probably raises the most eyebrows. The idea of selling Canadian dairy products around the world is something that after some 50 odd years of strict focus on domestic supply and demand seems kind of crazy. But is it? Report authors certainly believe it’s possible and have a number of ideas. A new separate quota that’s strictly for export markets for starters through the creation of a new milk class under the current system. A huge advantage we have comes simply from being Canadian. The Canadian brand in and of itself is quite valuable with the maple leaf being instantly recognized around the world for quality and responsible production. All of the goals are worthy of consideration as are the suggestions presented in the paper which one can easily read over a cup of coffee. Suggestions such as:
A voluntary quota buyback program, changes to the Canadian Dairy Commission, creation of an innovation fund, a 20-year plan to reduce tariffs and work of export strategies, etc. are all good starting points for further discussion. While it’s true that the Canadian dairy industry has made changes through the years, it’s also clear that they have not been nearly enough. Looking at the trends there’s a steady decline in a number of areas. Opportunities exist to grow the sector but a number of things need to be done a bit differently for that to happen. We’ve still got time to do them ourselves but as the report says, if we wait too long we may be forced to change rather than being in control of it ourselves, a made in Canada solution would certainly be the better way to go.
It Seems Agriculture is on the Backburner
Despite a sudden cold-snap in October and frost as early as September 9 in some areas, farmers are coming off one of the best harvests, weather-wise, in about five years. While not a bumper bin-busting crop, for the most part, a good average to above average and aside from frozen beans, excellent quality. However, COVID-19 fallout, not the social distancing so much, but for farm meetings, field trials, meat processing hiccups, and mostly a lack of real concern from the Feds, has farmers concerned for the future. Jeff, a farmer from Olds, AB, outlined a day before the Trudeau government’s Throne Speech several issues.
I spoke with former Federal Ag Minister and good friend Gerry Ritz about his Throne Speech thoughts. Ritz said five weeks before the Speech, PM Trudeau closed the house down, prorogued it, so that nothing moved on committees, but doing a reset, this was more recycling. “I think Jeff and his colleagues with the Grain Growers of Canada doing the Speech from the Combine, nailed a lot of the issues. Cattlemen have already been out saying, what about us? What’s going on? All the Prime Minister has talked about agriculture is ‘lighten your carbon footprint’, which farmers did for years with direct seeding and the way they handle their livestock, and so on,” he said. “They’re getting absolutely no recognition for it. Agriculture in Canada is the second-largest contributor to the GDP, the largest
manufacturing sector. Of course, they’re chasing that out with carbon tax and now a new fuel standard that’s going to catch everybody hard again. Dryers are running out in this country, and the carbon tax on those bills is just astronomical again. And nobody’s listening.” During Ritz’s tenure as Ag Minister of Canada, he focused on international trade because to keep farming and feed the less fortunate worldwide, Canada needs to export 60 to 70 per cent of what farmers grow and produce. But from Jeff Neilson’s remarks, it seems like Canada and the Feds are dropping the ball, let alone playing the game and sitting on our collective hands. Ritz said, for the most part, the Liberal government is not taking advantage of the trade deals they negotiated. Of course, they did the final signing but haven’t followed it up. The negotiations of a
trade deal set the rules and the timeframe that everything kicks in, but that’s just the beginning. “It takes constant work to maintain those trade corridors, but the Libs have let that go! The rules and timing are there, written down, agreed to by the countries involved, but you still have to make those trips, make those connections, bring industry along, visit with the minister of record, but get industry to industry doing those deals. And that’s just not happening,” said the former minister. I asked Gerry if he had any suggestions going forward? “I don’t think it’s going to happen under this government. They don’t seem to give a damn. They’re concerned about firearms, but they’re not going after the ones coming in illegally at the border that are causing the trouble. They’re wanting mine as a farmer.
They’re not concerned about the oil and gas sector at all. They’re talking about these new green jobs that somehow are mysteriously going to show up. Creating a million jobs while raising the carbon tax, putting in a new fuel standard, which is the NEP 2.0 that Pierre [Trudeau], brought in years ago. So, the little potato hasn’t fallen very far from the tree.” Like all the farmers who were watching this today, he’s just disgusted by the lack of knowledge about agriculture and what it can do to help bring this economy back. “Instead, we seem to be going deeper into debt. I know even CDC alluded to the fact that this is hundreds of billions of dollars of spending, and a lot of it’s in provincial jurisdiction, as opposed to what the fed should be doing and leading us out of this economic malaise that they’d created.”
The AgriPost
Goliath Could Not Win
Everybody likes to see the underdog win. Some people take great pride and make a habit of cheering for the underdog. I become especially aware of this around this time of year when I wear my New York Yankees jacket; people go to great lengths to tell me how they hate the Yanks and would cheer for anyone else and on and on and on. The image of the New York Yankees being the bad guys and being able to have a bigger payroll than most teams has somehow made them a despised franchise, maybe
the most in professional sports. It was the release of the movie “Percy” and a discussion with my long time friend and actor Warren Ellis that got me thinking about how the powerful cannot win for loosing. It is like the Yanks or Monsanto or going back to Goliath. When they win it is expected and gets a pleasant ho-hum, when they lose the crowd goes nuts. In case you have not heard “Percy” is a movie about Percy Schmeizer, the Saskatchewan farmer who took on Monsanto over the right of farmers to keep their own seed or respect the Technology Use Agreement (TUA). The billing for the movie calls it a David and Goliath
story about the farmer taking on the evil giant Monsanto as Goliath. Which brings us to the point, Monsanto could not win in this situation, just as Goliath was done for before David picked up the rocks. He had been calling for the opposing camp to send out its best warrior. Now he is faced with a boy who has only a sling and a hand full of rocks. If he beats the boy he is a monster for defeating an unarmed kid, but when he loses, David is the hero. This is not about me elevating Monsanto onto a pedestal, but really all they wanted was to play by the rules that had been put in place. They did not single out Percy and try to be the bully on the agricultural playground. Just as
the New York Yankees don’t when playing weaker teams, they just want to compete and win the World Series ring. I have not seen the movie and I plan to because my friend Warren has a key role in it but I do not expect that it will portray what really happened or do the business of agriculture any favours. I will stop now because I am keeping an open mind about the movie until I see it. But Goliath never really had a chance, he was going to be a loser, and the Yanks are out of the playoffs along with Monsanto.
ACL Credit Announced for Beef Producers Affected by Dry Conditions The province is helping position the Manitoba beef industry for success through a number of new and ongoing measures, including a one-time rent credit for agricultural Crown land leaseholders and enhanced risk management tools. “The last few years have been challenging for livestock producers, with dry conditions and new financial pressures,” said Agriculture and Resource Development Minister Blaine Pedersen. “I’m pleased to announce that our government is introducing a number of measures to support beef producers in our province, which will build on other investments that recognize the importance of this sector to Manitoba’s economy.” Very dry conditions resulted in 18 municipalities declaring a local state of agricultural emergency in 2019 and drier than normal conditions continued into 2020. In response, the province will provide a one-time, 20 per cent rent credit to producers who held a forage lease or renewable permit on agricul-
tural Crown lands (ACL) in these municipalities in 2019 and will continue to hold it in 2021. This 20 per cent account credit will deliver more than $530,000 to producers, based on their 2021 rental rate. On average, each client will receive more than $430 in rent credits, which will be applied to their ACL rental rate in 2021. The minister also noted several new improvements will be made to Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation programs including a new pilot project to evaluate the potential of index-based forage insurance products, in partnership with the governments of Canada, Alberta and Saskatchewan; changes for the 2021 AgriInsurance contract to introduce individual productivity indexing for silage corn and increasing the transportation allowance within the forage insurance dollar value and Hay Disaster Benefit for the Forage Insurance Program; and work to reduce the impact of disaster years on insurance coverage, reduce participant burden and increase awareness of forage
insurance options. Recognizing the importance of agricultural Crown lands to Manitoba’s beef industry, family farms, biodiversity and the sustainability of the animal protein industry, the province will continue to meet its commitments to legacy leaseholders. The province will provide a mechanism for in-family renewals at the end of each 15-year lease term on any leases that were in place prior to October 1, 2019. Producers and stakeholders can continue to provide input on agricultural Crown land leases and permits as part of an online regulatory consultation. For more information, visit reg.gov.mb.ca/ detail/3313599. The deadline for comments is Nov. 16. The province also continues to support other initiatives focused on the sustainability and success of the beef sector. The federal-provincial Canadian Agricultural Partnership is investing $2.85 million over five years with the Manitoba Beef and Forage Initiatives, a partnership between Manitoba Beef Producers, Ducks Unlimited Canada and
the Manitoba Forage and Grasslands Association to enhance productivity, profitability, sustainability and public trust of the beef industry in Manitoba. In addition, the province is providing $300,000 over three years to support an industry-led pilot project to reduce wildlife predation of cattle and sheep in Manitoba. The Livestock Predation Pilot Project will help producers most affected by predation to develop individual risk management plans, while also supporting broader industry-wide efforts to test a variety of risk management approaches and share knowledge and best practices to reduce losses. For more information and tools supporting beef producers in Manitoba, visit gov.mb.ca/agriculture/ livestock/production/ beef.
AAFC Projects High Quality Crop By Elmer Heinrich Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), in its October outlook, said favourable weather in western Canada resulted in an early harvest that, in general, is producing good yields and quality. In eastern Canada, the corn and soybean harvest is not expected to be complete until early
November. Total field crop production is estimated at 98 Mt. Canadian corn production is estimated to increase by 5 per cent from 2019-20 to 14 Mt on expected good yields, despite the lower area planted. Canadian oat production is estimated to increase by 6 per cent to 4.5 Mt on expected
higher area and good yields. Exports are expected to remain strong. Soybean production will be up slightly, with prices rising due to market demand. With higher Manitoba production, AAFC estimates dry bean production to rise by 15 per cent to nearly 365 metric tonnes, consisting of 95 Kt of
white pea bean types and 270 Kt of coloured bean types. The economic outlook for the world and Canadian grain markets is expected to continue to be impacted by the domestic and international uncertainty caused by COVID-19.
October 30, 2020
Substantial Support Missing Dear Editor: RE: Crown Lands and Leases Families across Manitoba have made enormous sacrifices to flatten the curve and keep each other safe, healthy, and fed, including producers and farmers. The Pallister government’s recent announcement of a one-time rent credit for agricultural Crown land leaseholders does nothing to properly offset the additional costs of Crown Land leases, other costs associated with years of drought and other market conditions. Manitoba beef farmers and their families need real and substantial support by the provincial government to keep their lights on and food on their table. After years of drought and no support, the funding announced by the government simply does not compare to how much the costs of crown land leases are increasing - not nearly enough to help farms and ranches during this pandemic. As the Leader of the Official Opposition, I have heard from cash-strapped producers across Manitoba. Some families are on the brink of losing their homes and livelihoods, widows with children are desperate to keep their family homestead. From the beginning of this public health crisis, the Pallister government has failed to protect small businesses and family farms. The Manitoba NDP would work with agriculture organizations to immediately reverse the changes to Crown Land leases made by the Pallister Government. We are committed to longer crown land lease terms and to extend payment deadlines. We would stop the Pallister Government’s increases to lease rates and restore rights of transfer, like unit transfers, that have been cut by this Government. We would also institute paid sick benefits to help support self-employed and incorporated farmers, producers and ranchers. Manitoba producers and their families deserve much more. The Pallister government needs to reverse their changes to Crown Land leases and offer real investments in farms and producers so families survive this pandemic. Wab Kinew, Leader of the Official Opposition
Pallister Government Fails Crown Land Farmers By Jon Gerrard Pallister government’s further piecemeal changes to Agricultural Crown Lands lease regulations are not acceptable. The latest proposed regulations in respect of Agricultural Crown Lands leases fails to recognize the needs, the rights of crown land farmers, and the security of long-term transferable leases to ensure good land stewardship. Farmers who have livestock on Crown lands need to have the ability to make improvements on the land to build value and equity as they do so, just as other farmers do. What the Pallister government is failing to recognize is that the Province benefits from increased environmentally sustainable managed land. Well cared for land allows farmers to increase their livestock. As a result, rural communities will stand to gain because of the economic benefits to local businesses. The proposed regulations as they stand do not provide the certainty needed that producers will receive reasonable compensation - or any compensation - for their efforts to make improvements to increase stewardship into Agricultural Crown Lands. Without such certainty, producers may have their lease terminated without proper compensation leaving the producer with little financial benefit from years of hard work. If producers are not guaranteed compensation for improvements they make to the Crown Land, it could lead to a neglect of good environmental stewardship. To prevent this, farmers’ efforts must be matched with an assurance that they will receive a reasonable return on these efforts. The Pallister government needs to reverse proceeding with their proposed regulations so that producers who farm on Agricultural Crown Lands can benefit from their hard work. By reversing the proposed regulations, the stewardship of the land and property will be enhanced. There is no doubt that enhancements were needed to fix the Agricultural Crown Lands Program but rather than admit their failure to bungling the consultation process, the PCs are making a bigger mess which only leaves Manitoba farmers further behind. I encourage all concerned producers to provide their feedback on the proposed regulations to the PC Government at the following link: reg.gov.mb.ca/detail/3313599. Jon Gerrard is an MLA with the Manitoba Liberal Party.
