Manitoba Co-operator - Dec.1, 2011 by Farm Business Communications

IT’S IN THE BAG

SOME FARM EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

Local inventor simplifies grain bag sealing… and recycles » PaGe 34

Inexperienced operators causing stress » PaGe 22

december 1, 2011

Rural Manitoba needs improved cell service coverage: AMM Delegates highlighted a lack of cellular service to provincial ministers By Lorraine Stevenson

HISTORIC

SERVING MANITOBA FARMERS SINCE 1925 | Vol. 69, No. 48

CWB:

$1.75

manitobacooperator.ca

the board’s last meeting?

Defiant until the end, directors demand Ottawa reimburse farmers for “expropriated” assets worth more than $300 million

co-operator staff / brandon

anitoba’s government wants cellphone service improved in rural areas and is taking whatever steps it can to make that happen, Premier Greg Selinger told municipal delegates attending their annual convention last week. The premier was reminded at the convention’s bear pit session of the “mass confusion” that ensued last fall when firefighters and other emergency personnel couldn’t communicate in the RMs of Piney and other southeastern Manitoba municipalities during the wildfire outbreaks. “Virtually every firefighter had a cellphone in their pocket,” said Duane Boutang, reeve of the RM of Piney. “And there was no service.” Lack of cell coverage is a c h ro n i c p ro b l e m i n m a n y parts of Manitoba, and should be viewed as a basic service for rural residents, said other municipal leaders at the Association of Manitoba Municipalities convention. Government can’t directly influence the provision of cell service by private companies, Selinger replied, “but there See CELL SERVICE on page 7 »

The Canadian Wheat Board’s farmer-elected board of directors held what’s likely to be its last meeting last week. When Bill C-18 becomes law the farmer-elected directors will be fired. Five government-appointed directors will administer the board. The farmer-elected directors are (l) Kyle Korneychuk, Stewart Wells, Bill Toews, Rod Flaman, Allen Oberg, Bill Woods, John Sandborn and Cam Goff. Submitted photo

By Allan Dawson co-operator staff

ith a mix of sadness and resignation, the Canadian Wheat Board’s farmer-controlled board of directors held what will likely be their last meeting at its Winnipeg headquarters last week. “It was a bit of a historic occasion I guess,” said board chair and Alberta farmer Allen Oberg. Thirteen years ago, control of the organization was turned over to farmers and with the expected p a s s a g e of Bill C-18 before year’s end, that control reverts back to the federal government. C-18 was expected to receive third

reading in the House of Commons this week, and then move to the Senate. Once the bill becomes law, the board’s 10 farmer-elected directors will be fired and the wheat board will be run by five government appointed directors — the incumbents if they agree to stay on, including current board president and CEO Ian White. (Two pro-open market farmer-elected directors have already resigned.) Farmers, grain companies and the government-owned and -controlled “voluntary” board can also start forward contracting wheat and barley for the 2011-12 crop year, however, the board’s monopoly over the sale of western Canadian wheat and barley destined for export or domestic human consumption remains intact until July 31, 2012. Under C-18 an open market starts Aug. 1, 2012.

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“Really what’s happening here is a government takeover of a producercontrolled organization.” ALLeN OBERG

One of the board’s final acts was to pass a resolution demanding the federal government reimburse farmers for the loss of assets worth more than $300 million. “Really what’s happening here is a government takeover of a producercontrolled organization,” Oberg said in an interview Nov. 24. “We use the word ‘expropriation’ of assets in the news release, but this is worse than expropriation. In expropriation you usually get some compensation.” The wheat board’s assets belong to the farmers who paid for board operations, Oberg said. Those assets include 3,400 hopper cars, an office building, a $200-million contingency fund and $28 million already paid towards the purchase of two grain lake freighters. The federal government should return the money to farmers through the board’s pool accounts or crop research, Oberg said. According to Oberg, final payments from the board’s 2010-11 pools will be $25 million lower than they should be because of an Oct. 18 directive from Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz forbidding the board from distributing monies

CWB board chair

See CWB MEETING on page 6 »

Industry mourns loss of dedicated extension worker » PaGe 8

The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

INSIDE

on the lighter side

LIVESTOCK The humble dung beetle

17 © thinkstock

Little bugs that help keep profits in ranching

CROPS Ug99 comes to Manitoba But researchers are keeping it under tight security

Better to choose cheese over butter Hold the butter, don’t cut the cheese

FEATURE

reuters

Zippin’ it up A made-in-Manitoba grain bag zipper

CROSSROADS One more job to do Farm women want more training for field duty

4 5 9 12

Editorials Comments What's Up Livestock Markets

octors and nutritionists have long recommended avoiding all animal fats to trim cholesterol, but Danish researchers say cheese shouldn’t be placed in the same category as butter. According to their study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, people who ate daily servings of cheese for six-week intervals had lower LDL cholesterol, the so-called “bad” cholesterol, than when they ate a comparable amount of butter. The researchers speculated that there could be several

reasons why cheese affected p e o p l e d i f f e re n t l y t h a n butter. For one, cheese has a lot of calcium, which has been shown to increase the amount of fat excreted by the digestive tract. Other possible explanations involve the large amount of protein in cheese and its fermentation process, both of which could affect the way it’s digested compared to butter. Elizabeth Jackson, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Michigan Health Systems, said the study does not really change what cardiologists currently recommend.

People who ate daily servings of cheese for sixweek intervals had lower LDL cholesterol…

“We want people to have a diet focused on whole grains and vegetables and moderate fats,” said Jackson, who was not involved in the study. “In terms of cheese, anything in moderation,” she added.

Grain Markets Weather Vane Classifieds Sudoku

13 32 26 30

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The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

Raft of flood resolutions at AMM Delegates call for fair treatment from province over compensation

A southwest view of the channel linking Lake Manitoba with Lake St. Martin. Although it is now in operation, area residents fear it won’t release enough water to avoid more flooding next spring. PHOTO: GOVERNMENT OF MANITOBA

By Daniel Winters CO-OPERATOR STAFF

he provincial government needs to do a much better job of assisting flood victims and reducing the likelihood of another repeat of this spring’s disaster, according to local government leaders. A host of resolutions aimed squarely at the provincial government and its handling of the flood were passed by delegates at the recent Association of Manitoba Municipalities convention. First on that list was a call for compensation for both property owners and municipalities affected by “unnecessary flooding.” The province’s decision to flood one group of people in favour of another has opened up a can of worms, said Amanda Stevenson, from the RM of Coldwell. “There have been a lot of costs incurred by homeowners, business owners, and municipalities that are not covered under disaster financial assistance,” she said. “We feel it is only reasonable that those gaps be filled.” It’s not right to have a double standard when it comes to compensation, said Doug Oliver, with the RM of Woodlands. Residents near the Hoop and Holler bend on Assiniboine River were promised 100 per cent compensation, he noted. Since people near Lake Manitoba suffered from the same flood waters, they should receive the same treatment, said Oliver.

“There’s lots of cracks that people are falling into,” said Oliver. “They aren’t getting their money, the money’s not flowing. They need help, we need help.” But Bob Morse, a councillor in the RM of Macdonald, which is home to the Hoop and Holler area deliberately flooded by the province, said the “100 per cent” pledge hasn’t been fulfilled. Compensation was limited to a specific geographical area, and did not include all affected areas, he said. He added that he would like to see the resolution address “all inequities” that happened as a result of the flooding. A second resolution, which also passed, called for disaster financial assistance for seasonal residents. People building retirement homes with an eye on making them their permanent residence have a lot of money tied up in such properties, said Derek Johnson, councillor from the Interlake’s RM of St. Laurent. Although some compensation for such seasonal residents has been provided for this year’s flood, in a “normal” flood year, they would get nothing. “They pay as much taxes, if not more, than their neighbours who are permanent residents,” said Johnson. A resolution calling on higher levels of government to find a “permanent flood solution” — involving dikes, removal of vulnerable homes, shoreline retention and raising property levels – was also carried. There needs to be a comprehensive

plan covering the Assiniboine and Red rivers, as well as Lake Manitoba, to protect both humans and livestock that keep getting “hit hard” by flooding, said Arnold Coutts, of the RM of Westbourne. “We’re looking for something like the Red River Valley got in 1997,” said Coutts. “We’ve been flooded out nine of the last 11 years.” Permanent dikes would prevent municipalities from incurring costs year after year, he said. Shari Decter Hirst, mayor of Brandon, spoke in favour of the resolution, noting that the province’s help is needed to address “interjurisdictional” issues with Saskatchewan and North Dakota. “We’re all downstream from somebody,” she said. “If we don’t start working together, we’re just going to be revisiting some of the tragedies from this spring.” A resolution calling for a comprehensive disaster financial assistance program to address overland flooding, high water tables and increasing rainfall, also got a nod from delegates, as did a call for funding to create and train a team of municipal emergency co-ordinators. The “huge, unprecedented disaster” of last spring showed there was an urgent need for expert help, and more money to pay their wages, said Earl Zotter, from the RM of St. Laurent. “It would be very beneficial to all involved if the province was to have

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“We’re looking for something like the Red River Valley got in 1997. We’ve been flooded out nine of the last 11 years.” ARNOLD COUTTS

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a team that was put together to deal with all the various aspects of a disaster,” he said, adding that they could “come in, get everything up and running, and give everybody a proper start” at applying for disaster relief. Finding and retaining a trained, professional emergency co-ordinator is very expensive and burdensome for small municipalities, said Zotter. daniel.winters@fbcpublishing.com

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The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

OPINION/EDITORIAL

The final days

hat was probably the last directors’ meeting for the farmer-controlled Canadian Wheat Board took place

last week. For some it was historic and sad, marking the end of farmer-controlled wheat marketing in Western Canada. Others are eagerly anticipating access to the open market. Most farmers are pretty ho-hum about the whole affair. Laura Rance While this newspaper has and will conEditor tinue to support the concept of orderly marketing as beneficial to farmers, we’ve never doubted the government’s right to make or change policy. That said, we would have liked to have seen more respect for the normal parliamentary process, which is supposed to allow adequate time for consultation and input. There was no need for this haste, or the vitriolic and personalized attacks on individuals who disagree with the federal government’s plan. To the board of directors’ credit, the mudslinging was one sided, which tends to have a boomerang effect. However, the barrage of propaganda has been successful in diverting people’s attention away from what is really going on. Aside from the value embodied in the single desk, which we acknowledge is hotly debated, there are the board’s hard assets — 3,400 hopper cars, a building in downtown Winnipeg and an initial investment in lakers — the ownership of which is being transferred to the federal government. Until now, those assets belonged to western farmers. The lakers were an investment, which like hopper cars, would have brought real value back to farmers. The federal government’s decision to order the board to increase the cap on its contingency fund from $60 million to $200 million has made it clear that Prairie farmers will finance the board’s conversion into a lame-duck grain company. Opposition critics have called it a “grain tax,” and they aren’t far off. The contingency fund was established to offset board pricing programs for farmers wanting options outside of the pools, and comes from administration fees and grain-trading profits. In the past, surplus funds have been allocated to farmers. The board says the federal directive will reduce the value in this year’s pool accounts by about $25 million. Despite the rhetoric to the contrary, there remains no strong business case for a government-sponsored grain company that has no grain-handling facilities and which must access the handling system through its competitors. If anything, the existing base of grain companies in Western Canada will rationalize even further. In the end, those CWB assets, which have been paid for by farmers, will be sold off. Where will those funds go? The remaining farmer-elected board members can conclude this chapter in Prairie grain-marketing history with their heads held high. The federal minister and his backers will be wearing this one for a long time.

Harnessing the wind

o how about using renewable energy as a means of renewing the energy in rural Manitoba? That’s what the Elton Energy Co-operative is hoping to do with its proposal for a province-wide wind energy co-op based on an investment model that flows some of the returns directly back into communities. For a relatively small investment — $1,000 to $2,500 — and based on a conservative estimate of rates of return in existing wind energy projects, an investor would see a 12 per cent return, with five per cent of that designated for supporting local projects in the community. It could go to support anything from the local hockey rink, to youth scholarships or other development opportunities. The actual wind power projects could be as small as two to three turbines. But because they would be part of a larger network, co-ordinated by a provincialwide renewable energy cooperative, the project could

achieve the same economies of scale as the outside investor-driven wind farms currently in operation. Even if the project wasn’t situated in their home community, investors could designate their contributions to the community of their choice. For Dan Mazier, a 47-yearold farmer from Forrest and one of the champions behind the idea, community-based power is one way of driving new rural economic development from within. And it gets communities working together, rather than competing to see who can give away the most to attract a few jobs from outside investment. But before the Elton Energy Co-operative can even put a pilot project on the table to gauge the level of investment interest, it needs a commitment from the Manitoba government that Manitoba Hydro will buy the power. It’s a good idea and one that deserves the support of the Manitoba government. laura@fbcpublishing.com

Separating sheep from goats By Alan Guebert

s the Sunday, Nov. 20 network news’ yakkers were working hard to fix the blame for the Super Committee’s failed attempts to fix last summer’s failed attempts to fix Congress’s failed attempts to fix the federal budget, 25 or so Americans gathered in a central Illinois church to hear their pastor explain that day’s Gospel, Matthew 25: 31-46. For the faithfully unchurched or the faithfully forgetful that’s the lesson where the Lord warns the world that, sooner or later, it will be separated into two flocks — sheep on the right and goats on the left. The sheep will “inherit the kingdom prepared for them” and the goats, well, they’ll be very hot for a very long time. The message and the metaphor were not lost on one of those folks gathered that grey Sunday in Illinois. In a half-century of churchgoing, two decades of evening devotions and eight years of Lutheran school, I had heard that passage at least 50 times. My understanding of it, however, was slow to evolve. For example, in grade school the reading brought fear. Goats? Eternal fire? What? Later, it brought confusion: Sheep on the right, goats on the left. OK, so where’s the middle? Now, finally, it brings clarity. Right, left. Eternal life, eternal punishment. Got it. More importantly, the evolution made clear the path toward one and away from the other: “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” Simple, really. That I missed that point for many years was not because of my stern schooling or simple upbringing. I saw examples of great giving for years at school and on the big dairy farm of my youth but was either too childish or too arrogant to accept ’em.

OUR HISTORY:

For example, two or three times a week a neighbour would send his children to our dairy for milk that we sold to anyone with a gallon jug and 50 cents. This neighbour, however, never paid. Instead, each trip and each gallon was duly noted, usually by those children, on a tab kept in a nearby cupboard. As the tab lengthened, two things slowly dawned on me. First, the neighbour always sent his children because he didn’t want the embarrassment of having to add to that tab in person and, two, the tab would never be paid. Shortly thereafter I realized that my father not only knew the tab would never be paid, he never acknowledged it even existed. His view, I reckoned, was that since we produced 3,000 gallons of milk a week, we’d never miss the four or five gallons the neighbour needed. As such, two gallons here or two gallons there simply didn’t matter. What mattered was doing the right thing. There was no debate, no cost-benefit analysis, no consultation with a committee and no telephone call to some government official. It was the right thing to do so he did it. Period. Besides, time paid the tab. The following 40 years levelled the cows, the dairy, the neighbour and the tab. All are gone; all accounts are settled. The proverbial sheep have been separated from the proverbial goats. Maybe that’s something our mostly rich to super-rich politicians might want to keep in mind as they continue to deepen the divisions between the nation’s rich and poor, left and right, Dems and Repubs, fed and unfed: Time settles all accounts. Also, since most of these slicksters are city slicksters, they might want to learn the difference between sheep and goats. Word has it that they are not the same either now or later.

July 15, 1943

he three Prairie wheat pools met with the wheat subcommittee of the federal cabinet on July 12, 1943 to discuss wheat prices. The farm leaders pointed out that Prairie farmers had, at the request of government, reduced wheat acreages. In 1943, there were 16.3 million Prairie acres planted to wheat compared to 27.7 million acres in 1940. In fact, wheat acres were their lowest in 23 years. However, the price of wheat was still low at 85 cents per bushel, far below U.S. prices of $1.49 per bushel. “Western farmers find it difficult to understand why the great disparity should exist between Canada and U.S. prices for the same commodity.”

The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

COMMENT/FEEDBACK

High lamb prices are heady but profitable sheep ranching still elusive Rising inputs and overheads have created a narrowing of margins even when the price is up By Rob Fensom

Letters

t’s nice to see lamb prices are on the way up. There is more optimism and there is a level of confidence among producers not seen for some time. I do remember a time back in the mid-’90s when we saw similar prices. That was when a dollar bought considerably more than it does now. So in reality, we are still not at a good price yet, however one interprets “good.” Rising inputs and overheads have created a narrowing of margins even when the price is up. It is about this time in the cycle of any farm commodity, whether livestock or grain, that with the tease of higher prices buyers and packers promise good times ahead and encourage producers to ramp up production. The farmers and ranchers oblige, as the only way to make more money is to sell more livestock or grain. So within 18 months to two years, the market peaks and starts its downward price spiral. Charlie Gracey, former executive vicepresident of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, wrote a great little book about this and its effect on the cattle industry. Track it down and read it. The same can be said about any commodity, including the lamb industry, although due to sheep lambing at a year of age the cycle can be shorter. About 20 years ago, give or take, government and industry groups were pushing multi birth breeds, Romanov, Finn and the four new Canadianmade breeds. Also promoted was accelerated lambing in the form of three lambings in two years or even the Star system of five lambings in two-plus years. This all looked good on paper, but unless we treat the sheep like pigs (putting them in barns year round, which is common in Quebec and parts of Ontario) and pretend Canada doesn’t have winter, along with high stored feed costs compared to returns, it just won’t work with all the extra costs and man-hours required. If we had $3-per-lb. live lamb prices it might. The fact is there was a time when I could buy a full breakfast for $3 and lambs were $1.50 per lb. live. Now, the lambs are the same price, but breakfast is $8. The word is already out there to produce more lambs to fill an expanding market. But as we can see, producing more on a very narrow or non-existent margin is a mug’s game. Many of you have found profit in private farm gate sales, but it’s very tough to get the volumes up to a living wage. I sell for $7 to $8 per lb. to my cus-

We welcome readers’ comments on issues that have been covered in the Manitoba Co-operator. In most cases we cannot accept “open” letters or copies of letters which have been sent to several publications. Letters are subject to editing for length or taste. We suggest a maximum of about 300 words. Please forward letters to Manitoba Co-operator, 1666 Dublin Ave., Winnipeg, R3H 0H1 or Fax: 204-954-1422 or email: news@fbcpublishing.com (subject: To the editor)

photo: laura rance

I always find it ironic that folks will pay $12 or more per pound for fair trade coffee to ease their conscience, but will mercilessly grind their own countrymen into bankruptcy for a cheap grocery bill.

tomers. That’s cheap compared to the $10 to $14 per lb. they pay in a supermarket. Also, they meet me, see my farm and are happy with our pastureraised product. I only need a quarter of the size of flock to generate the same income. For small producers this is acceptable, but for the industry as a whole it would be a death blow. A viable industry needs numbers to support the infrastructure, packing plants, trucking and distribution. Most of these are still in place so they at least have workable margins unlike some of their suppliers, who have sold off flocks or downsized. The downsizing of the national flock puts pressure on the packing side of things and I have been hearing British Columbia processors are having great difficulty finding lambs. It seems the players put too much emphasis on supply and demand, assuming if there is a demand we will jump to the pump like we always have to supply it. The average producer is 50-plus years old and has seen this part of the cycle several times and is finally getting smarter.

With 95 per cent or more of producers earning income from off-farm sources, they have allowed lower prices to exist by continuing to produce lamb at unsustainable prices. In turn, the buyers and packers have grown accustomed to these low prices. Retailers in turn hold their prices, knowing full well that if they do, the packer can stay in business by lowering the price to the producer. As mentioned early in this article, even the current higher prices are still not high enough due to higher input costs and the reduced buying power of the dollar over time. This mess has been 30 years in the making and with many producers exiting the game due to old age and very few youngsters taking over, the industry as we know it may well be gone in the next few years, except for lucrative farm gate sales. There is still time to turn this around however. The producer’s share of the red meat retail price 25 years ago used to be around 45 per cent to 55 per cent. With a $3-per-lb. carcass weight, it is now 25 per cent. I will

Who is stealing from whom?

all belonging to western Canadian farmers. Ritz is also taking over the contingency fund that will be worth $200 million by the end of this crop year ending Aug. 1, 2012. The Conservatives would not let the CWB increase the contingency fund over the past years when they requested an increase. The minute that the Conservatives thought that they had control of the CWB, they started to increase the contingency fund. Now they are going to use all of the above to destroy the CWB. This is all farmers’ equity and

Who is stealing from whom? I would say first that Ritz and the Conservatives are stealing from taxpayers. We the taxpayer are paying for the anti-wheat board ads that he has been broadcasting in Canada. Ritz and the Conservatives are also stealing from farmers. As an example, the new entity is going to take control of the Canadian Wheat Board building, the 3,400 CWB hopper cars and the two lakers,

suggest to be sustainable it has to be around a 50 per cent return. I always find it ironic that folks will pay $12 or more per pound for fair trade coffee to ease their conscience, but will mercilessly grind their own countrymen into bankruptcy for a cheap grocery bill. Buyers and packers must ensure more money back to the producer, because if they actually make a few real dollars (not money saved by cutting costs, as there is nothing left to cut) they will ramp up production. The folks between the farm gate and the customer’s plate (read middlemen) need to accept narrower margins as we, the producers, have been forced to do for the last 30 years. Yes, it’s hard. But if you want to stay at the table, that is what it’s going to take. Remember most of your producers are of an age they can shut shop and walk away and you could be left with empty killing floors and mortgages to pay. But if you pay a “fair trade price” most of us aged producers would love to oblige and produce more lamb at a profitable price for many more years. Hey, if we can get profit back in the equation maybe we will get some young farmers back in the game, so your children can follow in your footsteps as buyers and packers too! Rob Fensom farms in B.C. and is a grazing mentor and agricultural educator. He has been active in the Canadian sheep industry since 1987.

money and should be paid back to farmers. The government should pay the startup costs of the new entity. Those farmers who supported the single desk should be paid out with their own money from the contingency money, the hopper cars and the sale of the building and two lakers. The majority of farmers voted for the single desk that Ritz wants to destroy. David Bailey Saskatoon, Sask.

The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

FROM PAGE ONE CWB MEETING Continued from page 1

exceeding the contingency fund cap through the pool accounts. The fund, used to offset board pricing programs, comes from administration fees and trading grains. It was capped at $60 million but the government increased it to $100 million and then a few weeks later doubled it to $200 million. While there’s no guarantee the fund will get that high, Oberg is convinced the federal government will use the fund to offset the costs of winding down the wheat board instead of footing the bill itself as Ritz promised. Ritz says he made the changes to protect the board from the elected-directors’ “scorched earth policy.” Winding down the wheat board will cost hundreds of millions of dollars, including hidden costs such as those related to transferring the cash-advance program to the Canadian Canola Growers Association to administer, costs of

planning for and creating a new entity and a new supply-chain environment, Oberg said. Three years ago the board invested $55 million upgrading its computer system, in part to better administer cash advances. “Because that’s been taken away from the board, that system is basically useless and has to be written down,” he said. “The same thing applies for our entire IT technology, which farmers invested a fair amount of money into. That’s a very specialized system and really has no value for anyone else.” Oberg isn’t surprised the debate is polarized, because it always has been, he said. What does surprise him is such an important change is being made so quickly and without any analysis. “The sad part has been the name calling the minister (Ritz) has done of late,” Oberg added. “I just think that’s completely uncalled for. I

guess it’s his way of trying to intimidate the other side.” The single-desk wheat board’s demise will see Canada’s grain companies further consolidate and farms get bigger to survive, he said. “I hope I’m wrong with some of these predictions, but my personal view is they (farmers) will regret it,” he said. G ov e r n m e n t g u a r a n t e e d borrowings and initial payments to farmers will help the voluntary wheat board survive in the short term, but Oberg isn’t sure it can stand on its own in four years when the supports end. Oberg said he is undecided as to whether he will use the new board, noting it will depend on how competitive it is, Oberg said. “If you’re asking whether there’d be some loyalty out there, I don’t think there will be that much,” he said. “Farmers are businessmen

and they will go wherever they see the most value.” Oberg said he has no regrets with how the directors fought to let farmers decide the wheat board’s fate. The $1.4-million advertising campaign is a small cost compared to the benefits of the single desk, he said. The government didn’t listen to the majority of farmers, so the board hoped it would listen to the Canadian public, he said. Some farmers don’t believe the board’s monopoly generates value for them. But Oberg says just imagine what a private company would pay to have the exclusive right to export Western Canada’s wheat. “That’s what farmers had, and now it’s being taken away,” he said. The issue goes before a Federal Court judge Dec. 6. There’s always the chance the courts will rule C-18 is illegal. Such a ruling might see the government hold a vote on

“Farmers are businessmen and they will go wherever they see the most value.” ALLEN OBERG

CWB board chair

its proposed changes, as required under the current wheat board act. Or it might just amend the act, removing the requirement for a vote and then bring in legislation to end the single desk. “The government is worried about this case because it doesn’t want that type of embarrassment and that’s what it would be if a judge ruled against them,” Oberg said. allan@fbcpublishing.com

Water rises up the business risk list By Barbara Lewis BRUSSELS/REUTERS

Industrial and agricultural decision makers are increasingly only willing to enter into a project after they have assessed water-related risks, said one of those at the vanguard of European efforts to tackle a looming supply shortage. “Water at the moment is climbing up the agenda as one of the factors in an investment decision. Should we go into this area or not? It’s a very clear performance indicator. Are you sustainable or not?” Fritz Barth, regional representative for Europe in the United Nations Environment Program, told Reuters. “ Wa t e r, e n e rg y a n d food. These are the most important for the next 30 years,” he said in a telephone interview. Barth is also vice-chairman of the European Water Partnership, which last week launched t h e E u r o p e a n Wa t e r Stewardship (EWS) system for sustainable water management, to help ensure conformity with planned EU legislation. In Europe, as well as the more obviously vulnerable Arctic regions and small island states that could sink unless rising sea levels can be checked, flooding and drought alike are a risk to water supplies. In 2003,the European energy system came to the br ink of collapse because river levels were too low to allow power stations to be cooled. Barth said such difficulties would become more common.

Client: EVEREST

Job#:

Dimensions: 17.4” x 10”

Colou

The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

FROM PAGE ONE CELL SERVICE Continued from page 1

are a number of things we can do.” One is to lobby the Canadian Radio-Television a n d Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s Commission (CRTC), he said. “I’ve had this discussion with MTS senior officials in Manitoba,” Selinger said. “They are applying for new bandwidth. One of the options is to get a better price on the acquisition of that bandwidth. We will support that application actively as a provincial government.” The province will continue to make a case for cellphone service and broadband Internet service is a basic need, said Dave Chomiak, minister of innovation, energy and mines. “ We a r e c o n t i n u i n g t o approach CRTC to tr y to, even though they disagree at this point, to include cell and broadband as a basic service,” Chomiak said.

“Telephone is considered a basic service but let’s face it, in the reality of today, broadband and cell service are a basic service. We’re trying to change the definition so that when licences are given, a basic service will include broadband and cell service.”

Emergency services

Chomiak added the province is also looking to include emergency cellphone service as part of the Fleet Net program, which comes up for renewal in 2015. “ We’re tr ying to include emergency cellphone service as part of that network so that everybody can have cellphone service across the province at least as part of the emergency service,” he said. The Association of Manitoba Municipalities has been actively lobbying for improved cell cov-

Cellphone service is sketchy or doesn’t exist in parts of rural Manitoba.

erage for rural Manitoba for nearly a decade, and the issue also came up frequently this summer during its Putting Communities First meetings.

PHOTO: LORRAINE STEVENSON

Parklands councillors said it one of their most pressing problems. “It’s just something we view as a vital part of infrastruc-

ture,” said Joe Masi, the association’s executive director. The wildfire events in the southeast brought the matter to a head, said Conservative MLA Dennis Smook, who raised the matter before the legislature this fall. In addition to hampering emergency personnel, inadequate cellphone service adds to the cost of doing business, or impedes business, he said. And while he’s heard the argument that it’s too expensive to service lightly populated areas, Smook said he wonders if cell service providers such as MTS take into account the numbers of cellphone owners in unserviced areas. “A lot of people have cellphones but can’t use them,” he said.

“Telephone is considered a basic service but let’s face it, in the reality of today, broadband and cell service are a basic service.” DAVE CHOMIAK

Minister of Innovation, Energy and Mines

More competition?

