Ian Bell

James Spiers puts in long hours at the dairy farm that he and his father operate near Gladstone, Man. Spiers works seven days a week and at least 12 hours a day. With 80 dairy cattle to tend, there’s seldom a break from the farm. With his father wanting to retire from farming within five […] Read more

Lloyd Pletz knows all about stress. The Saskatchewan farmer was forced to sell some implements this spring to help pay bills. Spring rains delayed his seeding and he now worries that his crops will be killed by an early frost. His application for welfare last March was rejected. And he won’t qualify for the governments’ […] Read more

Calling it the queen of legumes, researchers are looking for ways to get more alfalfa into prairie pastures. Alfalfa can improve pasture yields, soil fertility and cattle performance when included as part of the pasture makeup. But there is a drawback. Alfalfa can cause cattle to bloat, said John Popp, a livestock specialist with Manitoba […] Read more

Police collared a Manitoba farmer last week after lives were said to be endangered through reckless use of a tractor. Nicolas Ulrich Vogel, 46, of La Broquerie was arrested and charged with one count of mischief endangering life, two counts of dangerous driving and one count of mischief not exceeding $5,000. The charges came after […] Read more

Ray Hildebrandt walked into court last week faced with the prospect of jail and a $10,000 fine. The Manitoba farmer was convicted this spring of illegally draining water from land he works near Ninga, Man. He appeared in Court of Queen’s Bench in Brandon, Man., for sentencing July 22. Judge John Menzies imposed a fine […] Read more

Pasture finishing is one way to curb costs when prices for feed barley soar. A study under way at Agriculture Canada’s Brandon research centre is looking at the pros and cons of pasture finishing. “Manitoba has an abundance of grass,” said researcher Paul McCaughey. “We can grow grass like crazy here.” The research was triggered […] Read more

& Sylvia McBean Freelance writer news MELITA, Man. – Farmers and merchants got together here June 29 to send a resounding message to Ottawa about the need for disaster assistance. They were united by fears of what will happen to farms and rural communities in areas swamped by torrential rains in May and June. The […] Read more

An accountant’s dream and a farmer’s worst nightmare. That was how some people interpreted the Agricultural Income Disaster Assistance program during a farm rally at Melita, Man., last week. The only people who benefit from AIDA are accountants, said Joan Hodgson, who farms near Deloraine, Man. She shared a sentiment that has been repeated many […] Read more

Manitoba wheat farmers have a new tool to help combat an old enemy. The Pest Management Regulatory Agency this month approved an emergency use registration for Folicur. Distributed by Bayer Canada, Folicur is known to help suppress fusarium head blight when wheat is in the vulnerable flowering stage. Fusarium, which also attacks barley crops, cost […] Read more

There is no truth to rumors that Saskatchewan Wheat Pool wants to sell its two high-throughput elevators in Manitoba, a company spokesperson said last week. The two AgPro terminals, one at Boissevain and one north of Brandon, will have a combined capacity of 84,000 tonnes. The concrete terminal near Brandon was completed this month, while […] Read more