MBC130131

WHAT ABOUT GLYPHOSATE?

over the peak

Another scientist wades into the controversy » PG 18

But lamb production still pays off » PG 12

NEW FACILITY

January 31, 2013

SERVING MANITOBA FARMERS SINCE 1925 | Vol. 71, No. 5

|

$1.75

manitobacooperator.ca

Hitting the sweet spot Work has started on a world-class meat-processing plant that is not too big and not too small

By Laura Rance Co-operator Editor / carman

I

f Calvin Vaags has his way, Manitoba will have a federally inspected ruminant slaughter plant capable of handling 1,000 head per week up and running within a year.

After three years of preparation, work has started on a $13-million expansion at Plains Processors, a small processing plant with a capacity of 80 head per week located between Carman and Elm Creek. Vaags purchased the plant in 2008.

The revamped facility is expected to employ 80 workers and provide export-certified processing to the province’s cattle industry as well as to producers of other ruminant species.

“We haven’t done sheep on a large scale yet, but if I look into the future, I see the sheep industry in Manitoba really growing and again, no place for them to process locally and they have a huge freight bill going east,” Vaags said in an interview as his investors and elected officials from three levels of government gathered at the site Jan. 26 to wish him well.

“We think we can probably fit into that market as well. Our See MEAT PLANT on page 6 »

It’s a go! (l-r) Plains Processors president Calvin Vaags poses with shareholders Calvin Polet, John Steendam, Harvey Vaags and Bert Polet as work begins on a $13-million expansion. Shareholders missing from the photo are Frank DeFehr and Les Vanderveen. Photo: Laura Rance

Soil moisture looks good: Survey Ag weather specialist worried about persisting drought’s implications for future rainfall here

By Lorraine Stevenson co-operator staff / st. jean

Publication Mail Agreement 40069240

N

ewly released results of Manitoba Agriculture’s fall soil moisture survey are good news for Manitoba farmers worried last year’s dry summer could turn into a drought.

The soil moisture situation in many parts of Manitoba is normal, and even better than it

was last spring, say Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives’ staff.

“It’s not looking nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be,” said Marla Riekman, the land management specialist who coordinates the annual survey.

That’s news she did not expect to deliver after last year’s dry summer, Riekman told her audience at St. Jean Farm Days earlier this month. She’d titled

her presentation “running on empty.” That’s not actually the case.

“In a lot of parts of the province we are actually at or near where we want to be in terms of our averages for moisture at time of planting,” she said.

What happened? “We had October,” she said. “That saved the day.”

Most areas of Manitoba saw between two to 4-1/2 inches of

rainfall within that two-week period and it penetrated the top foot of the soil.

Snow cover right now compared to last year is also better compared to 2011 and we still made it through the dry summer of 2012, she added.

“And we still have the rest of the winter,” said Riekman. “We’re already ahead of the game.”

See MOISTURE on page 6 »

ENCOURAGING: FEWER ACCIDENTAL DEATHS ON CANADIAN FARMS » PAGE 13

2

The Manitoba Co-operator | January 31, 2013

INSIDE

on the lighter side

LIVESTOCK

High-octane cheese fire closes Norway tunnel

Be on the lookout Intestinal parasites in sheep are costly

33

Reuters

A

CROPS Early-bird advice Seeding early the new norm for corn

17

FEATURE Unprecedented optimism Farmers are enjoying good times for a change

8

CROSSROADS Courting new members 4-H looks to the cities for youth

4 5 9 10

Editorials Comments What’s Up Livestock Markets

No one was hurt, but flaming brunost caused traffic delays

37

Grain Markets Weather Vane Classifieds Sudoku

tr uckload of bur ning cheese closed a road tunnel in Arctic Norway for several days after an accident Jan. 17.

Some 27 tonnes of flaming brown cheese (brunost), a Norwegian delicacy, blocked off a three-km tunnel near the northern coastal town of Narvik when it caught fire.

The fire was finally put out four days later.

“This high concentration of fat and sugar is almost like petrol if it gets hot enough,” said Viggo Berg, a policeman.

Brown cheese is made from whey, contains up to 30 per cent fat and has a caramel taste.

“I didn’t know that brown cheese burns so well,” said Kjell Bjoern Vinje at the Nor wegian Public Roads Administration.

He added that in his 15 years in the administration, this was the first time cheese had caught fire on Norwegian roads.

Brunost, a Norwegian delicacy, contains a high concentration of fat and sugar. pHoto: thinkstock

Berg said that no one was injured in the fire, only one other vehicle was in the area at

the time and that the accident had luckily happened close to one of the tunnel’s exits.

READER’S PHOTO

11 16 27 30

ONLINE Visit www.manitobacooperator.ca for daily news and features and our digital edition. (Click on “Digital Edition” in the top right corner.) At our sister site, AGCanada.com, you can use the “Search the AGCanada.com Network” function at top right to find recent Co-operator articles. Select “Manitoba Co-operator” in the pull-down menu when running your search. photo: jeannette greaves

www.manitobacooperator.ca Publisher Bob Willcox bob.willcox@fbcpublishing.com 204-944-5751

For Manitoba Farmers Since 1927 1666 Dublin Avenue

Winnipeg, MB R3H 0H1 Tel: 204-944-5767 Fax: 204-954-1422

www.manitobacooperator.ca Member, Canadian Circulation Audit Board, Member, Canadian Farm Press Association, Member, Canadian Agri-Marketing Association

TM

CANOLA INK

Associate Publisher/ Editorial Director John Morriss john.morriss@fbcpublishing.com 204-944-5754 Editor Laura Rance laura@fbcpublishing.com 204-792-4382 Managing Editor Dave Bedard daveb@fbcpublishing.com 204-944-5762 Director of Sales & Circulation Lynda Tityk lynda.tityk@fbcpublishing.com 204-944-5755 Production Director Shawna Gibson shawna@fbcpublishing.com 204-944-5763

NEWS STAFF Reporters

ADVERTISING SERVICES

SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES

Allan Dawson allan@fbcpublishing.com 204-435-2392

Classified Advertising: Monday to Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Phone (204) 954-1415 Toll-free 1-800-782-0794

Toll-Free 1-800-782-0794 U.S. Subscribers call: 1-204-944-5568 E-mail: subscription@fbcpublishing.com Subscription rates (GST Registration #85161 6185 RT0001)

ADVERTISING CO-ORDINATOR Arlene Bomback ads@fbcpublishing.com 204-944-5765

Canada 12 months – $55.44 (incl. GST) 24 months – $96.00 (incl. GST) 36 months – $120.00 (incl. GST)

NATIONAL ADVERTISING James Shaw jamesshaw@rogers.com 416-231-1812

Publications Mail Agreement #40069240 ISSN 0025-2239

Shannon VanRaes shannon.vanraes@fbcpublishing.com 204-954-1413 Lorraine Stevenson lorraine@fbcpublishing.com 204-745-3424 Daniel Winters daniel.winters@fbcpublishing.com 204-720-8120

RETAIL ADVERTISING Terry McGarry trmcgarr@mts.net 204-981-3730

USA 12 months – $150.00 (US funds)

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage for our publishing activities. Canadian Postmaster: Return undeliverable Canadian addresses (covers only) to:

Circulation Dept., 1666 Dublin Ave., Winnipeg, MB. R3H 0H1

3

The Manitoba Co-operator | January 31, 2013

Reeve slams province for not taking flood threat seriously Sifton Reeve Rick Plaisier wants the premier to light a fire under his officials and deal with the threat posed by increased drainage in Saskatchewan

By Daniel Winters co-operator staff / pipestone

F

earing a repeat of 2011’s unprecedented flood ing in the not-too-distant future, reeves representing southwestern Manitoba municipalities are demanding a meeting with Premier Greg Selinger to find out what is being done to prevent it. “ What are they doing about water coming in from Saskatchewan?” asked Rick Plaisier, reeve of the RM of Sifton. “Are they meeting with them or not? And if they are, why aren’t they sharing that information?”

Plaisier made the comments after releasing a draft version of the West Souris River Integrated Watershed Management Plan at a community meeting.

The 61,000-square-kilometre watershed takes in the southwest corner of the province, the southeastern corner of Saskatchewan and a wide swath of northwestern North Dakota.

Plaisier has been sharply critical of drainage work being done on Saskatchewan farmland, saying he’s personally seen “huge drainage ditches 12 feet deep,” and says the province needs to be taking the lead

to protect Manitoba landowners from future flooding.

Plaisier and RM of Morton Reeve Bob McCallum, co-chairs of the Southwest 2011 Flood Strategy Committee representing 13 rural municipalities, are also trying to pressure the provincial government to compensate landowners for holding back water to protect urban centres during that year’s epic flood.

The province’s attitude postflood has been “condescending,” said Plaisier.

As well, he said only lowlevel bureaucrats have been sent to recent meetings of the Souris Basin International Commission and they “don’t say much” to their Nor th Dakota and Saskatchewan counterparts.

“We’re at the bottom of the hill here,” said Plaisier. “Why aren’t our delegates speaking out?”

He and McCallum asked to meet with the premier after an unproductive meeting with Water Stewardship Minister Steve Ashton.

Plaisier was part of a team of 15 people — composed of municipal and provincial officials as well as concerned citizens — who created the

The 2011 flood caused major road damage in southwestern Manitoba. file photo

West Souris River Integrated Watershed Management Plan.

Mitigation projects for both storing and holding back water feature prominently in the draft document.

While it was being crafted, the watershed saw everything from drought in 2008 to the epic flood of 2011, noted Manson Moir, chairman of the project management team that created the plan.

“We pretty well covered the whole scope of conditions in this watershed over the four to five years we worked on it,” said Moir.

