Mbc130926

Page 1

a familiar beat but new industry

kids, water and rain » Page 3

September 26, 2013

For GGC Executive

SERVING MANITOBA FARMERS SINCE 1925 | Vol. 71, No. 39

Selling to CWB now earns farmers future equity in privatized CWB For every ton a farmer delivers this crop year he or she will earn $5 of equity down the road

|

» Page 21

manitobacooperator.ca

$1.75

Egg producers to phase out conventional bird cages Layers will now have more room to move, perches, and private nesting areas By Shannon VanRaes co-operator staff

By Allan Dawson

T

co-operator staff

W

estern Canadian farmers will get $5 of equity in a privatized CWB for every tonne sold to the CWB this crop year. The offer was recently posted on CWB’s website, Gord Flaten, CWB’s vice-president for grain procurement, said in an interview. Details were issued to grain companies Sept. 19 and information is also being sent directly to farmers.

Publication Mail Agreement 40069240

See CWB on page 7 »

Hens enjoy more space in an enriched housing system, designed to address animal welfare concerns and improve health.  Photo: Shannon VanRaes

BREAKING THE YIELD BARRIER 1-800-265-7403 www.hylandseeds.com

he idea of progressive animal welfare has come home to roost with the Manitoba Egg Farmers (MEF) and the Winnipeg Humane Society says that’s something worth crowing about. MEF, which represents nearly 170 egg and pullet producers, has banned the installation of any new conventional cages after Dec. 31, 2014. “I think this is the best way to go — it’s farmer initiated and we’re doing what the research tells us works,” said Ed Kleinsasser, Manitoba Egg Farmers chairman. Instead of conventional cages, producers will be required to use a furnished or enriched housing system, which provides birds with more space, perches, scratching surfaces and private nesting boxes. Free-run aviaries are also an option for producers moving away from the conventional cage system. Bill McDonald, CEO of the Winnipeg Humane Society, welcomed the change. “We’re very pleased to see the end of the battery cages,” he said. “Chickens like to lay their eggs in an enclosed space away from other chickens, they like to roost, to get up an sit on something... if you see them outside they will be going around, scratching, looking for things, and there are scratch pads in the furnished housing,” he said. “So while the furnished housings are not, by comparison to a free-range or open-range situation ideal, they are certainly a big step up from the battery cages.” Kleinsasser said discussions on hen housing began several years ago, adding his organization has kept a close eye on developments in Europe, where See CAGES on page 6 »

HylandTM and the Hyland Seeds logo are trademarks of Dow AgroSciences LLC. 09/13-20278-02 MC

A recipe for learning


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.
Mbc130926 by Farm Business Communications - Issuu