Perhaps Manitoba should open the market to competition, he added, noting some of his constituents rely on service providers south of the border. “Can we get another provider to come into the province as a special case?” The issue also concerns Keystone Agricultural Producers, and the organization notes inadequate cell service puts farmers at a distinct business disadvantage. “ Whether it’s a fertilizer price or the price of flax, if you miss out on the contract, that one missed phone call could cost you,” Walter Finlay, a Souris-area farmer and RM of Glenwood councillor, said in an interview earlier this fall. AMM delegates also backed a resolution calling for improvements to high-speed Internet services at last week’s meeting. “I know of nowhere where it’s not available, but it’s very pricey,” Finlay said. “It’s not a question of availability, it’s a question of cost.” lorraine@fbcpublishing.com

Job#: ESTC-161

Version: Final

Colours: 4c

Date: NOV 9/11

The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

Industry mourns loss of weed researcher Tributes have poured in to a special web page in honour of Denise Maurice Staff

Denise Maurice

anada’s canola industry is mourning the loss of an acclaimed Prairie weed researcher tasked with encouraging Canada’s canola growers toward ambitious crop production targets. Denise Maurice, vice-president of crop production for the Canola Council of Canada, died suddenly on Wednesday in Winnipeg, the council announced on its website. “Denise was a good friend to so many of us, and a very respected professional,” the council said on a memorial web page it set up for remembrances Nov. 24. “Her enthusiasm, energy and commitment to her life and work made her one of a kind. Her presence and leadership will be sadly missed.” Tributes from across the industry have flowed on to the site crediting Maurice for her commitment to the industry and farmers in particular.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED

“The Canadian agriculture industry has lost a true visionary,” said Stan Audette of Dow AgroSciences Canada Inc. “Once in a great long while one encounters someone who is so deeply passionate and dynamic about their chosen field and Denise was certainly the epitome of that concept… her legacy will live on through those who knew her,” wrote Derek Ott of Richardson Pioneer Ltd. Maurice, a past president of the Canadian Weed Science Society (CWSS), had specialized in that field of plant science while earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Manitoba, supervised there by the late Ian Morrison. She served as the weed research supervisor for Alberta’s provincial agriculture and rural development department, where she’s credited with helping establish the province’s herbicide resistance action plan and the first Alberta Weed Resistance Survey. Maurice joined fertilizer firm Westco in 1995, setting up that company’s agron-

omy extension program and developing the Certified Crop Adviser training program for integrated pest management. Maurice then joined Agricore United as the Winnipeg grain company’s technical development manager for crop protection, serving also as its technical adviser to trade merchants on the implications of pesticide use on international grain markets. Maurice worked at AU through its 2007 merger into Viterra, and was prominent at that time in the CWSS, serving as its president in 2005. She also received the Outstanding Industry Award from the Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) at that organization’s 2007 conference in Texas. Maurice joined the Winnipeg-based Canola Council in 2009 as its VP for crop production, in charge of the canola industry group’s agronomy team and industry issues related to production. The memorial page can be found at: http://www.canolacouncil.org/denise. aspx.

Chip finds antibiotic residues

If it’s ag we finance it

By Alexis Kienlen FBC STAFF / EDMONTON

Local office 1-800-387-3232

“FCC is a partner in my business – they’re always available when I need them.” Ghislain Guinois See his story and others at www.fcc.ca/advancing

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11/16/11 2:07 PM

small microchip could soon help dairy producers find out if there are antibiotic residues in their milk in less than two minutes. The device is portable, and can be used in almost any condition, by anyone in the supply chain. “It’s also economical. It will be priced for less than $5, as compared to present tests which are hundreds of dollars,” said Rajan Gupta, president of the Edmonton-based company, SciMed Technologies. The chip, which is about 1x3 centimetres, is still in the prototype stage, but early models have been completed. As soon as a producer puts a drop of milk onto the chip, it will be able to detect antibiotic residues. The chip will have wireless connectivity and will be able to be connected to a computer, so results can easily be communicated to others. Funding is now in place so SciMed technologies, a company that specializes in diagnostic kits for food safety and nutritional testing, will be able to take the product from development to completion. “The timing of this investment is really critical for us, especially when we are entering the Chinese and Indian markets, the two largest markets around,” said Gupta. The company has already created similar devices which measure vitamin A and vitamin D levels in milk. At an event last month, Mike Lake, member of Parliament for Edmonton-Mill WoodsBeaumont, spoke on behalf of Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz, to announce the Government of Canada has provided more than $350,000 to assist SciMed Technologies. The project is being funded under the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP), administered by Alberta’s Agriculture and Food Council.

The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

WHAT’S UP Please forward your agricultural events to daveb@fbcpublish ing.com or call 204-944-5762. Nov. 29-Dec. 1: GrowCanada Conference 2011, Winnipeg Convention Centre, 375 York Ave. For more info call CropLife Canada, 416-622-9771, or visit www.growcanadaconference.ca. Dec. 1: ExcelGrains Workshop, 9 a.m. to noon, SunGro Centre, 360 Veterans Lane, Beausejour. For info or to register contact MAFRI at 204-268-6094. Dec. 5-6: Manitoba Grazing School, Victoria Inn, 1808 Wellington Ave., Winnipeg. For more info call 204-726-9393 or visit www.mbforagecouncil.mb.ca. Dec. 6: Manitoba Canola Growers producer development day, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Red Coat Inn, 550 Mill Rd., Boissevain. For more info or to register call 204-8051609 or email galbraithr@mcgacanola.org. Dec. 7: Manitoba Forage Symposium, Victoria Inn, 1808 Wellington Ave., Winnipeg. For more info call 204-622-2006 or visit www.mbforagecouncil.mb.ca.

Dairy processors lose appeal Processors argued the standards will raise the price of cheese Staff

he Supreme Court of Canada dismissed an appeal by two dair yprocessing giants to overturn minimum standards for milk content in cheese sold in Canada. The Nov. 24 ruling closes the book on efforts by cheese manufacturers to change the ration of whey protein to casein ratio, which would allow them to use more whey cream or milk powder in their processes. The cheese makers had gone in February to the appellant court aiming to overturn nationwide compositional standards for cheese that had come into effect in late 2008. The standards apply to cheese marketed in import, export or interprovincial trade. The regulations in question require that cheese imported into Canada or made in Canada and marketed in international

or interprovincial trade to meet a minimum casein ratio and whey ratio. Cheeses, under Canada’s standards, also must have a whey-protein-to-casein ratio no greater than the ratio of wheyprotein-to-casein ratio of milk itself. The federal amendments were first published in December 2007 and the new rules took effect in late 2008. Saputo and Kraft had claimed in February that the main purpose of the cheese regulations has been “to effect an economic transfer in favour of dairy producers to the detriment of dairy processors.” The companies previously claimed the new rules would increase their costs and raise the price of cheese to consumers, and predicted a $185-million annual boon to dairy producers from higher milk sales. Appeal Court Justice Robert

Dec. 7-8: Hog Days, Keystone Centre, Brandon. For more info visit hogandpoultrydays.com or email rhonda.coupland@gov.mb.ca. Dec. 7-9: Manitoba Dairy Conference, Victoria Inn, 1808 Wellington Ave., Winnipeg. For more info or to register visit www. milk.mb.ca. Dec. 8: Manitoba Canola Growers producer development day, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Hamiota and District Sports Complex, 200 Maple Ave. E., Hamiota. For more info or to register call 204-8051609 or email galbraithr@mcgacanola.org. Dec. 13-14: Canadian Forage and Grassland Association conference and annual meeting, Radisson Hotel, 405-20th St. E., Saskatoon. For more info call 204-726-9393. Dec. 13-14: Manitoba Agronomists Conference, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg. For more info call 204-474-8473 or visit www.umanitoba.ca/afs/ agronomists_conf/. Dec. 13 and 20: Canada/ Manitoba Environmental Farm Planning workshop Nos. 1 and 2, 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Dauphin. For more info or to pre-register call MAFRI at 204-622-2007. Dec. 14 and 21: Canada/ Manitoba Environmental Farm Planning workshop Nos. 1 and 2, 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Roblin. For more info or to pre-register call MAFRI at 204-937-6460. Dec. 15 and 22: Canada/ Manitoba Environmental Farm Planning workshop Nos. 1 and 2, 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Ste. Rose du Lac. For more info or to pre-register call MAFRI at 204-447-4032.

FACT

PHOTO: METRO CREATIVE

Mainville shot down that argument in March. Product standards, he ruled, almost always “incidentally affect how the concerned product will be produced,” but “this does not mean that the standard is directed to production rather than to trade and commerce.” To decide otherwise, he wrote,

“would result in the absurd proposition that no federal compositional standards could be adopted for food products marketed for import, export or interprovincial trade.” The Supreme Court offered no reasons for its decision. But it assigned costs to the two companies.

MYTH To grow the highest yielding canola, I may have to live with an increased risk of Group 1 resistant weeds.

Genuity® Roundup Ready® systems are the most effective solution for keeping Group 1 resistance at bay, while providing a win rate of 55% over InVigor® hybrids in our 2011 FACT™ Trials*. Don’t compromise. Get all the yield potential plus the best solution for controlling Group 1 resistant weeds. Group 1 resistant weeds are a real and current threat for growers, with 1 out of every 3 fields in Western Canada having Group 1 resistant wild oats. Using herbicides like Liberty® 150 (Glufosinate), which are often tank-mixed with Group 1 herbicides like Centurion® (Clethodim), may contribute to Group 1 resistance.

Leave the myths behind. See your local retailer for details, or go to www.genuitycanola.ca.

January 23-27: 38th Grain Industry Overview Course, Canadian International Grains Institute, Winnipeg. For more info or to register visit www.cigi.ca. or visit www.canadianfga.ca. Jan. 24-26: Red River Basin Land and Water International Summit Conference, Fort Garry Hotel, 222 Broadway, Winnipeg. For more info visit www.redriverbasincom mission.org or call 204-982-7250. Jan. 26-28: Canadian Beekeeping Convention, Fort Garry Hotel, 222 Broadway, Winnipeg. For more info visit http://manitobabee.org/ hive/.

*Source: 2011 Monsanto FACT trials. Genuity Roundup Ready represented by 73-75 RR; InVigor® by L150.

Individual results may vary, and performance may vary from location to location and from year to year. This result may not be an indicator of results you may obtain as local growing, soil and weather conditions may vary. Growers should evaluate data from multiple locations and years whenever possible. Monsanto Company is a member of Excellence Through StewardshipSM (ETS). Monsanto products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance with Monsanto’s Policy for Commercialization of Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products in Commodity Crops. This product has been approved for import into key export markets with functioning regulatory systems. Any crop or material produced from this product can only be exported to, or used, processed or sold in countries where all necessary regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Growers should talk to their grain handler or product purchaser to confirm their buying position for this product. Excellence Through StewardshipSM is a service mark of Excellence Through Stewardship. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Roundup Ready® crops contain genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides. Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. Genuity®, Genuity and Design®, Roundup Ready®, Roundup WeatherMAX®, and Roundup® are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC, Monsanto Canada, Inc. licensee. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2011 Monsanto Canada, Inc. 10460C-GEN Myth Ads-MBCoop.indd 2

11/25/11 9:57 AM

The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

BRIEFS

CAUSE FOR CONCERN...

With culverts on tributaries of Lake Manitoba frozen and blocked area residents worry the stage is set for another flood next spring.

Protect Your Investment

The value of seed and fertilizer continues to grow – Protect your investment with Meridian powder coated, smooth-wall bins. Check out www.meridianmfg.com to see the newest evolution of storage to fit all your on-farm needs.

Ritz not fazed by CWB lawsuit

PHOTO: SANDI KNIGHT

OTTAWA / REUTERS / Legal challenges won’t stop Canada’s government from passing a law by the end of 2011 to end the Canadian Wheat Board’s grain-marketing monopoly, said Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. The wheat board and a third-party group will challenge the Conservative government’s plans in a Manitoba courtroom on Dec. 6, arguing that Ottawa acted illegally by moving to scrap the board’s monopoly without holding a farmer vote, as the current law requires. The Conservatives maintain that any government has the right to change legislation. “The court challenge is not going to stop us,” said Ritz. “I don’t think there’s a court in the land that doesn’t agree that Parliament is the top court in the land. And we will continue to move forward.” Ritz said he expects the legislation will become law before Christmas, but added he has not had many recent discussions with chief executive Ian White and four other government appointees to the board about plans to transform the agency into an open-market player once that happens. The revamped board would get some shortterm government support, but it would not get startup capital from government or regulated access to country elevators or port space.

Farm cash receipts up 11 per cent REUTERS / Canadian farmers earned nearly 11 per cent more during the first nine months of 2011 than they did in the yearbefore period, according to Statistics Canada. Farm cash receipts, which include market receipts plus government program payments, climbed 10.9 per cent to $35.8 billion between January and September. Crop receipts rose 15 per cent to $18.3 billion due to higher grain and oilseed prices, while livestock receipts climbed 6.3 per cent to $15 billion. The biggest percentage gains in crop receipts were for corn (up 65 per cent) amid tight U.S. supplies, wheat including durum (up 34 per cent), and canola (up 30 per cent). Lentil prices plunged by nearly a quarter. Manitoba and British Columbia were the only provinces to record a drop in crop receipts. Supply-managed farms saw cash receipts rise 7.5 per cent. © 2011 Meridian Manufacturing Group. Registered Trademarks Used Under License.

The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

No buying binge for Louis Dreyfus Head of Canadian division says Prairie farmers grow too much high-quality wheat By Rod Nickel ottawa / reuters

lobal commodity trader Louis Dreyfus is gradually expanding its Western Canada grain-handling capacity, but is not looking to be active in mergers and acquisitions as the region moves to an open market, said the head of its Canadian office. Privately held Louis Dreyfus, based in France, is a major global grain trader but holds just six per cent of Western Canada’s grain-handling market share. Bunge Ltd. has said it plans to bolster its presence once Canadian Wheat Board’s marketing monopoly ends but his company isn’t planning to follow suit, said Brant Randles, president of Louis Dreyfus Canada. “(Company) valuations are very rich in Western Canada,” said Randles. “In terms of (Louis Dreyfus) being a buyer of another company, I think that’s unlikely. It’s a mature basin in terms of production and the build-out of capacity.”

Louis Dreyfus is adding storage space to two of its 10 Western Canada grain elevators and will look “selectively” to fill holes in its grain-handling network, but is not contemplating more sweeping moves, Randles said. But Randles said he expects to see major changes in the sector. Private grain marketers are likely to want farmers to plant more mid-quality, high-yielding wheat because under the wheat board’s control Western Canada currently produces too much top-grade wheat, Randles said. As much as two-thirds of Western Canada’s spring wheat harvest falls into the top two milling grades in some years, but Randles said export and domestic market demand for top supplies usually amounts to no more than half of that. As a result, some of farmers’ top-quality wheat ends up sold to buyers who only need medium quality, he said. “Why don’t we target our production to our demand?” asked Randles.

“(Company) valuations are very rich in Western Canada.” BRANT RANDLES, President of Louis Dreyfus

The switch to an open market also brings challenges for grain traders like Louis Dreyfus. It owns no Western Canada port terminal space of its own and in an open market, will have to work out access agreements to terminals owned by its competitors, in order to ship grain to customers abroad. Grain handlers will also need to pay more up front once they buy crops straight from farmers, meaning large or small, they will need more cash flow to participate. Neither is an insurmountable challenge for Dreyfus, Randles said.

Louis Dreyfus to invest billions in Brazil sao paulo / reuters Global commodities powerhouse Louis Dreyfus plans to more than double investments in Brazil over the next five years to expand its presence in grains and biofuels. The privately held French company, which is gauging selling shares to fund some key future projects, will spend US$3.9 billion in Brazil in the 2011-16 period, said Kenneth Geld, head of Louis Dreyfus’s Latin America unit. Revenue has tripled since 2006 to reach $6 billion, helped by sales of ethanol and other biofuels. Soybean and grains could be an important source of growth in coming years, and investments in logistics are key to gaining efficiency, Geld said.

Hazardous waste disposal haphazard Motion calls for establishing permanent depots By Daniel Winters co-operator staff / brandon

ollecting and disposing of household hazardous waste in rural areas is needlessly haphazard and needs better guidelines, said one delegate to the recent AMM convention. Ted Klassen, a councillor with the town of Altona, speaking in favour of a motion to lobby for permanent collection depots, said that the current system has created confusion among residents in his area, who often don’t know where or when to drop off such items due to the practice of using alternating sites in nearby larger centres. “On several occasions, we have been told, don’t advertise it in your community,” said Klassen. “We have been told, ‘Don’t put an ad in your paper.’” What’s more, the town has been told not to offer its own trailer and vehicle for residents to pool collection of such items and haul it in one trip because of the “dangers of hauling hazardous waste.” “But 100 or 200 cars going to Winkler or Morden, each carrying hazardous waste is considered being environmentally responsible,” he said, to laughter from some of the 1,000 delegates in the room. “Meanwhile, we have no way of knowing how much of this waste is going into our landfill sites or how much is ending up in our ditches, creeks, and ultimately, rivers and lakes.” Klassen called on the AMM to lobby for a “rational, safe and efficient” approach to disposing of household hazardous waste by establishing permanent depots in rural areas, which he argued would increase participation by people living there.

What you want. High performing Pioneer canola hybrids only from DuPont. ®

Why you want it. Yield, standability, harvestability.

Where you want it. Your trusted Independent and Co-op retailer.

www.DseriesCanola.ca Sold exclusively through select Independent and Co-op retailers. The DuPont Oval Logo and The miracles of science™ are registered trademarks or trademarks of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company. E. I. du Pont Canada Company is a licensee. Member of CropLife Canada. Pioneer®, the Trapezoid symbol and Pioneer Protector®are registered trademarks of Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. ® Roundup Ready is a registered trademark used under license from Monsanto Company. © Copyright 2011 E. I. du Pont Canada Company. All rights reserved.

daniel.winters@fbcpublishing.com DP2095_SeedGrower_MC_AFE_FE.indd 1

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The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

LIVESTOCK MARKETS

EXCHANGES: November 25, 2011

$1 Cdn: $1.0487 U.S. $1 U.S: $0.95 Cdn.

COLUMN

Cattle Prices Winnipeg

(Friday to Thursday) Slaughter Cattle

November 25, 2011

Steers & Heifers $ — D1,2 Cows 50.00 - 62.00 D3 Cows 44.00 - 50.00 Bulls 65.00 - 77.50 Feeder Cattle (Price ranges for feeders refer to top-quality animals only) Steers (901+ lbs.) $ 122.50 (801-900 lbs.) 125.00 - 138.50 (701-800 lbs.) 130.00 - 147.25 (601-700 lbs.) 138.00 - 154.00 (501-600 lbs.) 145.00 - 169.00 (401-500 lbs.) 150.00 - 184.00 Heifers (901+ lbs.) 108.00 (801-900 lbs.) 114.00 (701-800 lbs.) 110.00 - 120.00 (601-700 lbs.) 122.00 - 130.00 (501-600 lbs.) 130.00 - 147.00 (401-500 lbs.) 135.00 - 151.00 Slaughter Cattle Grade A Steers Grade A Heifers D1, 2 Cows D3 Cows Bulls Steers

Heifers

Alberta South $ 115.65 - 118.00 114.40 - 119.00 60.00 - 71.00 50.00 - 64.00 — $ 115.00 - 131.00 125.00 - 140.00 130.00 - 146.00 136.00 - 155.00 145.00 - 173.00 164.00 - 195.00 $ 110.00 - 125.00 114.00 - 132.00 119.00 - 136.00 125.00 - 144.00 131.00 - 154.00 141.00 - 170.00

($/cwt) (1,000+ lbs.) (850+ lbs.)

(901+ lbs.) (801-900 lbs.) (701-800 lbs.) (601-700 lbs.) (501-600 lbs.) (401-500 lbs.) (901+ lbs.) (801-900 lbs.) (701-800 lbs.) (601-700 lbs.) (501-600 lbs.) (401-500 lbs.)

Futures (November 24, 2011) in U.S. Fed Cattle Close Change December 2011 121.40 0.40 February 2012 122.75 -0.85 April 2012 126.35 -1.02 June 2012 124.60 -1.75 August 2012 125.65 -0.97 October 2012 128.05 -0.70 Cattle Slaughter

The WTO’s COOL ruling won’t yet affect markets Phil-Franz Warkentin CNSA

Ontario $ 109.28 - 126.08 100.30 - 121.56 51.19 - 69.73 51.19 - 69.73 63.53 - 81.18 $ 126.10 - 140.66 119.41 - 139.39 109.69 - 142.18 125.32 - 157.37 130.69 - 170.04 140.46 - 185.90 $ 108.01 - 122.76 109.10 - 131.03 114.38 - 136.06 115.21 - 144.81 119.43 - 153.52 124.94 - 161.74

Feeder Cattle January 2012 March 2012 April 2012 May 2012 August 2012 September 2012

Close 145.80 148.22 149.22 149.47 151.25 151.30

Change -3.77 -2.28 -2.18 -2.28 -1.60 -1.80

Cattle Grades (Canada)

Week Ending Previous November 19, 2011 Year Canada 56,424 61,374 East 15,567 15,956 West 40,857 45,418 Manitoba N/A N/A U.S. 636,000 681,000

Week Ending November 19, 2011 353 20,431 18,707 953 953 11,074 478

Prime AAA AA A B D E

Previous Year 650 23,346 19,208 1,144 546 7,109 541

Hog Prices Source: Manitoba Agriculture

(Friday to Thursday) ($/100 kg) MB. ($/hog) MB. (All wts.) (Fri-Thurs.) MB. (Index 100) (Fri-Thurs.) ON (Index 100) (Mon.-Thurs.) P.Q. (Index 100) (Mon.-Fri.)

Current Week 168.00E 154.00E 157.76 160.89

Futures (November 24, 2011) in U.S. Hogs December 2011 February 2012 April 2012 May 2012 June 2012

Last Week 167.93 155.19 156.74 163.05

Close 88.05 91.45 93.40 99.30 99.97

Last Year (Index 100) 129.82 119.76 118.50 120.69

Change 0.60 1.03 0.25 0.85 -0.08

Other Market Prices Sheep and Lambs $/cwt Ewes Lambs (110+ lb.) (95 - 109 lb.) (80 - 94 lb.) (Under 80 lb.) (New crop)

Winnipeg Next Sale is Dec. 1

Toronto 111.94 - 140.55 175.24 - 210.08 206.40 - 219.59 209.70 - 230.54 215.72 - 284.25 —

Producers culling open cows from inventories

SunGold Specialty Meats 40.00 - 65.00 Lambs —

he week ended Nov. 25 was another busy one at Manitoba’s cattle auction yards, although numbers were starting to show some signs of backing away as the fall run slows down heading into the new year. Steer prices were fully steady on the week, while heifers were a little “spotty,” according to cattle buyer Rick Wright of Heartland Order Buyers. Prices remained strong overall, but “we saw a little larger spread between the steers and heifers,” he said.

“It’s a feel-good announcement, but we have to see something more substantial before it will have an impact on the market.” rick wright

Finished cattle were also seeing solid prices during the week, while in the cow market “we haven’t seen any jumps and we haven’t seen any declines,” said Wright. For cows, numbers were increasing, as animals are now being preg tested, he added. Early indications point to more open cows this year, which means producers were also looking at replacing those non-pregnant animals and renewing their inventories. The bred cow market was “picking up steam,” with good local interest for those animals, said Wright. Eastern and western feedlots remain the largest customers for feeder cattle, with very few staying locally. That will lead to lower numbers in the spring than normal, as there will be fewer cattle backgrounded over the winter locally for resale in the spring, said Wright. He expected the majority of the cattle moving through the markets

Chickens

A quarter of global land suffers from degraded land and water scarcity By Svetlana Kovalyova

Turkeys Minimum prices as of November 6, 2011 Broiler Turkeys (6.2 kg or under, live weight truck load average) Grade A .................................... $1.930 Undergrade .............................. $1.840 Hen Turkeys (between 6.2 and 8.5 kg liveweight truck load average) Grade A .................................... $1.900 Undergrade .............................. $1.800 Light Tom/Heavy Hen Turkeys (between 8.5 and 10.8 kg liveweight truck load average) Grade A .................................... $1.900 Undergrade .............................. $1.800 Tom Turkeys (10.8 and 13.3 kg, live weight truck load average) Grade A..................................... $1.930 Undergrade............................... $1.845 Prices are quoted f.o.b. farm.

Eggs Minimum prices to producers for ungraded eggs, f.o.b. egg grading station, set by the Manitoba Egg Producers Marketing Board effective June 12, 2011. New Previous A Extra Large $1.8500 $1.8200 A Large 1.8500 1.8200 A Medium 1.6700 1.6400 A Small 1.2500 1.2200 A Pee Wee 0.3675 0.3675 Nest Run 24 + 1.7490 1.7210 B 0.45 0.45 C 0.15 0.15

Goats Kids Billys Mature

Winnipeg ($/each) Next Sale is Dec. 1

Toronto ($/cwt) 77.54 - 188.85 — 114.83 - 223.51

Horses 1,000 lbs. 1,000 lbs.+

Winnipeg ($/cwt) — —

Toronto ($/cwt) 13.87 - 75.08 15.54 - 32.68

Phil Franz-Warkentin writes for Commodity News Service Canada, a Winnipeg company specializing in grain and commodity market reporting.

Environmental limits and growing population increase risk of food insecurity milan / reuters

Minimum broiler prices as of May 23, 2010 Under 1.2 kg................................... $1.5130 1.2 - 1.65 kg.................................... $1.3230 1.65 - 2.1 kg.................................... $1.3830 2.1 - 2.6 kg...................................... $1.3230

now were being sold for the last time before slaughter. With cattle prices still looking very strong, there may be some concern that a correction lower is possible. However, barring an unexpected ripple in feed costs, Wright said the current market would be here for the next couple years. While there will be ups and downs, he said, the market had reached a “new threshold.” The recent ruling on U.S. country-oforigin labelling (COOL) at the World Trade Organization’s Dispute Settlement Body has led to some positive speculation in Canadian cattle markets, although constructive changes to the North American trading landscape have not yet taken place. “It’s a feel-good announcement, but we have to see something more substantial before it will have an impact on the market,” said Wright. In the meantime, global economic concerns are also finding their way into the cattle trade. “Everyone is watching the economy more than everything else,” said Wright. The debt crisis in Europe was keeping everyone on edge, which is having an impact on the value of the Canadian dollar, he said. On its own, the softer Canadian dollar would work out to a more competitive cattle market in Western Canada. Feeder cattle exports to the U.S. are virtually non-existent, but a lot of the cull cows, finished cattle and meat from cattle slaughtered here are finding their way into the U.S. “If we see this (Canadian) dollar continue to move into lower ground, that will have a big impact on the cattle,” said Wright. However, there are many other variables at play. While a softer Canadian dollar may be supportive, a stronger U.S. dollar will hurt U.S. exports. “Ever y pound they expor t out, they have to buy back a pound from Canada or Mexico,” said Wright, noting that a decline in U.S. exports would lead to reduced demand for Canadian cattle and beef in the U.S. market.

rapidly growing population, climate change and degradation of land and water resources are likely to make the world more vulnerable to food insecurity and challenge the task of feeding its people by 2050, the United Nations’ food agency said. The world would have to boost cereals output by one billion tonnes and produce 200 million extra tonnes of livestock products a year by 2050 to feed a population projected at nine billion people, up from seven billion now, according to UN estimates. Intensive farming of the past decades has helped to feed millions of hungry people but it has often led to degradation of land and water systems on which food production depends, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said Nov. 28. “These systems at risk may simply not be

able to contribute as expected in meeting human demands by 2050. The consequences in terms of hunger and poverty are unacceptable. Remedial action needs to be taken now,” FAO director general Jacques Diouf said. A quarter of the Earth’s land is highly degraded, another eight per cent is moderately degraded, while 36 per cent is stable or slightly degraded and 10 per cent ranked as improving, the FAO said in its report — State of the World’s Land and Water Resources for Food and Agriculture. There have been warning signs of a slowdown of agricultural output growth rates in many areas to only half of what they were during the green revolution, it said, referring to a period in the 1960s and 1970s when farm yields got a boost through intensive practices and new seed varieties. Innovative farming practices such as conservation agriculture, agro-forestry, integrated crop-livestock systems and integrated irrigation-aquaculture systems can help boost food production while limiting impacts on ecosystems, it said.

The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

GRAIN MARKETS column

Global economic grief puts canola under pressure MF Global’s woes seem to have thinned the speculator herd Dwayne Klassen CNSA

anola futures on the ICE Futures Canada trading platform suffered some significant downward price action during the week ended Nov. 25. Much of the price weakness continued to be influenced by the worsening global economic outlook as well as by expanding financial problems in the euro zone. The modest to sharp declines in the CBOT (Chicago Board of Trade) soybean complex also contributed to the bearish price trend. The penetration of technical support helped to amplify the declines experienced by canola. Restricting the price drop in canola were steady domestic crusher demand and the pricing of routine export business to Japan by the commercial sector. The downswing in the value of the Canadian dollar and the absence of significant farmer deliveries into the cash pipeline also slowed the price declines.

For three-times-daily market reports from Commodity News Service Canada, visit “ICE Futures Canada updates” at www.manitobacooperator.ca.