He said public input into

the document is still welcome before it is submitted for provincial approval.

(It can be found by going to www.gov.mb.ca/watersteward ship and typing West Souris River Integrated Watershed Management Plan in the search box.)

Construction of small dams is a major focus of the “action” aspect of the draft document, as well as “water soft paths” – conservation methods for ensuring future clean water sources for municipal supplies, said Dean Brooker, manager of the West Souris River Conservation District.

Having a plan on paper will help secure funding, he said, noting his district’s annual budget of $326,000 doesn’t leave a lot of room for ambitious projects.

“It definitely helps out,” said Brooker.

Two or three sites capable of holding back roughly three acre-feet of flow have already been selected for construction next year at a cost of $12,000 each. The cost is split 80-20 between the district and the landowner, but organizations such as the Nature Conservancy o f Ca n a d a a n d Ma n i t o b a Habitat Heritage Corporation also support this type of work, said Brooker.

Government also needs to do more by compensating landowners for allowing such structures to be built on their property, said Plaisier.

The 2008 provincial Water Protection Act called on conservation districts and municipalities to create watershed plans covering water supply, natural areas, water quality, and surface water management. So far, 23 plans covering 18 districts are underway, with 13 completed. daniel.winters@fbcpublishing.com

Kostyshyn pressed at KAP AGM about backstopping a hog stabilization program Manitoba’s minister of agriculture wants Ottawa to share the risk

By Allan Dawson

“I do apologize for the delay in doing the official announcement. Staff and I have talked he Manitoba gover n- about it.”

Speaking to reporters later ment will soon announce whether it will guarantee Kostyshyn said the province a producer-funded stabiliza- has been discussing the idea tion program for Manitoba hog of sharing the responsibility of guaranteeing the $75-milproducers.

“We’re hoping to come for- lion loan that would fund the ward with some announcement p ro g ra m w i t h t h e f e d e ra l in very short order,” Agriculture government.

“We need them on side to Minister Ron Kostyshyn told Stonewall hog producer help us out,” Kostyshyn said.

Traditionally agriculture proGeorge Matheson Jan. 23 during the Keystone Agricultural grams are cost shared 60 per

by Ottawa and per cent Producers’ annual meeting in cent Salford_SFM01_09-10.25x3_MC.qxd 1/10/13 4:44 PM 40Page 1 by the province.

Winnipeg. co-operator staff

Client: Salford Farm Machinery Alberta Famer Express/ Manitoba Cooperator Size: 10.25” x 3” Ad#: SFM01_09-10.25x3

T

Manitoba Pork Council chair Karl Kynoch proposed the program last November as a way to help Manitoba hog producers stay in business when prices are unprofitable.

The Manitoba Hog Stabilization Program would see a mandatory $5 levy applied to all hogs sold in the province.

Farmers could opt out and get their money back. Those who participate would see their levy repay loans made through the program.

Hog prices are still unprofitable and will be until at least October, Matheson told Kostyshyn.

Call your Salford dealer today, or visit

“So this (program) is very much needed,” he said.

“We’re disappointed we haven’t received a response yet.”

Earlier in the meeting KAP president Doug Chorney stressed the hog industry is important to Manitoba’s economy. Maple Leaf Foods’ hogslaughtering plant in Brandon kills 17,000 hogs a day and employs 2,600 people.

“This is a big opportunity for everybody in Manitoba, not just farmers,” he said.

Kostyshyn acknowledged the hog sector is important and a long-term solution is required

to tackle the ups and downs in the market. The whole industry, including processors, need to work together, he said.

“The producers need the processors and the processors need the producers,” Kostyshyn said.

Asked later if processors should contribute money to a stabilization program he replied: “Living in a perfect world it would only be fitting for that to be happening.

“I think the pork industry needs to have that discussion with the processors in Manitoba.” allan@fbcpublishing.com

www.salfordmachine.com Salford, Ontario • 1-866-442-1293 Ad#: SFM01_09-10.25x3

4

The Manitoba Co-operator | January 31, 2013

OPINION/EDITORIAL

Beef packing and Manitoba

C

alvin Vaags was up front in saying the decision to host a “media” event Jan. 26 at the Plains Processors facility near Carman was about credibility.

After three years of planning, lining up finances and preparation, he wanted people to see for themselves that the earth has started to move to make way for the planned $13-million expansion to the Laura Rance small, provincial plant he purchased in Editor 2008.

Vaags is bucking convention with his bid to reinstate Manitoba as an exporter of beef, not just cattle.

In its heyday, Manitoba slaughtered more than 500,000 head of cattle a year, peaking in 1976 when 581,000 head were processed through plants in Winnipeg and Brandon. Those plants started to close in 1979 and the province’s federally inspected slaughter capacity shrunk by 97 per cent over the next 20 years.

There were a lot of things going on during that time, both politically and economically, to push those meat factories into obscurity. The Alberta government was subsidizing the establishment of the livestock-feeding industry through its so-called Crow Offset program. The Manitoba government couldn’t or wouldn’t pay them to stay, so the packing industry followed the cattle west.

The grain business was booming, causing some producers to work up their pastures and sell off the cows. With grain prices going through the roof and no end in sight, who needs the aggravation of checking calving cows during those cold, dark winter nights?

The Manitoba plants were older and small by world standards and didn’t make the cut in the rapidly consolidating beef business. Canadian production costs were considered uncompetitive, especially when stacked up against the U.S. meat packers. Manitoba workers were unionized and well paid, while larger U.S. plants could use nonunionized labour, much of it living in the U.S. illegally with no rights.

The prevailing idea in the meat-packing business back then, and still now, is to go big or go home.

What did the Nilsson Bros. do with their XL packing plant in Brooks when their high-volume, high-speed packing plant ran into quality control problems? They turned it over to JBS, an even bigger player to root out the E. coli mess and get the plant’s production lines back on the sanitary tracks. Four major packers process about 4,000 head a day and account for nearly 90 per cent of Canada’s federally inspected beef processing.

With competition like that, it might be easy to pooh-pooh the prospects for an upstart Manitoba company shooting for world class — without the world scale. At 1,000 head a week, one-quarter of what its competitors can do in a day, the Plains Processors plant will have its work cut out for it if it tries to go head to head with its “competition” in the commodity beef business.

As well, cattle producers collectively haven’t been big boosters of locally owned processing. Despite a closed U.S. border and disastrous cow prices after BSE in 2003, Manitoba producers wouldn’t commit enough animals to the Ranchers Choice Beef co-op, which wanted to build a plant at Dauphin.

But a smaller-scale plant also has some advantages, such as the ability to handle multiple species. It has long been recognized that federally inspected slaughter capacity is one of the biggest gaps holding back further development facing the province’s sheep and goat industries.

Federal inspection doesn’t just give Plains Processors the ability to ship offshore. It also means its products can vie for space in the major grocery chain retailers locally. The major grocers buy through distribution centres, which only buy from federal plants.

A freight advantage is cited as a major advantage for the Plains Processors proposal. A MAFRI study in 2004 assessing the opportunity for local meat processors suggested a 50,000head per year facility could break even at 26,000 head. But it noted that in the years prior to BSE, export markets for live cattle frequently paid enough to compensate for the cost of freight and then some. Will this plant be able to draw in the numbers it needs?

The 2004 report also cited the potential for skilled labour shortages, a concern that hasn’t disappeared as evidenced by the growing reliance of manufacturers in the province on imported labour. Will this rurally based operation be able to find enough workers?

Despite the challenges, it’s clear that Vaags and his colleagues know how to market beef and run a processing plant, and they’ve done their homework. It would also be nice to be able to buy Manitoba beef that hasn’t gone to Alberta for processing first. Here’s hoping they succeed. laura@fbcpublishing.com

Warren Upham: A man to know He mapped the shores of Lake Agassiz

W

e have known at least since the 19th century that we live in the bottom of an ancient lake bed here in the Red River basin. So how did this knowledge come about?

Speculation about an ancient lake likely existed from early on. American Indians would have noticed the lines of deposits of earth, stone and sand from early lakeshores.

Some early settlers used this information in locating homesteads.

Scientists had speculated since the early part of the century that the line of deposits stretching from southern New England and Long Island all the way to North Dakota and Saskatchewan was caused by glacial action. By 1872, one of these scientists, N.H. Winchell, explained that Lake Agassiz resulted from a barrier of receding glacial ice.

The exact size and shores of this lake, however, remained in question. The person who took on the job to find and map these shores was Warren Upham. Who was this person who almost single-handedly mapped the ancient lake that today is the Red River basin?

Warren Upham was born on a New Hampshire farm in 1850, educated at Dartmouth, and worked as a geologist in New Hampshire before moving to Minnesota at the age of 29 to study the state’s resources and geology.

Because a primary task of Upham’s work was to map the shorelines of Lake Agassiz, he soon concluded that in order to achieve a comprehensive picture, he would need to bring North Dakota and Manitoba into the study as well.

OUR HISTORY:

O

It took Upham seven years and 11,000 miles of travel by wagon, horse and foot to collect information. The results were made available in a large volume describing topography, geologic formations, drift deposits, reaches of the lake at its various stages, beaches as they formed and changed, even current wells and agricultural and material resources.

As a sign of Upham’s success in breaking political barriers, the study was published by both the U.S. and Canada. The Geographical Survey of Canada published a first report in 1890; the U.S. Geographical Survey published the final Glacial Lake Agassiz in 1895.

As if one large project were not enough, Upham went on to produce a 735-page compendium of Minnesota place names, ranging from rivers and lakes to counties, towns, city streets and parks, among others. In seeking support for the work from the Minnesota Historical Society, he argued that “the value and utility” of such research for Minnesota history “can hardly be overestimated.”