The AgriPost
October 30, 2020
Farmers Respond to Argentina’s Approval on GMO Wheat By Harry Siemens On October 9, Argentina formally became the first country in the world to approve the use of drought-resistant genetically modified (GMO) wheat.
But the resolution in the country’s official gazette said the seeds could not be sold in Argentina before Brazil, Argentina’s primary wheat buyer, approves importation of the product. The new
Brian Voth, president of intelliFARMInc, a grain marketing firm based in Winnipeg, said from the perspective of farmers in Argentina amid weather fluctuations… it’ll be great.
variety, a transgenic wheat HB4 developed by Bioceres and the French Florimond Desprez, has tolerance to droughts and the herbicide glufosinate sodium. So far, no countries are ready to import GMO wheat, leaving Argentine farmers with little incentive to plant the new variety. The Twitter Ag community in Manitoba and elsewhere had a lot to say on this contentious issue. Philip Shaw said from an Ontario perspective GMO wheat would be a disaster. “I don’t want any part of it… with Argentina’s approval, the cat will be out of the bag, just like that wheat in Oregon a few years ago… what GM trait does the Argentinian wheat have?” he asked. Landon Friesen of Crystal City said, “Yeah if we could leave GMO wheat out of the country that’d be great.”
Brian Voth, president of intelliFARMInc, a grain marketing firm based in Winnipeg, said from the perspective of farmers in Argentina amid weather fluctuations, it’ll be great. They are becoming a more prominent player in the global wheat game. From the Canadian Ag and farmers’ perspective, it’s going to make it more challenging for farms to be competitive in the global wheat market. “We’re high cost with logistics challenges.” Jim Pallister of Portage la Prairie commented that “Science marches on, slowly perhaps, but steadily.” Rob Stone of Davidson, SK said, “Environmental activism is what drives the government’s agenda. They better open their minds to all technologies that accomplish their desires to be taken seriously and as an act of good faith as they shove all
the responsibility and cost onto farmers.” Brian Kennedy of Calgary said Brazil takes about half of Argentina’s wheat; they will need perfect segregation or acceptance from their other customers. Brian Rund of Indiana said voters and the choices they make greatly influence government policy. “My point is that a GMO with no apparent consumer benefit is unlikely to get public, and therefore policy, support,” said Rund. “I think there would be demand if the GMO traits had consumer benefits (e.g. golden rice). “Pretty hard for a consumer to get excited or even aware of input-side benefits.” Eddy Vanderveen of Rapid City said, “It could be an opportunity for Canada but won’t produce better farm gate prices. That is not supply/demand but often politically decided. Food has to
John Kowalchuk from Central Alberta believes there is a possible benefit. But canola breeders have not addressed that issue very well over the years.
be cheap.” Rob Stone said, “Going forward, the pressure on agriculture regarding perceived footprint will have ever-increasing scrutiny. There’s certainly a fit for all technologies. The environmental types are going to have to accept that.” John Kowalchuk from central Alberta said there is a possible benefit.”But canola breeders have not addressed that issue very well; in how many years? Consumer demand won’t increase for GMO products. We, as farmers, see the benefits to the environment, but they fall on deaf ears for the most part.” Stone replied that this is a timely, fun debate. “Considering the environmental nuances to farming practices. What if it’s nutrient efficiency [Argentina GMO wheat] is better or any number of other production benefits happen that will make the environmental impact much better?” he asked. Daryl Devos of Bruxelles said it depends whether he is a farmer or a poor country. Steve Marshman of Strathmore, Alberta noted that, “We have some great wheat genetics as it is and an oversupply. Markets lost likely won’t offset production gains.” Stone in reply said, “Why do we immediately assume the GMO part is a production increase function?” Kowalchuk Farms added pointed questions. “Before considering GMO wheat, here are some questions. Is there any demand for this product? “What issues with the current conventional wheat are we trying to fix? Who in the supply chain or consumption side would benefit from this product?” Cherilyn Nagel of Mossbank, SK and past president of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers said, “Farmers don’t compete, Governments compete. So if a farmer in Argentina has the opportunity to grow a great variety of scientifically enhanced wheat, I give a thumbs up. Science must prevail, and I appreciate when government supports agricultural research.”
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Two Manitoba Agriculture Reports Help Farmers Compare and Decide By Harry Siemens The results are in, and producers can find out the most popular varieties grown in Manitoba in the Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation, MASC 2020 variety market share information. This is a seeded acreage report compiled from the MASC database as of September 11. Dennis Lange, the provincial pulse specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, said this report lists seed genetic origin and does not necessarily reflect certified seed sales or “bin-run” seed. The data is based on what growers have picked as the most popular in Manitoba for various crops and varieties and shows which ones are up and coming. “I just find it’s a handy and interesting tool because you get to see what producers’ plant and how things change from year to year,” Lange said he likes to recommend two tools for farmers. This fall market share report the February MASC
releases of yield break down of different crop insurance risk areas. Lange said farmers could use the two tools by first looking at what variety is more popular. The other one helps them determine how a particular variety of a crop does in their area. “It filters out the coffee shop talk because the second report has what the yields are and not what the farmer shared in the coffee shop.” As an example he focused on the top 10 soybean varieties to show what growers put in the ground. “Oh, I can see this variety is up and coming and it helps me make decisions when I use different checks in my trials,” he said. “This year, I guess, advertised a little bit more, so people see it. But it has been available for many, many years already.” Lange did not see any surprises in the report. The number one pick most planted in Manitoba for soybeans is a variety called S007-Y4 at 17 per cent which has been at the
Dennis Lange, provincial pulse specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, said the Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation, MASC 2020 variety market share report lists seed genetic origin and does not necessarily reflect certified seed sales.
Dennis Lange, provincial pulse specialist with Manitoba Agriculture said that it is mostly corn and sunflowers that are left right now to harvest which are showing excellent yields.
top for the last two or three years. It tells him what maturity groups growers are planting and indicates how growers follow his advice through the years, making sure they are choosing the right variety for the region. “It helps me validate some of that information because the Y4 is an early to midseason variety,” Lange said. The second one on the list is also an early-season variety. Still, the next one is a long season variety which means soybeans are planted all over Manitoba, but the mid to long season varieties are still very well suited for the south. “I’d get a little nervous if all the varieties are long season right at the top because that tells me we’re growing soybeans all over Manitoba,” he said. “If all I see are long season at the top, that means growers are pushing the maturity. But I don’t see that. I see early to midseason varieties where they belong and the long season varieties where they belong.” Lange said a surprise is the 2410 soybean which has been around for a long time is still making it on the list. Lange said dry beans, fava beans, and peas are off the fields in Manitoba and soybeans, for the most part, are done too. It is mostly corn and sunflowers that are left to harvest. “I hear some excellent yields there too, so I think growers are pretty happy with the corn and sunflowers this year,” he said. “Moving forward, I encourage growers to look at some of these reports because it shows what farmers plant, and it maybe helps you narrow down your choice of what variety you want to grow in the following year. You may want to try something different. And this way, it tells you what other growers are growing, and it may give you some direction on what variety to grow.”
ACL Stakeholder Feedback Sought The Manitoba government is seeking feedback on the proposed renewal process for legacy forage leases and renewable permits on agricultural Crown lands. “Agricultural Crown lands are well positioned to support the growth of the livestock industry in Manitoba and contribute to the department’s Manitoba Protein Advantage Strategy,” said Agriculture and Resource Development Minister Blaine Pedersen. “As part of our mandate, we
will continue to modernize the management of our Agricultural Crown Lands Leasing Program in a fair and transparent manner.” Legacy forage leases and renewable permits are those dispositions that were in place prior to Oct. 1, 2019. The proposed change will ensure that family farms have stability in their operations by enabling successive renewals of these legacy forage leases and renewable permits.
This proposal contributes to the modernization of the Agricultural Crown Lands Leasing Program, and delivers on the commitment made to stakeholders in October 2019, the minister said. Stakeholders are invited to review the regulatory amendment proposal available on the Manitoba Regulatory Consultation Portal at reg. gov.mb.ca/home. Comments are encouraged to be submitted online prior to November 16.
October 30, 2020
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October 30, 2020
“Save the Fairs” Fundraising Campaign
Photo by Justin Oertel
The Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba has a campaign underway called Text-to-Donate that will run for the next 3 months. The idea behind this is to make it as easy as possible for people to help them #SaveTheFairs. Your donation can be used to help secure a future for one of Brandon’s longest standing nonprofits and charities. Simply text “Fairs” to 20222 to donate $10 to The Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba. With Covid-19 Pandemic Restrictions in place, most of these events were or will be cancelled in the foreseeable future which has dried up their main source of revenue to operate.
Decades of Preserving Canada’s Crop Genetic Diversity Canada’s national genebank for plant genetic resources is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Officially known as Plant Gene Resources of Canada (PGRC), it was established in 1970 and has contributed to national and global food security ever since. The 50th year of PGRC has come at a unique time as the outbreak of COVID-19 reminds us that pandemics can happen at any time to humans, crops or animals. As we have seen with COVID-19, the globalization of supply chains for agricultural and horticultural crops can inadvertently reduce the genetic diversity of crops making them susceptible to disease and wide-spread crop failures. PGRC’s important work is needed to preserve the genetic diversity of cultivated plants and their wild relatives to support plant breeding and conduct research and education. “Having the genetic traits for disease resistance available is one of the major contributions of gene banks around the world, including PGRC,” explained Dr. Axel Diederichsen, Curator, Plant Gene Resources of Canada. “In addition, the need to rely more on locally adapted crops in the future may be supported by genetic diversity in the genebank collections.” PGRC, originally located in Ottawa, moved to Saskatoon in 1998. It is part of the Canadian national plant genebank system for plant genetic resources for food and agriculture, which also includes the Canadian Clonal Genebank in Harrow, Ontario, which focuses on fruit crops; and, Canadian Potato Gene Resources in Fredericton, New Brunswick. The seed bank at PGRC maintains a collection of more than 115,000 different samples of cultivated plant species and their wild relatives. This collection includes samples from countries across the globe, but the PGRC is more than a place that just acquires and preserves samples. PGRC rejuvenates and assesses seed germplasm and undertakes collaborative research on how best to store seeds, and germinate and cultivate them to learn more about their genetics and traits. PGRC collaborates with many international partners including the US, Mexico and other countries involved in the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. It is Canada’s representative in a worldwide network of plant genetic resources centres coordinated by the FAO and is our key player in the North American PROCINORTE Task Force as well as the International Treaty for Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. “For North America, the cooperation among the US, Mexico and Canada’s plant genetic resources is coordinated by the PROCINORTE Task Force on Genetic Resources,” said Diederichsen. “Globally, the International Treaty for Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and the Commission on Genetic Resources of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations are important for PGRC. They enhance the coordination of global efforts to ensure genetic diversity for food security is maintained and can be used to support food security. In addition, PGRC is in contact with many national genebanks around the world.” Annually, the PGRC distributes more than 5,000 germplasm samples including seeds, tubers, and cuttings nationally and internationally to over 60 countries. These samples are used to support research, breeding, education and the diversification of agriculture here in Canada and around the world. The work being done at PGRC plays a fundamental role in ensuring the resilience of Canada’s agricultural sector and contribute to our world’s food security and food supply.
Canadian seed varieties.
Supplied photo.