Western barley futures on the ICE platform continued to remain dormant, although there were some contracts traded. Much of the action in barley was the unloading of positions in the December future before the future becomes a cash delivery month. Cash bids for feed barley continued to hold steady at fairly firm price levels. CBOT soybean futures posted some major price declines during the week ended Nov. 25. Much of the downswing in values was associated with the bearish macroeconomic picture and the bailing out of positions by investors. The resulting climb in the value of the U.S. dollar added to the bearish sentiment. Additional weakness in U.S. soybeans was linked to news that Brazil’s soybean crop was developing under favourable conditions and will be record size. The early planting of the crop was also expected to result in an early harvest, making it available to be exported sooner than normal. The cheap South American crop has seen swinging business away from the U.S. Chart-related liquidation orders further weighed on soybean values. CBOT corn futures also lost ground during the latest reporting period. The poor export picture for U.S. corn, along with the uncertainty surrounding the global economic picture, stimulated the declines. Bearish chart signals helped to exaggerate the price drop. The losses in corn were slowed somewhat by sentiment that the market was oversold, and by the continued reluctance of U.S. farmers to deliver into the cash market. Wheat futures at the CBOT, Kansas City and

Minneapolis exchanges experienced some modest to large losses during the reporting period. Ample world wheat supplies, the upswing in the value of the U.S. dollar, and the worsening financial situation in the euro-zone region all contributed to the downward price slide. The availability of cheap wheat from the Black Sea region also encouraged some of the price weakness. The grain and oilseed markets appear unwilling to move its focus away from the dismal macroeconomic picture and on to the fundamental picture. Canola supplies are tight, demand is good and the harvest is done, which suggests values should be moving higher. However, every time some bullish steam is built up, more bad news on the economic front is released. The bad news in the latest week included China’s economy starting to experience slower growth, the inability of a U.S. congressional “super committee” to come up with some sort of plan to halt the worsening debt crisis in the U.S., and news that a number of European government bond issues may default. This “divesting of risky assets” by global investors, unfortunately, is not going to go away anytime soon and will continue to have some serious bearish impact on values in the North American grain and oilseed sector. Some market participants, based on the poor economic picture, were now forecasting that CBOT soybean futures, basis the March future, will be heading back to the US$10.50-a-bushel range. The decline was expected to be before the end of December if not a bit sooner. Some U.S. analysts were calling for CBOT soybean values to drop back into the US$8.50- to $9-per-bushel range, especially if support in the January future is penetrated at US$10.50. CBOT corn futures will also continue to reel from the bearish world economy, with some participants forecasting prices to drop into the US$5.50- to $5.25-per-bushel level also before the end of December. There was talk of progress by leaders in France and Germany to shore up euro-zone banks and attack the debt crisis on the weekend (Nov. 26-27). Those talks sparked a sharp rally in European stock markets and pushed Asian markets up. As a result, commodities, including grain and oilseeds, have experienced a bit of a rally based on these headlines. The past couple of weeks have done an excellent job of forcing old longs to the sidelines and trashing old bullish sentiment in agricultural sector futures. Fallout from the MF Global bankruptcy filing in the U.S. also continues. The news definitely resulted in a number of speculators being forced out of the market and has in turn resulted in some thinner volumes in a number of commodities. MF Global Canada participants also had to liquidate contracts with the switch over to another firm which was allowed to clear — and that’s been seen as a lengthy process by individuals who had to make the switch. The loss of participants in the marketplace due to this situation was not seen as a good thing for the markets. Dwayne Klassen writes for Commodity News Service Canada, a Winnipeg company specializing in grain and commodity market reporting.

news

CWB forecasts lower values next year reuters / The Canadian Wheat Board projected lower wheat values in its latest Pool Return Outlook for the current marketing year.

Wheat values down $1 to $14 per tonne from last month’s outlook as concerns about the world economy and global wheat fundamentals pressure prices. Durum values lost between $1 and $25 per tonne. Malting barley dropped $4 per tonne, feed barley down $3. Feed prices are under pressure from large barley crops in Australia and Argentina.

Export and International Prices Last Week

Week Ago

Year Ago

CWB export 1CW 13.5 St. Lawrence

410.51

424.79

369.45

US hard winter ord.Gulf ($US)

282.47

295.37

282.65

All prices close of business November 24, 2011. Wheat

EU French soft wheat ($US)

256.67

263.75

312.50

Chicago wheat (nearby future) ($US/tonne)

227.79

237.06

Minneapolis wheat (nearby future) ($US/tonne)

347.38

266.00

US corn Gulf ($US)

259.83

271.44

235.03

US barley (PNW) ($US)

287.00

200.00

Chicago corn (nearby future) ($US/tonne)

254.13

213.29

Chicago oats (nearby future) ($US/tonne)

208.63

230.51

425.45

456.31

1,113.97

1,122.79

Coarse Grains

Oilseeds Chicago soybeans (nearby future) ($US/tonne) Chicago soyoil ($US/tonne)

Winnipeg Futures ICE Futures Canada prices at close of business November 25, 2011. Western barley

Last Week

Week Ago

December 2011

217.00

March 2012

220.00

May 2012

225.00

Canola

Last Week

Week Ago

January 2012

503.20

521.80

March 2012

503.70

527.80

May 2012

503.70

530.80

CWB Pool Forecasts November PRO 2011-12

July PRO 2010-11

October PRO 2011-12

No. 1 CWRS 13.5

304

342

308

No. 1 CWRS 12.5

273

314

285

No. 2 CWRS 13.5

299

333

300

No. 1 CWHWS 13.5

304

342

308

Wheat

No. 1 CPSR

241

275

253

No. 1 CPSW

235

271

246 252

No. 1 CWRW

243

280

No. 1 CWES

274

312

278

No. 1 CWSWS

233

268

241

371

299

393

N/A

233

235

Sel CW Two-Row

318

249

322

Sel CW Six-Row

302

232

306

Durum No. 1 CWAD 13.0 Feed Barley No. 1 CW Pool B Designated Barley

* No. 1 CW feed barley, Pool A, as of October 27: $235.

Special Crops Report for November 28, 2011 — Bin run delivered plant Saskatchewan Spot Market

Spot Market

Lentils (Cdn. cents per pound)

Other ( Cdn. cents per pound unless otherwise specified)

Large Green 15/64

27.30 - 28.75

Canaryseed

Laird No. 1

26.00 - 28.75

Oil Sunflower Seed

Eston No. 2

24.00 - 25.50

Desi Chickpeas

26.00 - 27.25 — 26.10 - 27.50

Field Peas (Cdn. $ per bushel)

Beans (Cdn. cents per pound)

Green No. 1

8.50 - 9.00

Fababeans, large

—

Medium Yellow No. 1

8.65 - 9.00

Feed beans

—

Feed Peas (Cdn. $ per bushel)

No. 1 Navy/Pea Beans

—

No. 1 Great Northern

—

Mustardseed (Cdn. cents per pound)

No. 1 Cranberry Beans

—

Yellow No. 1

34.00 - 35.75

No. 1 Light Red Kidney

—

Brown No. 1

30.75 - 31.75

No. 1 Dark Red Kidney

—

Oriental No. 1

26.40 - 27.75

No. 1 Black Beans

—

No. 1 Pinto Beans

—

Feed Pea (Rail)

—

Source: Stat Publishing SUNFLOWERS

No. 1 Small Red

—

No. 1 Pink

—

Fargo, ND

Goodlands, KS

28.15

28.95

—

Report for November 25, 2011 in US$ cwt NuSun (oilseed) Confection Source: National Sunflower Association

The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

Giving clean energy an affordable makeover Renewable energy advocates now tout energy security and economic development as reasons for going green By John Kemp london / reuters

olitical will to tackle climate change by curbing greenhouse gas emissions, never very strong, has all but disappeared across much of North America and Western Europe in the last 12 months. Climate concerns have fallen victim to the recession, with fears about jobs, growth and the cost of switching to clean energy undermining support for climate policies. Clean energy is seen as an expensive luxury for households and businesses already burdened with rising fuel and food prices, stagnant incomes and falling pensions. Policy-makers are responding by trying to repackage policies for limiting combustion

of fossil fuels and encouraging uptake of renewable energy in terms of their benefits for energy security and affordability, rather than climate change alone. The focus is on making energy affordable for struggling consumers as well as saving the planet for future generations.

Clean and affordable

Energy security and encouraging economic development trump environmental concerns in a new paper from t h e In t e r n a t i o n a l En e rg y Agency (IEA). The authors emphasized the role of renewables in a diverse energy portfolio to limit the impact of supply disruptions and reduce the volatility associated with prices of fossil fuels. “It is increasingly clear

that having a significant share of renewables in a country’s energy supply can increase energy availability by enhancing the overall diversification of the risk portfolio,” according to the agency. The agency urges policymakers and consumers to take a long-term view on costs. “An energy system that will deliver energy at a very low price while putting the future of entire nations at stake cannot be seen as secure.” The paper seeks to redress the negative emphasis on the costs of switching to clean energy by talking up savings from lower spending on fossil fuels as well as benefits from the creation of “new markets” reconciling limited natural resources with economic

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U.K. energy statement

The same rebranding exercise is underway in the United Kingdom. The country has been hit hard by the recession, but the Energy Ministry is in the hands of the Liberal Democrat party, which is fervently committed to polic i e s l i m i t i n g g re e n h o u s e emissions. Rising fuel costs have become a politically sensitive issue, and it is unclear how far voters support the government’s green energy

agenda if it means higher bills for gas, electricity and transport. So Britain’s energy minister, Chris Huhne used his recent annual statement to Parliament on energy strategy to shift the focus onto clean energy as affordable energy. Sidelining global warming, Huhne insisted, “We must ensure the consumer is protected as far as possible from rising prices. “We will secure our energy at the lowest cost: in the shor t ter m by promoting competition. In the medium t e r m , by i n s u l a t i n g o u r homes. And in the long term by steering us away from excessive reliance on fossil fuels and onto clean, green a n d s e c u re e n e rg y,” s a i d Huhne.

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Corn, wheat crop forecasts cut london/reuters/ The International Grains Council has cut its forecast for the global corn crop in 2011-12 by two million tonnes to 853 million, which would still be a record. In its monthly report, the council downwardly revised its forecast for the U.S. corn crop by two million tonnes (to 313 million) while Mexico’s corn crop outlook was cut by three million tonnes. Production forecasts for Ukraine and France rose. The estimates for wheat were cut by one million tonnes, with production now forecast at 683 million, still well above the prior season’s 653 million, and second biggest ever. End stocks for wheat are forecast to be the highest in a decade.

Uncertainty in economy weighs on grain prices kuala lumpur/ reuters/U.S. grains futures fell after a preliminary survey showed China’s manufacturing dropped to its lowest level in almost three years, stirring concern that Europe’s sovereign debt crisis is crimping global economic growth. The manufacturing purchasing managers’ index, the earliest indicator of China’s industrial activity, slumped in November to 48, the lowest since March 2009. A reading below 50 indicates contraction. The release came on the heels of the World Bank’s warning that China faces growing risks from the euro-zone crisis and forecast that its economic growth will moderate from next year.

The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

COLUMN

Downtrend continues in Chicago wheat When an emerging trend can be identified and followed to its conclusion, it translates into opportunity David Drozd Market Outlook

heat prices at the CBOT have dropped more than $3 per bushel since peaking in February 2011. A two-week reversal signalled a change in trend on Feb. 18, 2011. Chart analysis is not only useful for determining the market’s turns, but it can also be used to determine the price trend and where support and resistance to the trend may be anticipated. Prices over a period of several months are typically either moving up or down. This direction is the major or long-term trend of the market. Within the major trend there are a series of highs and lows that can be of several weeks duration which are the intermediate trends. There are also small fluctuations within the intermediate moves that are the minor trends. Therefore, it should be recognized that a trend may be interpreted in several ways depending on whether someone has a short-, intermediateor longer-term outlook. The major trend for wheat is down, as defined by the parameters of the downtrending channel and illustrated by the lower highs (A) and lower lows (B) in the accompanying chart. Farmers can use the short-term swings within the long-term perspective to determine when to make a sale.

For example, on September 2, 2011 another two-week reversal provided a sell signal at resistance, which was the upper boundary of the downtrending channel. This will be increasingly important for farmers to know when marketing wheat in an open-market system.

cbot wheat weekly nearby — as of november 23, 2011

Trendlines and channels

During the course of a trend and all the fluctuations which compose it, there is a characteristic for prices to follow a sloping straight line path. In the case of falling prices, the line is drawn across the rally highs, which serves as a point of resistance. For a trendline to be both valid and reliable, there should be at least three points of price contact. In a declining market the three points of contact correspond to the rally highs, each topping out at a lower level. When an emerging trend can be identified and followed to its conclusion, it translates into opportunity. The use of trendlines is a valuable tool for accomplishing this. Once a trend begins in earnest, it has a high tendency to persist. After a trendline is constructed and a trend is established, a line may be drawn that is parallel to the trendline depicting the channel within which prices will fluctuate as the trend proceeds. This is extremely helpful for studying the trend and determining when to hedge. In a downtrend, the channel’s upper boundary is the downtrend line. The lower boundary

is the return line and is drawn parallel across the lows of each progressively lower decline.

Market psychology

As a new downtrend begins to emerge, sell orders materialize, but many are at a limit price above the market. Some of this selling is satisfied on price rallies, but a portion of the selling is not. When prices again begin to move down, some of these sellers jump in for fear of missing the move. The balance of unfilled selling will continue to trail the market in hopes of catching a bounce in price.

he main negotiations on a Canada-Europe free trade deal (CETA) are over, but a lot of issues remain to be cleared up before it can be finalized, the recent Grain Industry Symposium was told. Gilles Gauthier, Canada’s chief agriculture negotiator, said “the beginnings of a full package deal” have emerged through nine rounds of trade talks. The goal now is to work on the remaining issues during the first half of 2012 and getting government ministers involved in making decisions about them. Canadian officials had hoped to wrap up the negotiations during a recent round of talks in Ottawa with the deal being signed in early 2012. But a lot of thorny matters, such as intellectual property rules remain, including how binding the deal will be on Canadian provinces and the EU member states. “No massive impediments to a successful conclusion to the negotiations remain,” Gauthier said. “But there are some tough decisions to be made. We have to be prepared

to make them to get a good agreement.” Both sides have sensitive issues, such as supply management in Canada, which they will protect. A deal still remains a grand o p p o r t u n i t y f o r Ca n a d i a n exporters of agricultural and food products. “We started with a high level of ambition and we’re in a reasonable position to achieve that objective.” Cu r re n t l y, Ca n a d a s h i p s about $5 million worth of agriculture products to Europe, mainly grains, which account for eight to nine per cent of total exports. However, Europe imports nearly $6 billion of food and feed annually and Canada should be able to capture a bigger share of that business. “Agriculture has always near the top of our interests in the negotiations.” A trade deal would exempt Ca n a d i a n s h i p m e n t s f ro m being affected by intervention prices that the E.U. uses to protect its farmers from imports, Gauthier explained. As well, Europe needs a lot of livestock feed. Science-based rules on imports and biotech crops are another key area for Canada. “There’s still lots of protectionism in Europe,” he said.

David Drozd is president and senior market analyst for Winnipeg-based Ag-Chieve Corporation. The opinions expressed are those of the writer and are solely intended to assist readers with a better understanding of technical analysis. Visit Ag-Chieve online at www. ag-chieve.ca for information about grainmarketing advisory services, or call us toll free at 1-888-274-3138 for a free consultation.

On-Farm Food Safety Workshops

The beginnings of a full package deal have emerged co-operator contributor / ottawa

trend, particularly as it emerges. Doing this will maximize your opportunities. Send your questions or comments about this article and chart to info@ag-chieve.ca.

EU trade deal inches closer By Alex Binkley

Most of these sellers will gradually lower their offers as the market declines. Their selling, as well as that of longs eager to take profits during periods of price rallies, prevents remaining sell orders that are too far above the market from being filled. Eventually, there will come a point during a bear move when the decline begins to accelerate. This occurs as the patience of those waiting for a big rally will have worn thin and selling picks up at the prevailing price level. Perhaps the single most important idea we can relate is to study the charts to identify a

“They have tariffs of 20 to 50 per cent of many products and that’s a significant barrier.” One contentious issue in the agriculture and food sector is country-of-origin rules, he explained. Europe is concerned about accepting Canadian products that are made mostly of ingredients imported into Canada from other countries. “The EU doesn’t want to g i ve c o n c e s s i o n s t o o t h e r countr ies through concessions to Canada.” Gauthier says a trade deal would also enable Canada and Europe to work more cooperatively in international organizations. “We need to have greater alignment on our regulatory practices.” The government says significant progress has been made in key areas such as goods, services, investment, government procurement and many others. The EU is a pr ior ity for Canada because it is Canada’s second-largest trading partner in goods and services. In 2010, Canadian goods and services exports to the EU totalled $49.2 billion, and impor ts from the EU amounted to $55.3 billion.

The Manitoba and Canada governments are hosting a series of on-farm food safety program workshops. The workshops will provide training and information to help prevent, detect and control food safety risks on your farm through National On-Farm Food Safety Programs. Plan to attend the workshop in your area.

For cattle producers

Verified Beef Production is the national on-farm food safety program for cattle producers. Workshops will be held: Tuesday, December 13 Carman Wednesday, December 14 Portage

MAFRI Carman GO Office Fairboard Office

7 p.m. to 10 p.m. 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

For grain, oilseeds, pulse and special crops farmers ExcelGrains Canada is the national on-farm food safety program for grain, pulse and special crops farmers. Workshops will be held: Wednesday, December 7 Wednesday, December 7 Monday, December 12 Monday, December 12

Starbuck Carman Teulon Arborg

Community Hall Starbuck 9 a.m. to noon MAFRI Carman GO Office 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. MAFRI Teulon GO Centre 8:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Morweena Church 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Registration is required. Call your local Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives (MAFRI) GO Office.

Your Farm. Your Products. Your Plan. You could be eligible for funding that will help implement national on-farm food safety, biosecurity and traceability programs on your farm through the Growing Forward Food Safety Program, for Farms. For program information, contact your local MAFRI GO Office.

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The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

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H USB A N DRY — T H E SC I E NC E , SK I L L OR A RT OF FA R M I NG

Cattle rustling returns to U.S. west Stealing cattle can be more lucrative than robbing a store SALMON, IDAHO / REUTERS Cattle rustlers, casting aside saddle and spurs for modern horsepower, are roaming the West with four-wheel drive and GPS technology in a resurgence of livestock thievery considered a hanging offence on the old frontier. State livestock officials said the increase in cattle crimes was linked to the slumping economy, soaring beef prices and the advent of hand-held global positioning systems that allow rustlers to more easily navigate the wide-open range. They said contemporary thieves may find it more convenient and lucrative to pick off a couple cows, worth as much as $2,000 a head, than to rob a convenience store. “When the market is extremely high, the bad guys come out,” Idaho state brand inspector Larry Hayhurst said. Hayhurst said the incidence of cattle gone missing under suspicious circumstances in Idaho during the past three months had already surpassed the 250 such reports he received for all of last year. That coincides with spikes in cattle thefts in Colorado, Montana, Nevada, Wyoming and elsewhere. Western state livestock agencies have put the value of cattle deemed lost, stolen, strayed or in questionable ownership in recent years in the tens of millions of dollars. In Montana alone, investigators have recovered more than 7,300 stolen or missing cattle worth nearly $8 million during the past three years, numbers believed to account for just a fraction of the problem, officials said. The losses are not tallied in dollars alone. Producers build up their herds while selecting for preferred traits over the course of generations, said Wyatt Prescott, vice-president of the Idaho Cattle Association. “Cows are professional mothers,” he said. “It’s their job to get bred every year, calve successfully and bring that calf home in the fall. You go through a lot trying to replace that cow.” Once snatched, cows are hard to get back. Recovery rates for stolen cattle can be as low as 10 per cent. Two years after the fact, authorities are still searching for rustlers who stole 21 cows and an equal number of calves from the Cross Ranch in northwestern Montana, and owner Mary Cross said her operation continues to suffer the effects of the thefts. “It takes the profit right out,” she said.

Behold the humble

Dung

Beetle While their name may conjure schoolyard taunts, these helpful beetles play a role in profitable ranching By Daniel Winters CO-OPERATOR STAFF

ntil you step in one, it’s easy to ignore cow-pies. They may be little more than stinky landmines to some, but for AAFC Lethbridge insect biocontrol researcher Kevin Floate, cow-pies are host to such an array of fascinating insect activity that he can’t stay away from them. “But only in summer,” he said, in a recent telephone interview. “I’m not crazy.” Of particular interest to Floate are the dung beetles, just one of hundreds of fly, wasp and fungi species that begin colonizing the pizza-sized piles of water, masticated and partially digested plant matter within seconds after it hits the ground. Interestingly, the majority of the 15 species of dung beetles that inhabit Canada’s cow-pies originally hailed from Europe, and are of a type that don’t degrade the dung very quickly, often taking weeks to munch through one. “There’s another group of dung beetles that can break down a cow-pie in days,” said Floate. They are present on the Prairies, but the problem is that they are only active for a short period during the summer, and they prefer sandy soils. With that in mind, Floate and his colleagues have in recent years brought in two species from south of the border to speed things up. Digitonthophagus gazella, which hails from Florida where it was deliberately introduced from overseas to control dung, succumbed to the cold weather in the first year. Onthophagus taurus, which may have hitched a ride to the same state on military equipment brought back from Germany, now ranges as far north as Michigan and New Jersey, and continues to expand its territory. It did slightly better at overwintering than its counterpart in Alberta, but it seemed to dwindle off over time rather than thrive. “However, I’ve got no reason to believe that it won’t establish in Manitoba,” he said.

Why the need for speed?

Floate said that there are two main reasons. First, fresh cow-pies are a breeding ground for pests such as horn and face flies, which can affect beef production by annoying the cattle. Second, the longer cow-pies linger on the pasture, the more they blot out grass production just by taking up space. Also, cattle don’t like to graze the rank grasses that grow nearby, which means that up to five times as much area as that

taken up by the cow-pie itself is lost to grazing, in some cases for months or even years. “If we can get dung beetles to rip apart those cow-pies so that it dries out more quickly, the maggots inside the pies don’t have time to turn into adult flies,” said Floate. Intensive graziers avoid this problem, he noted, first by rotating the cattle out ahead of the flies with frequent pasture moves, and also by using heavy stocking densities to trample the pies into the ground. Insect activity, such as breeding and feeding, and species diversity is greatest from mid-May to late June. But by late July to early August, the fun stops with the advent of summer’s blazing heat, and dry weather creates an insectimpenetrable crust. Cooler, wetter temperatures in early fall lead to a resurgence of dung beetle activity, he added.

“If it’s a pest fly breeding in the manure, those residues could be good. But the downside is that if the residue is killing pests, it’s probably affecting the dung beetles as well.”

From one pie to another Beetles’ taste preference studied The discovery that most dung beetles are European immigrants ignited a minor controversy among dung beetle observers, some of whom theorized that most of the dung beetles inhabiting North America’s vast pre-settlement bison herds died out with them. The opposing view, which Floate’s work supports, says that most of the bison dung beetles simply switched from buffalo chips to cow-pies after cattle began arriving after 1640. Using a kind of blind taste test methodology — a Poopsi challenge, if you will — he compared dung beetle colonization of dung piles from both species and using various feed types. What he found was that a change in diet is more significant to dung beetles than the animal producing it. Mystery solved, he said. More information on Prairie insects can be found at: http://www.biology.ualberta. ca/bsc/english/grasslandsbook.htm.

KEVIN FLOATE

What’s the best way that a rancher can encourage dung beetles to set up shop? One way to roll out the red carpet is to avoid using ivermectin-type anthelmintics in spring because the residues may linger in cow-pies and affect dung beetles for up to three weeks after treatment. For some fly species, that effect could last up to three months. “If it’s a pest fly breeding in the manure, those residues could be good. But the downside is that if the residue is killing pests, it’s probably affecting the dung beetles as well,” said Floate. If cattle are treated with a pour-on in fall, it would make no difference to the dormant dung beetles. In any case, due consideration should be given to the potential effect on a ranch’s bottom line. In dry climates like southern Saskatchewan and Alberta, parasite loads on grass are typically very low anyway. “Rather than automatically applying ivermectin for parasite control, ask yourself if you really need to,” said Floate. daniel.winters@fbcpublishing.com

©THINKSTOCK

The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

SHEEP & GOAT COLUMN

Buy interest strong at sheep and goat sale All breeds of market lambs pulled in some strong bidding By Mark Elliot co-operator contributor

here were approximately 420 sheep and goats delivered to the Winnipeg Livestock Auction Nov. 17. The day might have started chilly, but once the bidding started â&#x20AC;&#x201D; things really heated up. The demand for the ewes was strong, creating some high bidding by the buyers. The quality ewes were being purchased for herd replacement. The pr ice range for these ewes, was from $0.95 to $1.18 per pound. The culls were ver y noticeable, and the price range showed this effect. The price range for the culls, was $0.4750 to $0.55 per pound. The selection for rams was limited to two. These rams were ver y impressive with well-developed body structures. The colourful 180-pound Dorper-cross ram brought $196.20 ($1.09 per pound). The 215-pound D o r s e t - c ro s s ra m b ro u g h t $234.35 ($1.09 per pound). There were only two groups of heavyweight lambs delivered for this sale. The first group of three 123-pound Dorper-cross lambs brought $216.48 ($1.76 per pound). The second group of three

Ewes

$127.80 - $166.40 $57-$74.25

Lambs (lbs.) 110+ (123-115 lbs.)

$216.48/$123.63

95 - 110

$171.69-$199.80

80 - 94

$163.62-$175.50

Under 80 76-79

$151.24/$157.21

60 - 69

$115.50-$137.31

56-59

$105/$126.85

$90.48

115-pound Dorper-cross lambs brought $123.63 ($1.0750 per pound). Ma r k e t l a m b s p u l l e d i n some strong bidding. There was no evidence that one breed was dominating the class or receiving the higher prices. The price range for the market lambs, was from $1.77 to $1.92 per pound. One producer passed on a potential sale. Strong bidding continued on the feeder lambs. The price range for the feeder lambs, was from $1.83 to $2.02 per pound. Once again, one producer passed on the sale.

The quantity of lightweight lambs was lower than the past few sales. However, the demand was strong, creating some high bidding between the buyers. There were only two groups of lambs in the 70-plus pounds sold at this sale. The first group of seven 76-pound Cheviot-cross lambs brought $151.29 ($1.99 per pound). The second group of seven 79-pound Suffolkcross lambs brought $157.21 ($1.99 per pound). Lambs in the 60-pluspound range dominated the lightweight classification for this sale. The price range for these lambs, was $1.7250 to

$2.06 per pound. There was one exception, one 65-pound Katahdin-cross lamb, brought $42.25 ($0.65 per pound). A large group of 50, 59-pound Cheviot-cross lambs brought $121.85 ($2.15 per pound). Four 56-pound Suffolk-cross lambs brought $105 ($1.8750 per pound). Five 47-pound Cheviotcross lambs brought $90.48 ($1.9250 per pound). The bidding on the goat (doe) classification was similar to past sales. The interest in the meat variety does was creating the higher prices, compared to the dairy variety does, for this sale. The price range for the does ranged from $0.43 to $0.96 per pound. A 110-pound Pygmycross doe brought $75 ($0.68 per pound). Two 80-pound Boer-cross doelings brought $133 ($1.66 per pound). The selection for bucks was limited to three goats. An impressive, 145-pound Alpinecross buck brought $230 ($1.59 per pound). The heavier Boer-cross buck was creating some interest throughout the crowd and strong bidding. The 170-pound Boer-cross buck brought $280 ($1.65 per pound), while the 90-pound Boer-cross buck brought $75 ($0.83 per pound).

There were three wethers o n o f f e r. T h e 7 0 - p o u n d Saanen-cross wether brought $82.50 ($1.18 per pound). T h e 6 0 - p o u n d B o e r- c r o s s wether, brought $105 ($1.75 per pound). The 95-pound Alpine-cross wether brought $75 ($0.80 per pound). Goats (majority were bucklings), in the 60- to 65-pound range brought $1.55 to $1.92 per pound. A 50-pound Boer-cross goat brought $77.50 ($1.55 per pound). Two 58-pound Boercross goats brought $82.50 ($1.42 per pound). A group of 13, 55-pound Boer-cross bucklings brought $95 ($1.73 per pound). In the 40-plus-pound range, the dairy-variety goats ranged from $0.81 to $1.13 per pound. Six 48-pound Boercross goats brought $81 ($1.69 per pound). A group of five 39-pound Boer-cross goats brought $67 ($1.72 per pound). The interest in the lighter goats was less, which could h a ve been a resu l t o f th e colder weather. Five 28-pound Alpine-cross goats brought $12 ($0.43 per pound). Two 28-pound Boer-cross goats brought $20 ($0.71 per pound). A small Alpinecross goat brought $0.20 per pound.