This “careful student” of the Red River basin’s geology and history was given little recognition. Upham’s documents, however, stand on their own even today for their accuracy and detail. And Upham’s willingness to take on big tasks, his perseverance, and his ability to overcome impediments remain important personal models for the many who continue to study and manage the waters and land in the Red River basin.

The RRBC is a grassroots organization that is a chartered not-for-profit corporation under the provisions of Manitoba, North Dakota, Minnesota, and South Dakota law www.redriverbasincommission.org.

February 1954

ur Feb. 18, 1954 issue contained some advertisements for seed dressing that would raise a few eyebrows today, including this one for products containing mercury and lindane. Another advertisement for Tritisan seed treatment did not mention the active ingredient, but the claims of being “non-poisonous” and “gloves and goggles not necessary” may have been questionable.

The issue marked the passing of Agnes MacPhail, Canada’s first woman member of Parliament. A one-time country schoolteacher, she was elected in 1921 as a representative of the Progressive Party of Canada for the riding of Grey Southeast in Ontario. She was later part of the faction of the Progressive Party that later led to the formation of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF).

She was later elected as a representative of the United Farmers of Ontario. After her defeat in 1940, she wrote agricultural columns for the Globe and Mail, and rejoined the Ontario CCF in 1942 becoming its farm organizer.

“Miss MacPhail paved the way for other Canadian women to contribute their talents that all may share,” said Co-operator’s editor Q.H. (Quincy) Martinson in his editorial that week.

5

The Manitoba Co-operator | January 31, 2013

Letters

COMMENT/FEEDBACK

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)

Promise to consult abandoned Regarding the Jan. 24 article “Supreme Court hammers another nail into wheat board’s coffin,” I think for the most part farmers will acknowledge the court’s decision, not to hear the appeal case, and continue on with their normal, everyday lives and challenges.

But every once in a while they will be jolted by a distinct, wafting, unpleasant odour that emanates from the office of Canada’s agriculture minister. This will be a reminder of Minister Ritz, and his abandonment of a promise to consult with farmers and respect a vote for those who support single-desk selling.

Consulting of farmers ended up as insulting of farmers. Yes, the singledesk selling has been terminated, but the officious manner in how it was accomplished will be remembered for a long time, maybe even to the next federal election.

John Fefchak Virden, Man.

Suzuki brought an important message to agriculture I was also at the David Suzuki speech in Brandon in early December. Your editorial was such a different take on what I heard, that it makes me wonder if we were at the same speech.

Do farmers really feel threatened by environmentalists like Suzuki? It’s pretty sad that they don’t feel threatened by the high rate of cancer and neurological diseases that disproportionately affect them as a population.

Read the stats on retired farmers who have MS or “farmers’ lung.”

If farmers don’t realize that some of their practices are harmful to the earth and the environment then they are truly out of touch with reality. Why do potato growers continue to use extremely toxic chemicals on their crops? They’ll tell you they have to, to make a profit as a business.

Well, that ties in rather nicely with what Suzuki said: “We have elevated the economy above the very things that keep us alive.” Ask someone what the soil tests reveal about the level of contamination of chemicals after the land has been used to raise potatoes.

But, when I read your article, it seems we are not allowed to be concerned about that.

I also find the political “lines” you draw a little strange. If the conservation projects like protecting the waterways is political then, do they ask how the landowner voted in the last election before they help people, or enforce regulations? My own opinion is that people (in general) don’t like change, they don’t like being told what’s good for them, they like to do what’s convenient and easy, and some people will value their own opinion over anybody else’s.

I’ve dealt with lots of farmers over the years. It’s hard when you are up against the attitude of, “I see no reason to change, I’ve always done things like this, that’s the way my dad did things... etc.”

I disagree with your evaluation of Suzuki blowing the chance to connect to people. If all he did that day was make a few people question the “elevation of the economy” then he did lots.

I’m proud he’s Canadian and we need more people like him, instead of like Stephen Harper.

Sherry Wurtz Brandon, Man.

Off the fence now Now that I have seen it twice, I must comment on the CWB’s “fence” ad. I know one doesn’t normally comment on ads in Letters to the Editor, but this can’t be ignored.

The first time I saw the “fence” ad, I thought it was an aberration. Perhaps someone packing up old files in the CWB offices found it and published it on a lark as an example of outdated advertising from the ’50s.

Not so. There it was again in last week’s farm papers. It must be a “for real” ad. Over the years, I had remained pretty much on the fence about the CWB with a slight lean in its favour.

Now I am firmly off the fence, and it is not on the side of the CWB. When my daughter showed an interest in doing a diploma in agriculture, I told her, confidently, that things are different now than when I did my degree nearly 40 years ago. Obviously, I was wrong. To paraphrase a 1960’s ad campaign: We sure haven’t come a long way, baby. I think the CWB owes the agricultural community an apology.

Dawn Harris Niverville, Man.

Let’s make it about science I’m just wondering if Brian Pallister has done his research. In your Jan. 24 story “Pallister calls for caution on cosmetic pesticide ban,” the premierin-waiting is quoted as saying, “If there’s danger with a pesticide, it isn’t allowed.”

Has he also been reading those mandatory pesticide labels issued by Health Canada? Has he noticed that the warnings are not being taken seriously? Like Mr. Pallister I’m “always concerned when I see an unscientific approach taken.”

For example, Manitoba Conservation continues to issue licences for the spraying of picloram/Tordon in public rights-of-way (also known as drainage ditches) even though these products have been scientifically linked to amphibian and fish death

and to reproductive malfunction in small mammals.

Am I reading too much into his comments to assume, then, that the present corporate favoured, unscientific approach to pesticide use will come to an end with a change of government?

Really, this discussion over pesticide use doesn’t involve science. We don’t have enough testing personnel and equipment in the field to make this about science. We’re not even asking the scientists we do have on this case the right questions. Most pesticides are used in combinations with other pesticides and synergistic carriers. We’re only testing in labs for single ingredients. We understand completely that mixing our drinks at a party isn’t a good idea, but have no idea what mixing sprays does in our environment.

Let’s quit using any pesticide that has not been proven, as it’s used in the field and by a consensus of independent scientists, to be safe in our public spaces. Or, if we don’t have the science to make that judgment, let’s err on the side of caution. Both (Conservation and Water Stewardship) Minister Mackintosh and Mr. Pallister talk about caution. The first one to take environmental science and health seriously gets my admiration.

David M. Neufeld Turtle Mountain

Supreme Court rulings concerning The recent decision by the Supreme Court, dismissing the farmers’ application to have their case heard, leaves many questions unanswered. Contrary to Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz’s statements, the case was not about “the right of western Canadian grain farmers to make their own business decisions.” Rather, it was about whether or not the government has to follow the laws of the land.

This case was asking about several things, but firstly does the government have to follow the law when a judge rules against it? Previously, governments abided by the court’s rulings and did not proceed with pushing through legislation, but instead they filed an appeal if they thought the rulings were wrong. This current government not only carried through with the legislation contrary to the ruling, but also appealed the ruling at the same time; a total disregard to the court’s decision.

This case was also about farmers having the right to vote on the type of marketing structure they wanted, irrespective of the government’s ideology, since this right was enshrined in legislation.

Finally, this case was about the minister of agriculture’s integrity.

Before the federal election, he stated he was not prepared to move arbitrarily and that farmers believe in democracy and so did he. After the election, that promise disappeared; a great bait-and-switch tactic.

With the Supreme Court dismissal of the farmers’ case, more questions are left unanswered. Canadians are left with the impression that this government does not have to follow the law.

Rob Cowan Swan River, Man.

Private science and public good not always the same Should the column by Laura Rance “Biotech or bioknowledge,” trigger euphoria or a more profound cynicism? Should we say, “Oh well, if Mark Lynas is now on the side of biotechnology, that ends my resistance to it?”

In this old farmer, it only triggers a deeper level of cynicism. And it’s not aimed at biotechnology so much as those who control the process.

Mark Lynas achieved a level of notoriety by tearing up crops. But that activity smacks too much of Luddism to have a long shelf life. So how to get back into the limelight? Well, deathbed conversions are always good for a bit of attention, and if you can have a death-bed conversion and not die…

Whatever the long-term effect of genetic engineering, it has certainly had an effect in the short term. Corn, soybean and canola yields have, without question, increased. But at what cost?

Neo-liberal governments have, from the Reagan-Thatcher-Mulroney period, increasingly farmed out research and development to the private corporations, with predictable results.

Driven by the need for everincreasing profits, these corporations have by means of patents, privatized to themselves things that have always been in the public domain.

Intellectual property rights have trumped real property rights without exception. Farmers have become little more than captive customers, paying what they are asked and taking what they are given.

Does anyone seriously believe that if science suggests a certain path of research that is better for farmers, consumers and the world in general and another path offers the corporations far greater profits — that they will hesitate for even one second to follow the more profitable path?

Science in the hands of people driven almost solely by the profit motive, sheltered by intellectual property rights, empowered by fawning governments is a very malleable product.

Only very gullible people believe that science trumps profit.

John Beckham Winnipeg, Man.

CWB changes transfer profits away from farmers Regarding the story in the Jan. 24 issue “Supreme Court hammers another nail in wheat board’s coffin,” Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz states the changes to the CWB were about giving farmers the right to market their own grain.

What a misleading statement. He has given the multinational grain companies the free hand selling over 65 per cent of the wheat and barley to the end-users all over the world. All that profit is now going to the grain companies, taken out of farmers’ pockets. The question is: After politics will Ritz be sitting as a director of a multinational grain company?