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October 30, 2020
Free Regen Ag Conference Kicks Off November 5 Manitoba Forage & Grassland Association (MFGA) is offering the entire 2020 MFGA Regen Ag Conference online free of charge and live as it happens throughout the month of November, thanks to the incredible support of conference sponsors. Presentations are scheduled for concurrent Thursday evenings, November 5, 12, 19, and 26 as part of MFGA’s month-long celebration of Regenerative Agriculture. To register to receive your online link via your email, please visit mfga.net/regenag-conference. Four internationally-recognized keynote speakers will put a very strong Manitoba flavour into their presentations and be available for a post-presentation facilitated question and answer session. MFGA will also build momentum for regenerative agriculture during the presentations through snippets of Manitoba-based regen Ag topics and producers. Keynote Speakers: Diana Rodgers Diana Rodgers, RD, is a “real food” nutritionist living on a working organic farm near Boston, Massachusetts. She’s an author, runs a clinical nutrition
practice, hosts the Sustainable Dish Podcast, and is an advisory board member of Animal Welfare Approved and Savory Institute. She speaks internationally about the intersection of optimal human nutrition and regenerative agriculture. Her new documentary film and book project is called, Sacred Cow: The Case for Better Meat. More info can be found at sacredcow.info. Diana will also deliver a keynote presentation as part of the following conference day’s agenda. Mark Shepard Mark Shepard heads Forest Agriculture Nursery and runs New Forest Farm, a 106-acre commercial-scale perennial agricultural ecosystem that was converted from a row-crop grain farm. Trained in mechanical engineering and ecology, Mark has combined these two passions to develop equipment and processes for the cultivation, harvesting, and processing of forest-derived agricultural products. He is a certified permaculture designer and teaches agroforestry, permaculture and his innovative systems of water management around the world. Mark heads Restoration Agricul-
ture Development and Forest Agriculture Nursery, and is most widely known as the author of the award-winning book, Restoration Agriculture: Real-World Permaculture for Farmers. Restoration Agriculture is based off his experiences at, New Forest Farm, and represents his belief in the ability of sustainably grown perennial food crops to feed us into “our resource-compromised future”. Nicole Masters Nicole Masters is an independent agroecologist, systems thinker, author and educator. She has a formal background in ecology, soil science and organizational learning. She has been providing agricultural consulting and extension services since 2003. Nicole is recognized as a knowledgeable and dynamic speaker on the topic of soil health. Her team of soil coaches at Integrity Soils work alongside producers in the US, Canada and across Australasia. To date she has supported producers who work with over 1.1 million acres to take their operations to the next level in nutrient density, profitability and environmental outcomes. She is one of a
growing number of people who are facilitating a rapidly expanding world of quality food production and biological economies. Her book titled “For the Love of Soil” showcases examples of the tools and principles producers are using to regenerate their soils. Describing a step-by-step triage of actions, so that you too can regenerate your land. Visit integrity soils.co.nz. Ryan Boyd Ryan Boyd of MFGA and 2019 Nuffield Scholar, is a third-generation farmer at South Glanton Farms just north of Brandon using a method of rotating pasture and cash crops through his plots of land and lets his herd graze on the pasture land when it’s not growing grain. He uses this method in the winter as well as the cows stay outside for the season. Their manure will help fertilize the land in the spring, once the snow melts. The method of land management also makes beef farming more environmentally friendly. When the land is growing pasture there are many different types of local plants on it, which provide habitat for wildlife, as well as food for cows. The cattle also reintroduce nutri-
Masrk Shepherd.
Ryan Boyd.
Diana Rodgers.
Nicole Masters.
ents in the soil through their manure. Over the last year, Ryan has been travelling around the world and visiting with
other farmers, and is excited to share meaningful insight for what is done on our farms locally and across Canada.
MFGA Regenerative Ag Conference Focuses on Soil Health By Harry Siemens The Manitoba Forage & Grassland Association, (MFGA) Regenerative Ag Conference starts November 4 as part of a month-long online celebration of Regen Ag Farming in Manitoba, focussing on soil health, producer prosperity. Quite a mouthful, so Duncan Morrison, executive director, explained what the sessions would include. A producerled group with commodity groups, producer-based representation, some ex-officials through some of the conservation groups, University of Manitoba, the Manitoba government and Ag Canada on their board. After dealing with the regenerative agriculture topic at the board level for three years or more, members pursued it because of already implementing some of practices in their farms. “MFGA took that particular endorsement and decision by our board and created a corporate position on regenerative agriculture,” said Morrison. “And embraced the opportunity to work with producers to help them get information and learn more as to whether things apply or not apply to
their farms.” The primary outcome is the MFGA Regenerative Agriculture Conference, first in 2018, then 2019, and now this year COVID showed up, and like many groups, they need to have a conference. “It’s critical for our membership drive, and it’s critical for our financial sustainability, but we have to go online like everyone else,” he said. Instead of declaring a traditionally Regenerative Agriculture Week, it became four online events in November every Thursday. Morrison emphasized MFGA advocated pushing information to producers and not policies, including any farmer of any stripe interested in learning more about regenerative agriculture practices, which focus on soil health. An informed farmer knows their land and what to do, be it through drought or flood or just huge weather events that have impacted all through. “Soil health is one component that producers can, should, and are aware of and look to how they might buffer these types of situations and soil health seems to be one area they can do that,” he said.
When asked to highlight the first evening on November 4, after people log in, Morrison said first and foremost they are free because their corporate supporters have said, “You know what? We believe in this. We like what you guys are doing. Keeps the momentum going. We like the fact that you’re appealing to producers of all stripes. Keep rolling and get this thing going.” So the board wanted to keep going. Following the presentation of all sessions, a follow-up online question and answer period, and the last half hour will include a made in Manitoba producer panel. With the speakers representing international expertise and knowledge, the producers and those in the industry will bring it back to a Manitoba application. The first session is on the cow’s nutrition, the second on soil, third, water management on your farm, and the fourth is Manitoba’s shining star, MFGA board member, Ryan Boyd. He is giving this session an exclusive first presentation of his Nuffield findings. Morrison said the age group wanting to learn more is that demographic that has taken
over the family farms, or they are about to, between the ages of 35 and 45. “They’re thinking of how they can make the farm sustainable for their children, ages two, three, four, five, and six. They’re thinking down the road, how can I do this,” said Morrison. “They want to be part of the agriculture community, to thrive and prosper with their families to live great country lives.” Those people are looking at this as, “Is this the ticket? And if it is the ticket, I don’t want to miss it. I want to learn more. I might decide I don’t want anything to do with it, but I do want to learn more.” Morrison said that is enough motivation for groups like MFGA to continue to ensure that information gets out there.
Ryan Boyd, finance chair from Forrest, giving this session an exclusive first presentation of his Nuffield findings.
MFGA Board member Kristelle Harper of Brandon.
Arron Nerbas and his family, also a board member from Shellmouth.
Supplied Photos.
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October 30, 2020
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Assure a Good Milk Replacer Program is Fed to Your Baby Dairy Calves
Many dairy producers have switched from feeding whole milk to their baby calves to commercial milk replacer in the last decade for various reasons. Despite their motives, all producers should follow similar methods when they mix up milk replacer and feed it to baby calves. In this way, their baby calves are assured a consistent nutritious meal from a few days of age to the day of weaning. Such guarantee starts with the first scoop of milk replacer added to a bucket of warm water or the first allotment dropped into the mixing cup of an automatic feeder. In either case, milk powder should be added to water at the rate of 130 grams per litre of solution (powder + water) to literarily reconstitute it back into “milk”, since whole milk is about 12.5% solids on a dry matter basis. The first time that I showed a dairy producer how to mix up milk replacer, about twenty years ago; I scoured his two-dozen dairy calves raised in outdoor hutches. That’s because the above “milkmaking” mixing rate was not implemented. My solution of milk replacer looked more like pancake batter than milk. Luckily, it didn’t take long for another dairy producer to teach me that all milk replacer meals must be weighed on a tared-zero scale, and mixed into a specified water volume to correctly achieve milk’s 12.5% solid solution. Since then, I conducted several successful demonstrations that followed this latter dairy producer’s own mixing procedure: 1. Fill a 20-litre pail with 1/3 – ½ of warm
water (38 – 40 C). 2. WEIGH OUT on a scale – 2.6 kilograms of milk powder (20 x 130 g). 3. Using a 20” whisk or cordless drill – mix the entire powder allotment into a homogenous mixture. 4. Add remaining 2/3 – ½ of water up to the lip of the bucket. 5. Mix the entire solution, again. Note – calibrate an automatic feeder to follow a similar mixing rate. It has been my experience that most calves drink this milk replacer mixture with vigor and grow fast. Nevertheless, I do come across an occasional case, where their calves scour. In one recent visit, the producer’s newborn calves could not consume more than 4 litres of reconstituted milk replacer (2 litres – AM, 2 litres – PM) without having diarrhea. After double-checking his powder weight and water volume - I ruled out his errors in scale measurements as well as the quality of his 28-28-18 milk replacer as the culprit. So, I turned my attention to his water source. An analysis of his water going to the dairy barn was of not acceptable quality for baby calves. Its total dissolved solids (TDS) were about 2500 ppm in which I believed that its high salinity content scoured these calves as more milk replacer was fed. TDS of less than 3,000 mg/ ml is considered safe for mature cattle, yet only 50 – 100 mg/ml is acceptable for preweaned calves. The hardness of this water also exceeded 120 mg/l as CaCo3 and may have contributed to this dairy producer’s difficulty in mix-
ing up a homogenous milk replacer solution. Aside from following good mixing instructions and providing good clean water; assuring a good milk replacer program also rests upon the total volume of reconstituted milk replacer actually fed to pre-weaned calves. Research shows that feeding milk replacer (and whole milk) at traditional rates of 1.25 – 1.5% (dm basis) of the calf’s bodyweight - supplies only enough nutrients to achieve maintenance requirements plus modest levels of growth of 0.25 – 0.50 kg/head/day. Whereas, feeding milk/milk replacer at an accelerated 2.0 – 2.5% (dm basis) of bodyweight allow dairy calves to gain about 1.0 kg/head/d, which can double their birth weights by weaning. For example, in automatic milk replacer/milk systems; feeding schedules can be programmed to step-up calves to consume 8 – 12 litres of milk replacer per day, when the calves are only a few weeks of age. Although such high milk
replacer intakes promote good growth rates, it may subject baby calves to nutritional scours. It is frequently seen as bright yellow, cream color or nearly white liquid - signs that a recently consumed milk replacer meal was poorly digested. I often see milk replacer scours in calves when producers are feeding in excess of 8 litres of reconstituted milk replacer and/or mixed at a rich greater than 130 grams of powder per litre of solution. As a dairy nutritionist, I think there are limits to how much milk replacer should be fed to a baby calf as well as avoid high powder concentrations that don’t mimic cow’s milk. I am also fully aware that a consistent mixture of milk replacer and how it is consistently provided to baby calves also assures a successful milk replacer feeding program. As a result, good healthy dairy calves grow and shine.
Calf drinking milk replacer.
Research Looks at Adding Rye Grass to Manitoba’s Crop Options By Les Kletke When it comes to perennial rye grass the question are, “Is it an annual or is it a perennial? And is it a seed crop? The University of Manitoba recently presented a seminar focusing on rye and it’s potential, highlighting work that has been done with the crop. Dr. Doug Cattani is in the Department of Plant Science and was one of the panellists. He said work done at the University of Manitoba has resulted in a variety that will be grown to produce breeder seed in 2021. This is the first step to commercialization of the variety. Currently the variety is being tested in 4 plots in various areas of the province.
The demand already exists for the crop commercially if yields are satisfactory. “General Mills has shown interest in it and is treating it as a specialty cereal crop,” said Cattani. The crop is already produced in Minnesota and a Minneapolis breakfast food giant has been involved with much of the work there. “We realize that we are not the ideal climate for a perennial crop,” he said of Manitoba winters. Southern Minnesota offers a milder winter but also has periods of thawing in February that can cause problems for a crop overwintering when ice is formed over the crop. It was this problem that caused a major alfalfa seed breed to move from Minneso-
ta to California with the base of its breeding program. Cattani said that varieties currently have a sever yield drag from annual crops but the fact an established stand can last 4-5 years make up for some of the drag with reduced seed costs. Rye grass is already being produced as a forage seed crop. The reduced demand for nitrogen also makes the crop more attractive and allows a profitable budget even with lower yields. Cattani said that some of the fields planted this fall are outside of the Red River Valley. “We have tried to get the tests in various areas of the province and we are looking at how the crop can be estab-
October 30, 2020
Wawanesa Farmer Adds Acting to His Resume By Les Kletke To say that Warren Ellis prepared a life time for his role in the movie “Percy” would not be a stretch though it was not in the typical way we think of an actor preparing for a part in a Hollywood movie. Ellis who grew up on a farm at Wawanesa and operated Ellis Seed with his son Simon before making the jump to the big screen was not a childhood actor but rather started his career as a farmer and made the jump to acting at 47. “I got involved with a community theatre production and found that I really loved acting,” he said with a chuckle. “I was horrible at it but I really loved it.” Ellis has since turned the reins of the seed business over to his son and concentrated on developing his thespian skills. He has taken courses in Winnipeg, Toronto and Vancouver. The movie, Percy, was released in mid-October and chronicles that battle between Saskatchewan farmer Percy Schmiezer and Monsanto over the disagreement about a farmer being able to save seed from his own crop for use on his farm. The movie promotion calls it a David and Goliath story. Ellis said during the shooting of the movie he had time to discuss the story line with writers and voiced the opinion that some people in the farm industry were supportive of plant breeder’s rights. He had the opportunity to read the entire script during production which is unusual for a new actor in the production. “They asked to read the script and record the parts that Christopher Walken had, to make sure that we had the right emphasis for any farm terms,” said Ellis. He also played the part of Percy for the non-speaking scenes or face shots. “If you see Percy’s hands or a shot from the back that is probably me,” he said. “Walken was 76 when we shot the movie so he found the days long and would be off set when he was not required, so I played those roles.” Ellis said that farms are very busy during harvest, it was extra busy where the movie was shot, which was a farm near Stonewall. “It was amazing how many people it takes to make a movie and all the things that happen around it,” he said. “There was a shot that required a wind of about 60 mph so there were people with giant fans creating that effect, there were daytime scenes shot at night so lights were everywhere. For me it was amazing to see all the background; behind the scenes.” While he is looking forward to seeing the movie he has put his career on hold waiting for the COVID pandemic to pass. “There is not much going on right now but I keep applying for Warren Ellis roles,” he said.
lished such as underfeeding it in a wheat crop,” he said. “We are also looking at some of the other problems that might arise like snow mold on an established stand.” There is no doubt the discussion on whether rye grass is an annual or perennial will continue but if it proves profitable Manitoba farmers they will produce it.