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The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

COLUMN

Canada’s competitive edge can’t be taken for granted We score well on production costs but producers in other countries are ahead on a key productivity measure Bernie Peet Peet on Pigs

s a major pork exporter, Canada has to compete not only with the U.S. for market share, but also with countries such as Denmark and Brazil. So it’s important the industry has production costs that allow it to compete effectively and also leave producers a margin. While comparing costs between various countries is fraught with difficulties (including how various parameters are calculated, different market weights, and exchange rates), a group of pork industry economists carries out such a comparison each year. Called InterPIG, the group now gathers data from 14 countries, including Canada, but unfortunately excluding the U.S. The recently published 2010 results (Table 1) TABLE 1: AVERAGE COSTS OF PRODUCTION IN 2010 (C$/KG CARCASS) Italy

$2.50

Great Britain

$2.38

EU average

$2.23

Germany

$2.13

Spain

$1.98

Netherlands

$1.98

Denmark

$1.97

France

$1.95

Canada

$1.55

Brazil (SC)

$1.54

Brazil (MT)

$1.42

show Canada has low production costs compared with most European countries and similar costs to two Brazilian states. Only the Brazilian state of Matto Grosso (MT) has significantly lower costs than Canada, while the average production cost in the EU countries surveyed is 44 per cent above Canada’s. The EU’s cost regime is very different to Canada’s, with higher feed, labour and fixed costs, while Brazil has significantly lower labour, other direct costs and fixed costs, but higher feed costs. Although the U.S. does not participate in InterPIG, production costs are well documented and quite similar to Canada, but have been very much influenced by exchange rates in recent years. The cost of feed ingredients, notably corn versus barley and wheat, sometimes varies between the two countries, giving one a competitive advantage. Feed manufacturing costs are generally lower in the U.S, as are labour costs, especially since the Canadian dollar strengthened. However, before we slap ourselves too hard on the back, it should be noted the Canadian data set is very limited and contains a number of anomalies, especially in the physical performance data. Table 2 shows several key performance parameters for a selected group of countries. It shows that Canada has significantly lower breeding herd performance than countries such as Denmark, France and the Netherlands. Despite a relatively high carcass weight, this results in a low figure for the amount of carcass weight produced per sow, although I

Identify your premises. Reduce your risk.

Apply for the Manitoba Premises ID Program today. As an agricultural producer, you know you cannot predict what tomorrow might bring. That is why you should protect your investment by identifying your land with the Manitoba Premises ID Program. This program links livestock and poultry to geographic locations for responding to emergencies. Premises Identification: • allows for rapid notification of livestock and poultry stakeholders • helps prepare for animal health and food safety emergencies such as disease or flood • reduces the impact of an emergency Protect Your Industry – Animal health emergencies often occur suddenly and can threaten entire industries. By identifying your premises, you can assist in the actions needed to protect these animals from the effect of an emergency. It’s fast. It’s easy. It’s free. Premises Identification is easy and there is no charge. Contact your local Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives GO Office or visit

manitoba.ca/agriculture/pid.

MAFRI - Premises ID Publication: Manitoba Cooperator Ad size: 4" x 85 lines Insertion date: Thurs, Nov 17, Dec 1, Dec 15, Jan 5, Jan 19, Feb 2, Feb 23, Mar 15

TABLE 2: INTERPIG RESULTS 2010 – PRODUCTION DATA BRZ (1) BRZ(2)

CAN

GER

Pigs sold/sow/yr.

23.2

24.1

20.6

26.3

25.1

23.4

20.8

26.5

Pigs weaned/litter

10.5

9.7

12.4

11.3

10.7

9.8

11.6

2.3

2.4

2.3

2.4

2.3

2.4

88.0

86.0

92.5

81.4

89.1

93.2

78.3

91.1

Litters/sow/yr. Av. carcass wt. (kg) Carcass wt./sow (tns)

2.04

2.06

believe these numbers underestimate Canadian productivity. Still, it is clear those countries with higher numbers of pigs produced per sow, combined with a high carcass weight, show the highest output of carcass weight. The reason those countries have higher breeding herd output is that they have capitalized on the availability of genetics with the potential to produce a high litter size. In France and Denmark, national breeding programs have delivered exceptional gains and the average number of pigs born alive on Danish farms is now 14.2. There are also commercial breeding companies with high litter size females. In order to remain competitive in the future, Canadian producers must take full advantage of this opportunity to increase output and reduce production costs. Highly prolific sows need a different approach to man-

1.91

2.14

2.23

2.16

1.63

2.42

agement. The first important focus must be to supervise farrowing as closely as possible in order to minimize stillborn piglets, which increase in larger litters if the farrowing process is not monitored. Second, the management of colostrum intake needs to ensure that later-born (and usually smaller) piglets get sufficient colostrum to give t h e m a d e q u a t e i m m u n i t y. This requires extensive use of split suckling, assisting small piglets to suckle, and the use of techniques such as stomach tubing and syringe feeding. Those herds that achieve over 14 born alive, and there are quite a few now, need to have strategies for keeping surplus piglets alive. The most usual method is to use a “piggy deck” and wean a strong litter of 10-day-old piglets into it, then move a whole litter of one- to twoday-old piglets onto that sow. The recently farrowed sow is

then used to foster on surplus newborn pigs after they have suckled colostrum on their own mothers. Highly productive sows also need a nutr itional regime that provides a higher level of nutrient intake at critical stages of the reproductive cycle. For example, Danish r e s e a r c h h a s s h ow n t h a t increasing feed level in the first four weeks of gestation leads to increased litter size. A l s o, s t e p p i n g u p t h e feed level in the last three to four weeks helps fuel the high demand for nutrients from rapidly growing piglets. Maximizing lactation feed intake is the most critical aspect of sow feeding, and attention to pre-farrowing feed levels, room temperature, water availability, feed freshness and feed scale all play a role in increasing intake. In addition, it is worth considering increasing dietary lysine level to 1.2 to 1.3 per cent for younger females where possible or, if this is technically difficult, increasing lysine to 1.15 to 1.2 per cent for all sows. Tapping into the potential for higher litter size and increasing the number of pigs sold per sow would have a big impact on production costs. If Canadian producers sold 25 pigs per sow at 92.5-kilogram carcass weight, the carcass weight produced per sow would increase to 2.31 tonnes, an improvement of 21 per cent. Bernie Peet is president of Pork Chain Consulting of Lacombe, Alberta, and editor of Western Hog Journal.

$5+

million reasons why Manitoba needs its own beef plant Alberta cattle producers get more for their animals than Manitoba producers. Why? Because they have beef plants close to home and we don't.

The result: Manitoba producers are missing out on more than $5 million a year. You read that right. This year, for example, the pricing difference was an average of $130 per fed steer (avg 1,300 lbs).

So when people ask where the voluntary $2/head MCEC levy is going, tell them it might just save you up to $130/head.

Come learn about MCEC's plans for a new beef plant in Winnipeg. Company management will be at: n Manitoba Grazing School, December 5– 7 n Manitoba Dairy Conference, December 7– 9 Both events are at the Victoria Inn, Winnipeg.

www.mancec.com

The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

column

Proper care can help avoid lameness in horses Decisions made in the management of your horse from its earliest days influence joint health Carol Shwetz, DVM Horse Health

rthritis is the most common type of lameness in horses and recent estimates show that approximately 60 per cent of lameness problems are related to ar thr itis. The diagnosis and treatment of arthritis in horses has become a multibillion-dollar industry and yet little of this has much to do with touching its underlying causes. Arthritis can serve as an indicator revealing what needs to be recognized and addressed in management and lifestyle. Nu t r i t i o n , e n v i r o n m e n t , exercise, and foot balance influence joint health in every stage of a horse’s life. All parts of the body are highly intertwined and decisions made in the management of your horse from its earliest days influence joint health. These decisions are especially relevant with young horses. Arthritis is a broad term that describes inflammation of one or more joints. The joint is a highly evolved partnership of many specialized tissues. Whenever any one of these structures becomes diseased, instability of the joint results, and a cascade of compensating patterns in movement ensues, enlisting more and more of the horse to ease responsibilities of the painful joint(s).

photo: laura rance

Although arthritis can stem from an obvious sudden cause such as an injury or infection, more often its development is insidious. Limping is not necessarily the first sign. Initially, subtle telltale signs are slight stiffness which resolves when the horse warms up, and reluctance and/or resistance to perform manoeuvres previously unchallenging. The horse’s gait may become asymmetrical as it attempts to find a way of going that feels best. Limping, tenderness over the joint, and pain upon flexion of the joint

becomes more obvious over time.

Nutrition in utero

In embryonic life, construction of a musculoskeletal template has begun, and so at this stage the nutrition of the dam is critical for the future health of the unborn foal. While growing horses require raw materials from a quality diet to construct, maintain, rebuild and repair a strong physical foundation, their performance capabilities and longevity rely on a strong stable

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Thursday, December 8 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

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internal scaffolding created during all stages of growth. After built, the scaffolding still requires proper nutrition for maintenance and repair. Specific nutrients and their balance have a significant impact on joint health in all ages of horses. Poor nutrition, rich diets, and/or imbalanced nutrition results in joints that are vulnerable to damage. Over time weaknesses in physical structure are revealed, often appearing as arthritis. Moderate body condition is important for all horses, either to prevent arthritis or to alleviate the pain of arthritis, as in older horses. Weight greater than the healthy range creates, compounds, and accelerates arthritis as it chronically overloads joints and bones. Excessive or restrictive exercise are both equally harmful to horses, and even more so to the younger horse. Horses have evolved to graze for up to 17 hours a day, and to do so they are always moving. With each step the horse gently compresses and releases the sponge-like cartilage of joints. This continuous low impact promotes fluid circulation and strengthens the cartilage of all joints in the body keeping them healthy. Regular exercise in good body carriage enhances the overall body condition of a horse and strengthens muscles and connective tissue structures which protects joints from stress. Horses whom are poorly conditioned, receiving little exercise, fatigue easily. This leads to poor form and leaves the horse vulnerable to a misstep and/or injury. Horses with poor body carriage have hollow backs, overflexed necks, high head positions, and are overloaded on the forehand. Since joints function optimally around a specific angle, these postures place joints in a disadvantaged weight-bearing position. When the biomechanics that govern fluid joint movement are incorrect, unreasonable stressors strain

and tax joints. Over time, wear and tear due to poor posture manifests in arthritis. The hock joint is particularly sensitive to poor body carriage as it is a particularly complex joint requiring four years to become fully developed and stable. Correct foot balance is also imperative for optimal function of joints. Proper trimming can change the biomechanics of movement, and so reduce the strain on the joint.

Keep them moving

Standing in stalls for prolonged periods of time followed by the intensive exercise asked of many performance horses, places unreasonable stressors on joints and denies them of their means to maintain optimal health. It is also important to note that excessive repetition of individual training exercises localizes cumulative stress and damage, targeting select joints, so variation is a requirement. As well, in the routine of the performing horse warm-up and cool-down are of immense value. Horses are large animals with large muscles that require effective warming up to optimally engage muscles, ligaments and tendons which are instrumental in protecting and supporting efficient joint mechanics. Sensible exercise is advisable for all ages of horses, but it is the young horses that are least forgiving when placed under unreasonable expectations and demands. Pasture living with varied terrain is ideal for young stock as they develop conditioning while participating in activities which encourage them to develop within their own capabilities. When allowed to physically develop properly a horse beyond five years is much hardier to physical stressors since the body of a young horse needs to develop sufficiently before carrying a rider. Carol Shwetz is a veterinarian specializing in equine practice at Westlock, Alta.

The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

LIVESTOCK AUCTION RESULTS Weight Category

Feeder Steers

Ashern

Gladstone

Nov-23

Nov-22

Grunthal

Nov-22

Heartland

Brandon

Virden

Nov-24

Nov-23

Killarney

Ste Rose

Taylor

Winnipeg

Nov-21

Nov-24

Nov-25

No. on offer

2,880

1,360*

512

2,453

3,421

974

1,965

900

1,410

Over 1,000 lbs.

n/a

900-1,000

n/a

100.00-116.50

n/a

118.00-124.00

n/a

120.00-125.00

n/a

800-900

n/a

105.00-131.00

115.00-125.00

115.00-120.00

125.00-134.00

n/a

120.00-129.00

125.00-135.00

131

700-800

124.00-140.00

120.00-137.50

122.00-135.50

125.00-136.00

133.00-145.00

125.00-135.00

132.00-145.00

130.00-145.00

130.00-140.00

600-700

130.00-158.00

125.00-145.50

130.00-159.00

135.00-146.00

139.00-157.00

135.00-155.00

140.00-162.00

140.00-155.00

135.00-150.00

500-600

165.00-180.00

130.00-173.50

150.00-171.50

140.00-166.00

152.00-172.00

150.00-173.50

155.00-175.00

150.00-170.00

140.00-161.00

400-500

169.00-180.00

130.00-185.00

170.00-184.00

150.00-180.00

160.00-184.00

160.00-196.00

170.00-185.00

175.00-195.00

150.00-178.00

300-400

170.00-199.00

150.00-200.00

180.00-205.00

160.00-186.00

175.00-202.00

160.00-195.00

170.00-209.00

180.00-200.00

n/a

100.00-105.00

108.00-118.00

n/a

95.00-109.00

105.00-115.00

n/a

Feeder heifers 900-1,000 lbs. 800-900

n/a

95.00-117.50

100.00-114.50

105.00-125.00

110.00-123.00

n/a

105.00-126.00

110.00-120.00

n/a

700-800

n/a

100.00-129.00

110.00-121.00

n/a

116.00-128.00

115.00-125.00

115.00-127.00

115.00-125.00

115.00-120.00

600-700

116.00-142.00

110.00-137.00

118.00-132.00

115.00-132.00

121.00-145.00

120.00-135.00

125.00-138.00

125.00-135.00

120.00-125.00

500-600

128.00-158.00

120.00-151.50

125.00-140.00

125.00-147.00

129.00-143.00

130.00-145.50

130.00-156.00

130.00-145.00

125.00-146.00

400-500

130.00-165.00

120.00-154.00

135.00-164.00

135.00-152.00

140.00-162.00

137.00-153.50

150.00-157.00

140.00-155.00

130.00-155.00

300-400

137.00-165.00

130.00-174.00

n/a

140.00-154.00

150.00-168.00

140.00-155.00

150.00-175.00

150.00-170.00

n/a

No. on offer

300

n/a

110

n/a

259

130

190

D1-D2 Cows

52.00-59.00

n/a

54.00-62.50

56.00-62.00

47.00-52.00

55.00-63.00

50.00-62.00

54.00-59.00

Slaughter Market

D3-D5 Cows

46.00-51.00

n/a

42.00-52.00

45.00-53.00

53.00-56.00

40.00-48.00

48.00-54.00

45.00-50.00

n/a

Age Verified

60.00-68.00

n/a

57.00-64.00

50.00-57.00

n/a

47.00-62.00

Good Bulls

60.00-83.00

60.00-73.25

70.00-75.00

72.00-74.50

70.00-75.75

68.00-73.00

68.00-76.00

70.00-75.00

65.00-77.50

Butcher Steers

n/a

101.00-106.75

n/a

Butcher Heifers

n/a

100.00-105.75

n/a

Feeder Cows

n/a

40.00-70.00

61.00-70.00

n/a

60.00-70.00

n/a

Fleshy Export Cows

n/a

56.00-62.50

n/a

50.00-62.00

Lean Export Cows

n/a

48.00-58.00

n/a

44.00-50.00

Heiferettes? * includes slaughter market

(Note all prices in CDN$ per cwt. These prices also generally represent the top one-third of sales reported by the auction yard)

Protester gets the boot staff / Lowe Farm-area farmer Dean Harder was escorted from the visitor’s gallery in the House of Commons Nov. 25 after he protested plans to remove the Canadian Wheat Board’s monopoly before assembled MPs. Holding signs that read, “Save the Single Desk” and “Lies” Harder charged the Harper government with using lies and half-truths as excuses to kill the CWB. “You are not speaking for us. Taking away the wheat board is not freedom. Freedom is not giving control to multinational companies,” he said, urging the government not to rush the bill into law.

Your Land. Your Livelihood.

Your Legacy.

Register today for an environmental farm plan workshop. Take care of your land and chances are it will take care of you. Protect your operation today and for generations to come by implementing an environmental farm plan.

VOTE!! CLAYTON HARDER 1 For Manitoba Canola Growers Director Ensure your canola checkoff benefits you First!!

An environmental farm plan (EFP) is a voluntary, confidential self-assessment designed to help you identify the environmental assets and risks of your operation. Free workshops Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives (MAFRI) is conducting free EFP workshops. Register for this two, half-day workshop and you’ll be guided through an EFP workbook and learn environmentallyfriendly methods of: • crop and pest management • manure storage and handling

• livestock and pasture management • nutrient management • …and much more

Note: To remain valid, environmental farms plans must be renewed every five years. Check the date of your Statement of Completion to ensure you are still eligible to apply for the Environmental Farm Action Program. Application deadline is February 15, 2012. For workshop locations, dates and times visit your local Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives GO Office, or go to manitoba.ca/agriculture.

EnvrmntlFrmPlningAdMBCoop2011.indd 1

11-11-09 12:49 PM

The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

COUNTRY CROSSROADS SAFETY CONCERNS

CONNECTING RUR A L COMMUNITIES

Operating farm equipment without experience or training “Stressful in every way possible”

Inexperienced operators are a major safety issue on farms By Lorraine Stevenson CO-OPERATOR STAFF / BRANDON

ny job is stressful if it’s unfamiliar and time is short. But when a mistake could cause harm to yourself or others, or cause some very expensive damage, it’s downright scary. Just ask women on farms called out in a pinch to drive the combine or operate other farm equipment they’re unfamiliar with and told little else except “use common sense.” “You’re sort of the person to go to in a crunch... and it is stressful in every possible way,” said Justina Hop, a Tolstoi-area dairy farmer. Being a stand-in farm equipment operator was a hot topic during a farm-safety session at the recent Manitoba Farm Women’s Conference, but it’s not just women who feel the strain. A shortage of experienced farm labourers has resulted in a rise in the number of inexperienced operators of both genders, said safety specialists with farm equipment manufacturers who spoke at the workshop. At its root is a chronic shortage of experienced farm labour, says Al Trotz, regional safety co-ordinator for Miller Equipment in Brandon. Nowadays, every available person is usually needed at peak season and the female farm partner and newer employees with little or no farm background are being pressed into service. “You see it a lot more now,” said Trotz. Both would do fine, given proper training, he said. The just-use-common-sense approach doesn’t make sense because it assumes everyone thinks alike and they don’t, he said. “And what happens if something goes wrong... how do they handle it?” he asked.

Kelly Mathison, who oversees customer safety training for Enns Brothers ag division in Brandon, said he’s heard many tales of people being told “just go do the job and use your head.” “It’s so frustrating, and it’s not safe,” he said. “It’s asking an awful lot of someone who’s not nearly as familiar with the job as you are.” Mathison laid out a few “golden rules” for farm safety during the w o rk s h o p, e m p h a s i z i n g h ow important it is to make training a

“It’s so frustrating, and it’s not safe. It’s asking an awful lot of someone who’s not nearly as familiar with the job as you are.” KELLY MATHISON

Marketing manager, ag division, Enns Brothers

priority — and to set aside time for it when the pressure’s off. “It needs to happen when you’re not in the middle of deadlines,” he said. It’s beneficial to take training off the farm. Enns Brothers holds clinics across Manitoba, including threeday combine clinics in late June, to help new operators familiarize and gain confidence for safely operating all types of farm equipment. The dates of these sessions are posted on its website. The training clinics are open to all, but they have offered one “Ladies’ Night” and participants found that clinic less intimidating and were more comfortable asking questions than on the farm itself.

“It’s a safer environment, so to speak,” Mathison said. Women also said they receive more concise answers at an offfarm clinic, too. Hop said she and her husband decided their two sons and daughter needed training — and it would be better if someone other than themselves provided it. “They take instruction better from someone who is not family,” said Hop, who is also a local chapter representative for Farm Safety 4 Just Kids. “And then we also don’t pass on our bad habits. They’re shown by someone focused on the proper way to do things.” Women who don’t feel comfortable or knowledgeable enough about operating farm equipment should insist on proper training for themselves and anyone else they think would benefit, said Hop. “There’s good material out there,” said Hop. “Probably what’s lacking is asking for the programs. Women need to say, ‘I want a course for me, or my daughter or daughter-in-law.’ Or get five or six together, and be going to a dealership or to MAFRI staff and saying, ‘Could you put this together for us?’” Mathison and Trotz said they hope the women attending the farm-safety session would spread that message. Proper training for farm tasks is a key part of the new farmsafety plan launched this year by the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association. The program, called Canada FarmSafe and available online at www.casa-acsa.ca, allows operators of all types and sizes of farms to create customized safety plans. Presently, just one in six farms in Canada has any sort of safety plan. lorraine@fbcpublishing.com

Canadian farmers want more safety Majority of farmers say safety is a priority, but few have a written plan in place CASA RELEASE / Most of Canada’s farmers see safety as a priority on their farms — and nine out of 10 farmers want to know more about how to make their businesses even safer. According to the second Farm Credit Canada (FCC) Farm Safety Report Card, discussed at the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association’s (CASA) annual conference in Vancouver last month, 34 per cent of Canadian producers want training in the basics of preparing a safety plan for their operations. “Canadian farmers certainly have good intentions for keeping safe on the farm, according to our research,” says Rémi Lemoine, FCC executive vice-president and chief operating officer. “Now what’s needed is concrete action using tools like the ones created by our partners at CASA.” Nearly 1,000 primary producers across Canada from various sectors who are members of the national research FCC Vision Panel participated in the study. “CASA is developing practical tools such as the Canada FarmSafe plan to help farmers improve their safety record,” says Marcel Hacault, executive director of CASA, “We’ve put the basic plan on our website at www.planfarmsafety.ca and we’re working with agricultural suppliers and provincial farm safety groups to put the plan in as many hands as possible. That’s mainly where farmers told FCC they look for safety information. ” The 2011 FCC farm safety snapshot showed there’s been little change in the perceptions and practices around farm safety since 2008. What’s going well? Producers are driven to action once safety directly impacts their family: (91 per cent) of producers regularly take precautions for children, and a third (35 per cent) are interested in taking training on agricultural safety for children. When it comes to the individual, almost nine in 10 (88 per cent) of producers report they would be interested in pursuing training in at least one safety topic. Where can we improve? Although the majority of Canadian producers (85 per cent) believes safety is a priority on their farm, less than one in 10 (nine per cent) currently have a written agricultural safety plan on their farm or ranch. When it comes to accessing information, less than a quarter (24 per cent) of producers report having tried to access resources related to agricultural safety in the past year. Fifty-two per cent say they would go to agricultural suppliers to get more safety information and tools. Why is safety important? Producers explain that safety is a priority on their farms for three key reasons: the potential for financial loss due to accidents (largely through lost productivity), safekeeping of their family members, and the need to keep employees safe. “We will use the suggestions and testimonials in this new survey to help build new national farm safety messaging and create targeted educational tools,” Hacault adds. “Our goal continues to be a Canada where no one is hurt farming.”

Train all those who may be called on to operate farm equipment during off-season, so no one tackles the job, lacking confidence and know-how, during peak season.

To access the executive summary of the report, please visit http://www.fccvision. ca/Research.

The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

COUNTRY CROSSROADS

RecipeSwap

Send your recipes or recipe request to: Manitoba Co-operator Recipe Swap Box 1794, Carman, Man ROG OJO or email: lorraine@fbcpublishing.com

Party

Mozzarella Skillet Spaghetti 2 lbs. extra-lean or lean ground beef 3 cloves garlic, minced 4 c. sliced mushrooms 2 c. chopped onion 2 c. chopped green pepper 1 tbsp. dried Italian seasoning 1/2 tsp. salt 2 28-oz. cans (796 ml) diced tomatoes and juice 2 c. water 1-1/2 lbs. (750 g) broken spaghetti 2 tbsp. balsamic or red wine vinegar 2 c. shredded Canadian mozzarella cheese 1/2 c. grated Canadian Parmesan cheese Chopped fresh basil (optional)

potluck Lorraine Stevenson Crossroads Recipe Swap

ou may love it, but I’m tired already of Christmas glitz. Sorry to sound curmudgeonly, but all those magazine spreads, with their instructions for fancy appetizers, and endless advice for transforming your house into a fantasy tableau to greet guests is wasted on me. Christmas isn’t about all that. Besides, the best parties are those with welcoming (and relaxed!) hosts, where no one gives a hoot about centrepieces or colour-co-ordinated tablecloths and serviettes, and everyone brings a part of the feast with them. Potluck is a simple, and a simply wonderful way to throw a Christmas party. It takes all the pressure off those hosting one, and the dishes always compliment each other. Has anyone been to a potluck where they ran out of food? Most of us waddle home with a couple or three new recipes too. And while I sometimes hear how someone needs to plan ahead, so dinner isn’t a dozen desserts, that’s just never happened at the estimated one million potlucks I’ve enjoyed. Let’s stay focused on what this time of year was intended for — time for others. Here’s a few yummy dishes to take with you this month.

Canada Beef Inc.

Slow Cooker Island Inspired Beef Stew I have made a stove-top version of this stew over the years and it really is inspired. So tasty! Use your slow cooker when you’re busy and want supper ready when you arrive home. This beef stew recipe features undertones of cinnamon and ginger with a hint of heat. For the best in stew beef, buy a whole blade roast or steak or use beef short rib and cut it into stewing cubes. Better yet, get the helpful staff at the meat counter to do the cutting for you.

In a large, wide, deep skillet brown beef over medium-high heat, breaking up beef with a spoon; drain off any fat. Add garlic, mushrooms, onion, green pepper, Italian seasoning and salt. Cook stirring occasionally, for about five minutes or until vegetables have softened. Stir in diced tomatoes, water and broken spaghetti; bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes or until pasta is tender. Stir in balsamic vinegar, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese; stir until cheese is melted. Serve sprinkled with fresh basil (if using). Serve with crusty whole wheat bread and a green salad. Preparation time: 25 minutes. Cooking time: 35 - 40 minutes. Yields: 12 servings. Source: Dairy Farmers of Canada www.dairygoodness.ca

2 tbsp. olive or vegetable oil 2 lbs. stewing beef cubes or beef blade roast or steak trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes 1/4 c. all-purpose flour 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 large onion, cut lengthwise into eighths 1 tsp. finely grated ginger root 1 c. beef broth 1 can (28 oz./796 ml) diced plum tomatoes 2 tbsp. EACH Worcestershire sauce and paprika 1 tsp. dried sage, crushed 1 EACH bay leaf and cinnamon stick 1/2 tsp. EACH chili pepper flakes, salt and pepper 1 coarsely chopped sweet green pepper 1/2 c. raisins 1/2 c. green olives with pimento, halved

Heat oil in Dutch oven or stockpot over mediumhigh heat until sizzling hot. Brown meat in four batches. Set beef aside; sprinkle with flour. dairy farmers of canada

Winter Vegetable Mash with Provolone 4 c. potatoes, peeled and cut into large pieces 1 c. carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces 1 c. cauliflower, cut into large pieces 1/2 c. onion, roughly chopped 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped 2 tbsp. butter 1-1/2 c. Canadian provolone, diced 2 tbsp. parsley, freshly chopped Salt and freshly ground pepper 1/4 c. bread crumbs or cracker crumbs

In a large casserole, boil some salted water. Add vegetables and cook 20 minutes or until tender. Preheat oven to 400 F. Drain and purée vegetables using a potato masher. Add butter, 1/2 cup provolone and parsley. Season to taste. Spread mixture into a 9-inch square or round oven dish. Cover with remaining cheese and the bread crumbs. Bake 10 minutes to melt and brown cheese, then serve. Preparation time: 20 minutes. Cooking time: 30 minutes. Yields: 8 servings. Source: Dairy Farmers of Canada www.dairygoodness.ca

Add garlic, onion and ginger root; cook for three to four minutes or until just softened, adding more oil if necessary. Stir in broth, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan. Add beef, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, sage, bay leaf, cinnamon, pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Bring to simmer. Transfer mixture to a 24-cup slow-cooker insert. Stir in green pepper chunks and raisins. Cook, covered, on low for eight hours, adding the olives in the final hour of cooking. dairy farmers of canada

✷ Stove-top/Oven Cooking: Instead of transferring

into slow cooker, cover and simmer the stew in the Dutch oven on stove-top over low heat or in a 325 F oven for one hour or until fork tender. Add olives and continue to cook for 30 minutes. Recipe source: Canada Beef Inc. www.beefinfo.org

Recipe Swap We’re always glad to get your favourite recipes or hear your suggestions for columns and food preparation ideas. To contact us by mail write to:

Manitoba Co-operator Recipe Swap Box 1794, Carman, Man. ROG OJO Or email: lorraine@fbcpublishing.com

The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

COUNTRY CROSSROADS COLUMN

Questions for Reena You’ve been asking and here’s the answers most of this will go down the drain). Salt may be added before heating the water or once the water has started to boil. However, allow the salt to dissolve before adding the pasta.