David Bailey Saskatoon, Sask.

6

The Manitoba Co-operator | January 31, 2013

FROM PAGE ONE MOISTURE Continued from page 1

MEAT PLANT Continued from page 1

Across a lot of Manitoba there is about three inches of soil moisture in the top foot of soil.

The exception is southwestern Manitoba where it is drier.

The survey was conducted during the last week of October, and included samples taken to four-foot depths from 105 locations. Samples are always taken just before freeze-up because the amount of moisture within the root zone just prior is a good indicator of what will be there in spring.

The sites selected for the samples are chosen for how they represent both the soil properties and crops commonly grown in the region.

But MAFRI’s agricultural weather specialist says the situation south of the border is still worrisome.

Dry conditions are persisting south of the border, where there’s very little soil moisture and they’re also looking at an above-normal temperature forecast to the end of March, said Mike Wroblewski, who also spoke at St. Jean.

Manitoba’s rain comes from soil moisture evaporating from the soil in the U.S. Midwest and Dakotas and moving northward, he said.

“We need moist conditions throughout that whole area in the spring to generate enough moisture and get all of it up to us,” he said.

plan is to not close doors on anything,” he said. “We are building this plant as a multispecies plant.”

Vaags, who operates a grain farm and cattle feedlot near Oakbank, entered the retail beef business when he opened the Carver’s Knife outlet in Winnipeg in 2004. He later expanded to a second retail outlet and started supplying Manitoba beef by wholesale.

He said he’s been working on achieving federally inspected status for Plains Processors for the past three years.

Vaags acknowledged his isn’t the first attempt to bring federally inspected slaughter capacity back to the province in the wake of the 2003 BSE crisis, which disrupted export access for live cattle for years.

Despite provincial government backing, a producer co-op was unsuccessful in starting a cow slaughter facility near Dauphin. Another proposal, also backed by the province’s Manitoba Cattle Enhancement Council, was to rehabilitate a mothballed hog slaughter facility in Winnipeg. It has been in limbo since the federal government withdrew $10 million it promised the project in 2009.

lorraine@fbcpublishing.com

Appropriate size

Vaags said there are several elements of his project — scale, location and privatesector investment — that give it a better chance of success.

“Our plan is to not close doors on anything. We are building this plant as a multispecies plant.”

Calvin Vaags

“The type of plant that we plan here hits a sweet spot,” he said.

“I’ve said from Day 1 we need a plant but we need to be careful how we do it. You can’t go too big because you have to learn to walk before you can run. If you are too small the mechanics and e c o n o m i e s o f s c a l e d o n’t work.

“The point here is to really do it on a shoestring and get it up and running and make a business that is really mean and lean and get going from there,” Vaags said.

The project is an expansion of a plant that’s been in operation since the early 1950s at a site that is centrally located in a rural area “where the community is welcoming to it,” Vaags said, noting Winnipegbased slaughter proposals are a harder sell with surrounding residents.

As well, nearly half of the company’s financial resources

a re c o m i n g f r o m p r i v a t e investors in addition to federal and provincial support and commercial borrowings, he said. “There is actually five different financial components putting this together,” he said.

W h i l e Ca n d a c e B e r g e n , MP for Portage-Lisgar, and Manitoba’s minister of agriculture, food and rural initiatives Ron Kostyshyn attended the pseudo-sod turning, neither disclosed the level of support their governments are offering.

Vaags said the final details are still being ironed out, but commitments have been made.

The federal government announced in March 2011, it is committing $2.8 million in repayable contributions to the project through the Slaughter Improvement Program. The Manitoba Cattle Enhancement Council (MCEC) gave a conditional

approval of $920,000 to the project in 2011.

Kostyshyn confirmed talks between Vaags and the province are “in the final stages.”

He said freight costs alone should be enough to make a local facility attractive to Manitoba producers. “There will potentially be a cost saving to producers who are finishing animals in Manitoba,” he said.

Manitoba Beef Producers president Ray Armbruster said his organization welcomes the addition. “We like this initiative with some private initiative and investment, and we support it going forward in that way,” he said.

Armbruster said the scale of the facility won’t be attractive to a 20,000-head feedlot but it will give cow-calf producers or small-lot finishers another option for adding value to their cattle. laura@fbcpublishing.com

Quick and easy is the name of the feeding game for Dugald rancher Eastern Manitoba rancher makes alfalfa the centrepiece of his operation

By Daniel Winters co-operator staff / brandon

K

en Vaags would put a shor t-order cook to shame.

The Dugald rancher uses his skidsteer loader and a specially designed self-feeder that controls access to a huge bag of silage. Two rollers operated by a hand crank wind up the top and bottom lips of the bag, while bars in front create a manger that minimizes waste.

A polywire electric fence prevents cattle from trampling the bag, and all Vaags has to do is push the whole contraption about 18 inches towards the bag with the skidsteer.

“It takes me less than four minutes to feed about 5,000 pounds of silage,” said Vaags.

As a part-time rancher, Vaags needs to keep the amount of time spent looking after his 315head herd to a minimum. With that in mind, he keeps the bulls in a pen, and runs all the cows, steers and heifers together in one herd to save time.

“It’s not the number of cattle that takes the time, it’s the number of groups of cattle,”

“It takes me less than four minutes to feed about 5,000 pounds of silage.”

Ken Vaags

he said, adding that his winter chores take about two hours a day.

He uses a two-day feeding cycle that costs about $290 per day for the whole herd, not counting salt blocks or the 10 litres of diesel that goes into the skidsteer each day.

On Day 1, they eat bagged silage with a 125 relative feed value and 16 to 18 per cent protein. On Day 2, they get timothy or meadow fescue straw that Vaags bales in the fields of local grass seed growers.

Some ranchers say silage is too expensive to feed, but not Vaags. He figures a 250-foot bag of alfalfa silage costs $2,500 to fill, or roughly two cents per pound of dry matter for chopping, hauling, bagging and the

cost of the bag, plus another cent per pound to grow it.

No grain is fed to his cattle, ever, because his final product is pitched to his customers as “grass-marbled” beef that is delicious and tender.

“That’s a rule because I want to be able to say with a straight face to people buying my beef that this animal has never eaten a kernel of grain in its life,” said Vaags.

Genetics, feed quality, markets, human resources, and land quality have to work together to make a successful beef operation, said Vaags.

“It’s how your parts fit together that make you profitable, not that you have good parts,” he said.

Alfalfa is the “key resource” on his ranch, and without it, he’d have to change almost everything he does.

Cows go on grass by the end of April, and then onto alfalfa pasture from June 1 until well into the fall. Most years he keeps them on stockpiled or third-cut alfalfa up until Nov. 15, but this year, lack of rain in August meant they were off pasture by mid-October.

He uses a leader-follower system on his alfalfa-grass pastures, with finishing steers and yearling heifers leading, and cow-calf pairs following.

After taking the plunge into grazing alfalfa more than a decade ago, he saw his share of “bloat storms” until he learned to wait until the plants are in flower.

“When they are leading on those juicy tops, they do extremely well,” said Vaags.

Instead of obsessing with notions about the advantages of big versus small cows, Vaags avoids the stereotypes altogether and opts for what he calls “designer cows” — ones with good fertility, able to easily calve, and consistently able to maintain body condition.

To improve his meat-to-bone ratio and flank width, he has added a Gelbvieh bull.

Calving begins April 20, and the calves stay on the cows until March 10. His herd’s production exceeds the market for direct sales of his grass-finished beef, so he opts to sell 650-pound calves at 10 months of age. Most of his females are sold as bred stock capable

of producing grass-finished steers.

“I don’t believe in making hay in southeastern Manitoba,” said Vaags, who favours out-of-thebox thinking when it comes to raising beef.

“In my country, you can’t afford to make hay. You get one rain on a good crop and you lose about one-third of the tonnage and one-third of the feed value.”

Vaags moves his winter feeding sites each year so he doesn’t have to spend time or money scooping up the manure and hauling it elsewhere. Openfield feeding requires windbreaks, which he positions each day based on that morning’s weather forecast.

A special bracket welded onto each that fits his skidsteer’s loader makes the job easy, and by chaining them together, he can avoid having them fall over in a stiff wind.

Water is provided from an insulated concrete trough.

A video of his silage feeding system can be found by Googling “self-feeding silage bag demonstration.” daniel.winters@fbcpublishing.com

7

The Manitoba Co-operator | January 31, 2013

FNA will act as sourcing agent for new CWB

MILDER TEMPERATURES WELCOME

The group’s members would get signing incentives from CWB contracts

By Dave Bedard CO-OPERATOR STAFF

S

taff with Farmers of North America (FNA) will soon be able to act as the middleman for farmers interested in contracting grain to CWB. Sa s k a t o o n - b a sed FNA, a farmers’ buying group negotiating deals on low-cost inputs and other farm supplies and services, announced Jan. 24 its staff will act as “a key sourcing agent for CWB contracts” as of Jan. 29.

As per the group’s agreement with CWB, FNA staff will “communicate CWB pool and program information to farmers and sign up their contracts.”

Bill Martin, FNA’s vice-president for grain handling and marketing, said Friday the group will offer “a number of incentives” to growers signing with the former Canadian Wheat Board through FNA. Specific incentives will be a n no u n c e d n e x t we ek, he said, but noted the group has negotiated a rate on CWB’s fees that will allow FNA members to get cash back on CWB contracts through the group’s MPower rewards program.

Fa r m e r s w o u l d c o n t a c t FNA’s office in Saskatoon to connect to its staff representative nearest them. Once signed up with a CWB contract, a farmer will then be able to deliver grain on the contract to any Prairie elevator or producer car-loading site.