Doug Cattani says a perennial rye grass variety is nearing commercialization.
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Movie “Percy” released October 16, 2020.
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October 30, 2020
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PMRA’s Tank Mixing Changes Redundant and a Step Backwards By Harry Siemens Some industry groups are concerned about how a recent Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) proposal could affect farmers. The change is part of a regulatory proposal PRO202001 Streamlined Category B Submissions and Tank Mix Labelling that states if a label contains no guidance related to tank mixing, then the PMRA will not permit tank mixes. Both the Alberta Wheat and Barley Commissions and the Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) submitted letters to the PMRA outlining their apprehensions about this potential change. Todd Hames, chair of Alberta Wheat, said this change is significant because many tank mixes are not specified. This change would mean the PMRA must identify those changes before farmers could use the tank mix, creating a backlog in regulatory burden. Hames, who farms in east central Alberta, said on the second last day of his 2020 harvest, with this regulatory change, it would require that labels be changed on the products. “Otherwise, we would be off label by mixing them. So obviously there’s a concern going forward into seeding next spring, if not rectified,” he said. “It’s unclear what the timelines are with the PMRA and when this would be effective.”
The label change could mean delays in using products and tank mixes for many farmers in Canada in time for next spring. Even though it is still early winter getting the industry to change planting labels now would be almost impossible. Hames said if farmers lose the ability to use those tank mixes and sign declarations with grain buyers, they would then see that the farmer had used a tank mix that was not on the label. This would cause market issues for farmers. He said that farmers do not want to go off label; they want assurance they are following the directions. He said another issue has to do with the practical side of combating a growing problem with weed resistance with some products. That is another reason why tank mixing is essential and highly recommended. He noted that there is no time for farmers to make two or three passes to apply chemicals or products they would usually apply in one pass. There is certainly an environmental impact when more energy, fuel, equipment and labour are used by doing multiple passes, and even more in wet field conditions. Hames said if they implement the change it means losing those tank mixes because farmers are not likely to make two or three separate passes. Farmers instead take the best
Todd Hames, chair of Alberta Wheat, said there is a significant change being implemented with tank mix labelling since many on farm tank mixes are not specified. This change would mean the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) must identify those label changes before farmers could use the tank mix, creating a backlog of approval and regulatory burden.
combination choice that can reduce pests even though the choice may not be the best across all fields and all conditions. He said this would move the process backwards and many farmers will not even be aware. Further, it would create even work for the PMRA which is already backlogged. “I think it’s just bureaucracy, or whatnot, in the PMRA that has reinterpreted this regulation to mean that if it’s not on the label, it’s not valid,” he said. “Whereas the previous interpretation, if not on the label, but could still use it assuming its safe as an individ-
ual product, it’s safe to mix with another product without additional safety concerns. That’s where we are with the interpretation.” He added that the change is primarily an administrative process. “It’s not retesting or safety concerns. It’s more of ensuring that the industry changes its label to include the tank mixes that farmers can use,” he noted. The whole industry would be resubmitting all of their labels, and then PMRA would have to reconfirm the labels with no testing, and it would create more paperwork increasing red tape.
Celebrating Common Sense in a Year of Uncertainty
One of the unexpected consequences that I have observed as a fallout from our current pandemic is that the gift of common sense seems to be as rare to find as a Minnesota Vikings championship ring. Since March, I have found it so refreshing to work with people and insurance companies who are applying common sense. I can hear the cynics reading this saying that insurance companies have never used common sense, but believe me, there are a lot of good insurance companies who have good people working for them that are doing everything they can to help their clients amidst the chaos of 2020. One of the areas that has been difficult for insurance brokers over the past year is
finding coverage for clients that have bad claims on their records. This is specifically difficult for businesses purchasing commercial insurance policies for their operations, which have had bad claims, or work in an industry or class of business that is known for claims. Historically, during challenging times for the insurance industry, underwriters are less willing or unable to consider new opportunities. Finding someone to consider these opportunities in 2020 requires finding an underwriter who is willing to apply common sense to consider risks. While there are many people being celebrated for going above and beyond during these times, I can guarantee that insurance underwriters are not receiving “shout-outs” on your social media feed for what they are doing. On top of being asked to meet company guidelines for rate increases
and facing extra scrutiny on every decision they are making, underwriters are dealing with double and sometimes triple the workload due to increased volume of questions and submissions due to the current insurance market. In the midst of this workload, there are underwriters that are determined to do everything they can to find solutions for their brokers and clients, and are willing to put in extra time, ask extra questions, and then ask for permission from their management to provide common sense solutions for businesses that don’t fit the mold of simple business to write. It is working with people like this that gives me hope. The blueprint for success that we have seen this year is for a business to work with an insurance broker who understands their operations, gets the opportunity to leverage their knowledge and relationships within the insurance industry to use common sense
as the grounds for finding solutions for this business to be insured moving forward. With the excitement of finding solutions during difficult times, I have to resist the urge to break social distancing rules by sending a foot shake or an elbow bump over as a thank-you. Instead, I write a note and place it in the “common sense” jar for the day in the future where we will be allowed to celebrate the fact that although rare, the gift of common sense was alive and present in 2020. Be sure to seek advice and purchase insurance from those who understand your business! David Schmidt is an Account Executive at Rempel Insurance Brokers in Morris, MB, specializing in insuring farms and businesses across Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Contact the office 204-7462320, Text 204-712-6618, email davids@rempelinsurance.com, or visit rempelinsurance.com.
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New Investment for Manitoba’s Beekeeping Industry The governments of Canada and Manitoba are investing more than $210,000 to monitor and improve the health of the province’s bee colonies, with the goal of supporting the long-term sustainability of commercial and hobby beekeepers. “Manitoba’s beekeeping industry is crucially important, not just because of the economic contributions to Canada’s honey industry but also because of the vital role bees play pollinating everyone’s crops,” said Federal Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau. “By investing in this new program, we are helping to keep the practice of beekeeping sustainable for future generations, and ensuring beekeepers are able to continue producing top quality products for Canadian and international consumers.” “Manitoba’s beekeepers know how critical it is to understand the health of their bees and implement best management practices to reduce losses, while still working to meet consumer demand for locally grown honey,” said Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development Minister Blaine Pedersen. “This investment will help ensure our beekeeping sector has the knowledge and tools they need to continue to adapt and thrive.” Governments are investing more than $210,000 from the Canadian Agricultural Partnership to support the Manitoba Beekeepers’ Association in establishing a new Knowledge Research Transfer Program (KRTP). The program will help provide beekeepers with better risk management tools and techniques to improve efficiency and increase production. It will also develop a bee health monitoring service, which will use sentinel hives to share knowledge on overall health and integrated pest management; establish stronger connections with veterinarians to manage bee health risks associated with bacterial diseases; and identify best management practices to help reduce annual winter losses and share this information with beekeepers through training sessions. “The KRTP will work with beekeepers to help monitor their pests and develop better strategies for dealing with disease,” said Mark Friesen, chair, Manitoba Beekeepers’ Association. “The ability to have beekeepers utilize the information generated from the KRTP will benefit the public as well as industry. Bees play a vital role in ecology as well as pollinating field crops. The benefit of a healthy bee industry is manifold.” Through its focus on bee health, the KRTP is expected to help the industry continue to provide a safe, quality product to local, Canadian and international markets. There are more than 900 beekeepers and 120,000 colonies in Manitoba, responsible for about $40 million annually in honey production. These bee colonies also produce an additional estimated $120 million in added value to crops that benefit from honey bee pollination. For more information on the Manitoba Beekeepers’ Association, visit manitobabee.org/hive.
“Manitoba’s beekeepers know how critical it is to understand the health of their bees and implement best management practices to reduce losses, while still working to meet consumer demand for locally grown honey,” said Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development Minister Blaine Pedersen. Photo courtesy of Manitoba Beekeepers’ Association/Facebook
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Dealing with Frozen Soybeans
Many soybean fields across Manitoba were impacted by early frost this year.
By Harry Siemens
“Something you should look into is the frost damage on soybeans, mine at 4 per cent, other’s around 12 per cent,” he wrote. “This is an issue that is affecting many, at least in the Interlake. Dennis Lange also known as “Mr. Bean”, the pulse specialist for Manitoba Agriculture, responded when we asked about the problem of having frozen soybeans. “There are a few pockets around the province of frost damage in soybeans probably early R6 growth stage when MPSG @MbPulseGrowers on September 8 it froze,” noted offers a snapshot from AgriMaps at 5 am showing frost distribution across Manitoba Lange. He suggested (blue dots <0°C) and a key for potential soybean yield loss based on development if the beans were stage. dry, keep harvestDaniel Schott, who farms north of Warren sent a Twitter message about the early frost in September. He asked how it could affect the soybeans that farmers were combining and others still standing in the field.
Cassandra Tkachuk, production specialist, East region for Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers, said the frost damage occurred mainly in the Interlake, eastern regions and parts of western Manitoba which were hit by frost.
ing because as we get close to October the weather could turn ugly. “So at 12 per cent, there will be discounts and speak to your local elevator manager for pricing,” he said. “Three per cent is allowable damage for a number 2 Canada soybean, which is how farmers sell most soybeans. Some of the green will turn in the bin if the beans are just a light green.” Cassandra Tkachuk, production specialist, East region for Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers, said the frost damage occurred mainly in the Interlake, eastern region and parts of western Manitoba that were hit by early frost. What she heard from other regions, yields came off quite nicely. Most of those crops escaped the frost, and those that did freeze, are in the minority. But overall yields are sounding good across much of Manitoba. Tkachuk said the early reports had soybeans yielding at least 37 bushels per acre or more and as more numbers came in, higher forties and up past 50. The higher numbers were mainly from the soybeans, not frost affected. “We’ll see how those numbers change as more crops come off, but so far, yields have been excellent.” When asked what farmers can do in the frost-affected areas she said, “It depends on the situation. I know the green colour can get locked into some of those seeds, depending on how severe the frost was,
and set in, in terms of soybean development,” Tkachuk said. “According to Canadian Grain Commission standards, for a number two Canada, they accept as much as 3 per cent green seed, the cut-off for number two.” Tkachuk said a farmer could look at some other marketing options, consult with the buyer, or send in a sample to the CGC harvest sample program, which is free. It is an unofficial grade, but it is a second opinion. During harvest, these frost-affected soybeans have some farmers harvesting different areas of the field, if their beans are still standing. There are ways a farmer can salvage the quality by harvesting certain areas together. Also some of those green seeds might shrivel up and blow out the back of the combine. This is something to consider as well. She said that in the future; if the soybeans are still standing allow them to stand a little longer. While not guaranteed, it might change the colour depending on how early that frost set in while at the development stage. Letting them stand and adding bin aeration can also help, but might not change the colour too much. “There might be some opportunities for mixing, but depends on the buyer and what kind of beans they have received so far, she said. “I recommend that farmers consult with their buyers and possibly get a second opinion on grade.”
Support for Manitoba’s Cattle Producers Impacted by the Pandemic The Federal and Provincial governments have announced the launch of the 2020 Canada-Manitoba Finished Cattle Feed Assistance Program, which will provide up to $2.5 million to in direct support to Manitoba cattle producers impacted by the pandemic. The 2020 Canada-Manitoba Finished Cattle Feed Assistance Program will provide owners of finished cattle $1.20 per day per animal to help offset costs to feed animals beyond their expected marketing dates, due to slaughter plant closures and operational reductions resulting from COVID-19 outbreaks, or disease control measures. Cattle producers can now apply for support; the deadline for application is December 1, 2020. The program will cover eligible extraordinary costs incurred between April 15, 2020 and August 31, 2020. Funding for the program is provided by the Government of Canada and will be administered by the Province including payments to producers. The funding is provided through AgriRecovery, a Federal-Provincial-Territorial disaster relief framework to help producers faced with the extraordinary costs associated with recovering from disasters. Last May, the Government of Canada announced the launch of national AgriRecovery initiatives of up to $100 million in assistance for extraordinary costs of managing livestock backed-up on farms (pork and cattle), due to the temporary closure of food processing plants affected by COVID-19. Extraordinarily for the 2020-21 fiscal year, the federal government announced it will provide the federal share of funding without requiring provincial contributions, and will cover 90 per cent of eligible extraordinary costs, up from 70 per cent.