Reena Nerbas Household Solutions Dear Reena, I have shrunk my daughter’s Chantilly lace wedding dress. I washed it in cold water, which was fine. Then, I did something so foolish, I can hardly stand it — I put it in the dryer and it shrunk. Is there any way to unshrink it? – Signed, Desperate Dear Desperate, I consulted a seamstress who has been in the business for over 50 years. Her best advice: Fill your bathtub with warm water. Add 1/2 cup hair conditioner. Immerse the dress in the water and let it sit for 20 minutes. Remove the dress from the water and stretch it, being careful not to tear the fabric. Lace does have some give, therefore, depending on how badly it shrunk you may be able to restretch it. If the dress is not too badly shrunk, tell the bride or someone a little larger than the bride to put the dress on and wear it for at least a few hours (this will be quite uncomfortable). The idea is that as the dress dries it will hopefully once again fit. If the dress has shrunk excessively, wrap it in acid-free tissue paper and store in a box. If your daughter ever has a daughter of her own, ask her how she would feel about you hiring a seamstress to sew a christening dress using her wedding dress as fabric. Don’t beat yourself up over this; everyone makes mistakes and life’s too short to worry about them. Your heart was in the right place. Hi Reena, I spilled grease from fast food on my leather (smooth leather, not suede) jacket. What do you recommend to get the stain out? – Ira Ira, Always start with the easiest solution and then move to the trickier solution if needed. Sprinkle the area with one of the following: baby powder, cornstarch or baking soda. If the stain is fresh the powders will absorb the grease, and once you brush the powder away the grease will disappear. If the grease stain is a little older, apply one of the powders with a little water to make a paste. Leave it for 15 or 20 minutes and wipe. You can also wipe the area with dish soap and a bit of water since dish soap is created as a natural grease cutter. Another option is to hold a hot hair dryer onto the area and massage the leather to lighten the spot. Dear Reena, I love to cook pasta and never know when (or if it is necessary) to add salt to the water. Here’s my question – does water boil faster if you add salt? – Jacia Smart question Jacia! I took on this challenge; I put 1 cup of water in one pot and 1 cup of water plus 1 tbsp. of salt in the other. I was amazed at how much faster the salted

Dear Reena, I am sending blouses and T-shirts to a charity organization. They have hung in the closet for a very long time and have gotten yellow, very yellow across the shoulders and even down the centre of the arms. I washed these in cool water with Zero and put in dry unbleachable Javex (I mixed it with water first). Some of the tops cleaned up pretty good but some (I guess) depending on the material did not. I did not dry anything in the dryer. Can you please help me? I am in an apartment and have no outside access to hang clothes. – Thank you, Bev

Olive oil is good for keeping stainless steel appliances shiny.

water came to a boil. Along the same lines, if you take two identical pots and add 1 gallon of pure water to one pot and 1 gallon of 20 per cent salt water to the other and heat the two pots on identical stoves, the pot containing the salt water will come to a boil first. If you look at 100 grams of pure water, it contains 100 grams of water, but 100 grams of 20 per cent salt water only contains 80 grams of water. The other 20 grams is the dissolved salt. The heat capacity of dissolved salt is almost zero when compared to the high heat capacity of water. This means that the heat capacity of a 20 per cent salt solution is 80 per cent that of pure water. Twenty

©THINKSTOCK

per cent salt water will heat up almost 25 per cent faster than pure water and will win the speed race to the boiling point. In terms of best pasta flavour, salt should be added to the water unless you are on a low-sodium diet because it does enhance the overall flavour. Cooking pasta in salted water means that the pasta will absorb some of the salt and therefore not taste bland. This cannot be corrected by salting the pasta later or adding salt to the sauce. That way, all you end up with is bland pasta with a salty exterior. You really should add quite a bit of salt to the water so it tastes like water from the ocean (don’t worry,

Fabulous leftover chocolate tip: Treat yourself to a soothing Chocolate Bath! Clean the tub with baking soda, vinegar and water. In a small pan or bowl, on the stove-top or in a microwave, heat 1/3 cup (75 ml) unsweetened soymilk and 24 Hershey’s Chocolate Kisses; don’t boil. Fill the tub with water and add 1 cup (250 ml) bubble bath and the chocolate mixture. Enjoy! (Taken from Household Solutions 2 with Kitchen Secrets.)

Bev, First of all, good for you for recycling your clothes instead of throwing them in the trash! Depending on the fabric, some of the stains may be permanent. However, the best product on the market that I have found to conquer yellowing fabrics is washing soda. Washing soda is similar to baking soda in that baking soda is sodium bicarbonate and washing soda is sodium carbonate. In other words, washing soda is stronger and not edible, and although it does not contain bleach or phosphates it is caustic and therefore you need to wear gloves when working with washing soda. You can either boil your clothes in a stainless steel pot in water and washing soda to brighten them or add washing soda to your washing machine or simply soak your fabrics in washing soda and warm water for 20-30 minutes. Wash as usual. Be cautious not to mix colours in the washing soda and water solution because one colour will run into another. If all else fails purchase an inexpensive box of RIT dye remover and use it according to the directions on the box. Doing this will extract all colours; the fabrics can either be left or re-dyed. Dear Reena, I have a stainless steel fridge, and am having a hard time keeping it polished. I have tried many products, but haven’t found anything that works (they always leaves streaks). I have tried Windex, hot water and soap, Fantastik, vinegar and water. Can you help me? – Willine Willine, No problem! Just open up your cupboards and take out a bottle of olive oil. Pour some onto a cloth and wipe your stainless steel along the grain. Remove all excess, stand back and smile. Olive oil will not attract dirt, dust and grime because it seeps directly into stainless steel and leaves appliances looking shiny and new. Reena Nerbas is a highly popular professional speaker on the topic “Set Yourself Apart” and author of the national bestselling series, Household Solutions 1 with Substitutions, Household Solutions 2 with Kitchen Secrets and Household Solutions 3 with Green Alternatives. Corporate and Christmas workshops available by calling: 204-320-2757.

The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

COUNTRY CROSSROADS

Do you have a story idea for Country Crossroads? Email: susan@fbcpublishing.com

HANDWASHING —

critical for preventing illness Important in cold and flu season By Julie Garden-Robinson NDSU EXTENSION SERVICE

“Mom, you didn’t wash your hands long enough,” my eight-year-old daughter announced as I stood by the kitchen sink. “You said that we are supposed to wash our hands for 20 seconds, and I was counting. You didn’t wash your hands that long,” she said. In my defence, I was about to load the dishwasher with dirty dishes after dinner, but she didn’t know that. Granted, my hands weren’t clean enough to prepare a salad, but I wasn’t going to debate the issue with my adamant third-grader. “OK, I will wash them again,” I said. As I scrubbed, we counted to 20 fairly slowly. After I loaded the dishwasher, I sang the happy birthday song to myself twice as I washed my hands again. My daughter nodded in approval. I hope she realizes that I will be keeping tabs on her handwashing, too. As we are in the cold and flu season, handwashing is of critical importance. In fact, scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) consider proper handwashing one of the most important ways to help prevent us from getting sick. Try this two-part activity. For part one, you will need a watch or clock with a second hand. You can do the activity at a sink or you can pantomime the steps wherever you are. First, wet your hands and then apply soap. Save water by turning off the faucet. Now rub your hands together and time yourself for 20 seconds. Scrub between your fingers around any rings you are wearing. Because people often miss their fingernails and thumbs, be sure to focus attention on those areas. Keep scrubbing. You might be surprised that 20 sec-

onds may be longer than you might expect. Now you can rinse and dry your hands. Here’s part two of the activity. Before continuing to read, pause and name five or more times when you always should wash your hands. According to health experts, these are some times we always should wash our hands: • After using the restroom • Before, during and after preparing food (any time when you contaminate your hands) • Before eating • After handling garbage • After coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose • After playing with animals • Before putting in contact lenses • After changing a baby’s diaper • After cleaning a litter box or cleaning up after a pet • Before and after caring for someone who is sick • Before and after treating a cut or wound Some people say they are washing their hands, but unfortunately, a sizable number of people skip handwashing while they are in public places. Don’t skip the sink. You might want to carry an alcohol-based hand sanitizer (with at least 60 per cent alcohol) for the times you plan to eat but are not near handwashing facilities. Stay well. Besides regular handwashing, get regular physical activity and enough sleep. Nourish your body with a balanced, varied diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables. Julie Garden-Robinson, PhD, R.D., L.R.D., is a North Dakota State University Extension Service food and nutrition specialist and associate professor in the department of health, nutrition and exercise sciences.

Now that’s hardy

Funeral for a pet Family members — big and small — deserve a decent service

By Alma Barkman FREELANCE CONTRIBUTOR

e’s the tall, artistic type, not especially patient about the menagerie of pets his young family continues to bring home. Over the years there have been kittens and cats, a dog, a goldfish and now a guinea pig. And even though his small girls know their dad is a minister, when it comes to the “Thou shalt not kill” department, they are not too certain about the strength of his convictions, especially as it pertains to guinea pigs. In moments of utter exasperation they have even heard him mutter, “I wish that thing would kick off,” or words to that effect. And then one Sunday morning he realizes, with mixed feelings, that his wish is about to come true. The guinea pig’s vital signs are pointing to the inevitable. It is one of those times where even a preacher cannot hold out much hope. The family returns from church, only to find the guinea pig has succumbed. The girls refuse to be comforted. At long last the great outburst of tears gradually subsides and they decide the only proper thing to do is to give their beloved guinea pig a decent burial. An empty milk carton trimmed with gift wrap seems an appropriate coffin, and the interment ceremony will take place out

under the apple tree. The girls look at Dad with tear-stained cheeks. “Please?” Touched by their grief, he quickly abandons his personal choice of a burial site out beside the garbage cans and moves over toward the apple tree. No matter that this is the best piece of lawn in the whole yard. There are two little girls inside the house who, at this very moment, are probably paying fond and final farewell to a beloved pet, stroking its fur for the last time, sobbing over their loss. It’s enough to make even a seasoned minister cry. He digs the tiny grave, wiping the tears as he works. His task complete, the father slowly walks toward the house, pondering words of comfort for two young mourners. It is not easy to compose a eulogy fit for a guinea pig. He stands at the back door, reluctant to tell them that the time has come. “Girls?” There is no response. He knew it would be hard, harder than he ever imagined. “Are you ready?” The answer comes from the far-off corner of the front room. “Aw gee Dad, can you wait a few minutes? We want to see the end of this TV program.” Alma Barkman writes from Winnipeg

Reader’s Photos

Decorative cabbages defy the season By Albert Parsons FREELANCE CONTRIBUTOR

In mid-November my wife and I visited friends who live on an acreage just north of Steinbach. They are avid gardeners and had grown decorative cabbage in their garden. Although snow had arrived before our visit, the cabbages were still quite colourful and attractive. When our friends had cleaned off the garden in the fall the cabbages were left in place because they were so attractive. The cabbages had developed quite long stems for some reason — they do not usually get so tall —and made for quite a sight, sitting above the snow-covered garden. I’m sure as colder weather arrives the cabbages will deteriorate and become less attractive, but it was quite unusual to have such colourful annual plants in the garden this late in the year.

Many parts of Manitoba got a covering of snow last month.

PHOTO: CINDY MURRAY

We want to hear from you! If you have any stories, ideas, photos or a comment on what you’d like to see on these pages, send it to Country Crossroads, 1666 Dublin Ave., Wpg., Man. R3H 0H1, phone 1-800-782-0794, fax 204-944-5562, email susan@fbcpublishing.com. I’d love to hear from you. Please remember we can no longer return material, articles, poems or pictures. — Sue

Albert Parsons writes from Minnedosa, Manitoba

PHOTO: ALBERT PARSONS

26 1

TheManitoba ManitobaCo-Operator Co-operator || December 2011 The October 6,1, 2011

FARMER'S

MARKETPLACE Call to place your classified ad in the next issue: 1-800-782-0794

Selling?

FAX your classified ads to: 204-954-1422 · Or eMAiL your classified ads to: mbclassifieds@fbcpublishing.com

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Swather Accessories Haying & Harvesting Various COMBineS Belarus Case/IH Cl Caterpillar Lexion Deutz Ford/NH Gleaner John Deere Massey Ferguson Versatile White Combines Various Combine Accessories Hydraulics Irrigation Equipment Loaders & Dozers Parts & Accessories Salvage Potato & Row Crop Equipment Repairs Rockpickers Snowblowers/Plows Silage Equipment Specialty Equipment SpRAyinG Sprayers Spray Various TiLLAGe & SeeDinG Air Drills Air Seeders Harrows & Packers Seeding Various Tillage Equipment Tillage & Seeding Various TRACTORS Agco Allis/Deutz Belarus Case/IH Caterpillar Ford John Deere Kubota Massey Ferguson

New Holland Steiger Universal Versatile White Zetor Tractors 2WD Tractors 4WD Tractors Various Farm Machinery Miscellaneous Farm Machinery Wanted Fencing Firewood Fish Farm Forestry/Logging Fork Lifts/Pallets Fur Farming Generators GPS Health Care Heat & Air Conditioning Hides/Furs/Leathers Hobby & Handicrafts Household Items LAnDSCApinG Greenhouses Lawn & Garden LiVeSTOCK CATTLe Cattle Auctions Angus Black Angus Red Angus Aryshire Belgian Blue Blonde d'Aquitaine Brahman Brangus Braunvieh BueLingo Charolais Dairy Dexter Excellerator Galloway Gelbvieh Guernsey Hereford Highland Holstein Jersey Limousin Lowline Luing Maine-Anjou Miniature Murray Grey Piedmontese

Pinzgauer Red Poll Salers Santa Gertrudis Shaver Beefblend Shorthorn Simmental South Devon Speckle Park Tarentaise Texas Longhorn Wagyu Welsh Black Cattle Composite Cattle Various Cattle Wanted LiVeSTOCK hORSeS Horse Auctions American Saddlebred Appaloosa Arabian Belgian Canadian Clydesdale Draft Donkeys Haflinger Miniature Morgan Mules Norwegian Ford Paint Palomino Percheron Peruvian Pinto Ponies Quarter Horse Shetland Sport Horses Standardbred Tennessee Walker Thoroughbred Warmblood Welsh Horses For Sale Horses Wanted LiVeSTOCK Sheep Sheep Auction Arcott Columbia Dorper Dorset Katahdin Lincoln Suffolk Texel Sheep Sheep For Sale

Sheep Wanted LiVeSTOCK Swine Swine Auction Swine For Sale Swine Wanted LiVeSTOCK poultry Poultry For Sale Poultry Wanted LiVeSTOCK Specialty Alpacas Bison (Buffalo) Deer Elk Goats Llama Rabbits Emu Ostrich Rhea Yaks Specialty Livestock Various Livestock Equipment Livestock Services & Vet Supplies Miscellaneous Articles Miscellaneous Articles Wanted Musical Notices On-Line Services ORGAniC Organic Certified Organic Food Organic Grains Personal Pest Control Pets & Supplies Photography Propane Pumps Radio, TV & Satellite ReAL eSTATe Vacation Property Commercial Buildings Condos Cottages & Lots Houses & Lots Mobile Homes Motels & Hotels Resorts FARMS & RAnCheS British Columbia Alberta Saskatchewan Manitoba Pastures Farms Wanted

Acreages/Hobby Farms Land For Sale Land For Rent

Oilseeds Pulse Crops Common Seed Various

ReCReATiOnAL VehiCLeS All Terrain Vehicles Boats & Water Campers & Trailers Golf Carts Motor Homes Motorcycles Snowmobiles Recycling Refrigeration Restaurant Supplies Sausage Equipment Sawmills Scales

FeeD/GRAin Feed Grain Hay & Straw Hay & Feed Wanted Feed Wanted Grain Wanted Seed Wanted Sewing Machines Sharpening Services Silos Sporting Goods Outfitters Stamps & Coins Swap Tanks Tarpaulins Tenders Tickets Tires Tools

SeeD/FeeD/GRAin pedigreed Cereal Seeds Barley Durum Oats Rye Triticale Wheat Cereals Various peDiGReeD FORAGe SeeDS Alfalfa Annual Forage Clover Forages Various Grass Seeds peDiGReeD OiLSeeDS Canola Flax Oilseeds Various peDiGReeD puLSe CROpS Beans Chickpeas Lentil Peas Pulses Various peDiGReeD SpeCiALTy CROpS Canary Seeds Mustard Potatoes Sunflower Specialty Crops Various COMMOn SeeD Cereal Seeds Forage Seeds Grass Seeds

TRAiLeRS Grain Trailers Livestock Trailers Trailers Miscellaneous Travel Water Pumps Water Treatment Welding Well Drilling Well & Cistern Winches COMMuniTy CALenDAR British Columbia Alberta Saskatchewan Manitoba CAReeRS Career Training Child Care Construction Domestic Services Farm/Ranch Forestry/Log Health Care Help Wanted Management Mining Oil Field Professional Resume Services Sales/Marketing Trades/Tech Truck Drivers Employment Wanted

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Signature: _______________________________________________ Published by Farm Business Communications, 1666 Dublin Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3H 0H1 WINNIPEG OFFICE Manitoba Co-operator 1666 Dublin Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3H 0H1 Toll-Free in Canada 1-800-782-0794 Phone 204-954-1415 in Winnipeg FAX 204-954-1422 Mailing Address: Box 9800, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 3K7

AGREEMENT The publisher reserves the right to refuse any or all advertising for any reason stated or unstated. Advertisers requesting publication of either display or classified advertisements agree that should the advertisement be omitted from the issue ordered for whatever reason, the Manitoba Co-operator shall not be held liable. It is also agreed that in the event of an error appearing in the published advertisement, the Manitoba Co-operator accepts no liability beyond the amount paid for that portion of the advertisement in which the error appears or affects. Claims for adjustment are limited to errors appearing in the first insertion only. While every endeavor will be made to forward box number replies as soon as possible, we accept no liability in respect to loss or damage alleged to a rise through either failure or delay in forwarding such replies, however caused, whether by negligence or otherwise.

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CAUTION The Manitoba Co-operator, while assuming no responsibility for advertisements appearing in its columns, exercises the greatest care in an endeavor to restrict advertising to wholly reliable firms or individuals. However, please do not send money to a Manitoba Co-operator box number. Buyers are advised to request shipment C.O.D. when ordering from an unknown advertiser, thus minimizing the chance of fraud and eliminating the necessity of a refund where the goods have already been sold. At Farm Business Communications we have a firm commitment to protecting your privacy and security as our customer. Farm Business Communications will only collect personal information if it is required for the proper functioning of our business. As part of our commitment to enhance customer service, we may share this personal information with other strategic business partners. For more information regarding our Customer Informa-

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ADVERTISIng RATES & InfoRMATIon REgulAR ClASSIfIED • Minimum charge — $11.25 per week for first 25 words or less and an additional 45 cents per word for every word over 25. Additional bolding 75 cents per word. GST is extra. $2.50 billing charge is added to billed ads only. • Terms: Payment due upon receipt of invoice. • 10% discount for prepaid ads. If phoning in your ad you must pay with VISA or MasterCard to qualify for discount. • Prepayment Bonus: Prepay for 3 weeks & get a bonus of 2 weeks; bonus weeks run consecutively & cannot be used separately from original ad; additions & changes accepted only during first 3 weeks. • Ask about our Priority Placement. • If you wish to have replies sent to a confidential box number, please add $5.00 per week to your total. Count eight words for your address. Example: Ad XXXX, Manitoba Co-operator, Box 9800, Winnipeg, R3C 3K7. • Your complete name and address must be submitted to our office before publication. (This information will be kept confidential and will not appear in the ad unless requested.) DISplAy ClASSIfIED • Advertising copy deviating in any way from the regular classified style will be considered display and charged at the display rate of $29.40 per column inch ($2.25 per agate line). • Minimum charge $31.50 per week + $5.00 for online per week. • Illustrations and logos are allowed with full border. • Spot color: 25% of ad cost, with a minimum charge of $15.00. • Advertising rates are flat with no discount for frequency of insertion or volume of space used. • Telephone orders accepted • Terms: Payment due upon receipt of invoice. • Price quoted does not include GST. All classified ads are non-commissionable.

The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

ANTIQUES

BUILDING & RENOVATIONS

ANTIQUES Antiques For Sale

BUILDING & RENOVATIONS Roofing

1950 AR, RUNS, needs head gasket clutch work, good rubber, $1,100; 102 MH SNO384237 seized, $300; Suzuki motor cycle RV90, good tires, 6.70x10 for parts or restore, $300; 1974 Kawasaki snowmobile, nice shape, $1,100; Old snow cruiser, no motor, offers. Phone (204)242-2452.

WINTER BLOWOUT!!

1953 FARMALL S.M.D W/HYD, not running order, good tin. Offers. Phone (204)436-2271. MULVEY FLEA MARKET, Manitoba’s Largest year-round indoor flea market, weekends 10-5. Collectables, Antiques & More. Lots of great stuff new & old. Fun place to shop. Osborne @ Mulvey Ave. E. Wpg. 204-478-1217. Visa, MasterCard, Interac accepted. Visit us online at www.mulveymarket.ca

WANTED FOR A RESTORATION PROJECT: a 1963-65 cab over Chevrolet truck model 960, running or not. Phone (204)523-4582, after 7:00pm

WANTED WILLYS CJ2A JEEP, in any condition. Call Richard, (204)837-3108.

AUCTION SALES

AUCTION DISTRICTS Parkland – North of Hwy 1; west of PR 242, following the west shore of Lake Manitoba and east shore of Lake Winnipegosis. Westman – South of Hwy 1; west of PR 242. Interlake – North of Hwy 1; east of PR 242, following the west shore of Lake Manitoba and east shore of Lake Winnipegosis. Red River – South ofHwy 1; east of PR 242.

The Pas

Birch River

Swan River Durban

Winnipegosis

Roblin

Dauphin

Grandview

Ashern

Gilbert Plains

Parkland

Birtle

Riverton Eriksdale

McCreary

Melita

Neepawa

Brandon

Carberry

Elm Creek

Treherne

Killarney

Pilot Mound

Sanford

Ste. Anne

Carman

Mariapolis

Crystal City

Lac du Bonnet

Beausejour

Winnipeg

Austin

Souris

Boissevain

Stonewall Selkirk

Portage

Westman

Waskada

Interlake

Langruth Gladstone

Rapid City

Arborg

Lundar

Erickson

Hamiota

Virden

FARM CHEMICAL SEED COMPLAINTS

Multi-coloured millends.........49¢/ft.2

Ask about our blowout colours...65¢/ft.2 BEAT THE PRICE INCREASES CALL NOW

ST. LAZARE, MB. 1-800-510-3303

STEEL BUILDINGS: Reduced Factory Inventory 30x36 - Reg $15,850, Now $12,600; 36x58 - Reg $21,900, Now $18,800. Source# 1K8 1-866-609-4321

We also specialize in: Crop Insurance appeals; Chemical drift; Residual herbicide; Custom operator issues; Equipment malfunction; Yield comparisons, Plus Private Investigations of any nature. With our assistance the majority of our clients have received compensation previously denied. Back-Track Investigations investigates, documents your loss and assists in settling your claim. Licensed Agrologist on Staff. For more information Please call 1-866-882-4779

CONTRACTING

FARM MACHINERY Fertilizer Equipment

FARM MACHINERY Grain Augers WESTFIELD J208-41 GRAIN AUGER, Kohler engine w/electric start and Wheatheart auger mover, $4250. Phone Henry (204)736-2654.

FARM MACHINERY Grain Bins BIG BINS & FLOORS at old prices, 20,000-56,000bu. bins holding prices until spring. NEW MOISTURE CABLES! Call Wall Grain for details (204)269-7616 or (306)244-1144 or (403)393-2662.

NEW GSI GRAIN DRYERS FOR SALE. Canola screens, propane/NG, single or 3-phase. Efficient, reliable, and easy to operate. Significant early order discount pricing now in effect. Call for more information. 204-998-9915 www.vzgrain.com

CAT D6M DOZER, 6-WAY blade, cab, winch. Phone: (204)759-2513. CATERPILLAR D3B BULLDOZER LGP, 6-way blade, 90% under carriage, rear hyd remote, excellent condition. Phone (204)378-5574.

St. Pierre

242

Morris Winkler Morden

Altona

Steinbach

Red River

AUCTION SALES Manitoba Auctions – Interlake MCSHERRY AUCTION SITE Estate and Moving Auction Sat., Dec. 10th @ 10:30am Stonewall, MB #12 Patterson Drive. AUCTION NOTE: As Always TOO MANY Items to List! Yard & Rec; Antique Furniture; Antiques; Antique Glassware; Adv & Collectibles; Household. STUART MCSHERRY (204)467-1858 or (204)886-7027 www.mcsherryauction.com

AUCTION SALES Manitoba Auctions – Red River

Now Booking Spring 2012 Farm Equipment & Other Auctions Manitoba Auction Company ready to serve you, no matter how large or small. Call us today for a no obligation. Visit Bill Klassen Auctioneers www.billklassen.com or call 204-325-4433 cell 6230

AUTO & TRANSPORT AUTO & TRANSPORT Trucks 1975 C65 GMC, 366 engine, 5+2 trans, 9000lb front axle, 18,500lb rear, 16ft box & hoist, roll tarp, $5000. Phone: (204)745-2784 1991 F-250 3/4 TON extended cab XLT Lariat, 2WD, 460 engine, automatic, receiver hitch, very well maintained & looked after inside & out, original tailgate. Phone: (204)773-3252. 2005 FORD F-150 LARIET, extended cab, 4x4, fully loaded w/heated black leather interior, PW, PM, PS, cruise, tilt, chrome side steps, 2-tone dark green & gold, saftied, ready to go, $12,000 OBO. Phone: (204)347-5114 or (204)746-5485, St. Malo

AUTO & TRANSPORT Vehicles Various OVER 200 VEHICLES LOTS OF DIESELS www.thoens.com Chrysler Dodge (800)667-4414 Wynyard, Sk.

Toll-Free 1-800-881-7727 Fax (204) 326-5878 Web site: farmparts.ca E-mail: roy@farmparts.ca FARM MACHINERY Salvage

FARM MACHINERY Grain Elevators

GOODS USED TRACTOR PARTS: (204)564-2528 or 1-877-564-8734, Roblin, MB.

80-FT. BUCKET ELEVATING LEG w/3 phase 10-HP electric motor. Phone (204)886-3304.

AUCTION SALES U.S. Auctions

FARM MACHINERY Haying & Harvesting – Swathers

FARM MACHINERY Specialty Equipment

FARM MACHINERY Haying & Harvesting – Various

Rebuilt Concaves

Rebuild combine table augers Rebuild hydraulic cylinders Roller mills regrooved MFWD housings rebuilt Steel and aluminum welding Machine Shop Service Line boreing and welding

Penno’s Machining & Mfg. Ltd. Eden, MB 204-966-3221 Fax: 204-966-3248

Check out A & I online parts store www.pennosmachining.com

Combines FARM MACHINERY Combine – John Deere 2011 JD 9770 COMBINE, Premier cab, 615 PU, small grains concave, Contour Master, 22.5-ft. auger, duals, 55 engine hrs, like new. Phone (204)467-2109, after 8:00pm 2 JD 9870 COMBINES, loaded, GS 3 auto track, 26ft auger; 2010 900hrs, 615P header, $255,000; 2011 450hrs, PW7 header, $315,000; (403)818-2816

Combine ACCessories FARM MACHINERY Combine – Accessories 36FT MACDON DRAPER HEADER, pu reel, $7500; NH adapter $1500. Brian (204)685-2896 or (204)856-6119, MacGregor.

FARM MACHINERY Loaders & Dozers FOR SALE: 707 LEON loader w/bucket & hoses, good condition, $3,000 OBO. Phone (204)648-7136.

FARM MACHINERY Parts & Accessories

Harvest Salvage Co. Ltd. 1-866-729-9876 5150 Richmond Ave. East BRANDON, MB. www.harvestsalvage.ca New, Used & Re-man. Parts

Tractors Combines Swathers

POTATO EQUIPMENT SPECIALISTS seed cutters, treaters, live bottom truck boxes, trailers, pilers, conveyors, clodhoppers & much more. Visit our website at www.gallantsales.com Call Dave 204-254-8126.