Martin said in the group’s Jan. 24 release that the agreement marks a “key advance for farmers in ensuring a competitive environment in the grainmarketing sector.”

FNA’s basic philosophy is to maintain competition in the marketplace in all product lines and segments in which it deals, “to have the maximum choice available,” he said in an interview.

The goal of the agreement is to ensure CWB “remains a competitive player and a valuable option for farmers,” he said.

CWB CEO Ian White noted the former board’s programs “are similar to FNA’s other ser vices in that they help put more money in farmers’ pockets.”

White noted farmers who market through CWB “receive all the profits earned from selling their grain through the pooling period, less a fixed management fee.”

MAKE DEATH WAIT VOLUNTEER TODAY

Phone: (204) 949.2000 Toll free: 1.800.473.4636 ask@heartandstroke.mb.ca

These horses near Neepawa seemed to be enjoying a break from the deep freeze.

PHOTO: LUC GAMACHE

Choose with ConfidenCe. In an uncertain business, there is one thing you can be sure of – with CWB pools you get the industry’s leading grain sales team working for you.

The winter Pool has a six month time frame where you can capture lateseason prices. The BRAND NEW futures Choice winter Pool gives you all of the benefits of pooling with the freedom of picking your futures value. sign up by february 15, 2013 Visit www.cwb.ca/offthefence to choose what’s right for you.

8

The Manitoba Co-operator | January 31, 2013

Optimism in agriculture unprecedented, says KAP president Doug Chorney says food demand will boost Manitoba’s economy

By Allan Dawson co-operator staff

I

t’s a good time to be a farmer and the future for agriculture looks even brighter, says Keystone Agricultural Producers’ president Doug Chorney.

“I think the level of optimism in agriculture today is really unprecedented,” he said in his state-ofthe-industry address kicking off the general farm organization’s 29th annual meeting in Winnipeg Jan. 23.

“I think the world appetite for food, feed and fibre is strong.

We have excellent fundamentals showing, not only that there is a demand for what we produce, but a growing demand. Manitoba is poised to become an economic powerhouse in the next number of years because of its capability.

I’m quite excited about that.”

However, Chorney quickly added Manitoba’s hog producers continue to struggle and those difficult times have spilled over on to grain farmers supplying them feed. KAP is pushing for changes that will see farmers still get paid when grain buyers default.

And KAP’s own future seems far from secure due to a flawed membership fee collection process.

KAP has long lobbied for improvements for collecting membership fees and Chorney said he hopes the Manitoba government will introduce legislation to do just that this spring.

“We need to be well funded to be efficient and deliver service to our members and everybody needs to be participating in supporting the organization,” he said.

Currently too many farmers get KAP’s benefits without paying for them, Chorney said.

Under the current legislation companies that buy agricultural

Trait Stewardship Responsibilities

Notice to Farmers

Monsanto Company is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship® (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 Stewardship® is a registered trademark 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 and Design®, Genuity Icons, Genuity®, Roundup Ready®, and Roundup® are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. Used under license.

products are required to collect 0.75 per cent of the product’s value and remit it to KAP up to a maximum of $210 a year. Some companies flatly refuse to collect the money, while others says if the checkoff wasn’t capped it would be easier to collect, Chorney said.

KAP prefers the cap on fees to keep membership affordable, he added.

There are many options to improve the system.

“I just would like it to be easier for every farmer who benefits from KAP to be able to contribute to the funding of KAP,” Chorney said.

KAP still wants farmers to be able to opt out, but not at the end of the year after farmers have received many of the benefits, he said.

To encourage membership KAP continues to enhance members’ benefits, including a new cell plan with Rogers. According to Chorney, farmers, in many cases, can earn back their KAP membership in a few months with savings from the new plan.

The meeting’s theme — “Times Are a Changin’” — appeared to borne out by the 13 resolutions submitted before the meeting.

None dealt with perennial issues around grain marketing or transportation.

Robert Carlson, president of the World Farmers Organization and former president of the National

“It’s good to be optimistic but you need to be realistic.”

Doug Chorney

KAP president Doug Chorney says the outlook for agriculture is bright, but there will still be downturns. photo: allan dawson

Farmers Union in the United States echoed Chorney’s optimism. With the world’s population expected to be nine billion by 2050 food will continue to be in great demand. Every 5.5 days the world adds as many new mouths to feed as Manitoba’s population, he said.

But while the demand for food is rising, farmers’ share of the food dollar is falling, Carlson said.

Farmers need to ensure their place in the chain and protect their interests, he said.

While North American farmers will help feed the world, increasing food production in developing countries is necessary too, Carlson said. Meanwhile, all farmers

will have to contend with climate change and the challenges of erratic weather.

There’s already discussion about establishing food reserves in case of a production emergency, he later told reporters. The trick will be not to damage markets when releasing stocks.

Good times bring challenges, including increasing rent and land prices and higher input costs, Chorney said.

And how long will the good times last? The future is unpredictable, but history says there will be downturns, Chorney said later in an interview.

That was the message some

“older” young farmers gave “young” farmers from Assiniboine Community College and the University of Manitoba during a bull pit session, he said.

“It’s easy to be overly optimistic when you have not had the experience of negative times,” Chorney said.

“It’s good to be optimistic, but you need to be realistic.”

About 75 people packed the room for the bull pit session, which included Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn.

The students and the minister were very engaged, Chorney said.

“These young farmers are excited about what’s happening to the industry,” Chorney said. “They want to be farmers but they don’t know how they can ever get into farming with the financial hurdles that you’ve got to go through.”

The Manitoba government has made changes to some of its lending programs to assist young farmers, Chorney said, but more can be done. allan@fbcpublishing.com

Will grain farming follow same corporate ownership path as hog production?

By Allan Dawson co-operator staff

Not all KAP members are as sanguine about farming’s future as its president Doug Chorney or Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn.

Lowe Farm-area farmer Butch Harder warned changes to the Canada Grain Act weaken grain farmers. With foreigners buying farmland and the government cutting safety net programs,

grain farming is being corporatized, he warned.

“I think we really need to learn from what’s happening in the hog industry,” Harder told Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn after he addressed KAP’s annual meeting.

“We need to look at that model and the same thing could potentially happen in the grain industry.

“You don’t have to look very far down the road. A lot of our producers

in this room and otherwise will merely be working for some large corporation and those family farms you’re so euphoric for are gone. And we’re really not addressing that problem.

“It’s called corporate agriculture and that’s where we’re headed.”

Kostyshyn said opportunities lie in developing new markets for the growing population, which the new Growing Forward 2 federal-provincial agreement will focus on.

“Producers these days do not want to farm with money coming through the mail,” Kostyshyn said repeating one of federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz’s favourite lines.

It’s unlikely grain farming will be taken over by non-family farm corporations because family farms as so efficient, World Farmers Organization president Robert Carlson told reporters later. allan@fbcpublishing.com

The conference will be hosted by 4th year Agroecology students in collaboration with Martin Entz and the Natural Systems Agriculture Program.

Ecological and Organic Farming Conference Saturday March 9, 2013 9:00 - 3:30 (Registration @ 8:30)

Ian N. Morrison Research Farm University of Manitoba • Carman

OPEN TO ALL Registration $15 (includes lunch)

Must pre-register – To register : By phone: 204-474-8563 • By email to: ecoag2013@gmail.com

For MCGA’s AGM they are due on or before February 7, 2013 For details go to www.mcgacanola.org

For program info go to:

www.umanitoba.ca/outreach/naturalagriculture

9

The Manitoba Co-operator | January 31, 2013

Expert says climate change will alter the Prairies University of Winnipeg geography professor predicts Manitoba climate will be more like Nebraska’s within a few decades, including weeks of plus 30 C summer days

By Lorraine Stevenson co-operator staff / brandon

H

urricane Sandy and the devastating Midwe s t d ro u g h t h a ve convinced many Americans that climate change is real, and Prairie residents may soon have reason to feel likewise, says a University of Winnipeg geography professor.

“We are in climate change central in this part of North America,” Danny Blair said in a recent presentation at Ag Days.

Blair, who is the university associate dean of science, pointed to predictions that average Prairie temperatures could rise by 2 C, on top of the 2 C to 4 C increase that’s occurred in the last 40 years.

“If you move the mean temperature of the summer warmer by a couple of degrees, that doesn’t just mean everything is going to be 2 C warmer,” he said. “It changes the statistical distribution of extreme events... and the probability of having really extreme temperatures goes up.”

Projections are that Manitoba’s capital could have as many as 70 days with average temperatures of 30 C by century’s end, he said.

“Right now we have 13 days,” said Blair. “It is, shall I say it, Nebraska-type weather, or even Texas kind of weather from those extremes.”

Echoing David Chilton, the financial guru who brought a ‘don’t consume what you can’t afford’ message to Ag Days, SEC-WHEMB13_MC.qxd

1/21/13

Blair said people need to think about what their consumption is doing to the planet, too.

“We need to think about consumption from an environmental point of view, too,” he said.

Blair said he understands why many are skeptical of climate change, and cited an older farmer he had talked to that morning.

“He’d said to me, ‘Haven’t we always had climate change?’” he said.

Blair’s response was that this is different.

“Yes, climate has always changed and there are natural processes that have changed the climate,” he said. “But we are convinced within the scientific community that the warming we’re seeing now and that we’re 1:38 PM

going to see for decades to come is caused by us.”

In the 1700s, before the Industrial Revolution began, the number of carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere were 280 parts per million. Today, it’s 394. Gesturing to a teen in the front row, he said, “By the time this young man is an old man, it may be 500, 600, 700 parts per million. That’s where we’re going — unless we clean up our act.”

