Ian Bell

MARGARET, Man. – Bill Morrow swings his Belarus tractor into a bale yard to load feed for his sheep. He parks the tractor and hops down from the cab to chat briefly with a visitor about the federal election. Morrow lives in the Brandon-Souris riding, a federal constituency in the southwestern corner of Manitoba. It […] Read more

MacGREGOR, Man. – A touch of fate, a dash of ambition and a sprinkle of persistence. Those were some of the ingredients that gave rise to Triple R Limousin in central Manitoba. Owners Art and Maria Rodgers started from scratch and gradually built up a farm that features a large herd of purebred Limousins as […] Read more

Wondering what it would be like to travel back to the days of the prairie settlers? Two couples from Ontario know what it was like and they could tell you plenty – if they had a telephone. Frank and Alana Logie and Tim and Deanna Treadway gave up all modern amenities to live the life […] Read more

Talk of a hog barn development near Roblin, Man., has stirred the passions of residents worried about water contamination and odor. Larry Powell was among those circulating a petition last week. It calls for a halt to hog barn planning until a public hearing is held giving residents details of what’s being proposed. Powell said […] Read more

Optimism is sprouting within the ethanol industry like tulips on a warm spring day. Canada plans to boost ethanol production to almost four times its current level in the next few years. For farmers, that could mean more markets for grain and straw. But no one knows how much Western Canada might benefit from the […] Read more

There is sadness in Beverly Stow’s eyes when she talks about the rural town where she grew up. She describes how the fabric of the community was torn away one thread at a time by rural depopulation. The school, the church, the elevator and most of the community organizations are gone. “It is very, very […] Read more

Lawrence Solomon thinks the best way to help Canadian farmers is to let them help themselves. He advocates slashing farm subsidies. Such a move likely would mean fewer farmers, but Solomon suggests those who remained would be more efficient, diversified and attuned to what consumers want. “You will wither on the vine with government,” he […] Read more

Manitoba’s agriculture minister has pledged support for small farms but noted there is also a place for larger operations in the province. While speaking at a conference in Brandon recently, Rosann Wowchuk was asked by a producer whether the government has adopted a “sink or swim” strategy for smaller farms. “The strategy of our government […] Read more

Globalization has forced a fight between two ways of farming – corporate control versus independent producers. But there are farmers breaking down the barriers between farmers and corporations. Among them is a group of Manitoba egg producers that saw an opportunity in partnering with food processors. The producers had money for research plus the skills […] Read more

Sandy Larocque likes having kids around. In fact, she enjoys goats of any age and wants to see more of them in Western Canada. The president of the Manitoba Goat Association was in Brandon recently to drum up interest in her industry. Speaking at a conference on small acreage possibilities, Larocque said the demand for […] Read more