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Overwintering Garden Tips By Joan Airey A large part of Manitoba woke to snow covered ground recently but in our area roads cleared with the sunshine later peaking through. Recently I had a phone call from Jenafor, a gardening acquaintance in Churchill and they were ten degrees warmer than us that day. Jenafor started gardening outdoors there when the railway line was washed out a few years ago. She suggested if we were using raised beds for growing we should put stones or bricks in the bottom of the bed to retain heat. In my December garden article I hope to share more ideas from Jenafor. Sharon Wolstenholme a local gardener tells me she works her garden as late in the fall as possible after a heavy frost to control potato bugs and doesn’t have a problem with them. Other Manitoba gardeners believe
this works for them too. Gus Henzel’s tips from years ago do the trick. A simple method we can use to see if our house plants need water is using the thumb and index finger, simply pick up a pinch of soil from the top of your potted plant and rub this soil with good pressure. If the soil sticks to the fingers after you part them, your plant does not need watering. If your fingers are clean and no moist soil is sticking to them your plant can do with a bit of watering. Another tip he had was for storing carrots and other root crops was do not wash them. It is just a guess, but it seems that nature provides a protective coating and we have found in past years that vegetables which we have washed did not store well. The tops of root vegetables such as carrots, beets and turnip should be removed and all misshapen and dam-
aged specimens should be used first or discarded. Pumpkins, squash, and vegetable marrow store best in a high temperature and low humidity. They store best at a temperature of 10°C - 15°C. Potatoes are best stored at 4°C - 8°C. If stored at a higher temperature for any length of time they will sprout. It is also important to store in total darkness to prevent greening. A lot of people reading this will think I know all these tips but this year we have even more new gardeners than ever by the amount of seeds and other gardening items sold this year. I’ve started my indoor garden under lights hoping to have fresh salad makings by next month. Looks like seed catalogues will be out by December and we can start planning our 2021 gardens.
Rosser Youth Awarded Manitoba’s Farm Women’s Conference Scholarship By Joan Airey Each year the Manitoba Farm Women’s Conference awards a scholarship to a student from rural Manitoba who will be studying agriculture or a field that supports rural life. Johnathon Holtmann was the recipient of this year’s $500 scholarship. Holtmann was born and raised on his family’s dairy farm near Rosser, Manitoba. He attended Warren Collegiate Institute graduating with an average greater than ninety percent. Besides attaining high marks in school he has been very active in school sports plus as well sport activities such as hockey and swimming. On his family’s dairy farm he has worked at maintaining the farm yard plus helping feed the dairy calves and fixing machin-
Student, Johnathon Holtmann from Rosser, Manitoba was the recipient of this year’s 2020 Manitoba Farm Women’s Scholarship.
Supplied photo.
ery. Using his skills he has helped coach the YMCA Day Camps and has been an active volunteer in his church and community. Holtmann is attending the University of Winnipeg taking the Integrated Program in the Faculty of Education. This scholarship in awarded
every year. For further information applicants are invited to visit the website redriverex.com under scholarships. The Manitoba Farm Women’s Conference Committee plans to hold a webinar each month in January, February and March. Details will be available in the near future.
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Cornstalk Bales Take a Bite Out of Overwintering Beef Cow Diets By Peter Vitti A few years ago, I was visiting a small cow-calf operation and as I approached the house, I noticed that there were rows of snow-covered round bales that literarily looked like baled alligators. The producer came outside and told me that he baled leftover cornstalks within days of harvesting grain-corn. He also said that it took a couple of years to incorporate their low-nutrient value into his beef cow diets, reject moldy bales or ones with high nitrates as well as learn the best ways to feed cornstalks. After that, he never worried about having enough forage for his overwintering cowherd. One memorable thing that this producer told me was not to equate the nutritional value of cornstalk bales with loosecornstalk residue left in the cornfield for grazing cattle. Such baled nutrient value is significantly lower and varies widely, depending upon the percentage of woody cornstalks to husks and leaves. Furthermore, there are virtually no intact cobs with grain corn found inside the cornstalk bales, while several yellow cobs litter an open-field of residue. Consequently, the following table compares the nutrient value of average cornstalk bales to corn residue and other overwintering forages (see Table 1). The nutrient analysis of dry cornstalk bales are shown to be on the lower-end of good quality corn residue, which in the latter is like barley straw. This signifies that baled cornstalks will not meet the
nutrient requirements of gestating beef cows without a respectable amount of energy and protein supplementation, since early to mid-gestation cows need to consume about 52 -55% TDN and 8 – 9 % crude protein diet on a daily basis to maintain good body condition, keep warm and support an early-term fetus during the winter. By stretch of comparison - South Dakota State University (2005) researchers supplemented the high dietary energy and protein requirements of growing dairy replacement heifers with an ensiled diet of cornstalks mixed with wet-distiller’s mash in a 1/3 forage – 2/3 mash ratio. Over the course of the study, these heifers gained 2.3 lbs. per head per day, which was comparable to heifers fed a traditional diet of alfalfa/grass, corn silage and DDGS. Although, this dairy diet is not your typical beef cow overwintering ration, it does show how cornstalk bales might be used. Rather than feed an entire diet of 25 - 30 lbs. of good-quality alfalfa/ grass hay (55 – 58% TDN, 13 – 14% protein), it would make sense to modify it - with 5 – 10 lbs. of cornstalks, use 15 – 20 lbs. of the same hay, and with the added option of
Cornstalk bales look like baled alligators but are useful.
a couple pounds of screening pellets fed during colder weather. As always, feed a good complimentary mineral-vitamin at 2 – 4 ounces per head and provide salt. The above producer followed a similar feeding program, yet initially tried to feed alternative cornstalk bales in a forage-ring; only without success. That’s because, his cows were very selective, in which they ate available leaves and husks and left mostly cornstalks. He said that he literarily had to starve them to eat more than half a bale. So, he changed feeding tactics by grounding each cornstalk bale as well as blended it with better quality forage/concentrates to improve overall palatability. Aside from his practical solution, it is also a good idea to test samples of cornstalk bales for nitrates, because they may accumulate to toxic levels in the lower 20 cm of
the plant. Mature cows and replacement heifers can safely consume a diet (dm, basis) containing nitrates that are below 0.5% Nitrate (NO3). The same bales should also be tested for molds and mycotoxins, because fumonisin; a common mycotoxin, might infect the entire corn plant. Cattle tolerate up to 100 ppm fumonisin without health and performance issues. Nonspecific mold levels will also lower feed intake and digestibility. Even if these tests come back negative, cornstalk bales will never be the highly nutritious forages that many people use to overwinter their cowherd. At the risk of scaring anybody off, moldfree and low-nitrate cornstalk bales with appropriate dietary supplementation can be mixed into many overwintering beef cow diets. Just avoid the odd alligator.
Table 1.
Profitability for Pig Farmers Hinges on Continued Demand By Harry Siemens The pig business in Canada depends on demand and how much people eat pork. Tyler Fulton, the director of risk management with HAMS Marketing Services, said while it is difficult to gauge right now, demand for pork will play a key role in influencing live hog markets going through the final quarter of 2020. North American live hog markets have improved dramatically over the past two months Fulton said even while COVID-19 has altered typical consumption patterns creating a great deal of uncertainty, demand for pork remains strong. ‘It’s a tough thing to wrap your head around. First, a major disruption in the flow
of consumption, far less food service activity but far more at-home consumption of pork. Yet that isn’t the predominant means by which consumers in North America have consumed pork.” Fulton said product moves in huge numbers to China easily, despite some delays and slower periods. He sees that this year demand has increased which has set up record numbers imported by China this year. This is in part due to African Swine Fever which continues to cause a protein deficit in China. He said slaughter capacity would be tight so that any disruptions could throw a wrench into cash pricing, but right now, there is optimism it will move smoothly.
But Fulton said the latest USDA quarterly hogs and pigs report had slowed the dramatic improvement in hog prices seen over the past two months. Some of the broader numbers, such as the breeding herd and the total marketing herd, are expected. Still, the heaviest weight categories are nine per cent larger than yearago levels while the lighter weight categories are nearly three percent lower than a year ago. “We saw a strong run-up in July, August and part of September in futures prices, 25 per cent higher than they were two months ago,” said Fulton. “Some have to do with the supply changes revealed in the latest Hogs and Pigs Report.”
Futures prices dropped during a couple of days of trading since the report set some near-term highs in months representing what remains of 2020. “The quick way of saying it, the market is a lot better than it was two months ago,” he said. “When you look into 2021, there’s a reason for optimism because we have some extended periods producer profits will return to profitability, and that was not in the cards even just a month ago.” Fulton said producers are taking prudent action to build their forward positions, especially capturing those periods of profitability. He acknowledged it is not great profitability, but, in these uncertain times, producers are taking advantage of it.
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Study Models Lentils That Withstand Climate Change With demand for lentils growing globally and climate change driving temperatures higher, a University of Saskatchewan (USask)-led international research team has developed a model for predicting which varieties of the pulse crop are most likely to thrive in new production environments. An inexpensive plant-based source of protein that can be cooked quickly, lentil is a globally important crop for combating food and nutritional insecurity. But increased production to meet this global demand will have to come from either boosting yields in traditional growing areas or shifting production to new locations, said USask plant scientist Kirstin Bett. “By understanding how different lentil lines will interact with the new environment, we can perhaps get a leg up in developing varieties likely to do well in new growing locations,” said Bett. Working with universities and organizations around the globe, the team planted 324 lentil varieties in nine lentil production hotspots, including two in Saskatchewan and one in the US, as well as sites in South Asia (Nepal, Bangladesh, and India) and the Mediterranean (Morocco, Spain, and Italy). The findings, published in the journal Plants, People, Planet, will help producers and breeders identify existing varieties or develop new lines likely to flourish in new growing environments—valuable intelligence in the quest to feed the world’s growing appetite for inexpensive plant-based protein. The new mathematical model is based on a key predictor of crop yield, days to flowering (DTF) which is determined by two factors, day length (hours of sunshine or “photoperiod”) and the mean temperature of the growing environment. Using detailed information about each variety’s interaction with temperature and photoperiod, the simple model can be used to predict the number of days it takes each variety to flower in a specific environment. “With this model, we can predict which lines they (producers) should be looking at that will do well in new regions, how they should work, and whether they’ll work,” Bett said. For example, lentil producers in Nepal, which is already experiencing higher mean temperatures as a result of climate change, can use the model to identify which lines will produce high yields if they’re grown at higher altitudes. Closer to home in western Canada, the model could be used to predict which varieties should do well in what are currently considered to be marginal production areas. The project also involved USask plant researchers Sandesh Neupane, Derek Wright, Crystal Chan and Bert Vandenberg. “The next step is putting the new model to work in lentil breeding programs to identify the genes that are controlling lentil lines’ interactions with temperature and day length,” said Bett. “Once breeders determine the genes involved, they can develop molecular markers that will enable breeders to pre-screen seeds. That way they’ll know how crosses between different lentil varieties are likely to perform in different production locations.” This research project was part of the Application of Genomics to Innovation in the Lentil Economy (AGILE) program funded by Genome Canada and managed by Genome Prairie. Matching financial support was provided by partners that include the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, Western Grains Research Foundation, and USask.
Kristin Bett.
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Animal Rights Activists Pressure Legislators During the Pandemic
By Harry Siemens
Hannah Thompson-Weeman, the vice president of communications for the Animal Agriculture Alliance (AAA), said the activities of extreme animal rights groups did not pull back and in some case have become more extreme. Thompson-Weeman said activists’ organizations ramped up their efforts in 2020 despite the COVID-19 pandemic. “In fact, very opportunistic about the pandemic and trying to use it to their advantage, to spread messaging about animal agriculture allegedly being a public health risk,” she said from her office in Arlington, VA. “Not even stayat-home orders or restrictions on events and travel have quelled protests.” Thompson-Weeman said this included many numerous protests at the small and large-scale levels at farms,
especially at plants and processing locations in the US and Canada. Many protests focused on plant operations, transport, and trucking. She said it is essential to not lose sight of the longsimmering types of activism, like legislative pressure and the pressure put onto retail restaurant brands. This type activism is not as public as camping outside of processing plants. She urged farmers and farm organizations to stay vigilant on what these animal and food activists do, especially right now, with so much scrutiny on the entire food system from how farmers produce food to how it gets to consumers. “While activists try to take advantage of that, it’s also a great opportunity for us to be there and help feed that curiosity and make sure we’re providing balance and accuracy in those conversa-
Hannah Thompson-Weeman, the vice president of communications for the Animal Agriculture Alliance, said the actions of extreme animal rights groups have increased the pressure on legislators at all government levels during the pandemic.
tions,” she said. “We all deal with challenges and production difficulties that compete for our attention, but we also can’t lose sight of the importance of both connecting with consumers and also influencers.” Thompson-Weeman said that the industry should focus on legislators, retail restaurant brands and the media resources used in animal agriculture and meat production because they hear daily from the other side. A recent report from the Humane Society of the US on their ‘taking action for animals’ virtual conference was the drumbeat throughout that session. The conference encouraged activists to get involved legislatively; all the way to the local municipal level to start passing what they believe is animal-friendly policies. “In the end, it will restrict our ability to raise animals for food. And they hope ultimately end it,” she said. Next, Thompson-Weeman referred to the COVID-19 fallout at the Maple Leaf hog plant in Brandon, Manitoba, where the union and some political parties called for its shut it down. Its activist groups taking advantage by showing concern for plant employees by aligning their objectives. “We’re seeing a lot of new alliances forming between worker health and worker safety advocacy groups and animal rights groups coming
together around this message of boycotting meat,” she said. “Some new allies are coming together because the animal rights groups are realizing, hey, people are talking about employees, so we can latch on to that and use it to further our messaging. But again, for them, it’s all about promoting an agenda where people don’t eat meat and where the meat industry ultimately doesn’t exist.” On the subject of promoting plant protein processing plants produced by crop farmers, Thompson-Weeman said the AAA understands and has no problem with plant protein burgers because it serves farmers. “Our viewpoint at the Alliance, we are all about consumer choice and having more choices for consumers in the marketplace that can compete,” she said. Consumers can make decisions based on what matches their values and their budgets driven by taste, cost, convenience, all of those things, certainly for some consumers, they do look for things like animal welfare labelling or sustainability information.” She said the AAA has significant concerns with the marketing of plant protein sources by companies that produce them and activist groups, which see animal sourced protein not as a supplement or an alternative option; they want plant protein to be the only choices.