That’s going to be tough as a third of CO2 in air will still be there a century from now, and nearly a fifth of it will linger for 1,000 years.

Carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuel, has increased radiative forcing, the difference the amount of heat the planet receives versus what is radiated into space. Scien-

tists estimate the increase in greenhouse gases is generating the heat equivalent of a 1.6-watt light bulb per square metre.

“What we’ve done to the atmosphere, by changing the composition of the atmosphere, is essentially hang a Christmas tree bulb to burn over every square metre of the earth’s surface continually,” he said.

“Does it seem like ver y much? No it doesn’t. But it’s there. And it’s significant enough to change the planet.”

Powerpoint slides of Blair’s Ag Days presentation are online at: http://dannyblair. uwinnipeg.ca/presentations/ blair-mbagdays-15jan2013.pdf. lorraine@fbcpublishing.com

Page 1

WHAT’S UP Please forward your agricultural events to daveb@fbcpublish ing.com or call 204-944-5762.

Jan. 30-31: Manitoba Swine Seminar, Victoria Inn and Convention Centre, 1808 Wellington Ave., Winnipeg. For more info visit www.ManitobaSwineSeminar.ca or call 204-475-8585.

Jan. 31: MAFRI consultation meeting on Growing Forward 2 programs, 1 to 4 p.m., Credit Union Room, Arborg Bifrost Community Centre, Arborg.

Ad Number: SEC-WHEMB13_MC Publication: Manitoba Cooperator Trim -8.125” x 10 (4 col x 140)

Feb. 6: Kick-Start Your Food Product Idea workshop, 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Brandon. For more information or to pre-register, call 204-483-2153.

Feb. 7-8: Manitoba Beef Producers annual general meeting, Victoria Inn, 3550 Victoria Ave., Brandon. For more info call 1-800-772-0458 or visit www.mbbeef.ca.

More seed solutions than Prairie towns.

Feb. 8: Farm Succession Seminar, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Steinbach Legion.

Registration $20. For more info or to pre-register call MAFRI at 204-3466080 or 204-268-6094.

Feb 12-13: Western Canadian Holistic Management Conference, George P. Buleziuk Centre and Russell Inn, Russell. For more info call 204-622-2006 or visit mbforagecouncil.mb.ca/westerncanadian-holistic-managementconference-3/.

Feb. 13-14: Canadian Association of Agri-Retailers convention, Fairmont Banff Springs, 405 Spray Ave., Banff. For more info visit www. caar.org or call 1-800-463-9323.

Produced by: SeCan Product/Campaign Name: SeCan Wheat Date Produced: January 2013

Feb. 14: Food entrepreneurs’ workshop: “Steps to commercialization: Food retail or food service,” 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Morden Friendship Centre, 306 N. Railway St., Morden. To pre-register call 204822-5461.

Feb. 23: Manitoba Outstanding Young Farmers (OYF) annual banquet, 6 p.m., Elkhorn Resort, Onanole. For more info call 204-448-2162 or visit www.oyfcanada.com.

Feb. 25-26: Wild Oats Grainworld ag outlook conference, Fairmont Winnipeg, 2 Lombard Place. For more info visit wildoatsgrainworld. com or call 1-800-567-5671.

Genes that fit your farm. No matter where you farm.

Call your SeCan seed retailer today. 800-665-7333 www.secan.com 1 Developed by Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, Swift Current 2 Developed by Crop Development Centre, University of Saskatchewan 3 Developed by Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, Winnipeg 4 Developed by Wiersum Plant Breeding, The Netherlands

‘AC’ is an official mark used under license from Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada.

Genes that fit your farm® is a registered trademark of SeCan.

Ad Number: SEC-WHEMB13_MC

10

The Manitoba Co-operator | January 31, 2013

LIVESTOCK MARKETS Cattle Prices Winnipeg

January 25, 2013

Feeder prices turn lower, attract U.S. buyers

Steers & Heifers 97.00 - 102.00 D1, 2 Cows 60.00 - 66.00 D3 Cows 52.00 - 58.00 Bulls 75.00 - 82.00 Feeder Cattle (Price ranges for feeders refer to top-quality animals only) Steers (901+ lbs.)

100.00 - 117.00 (801-900 lbs.)

112.00 - 128.00 (701-800 lbs.)

117.00 - 134.00 (601-700 lbs.)

125.00 - 150.00 (501-600 lbs.)

130.00 - 156.00 (401-500 lbs.)

140.00 - 160.00 Heifers (901+ lbs.)

100.00 - 112.00 (801-900 lbs.)

107.00 - 116.00 (701-800 lbs.)

110.00 - 123.00 (601-700 lbs.)

115.00 - 127.00 (501-600 lbs.)

120.00 - 136.00 (401-500 lbs.)

125.00 - 140.00

Heifers

Alberta South $ 115.00 - 115.50 115.00 - 115.50 67.00 - 78.00 60.00 - 70.00 74.41 $ 118.00 - 129.00 120.00 - 132.00 125.00 - 137.00 134.00 - 147.00 142.00 - 165.00 157.00 - 184.00 $ 110.00 - 120.00 113.00 - 124.00 116.00 - 129.00 122.00 - 137.00 130.00 - 148.00 135.00 - 155.00

($/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 (January 25, 2013) in U.S. Fed Cattle Close Change February 2013 125.87 -0.73 April 2013 130.35 -0.52 June 2013 126.80 0.08 August 2013 127.75 1.08 October 2013 132.07 1.47 December 2013 133.67 1.27 Cattle Slaughter Canada East West Manitoba U.S.

Feeder Cattle January 2013 March 2013 April 2013 May 2013 August 2013 September 2013

Cold temperatures put more pressure on feed supplies Phil Franz-Warkentin

Ontario $ 98.21 - 122.50 103.46 - 123.32 54.15 - 72.48 54.15 - 72.48 66.50 - 87.51 $ 124.74 - 140.73 114.10 - 135.41 112.78 - 139.34 123.02 - 149.75 126.87 - 169.75 125.29 - 164.03 $ 113.52 - 123.49 111.20 - 127.52 107.88 - 128.34 113.91 - 137.09 108.39 - 143.10 115.28 - 147.92

Close 144.60 147.95 151.17 154.25 159.87 161.42

Change 0.20 2.10 2.95 3.90 3.55 3.12

Cattle Grades (Canada)

Week Ending January 19, 2013 46,316 12,370 33,946 NA 615,000

Previous Year­ 54,325 14,940 39,385 NA 619,000

Week Ending January 19, 2013 550 19,228 13,344 476 691 11,164 14

Prime AAA AA A B D E

Previous Year 340 19,982 21,734 655 558 7,700 166

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 155.00E 157.04 159.70

Futures (January 25, 2013) in U.S. Hogs February 2013 April 2013 May 2013 June 2013 July 2013

Last Week 161.81 150.48 151.81 155.46

Close 87.05 89.67 96.47 97.60 97.40

Last Year (Index 100) 171.45 157.70 157.18 161.95

Change 1.10 1.60 1.77 0.95 0.90

Other Market Prices Sheep and Lambs $/cwt Ewes Lambs (110+ lb.)

(95 - 109 lb.)

(80 - 94 lb.)

(Under 80 lb.)

(New crop)

$1 Cdn: $ .9923 U.S. $1 U.S: $1.0078 Cdn.

COLUMN

(Friday to Thursday) Slaughter Cattle

Slaughter Cattle Grade A Steers Grade A Heifers D1, 2 Cows D3 Cows Bulls Steers

EXCHANGES: January 25, 2013

Winnipeg 68.00 - 82.00 95.00 - 100.00 102.00 - 106.00 117.00 - 120.00 120.00 - 125.00 —

Chickens 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

Turkeys Minimum prices as of February 3, 2013 Broiler Turkeys (6.2 kg or under, live weight truck load average) Grade A .................................... $2.030 Undergrade .............................. $1.940 Hen Turkeys (between 6.2 and 8.5 kg liveweight truck load average) Grade A .................................... $2.015 Undergrade .............................. $1.915 Light Tom/Heavy Hen Turkeys (between 8.5 and 10.8 kg liveweight truck load average) Grade A .................................... $2.015 Undergrade .............................. $1.915 Tom Turkeys (10.8 and 13.3 kg, live weight truck load average) Grade A..................................... $1.980 Undergrade............................... $1.895 Prices are quoted f.o.b. farm.

Toronto 30.00 - 30.00 140.04 - 149.03 143.92 - 153.71 134.53 - 152.86 142.66 - 196.11 —

SunGold Specialty Meats 40.00 - 60.00

Eggs

Goats Toronto ($/cwt) 47.55 - 174.46 — 52.74 - 142.40

Horses <1,000 lbs.

1,000 lbs.+

Winnipeg ($/cwt) — —

B

itterly cold temperatures across the province during the week ended Jan. 25 may have kept some people at home from the auction yards, but business went on as usual and volumes were relatively steady from the previous week.

The same can’t be said from a pricing standpoint, as feeder prices were generally lower on most classes of cattle.

Heartland Livestock Services at Virden was the busiest location during the week, as a pre-sort sale boosted the numbers.

“Some guys are moving cattle because they’ll need the pens for calving within the next couple of weeks,” said Robin Hill at Virden. Other movement, he said, was just normal activity for this time of year.

Demand was coming from all directions, with cattle moving west, east and also to the south, said Hill. “The U.S. is starting to get more in our market as the prices soften somewhat,” he added.

A weaker Canadian dollar contributed to the interest from the U.S., but the general softening of cattle prices was the largest influence bringing the U.S. orders back in.