Tillage & Seeding FARM MACHINERY Tillage & Seeding – Air Drills 57FT FLEXICOIL, 7-IN. SPACING, liquid kit, new hoses & manifolds, 1720 TBH tank, $36,500. Phone: (204)655-3447

FARM MACHINERY Tillage & Seeding – Air Seeders JD 787 W/730 DOUBLE disc drill, 44ft, $20,000; Flexicoil 2320 w/400 seeder, 50ft, Trelleborgs on cart $20,000; 2320 TBH or 787 TBT cart $13,500; Case-IH 2300 Concord TBH cart, $7500; 41ft JD 1060 double disc w/1610 flexicoil $9500; Stainless steel manifolds for JD 777, 787, FC 1610, 1720, 2320 $ Call. Brian (204)685-2896 or (204)856-6119, MacGregor.

FARM MACHINERY Tillage & Seeding – Seeding FOR SALE: 42FT 7200 cASE ih HOE DRILLS, rubber packers, Eagle Beak openers, hydraulic markers, good condition, always shedded, can be viewed at any time. Phone: (204)773-3252

TracTors FARM MACHINERY Tractors – Case/IH FOR SALE: 1066 IH tractor, w/after market 3-PTH, used all last winter & always started good, asking $6,500. Phone (204)435-2431.

FARM MACHINERY Tractors – John Deere 2008 JD 5225 TRACTOR c/w 542 JD loader, 196-hrs, mint condition, used around yd only. Retired. Call Al (204)422-6457 or e-mail abcoates@mts.net, Ste Anne, MB. 2009 JD 8130 FWA, 3pth, 60/gal per min. hyds. duals, front fenders, GS2 auto track, 1150/hrs, $135,000. (403)818-2816 38 FRONT WEIGHTS FOR 30, 40, 50 series; 4650 MFWD, 3-pt, 15-spd; 4455 MFWD, 3-pt, 15-spd w/wo FEL; 4450 MFWD, 3-pt, 15-spd, w/wo FEL; (2) 4250 MFWD, 3-pt, 15-spd; 4055 MFWD, 3-pt, 15-spd, w/wo FEL; 6300 MFWD, 3-pt, quad w/640 FEL; 2950 MFWD, 3-pt, w/260 s/l FEL; 4450 quad, 5800-hrs; 4250 3-pt, 15-spd, 3 hyd’s, fact duals; 4640 3pt, 3 hyd’s; (2) 4440 quads, 3 hyd’s, 3-pts; 4020, 3-pt, synchro, new paint & tires; 1830, 3-pt. We also have loaders, buckets, grapples to fit JD tractors. BEN PETERS JD TRACTORS LTD. (204)828-3628 shop, (204)750-2459 cell. Roseisle, MB

FARM MACHINERY Tractors – Versatile

FYFE PARTS

1985 836 VERS 4WD, 5,500-hrs, 4 hyd, PTO, PWR shift, 18.4x38 tires 90%, outback autosteer, VGC, $35,000 OBO. (204)745-6228

“For All Your Farm Parts”

STEVE’S TRACTOR REBUILDER specializing in JD tractors in need of repair or burnt, or will buy for parts. JD parts available. Phone: 204-466-2927 or cell: 204-871-5170, Austin.

1-800-667-9871 • Regina 1-800-667-3095 • Saskatoon 1-800-387-2768 • Winnipeg 1-800-222-6594 • Edmonton

The Real Used FaRm PaRTs sUPeRsToRe Over 2700 Units for Salvage • TRACTORS • COMBINES • SWATHERS • DISCERS Call Joe, leN oR daRWIN (306) 946-2222 monday-Friday - 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

WATROUS SALVAGE

Classifieds

STEINBACH, MB. Ph. 326-2443

FOR SALE: 1981 KOMATSU D53A dozer w/angle blade, winch, canopy, wide pads 34-in., asking $20,000. Phone (204)239-6690.

www.fyfeparts.com

A g r e a t way to B u y a n d S e ll wi t ho u t t he e f f o r t.

Large Inventory of new and remanufactured parts

NEW MC DRYERS IN STOCK w/canola screens 300-2,000 BPH units. Why buy used, when you get new fuel efficient & better quality & control w/MC. Call Wall Grain for details (204)269-7616 or (306)244-1144 or (403)393-2662.

SUPER CARBIDE PRODUCTS AT VW Mfg. Many products in stock! VW Mfg, Dunmore, AB, See our website: www.vwmfg.com or call (403)528-3350.

10X22 OFFICE BUILDING on skids, fully insulated wired & 2 electric heaters, laminate flooring, 2x6 roof & floor, 2x4 walls, two 36x36-in sliders, outswing door. (306)524-4636, (306)528-7588

NEW & USED TRACTOR PARTS NEW COMBINE PARTS

FARM MACHINERY FOR PARTS: COMBINES: IHC 1682, 1482, 1480, 1460, 915, 914, 715, 403, 402, 150, MF 860, 760, 850, 751, 750, 550, 510, 410, 405, JD 7720, 7701, 7700, 6601, 6600, 630, 96, 65, WHITE: 8900, 8800, 8600, 8650, 7800, 5542, 545, 542, 431, NH TR95, TR85, TR70, 1500, 990, 980, Coop 9600, 960 Gleaner L2, N6, N5 F, C2, Vers 2000, 42 Case 1600, 1060 Ford 642 Belarus 1500 Don; Swathers: Vers 4400, 400, 330, 103, 10 IHC 4000, 230, 210, 175, 201, 75 Coop 550, 500, 601, MF 655, 36, 35 JD 800, 290 NH 1090 White 6200 Cockshutt 503. We also have parts for tractors, square & round balers, press drills, cultivators, sprayers, haybines, & misc machinery. We handle new & rebuilt parts for tractors & combines. MURPHY SALVAGE (204)858-2727 or toll free 1-877-858-2728.

FARM MACHINERY Grain Dryers

CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT

FARM MACHINERY Parts & Accessories

FERTILIZER SPREADERS 4T, $1,000; 4T Willmar stainless, $2,500; 5T, $4,000; 6T, $4,500; 8T, $8,000; 7T Tyler, $4,000; 16T Tender, $5,900; 8T Tender, $3,000; (204)857-8403.

CONTRACTING Custom Work

BUILDINGS

AFAB INDUSTRIES IS YOUR SUPERIOR post frame building company. For estimates and information call 1-888-816-AFAB(2322). Website: www.postframebuilding.com

FARM MACHINERY

Gimli

Shoal Lake

Minnedosa

Reston

BUSINESS SERVICES

722 CO-OP IMPLEMENTS 26FT SP swather, $9000; 2 CIH PT swathers: 8220 25ft, $7250 & 750 50ft, $3750. Phone: (204)655-3447

Fisher Branch

Ste. Rose du Lac Russell

STAINLESS STEEL BULK TANK, 1,000-gal. 2-in. drain opening, 2 compressors & automatic wash, $4,000. Phone (204)748-2166, Virden, MB.

B-Gr. coloured......................70¢/ft.2

AUCTION SALES U.S. Auctions

Minitonas

CONCRETE FLATWORK: Specializing in place & finish of concrete floors. Can accommodate any floor design. References available. Alexander, MB. 204-752-2069.

BUSINESS SERVICES Crop Consulting

BUILDING & RENOVATIONS Building Supplies

ANTIQUES Antiques Wanted

DAIRY EQUIPMENT

75 truckloads 29 gauge full hard 100,000PSI high tensile roofing & siding. 16 colours to choose from.

FOUILLARD STEEL SUPPLIES LTD.

ANTIQUES Antique Vehicles

BUILDINGS

WaTRoUs, sK. Fax: 306-946-2444

FARM MACHINERY Tractors – 2 Wheel Drive

FARM MACHINERY Tractors – 4 Wheel Drive 1976 8630 PTO, 3 hyds, 20.8R38 tires, 7,955-hrs, $21,900 OBO. Call Brian (204)269-3158 or (204)981-6480.

FARM MACHINERY Tractors – Various YANMAR & MITSUBISHI COMPACT tractors, 28hp, 4x4’s, 3-pth, PTO, w/wo loaders, snowblowers & all attachments, 60-hrs average, 1/2 price of new! Great for Winter! Randeen Enterprises Ltd (204)729-5162, Brandon.

The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

FARM MACHINERY Tractors – Various

Big Tractor Parts, Inc. Geared For The Future

STEIGER TRACTOR SPECIALIST

RED OR GREEN 1. 10-25% savings on new replacement parts for your Steiger drive train. 2. We rebuild axles, transmissions and dropboxes with ONE YEAR WARRANTY. 3. 50% savings on used parts.

1-800-982-1769 www.bigtractorparts.com

FARM MACHINERY Machinery Miscellaneous 1982 GMC TANDEM TRUCK w/19ft grain box; 1550 Cockshutt tractor w/loader; Airplane tractor/6AT; NH TR 85 combine; 24ft Sodbuster 24in. shovels. All items in good condition. Phone: (204)444-3760. 272 WHITE TANDEM DISC, 32ft w/Valmar attachment; 16ft discer model 310 w/tines $700; 7x41 Westfield auger w/gas engine $300; End gate Westfield auger $100; 3pt model 620 mower $600; 20ft tote tank, tall augers, can fill air tanks, $3500. Phone: (204)436-2364, leave message. 36-FT. KELLO/BILT TANDEM DISC; 57-ft. Burgault 8800 cultivator; 10-ft.x51-ft. Buhler grain auger c/w mover; 41-ft. Wilson grain trailer, as new. Contact (204)665-2360. 7X41 WESTFIELD AUGER W/16HP engine; 741 Allied auger, no engine; 67ft Herman tine harrows in good condition. Phone: (204)745-2784. AGCHEM 854, FARMER OWNED, new tires, 2500hrs $75,000; JD 8300 MFWD, 5300-hrs $79,500; JD 630F & 2 635F’s BRENT 1082 $38,500; NEW Parker 739 $26,900. Please visit us at www.genag.com or call Shelton (701)330-7401 AG-CON 300 HAY RECONDITIONER, like new condition, offers; 499 NH haybine, excellent condition, $7000. Phone: (204)383-5346 or cell (204)793-7396. AUTO RESET PLOWS MELROE 8-18, $3,500; 8-16, $3,000; 7-16, $2,500; JD 5-18, $2,500; Semimount 5-18, $1,500; IH 5-18, $950; JD 3-PTH 3F, $850; Gyromowers woods 20-ft., $7,500; JD 1518, $8,500; JD 6-ft. PT $2,900; 3-PTH JD, $1,000; Woods 6-ft. Ditchbank, $2,000; Bushog 9-ft. disc mower, $2,000; Flexheads Case IH 30-ft., $8,500; 30-ft. w/air reel, $9,500; 25-ft., $6,000; Brandt 4000 Grainvac, $7,000; JD 3970 Harvester, $7,900; NH 890, $2,500; several corn heads. (204)857-8403. DISCS WISHEK 14FT $16,000; Kewannee breaking disc $20,000; IH #770 16ft $8000; DMI 7 shank ripper $10,900; Sunflower 14ft ripper $12,000; New 400-bu gravity wagon $6700; 600-bu $12,000; New 13ft wagon $3000; Large selection used gravity wagons $2000 up; Used grain carts 450-1050bu; 4000lb creep feeder $1200; 150-bu feeder cart $750; Harsh 350 mixer wagon $6000; Mohrlang 420 mixer w/truck $6000. (204)857-8403 HUSKY MANURE PUMP 13-FT, bought new 5 years ago, used for 3. $5000 OBO; 5000-Gal W.I.C. manure wagon, $5000 OBO. Phone:(204)482-5368. IH 550 MANURE SPREADER, 540 PTO, single axle, $1,000 OBO. Phone (204)866-2844. JD 654A ALL CROP Head, 6R36; JD 7100 3pth planter, 8R36; JD 777 air cart; Melroe 115 Spra-Coupe; Flexicoil P30 Packers, 28ft. Call (204)745-0415 or (204)828-3267, Graysville KWIK KLEEN GRAIN SCREENER, 5 tube $4000; 7 tube $6500; Hutchinson #1500 $1750; Hutchinson #3000 $5000; Hicap 5-48 $2500; 10ft land leveller $2150; Lowe hydraulic post auger $2250; Danuser post auger $575; 8ft Lorenz snowblower $1700; Schweiss 8ft $1000; Gehl #6625 Skidsteer $13,900; New Holland #455 $6500; 10in. skidsteer tracks $750; New grapple bucket 66in. $1600; JD tractor cab $600. (204)857-8403 SCRAPERS FOR SALE!!! Cat, Laplante, Allis, Letourneau, converted to hyd., can direct mount. Will also do custom conversion. Looking for cable scrapers. Phone Borderview Enterprises toll free 1-866-602-4093.

FARM MACHINERY Machinery Wanted WANTED: GOOD HD LOADER for JD 4055. Phone (204)376-2604, Arborg.

HEAT & AIR CONDITIONING

The Icynene Insulation System® • Sprayed foam insulation • Ideal for shops, barns or homes • Healthier, Quieter, More Energy Efficient®

www.penta.ca

1-800-587-4711

FARM MACHINERY Machinery Miscellaneous

IRON & STEEL 2 1/8, 2 3/8, 2 7/8, 3 1/2-in oilfield pipe; 3/4, 7/8, 1in sucker rod; 4.5, 5.5, 7-in., 8 5/8, 9 5/8s casing pipe. (204)252-3413, (204)871-0956. FREE STANDING CORRAL PANELS, Feeders & Alley ways, 30ft or order to size. Oil Field Pipe: 1 7/8, 2 3/8, 2 7/8, 3 1/2. Sucker Rod: 3/4, 7/8, 1. Casing Pipes: 4-9inch. Sold by the piece or semi load lots. For special pricing call Art (204)685-2628 or cell (204)856-3440.

LANDSCAPING Lawn & Garden 2005 KUBOTA BX2230 FRONT wheel drive tractor w/block heater, 60in. Kubota mid-mount mower, front mount snow blower w/hydraulic chute & 60in. front blade w/hydraulic angle & skid shoes, low hours, $13,900. Phone: (204)768-0212 or (204)771-4104.

BRED COW SALE DECEMBER 5th 11AM SMALL HERD DISPERSAL: 27 Angus x cows, 13 Red/Tan 1st calf heifers, Bred Blk Ang. Calving Mar 1st. 30 Fancy Simm/Ang X Young cows Bred Char. Top End Hand Picked. Calving Mar 1st For more information call: Winnipeg Livestock Sales

204-694-8328 www.winnipeglivestocksales.com Licence #1390

Bred Cow Sale

GRUNTHAL LIVESTOCK AUCTION MART. LTD. GRUNTHAL, MB. Agent for T.E.A.M. Marketing Saturday, Dec. 3rd Bred cow & heifer sale - 10am Monday, Dec 12th - Sheep & Goat sale with small animals - 12Noon Saturday, Dec 17th Bred Cow & Heifer Sale - 10am Tuesday, Dec 20th Last cattle sale for 2011 Sales to resume Monday, January 9th SEASON GREETINGS FROM THE STAFF & MANAGEMENT AT GRUNTHAL LIVESTOCK AUCTION MART For on farm appraisal of livestock or for marketing information please call Harold Unrau (Manager) Cell 871 0250 Auction Mart (204) 434-6519 MB. Livestock Dealer #1111

Every Friday 8AM Receiving open until 11PM Thursdays Presale Sundays SPECIAL BUTCHER/FEEDER/BRED COW SALE Monday, Dec 5th 11AM Herd Dispersal 27 Angus x cows, 13 Red/Tan 1st calf heifers, Bred Blk Ang. Calving Mar 1st And 30 Fancy Simm/Ang X Young cows bred Char. Top End, hand picked Calving Mar 1st

REMEMBER, IT’S A SHORT HAUL TO THE KILLARNEY AUCTION MART, WHERE BUYER SUPPORT IS EXCELLENT, AND CUSTOMER SERVICE IS #1!!!

FULL HERD DISPERSAL BIG ISLAND CATTLE CO.

Friday, Dec. 9th at 11:00am

For complete information call

---------------------------------------

Complete herd dispersal for Alaview Farms Ltd of Bagot MB 57 mostly Black Angus cows bred Black Angus 45 spring calvers 5 fall calving pairs 5 Black Angus bred heifers Bull exposed April 10th Plus 1 4yr old PB Black Angus Bull

---------------------------------------

--------------------------------------PLUS OTHER CONSIGNMENTS! For more information call: The mart (204)385-2537 Dave Nickel (204)637-3393 Gerald McGowan (204)385-2043 License #1108

RIOCANADA

1.888.762.3299

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Gelbvieh

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Hereford PUREBRED POLLED HEREFORD HEIFERS, bred to calve in April 2012. Also young bred cows for sale. Catt Brothers (204)723-2831, Austin.

204.447.2266

or pictures & videos go online at

www.srauctionmart.com Licence #1171

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Angus 15 EXCELLENT QUALITY BLACK ANGUS bred heifers sired by Mar-Mac herd bull, bred to Red Angus after May 20th. Asking $1250. Phone: (204)523-7191 or (204)534-7401. 35 BLACK ANGUS/ANGUS X BRED COWS, bred to registered Fleckvieh bull. Start calving Feb. 1st, Avg 4 yrs old, $1350 each. Call (204)232-1620, Anola. BRED BLACK & RED Angus heifers, due to start calving April. Phone: (204)548-2883.

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Black Angus PB REG 1.5 Y/O Black Angus bull (BW+2.1, WW+55, YW+106, M+30) proven breeder, AI sired by Sitz Upward 307R (Genex), $2,300 FIRM. (204)268-4478, Beausejour. Top Producing Black & Red Angus breeders present the Keystone Klassic Red & Black Sale Sat., Dec. 3, 1:00pm at the Keystone Centre, Brandon, MB. Featuring fancy heifer calves & an elite selection of bred females. For a catalogue or more info contact T Bar C Cattle Co. Ltd (PL #116061) at (306)933-4200. View the catalogue online at www.BuyAgro.com

FOR SALE: 20 BRED heifers & 20 bred cows, start calving Jan 15th, full vaccination program, papers avail. Diamond T Limousin (204)838-2019, cell (204)851-0809, Kenton.

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Shorthorn 80+ SHORTHORN BRED HEIFERS & young cows sell at Heartland Livestock Services Virden, MB on Dec 2nd, 2001. For more info contact Greg Tough (204)748-3136. FOR SALE- SHORTHORN BULL, 3-yrs old; 1 March bull calf. Phone:(204)895-8191.

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Simmental 11 RED SIMM/ANGUS BRED heifers, each. Stuart (204)762-5805, Lundar.

$1,575

250 SIMMENTAL COWS, 50 fall calvers, 30 replacement heifers, 5 mature bulls. Good quality quiet herd. Phone: (204)732-2158. 33RD ANNUAL KEYSTONE KONNECTION SIMMENTAL SALE Tues., Dec. 6th, Keystone Centre, Brandon. Quality Genetics, Progressive Breeders & Customer Satisfaction! 53 lots, polled, Red, Black & Fleckveih. 17 bred Simmental females w/noted breeding dates. 27 open heifer calves. Get your 4-H project here! 9 Beefy Feckveih bulls that will add pounds to your calf crop. View catalogue at www.marmacfarms.net Contact Keystone Sale Management (204)728-3058. FOR SALE 30 SIMMENTAL cows, calving early, bred to a powerful herd bull battery. Phone Kopp Farms (204)843-2769 or (204)843-3627, Amaranth. SPRING CREEK SIMMENTALS & guest consignors sell 200 Simmental & Simm Angus bred heifers at Heartland Livestock, Virden, MB on Dec 9th at 1:00pm. Brian McCarthy (306)435-7527 or Craig Davidson (204)761-5991.

LIVESTOCK Cattle Various 100 SIMMENTAL X RED ANGUS cows bred Red Simmental, 90% 6 yrs & under, 17 bred heifers included. Will feed to mid January, calving starts March 20th. (204)855-2897. 118 BLACK ANGUS X bred heifers for sale bred to easy calving Black Angus bulls, majority to calve April/May. Full herd health program. Phone: (204)424-5895 or (204)392-3764 12 SIMMENTAL CROSS COWS bred to top polled red Simmental bulls, $1300 each. Also replacement Simmental Heifer Calf packages for sale in December. Phone Boynecrest Stock Farm 204-828-3483 or cell 204-745-7168 (Kelly) 20 BRED HEIFERS BRED Red Angus. 100 Round bales, millet excellent condition, no rain. Call (204)526-2615 or (204)526-0035. 25 BRED COWS FOR SALE Gelbvieh Red Angus cross, due to start calving Apr 1st, bred to Red Angus & Red Gelbvieh bulls. Phone (204)434-9412

SHEEP & GOAT SALE 1st & 3rd Thursday of Every Month Next: Dec 1st Gates Open Mon.-Wed. 8AM-4PM Thurs. 8AM-11PM Friday 8AM-6PM Sat. 8AM-4PM For more information call: 204-694-8328 or Jim Christie 204-771-0753

Stretch your ADVERTISING DOLLAR!

1-800-782-0794

www.winnipeglivestocksales.com Licence #1122

FARM MACHINERY Machinery Miscellaneous

99 PRE-CALVING 99 CALVING 99 PRE-BREEDING 99 FREE9DELIVERY 99 LOWEST9COST-TO-FEED

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Limousin

BRED COW SALE Complete herd dispersal for David & Sylvia Huyber of Langruth MB 80 Sim limo X cows bred Limo to start calving first week of April 25 bred heifers 28 second calvers These cows are age verified

nutrition digestion prevention

11TH ANNUAL PRAIRIE GELBVIEH Alliance Female Sale, Sat., Dec 10th, 2011, 7:00pm at Temple Garden Mineral Spa, Mezzanine Rm, Moose Jaw, SK. Selling breds, opens & herd bulls, view online www.buyagro.com For info call Lee (204)728-3255 or Wayne (306)793-4568.

(Bill, Lyle & Norman Finny) Eddystone 204-448-2006/204-448-2348 300 Simm x Herf Cows bred Black Angus 22 Black x hfrs; 17 Simm x hfrs; 32 Black x 1st calving cows 18 Sim x RA or Sim cows (1st calvers) 90 Sim x Herf cows bred Black (4-5 yr old) 120 Sim x Herf cows (6-8 yr old) • All cows are bred to Black Angus bulls. • All shots are given in February annually. All cows are selling due to flooding on Lake Manitoba

Dispersal of 30 Red Angus bred heifers bred Black Angus Bull exposed June 13th

REGULAR BUTCHER & FEEDER SALES

FOR SALE: SEVEN 2 & 3 yr old Polled PB Charolais heifers, 1 Tan Noblemen daughter. 1 No Doubt daughter. 1 Solomon 2S daughter. All are pasturebred for Mar/ Apr calving to Pleasant Dawn Diamond 376X. 1 cow AI bred to LT BlueGrass 4017P due Feb 17th. Plus Polled Red bull calf, will be 2 on Aug 15th, proven breeder. Sire AI Red Rally 25X. Phone KEH Charolais Keith Hagan (204)748-1024, Virden.

LIVESTOCK Cattle Auctions

GLADSTONE AUCTION MART

Friday, December 9 @ 11AM DISPERSAL for Dwight & Debbie Worley of 115 Polled Hereford, Black Angus & Angus Hereford cross cows plus 14 heifers all bred Black Angus. These are good, quiet cows. 64 Hereford Angus cross young cows bred Black Angus 30 Black Angus Heifers & 2nd calvers bred Black This sale is open. To Consign cows call Whitewood Livestock at 306-735-2822 For more information please call or check our website whitewoodlivestock.com for more information & pictures on this & other upcoming cow sales

KILLARNEY AUCTION MART LTD UPCOMING SALES Regular cattle sales every Monday

For more information or to consign to upcoming sales call 204-523-8477 Or visit the website at killarneyauctionmart.com DEALER LICENCE #1361

LIVESTOCK

M.C. QUANTOCK “Canada’s Cow Sale” selling 850 cows & heifers, Sat., Dec 10th, 2011 at Nilsson Bros., Vermillion, AB 12:00 Noon MST. The entire spring calving herd of PB Angus & Red Angus sell bred to PB Angus, Red Angus & Flechvieh Simmental bulls. The complete crop of bred heifers, both PB & F1 sell in addition to the 2010 Extra age open Angus, Red Angus & F1 heifers. Females pregnancy examined. For more info call Mac 1-800-561-2855; mcquantock@hotmail.com or T Bar C at (306)221-2711 (Ted) (306)220-5006 (Chris). View the catalogue online at www.mcquantock.com

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Charolais

DEC. 3 1:00PM Workman Farms 8th Annual Production Sale BRED COW SALE DEC. 8 11:30AM Holmefield Colony 25 Red Angus Limo x cows bred to RA & Limo bulls. Calving Jan/Feb Dustin Wohlgemuth 50 Black Bred Heifer, bred to easy calving Black Angus Bull. Calving March/April Ray & Arlene Spencer 100 Black, Blue & Red cows. Calving Apr/May

LANDSCAPING

LIVESTOCK Cattle Auctions

FARM MACHINERY Machinery Miscellaneous

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Red Angus PUREBRED RED ANGUS BULL for sale, born March 8, 2007. Phone:(204)248-2070, Rheal Simon. Top Producing Black & Red Angus breeders present the Keystone Klassic Red & Black Sale Sat., Dec. 3, 1:00pm at the Keystone Centre, Brandon, MB. Featuring fancy heifer calves & an elite selection of bred females. For a catalogue or more info contact T Bar C Cattle Co. Ltd (PL #116061) at (306)933-4200. View the catalogue online at www.BuyAgro.com

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Blonde d’Aquitaine

30 BRED COWS, 15 Angus, 15 Char X, $1300 each. Phone: Ed Hunter (204)838-2174 or Email: ehunter@rfnow.com 40+ SIMMENTAL/CHAROLAIS/RED ANGUS X cows & heifers, bred Simmental & Red Angus. To start calving April 1st. Phone: (204)734-3543 46 CHAROLAIS/SIMMENTAL X COWS bred Charolais/Simmental, start calving January 10th. Full herd health program. 30 are under 5 yrs old. Will preg check. Asking $1700 OBO. For more details call or text Andy (204)821-6058 or Janelle (204)821-6043. Email huberdja@mymts.net 5 ANGUS X LIMOUSIN cows & 9 Angus heifers bred Limousin for March on, $1350 each or $1250 for the lot. Phone (204)422-8643, evenings. FOR SALE: 20 HEREFORD Simmental cross cows, mostly 2nd calvers, bred Horned Hereford. Call Wendel Reimer (204)379-2773, St Claude. FOR SALE: 25 MIXED bred heifers, bred to Reg Hereford bull, start calving 1st week of March, $1,500 each. Phone (204)379-2408, St Claude. FOR SALE: 35 BLACK Angus cows due to have 4th or 5th calf Feb/March. Bred Black Angus, vaccinated Ivomec, preg checked. Herd reduction. Phone (204)242-0171. GROUP OF 15 MOSTLY red young cows bred Black Angus, start calving mid March, $1250 each as group. Phone: (204)759-2295 or cell (204)365-7574, Shoal Lake.

PB POLLED QUIET BULLS for sale. Replacement heifers. Phone (204)826-2661.

HERD DISPERSAL 60 CHAROLAIS/ SIMMENTAL cross cows for sale. Bred Charolais start calving Feb 19th, will preg check, quiet herd, asking $1,400 firm. Phone (204)732-2425, evenings.

We’ve got what you’re looking for in the classified section of the Manitoba Co-operator.

RED ANGUS HEREFORD CROSS, $1,500 cow calf pair, 10 pairs. Call between 8:00-10:00pm (204)348-3125, (204)213-0117 or (204)669-4652.

The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

LIVESTOCK Cattle Various

LIVESTOCK Livestock Equipment

REAL ESTATE Farms & Ranches – Manitoba

SIMMENTAL ANGUS X COWS: 90 2nd calvers, 45 cows & 65 1st calvers, start calving Feb. 20th. Phone: (204)372-6945.

10, 24-FT. RANCHERS WELDING free standing panel. Phone (204)825-4465, Crystal City, MB.

1,152 SF HUNTING CABIN, metal roof and exterior, built 2002, 5 bedrooms, 159-acres with a mix of fenced pasture and bush, well, septic field, hydro, near Roblin, MB. Karen Goraluk - Salesperson (204)937-8357/(204)773-6797 NorthStar Insurance & Real Estate www.north-star.ca

W + RANCH HAS complete 1 iron 200 bred cow dispersal for sale Charolais, Simmental & beef booster M4 crosses. 30 bred heifers balance young cows under 8 yrs old, good feet & udders, no culls. Full herd health program. Heifers exposed on May 15th, cows exposed June 1st. Call Stewart Tataryn (204)646-2338 RM of St Laurent, MB.

Safe new

One-Man

corral designs plus 80 Safe new ideas to cut Tub costs & labor - 120 diagrams, OneManCorrals.com Free look! LIVESTOCK Cattle Wanted

TIRED OF THE HIGH COST OF MARKETING YOUR CALVES?? 300-700 LBS. Steers & Heifers Rob: 528-3254, 724-3400 Ben: 721-3400 800-1000 LBS. Steers & Heifers Don: 528-3477, 729-7240

1 COMPLETE SET OF heavy single harness; 2 complete sets of good leather harness; Ivory spread rings; Bells; Scotch tops; Good eaveners & neck yokes; Several good steel eaveners; Old horse machinery. (204)242-2809.

