Ian Bell

CARBERRY, Man. – Potato growers again felt the menacing effects of late blight this summer. Ralph Oliver, a grower near Carberry, said he first noticed the fungus in late July. It forced him to step up his fungicide spray program from once a week to once every five days. “The guys who had to cut […] Read more

SIDNEY, Man. – The drone of a tractor engine cuts across a field blanketed with potato plants. The only other sound is the chirp of crickets and the rustle of trees dappled in fall colors. The day promises ideal weather for harvesting. The canopy of blue sky and the gentle breeze buoy Ken Carritt’s optimism. […] Read more

INGLIS, Man. – A chill wind was blowing from the north, a sign of winter’s stubborn approach. James Bulbuck, perched on the seat of his self-propelled swather, endured the brisk weather by wearing a winter parka and leather gloves. The forecast was for either rain or snow. Bulbuck was trying to get a field of […] Read more

Marcel Desrochers endured several years of stress and mounting legal bills to keep his homestead and a quarter section of land near Pilot Mound, Man. He was convinced that the Manitoba Agricultural Credit Corporation had sidestepped the law in its bid to foreclose on his farm. And he wasn’t prepared to walk away without a […] Read more

The Red River Valley becomes picturesque as summer gives way to fall in Manitoba. A tall cordon of trees meanders along the banks of the Red River, a backdrop for the mosaic of fields that stretch east and west. But there are telltale signs that life in the valley is not always tranquil. Many rural […] Read more

Thousands of Manitoba farmers applied for money this summer under the province’s farm disaster assistance package. The package, which included a $50 per unseeded acre payment, was aimed at farmers affected by too much moisture this spring. More than 4,000 producers applied to the program, administered by Manitoba Crop Insurance. The deadline for applications was […] Read more

A court-appointed receiver thinks it may have some buyers for the assets of Canadian Agra Foods, a company whose holdings included a canola crushing plant at Ste. Agathe, Man. Richter and Partners Inc. of Toronto says it is negotiating with “a variety of parties” interested in Canadian Agra’s assets in Manitoba and Alberta. The Alberta […] Read more

Derek Holtom likens it to the buildup before the Super Bowl. The former sports reporter turned editor sees a tight race unfolding in Manitoba’s Swan River riding as the Sept. 21 election day approaches. The main contenders, he said, are NDP incumbent Rosann Wowchuk and Tory candidate Maxine Plesiuk. “My feeling on the street is […] Read more

WINNIPEG – Competing with America’s largest food processors is akin to dancing with elephants, said the president and chief executive officer of Maple Leaf Foods. Michael McCain described the challenge as daunting, especially with changes sweeping through the processing industry. “We have to be a little more nimble, a little more agile than our dancing […] Read more

A Canadian think tank on agriculture and food policy says dramatic initiatives at Maple Leaf Foods have positioned the company to become a global powerhouse. “If they’re not positioned to be the lowest cost processor in the world, I’ll eat my hat,” said Larry Martin, chief executive officer of the George Morris Centre, based in […] Read more