The Canadian dollar declined sharply during the week, dropping to its lowest levels in six months as the Bank of Canada downgraded its expectations for the country’s economy.

Rising feed costs are causing cattle prices to move lower, with the largest losses on the lighter-weight cattle. “The feed costs are just catching up to everybody,” said Hill. Animals 800 pounds and up were more

Toronto ($/cwt) 14.55 - 41.07 29.91 - 44.45

“Some guys are moving cattle because they’ll need the pens for calving within the next couple of weeks.” robin hill

Heartland Livestock Services

attractive than those that still need to put on weight.

The lighter animals lost about three to four cents per pound on average during the week, while those with more meat already on their bones only saw values decline by one or two cents, said Hill.

On the butcher side, prices were steady to a little firmer on the week. “The demand is there for the hamburger,” said Hill, accounting for the strength in the butcher market. Volumes of butcher animals should start to slow down in February, he said, which would keep values well supported.

Bred cow season is starting up and will become a larger factor at the auction yards over the next few weeks, said Hill. He was uncertain how the market would turn out for the bred cows, but noted the feed shortage in western Manitoba would likely weigh on values.

The arctic temperatures experienced during the week meant cattle were eating more in order to stay warm and keep their energy. A return to more moderate weather conditions would be welcomed at this stage of the winter, especially as feed supplies get tight.

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

news

Horsemeat found in British burgers The U.K. and Irish industry is reeling from the scandal

By Kate Holton and Stephen Mangan london/dublin / reuters

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

Winnipeg (100/head) Kids 75.00 - 88.00 Billys 150.00 - 150.00 Mature —

CNSC

Burger King, one of the most popular fast-food chains in Britain and Ireland, said Jan. 24 it had stopped using one of the firms caught up in the scandal of supplying grocers with beef that contained horsemeat.

The British food industry has been rocked by the revelation last week that retailers including market leader Tesco and smaller chains Aldi, Lidl and Iceland had sold beef products that contained horsemeat.

Food safety experts say horsemeat poses no added health risks to consumers, but the discovery has raised concerns about traceability in the food supply chain.

On its website, Burger King said it had decided to replace all Silvercrest products in Britain and Ireland with products from another approved supplier.

“This is a voluntary and precautionary measure,” Burger King said. “We are working diligently to identify suppliers that can produce 100 per cent pure Irish and British beef products that meet our high-quality standards.”

The beef burger products found to have tested positive for horse DNA, were produced in processing plants by Liffey Meats and Silvercrest Foods in Ireland and Dalepak Hambleton in Britain.

Ireland’s Prime Minister Enda Kenny said at the weekend he was “not satisfied” that the government had got to the bottom of how nine out of 13 burgers from the plant tested positive for traces of horsemeat in a set of DNA tests.

Tesco, Britain’s biggest retailer, last week withdrew from sale all products from its supplier, Silvercrest, which is owned by Irelandbased ABP Food Group.

ABP Foods said the source of the contamination was a beef-based product bought from two third-party suppliers outside of Ireland.

A Tesco Everyday Value burger made at the Silvercrest plant was found to contain 29 per cent horsemeat when tested.

Looking for results? Check out the market reports from livestock auctions around the province. » PaGe 36

11

The Manitoba Co-operator | January 31, 2013

GRAIN MARKETS Export and International Prices

column

Last Week

All prices close of business January 24, 2013

ICE’s canola futures climb higher on lower loonie Rain in dry parts of the U.S. pressured wheat values Dwayne Klassen CNSC

T

he unexpected downfall in the value of the Canadian dollar helped canola futures on the ICE Futures Canada trading platform push upward during the week ended Jan. 25. The weak Canadian unit had the benefit of sparking some aggressive buying from both the domestic and export sectors.

As if by cue, there were unconfirmed reports of fresh Canadian canola export sales put on the books during the reporting period. The sales, while unconfirmed, were said to have included both canola seed as well as canola oil.

Adding to the strength displayed by canola were nervous short-position holders, who ended up buying back those previously sold contracts on concerns about the dryness issues which have been hovering over much of Argentina’s soybean growing regions.

The ability of the March canola futures to hold above key technical resistance at $600 per tonne, also stimulated some additional chart-based demand from fund accounts.

Concerns about tightening canola supplies in Canada, due to the strong usage, only added to the supportive tone experienced by values.

The upside in canola was restricted by bouts of profit-taking and from elevator company hedge selling, particularly in view of Prairie farmers taking advantage of $14 or better cash bids being offered by these companies and domestic crushers.

Activity in the milling wheat, durum and barley market on the ICE Futures Canada platform remained uneventful as interest in trading these commodities remains absent.

Some arbitraging of value for barley by the exchange was the only action seen.

Soybean futures at the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) managed to push upward during the reporting period, with the trek to higher ground occurring at a reluctant pace.

There was a lot of “give and go” on the South American soybean production front, with movement in values dependent on the everchanging weather outlook, particularly for Argentina.

One day dryness was hurting the crop; the next day the forecast included beneficial rain, which created a lot of confusion. However, while some doubt has been cast over production, most market participants are still of the belief that soybean output from that region of the globe will be record-high.

Steady demand from the export and domestic sector helped to keep a firm floor under CBOT soybean values.

Corn futures on the CBOT experienced small declines during the reporting period, with the continued absence of demand from the export sector and the continued dimin-

ished usage of the commodity in the domestic market, generating the downward price slide.

The jump in the value of the U.S. dollar also did not do corn futures any favours.

The price trend in wheat futures on the CBOT, MGEX and KCBT was to the downside during the week. The arrival of beneficial rains in the U.S. Midwest and southern wheat-growing areas of the U.S. accounted for some of the price weakness. Export demand for U.S.-based wheat also continued on the thin side, which further contributed to the bearish price sentiment.

The lack of demand for U.S. wheat continues to surprise individuals, especially with wheat output in the other parts of the globe suspect at best. Most participants feel that U.S. wheat continues to be highly priced and have seen seeking alternatives instead.

While the South American weather forecast will continue to have an impact on the direction of the North American oilseed sector, canola has shown signs of wanting to break out on its own.

There is no doubt that if South America starts to harvest a record-sized crop, canola will feel some of the downward price pressure associated with that bearish news.

However, the extremely tight canola ending stocks picture may provide an opportunity for the commodity to enjoy trading at a bit of a premium to soybeans.

Visible stocks of canola in Canada as of Jan. 20 were pegged by the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) at only 891,900 tonnes.

At the same time a year ago, stocks of canola were sitting at 1.382 million tonnes.

This in turn has resulted in some concern about just how much canola is actually out there, given the strong usage pace.

Farmer deliveries of canola, despite strong cash bids, also continue to be slightly behind the year-ago level. CGC figures for the period ended Jan. 20 in the 2012-13 crop year reveal 7.433 million tonnes of canola have been delivered into the commercial elevator system, down from the 7.881 million tonnes at the same time a year ago.

The domestic disappearance of canola also was ahead of the year-ago pace. An estimated 3.243 million tonnes of canola has been used in the domestic sector so far, based on the CGC stats. Last year at the same time, the figure was sitting at 3.183 million tonnes.

Some market participants feel that Canada’s canola ending stocks at the end of the 2012-13 season will be extremely tight. There are ideas that this could be a correct assessment. However, on the flip side of the coin, there are already ideas that the Statistics Canada stocks in all positions report, to be released Feb. 5, will come up with a larger-than-anticipated canola number, as the government agency bumps up production totals.

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

Year Ago

Wheat

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

287.03

287.03

240.10

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

319.36

319.36

303.93

Coarse Grains US corn Gulf ($US)

—

—

—

US barley (PNW) ($US)

—

—

—

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

285.24

285.24

249.80

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

230.19

230.19

195.01

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

525.47

525.47

449.24

1,135.35

1,135.35

1,145.28

Winnipeg Futures ICE Futures Canada prices at close of business January 25, 2013 barley

Last Week

Week Ago

March 2013

241.50

242.90

May 2013

242.50

243.90

July 2013

243.00

244.40

Canola

Last Week

Week Ago

March 2013

612.50

598.40

May 2013

602.10

588.90

July 2013

591.80

581.30

Special Crops Report for January 28, 2013 — 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

21.00 - 21.75

Canaryseed

Laird No. 1

20.00 - 21.75

Oil Sunflower Seed

Eston No. 2

20.00 - 21.75

Desi Chickpeas

25.25 - 28.00 — 27.00 - 28.75

Field Peas (Cdn. $ per bushel)

Beans (Cdn. cents per pound)

Green No. 1

Fababeans, large

—

Medium Yellow No. 1

14.30 - 15.50

Feed beans

—

Feed Peas (Cdn. $ per bushel)

8.15 - 8.75

No. 1 Navy/Pea Beans

—

Feed Pea (Rail)

No. 1 Great Northern

—

Mustardseed (Cdn. cents per pound)

No. 1 Cranberry Beans

—

Yellow No. 1

39.75 - 40.75

No. 1 Light Red Kidney

—

Brown No. 1

34.75 - 36.75

No. 1 Dark Red Kidney

—

Oriental No. 1

26.40 - 27.75

No. 1 Black Beans

—

No. 1 Pinto Beans

—

5.00 - 9.00

Source: Stat Publishing SUNFLOWERS

No. 1 Small Red

—

No. 1 Pink

—

Fargo, ND

Goodlands, KS

22.70

23.80

—

—

Report for January 25, 2013 in US$ cwt NuSun (oilseed) Confection Source: National Sunflower Association

CME surveys members on trade hours

By Tom Polansek chicago/ reuters

Dwayne Klassen writes for Commodity News Service Canada, a Winnipeg company specializing in grain and commodity market reporting.