Farmers May Benefit from Closer Ties to Consumers
By Elmer Heinrichs There have been some dramatic changes in food shopping and consumption patterns in recent months, some of which could be beneficial to farmers, said Sylvain Charlebois, a professor and director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University. “The one opportunity that COVID-19 has provided farmers is to pivot more and engage with consumers, not just to understand them, but to sell to them what they do and vertically integrate,” he said in an interview released by Canada’s Digital Farm Show recently. “Five months ago, it was almost impossible to selfisolate because you had to rely on family members and friends to get you food and now, within a couple of hours
you can get all your food delivered and the order will be accurate as well,” said Charlebois. Shifts in consumption between food service and retail might also affect farm-gate returns. Charlebois said before the pandemic Canadians spent about 40 per cent of their food dollars on foods that are processed and consumed outside the home. “For every dollar spent in food service farmers will get on average four to six cents. At the grocery store, it goes up to 21 or 22 cents. That’s a huge gain,” he said. “So the more people who spend money in food retail the more farmers get back.” Direct marketing margins put the farmer in control of the whole supply chain, which improves the ratio even
more. Farmers receive the going market prices. More accurately, the proportion of the food dollar spent on primary ingredients changes depending on how they are streamed through the supply chain. In fact home cooking, retail, foodservice and increasingly online suppliers play an important role in the food security of Canadian households as well as our quality of life. However, it is a fact that the pandemic has forced most Canadian families back into the kitchen and that’s where more of the food dollar will be spent for the foreseeable future. “We are starting to see consumers refocus on health and especially immunity as a way of dealing with the fact COVID could be with us for a while, so there is a real focus on fresh food.”
McArthur believes sourcing local and Canadian-made food was an emerging trend before the pandemic and will be “on steroids” as we come out of it. “There’s a sense of community coming out of that; I think that will be a long-term impact of this,” she said. Charlebois and McArthur both say the pandemic could and should lead to a fresh policy focus on strengthening Canada’s domestic food sector. “If we actually make processing the centerpiece of our agri-food strategy in Canada, then everyone wins,” Charlebois said. These opportunities might vanish if things return to normal. That said; farmers who forge stronger connections with consumers in the midst of a crisis could set the stage for a new normal.
Popular Canola Could be Farmer’s Money Maker By Elmer Heinrichs Next to wheat, canola is likely the most popular crop on the prairies with farmers growing over 20 million acres annually. A cool season crop, canola yields best when grown in moderate climates. Farmers this year have harvested an average crop yielding 40 to 50 bushels an acre, and with prices going up even during the harvest season it could be a real money maker as well. Manitoba offers a reliable, consistent supply of canola, with crushers using half the production and the balance going to various export markets. Still Canada has an ongoing problem with its most important and largest export market for canola. But we have upped our exports of another commodity and that is taking some of the bitterness out of the canola export. Readers will know that it all began when Canada detained an executive of a Chinese technology company to face extradition to the US where she would face charges of fraud. The loss of the canola market was part of the Chinese retaliation. At the time of the arrest, China was Canada’s largest market for canola, taking nearly half of all canola exports. However, canola exports during the 2019-20 crop year ending July 31 were up nine per cent on the year, and slightly above the five-year average, according to weekly data from the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC). And it looks like some of that export loss could be regained with a different field crop. The grain is barley and the combatants are Australia and China. It started a couple of years ago with China investigating the Aussies for dumping and subsidizing. Like the Canadian trade action, it is said that it’s really about politics and specifically the politics of the Huawei Corporation, the same firm that is involved in the Canadian trade action. The other similarity is the size of the trade of each product. China buys three quarters of all Aussie barley exports, while it takes just under half of all Canadian canola exports. The most recent move was in May when China applied duties of 80 per cent on all Australian barley imports. That took Australia out of the market and left a vacuum to be filled by competitor nations, such as Canada. It won’t be a windfall for this country, since last year, world production of barley was high and the world’s bins are as full as they have been in 20 years. In the first few weeks of the shutdown of Australian barley exports, Canada increased its barley exports to China by several boat loads. When Canadian barley is shipped, the Chinese market takes both feed barley and malting barley, used in making beer. Canadian malt barley production is centered in the Prairie Provinces. The malting barley we grow is particularly high in protein. The Chinese like that because then the brewers can mix in lower protein grains. The Chinese market is a complex one, bordering on mysterious. They like our canola and buy a lot. But then in a fight, they stop buying from the two largest Canadian owned companies to buy from other sellers, including other Canadian firms.
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Volunteers Complete Foodgrains Crop Harvests
Committee members and volunteers prepare to harvest the 150-acre CHUM field north of Altona.
By Elmer Heinrichs September and the first part of October was a hectic time for food growers in Manitoba taking off the 2020 growing project crops where proceeds from the sale are earmarked for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank to feed the hungry. What a difference there can be year-to-year, observed Gordon Janzen, Foodgrains coordinator for Manitoba. “Farmers I have met in the past month have commented on the generally good harvest weather we have enjoyed on the Prairies this fall, just so much better than September 2019 when it seemed to rain constantly.” “When farmers are pressed for time while harvesting their own crops, I am additionally thankful for the commitment of everyone involved with growing projects. And when these volunteers gather for a common cause there’s always a good community spirit present,” said Janzen. Harvesting of Foodgrains project crops began September 1 when the Whitemud project near Gladstone began combining 130 acres of canola, and harvesting of almost 40 projects across Manitoba began with little interruption as crops matured and harvesters found time. Fifteen volunteers working eight combines, three grain carts and four trucks harvested the 300-acre Common Ground project near Rosenfeld in less than four hours. Organizer Kevin Nickel said, “It was a 42-bushel an acre
Photo by Elmer Heinrichs
crop which will result in a $60,000 donation for charity.” Nick Dueck has helped to revive the Scratching River project near Morris and it harvested a 60-acre wheat crop yielding 58 bushels an acre. It also planned to grow some forage crops. Long-time volunteer Lloyd Jersak helped bring a celebratory tone to the Killarney harvest when he delivered a tune on his baritone horn prior to the harvest of the canola crop. Cornie Paetkau, long-time supporter of MCC food programs, and grandson Corey Paetkau seeded and harvested 25 acres of wheat for the Living Grain project near Lowe Farm. And it was another successful year for the CHUM community project spanning an area from Winkler-to-Emerson, headed up by Isaac Froese and Doug Dyck. Volunteers harvested a 150-acre
field of soybeans on land donated by the Herman and Dorothy Penner family north of Altona. Dyck noted that the list of participants includes farmers who donated time and equipment to grow the crop, dealers who provided machinery and scouting, along with fertilizer and seed supplies, and every day donors who helped offset input costs. The crop yielded 35 bushels an acre. Janzen said that due to COVID-19 fewer people attended the harvest gatherings but it did not stop the volunteers from harvesting the crops they grew. Proceeds from the crops are donated to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank which is a partnership of 15 church and church-based agencies working together to end global hunger. Donations to the Foodgrains Bank, up to $25 million are matched on a 4-1 basis by the federal government.
CHUM chair Isaac Froese with land donor family members Dorothy Penner, Merle Giesbrecht, Hanna Giesbrecht, Phyllis Giesbrecht, Joel Giesbrecht, Mason Giesbrecht and Gordon Janzen, Foodgrains Bank Coordinator. Photo by Elmer Heinrichs
Mother Nature’s Pest Control
Sometimes nature can help out with pests around the farmyard by sending out its own “inspectors”. It’s nice Photo by Joan Airey to have the fox around to control gophers around Rivers, Manitoba.
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MBP Encourages Participation in Crown Land Program Modernization Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) is strongly encouraging all agricultural Crown land (ACL) leaseholders to participate in the recently announced consultation the provincial government is undertaking about the proposed renewal process for legacy forage leases and renewable permits. Throughout the process the provincial government has been undertaking to modernize the Agricultural Crown Lands Leasing Program. MBP has repeatedly advocated for the first right of renewal with respect to eligible leases. MBP believes this consultation is a very important opportunity for pro-
ducers to restate their views given the value of stability and continuity when it comes to a beef operation’s access to ACL and strong producer participation is key. MBP continues to advocate with the Manitoba government on several other matters related to the ACL program. Of particular concern is the size of the rental rate increase and the pace at which it is being enacted. Even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, MBP had asked for a five-year transition for the rental rate increase. MBP again respectfully asks that the provincial government give serious consideration to this request. A longer transition period would
take into account factors such as successive challenging production years which drove up feed costs for many ACL lease holders, as well as ongoing uncertainty related to the pandemic and its implications for cattle markets going forward, among other factors facing the lease holders. Other ACL matters MBP continues to advance with the province include, but are not limited to the continued ability for producers to be able to utilize unit transfers; whether there will be an opportunity for new entrants to establish their own legacy leases with their own family members; the right to informed access whereby those wishing to ac-
cess ACL would need to notify the lease or permit holder prior to entry; government recognition of the ecosystem services lease holders providing in managing ACL; mechanisms to address concerns about the new process for valuing leasehold improvements; and the potential opportunities for interested lease holders to purchase ACL in a swifter fashion. To take part in the consultation process, go to the Manitoba Regulatory Consultation Portal at reg.gov.mb.ca.home and provide your comments online prior to November 16. MBP will also be making a formal submission as part of this process.
CFA Encouraged to Learn of Infrastructure Bank Funding The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) was encouraged to hear that the Federal Government recognizes the growth potential of the agriculture sector in the recent announcement from the Federal Government and the Canada Infrastructure Bank. Specifically, it was announced that $2 billion would be invested into expanding high-speed broadband, and $1.5 billion to irrigate an additional 700,000 acres across Canada. The Government announced that the broadband investments will connect more than 750,000 households and businesses in “underserved com-
munities”, which rural areas, farmers and farm businesses are a significant part of. “Rural broadband has been a long-standing issue for Canada’s farmers and rural communities. With the arrival of COVID-19, many services pivoted to become entirely online, highlighting the fact farmer’s lack of high-speed connectivity puts us at a significant business disadvantage. Rural broadband is not only necessary for today’s farmers to conduct business and take advantage of cutting-edge technology, it is also critical to attracting new, young farmers into the industry.
“We know younger generations see high-speed connectivity as essential to everyday living and business,” said Mary Robinson, CFA President. “The Canada Infrastructure Bank will be rolling out these investments over the next 2436 months. CFA anticipates these investments will help accelerate the government’s promised timeline of connecting all of Canada by 2030,” added Robinson. The Government’s announcement for funding water and irrigation projects across Canada will also benefit farmers and the environment.
“Increased irrigation can help farmers grow higher value crops and more crops per acre. It also makes water usage more efficient and helps provide protection from droughts. These types of investments will have positive impacts for years to come, helping mitigate the impacts of erratic weather events,” said Robinson. “The CFA encourages government to undertake these projects swiftly to further unleash Canadian agriculture’s potential, positioning it to drive Canada’s economic post-COVID recovery,” concluded Robinson.
October 30, 2020
Homemade at the Paradise Road Bakery In May 2014, Mark Penner and family moved to Roseau River and opened Paradise Road Bakery, just off Hwy 59. His baking career began in 2005 in Cartwright, MB where he and his wife owned and operated a bakery and restaurant. Mark has many happy childhood memories of coming into a warm house after chores to the aroma of his mother’s homemade bread and buns. He said he prepares his baking in much the same way, except he has the use of a mixer to do the kneading. Mark does not add preservatives so he recommends freezing whatever baking is not eaten in a day or two. On offer are a variety of breads, buns, cinnamon buns, muffins, tarts, cookies and pies. Mark also has a variety of pizzas with options of thin or thick crust, frozen or baked and ready to serve. On the days the bakery is closed, Mark stays busy, picking wild fruits such as saskatoon berries, wild plums, blueberries and chokecherries. He also grows a large vegetable garden and enjoys growing fruit such as apples, grapes, cherries, blueberries, raspberries, honey berries, strawberries and rhubarb. These wild and domesticated fruits are made into pies, jams and jellies for sale at the bakery and market. Mark is appreciative of his loyal customers and is especially grateful when folks pre-order and pick up enough baking to last two or three weeks. With several campgrounds and many cottages nearby, summer is his busy season. Mark’s baking was a popular draw during the inaugural season of the Stuartburn and Emerson-Franklin Corner Farmers Market from May to October. He will not be at the November 21 market in Tolstoi because he will be at his store, so be sure to pop by 15 Paradise Road just north of the Roseau River bridge. For more information on local products and producers and notice of upcoming markets, please join the Local Food Initiative Facebook group or sign up to our email list. Brought to you by the Stuartburn Emerson-Franklin Local Food Initiative, initiativelocalfood@gmail.com or Find us on Facebook.
