Manitoba selects outstanding farmers
Harley and Brooklyn Siemens from Rosenort, Man., were recently named Manitoba’s Outstanding Young Farmers for 2023.
The fourth generation egg farmers own and operate Siemen Farms, which produces 95,000 layers and 15,000 pullets.
They also bought into Manova, another poultry farm located in Blumenort and Niverville. It houses 70,000 layers in conventional and enriched housing, including a 22,500 layer, free-run aviary barn.
Since 2019, they have hosted more than 250 tours.
Harley also travels across Canada to speak to groups on behalf of Egg Farmers of Canada.
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Brett and Chantal McCrae of McRae Farms in Brandon were the other nominees for the regional event.
Animal Health Canada hires executive director
Colleen McElwain is the new executive director of Animal Health Canada after serving as interim executive director since September 2022. Before that, she was the organization’s operations and animal health director.
With almost 20 years in the industry and government, McElwain has had various roles supporting animal health and welfare policy development and program implementation.
She has also participated on several national industry and government boards and committees.
Funds available for organic transition
The Organic Transition program assists organic producers with their added costs incurred while transitioning to organic farming.
It reimburses producers for their paid certification costs up to $1,000. Funds are available until June 30.
The program is for farmers in their first, second or third year of pre-certification or for those already certified organic who are increasing their organic acreage.
Applications should be sent to info@canada-organic.ca.
CCA elects new leadership
Nathan Phinney and Tyler Fulton were acclaimed as president and vice-president, respectively, for the Canadian Cattle Association in 2023-24.
Phinney took over the role of CCA president in December 2022, following the sudden passing of Reg Schellenberg.
CCA welcomed the following new board members: Renee Ardill (British Columbia), Jana Harman (Alberta), Graham Overguard (Alberta), Greg Schmidt (Alberta), Curtis Vander Heyden (Alberta), John Schuttenbeld (New Brunswick), and Kevin Simmons (Prince Edward Island).
With the election of Tyler Fulton as vice-president, a new board member from Manitoba is forthcoming.
B.C. outstanding farmers chosen
Brad and Travis Hopcott from Pitt Meadows, B.C., have been named British Columbia/Yukon’s Outstanding Young Farmers for 2023.
The brothers, along with their parents and sister, operate Hopcott Farms less than 40 minutes from downtown Vancouver.
They sell compost produced from their feedlot, as well as 70 percent of their meat production, through their retail store. Since 1996, they have been in partnership with Ocean Spray to produce 72 acres of cranberries.
They have also hosted weddings on site for five years.
The other nominees recognized were Matthew Carr of Linden Lane Farms in Krestova and Johannes and Julaine Treur of Creekside Dairy in Agassiz.
Sask. ag hall elects new board members
The Saskatchewan Agricultural Hall of Fame announced seven new board members in 2023.
- Al Choquer — Saskatchewan Veterinary Medical Association
- Eric Johnson — Saskatchewan Agricultural Graduates Association
- Dan Kemppainen — Prairieland Park
- Roger Pederson — Saskatchewan Irrigation Projects Association
- Kim Kennett — member-at-large
- Greg Putnam — member-at-large
- Jocelyn Poletz — member-at-large
Rick Toney from the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association was re-elected to another term. Retiring board members include Bryan Harvey, Murray Purcell, Valerie Pearson and Calvin Knoss.
Sask Wheat announces funds research projects
The Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission has committed more than $467,000 to four research projects funded through the Alberta Agriculture Funding Consortium in the 2022-23 crop year.
The projects funded are:
- Prairie Crop Disease Monitoring Network — fostering further network development (Lacombe).
- Dissecting herbicide resistance in wild oats to design novel efficient molecular diagnostic tools (Ottawa).
- Understanding the interactions of nitrogen fertilizer technologies, fungicides and the soil microbiome to optimize sustainable agriculture (Lethbridge).
- Field sensing phenocart data management and image analysis pipeline development to improve cereal crop characteristics (Lethbridge).
Sask Wheat has committed more than $6.6 million to 56 projects through the AFC since 2016.
More information on funded research is at saskwheat.ca.
