Hundreds of Manitoba farmers have been annoyed, aggravated and exasperated this spring by fields too wet for seeding. Yet, Andy Barclay, who farms north of Souris, Man., was dealing with an additional water crisis last week. The basement of his home in Souris was flooded after a 75 millimetre rain drenched the community. Barclay pumped […] Read more
Robert Arnason
Stories by Robert Arnason
Chef takes on mom over new pork guidelines
DES MOINES, Iowa – Shad Kirton knows first-hand that old cooking habits die hard. The award winning barbecue chef can’t convince his own mother that it’s safe to eat pork that’s cooked at lower temperatures. “To this day, me and my mom go round and round on how long it should be cooked and at […] Read more
Canada worries U.S. pork deal will bite into exports
DES MOINES, Iowa – Like many other folks at this year’s World Pork Expo, Bill Kessler walked around, drank coffee and chatted with a large sticker on his shirt. The green and white sticker summarized a pressing issue for America’s farmers: “U. S. Agriculture Says Yes to Colombia/Panama/South Korea Free Trade Agreements.” Kessler, a pork […] Read more
Sow stall ads having an impact: CCFA
Television ads telling viewers that sow stalls are cruel and inhumane have had an impact on Manitobans, said a Canadian Coalition for Farm Animals (CCFA) spokesperson. “There’s been a very positive response to our ad,” said Stephanie Brown, a director for the CCFA, based in Toronto. “We want the people of Manitoba to be aware […] Read more
Producers could wait another year for COOL decision
DES MOINES, Iowa – The National Pork Producers Council wants the U.S. government to comply if the World Trade Organization rules against the country’s mandatory country-of-origin labelling rules. However, a council spokesperson isn’t convinced COOL has had a significant impact on Canadian pork producers. “I understand there’s a perception that they (Canadian hog farmers) have […] Read more
Sheep business provides tasty, warm spinoffs
NEWDALE, Man. – More Manitobans may soon be raising sheep, eating lamb and spinning wool because of Shelley and Grant Zahaiko. The couple makes time to talk about their sheep herd or serve up a helping of lamb in their farm kitchen near Newdale, Man. “Anybody we’ve cooked lamb for has always raved. They can’t […] Read more
South Korea says trade deal with Canada imminent
DES MOINES, Iowa – South Korea’s ambassador to the United States says his country will likely sign a free trade agreement with Canada before the end of 2011. “We are negotiating with Canada and Australia. Canada, I think, can be signed, and Australia can be signed by the end of this year,” Han Duk Soo […] Read more
Prairies to bask in summer sun
Weather forecasting is not an exact science, but Environment Canada climatologists are confident this summer will be warmer than usual on the Prairies. Environment Canada’s forecasting models are predicting warm weather this summer for the entire Prairies, with the exception of the western edge of Alberta, which will likely have normal temperatures in June and […] Read more
Spring work stalled
A heavy rain in late May has many farmers in western Manitoba wondering if they will get a crop in the ground this spring. More than 110 millimetres of rain fell in Souris from May 27 to June 1, 92 mm in Brandon and 77 mm in Ste. Rose du Lac. The rain drenched fields […] Read more
Plan to save Lake Winnipeg targets hogs
The Manitoba government’s plan to reduce phosphorus levels in Lake Winnipeg by 50 percent is a noble goal but probably not realistic, says a University of Manitoba soil scientist. Premier Greg Selinger released a highly anticipated plan June 2 to save Lake Winnipeg. The lake is suffering from unsustainably high phosphorus levels, which are choking […] Read more