1/2 SECTION OF FARMLAND approx 5-mi South of Darlingford, MB. Owner will carry 1st mortgage. Phone office (204)589-5965 or home (204)338-9021.

3PTH HAYBUSTER BALE SHREDDER, 1000 PTO, good working condition, excellent manouver ability. Phone: (204)773-3252.

159-ACRES ARBORG AREA, approx. 100-acres mature bush, balance pasture, $53,000. Call Mike, Golko’s Realty (204)642-7979.

ALTERNATIVE POWER BY SUNDOG SOLAR, portable/remote solar water pumping for winter/summer. Call for pricing on solar systems, wind generators, aeration, powerflex fencing products. Carl Driedger, (204)5562346 or (204)851-0145, Virden.

160-ACRES NEAR GRANDVIEW, MB. Hayland, mix of aspen and spruce trees, water, pipeline water on property. Karen Goraluk - Salesperson. (204)937-8357/(204)773-6797. NorthStar Insurance & Real Estate www.north-star.ca

BLUE HILLS LIVESTOCK TRAILER 7ft.x22ft. w/new brakes, floor & rims $4500; Jiffy bale shredder w/updated rotor & hammers $7500; Set of used hammers for older style Jiffy bale shredder $150. Phone: Henri Van Mol (204)825-2028, Pilot Mound.

ASESSIPPI SKI’S COTTAGE COVE: 1,500 SF cottage w/full walk-out basement and loft, 2 baths, deck with a beautiful view of the Ski Lodge and Shell River Valley, Ski season is right around the corner! Karen Goraluk Salesperson (204)937-8357/(204)773-6797 NorthStar Insurance & Real Estate www.north-star.ca

CATTLE CHUTE ALLEY & Crowding Tub, VGC, $7000 OBO. Cattle squeeze chute, good condition, $2000 OBO. Phone: (204)268-4218 FOR SALE: 40-BU. GRAIN feeder on 2 whl trailer, hyd unload auger, $700. Phone (204)522-8938 or cell (204)522-5762. HEAVY BUILT CATTLE FEED bunks & troughs 3/8” thick steel, 500-gal capacity, 3.5ft x 16.5ft, good for grain, silage or water. Phone: (204)362-0780, Morden. MCLEOD GRAIN GRINDER W/540 PTO shaft drive, stationary model, $500. Phone (204)467-2083. NEW BIOTHANE DEMOCRAT HARNESS, includes collars, bridles, lines & breeching. Call Wendell (204)379-2773, St Claude. PHASON & NORSOL FAN controllers; Polyfans; Better air inlets; 100 galvanized G-stalls $15 each; 28 galvanized farrowing crates: stainless troughs, double nipple stainless water pipes, PVC dividers, Farrowex across pit supports; 2400-gal Husky vacuum manure wagon w/big pump $3500. Mix & Match. Phone: (204)427-2074

Swine LIVESTOCK Swine Wanted

WANTED: BUTCHER HOGS SOWS AND BOARS FOR EXPORT

P. QUINTAINE & SON LTD. 728-7549 Licence No. 1123

REAL ESTATE REAL ESTATE Mobile Homes

Now CoNtRaCtiNg calves for delivery Sept 1 - Nov. 15

TO BE MOVED: 14x70 mobile home, new windows, floors, plumbing, siding, only $19,900 OBO. Phone: (204)466-3116

Contact: D.J. (Don) MacDonald Livestock Ltd. License #1110

LAKE OF THE PRAIRIES: 1,412 SF bungalow w/full walk-out basement, 4 bdrms, 3 baths, fabulous view, double attached garage, hardwood floors, infloor heat, immediate possession, near Roblin. Karen Goraluk Salesperson (204)937-8357/(204)773-6797. NorthStar Insurance & Real Estate www.north-star.ca

REAL ESTATE Farms & Ranches – Wanted GOOD QUALITY GRAIN & Cattle Farms wanted for Canadian & Overseas Clients. For a confidential meeting to discuss the possible sale of your farm or to talk about what is involved, telephone Gordon Gentles (204)761-0511, www.farmsofcanada.ca or Jim McLachlan (204)724-7753, www.homelifepro.com Home Professional Realty Inc. WANTED: GRAIN & LIVESTOCK farms for both foreign & domestic buyers. Considering selling w/2012 or 2013 possessions, Now is the time to discuss all options. Professional service & confidentiality guaranteed. Call Rick Taylor (204)867-7551, HomeLife Home Professional Realty Inc. www.homelifepro.com

REAL ESTATE Land For Sale

RECREATIONAL VEHICLES Snowmobiles BIGGEST HELMET SALE EVER! “Canada’s Largest Helmet & Shield Selection & More.” For Snowmobiles, Motorcycles, Motocross, ATVs, Scooters & Mopeds. 981 Main St. Wpg (204)582-4130.

For more information call: Winnipeg Livestock Sales

RECYCLING

LIVESTOCK Sheep For Sale 30 SUFFOLK X May born Ewe Lambs, 80-100lbs. Pics of stock on website www.mjmillarranch.com Facebook MJ MILLAR RANCH. Email: mitch@mjmillarranch.com Phone: (204)280-0822 4 TEXEL EWES, 4 Texel ewe lambs, no papers, all sound mouths, udders & feet. Up to date medication & ready for breeding. Lamb killing out percentages over last 3 yrs average 52%. Call Eric (204)444-5022 5 MALE GREAT PYRENEES pups born October 13th, working parents raised with sheep, $250. Phone Blaine (204)567-3720. CLUN FOREST RAMS. Easy lambing, excellent maternal characteristics. Works well on ewe lambs, $300. More info www.oakwoodgrange.ca Martin Penfold (204)722-2036 McAuley/Moosomin area. COMPLETE HERD DISPERSAL, SUFFIX cross ewes, ewe lambs, start lambing April 1; 34 ram lambs and 2 purebred Arcott-Rideau rams. Phone:(204)642-8686 evenings, Gimli.

Quick Attach; Orbit motor driven 7ft.46 bus; 8ft-57 bus. Fold up spout: Scoop up & go. Fill creep feeders, feed troughs. Ph. 204-836-2441 MISCELLANEOUS WANTED

NOTRE DAME USED OIL & FILTER DEPOT

BuyUsed Used Oil Oil ••Buy NOTRE •• Buy Buy Batteries Batteries DAME ••Collect CollectUsed Used Filters Filters • Collect Oil Containers • Collect Oil Containers USED • Antifreeze OIL & Southern,Southern Eastern, and Manitoba Western Western FILTER Manitoba DEPOT Tel: 204-248-2110

• Buy Used Oil • Buy Batteries • Collect Used Filters • Collect Oil Containers

Southern and Western Manitoba Tel: 204-248-2110

SPRUCE TREES WANTED, APPROXIMATELY 150 12” Colorado spruce required for spring planting. Call Richard (204)837-3108.

PEDIGREED SEED

WANTED: SIZE 22 OR 32 two phase type meat grinder. Phone (204)835-2433.

PERSONAL SINGLE? CANDLELIGHT MATCHMAKERS can help you find each other! Everyone deserves a Happy Relationship. Confidential, Photos & Profiles to selected matches. Affordable, local, 4 recent Weddings & an Engagement! Serving MB, SK, NW Ontario. Join Diane at her presentation at Ag Days in Brandon January 17th. Call/Write for info: Box 212, Roland, MB, R0G 1T0, (204)343-2475.

REAL ESTATE Farms & Ranches – B.C. BEEF, DAIRY, HORSES AND Hay! 375 acre ranch on 2 titles, 2 water licenses, 200 head range permit 45 minutes north of Kamloops, BC www.91ranch.com/forsale

Call For Pricing Phone (204)747-2904

Toll Free 1-888-835-6351 Deloraine, Manitoba PEDIGREED SEED Specialty – Potatoes WANT TO BUY 30-40 Tons Norland Red Potatoes. Call (204)638-8415.

SEED / FEED / GRAIN SEED/FEED MISCELLANEOUS Hay & Straw 1000 LARGE ROUND TIMOTHY straw bales, greenlike hay; 300 large round Treefold bales; 1400 medium square Timothy hay bales stored in shed. Phone: (204)372-6937 1ST CUT 750 QUALITY hard core large round bales, no rain, $38 per bale. Phone:(204)664-2019, Poplar Field. 200 ROUND HAY BALES for sale. (204)866-2844, leave message. Anola, MB.

500 5X6 HARDCORE GRASS bales, 2.5-cents/lb. 1250-1300-lbs average weight, no rain; 2nd cut alfalfa grass at 3-cents/lb. Phone:(204)727-5615. 500 BALES OF 2011 mixed hay for sale, weigh between, 1,500-1,700-lbs per bale, 2.5 cents per lb (bill load). Phone Michael Becker (204)348-2464, Whitemouth. 5X6 ROUND HARDCORE ALFALFA/ALFALFA Timothy bales, excellent condition, $0.03/lb, 18% protein. Phone: (204)383-5346 or cell (204)793-7396.

PEDIGREED SEED Cereal – Various

900 5X6 ROUND MILLET straw bales, suitable for feed. Phone: (204)325-1383 or (204)362-4874. ALFALFA MEADOW BROME RED Clover, large round bales, approx 1,400-lbs, feed test avail. Phone (204)725-1006. BROME ALFALFA ROUND BALES, 1st & 2nd cut, no rain, can deliver. Phone: (204)483-2717, Souris. DAIRY, BEEF & HORSE hay in large squares. Phone: (204)526-7139. FIRST & SECOND CUT hardcore round bales of Alfalfa/Grass mix. Feed tested & no rain. Phone: (204)836-2434, Swan Lake. FOR SALE: 190 MILLET bales, asking 2 cents per lb. Call (204)526-0936 or (204)248-2291. FOR SALE: (204)859-2556.

ROUND

HAY

bales.

PETS & SUPPLIES

LIVESTOCK Specialty – Goats

AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD PUPPIES BRED to work livestock. www.mjaussies.com Phone (204)859-2167.

30 FEMALE GOATS, 8-MONTHS old, 15 are Bore, and 15 are Cashmere & Kiko Cross. Your choice, $175 each. Phone:(204)854-2574.

BLUE HEELER PUPS: 2 females 2 males, born August 10th. Both parents working ranch dogs $150 each. Phone: (204)427-3133

Phone

FOR SALE: ROUND HAY & straw bales, will deliver. Phone (204)724-4974. HAY FOR SALE: GREENFEED, Native Hay & 2nd cut Alfalfa, 1,500-lb bales, no rain. Call for price (204)435-2130. LARGE ROUND ALFALFA/BROME BALES. Phone: (204)859-2724 evenings, Rossburn MB. NATIVE HAY 510 ROUND bales, 4x5, various quality, priced between $13 to $18. Phone (204)371-3249, La Broquerie. SMALL SQUARE BALES Horse Hay, wheat straw & flax. Semi-loads welcome. Close to Brandon. Phone (204)728-0664.

SEED/FEED MISCELLANEOUS Hay & Feed Wanted

WANTED: BUCKWHEAT, must be 2011 crop & dry. Will pay top dollar on pickup. Phone: (204)655-3458, Leave message

3000-LB NON-ELECTRIC BALE SCALES, craddle type, skid steer, 3-pt & truck mount. Also various varieties of livestock units. ELIAS SCALES (306)445-2111 www.eliasscales.com

PEDIGREED SEED Oilseed – Canola

FARMING IS ENOUGH OF A GAMBLE...

Book Seed Early

PETS

Specialty

Phone:

71 HARDCORE 2ND CUT Alfalfa round bales in excellent condition, no rain, 1300lb average, $38/bale. Phone: (204)759-2753, Shoal Lake.

RECREATIONAL VEHICLES

Licence #1390

Licensed & Bonded 0% Shrink Farm Pick-Up Available Planting Seed Available

REAL ESTATE Land For Rent WANTING TO RENT CULTIVATED acres for 2012, cash or crop share, long term lease preferred. Phone: (204)327-5324 or cell (204)362-0433

204-694-8328 www.winnipeglivestocksales.com

Old & New Crop Confection & Oil Sunflowers

600 MIXED HAY ROUND bales, $34/bale, open to offers on the lot. 5x6 round bales 1450lbs-1550lbs. Can sell single or package. Phone Richard Zaretski (204)345-0146 or (204)268-5283, Lac Du Bonnet.

REAL ESTATE Motels & Hotels

SUPER TRAIL FEED BUCKET

NOW BUYING

LAND TRADER ADVERTISING means world wide exposure. Sell it yourself, save commissions. One time fee of $189.-that’s all. Visit www.landtrader.ca call Shelley toll free 1-(877)729-4841. Free information brochure available

THE FALL RUN IS HERE Before you sell your cattle off the farm with just one bid, ask us about your options “WE ALSO BUY ALL CLASSES OF CATTLE DIRECT ON FARM”

PEDIGREED SEED Oilseed – Various

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Box 426 Holland, MB. ROG OXO Ph 204.526.2145 e-mail info@zeghersseed.com fax 204.526.2524

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The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

save! Renew early and

SEED/FEED MISCELLANEOUS Feed Wanted

SEED/FEED MISCELLANEOUS Grain Wanted

“Your feed grain broker”

Contact Denis or Ben for pricing ~ 204-325-9555

Brokers of high/low vomi wheat and barley, corn, rye, feed pea canola and soybeans. Farm pickup prices available. Darcy Caners 204-415-3485 dcaners@pvcommodities.com Colin Hoeppner 204-415-3487 choeppner@pvcommodities.com Brian Harland 204-415-7123 bharland@pvcommodities.com Fax 204-415-3489 www.pvcommodities.com

NOW BUYING Confection and Oil Sunflowers, Brown & Yellow Flax and Red & White Millet Licensed & Bonded P.O. Box 1236 129 Manitoba Rd. Winkler, MB. R6W 4B3

Malt Barley

*6-Row* Tradition, Stellar, Celebration *2 Row* AC Metcalfe, Copeland We buy feed barley, feed wheat, oats, soybeans, flax & canola Also buying Nu-Sun® Oil sunflowers

Renew your subscription to the Manitoba Co-operator for 2 years BEFORE we mail your renewal notice, and we'll extend your subscription by 2 additional months. That's 26 months for the price of 24. OR - Renew for one year and receive 13 months for the price of 12!

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HEATED CANOLA

We are buyers of farm grains.

1-877-250-5252

Your expiry date is located on your publication's mailing label.

• Vomi wheat • Vomi barley • Feed wheat • Feed barley • Feed oats • Corn • Screenings • Peas • Light Weight Barley You can deliver or we can arrange for farm pickup. Winnipeg 233-8418 Brandon 728-0231 Grunthal 434-6881 “Ask for grain buyer.”

❑ 1 Year: $49.00* ❑ 2 Years $86.50*

❑ 1 Year: $150.00 (US Funds)

*Taxes included

❑ Money Order

❑ Visa

SEWING MACHINES CUSTOM SEWING AND ALTERNATIONS: Mending, zippers replaced. Service all makes. Household & industrial sewing machines. Call Doug or Anne (204)727-2694 or email mabrolund@hotmail.com

ADVERTISING DOLLAR!

37 4th Ave. NE Carman, MB R0G 0J0 Ph. (204) 745-6444 Email: vscltd@mts.net

1-800-782-0794

Andy Vanderveen · Brett Vanderveen Jesse Vanderveen

A Season to Grow… Only Days to Pay!

Payment Enclosed ❑ Cheque

WANTING TO BUY TRITICALE SEED off the farm or dealer. Phone Brock (316)249-1907 or 1-800-344-2144.

Stretch your

Licensed and Bonded Grain Brokers

U.S. Subscribers

SEED/FEED MISCELLANEOUS Seed Wanted

Vanderveen Commodity Services Ltd.

ATTACH YOUR MAILING LABEL HERE

Canadian Subscribers

1-204-724-6741

BUYING HEATED OR GREEN CANOLA “ON FARM PICK UP”

M SE R: 12345 2010/ 12 PUB Joh n Sm i t h C om p a n y Nam e 123 E x a m pl e St . T ow n , P r ovi nce, PO STA L CO DE

Heated/Spring Threshed Lightweight/Green/Tough, Mixed Grain - Barley, Oats, Rye, Flax, Wheat, Durum, Lentils, Peas, Canola, Chickpeas, Triticale, Sunflowers, Screenings, Organics and By-Products √ ON-FARM PICKUP √ PROMPT PAYMENT √ LICENSED AND BONDED SASKATOON, REGINA, LLOYDMINSTER, LETHBRIDGE, VANCOUVER, MINNEDOSA

2012 Malt Contracts Available Box 238 Letellier, MB. R0G 1C0 Phone 204-737-2000 Toll-Free 1-800-258-7434 Agent: M & J Weber-Arcola, SK. Phone 306-455-2509

SEED/FEED MISCELLANEOUS Grain Wanted

1·800·782·0794

FARMERS, RANCHERS, SEED PROCESSORS BUYING ALL FEED GRAINS

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My Main crops are: No. of acres 10. Lentils ___________ 11. Dry Beans ___________ 12. Hay ___________ 13. Pasture ___________ 14. Summerfallow ___________ 15. Alfalfa ___________ 16. Forage Seed ___________ 17. Mustard ___________ 18. Other (specify) ___________ Livestock Enterpise No. of head 5. Hog farrow-to-finish (# sows) ______ 6. Finished Pigs (sold yearly) _________ 7. Dairy Cows ___________ 8. Other Livestock (specify) __________

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The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

TIRES

CAREERS Professional

4 17-INCH RIMS OFF 2003 Ford F-150. Phone: (204)749-2006 between 8:00-10:00pm.

Aurora Technical Manager Aurora GN Complex

FEDERATION TIRE: 1100X12, 2000X20, used aircraft. Toll free 1-888-452-3850 FOR SALE: 2 FIRESTONE 20.8x34, 50% remaining, $650 each; 2 Goodyear 20.8x34, 30% remaining, $350 each; 2 Firestone 18.4x38 w/tubes 80% remaining, $750 each. (204)648-7136

TRAILERS Grain Trailers 1998 DOEPKER SUPER B’S, air ride, saftied, $23,000. Phone: (204)526-5274. 2010 CASLETON SUPER B trailers, excellent rubber; 2007 Casleton Super B trailers, new rubber. Both excellent condition & no fertilizer. Phone: (204)734-8355.

TRAILERS Livestock Trailers 2011 & 2012 EXISS ALUMINUM LIVESTOCK TRAILERS: Manufacturers rebate $750 direct to you! 20ft & 24ft gooseneck starting at $15,000. 2 Horse bump pull $14,600. Available at SOKAL INDUSTRIES LTD. Phone: (204)334-6596. Email: sokalind@mymts.net

TRAILERS Trailers Miscellaneous BRANDON TRAILER SALES “We Will Have The Best Price On Trailers, It’s That Simple!” “Lets compare quality & price.” “Certainly Worth A Call!” 3 miles West of Victoria Ave on #1A. (204)724-4529, Brandon. Dealer #4383 STOCK TRAILERS GN Titan 7x24 $5500; 7x22 $3500; 6x18 $3500; 6x20 $3000; 6x16 BP $2750. New Decks for 3/4-1ton Trucks 9ft $2350; 11ft $2850; 11ft service body $1200; 48ft Loboy trailer $6500; Double axle dolly $2000. (204)857-8403 TRIAXLE UNDERCARRIAGE FROM 53FT Great Dane van, new 11x22.5 tires on Unifit Bud rims, new brakes & drums, $2500 OBO. Phone: (204)636-2450 WILSON 40FT ALL ALUMINUM grain trailer, VGC, new tarp, fresh safety, good tires. Open to offers. Phone: (204)866-2253 or (204)422-8123.

TRAVEL

Agriculture Tours

Australia & New Zealand – Jan/Feb. 2012 Kenya/Tanzania – January 2012 Costa Rica – February 2012 South America – February 2012 Ukraine/Romania – June 2012 Scotland/England/Wales – June 2012 Tours may be Tax Deductible Select Holidays 1-800-661-4326

WATER PUMPS

Cudmore Bros.

Farm King Snowblowers Sakundiak Augers Farm King Augers 1 - 10x70 $750 Rebate Sale Ends Dec 31 Year end specials on 13x70 Augers, stock only Auger Movers Honda & Kohler Engines Allied Loaders Farm King Grain Vac

CRYSTAL CITY, MB

204-873-2395

www.cudmorebros.com

CAREERS Professional

REPORTS TO: POSITION LOCATION: POSITION AIM:

Auroroa GN General Manager Kipling, SK Canada To implement and manage an efficient breeding and testing program to optimize the rate of genetic improvement within the Aurora GN Complex

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE: • Minimum of High School Diploma, B.S. in Ag related field preferred • Strong organizational and interpersonal skills • Good computer skills • Ability to understand and acquire technical skills • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills • Ambitious and team oriented RESPONSIBILITIES/KEY TASKS: Assisting • Implementation of pure line testing and selection programs in a Genetic Nucleus farm. This involves determination and communication of testing and other targets to relevant production staff and working as a team member to achieve these targets • Supervision of a technical team in the Genetic Nucleus Farm • Responsible for the quality of data collected and entered into the database and for conducting periodic accuracy checks on ultrasound technicians, feet and leg and conformation scores and electronic feed stations • Scheduling and participating as required in routine carcass characterisation work with samples of Genetic Nucleus pigs • Preparing control charts and a written monthly farm report • Selection of animals based on phenotypic and genotypic parameters • Communication with General Manager NOTE: Description may not be all-inclusive If interested please submit resume to: PIC PO Box 177 Kipling, SK S0G 2S0 or via internet to Levern.Larson@genusplc.com

CAREERS Help Wanted

DAIRY FARM WORKER, OAKBANK, MB. General entry level shift work, F/T includes nights & weekends, $12.50/hr, 50 hrs per wk. Send resume to Oakwood Dairy Farms Ltd., Box 180, RR 5, Wpg, MB, R2C 2Z2. oakwooddairy@yahoo.ca

SEASONAL FARM LABORERS SOUGHT for asparagus and potato related duties. Position will be seasonal full time, 40+ hr/week. Wage $10/hr. Period of employment anticipated to be from April 15, 2012 until September 30, 2012. Job description includes cutting seed potatoes and general potato harvesting duties such as picking dirt. Also, work includes cutting, packing & sorting of asparagus. Must be willing to work long hours and do repetitive tasks as well as bending and some heavy lifting. Applicants must be able to work in a variety of conditions in outdoor environment and must be able to work well with others. Please apply in writing to Northern Potato Company Ltd., Box 33, Bagot, MB R0H 0E0

VEGETABLE FARM 10-KM SOUTH of Wpg, hiring for May-Oct 2012, needs own transportation, must work Mon-Sat to plant, hoe & pick vegetables, physically demanding & must be able to lift 50-lbs, $10/hr. Reply to: P.D. Armstrong Co., 1221 Meyer Rd, St Germain, MB R5A 1E8. FARM NEAR LANDMARK HAS Full-time and Parttime milking & stall grooming positions. Wages depend on experience & work performance. $10-$16/hr plus bonuses. To apply call (204)355-4133 & leave a msg or fax resume (204)355-9210 or e-mail rsbraun@nlis.ca HEAVY DUTY AND/OR AGRICULTURAL MECHANIC REQUIRED. Small construction company requires someone with: A strong background in mechanical, electro-hydraulic systems common in today’s construction/agricultural equipment; Experience in welding/fabricating an asset; Own tools/tool box (major tools provided); Minimum 2 years of experience in field; Valid class 5 license; Own transportation – shop is not located near transit route; A good knowledge of Winnipeg streets; Able to work extended hours when needed; Excellent communication skills in English; Reliable & conscientious; Must be able to pass a drug & alcohol test; Able to work independently under minimal supervision & also in a small team environment; Wages DOQ. Please send resumes in Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat PDF to: ritchotent.hr@gmail.com LOOKING FOR FULLTIME OR PARTIME help, working on a purebred cattle operation Must have experience working w/cattle & operating equipment. Phone Edmund or Steven (204)843-2769, (204)843-3627, Amaranth.

CAREERS Truck Drivers WANTING FULLTIME DRIVERS W/CLASS 1 license to haul oil in southwest Manitoba. Oilfield experience and oil tickets an asset. Will be required to work 7 day shifts w/3 or 4 days off in between. $30/hr starting wage for qualified drivers. Call or fax resume to 204-747-2917, leave message.

CAREERS Professional

Manager Site 1 Aurora GN Complex - Site 1 REPORTS TO: POSITION LOCATION: POSITION AIM:

Aurora GN General Manager Kipling, SK Canada To manage and co-ordinate the work of 17 staff. Site 1 consists of Sow Breeding/Gestation/Gilt breeding (2600 + places), Farrowing (504 crates)

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE: • Well developed interpersonal skills • Strong verbal and written communication skills • Good working knowledge of all aspects of swine breeding • Good understanding of reproductive physiology • Thorough understanding of PIC Health Assurance practices • Detail oriented • Basic computer skills • Minimum of High School Diploma, B.S. in Ag related field preferred • Minimum of three years production experience RESPONSIBILITIES/KEY TASKS: Assisting • Training and management of staff • Positive relationship and input with in the Aurora management team • Work within an established operating budget • Establish and maintain work routines and schedules • Co-ordinate pig flows • Monitor and control feed usage • Feed and supply ordering • Inventory reporting and control • Maintenance of herd health and bio-security in co-operation with health assurance • Accurate record-keeping and reporting • Work closely and co-operatively with technical management • Animal welfare • Health and Safety • Maintenance priorities and direction • Regular communication with the General Manager NOTE: Description may not be all-inclusive If interested please submit resume to: PIC PO Box 177 Kipling, SK S0G 2S0 or via internet to Levern.Larson@genusplc.com

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The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

WEATHER VANE

Your smartphone just got smarter. Get the Manitoba Co-operator mobile app and get the latest ag news as it happens. Download the free app at agreader.ca/mbc

W H E N T H E W I N D I S I N T H E E A S T, ‘ T I S N E I T H E R G O O D F O R M A N N O R B E A S T.

Above-average temperatures expected Issued: Monday, November 28, 2011 · Covering: November 30 – December 7, 2011 Daniel Bezte Co-operator contributor

he weather during this forecast period will be dominated by two different systems. To our west we will see strong high pressure in place, while to the north there will be a fairly active storm track that will see several large and deep areas of low pressure move along it. The ridge of high pressure that has been dominating our weather over the last little while is forecasted to rebuild over western North America during the first half of this forecast period. This will place us on the northern edge of the high. Combine this with a fairly large and deep area of low pressure sitting over Hudson Bay, and we’ll see a predominantly northwesterly flow for most of this week. Under this flow we will see temperatures cool down a little bit, with daytime highs on most days in the -5 C range. Overnight lows will depend on cloud cover, but with mostly clear skies expected we’ll prob-

ably see overnight lows in the -15 C range on most nights. Little in the way of precipitation is expected as the western high deflects the storm systems well to our north. There is a small chance of some light snow over the weekend as a trough of low pressure pushes through. For next week the weather models are showing the western ridge of high pressure pushing eastward. This will bring fairly mild temperatures to our region, with highs once again pushing the 0 C mark. With high pressure in control for most of next week, don’t expect to see much if any precipitation. Looking further ahead, the models are finally beginning to show what looks to be more of a winterlike pattern, but that won’t be until almost the middle of December. Usual temperature range for this period: Highs, -14 to 0 C; lows, -25 to -8 C. Daniel Bezte is a teacher by profession with a BA (Hon.) in geography, specializing in climatology, from the U of W. He operates a computerized weather station near Birds Hill Park. Contact him with your questions and comments at daniel@bezte.ca.

WEATHER MAP - WESTERN CANADA

This issue’s weather map is our season’s first snow cover map. It’s created by Environment Canada, but I do a fair bit of cleanup to make it easier to read. The amount of snow cover displayed on the map is approximate, as true amounts can change fairly quickly over a small area and this can make it fairly hard to map accurately. Overall, snow cover across the Prairies is about average for this time of the year in both depth and coverage.