New Site Promotes Manitoba Agriculture and Food Research The Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences has launched the Manitoba Agriculture and Food Knowledge Exchange website, a resource which shares current research by Faculty scientists and their collaborators. The site is aimed at a variety of audiences, from consumers to farmers and agrifood processors. “The MAKE site has been designed to share knowledge generated through research done in the Faculty in an engaging and understandable
way,” said Dr. Annemieke Farenhorst, associate dean research. “We see the site as serving as a critical link connecting those who are interested in learning more about our food systems with those conducting research in these areas. MAKE will help us bring outcomes from the lab to consumers’ kitchens and to farmers’ fields and barns.” The site profiles current research programs shared as articles and podcast interviews with Faculty scientists
and other research collaborators in the community. Current multi-disciplinary research studies encompass the dual purpose value of perennial forage grain for food and feed and transforming canola meal from an oil processing by-product to a high value co-product. Examples of the current podcasts cover the role of cattle in our environment, attracting wild bees and other beneficial insects to farmland, and Canola breeding research to add high quality protein to the list of nutri-
tional benefits Future resources planned include videos as well as a variety of printable downloads including recipe cards, infographics and factsheets. Coming soon is a dedicated resources section for those working in agriculture and agri-food. Manitoba Agriculture and Food Knowledge Exchange can be found at makemanitoba.ca. New content will be added regularly, so visitors are encouraged to add a bookmark and visit often.
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Mark in the bakery.
Mark’s baked goods.
Submitted photos.
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October 30, 2020
Pembina Valley RCMP Respond to Farm Fire On October 15 at approximately 9:35 am, Pembina Valley RCMP responded to a fire on Road 24 W, in the RM of Stanley. Two large hay shacks had caught fire and were burning. RCMP officers along with Fire Departments from multiple municipalities attended the scene. Due to its size, the fire had not yet been fully extinguished. At this time it is believed that approximately 15,000 hay bales are destroyed, resulting in a significant financial loss. The fire does not appear to be suspicious and no injuries were reported. Pembina Valley RCMP along with the Office of the Fire Commissioner, continue to investigate.
RCMP officers along with Fire Departments from multiple municipalities attended the scene.
A Little Envy Goes a Long Way By Les Kletke Frank Dyck remembers being a young boy when his neighbours bought a 35 Massey Ferguson tractor for ploughing. “I was stuck ploughing with horses and one bottom, and I saw them across the road with a tractor and a two bottom plough and thought how good that would be,” said Dyck. Today he has a 35 Massey and a two bottom plough just like that neighbour. He has used the plough to open up the fence line on his pasture but not much else. He longed to have a tractor like the one his neighbour had and finally found one at the John Deere dealership his son owns in Almyra, Ontario. “He wanted $1,700 for it and when I calculated the freight I could not afford it,” he said. “That was in summer and one day when I came home from work in the fall the tractor was on my driveway.” It took him two years to find out that his sister who works in long haul trucking was involved with making his dream come true.
Frank Dyck waited a long time to get his 35 Massey, but he says it was worth the wait. Photo by Les Kletke
The tractor was in rough shape and he took the time to restore it himself. “It ran poorly, so I took the injectors out and had them tested,” he said. “They told me I needed new ones. I took them home and put them in solvent overnight and took them back to be retested and they were fine.” He said the cost was $17 for the testing.
One of the rear rims was severally corroded from a meeting with tire fluid. He was able to repair it by cutting a piece out of another, near the same size rim and welding it into place. The angle grinder saved the day on that occasion. Today he has the tractor running well and uses it for small chores around the yard and rides for the
grandchildren. “I did use the 3-point hitch on the post hole auger when I was fencing,” he said. When asked if the tractor was all he expected it to be he said, “Everything and more. It was worth the wait and I am glad to have it in good shape. It runs well now and it is what I expected from when I watched it across the road.”
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First Look at Sustainable Agricultural Mulch Farmers often need to regulate soil temperature, reduce weeds, and minimize water loss. Agricultural mulch can help farmers do so. But the plastic in commonly used agricultural mulch can degrade soil and water quality. Microplastics can even enter the food chain. In a new study, researchers tested a more sustainable approach to lowering evaporation from soils. Instead of plastic, they used sand particles coated with soybean oil. This research was published in the Vadose Zone Journal, a publication of the Soil Science Society of America. In laboratory experiments, soil treated with a thin layer of soybean oil-coated sand had up to 96% lower evaporative water loss compared to bare soil. “These findings show that oil-coated sand has the potential to be developed into a sustainable alternative to plastic film mulch,” said Michael Nicholl an associate professor at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas. Plastic mulch is made of polyethylene, a hydrocarbon-based product. “It carries long-term environmental consequences,” said Nicholl.
“These effects span all stages of its lifecycle: production, installation, and disposal.” Biobased soil coatings such as soybean oil could be lowimpact alternatives to polyethylene mulch while performing at similar levels. To make the coated sand, researchers mixed roughly equal volumes of sand and oil. Then they heated the mixture for about an hour and allowed it to cool. Finally, the mixture was washed with water and dried. This process chemically modifies the oil, partially polymerizing it. The partially polymerized oil forms a coating around individual sand particles. Initial tests indicated that this oil-coated sand is quite effective at reducing water loss through evaporation. Water evaporates from soils in two different ways. The oil-coated sand reduced the more potent path of evaporative water loss. “As an analogy, think of soil as a damp sponge,” said Nicholl. “If you set the sponge in a puddle of water, the water will soak up into the sponge. Eventually, the water will rise to the top of the sponge. Then it will
Because water can flow through the coarse sand particles, the soybean oil coated sand would not hinder irrigation. Photo by Dinesh Panday
Cylinders of pipe packed with uncoated coarse sand (left) and PSO coated coarse sand (right). Photo by Michael Nicholl
evaporate into the air.” Similarly, wicking action carries water to the soil surface. There, it evaporates directly into the air. In the second mechanism, the water is unable to wick all the way to the soil surface. Instead, it evaporates into the air within the soil. This humid air must diffuse upwards through the soil and ultimately escape into the atmosphere. “This second mechanism is much less efficient than the first,” said Nicholl. “It results in lower rates of evaporation.” Nicholl and his team wanted to test if a surface layer of oil-coated sand would reduce either way of evaporation from underlying soils. He and his research colleague filled PVC columns with test soils. Then, they layered oil-coated sand on top of the columns but left one column bare. Finally, they saturated these columns with water. Each column was then tested for evaporative water loss. The oil-coated sand reduced the amount of water wicking upwards, thus minimizing the first evaporation mechanism. Researchers were not sure if it would be possible to coat single sand particles with oil. There was a danger the sand
and oil would be cemented together. “We found instead that individual sand grains can be coated with partially-polymerized oil,” said Nicholl. That’s important because any soil treatment aimed at reducing water loss also has to allow water via rainfall or irrigation to enter the soil. A sheet of oil-coated sand fused together could stop water from entering the soil. Laboratory tests showed that liquid water could pass through the layer of oil-coated sand. That suggests this material will not hinder irrigation efforts. “Though initial results are encouraging, there are many questions still to answer,” said Nicholl. For example, this bio-based mulch has not been exposed to outdoor environments. “So, we don’t have adequate data to determine how this material weathers in an agricultural setting,” added Nicholl. Researchers are exploring procedures to measure the longevity of coated materials in various settings. These include arid environments, temperate environments, and biologically active soils. “We hope this work inspires further inquiry into the practical applications of oil-coated materials,” said Nicholl.
Crops Go into the Bin this Year
By Elmer Heinrichs There were a few highlights in the 2020 Manitoba crop production season. Crop yields were average to slightly better than average for most cereals and canola and disappointing to farmers in some areas of the province. Yields for later season crops like soybeans, corn and sunflowers were a pleasant surprise given a dry August and September. Sunflower yields in particular are expected to be near-record average highs.
This year’s harvest progressed rapidly with minimal weather delays and it was a good-quality crop. Harvest completion sits at 99 per cent, two weeks ahead of average for that level of completion. There was some uncertainty in spring since it had been a wet 2019 fall with limited fieldwork and fertilizer application, and quite a few farmers had some unharvested crop to clear before seeding. Growing season rainfall from May 1 to September 7
(first frost) varied ranging from a low of 44 per cent of normal at Minto to a high of 143 per cent at Newdale. Most parts of agro-Manitoba were between 70 to 80 per cent of normal precipitation for the season. There were exceptions though when certain districts experienced intense thunderstorms and left flooded fields north of Brandon and the extreme southeast of the province. Heat unit accumulations have generally been higher than average. Widespread
insect issues caused grower concerns with flea beetles in canola, cutworms found in several crops and grasshoppers were pervasive across Manitoba. Insecticide applications were made on a case-by-case basis. Livestock feed was a challenge this year after three consecutive dry summers. Forage yields have been well below normal causing producers to look at alternate feed sources, such as baling non-conventional crop residue and increasing greenfeed silage.
October 30, 2020
Southeast Yields Average to Slightly Above By Les Kletke Marc Hutlet said that most of the crop yields in southeastern Manitoba were average to slightly above average. Hutlet who operates MHSL bases the comments on the results of yield trials his company conducts with its customers. “The limiting factor was water,” he said. “There was a stretch in late July through early August that the crops ran out of water and the areas that got a bit more rain had much better crops.” Yield trials conducted by his staff, relying on weigh wagon measurements show corn yields that ranged from 100 to 189 bushels per acre and the majority was within the range of 125-145 bushels per acre. That might be down slightly from last year but the quality of the crop is up. “Last year we had tremendous variability,” he said. “This year we have no vomitoxin and the corn is off by late October, last year we were harvesting into December and some was taken off in the spring so overall we are much better off this year.” He noted that yield expectations have been moving up and he cites two reasons. “The genetics of the crop has contributed to that but fellows are also fertilizing for higher yields. Most fellows have a nutrient program targeted at 150 bushel corn,” he said. Hutlet said soybeans show the same range of variability with most yields falling between the high 30s and low 40 bushels per acre with some reaching as high as 50 bushels per acre. “The price point has come up and made those yields more palatable,” he said. “So that looks pretty good.” He said Sunflowers were a bright spot. “Oil seed sunflowers ranges from 2,200 to 3,600 lbs per acre and at the current price that is a very good return,” he said. Hutlet expects acreage of the crop to increase next year but not overwhelmingly. “We have had some interest in seed already but we are only starting to move into that season and I expect most will stay the course and keep to their long term rotational plans.” It will be an easier fall to make seed sale calls than last year when a lot of crop remained in the field. “Fellows have their crop off and the land is in good shape compared to last year,” he said. “Most guys are happy with the crop they got considering the conditions we started with this spring. We thought it was going to be a train wreck and it turned out pretty well,” said Hutlet.
Sunflowers were a bright spot. “Oil seed sunflowers ranges from 2,200 to 3,600 lbs per acre and at the current price that is a very good return,” said Marc Hutlet.
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October 30, 2020
School Donations Support Learning by Addressing Hunger Farm Credit Canada (FCC) is once again contributing $100,000 to school meal programs across Canada as part of the Crown Corporation’s annual campaign to help alleviate hunger. For the fourth consecutive year, FCC is supporting meal programs offered at 100 schools across Canada as part of FCC Drive Away Hunger. Recipient schools are selected based on need by FCC offices across Canada. “School meal programs need our support now more than ever,” said Michael Hoffort, FCC president and CEO. “The global pandemic has created additional hardships for families with children and new food packaging requirements mean increased costs for schools to provide safe and healthy meals. No child should ever have to try to learn on an empty stomach.” Although the highly visible tractor food collection tours have been cancelled this year as a result of the pandemic, FCC continues to work with industry partners to collect food and cash donations for Canada’s food banks. FCC offices across Canada were collecting cash donations until October 15. One hundred per cent of donations go to Canadian food banks, and anyone can visit fccdriveawayhunger.ca to make an online donation. A donation of $1 can provide three meals. One pound of food equals one meal. FCC also provided $280,000 to national and provincial food bank associations this spring to help people struggling during the pandemic access nutritious food. FCC is a national sponsor for Food Banks Canada’s Hunger Action Month, which ran throughout September. Since 2004, FCC Drive Away Hunger has collected more than 65 million meals and FCC’s enthusiastic corporate partners are a major reason for the program’s success year after year.
Manitoba Researchers Putting Prairie Cover Crops in Context
By Callum Morrison Cover crops seem to be a growing topic of discussion these days. Despite being a relatively niche endeavour in the Prairies, they are quickly gaining popularity. With growing interest, many are eager to learn what cover crops are being grown, how many farmers are growing them, and how farmers are fitting them into their rotations. A new project at the University of Manitoba is surveying farmers across the Prairies to answer these questions. Cover crops are grown when a cash crop is not growing, such as after harvest. The aim of cover crops is to benefit the soil, and improve subsequent crops. A common example would be planting a fall rye cover crop following harvest of a cereal grain crop. These types of fall shoulder season cover crops will grow through the fall until freeze up. If the cover crop can overwinter, they will also grow next spring until they are
FCC is supporting meal programs offered at 100 schools across Canada as part of FCC Drive Away Hunger.
