The saga of the strawboard plant in Elie, Man., and its fairy-tale like proposal of turning straw into gold, is finally coming to a close. Efforts to find a buyer for the whole operation were unsuccessful, said Mimi Long, a spokesperson for Dow Chemical Canada, the plant’s owner. “During the course of our efforts, Dow […] Read more
Stories by Daniel Winters
Rabid skunks plague residents in western Manitoba
Brandon’s animal control officers have shot two confirmed rabid skunks in recent weeks, and suspect there might be more roaming the city’s southwestern suburbs. In early December, Brandon resident Barb Vinthers heard that a rabid skunk had been caught in her neighbourhood. On New Year’s eve, she looked out the window of her home and […] Read more
Oil, alternative energy driving N.D. economy
BOTTINEAU, N.D. – Last week many North Dakotans were fuming over the portrayal of their state in the latest issue of National Geographic magazine. An article entitled The Emptied Prairie, featuring melancholy photos of abandoned farmhouses and cars rusting away in wind-swept, weed-bound fields, was vehemently denounced in an editorial by the Minot Daily News […] Read more
Man. restricts phosphorus on lawns
Manitoba will become the first province in Canada to restrict application of lawn fertilizers containing phosphorus in residential areas. The government says it is a key step in reducing the flow of excess nutrients into provincial waterways. The move comes a few weeks after legislation was introduced to phase out phosphorus in automatic dishwasher soap. […] Read more
Common sense vs. high tech in pasture
When Alberta rancher Steve Kenyon takes over a new piece of leased land, the first thing he does is drive posts and string electric fence wires. “It’s the biggest bang for the buck,” Kenyon told the recent Manitoba Grazing School in Brandon. “I plant fence posts so I can manage my grazing. I need to […] Read more
Federal gov’t increases compensation for CWD losses
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has increased the compensation it pays producers for white-tailed deer that are destroyed as part of a chronic wasting disease investigation. Following the discovery of three confirmed cases of infection in Saskatchewan in October, the CFIA has announced that the maximum allowed compensation has been increased to $4,000 for white-tailed […] Read more
Frank Skinner – Manitoba plant breeder brings gardening to the barren Prairies
Frank Leith Skinner, whose lifelong vision was a land rich in trees, shrubs and flowers, introduced 248 species of plants to the region, 144 of which were new, improved varieties. Born in Scotland in 1882, Skinner and his family settled in the Dropmore area north of Russell, Man., in 1895. He described the area, 400 […] Read more
A. J. McPhail – President of wheat producers co-op sought protection for farmers
Alexander James McPhail was a key figure in the development of Canada’s collective grain marketing system, showing tenacious commitment to an organization that he believed would protect prairie farmers from the robber barons of the grain trade. Through his tumultuous career, which began as president of the Saskatchewan Wheat Producers’ Co-operative Ltd. in 1924 until […] Read more
Clay Gilson
James Clayton Gilson is often thought of as the father of crop insurance in Canada. Born in 1926 into a family of six children on a farm near Deloraine, Man., “Clay” Gilson attended the University of Manitoba, where he earned a bachelor of science in agriculture and a master’s degree in science with a major […] Read more
Man. cattle leader remains optimistic
Manitoba Cattle Producers Association president Martin Unrau believes his industry has hit rock bottom and has nowhere to go but up. “I’m optimistic. My son is currently buying some cows, and we’re retaining more heifers than last year,” he said. “I think we’re going to see huge opportunities in the next three to five years […] Read more
