Seed companies look to new varieties to get farmers excited about oats again
When this story ran in the New Seed Variety Guide it incorrectly identified FP Genetics. Oats have had a tough time of late. After reaching a 10-year high of 3.9 million acres in 2022, oat acres dove 40 per cent to 2.5 million acres the next year, the lowest number on record. However, with some […] Read more
Don Norman
Stories by Don Norman
Man. crops punch above their weight this year
Late season conditions appear to have given crops a boost as yields are higher than Statistics Canada’s earlier forecast
Glacier FarmMedia – Soybean yields could break a provincial record this year. According to the Oct. 8 Manitoba Agriculture crop report, with 70 per cent of the soybean harvest complete, reported yields are between 35 and 60 bushels an acre, with an average of 45. That was also the estimated yield range in the prior […] Read more
Police lay charges in connection with illegal bison hunt
Six bison were killed as the result of a fraudulent hunt that took place on a farming operation in northwestern Manitoba
Glacier FarmMedia – A Portage la Prairie man is facing charges after an illegal bison hunt on another man’s ranch near Binscarth, Man., in which six of the farmer’s bison were killed. Brendan Liske is the farmer and owner of the six animals. The Parkland area producer reported the crime on Oct. 14, but says […] Read more
Mini corn piles called grazing option
Cattle producer says there are wrinkles still to work out, but a new winter grazing technique shows good potential
Glacier FarmMedia – The drought in 2021 sparked a shift for the Bouw brothers, owners and operators of Edie Creek Angus near Anola, east of Winnipeg. “Our journey has always been about animals that are functioning on the land without much input,” said Jonathan Bouw, speaking at a recent field tour. That philosophy ran headlong […] Read more
Dry bean trials in Manitoba focus on improved varieties
Beans a relatively minor crop in Western Canada, and most varieties are developed with other regions in mind, such as the United States
Glacier FarmMedia – Dry bean growers have limited options when it comes to variety selection. “With dry beans, it’s a little different than other crops,” said Dennis Lange, provincial pulse and soybean specialist with Manitoba Agriculture. “For example, in soybeans, we typically rotate varieties based on popularity, and there’s a lot of different companies involved […] Read more
Federal funds announced for Cereals Canada
Glacier FarmMedia – The federal government has announced $7.3 million for Cereals Canada research and market development. The funding was announced Oct. 15 by Winnipeg South MP Terry Duguid, on behalf of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Minister Lawrence MacAulay, at the industry group’s pasta lab in Winnipeg. “Our government is building on our long legacy […] Read more
Wool sector shines at fibre festival
Event highlights wool sustainability, textile skills and sheep breeds, including the 2024 breed of the year: Icelandic sheep
The wool industry believes it has good ammunition to support product sustainability. Wool is a natural fibre, grows back and is harvested from grazing animals whose management can benefit soil health, biodiversity and carbon sequestration. It’s even more sustainable if wool products can survive rips and tears. That’s one reason the Sept. 6-7 Manitoba Fibre […] Read more
Pandemic response bill worries livestock groups
Industry says Bill C-293 contains ill-defined terms and heavy-handed language that unfairly targets animal agriculture
Glacier FarmMedia – A federal bill that purports to protect Canada from the next pandemic is drawing fire from the agriculture sector. In a recent editorial titled “Is Bill C-293 Canada’s ‘Vegan Act?’” Sylvain Charlebois, director of Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab, said the bill “represents an unprecedented governmental intrusion into personal dietary choices and […] Read more
University’s net-zero research receives federal funding
Research project at the U of M will receive $7.6 million in funding to explore how net-zero farming can be made realistic
Glacier FarmMedia – The University of Manitoba is getting $7.6 million in federal funds to study net-zero farming systems. The Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Grant will be disbursed over four years and aims to identify strategies to support the Canadian agricultural sector as it moves to a net-zero economy. The federal government has established a goal […] Read more
Cow herd recovery remains elusive
Despite high cattle prices, there are few signs that producers are preparing to increase the size of their herds
Glacier FarmMedia – High calf prices have been a good news story for cow-calf producers, but they’ve done little to help Canada recover its diminished beef herd. “According to Statistics Canada, we’ve seen a decrease in total cattle inventories in Alberta from 5.225 million on July 1, 2023 to 5.145 million on the same date […] Read more
