Roberta Rampton

WINNIPEG – Variety may be the spice of life, but too much of it can be frustrating. Peter Entz, a pulse crops agronomist with Manitoba Agriculture, said more than 100 new varieties have been registered in Western Canada in the past two years and that can cause problems for farmers. “The explosion of new varieties […] Read more

WINNIPEG – Potatoes may be cheap to put on a plate, but planting them in a field is a different story. Veteran grower Don Kroeker said there’s opportunity in spuds, but farmers need access to a lot of money to get into the industry. For a 350 to 400-acre operation, capital costs can add up […] Read more

WINNIPEG – Farmers in the Swan River valley have a new sales pitch for their hay. They ruefully call it elk-certified. Bill Barker knows too well that elk will eat only the best. “They’ll nose through the whole stack, and when they come to the good (bales), that’s where they’ll stop.” He figured damages from […] Read more

WINNIPEG – Manitoba Pork hopes to have its popular forward contracting program running again by Jan. 15. The organization is finalizing a new contract with packers that will spell out a new pricing formula, said president Ken Foster. Manitoba Pork suspended the program on Nov. 2 after provincial agriculture minister Harry Enns announced the marketing […] Read more

WINNIPEG (Staff) – Hog producers in Alberta will soon have a forward contracting program similar to the one enjoyed by their Manitoba counterparts. For a small fee, they will be able to sell part of their production for upcoming months for prices quoted by the Alberta Pork Producers Development Commission. The prices are based on […] Read more

WINNIPEG – Sugar beet growers will be doing some soul-searching this year as the industry comes to a crossroads. A task force set up by Manitoba’s pro-vincial government is looking into the future of the industry. As well, a national meeting scheduled for March has been termed a “visioning meeting,” which will question the existence […] Read more

WINNIPEG (Staff) – Controversy forces people to take notice. That’s why sugar beet producers in Manitoba recently decided to release a confidential study they commissioned about a year ago. They want the processor and provincial and federal governments to pay attention to and make decisions on their industry. Ken Yuill, president of the sugar beet […] Read more

WINNIPEG (Staff) – Manitoba is home to the top species of elk in the world, but it has been one of two provinces that does not allow game farming. However, that’s soon to change. The provincial government has announced it will pass laws this spring to allow farmers to raise elk. Agriculture minister Harry Enns […] Read more

SASKATOON (Staff) – The Canadian Wheat Board’s latest pool return outlook, release Dec. 21, is unchanged from the November outlook. The price for No. 1 Canada Western red spring wheat is predicted to be $229-$239 per tonne, while No. CW amber durum is pegged at $273-$293 per tonne. November’s pool return outlook table, which listed […] Read more

WINNIPEG – A group of farmers from southern Manitoba has taken the first step in filing two lawsuits against the Canadian Wheat Board. However, a board spokesperson dismissed the two statements of claim filed at Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench. “I would say that neither one of them has any merit, but maybe this is […] Read more