Roberta Rampton

David Rolfe’s 115-sow farrow-to-finish hog barn at Elgin, Man., is far from what most farmers would describe as an intensive livestock operation. But a recent study of how the Manitoba government should handle livestock expansion will likely have its greatest impact on family farms like his. Rolfe’s youngest son James, 25, is moving back to […] Read more

Manitoba agriculture minister Rosann Wowchuk will soon start meeting with farmers and other groups to talk about 40 livestock expansion recommendations. A panel studying the issue recommended that the provincial government spend more money monitoring intensive livestock operations, enforcing regulations, and researching the environmental impacts of barns. It also recommended a new way to approve […] Read more

Farmers can double or triple the “horsepower” in their businesses by putting to work the skills and talents of all family members, according to management consultant Rob Napier. But all too often, farmers overlook human resources by leaving their spouses out of major decisions. Family teamwork has never been more important than in this period […] Read more

Alliances between farmers and marketers are becoming increasingly important as the value of Canadian agricultural exports grow, says the head of the George Morris Centre in Guelph, Ont. Larry Martin said much of this growth is driven by consumer-ready products, but while those markets hold opportunities for farmers, they are also more complex and risky […] Read more

Wearing blue jeans and sneakers, the boys walked into the agriculture minister’s office, bold with the sincere optimism only found in the young. They emerged 45 minutes later with cheeks slightly redder and faces somewhat downcast. Harley Shepherd, 13, and Daniel Kliever, 14, farm kids who live just east of the Saskatchewan border near Elkhorn, […] Read more

Don Neufeld hadn’t yet seen Harley Shepherd and Daniel Kliever on the news, discussing their concerns about hog barns near Kola, Man. But he said he figured the boys were likely to have a strong impact on urban viewers. In the past few years, the grain farmer and municipal councilor from Kola has been in […] Read more

More Manitoba livestock producers may have to file plans with the government about how they intend to spread manure, and find ways to store their manure during winter. A panel studying livestock expansion in the province since June has returned its recommendations to the government. It suggests the government classify farms with at least 300 […] Read more

Manitoba hog processors imported 850,000 hogs last year from producers in Saskatchewan and Alberta. But growth in interprovincial hog trade might slow with the Jan. 15 announcement that Maple Leaf Foods will buy Winnipeg processing plants from Schneider Corp. The move will result in lower slaughter capacity than had been anticipated, now that Schneider’s plans […] Read more

Farmers who watch futures prices at the Winnipeg Commodity Exchange may notice a downward jump in feed wheat when the October 2001 contract starts to trade. That’s because the exchange has redesigned the contract, pending approval from the Manitoba Securities Commission. The feed wheat futures price will now use central Saskatchewan as its pricing point […] Read more

Bennett Corn has overseen extensive renovations of facilities, contracts and operations during his four years at the helm of the Winnipeg Commodity Exchange. Next month he will find out the fate of his most significant renovation effort. The exchange’s board of governors has already been convinced that the WCE should change from a membership-owned, not-for-profit […] Read more