BASF Donates Meals to FCC’s Drive Away Hunger BASF Agricultural Solutions has partnered with Farm Credit Canada’s (FCC) Drive Away Hunger campaign to bring meals to those in their communities that need it most. BASF marks its first year of national partnership with a donation of 100,000 meals to the communities where BASF employees live and work. “Now more than ever, our communities need our help,” said Jonathan Sweat, Vice President, Business Management, Agricultural Solutions for BASF Canada. “We believe that access to food is a basic human right, not a privilege. As an integral part of the food value chain in Canada, we also believe that it is our responsibility to help. While a lot has changed in 2020, hunger hasn’t.” There are over a million visits to Canadian food banks every month, and that was before COVID-19 increased demand. BASF’s donation will go directly to the communities in which it operates, including Winnipeg. Earlier this year, BASF and its employees donated more than $64,000 to Food Banks Canada during its virtual food drive that was launched in response to the pandemic. Drive Away Hunger started in 2004 when an FCC employee travelled across Canada in an open-cab tractor trailer for eight days collecting almost 60,000 pounds of food. The campaign has grown to become the largest food drive in Canada, with 100 per cent of donations directly benefiting local charities. “FCC Drive Away Hunger is a great opportunity for Canada’s agriculture and food industry to pull together in support of people in our communities who may be less fortunate or going through difficult times,” said Michael Hoffort, FCC president and CEO. “We are proud to have so many community-minded industry partners, such as BASF Agricultural Solutions, who contribute to the success of this program through their generous donations to Canadian food banks.” “We’re proud to be partnering with other like-minded Canadians in the FCC Drive Away Hunger campaign. Together, millions of meals will be provided to families and individuals in need and we look forward to this first-year of partnership growing into a longterm promise where BASF contributes to supporting food security for all Canadians,” Sweat added.
Survey Map.
terminated using herbicides or tillage before planting next year’s crop. Full season cover crops have also being used to tackle problem soils. A full season cover crop may involve a farmer taking an entire field or targeted areas within a field out of annual cash crop production to improve the soil. Fruit growers may use full season cover crops in between rows of fruit crops. Farmers with fields that were too wet for planting may plant a cover crop to dry out a field and improve the soil for planting the following year. Full season cover crops are popular with cattle farmers as they can be grazed at the end of the season. Before initiating the Prairie Cover Crop Survey in 2019, limited information was available about how farmers in western Canadian were using cover crops. This held cover cropping back as farmers and stakeholders do not have enough data specific to the Prairies to help with decision making. Limited information also makes it hard for farmers that are interested in cover crops to find information about how others have been using cover crops in their area. Many Prairie farmers are turning to information from the US where cover crops have been more widely adopted. This information is helpful; however every farmer knows
Callum Morrison is a Rhineland resident and PhD student in the Department of Plant Science at The University of Manitoba.
how different farming is from region to region. The Prairie Cover Crop survey was launched last year by University of Manitoba Professor Dr. Yvonne Lawley and PhD student Callum Morrison. The survey will continue this fall for 2020. The survey aims to determine the extent of cover cropping across the Prairies, how and why cover crops are being used, and what research or extension projects farmers would like to see. You can add your voice to the 2020 Prairie Cover Crop Survey by heading to sites. google.com/view/prairiecovercropsurvey/Survey. You can also follow @CallumMorrisons or @YvonneLawley_UM on twitter and use the link on their pinned posts. The survey will run from October 1, 2020 – February 1, 2021. Every farmer can take part in the 2020 Prairie Cover Crop Survey. This year researchers want to hear both from farmers that are still considering if cover crops have a fit on their farm as well as those that were growing cover crops in 2020. This will allow researchers to hear from a broader range of Prairie farmers about their goals, interests, and concerns about growing cover crops.
University of Manitoba Professor Dr. Yvonne Lawley
The results of the Prairie Cover Crop Survey in 2019 are being summarized in an annual report that will be released in November 2020. The report will summarize the results for the use of cover crops with maps showing where cover crops are being grown, and summarize the most common cover crops species and how they are established. The 2019 report will also look at how cover crops are used by different farm types (organic, regenerative, and livestock) and how they are grown in rotation with major Prairie cash crops. The best way to ensure that you receive a copy of the 2019 report is to take the 2020 survey and request to be sent a copy of the survey by leaving your email address.
Seeds Canada Moves Forward with Four Partners Four seed sector organizations will proceed with amalgamation to become one new, national organization. Pending board and membership approval, Seeds Canada will become a new entity in February 2021. Over the past five years, five seed sector partners have worked closely together towards the goal of amalgamation. The five organizations are the Canadian Plant Technology Agency (CPTA); the Commercial Seed Ana-
lysts Association of Canada (CSAAC); the Canadian Seed Growers’ Association (CSGA); the Canadian Seed Institute (CSI); and the Canadian Seed Trade Association (CSTA). In the summer of 2020, the five organizations put the Seeds Canada amalgamation proposal to their respective memberships for a vote. Four out of five groups approved the amalgamation, with at least two-thirds of each membership voting in favour. CSGA members did not vote in favour and there-
fore will no longer be part of the amalgamation. While there may be one less amalgamating partner, the vision for Seeds Canada to become the voice of the seed sector, including seed growers, analysts, and the seed trade, remains the same. The goal is for Seeds Canada’s membership to include national and provincial seed associations, as well as seed growers from across the country. Growers play an integral role in the seed system, and Seeds Canada needs their involve-
ment to succeed. Building on the momentum from the successful votes, the four organizations will now update the Seeds Canada ratification package before undertaking a new membership vote. The goal is to ensure that members and stakeholders, including seed growers, will see value in the new amalgamation package. The work on implementation will take place concurrently, with the goal of bringing Seeds Canada into existence in the new year.
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A New Protein Research Strategy for Manitoba The governments of Canada and Manitoba are providing the University of Manitoba with up to $100,000 for the development of a new Protein Research Strategy and the establishment of a research chair to advance the Manitoba Protein Advantage strategy and bridge the gap between Manitoba’s research and protein processing sectors. Leading the project will be Dr. James House, a professor at the University of Manitoba and head of the Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences. His research focuses on studying the factors influencing the quality of dietary proteins from both plant- and animal-based foods, and how protein and other key nutrients relate to the optimal growth and health of individuals. House maintains a strong focus in the development of functional foods of animal origin including eggs with enhanced nutritional value. “By supporting Manitoba’s Protein Advantage, we are keeping Canada at the cutting edge of innovation, research and development for plant and animal protein,” said federal Agriculture and AgriFood Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau. “As Canadians have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is vitally important we support initia-
tives that will bring about investment and job opportunities throughout our country. Our government will continue to support the agriculture and agri-food industry as they are leading our nation on the road to a sustainable and prosperous recovery.” “Global demand for plant and animal protein continues to increase, providing economic opportunities for Manitoba’s farmers, processors and communities,” said Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development Minister Blaine Pedersen. “The new research strategy and the work being undertaken by Dr. House will help industry identify those opportunities, further supporting the Manitoba Protein Advantage strategy.” The Protein Research Strategy will enable Manitoba to better capitalize on untapped market potential, investment opportunities and innovation. This strategy will seek broad input, advice and alignment of efforts to identify key research opportunities to enhance the sustainable protein eco-system, which will be critical in positioning Manitoba as a global leader of sustainable protein. “We are excited to initiate this Protein Research Strategy on behalf of the research community in Manitoba. This province has incredible talents
and resources within our universities, colleges, research institutes, government laboratories and private-sector settings,” said House. “This initiative will drive the development of new research collaborations across all sectors in support of a sustainable food system.” “We are extremely excited about Dr. House leading the Campaign materials charge on the Protein Research Strategy and ment the Manitoba Protein the establishment of research Advantage. The consortium chair position at the Uni- is working collaboratively versity of Manitoba,” said with industry, academia and Dickson Gould, chair of the various levels of government Manitoba Protein Consor- to lead focus groups with key tium. “Strengthening protein protein industry leaders to deresearch expertise and col- velop an understanding of the laboration in the province challenges and opportunities of Manitoba is extremely impacting Manitoba’s proimportant and significant as tein industry and advance the we advance the Manitoba Manitoba Protein Advantage. Protein strategy. This anThe Protein Research Pronouncement will advance our posal is available at strategic goal for producers, gov.mb.ca/agriculture/proprocessors and the Manitoba tein/pubs/manitoba-proteineconomy in our desire to be research-proposal. a global leader in providing The Manitoba Protein Adsustainable protein.” vantage will increase animal The Manitoba government protein production by 35 per created the Manitoba Protein cent, create new value for Consortium in January 2020 producers through crop into provide leadership on proj- novation and value chain ects of strategic importance collaboration, attract new inand encourage stakeholders vestment of $1.5 billion and to continue actions to imple- create 1,550 new jobs.
Plant Protein Sector Makes Its Mark in Manitoba
By Les Kletke
Manitoba is establishing itself as a leader in the plant protein business and that trend could entice even more companies to the province. A couple of years ago a French company decided to base its pea protein manu-
Ryan Bracken CEO of Merit Functional Foods.
facturing facility in Portage la Prairie and this year Merit Functional Foods is developing a plant in Winnipeg. Merit will concentrate on canola and pea protein; however their plans may evolve into a further expansion of product lines. Spokesperson Jim Hibsh for Merit said the company was formed last year and it is expected that the Winnipeg plant will be operational by the end of the year. The facility is expected to add 175 jobs to the community. Merit co-CEO Ryan Bracken said, “It is a facility that will produce an unprecedented pea protein and the first canola protein available for use in foods and beverages. Both will have functional and nutritional characteristics that will set them apart
from other ingredients on the market.” The plant based protein sector is one of the fastest growing in the food sector, and Hibsh credits two reasons. “The environmental concern has a huge impact,” he said. “And the dietary issue is another factor in making the plant proteins and new functional foods attractive.” He added that products like non-dairy milk replacements have seen dramatic growth in recent years. The company’s Winnipeg facility is optimized to meet the initial demand for Merit’s protein ingredients but is also designed with future growth in mind. The current building is 94,000 sq. feet and it is expected to add 175 new jobs over the next three years. The company has an-
nounced partnerships with a global company, Bunge and Pitura Seeds of Domain to secure high quality raw product. Hibsh said consumers will not likely see the Merit name of products in the grocery because the protein it manufactures is an ingredient in other products. Bracken is confident the company can play a role in the future of plant protein, “This facility is going to be key in redefining plant-based protein. It is a flexible facility that will produce the first canola protein available.” Manitoba has targeted the plant protein sector as an area of growth and Bracken acknowledged that it was through efforts of the provincial government that the company decided to locate in Winnipeg.
October 30, 2020
Genomic Sequencing Helping to Revolutionise Diagnostics By Harry Siemens Dr. Yanyun Huang, chief executive officer of Prairie Diagnostic Services (PDS), said the expanding number of infectious diseases elevates the importance of laboratory testing. PDS, located at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, is a full-function, not-for-profit diagnostic laboratory which provides a full spectrum of veterinary diagnostic services for all species. Dr. Huang said, while infectious disease is one of the significant problems in the food production animal sectors, the diagnostic toolbox is expanding. “One thing we need to understand is that, in the past several decades in North America, I don’t think we have eliminated or eradicated many animal infectious diseases,” he said. “On the other hand, new infectious diseases, new infectious agents keep coming up.” Further, the types of symptoms any infectious agents can cause animals are limited. For example, diarrhea is one symptom that different pathogens can cause and in the case of Pneumonia this is one symptom that multiple pathogens can cause. Dr. Huang said when new infectious diseases and agents keep coming up, on the one hand; there are limited kinds of clinical symptoms. However, there is an increasing list of differential diagnoses on each clinical symptom, so there is a need to rule out more. In this context laboratory, testing has become more critical in making the correct diagnosis. “Quote Mahatma Gandhi; ‘A correct diagnosis is three-fourths of the remedy’, so any improvement in the diagnostic sciences is going to help us better manage and treat animal diseases,” he said. Dr. Huang said high-throughput genomic sequencing is helping to revolutionize the identification of the pathogens that cause disease. In the past, the use of genetic testing in veterinary diagnostic labs was limited; however, the tide has turned in recent years. The evolution of these tests enables their use in routine diagnostics. He said an umbrella of genomic methods called high-throughput sequencing offers several advantages. High-throughput sequencing has the potential as a so-called one for all test because it can detect or reveal all the genes or genetic information in a given sample. “For example, if we put a piece of pig tissue into the sequencer, it can detect the pig DNA and RNA,” he said. “On the other hand, it can also detect all the bacteria DNA, all the virus DNA and RNA, so in one sample, you have all of the genetic information. There are some genes, the sequencer can detect.” And the new platforms of these sequencers can be relatively quick, at least as quick as the current diagnostics methods they are using, but some are very quick and can generate results in minutes or hours. Dr. Huang said some of the new sequencing platforms could be portable with some sequencers as small as a jump drive plugged into a laptop computer and deployed to the field. “It was this type of sequencing used to identify the virus responsible for COVID-19,” he noted.
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October 30, 2020
The AgriPost