Ian Bell

The town of Erickson, Man., shares a concern common to several communities in the province. The population is aging, pressure on the ambulance service is rising and it’s hard to find enough volunteers to keep the service intact. “I don’t think this problem is going to go away today, tomorrow or next week,” said Sandra […] Read more

SOURIS, Man. – Pat and Kelly Murphy were mending fences last week, pounding in new fence posts and tapping in a staple here and there. They were making the most of a lull in the seeding season. Wet weather, which arrived in early May, had put their seeding plans on hold. Pat was far from […] Read more

Scoop Fredstrom laughed last week when asked about speculation that McCain Foods might part with its french fry plant at Portage la Prairie, Man. “That isn’t even a consideration,” said Fredstrom, the company’s communications director at Florenceville, New Brunswick. The speculation was prompted by McCain Foods’ decision to build a $93.9 million french fry plant […] Read more

A court-appointed receiver hopes to sell some of the main assets of Canadian Agra Foods within the next couple of months. The Ontario-based company was best known in the Prairies for building a canola crushing plant at Ste. Agathe, Man. Richter and Partners Inc. of Toronto was finishing details last week of how to proceed […] Read more

GRETNA, Man. – They rode into town with tired and in some cases pained expressions on their faces. The day’s ride had taken its toll. “I should be able to do this for three days and live to tell the tale,” said Margaret Ritchie after dismounting from her horse. “I feel a little tired, but […] Read more

A thorny issue will soon land on the Manitoba government. The province’s general farm group wants the government to collect a nominal fee from anyone lodging a complaint with Manitoba Environment. Keystone Agricultural Producers recently passed a motion to that effect at a general council meeting in Brandon, Man. In the preamble to the motion, […] Read more

Some site preparation began last week on the McCain Foods (Canada) French fry plant to be built near Coaldale, Alta. It was the first sign of construction at the site, located about 12 kilometres east of the town, near Chin, Alta. A development permit has been issued by the County of Lethbridge, according to McCain […] Read more

Manitoba egg producers like Jake Kasdorf are trying to hatch a plan to make more money from their industry. In the process, they would become pioneers in the next generation of prairie co-operatives. Kasdorf and his partners want to organize a new generation co-op, hoping it will add marketplace value to the eggs they produce. […] Read more

Hank Riese thinks someone needs to “apply the brakes a little” when it comes to the so-called terminator gene in crops. The farmer from Lockport, Man., worries that all of the seed stocks will eventually be controlled by large corporations. He wonders where that might leave farmers. Riese shared his thoughts at a recent meeting […] Read more

Less talk, more rock. That’s what members of Keystone Agricultural Producers want each time they tune into discussions about the Estey review on grain handling and transportation. KAP president Don Dewar said recently that Ottawa must orchestrate the effort to turn the review into action. The review prepared by former Supreme Court justice Willard Estey […] Read more