Upper ridging dominates weather By Daniel Bezte CO-OPERATOR CONTRIBUTOR

uring the year one of the most common questions I get asked is how I come up with all of the different topics I discuss. Usually it’s fairly simple and straightforward since our region sees some of the most active weather in the world. I also receive questions about different aspects of the weather and climate that I love to try and answer, so I encourage anyone to email me questions. Every once in a while, though, it does become a little tough to come up with new things to discuss when no new questions have come in, or when our weather has been relatively quiet. This is exactly the case right now. The weather across much of the Prairies has been relatively quiet this past couple of weeks. There have been a few storm systems that have brought snow cover to most regions (check out the snow cover map above), but nothing in these storms has been unusual and our snow cover is pretty much average. The one fairly notewor-

thy weather event across the Prairies this past couple of weeks has been the unusually mild temperatures that most of the Prairies have experienced. With a forecast for bitterly cold weather and tonnes of snow this winter, we have so far seen pretty much the opposite. All of the major centres across the Prairies have seen well-above-average temperatures so far this month, with highs on most days making it above 0 C, and several centres and days seeing high temperatures near or even above 10 C! We did see a short cold snap centred on the 18th of the month, where overnight lows dropped into the -20 C range, but as quick as the cold air moved in, it moved out again. What is causing all of these warm temperatures? Well, believe it or not, the weather pattern responsible appears to be an extension of the weather pattern we saw for much of the summer across the Prairies. Strong areas of high pressure have been continuously redeveloping over the western United States. These highs are not only surface based, but extend well

into the upper atmosphere. This results in plenty of sinking air, which usually means plenty of sunshine and warm temperatures. We have definitely seen the warm temperatures, although sometimes we’ve been lacking in the sunshine department. The reason for this is that the sinking air under the high can trap moisture near the ground. Combine this with the cooler temperatures we naturally see at this time of the year and you will often get plenty of low clouds and/or fog. While this will keep temperatures from really heating up during the day, cloud cover at night during the winter will almost a l w a y s re s u l t i n w a r m e r temperatures.

Driving forces

The two big questions, I guess, are what is causing this particular pattern, and how long is it going to last? Both of these questions are tough ones. The first question, as to what causes this particular pattern, is difficult to answer since there does not appear to be any direct driving force for it. In fact, any of the current long-term driving forces

are still pointing toward colder-than-average conditions. Could it be the low ice cover we have been seeing in the Arctic? Well, new research shows there appears to be a connection between the low ice cover and a northward movement in the position of the jet stream. With a more northerly position of the jet stream it is possible that the usual southern upper high could be allowed to drift farther north than what normally happens. Since the jet stream is the location where most main storm systems will travel, it is not surprising that we have not seen much in the way of significant snow or rainfall so far this winter. The argument or question around all of this is: What is driving what? Is the upper high simply pushing the jet stream farther north, or is the northern movement of the jet stream allowing the high to move north? We don’t really know the answer, and likely won’t — at least not for a number of years. If the pattern starts to show up more and more often, then it’s probably the drop in sea ice driving the change.

The other big question is, how long will this weather continue? My first response is, “Who knows?” If we actually take a look at the mediumrange weather models that forecast out to about Dec. 10, they lean toward an overall continuation of this pattern. We are moving deeper and deeper into winter and the amount of solar energy is continuing to decline. This means that not only are we getting less energy and are continually cooling off, but over the Arctic, cold air is continuing to build. This will mean it will be increasingly difficult to maintain our current mild temperatures and it will also become harder and harder for the southern ridge of high pressure to keep the cold Arctic air at bay. Personally, until I see a definite shift in the weather models to a different pattern, I would say that we should expect warmer- and drierthan-average conditions to last well into December. For those of you who are superstitious, I guess I just blew it, and we’ll probably now see temperatures come crashing down soon.

The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

CROPS

CO-OPERATOR STAFF

resh on the heels of a major upgrade to their laboratory, scientists at Agriculture and AgriFood Canada’s Research Station in Morden are putting a rogue strain of stem rust under the microscope. But forget the Hollywood thriller implications. Multiple layers of security ensure that the destructive pest Ug99 will stay contained, says Tom Fetch, the plant pathologist who heads up the Morden research program. Besides an extensive array of stringent biosecurity protocols, Canada’s inhospitable climate will serve as the ultimate backstop. “We are only doing our work in the winter,” said Fetch, adding that the permit allowing research on Ug99 at the facility runs from Oct. 1 to May 1. Even then, he still keeps the weather outside in mind before cracking open a vial of spores. “I wait until I am confident that there is no green host tissue outside,” said Fetch.

First in Canada

The Morden lab, established in 1989 to study flax rust, is the first in Canada to be certified by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency as a Plant Pest Containment Level 3 (PPC3) facility‚ the highest security rating for plant pathogens. To achieve the higher level, some $250,000 was required on upgrades to the air handling and waste water treatment, as well as the installation of showers and general cleaning and repairs.

“One study found that at near-freezing temperatures, the spores don’t last very long at all. It’s a matter of hours and then they’re dead.” TOM FETCH

Because they deal with plant pathogens only, the researchers will wear hospital scrubs and follow a shower-in, shower-out protocol, not the “space suits‚ seen in Level 4 labs studying zoonotic diseases. By the latest estimates, 78 per cent of Canada’s spring wheat varieties are susceptible to Ug99. Worldwide, the stem rust pathogen has the potential to knock out 80 to 90 per cent of the wheat grown. However, unlike farmers in Uganda, where the highly virulent strain was first discovered, Canadian farmers would be able to limit the damage done by spraying their crops with fungicides, he said. “Fungicides can be used to control it, but we emphasize resistance because that’s the most efficient and environmental way to do it.” Farmers in Canada have been spared large-scale rust outbreaks for decades. The last big stem rust infestation in spring wheat occurred in 1955. A minor epidemic happened in 1986 in winter wheat which is typically more vulnerable.

By Daniel Winters

Spores are airborne

Leaf and stripe rust have also caused problems for crops. Spores for all types of rust are airborne, and are typically brought north from the southern United States after overwintering there via the Puccinia pathway in mid- to late June. AAFC scientists are accelerating their efforts to characterize new sources of resistance and develop new rust-resistant varieties. But this work is confined to growing chambers in the off-season, said Fetch. During the growing season, the spores are kept in a locked freezer at -80. “It can’t go anywhere,” he said. The Ug99 spore samples are transported to the lab by tracked courier shipments in sealed plastic vials that are enclosed in zip-lock bags, which in turn are enclosed in courier envelopes. Also, no samples are sent to the lab until October, well after the growing season ends. Even if an enterprising “bioterrorist‚ intercepted a shipment, odds are they wouldn’t be able to infect Canada’s wheat crop, even if they dumped a package of spores on a field of wheat in June.

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Inside the PPC3 lab at Morden, AAFC‚ Tom Fetch rates wheat plants for their reaction to the pathogen causing Ug99 stem rust. PHOTO: SUBMITTED BY AAFC

That’s because the spores aren’t terribly hardy. Even under ideal conditions in the lab, only half of the spores can be propagated. Ug99 spores can survive under “countertop‚ conditions for 30 to 60 days, depending on heat and humidity. “One study found that at nearfreezing temperatures, the spores don’t last very long at all. It’s a matter of hours and then they’re dead,” said Fetch. According to the latest international surveys, Ug99 is largely confined to continental Africa. However, it has broken out into Iran, and may spread next to wheat-growing areas in Pakistan and India. Support of the project came from AAFC's Animal and Plant Health Research Initiative under

the Growing Forward policy agreement. The renovation was completed in March 2011 and certified this fall. Morden is one of eight AAFC laboratories which received funding from the Modernizing Federal Laboratories Initiative under Canada’s Economic Action Plan. A total of $25.9 million was committed to AAFC for these upgrades. The station is integral to the Cereal Research Centre (CRC) in Winnipeg. As part of AAFC's network of 19 research centres and stations, CRC is a significant asset to southern Manitoba, developing new varieties and production technology for flax, field beans, field peas and sunflowers. daniel.winters@fbcpublishing.com

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The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

Flood applications possible It’s in the bag — a local inventor simplifies grain bag sealing and recycles along the way By Shannon VanRaes CO-OPERATOR STAFF

ike stacks of giant noodles, piles of yellow and orange plastic pipes fill the workspace at Curry Industries in Winnipeg, where they will be ground up and m a d e i n t o Po l y Fa s t e n e r, before finding their way to farms across the province in a variety of products. “Agriculture is the meat and potatoes of our business,” said Mike Curry, whose father Walter Curry invented Poly Fastener — two interlocking plastic components — in 1971. The company patriarch was inspired after seeing ripped plastic on wooden greenhouse frames. “My dad saw this and thought there has to be a better way. So he developed this through the use of some simple things around our house — probably some buckets that belonged to my mother — but he found a way to make it work,” said Curry.

Multi purpose

Si n c e t h a t t i m e, t h e Po l y Fastener device for sealing poly, polyurethane sheeting has been adapted to pond liners, methane capture systems, silage bags and now, grain bags. Curr y began researching a n d d e ve l o p i n g t h e Gra i n Bag Zipper in 2009, talking to farmers about what would work for them. He launched the product in 2010 and plans to release a second stage of the Grain Bag Zipper this year, which will see a few modifications designed to improve the product’s application. “This is something that keeps out moisture, there’s no mould getting in, no rodents,” said Curry, noting the alternate method involves sealing the giant bags with 2x4s. “That would be like sealing your kids’ sandwich bags with Popsicle sticks,” he said. The inventor said farmers

Three generations in the Curry Industries shop in Winnipeg: Mike Curry (l), William Curry and Walter Curry.

“That would be like sealing your kids’ sandwich bags with Popsicle sticks.” MIKE CURRY

he spoke to weren’t interested in sealing the bags with a hand tool that required them to get down on their knees like previous methods using Poly Fastener, so after some trials he came up with a solution. The fastener’s insert strip is guided into the channel by two nylon rollers — called the Bag Zipper — as the farmer pushes the device while walking. Two people can seal up the end of a 20,000-bushel grain bag in about eight minutes, Curry said. “The beauty of it is when you look at the numbers. The 2x4s are cheaper, but they puncture the bag, water can get in and you lose grain that

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Mike Curry of Curry Industries examines a hopper of recycled plastic going into equipment at his Winnipeg shop.

way,” he said. “ This gives you a quality seal and you’re not dragging 2x4s across the field.”

Local product

He also notes the product is made locally with recycled plastic.

Manitoba Hydro provides Curr y Industr ies with the offcuts of plastic pipes used to lay fibre optic cables and natural gas lines, while St. Boniface Hospital provides clear plastic for recycling that goes into products destined for greenhouse use. “This is stuff taken out of the waste stream and diverted away from landfills. And it’s perfect extrusion quality,” noted Curry. Curry recently competed in the Manitoba Environmental Industries Association’s Green Dragon’s Lair, and although he didn’t take home the prize, he did win Best in Show at the 2011 Ag Days Inventors Showcase. And now he is eyeing a new use for the polyurethane bags and Poly Fastener. “Next is storage bags, a smaller version of the large bags that you could fit your couch, or fridge or TV into,” Curry explained. “So if you’re faced with flooding, you can seal up the things you don’t have time to move. It will save a lot of transport time.” He added, because the bags are sealed manually, they can be used even after electricity goes out. shannon.vanraes@fbcpublishing.com

The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

Sunflower growers welcome new fungicide It’s the first product approved in Canada to control head rot in sunflowers By Allan Dawson CO-OPERATOR STAFF

or the first time ever, Manitoba sunflower growers will have a fungicide to control head rot (sclerotinia). Vertisan from DuPont is a Group 7 fungicide also newly registered for use in canola against sclerotinia, ascochyta, grey mould and rust in pulse crops such as chickpeas, field peas and lentils and early blight and rhizoctonia in potatoes. “This is good news for sunflower growers,” Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives oilseed specialist Anastasia Kubinec said in an interview Nov. 24. Controlling head rot, when it’s severe, can save farmers $200 to $300 an acre, she said. Warm, dry weather later in the 2011 growing season helped keep head rot in check. But during the previous three years it decimated sunflowers across the province. A wet spring, plus fears of more head rot combined to see sunflower plantings in Manitoba fall to around 34,000 acres this year versus 160,000 in 2010. In 1980 there were 300,000 acres of sunflowers in the province. “It’s definitely a product far mers will be considering if weather conditions are conducive for head rot in the future,” said Claire Kincaid, an agronomist with the National Su n f l ow e r A s s o c i a t i o n o f Canada. The fungicides Proline and Lance have also been submitted for registration to control head rot in sunflowers. Sunflower growers have their fingers crossed they’ll also be approved soon, Kincaid said. David Kloppenburg, DuPont Canada’s launch manager for insecticides and fungicides, said Vertisan is most effective against head rot when applied twice — first at early flowering, followed by another application 14 days later. A large-scale trial in Alberta resulted in a 40 per cent higher yield where plots were treated once with Vertisan compared to the untreated checks, he said. “That’s over $200 per acre in additional return so there’s definitely a return on investment for fungicides,” Kloppenburg said in an interview. “There’s a huge economic return.” Plots where Vertisan was applied early and then later yielded 3,675 kilograms per hectare versus 2,173 in the untreated plot. The dual-treated plots yielded 69 per cent more than the untreated ones, he said. While Vertisan is a new tool for sunflower growers, DuPont expects the biggest demand to come from canola growers simply because there are more canola acres, Kloppenburg said. Farmers have several options now for controlling sclerotinia in canola, but according to Kloppenburg Vertisan is an improvement. “Vertisan is a next-generation product with penthiopyrad as the active ingredient,” he said. “And we say that it’s just more potent. It’s generally stronger at the site of action and it has improved mobility in the plant and improved post-infection activity as well. It is a competi-

tive market but we have a product that’s going to take it up a notch.” Vertisan is a Group 7 fungicide — the same group as Lance. While the two fungicides share the same mode of action they have different active ingredients. The active in Lance is boscalid. For best results controlling sclerotinia in canola, Vertisan should be applied between 20 and 50 per cent bloom, Kloppenburg said. “For sclerotinia it’s really key that you time the fungicide application properly,” he said. The canola fungicide market is very competitive and Vertisan’s price will reflect that, he said. “It’s brand new and that’s exciting,” Kloppenburg said. “But for DuPont it’s exciting because we haven’t really been in the fungicide market so for us we’re starting a new period for our company.” allan@fbcpublishing.com

DuPont’s David Kloppenburg says newly registered fungicide Vertisan offers improved sclerotinia control in canola, but Manitoba sunflower growers are excited about getting, for the first time, a product that controls head rot. PHOTO: ALLAN DAWSON

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The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

Hemp value chain needs development Hemp fibre could be the manufacturing sector’s solution to future petroleum shortages By Shannon VanRaes CO-OPERATOR STAFF

ong used for rope, fabric and paper, industrial hemp may soon be used in new and unexpected ways. “I’d like to see our houses b u i l t o u t o f h e m p,” s a i d David Seber, owner of Fibre Alternatives in Oregon. The entrepreneur and inventor has been working on a fibreboard made of hemp and resin, which he believes could replace wood-based building materials. “ We’re b u i l d i n g 5 0 - y e a r houses out of a resource that t a k e s 1 0 0 o r 2 0 0 ye a r s t o grow,” Seber told attendees at the recent Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance conference in Winnipeg. “ T h a t’s n o t s u s t a i n a b l e. We should be looking at this (hemp), a material that we can grow in 120 days.” Cre a t i n g b u i l d i n g m a t e rials from the fibrous plant would preserve ecologically important forests and reduce dependence on petroleumbased products, he said. “We have the opportunity to use and utilize this product in a way we haven’t before,” said Joe Hogue of the Composites Innovation Centre, a nonprofit engineering group based in Winnipeg. “With peak oil... we need to find a replacement for petroleum-based products.” The centre is working on composites that can be used as vehicle matting and as alternatives to fibreglass products. Another promising area is using hemp as insulation, he said. Using hemp biocomposites for vehicles is not a new idea. In 1941, Henry Ford constructed a car with a body made of a hemp composite, and fuelled it with ethanol — also made from hemp. But the vehicle was never mass produced. Cur re n t l y, A l b er ta- bas ed Fiber-Werx International Inc. is developing hemp-based door panels for an electric car prototype, and flax biocomposites are being explored for other applications. “Hemp is a major source of fibre on a per-acre basis, and there is potential,” said Hogue, noting the Composites I n n ov a t i o n C e n t re i s t h e world’s largest purchaser of hemp fibre. While potential uses of hemp have not yet translated into a booming industry, the sector has grown considerably since hemp cultivation became legal in 1998. Hogue said the missing link is a well-developed value chain — a view shared by Chris Dzisiak, chairman of Parkland Industrial Hemp Growers.

“The idea is to put more money back into the rural economy, back into the farmer’s pocket. We feel that fibre is what is going to really put jobs back into our rural communities.” CHRIS DZISIAK

“There is a need for processors,” said Dzisiak, noting his organization formed 14 years ago to supply a company that pulled out of the project before it ever began. The Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance has been working to develop hemp value chains, and its conference drew participants from as far away as Norway, France and the United Kingdom. The conference kicked off with an announcement of a $55,000 federal grant to help the alliance promote hemp.

In 2010, exports of hemp seed and hemp products were valued at more than $10 million, roughly a 200 per cent increase since 2007. “The idea is to put more money back into the rural economy, back into the farmer’s pocket,” said Dzisiak. “We feel that fibre is what is going to really put jobs back into our rural communities.” But he added the current situation is a catch-22, where farmers need money to invest i n p r o c e s s i n g p l a n t s, b u t don’t have the funds to invest

Joe Hogue of the Composites Innovation Centre, a non-profit engineering group based in Winnipeg, speaks at the Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance convention. PHOTOS: SHANNON VANRAES

because there is a shortage of processors. Gi l b e r t Pl a i n s h a s s e e n p r o g re s s w i t h t h e P l a i n s Industrial Hemp Processing plant currently under construction. Although the Chinesebacked venture is a step in the right direction, more processors are needed, Dzisiak said.

Chris Dzisiak of Parkland Industrial Hemp Growers speaks at the Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance convention.

shannon.vanraes@fbcpublishing.com

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The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

Hemp health foods becoming more popular Hemp food manufacturers work to distance the good seeds from the bad weeds By Shannon VanRaes CO-OPERATOR STAFF

Kevin Greenwood speaks during a discussion group on hemp foods at the Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance (CHTA) convention held in Winnipeg November 21 and 22. PHOTO: SHANNON VANRAES

u go

nce illegal to grow in Canada, and still illegal to cultivate in most of the United States, hemp is making inroads on the Canadian Prairies as the omega-3-rich seed finds its way into an ever-widening range of health food products. “ When I star ted in 1998 — the year the industry was put together — it was very much about just proving the c o n c e p t ,” s a i d Mi k e Fa t a , c o - f o u n d e r a n d p re s i d e n t of Manitoba Harvest, Hemp Foods and Oil. Manitoba Harvest began by only offering hemp oil, but has now branched out into five different product lines, including a milk substitute. “It took a number of years, maybe even eight to 10 years to prove the concept and now the industry is in a state of rapid growth,” he said, add-

ing that growth was evident at the Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance (CHTA) convention in November, which saw a record number of attendees.

New brands

He noted new brands and hemp products have also hit the market in the last year. But Fata said that doesn’t mean getting into the business is simple. “If you’re going to get in, do it now, it’s not going to get any easier,” Fata told a roundt a b l e d i s c u s s i o n g ro u p a t the CHTA conference, pointing to increasing advertising costs and other promotional expenses. Relative newcomers to the hemp market, Canada Hemp Fo o d s , a l s o a t t e n d e d t h e CHTA round-table discussion. Co-founder Robert Rae b e c a m e i n t e re s t e d i n t h e nutritional properties of hemp after surviving Stage 4B non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He was encouraged to try eating shelled hemp seeds to help ease dry skin caused by his treatments and was pleased with the results. He went on to found the Va n c o u v e r - b a s e d C a n a d a Hemp Foods in 2006, with Wally Venechuk.

Confusion

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But he said the hemp food industry still hampered by confusion with the plant’s cousin — marijuana — despite the fact hemp contains no tetrahydrocannabinol, more commonly called THC. “It’s an area where we’re lagging behind. I think the government, or Health Canada, should do a study on this, so we can point to something when this question comes up,” said Rae. Kevin Greenwood, Manitoba Harvest’s vice-president of marketing, pointed to a study published in the Journal of Toxicology indicating eating hemp cannot cause a positive result on a drug test for marijuana use. “If you can direct people to something like that, it ends that concern,” he said. “The challenge we have with the hemp industry, is there is this 60-year gap in it being legal and the pillaring of it. We’ve had to overcome 60 years of negativity.” Discussion participants agreed avoiding the use of hemp leaves in brand and product logos is also an important part of distinguishing hemp products from its outlaw relative. “You’re not eating the leaves anyways,” added Rae. Ensuring enough hemp seed is available was also on the minds of hemp foods producers at the event. “We’re always working to educate farmers,” said Fata. “There have been some challenges in past years due to crop conditions and weather conditions, but for the most part there are more farmers now growing hemp and being successful with it as a crop.” He said Manitoba Harvest buys its hemp from producers across the Prairies and into Ontario, with the bulk coming from Manitoba and Saskatchewan. shannon.vanraes@fbcpublishing.com

The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

Province spends millions on drainage, zero on retention

TO CATCH A CALF

Newly released FIPPA data shows a provincial spending priority on drainage only By Lorraine Stevenson CO-OPERATOR STAFF /BRANDON

T Bailey Plaisier of Oak Lake was in Regina Nov. 23 competing in the Junior Steer wrestling.

PHOTO: SHARLENE BENNIE

BRIEFS

Deere reports $2.8-billion profit Deere & Co. reported a 46 per cent rise in quarterly earnings and projected “substantial growth” for 2012 amid strong global farming conditions. “Farmers in the world’s major markets are continuing to experience favourable incomes due to strong demand for agricultural commodities,” the company said in a press release. New product launches also boosted its quarterly results, it said. Moline, Illinois-based Deere posted net income of $669 million, while revenue jumped 20 per cent to $8.61 billion.

Deere said its full-year net income of $2.8 billion represents a record for the company, but it expects profits to hit $3.2 billion in the coming year.

PCs to elect a new leader Manitoba’s Progressive Conservatives will elect a new leader at a leadership convention to take place on Oct. 27, 2012, in Winnipeg, a party release says. The selection process will be one member, one vote, and will be open to all members of the Manitoba Progressive Conservative Party. Hugh McFadyen will continue to serve as leader of the Manitoba PC Party until the new party leader is elected.

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Drainage

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2000-01

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2001-02

$3,566,000

2002-03

$3,020,000

2003-04

$3,216,000

2004-05

$5,670,000

2005-06

$5,026,000

2006-07

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2008-09

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2009-10

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h e p r o v i n c e ’s o w n spending records show no money allocated to water retention since 2000, while over $56 million was spent on drainage, Manitoba L i b e r a l p a r t y L e a d e r Jo n Gerrard told delegates attending the recent Association of Manitoba Municipalities convention. The numbers come from re c o rd s o f b o t h d r a i n a g e and water retention expenditures dated from 2000 to 2010, which were released to Gerrard in early November through the Freedom of Information Act. The numbers clearly indic a t e t h i s c u r re n t g ov e r n nment’s “drain-only policy” for water management, the MLA for River Heights said. “Over the last 10 years the provincial government, by its own reports, has spent $56 million on drainage and zero on water retention,” he said later in an interview. “That tells you quite a bit.” What he additionally learned from accessing the records, was that between 2000 and 2005, the Department of Water Stewardship did not even keep water retention records. Records with Department of Infrastructure and Transportation, which took over the portfolio after 2005, s h ow e d n o t h i n g s p e n t o n water retention between 2006 and 2010 either. Gerrard has dubbed it a “99 to one” spending priority ratio adding that drainage versus retention activities themselves aren’t quite 100 to one “because the occasional farmer has done something on their own to hold back water. “But aside from those lonely instances, there’s not ver y much.” A policy of drainage has also

cost the province at least a billion and a half dollars in 2011, he added. All that money must now be put towards reconstruction and recovery. Imagine had even a portion of that been allocated to construction of small dams, or other water hold-back mechanisms, said the River Heights MLA, who has argued the benefits of water retention since 1999. The province needs a dramatically different water management policy that includes major funding for water retention as well as funding support for farmers, he said. “One, the province needs to make a major investment in dollars in water retention and we need to have projects going all over southern Manitoba to increase the amount of water retention.” “The second thing the province has to do is recognize the role of farmers in providing a public good, that is, wetland storage of water on their land.” He pointed to the construction of small dams all along Manitoba’s South Tobacco Creek as an excellent example of good management, noting that the multiple small headwater retention structures, including 27 small dams along the waterway have been shown to reduce peak run off by 25 per cent and flooding of farmland by 75 per cent. It is these kinds of initiatives that the province should be directing funding toward, combined with a support package for an Ecological Goods and Services program, Gerrard said. “It needs to be in the budget this coming year,” he said. “We can put together a pretty darned good program for $20 million or $30 million and this is small compared to the $2-billion cost of the flood.”

Patrick Schultz – 306.327.8173 Eastern Saskatchewan, DSM

Source: From Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act information requests to the departments of Water Stewardship and Infrastructure and Transportation.

The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

AMM wants bigger-picture water management In the aftermath of washed-out infrastructure and other devastation to private property municipalities are looking to long-term planning for future flood prevention By Lorraine Stevenson

“I think we’re starting to understand the tremendous responsibility we have... and to take action.”

CO-OPERATOR STAFF /BRANDON

unicipal leaders want future watershed planning that prevents a repeat of last spring’s devastating flood events. Wa s h e d - o u t r o a d s a n d bridges, and millions of dollars in losses to the rural economy this year, brought councillors and reeves to their 2011 Association of Manitoba Municipalities convention ready to talk cross-boundary planning — an approach, if successfully implemented, that will require more political partnerships amongst themselves too. “We know it’s a huge request and a huge task,” said mayor of the Town of Souris Darrell Jackson, before AMM delegates overwhelmingly voted in favour to push for province-led comprehensive watershed management strategy. Water Stewardship Minister Christine Melnick told the association last week we agree Manitoba needs a new approach. Melnick said there must be more agreements similar to the one negotiated between Manitoba and Saskatchewan earlier this year. The Fishing Lake agreement created conditions under which Saskatchewan would not send more water Manitoba’s way. “These sorts of arrangements, I think, are the way for the future,” she said. “We can no longer think of our neighourhood, or our town, or our province. We have to think more universally.” The province will form an interdepartmental technical advisory team on the matter, with municipal representation, Melnick said, adding there are historical precedents that date back to the drought-ridden 1930s where multiple jurisdictions had to co-operate. “Manitoba receives about one-third of the water of North America,” she told AMM delegates. And that can potentially be a good thing, with much of the world now running short. “But we have not been stewards of our water in the way we need to. I think we’re starting to understand the tremendous responsibility we have... and to take action.” Rick Plaisier, reeve of the RM of Sifton, at Oak Lake, co-chairs what is now a 31-municipalmember flood strategy committee struck this summer. Plaisier said the group envisions a western Canadian watershed plan, with Saskatchewan and North Dakota co-operating within it. A key component of such a plan is paying landowners to hold water back. “I think if farmers see the whole picture and know there’s formal compensation for holding water, they would be very co-operative,” Plaisier said. “But in order for that to take place, all the regions, the provinces, and states that affect us have to be on the same playing field.” Keystone Agricultural Producers’ president Doug Chorney, who sat through some of the AMM proceedings Wednesday afternoon, said he’s glad to see the AMM support a call for a broader-based water management strategy.

CHRISTINE MELNICK

Water Stewardship minister

“I’m glad to see AMM is working on the same issue and going down the same path as us,” Chorney said in an interview. Call for a watershed management strategy, bringing all stakeholders to the table and including more political partnerships, was a key election issue raised by KAP this fall. KAP’s key concern is that water problems continue to be dealt with in piecemeal fashion, and that we’ll end up doling out millions more to mop up future disasters, Chorney said. We need to look south, at the NSG MB 2012 Ad 3.pdf 1 water retention initiatives of the

Red River Basin Commission, for what are permanent flood mitigation strategies built at lower overall costs, Chorney said. In Minnesota, diked fields first capture spring runoff for later controlled release. Associated costs are lower. “Passive flood protection, unlike a ring dike or a sandbagging effort, gives you yearround flood protection, which serves everyone’s interests,” he said. “It’s the lowest-cost method of flood prevention and it’s cost efficient for taxpayers. 11-10-28 3:09 PM When you look at Manitoba,

Flood-damaged road and culverts.

PHOTO: JEANNETTE GREAVES

we thought that the costs for this spring and summer’s flood events would be $500 million. We’re now hearing it will be close to $1 billion.” Closer to home, Plaisier said Sifton RM, sitting at the intersection of four watersheds, initially budgeted $30,000 for their

2011 road, culvert and bridge repairs. “We have been devastated by water,” the reeve said. “We have had to repair 111 spots, such as culverts and roads... for about half a million dollars.” lorraine@fbcpublishing.com

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The Manitoba Co-operator | December 1, 2011

Can you grow the best standing canola on the market?

NEW! CANTERRA 1990 Type

Growing Zone

Maturity (Days)

Height (Inches)

Lodging

GENRR HYB

Mid-Long

+ 0.5

+ 2.0

Outstanding yield and impressive standability, YES YOU CAN have it all. • R to blackleg and fusarium wilt • Yields 111% of L150 in 2011 field trials • Unparalleled weed control of the Genuity® Roundup Ready® system

canterra.com