The end of the single desk will be mourned by some and celebrated by others, but the fact is, it will end and the business of selling grain will go on. The end of the Canadian Wheat Board monopoly will forever alter the market landscape for farmers looking to sell their grain. Navigating that new... Read More
Category: Western Canada
Even with Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz saying that the CWB plebiscite will have no impact on the Federal governments decision and will to end the single desk in Western Canada, the Canadian Wheat Board is pushing ahead with a plebiscite. I spoke with John De Pape, The CWB Monitor about this whole situation. John and... Read More
By Rosie Templeton A lot of buzz is being created in the blogging world this week over a recent article published by CNN. In their "Eatocracy" section of their website, the article, "Does 4-H desensitize kids to killing?" has elicited over 1300 comments, from both sides of the argument. Read the article here. It's... Read More
By Teresa Falk Media outlets recently reported that Manitoba continues to have one of the lowest unemployment rates in Canada. Statistics Canada reported that Manitoba’s unemployment rate was 5.3 per cent in May, up slightly from 5.2 per cent the month prior. Meanwhile, the national rate is 7.4 per cent, the lowest level in more... Read More
A lot of work is going into technologies that will increase plant survivability and yield. Challenging growing conditions coupled with an increased global demand for food mean we have to give crop production every advantage possible. There are a number of factors we can manipulate when it comes to optimal growing conditions for our crops.... Read More
Everyone does love an auction, and why not, there's usually something there for everyone. It's an event that sends bargain hunters and collectors out en masse to look for that "good deal" or that "rare gem" or even that spare part nobody makes anymore. The only problem is that you usually hear about those "good... Read More
Sclerotinia has the potential to be a big issue in rain soaked areas across the prairies. The disease tends to be prevalent in wet conditions in temperatures between 15 - 25 degrees. Sclerotia spores can live in the soil for up to four years. The spores germinate in the summer and release wind borne spores... Read More
Atmospheric CO2 has been on the rise since the 1960s. Levels have increased roughly 22% according to some scientists. That increase can be seen as favourable to plants in general, but according to some researchers, it may not be as broad as that. Some research states that the increased levels of atmospheric CO2 may actually... Read More
Is the Canadian livestock industry still competitive? We hear this discussion at every conference and coffee shop we participate in. Chances are that we are too hard on ourselves as the industry has survived (relative term) with the drastically higher dollar and increased global competitiveness from South America and the United States. The more negative... Read More
Precision agriculture has some obvious benefits when it comes to efficiency and input costs. GPS mapping and technologies are becoming more and more accurate with coverage available in areas previously inaccessible. Seeding overlap is almost non -existent and placement is incredibly precise. With input costs growing and the demand for production rising, the need to... Read More