Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler announced at Ag Days the province will explore changes to how Keystone Agricultural Producers collects membership fees from farmers. (Allan Dawson photo)

Manitoba surveying farmers on KAP funding system

The Manitoba government wants “farmers’ and stakeholders'” feedback on potential changes to Keystone Agricultural Producers’ (KAP) funding model — and fast. The deadline to fill out an online survey or download and email it in is March 9, the government said in a release Thursday. “The current approach to funding our province’s general farm organization […] Read more

(CPR.ca)

CP offers assurances for 2016-17 grain handle

Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) says it’s ready and willing to move a bumper Prairie crop in 2016-17. “Operationally, CP is eager and prepared to move grain this coming crop year,” company CEO Hunter Harrison said in a letter to federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau. The letter, dated Tuesday, was also circulated to Prairie transportation and […] Read more


Farmland prices, on average, were up 12.4 per cent and 10.1 per cent in Manitoba and Canada, respectively, says Farm Credit Canada’s chief economist J.P. Gervais. The annual rise in farmland values is slowing, but still expected to be positive in 2016 so long farm cash receipts remain stable.

Manitoba, Canadian farmland values up again in 2015

Farm Credit Canada says the annual percentage increase in farmland values is getting smaller

Manitoba farmland values led the way with the highest average percentage increase in Canada last year, says Farm Credit Canada (FCC). But the pace of increases the last few years here and across Canada is slowing in step with the plateauing of farm cash receipts, and slower drop in interest rates, J.P. Gervais, FCC’s chief […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

PBR breach to cost Saskatchewan seed grower $150K

A Saskatchewan seed grower will pay $150,000 to SeCan — the largest penalty in the seed company’s history — for breaching SeCan’s plant breeders rights (PBR). Harvey Marcil of Pasqua Farms near Moose Jaw, Sask., has also agreed to stop making unauthorized seed sales and was expelled from SeCan’s membership, Todd Hyra, SeCan’s business manager […] Read more


(Jack Dykinga photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Changes to CGC’s Western wheat classes coming Aug. 1

Come Aug. 1, Western Canada will get a new ninth milling wheat class, Canada Northern Hard Red (CNHR), that’s expected to open up opportunities for higher-yielding wheats, while preserving the quality reputation of the Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) and Canada Prairie Spring Red (CPSR) classes. U.S. Dark Northern Spring varieties Faller, Prosper and Elgin […] Read more

Photo: File

Canada’s new ag minister pledges to listen to farmers

Manitoba Co-operator – After just six days as Canada’s new agriculture minister Lawrence MacAulay hasn’t taken a position on a number of agricultural issues, but he knows how he will: “I intend to listen to the man that does the work — the farmer.” The 69-year-old former Prince Edward Island dairy and seed potato farmer […] Read more


Agri-Trend CEO Rob Saik. (Jennifer Paige photo)

Trimble to buy consulting firm Agri-Trend

GPS and precision farming firm Trimble is set to buy the Canadian operator of North America’s largest network of independent agricultural consultants. Publicly traded, U.S.-based Trimble, which specializes in GPS and other location services, including the collection and management of on-farm data and services for precision farming, announced Tuesday it will buy Red Deer-based, privately-held […] Read more

Improving grain transportation and trade top the new Liberal government’s agricultural agenda.  Photo: Allan Dawson

New Liberal government has lots on its ag ‘to do’ list

Manitoba Co-operator – Grain transportation and trade top of the new Liberal government’s agricultural agenda, says veteran Saskatchewan MP and former agriculture minister Ralph Goodale. Other priorities include determining if farm aid programs are adequate, investing in infrastructure to protect soil and water and refocusing the government’s role in scientific research. The Canadian Wheat Board […] Read more


(PortMetroVancouver.com)

Dawson: Ag exporters applaud historic TPP deal

Export-oriented Canadian farmers are giving the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement reached in Atlanta on Monday two thumbs up. The deal, which remains to be debated in Canada’s House of Commons and could take more than a year to be ratified by all 12 member countries, will see tariffs on Canadian products in those markets eliminated […] Read more

A jimsonweed bloom. (Patrick J. Alexander photo courtesy USDA-NRCS Plants Database)

Jimsonweed not a threat to canola oil, meal safety

Canada’s canola oil and meal will remain safe to consume even if some jimsonweed seeds end up in it, according to Curtis Rempel, vice-president of crop production and innovation at the Canola Council of Canada (CCC). “While jimsonweed itself can be poisonous, the heating process in canola oil and meal processing denatures toxic alkaloids, so […] Read more