Tracy Tjaden

PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE, Man. – Manitoba hog producers want to know why the agency that sells most of their hogs has done an about-face on the issue of vertical integration. Producers at a Manitoba Pork district meeting here said they’re worried about vertical integrators taking control by pushing independent producers and family farm operations out […] Read more

A peek into Manitoba farms that produce pregnant mare’s urine has left an American horse abuse investigator shocked by what she found at both ends of the spectrum. And it has left a PMU spokesperson questioning her accuracy. “We found a couple who let us in and I couldn’t believe the contrast,” said Robin Theresa […] Read more

A Manitoba horse rancher is scheduled to appear in court next week after he allegedly roughed up a United States video crew that was making a documentary on the treatment of horses in the province. Pat Houde, who runs a horse feedlot near Elm Creek, said he’s sick of being hounded by animal rights groups […] Read more

EDMONTON – Alberta roads are in desperate need of repair, said the president of the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties. “Right now, our ratepayers are telling us that our road infrastructure is crumbling,” Roelof Heinen told the all-Conservative agriculture standing committee. Heinen said rural roads have been deteriorating since government cut provincial road […] Read more

Brandon isn’t pinning its future on hogs, said the city’s economic development officer. Maple Leaf’s decision to locate a pork plant here will draw the attention of other value-added meat processors looking to set down roots in a business friendly climate, Don Allan said. “There’s no doubt we’ve got opportunity for further value-added meat processing […] Read more

Brandon’s economic development officer is embarking on a trade mission to Europe next month with representatives from seven other cities across Canada. But Don Allan’s plans are a bit different than the rest. Where his colleagues are out to drum up new business, Allan’s itinerary is filled with meetings with companies who have tracked him […] Read more

Potato producers heading into contract negotiations with North America’s french fry giants may have to fight to keep talks focussed on the challenges facing farmers in their own backyard, warns one industry watcher. “What’s realistic is what fits for the local area, not something that happened half a continent away and this is what the […] Read more

A consumer battle is heating up across rural Manitoba as natural gas co-operatives provide a workable alternative to the province’s sole distributor Centra Gas, says one consultant. “Natural gas is almost half the price of electricity so when you’re heating a house, shop and maybe a hog barn, it adds up,” said Keith Arthur, of […] Read more

There is relief in sight for producers worried about buckling under heavy input costs this spring. It might not be enough to offset low wheat prices, but one farmer committee says producers should not be paying more for fertilizer or fuel this year. “It’s bright in the fact that the trends seem to be the […] Read more

Burning the midnight oil to finish seeding might pay off in more ways than one, according to one weed researcher. Because the seeds of many plants need a brief flash of light to induce germination, planting by the light of the moon could be the secret to slowing weed germination. And that could allow crops […] Read more