Week Ago

The Chicago Board of Trade has launched a survey asking customers whether it should shorten the nearly non-stop electronic trading cycle for grains and hinted that executives had grown less concerned about competition from rival IntercontinentalExchange.

The Board of Trade, which dominates agricultural trading with U.S. grain and oilseed futures and options contracts, in May expanded the trading session to 21 hours from 17 hours to fend

off a challenge from upstart ICE. Customers have already provided “significant feedback” about the controversial change, the Board of Trade said.

“As we start a new year, we think the timing is right to review those changes and industry feedback more formally to ensure we’re continually meeting our customers’ needs,” said CME spokesperson Tim Andriesen.

Some grain traders have circulated a petition calling on the Board of Trade to reduce the trading day because they say the longer cycle has spread out volume, cutting liquidity and increasing volatility. They add that the threat of ICE poaching business has so far proven mostly hollow.

12

The Manitoba Co-operator | January 31, 2013

Lamb prices fall back to earth Lamb consumption may be on the rise, but Manitoba can’t compare to regions with larger populations

By Shannon VanRaes CO-OPERATOR STAFF | brandon

S

heep prices are down, way down from when Gail Kasprick decided to get into the business. But she’s looking at the bright side.

“It sounds as though it’s going to improve,” the Neepawa-area producer said while attending a session on sheep marketing at Ag Days.

“But for someone like me just getting into it, it wasn’t a bad thing, because when I was buying the prices were down.”

Sheep are still a good way of diversifying farm income, even if prices have fallen from peaks reached in 2011, the provincial sheep specialist told farmers attending Ag Days.

“There is a lot of scare in the industry,... but the industry is not dying,” Mamoon Rashid said during his Ag Days presentation at the Brandon Keystone Centre.

Lamb reached prices as [6”] high Variety deregistration– as $2.50 a pound in 2011, but is

2013

currently selling for about $1.30 or $1.35 in major markets like Ontario.

“Manitoba is always about 20 cents, or 25 cents less than Ontario, but that is the cost to ship it over there anyways,” said Rashid, a small ruminants business development specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development.

He said the recent drop in price may seem intimidating, but noted it appears more significant than it actually is because prices were unusually high two years ago.

Rashid couldn’t hazard a guess as to why prices increased by so much in 2011, but said current lamb prices are well within normal price fluctuations.

Kasprick said buying in when the market is down meant some of her animals only cost $175.

And although she only has 16 ewes — both meat and fibre — she plans to expand to augment her cattle operation.

“It’s a diversification thing,”

she said. “It’s my version of an off-farm income without leaving the farm.”

Rashid said the number of cattle producers turning to sheep as a means of diversification has increased.

But even as the number of sheep on Manitoba’s farms creeps up, stocks still haven’t reached levels seen in 2006 when 65,000 sheep were in the province. In 2012, Manitoba only had 56,000 sheep, up slightly from 53,000 in 2011, Rashid said.

He noted a federally inspected slaughter plant could help expand the province’s sheep industry.

Currently, only provincially inspected plants slaughter lamb, meaning meat processed in Manitoba can’t be sold outside of the province.

“The biggest thing is the market, our industry is dependent on eastern markets,” Rashid said. “So even if we have our local supply chain we don’t have enough local consump-

IMPORTANT NOTICE

Attention: Grain producers Effective August 1, 2013, Canada Western Solin will be removed from the list of official grains of Canada and will no longer be regulated under the Canada Grain Act. Varieties of Canada Western Solin are: ● CDC Gold ● 2047 ● 2126

● 1084 ● 2090 ● 2149

As of August 1, 2013, there will no longer be a grade schedule or quality standards for solin, nor will you have the right to request subject to inspector’s grade and dockage for solin. As well, deliveries of solin will not be eligible for payment protection.

Working together, we all play a part in maintaining Canada’s grain quality.

For more information, contact the Canadian Grain Commission:

1-800-853-6705 or 204-983-2770 TTY : 1-866-317-4289 www.grainscanada.gc.ca Stay informed. Get updates by RSS feed about changes to variety designation lists. To subscribe, visit the Canadian Grain Commission’s web site. Follow @Grain_Canada on Twitter.

Mamoon Rashid, a business development specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, believes lamb is a good way to diversify a farm. Photo: Shannon VanRaes

tion. There is only so much lamb we can consume in Manitoba.”

Although demand for lamb has increased in the province along with growing communities of new immigrants, Manitoba still can’t compare with communities like Vancouver or Toronto, Rashid said.

But Manitoba could help supply those markets more effectively with a federal slaughter plant, rather than shipping slaughter animals east.

“We have to ship outside, either live of processed,” he said. shannon.vanraes@fbcpublishing.com

Heads starting to roll as Canadian Grain Commission cuts costs Around 300 staff are ‘affected’ but officials can’t say how many positions will be declared ‘surplus’

By Allan Dawson co-operator staff

T

he Canadian Grain Commission is cutting jobs — although the exact number has yet to be determined.

About 300 of the agency’s 700 workers are in “impacted positions” and some have already received letters declaring their positions “surplus,” said spokesman Remi Gosselin.

“Of the 300 impacted positions, I would say about 230 perform inspection and weighing functions, which you find (mainly) in port locations,” he said.

“The remainder of the positions that are impacted are in Winnipeg — around 70 positions — but it doesn’t necessarily mean those 70 positions will (all) be eliminated. We’re not really sure how many positions will be eliminated outright and how many employees will be declared surplus.”

Retirements are expected to lower the layoff numbers. Those who lose their jobs have three options — remain employed with the federal government for one year and then be placed on a priority list to fill vacant government jobs, take a severance package, or a combination of severance and funds for up to two years of education.

Ottawa, which currently covers half of the grain commission’s costs, will no longer subsidize the agency. That sparked fears its fees would triple, but c o m m i s s i o n e r Mu rd o c h

MacKay says the average fee to farmers will be $1.82 per tonne — a 47 per cent increase.

Eliminating mandatory inward weighing and inspection of grain at port elevators will save the commission $20 million, with other changes bringing in $10 million in savings.

What the grain industry gets for its $1.82 a tonne are grain quality experts who work with customers around the world promoting and standing behind Canadian grain, MacKay said.

The commission also arbitrates grade disputes between farmers and grain buyers, administers producer cars, establishes grades, and conducts research on milling and baking quality.

The federal gover nment wants to make more changes, including establishing a voluntary, nonbinding dispute settlement process. Now if a grain company disagrees with a grain commission ruling its only option is to fight it in court, which MacKay said is expensive for both sides.

The agency also wants to clarify the role of its grain research laboratory regarding monitoring grain safety, extend “subject to inspectors’ grade and dockage” provisions to process elevators, license companies that load containers with grain for export, and bring in penalties for those who misrepresent the class of grain they are delivering. allan@fbcpublishing.com

13

The Manitoba Co-operator | January 31, 2013

Deaths in farm workplace declines Experts say safer equipment has helped, but not enough farmers have a workplace safety plan

By Lorraine Stevenson CO-OPERATOR STAFF

T

he number of fatalities is falling on Canadian farms, but the statistics are far from good.

The average number of deaths on farms has fallen to 89 annually since 2000, compared to 118 annually throughout 1990s, according to the latest Canadian Agricultural Injury Report.

No deaths is the only acceptable number, but the decline is encouraging, and is a sign that more farmers are making their workplace safer, said Marcel Hacault, executive director of the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association.

“We’re definitely seeing evidence of a greater commitment to managing safety risks on farms,” Hacault said in a news release.

Farmers are showing increased interest in safety training courses for their employees and beginning to build safety plans into their business operations, he said.

But the operative word is ‘beginning.’ Only about 15 per cent of Canadian farmers have a safety plan, according to a 2011 Farm Credit Canada survey.

Improvements to farm equipment is also playing a role.

“The farm equipment they’re using allows them to farm more safely, ” Hacault said. “A lot of the hazards that were there in the past are no longer there.”

The overall fatality rate from 1990 to 2008 was 13 deaths per 100,000 farmers, although that jumped to 80 deaths per 100,000 for those age 80 and over. During that period, the number of children killed on the farm decreased from 16 deaths per year from 10. Many of those deaths occurred when the child fell while riding in a tractor or was struck when someone was backing up a piece of equipment.

In all, there were 1,975 deaths on farms or agricultural operations between 1990 and 2009. The top causes are rollovers, runovers, and entanglement in machinery.

These are predictable and preventable events, not random or isolated “accidents,” said Hacault.

“If more producers made sure all their tractors had Roll Over Protection Systems (ROPS) and wore seatbelts, it would go a long way toward making farm work safer,” he said. lorraine@fbcpublishing.com

Grain commission considering expanding security program to feed mills The question is where do you draw the line, says commissioner Murdoch MacKay

By Allan Dawson CO-OPERATOR STAFF

T

he Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) is considering whether it can expand its proposed new insurancebased payment security program to non-licensed buyers such as feed mills.

“We at the commission have had some discussions about it and we’re looking at it,” CGC commissioner Murdoch MacKay told reporters after speaking at the Keystone Agricultural Producers’ (KAP) annual meeting in Winnipeg Jan. 23.

“It’s not falling on deaf ears.

We’ve heard and we’re listening and we’re looking at it.”

But MacKay said it’s difficult to know how far to extend producer security.

KAP has been pushing for the CGC to expand its security pro-

gram to include feed mills in wake of Puratone, a major hog producer and feed mill company entering creditor protection last fall owing grain farmers around $1 million for grain.

One farmer is owed more than $300,000 and many others are out thousands of dollars, said KAP president Doug Chorney.

“This is unacceptable,” he said.

“People in this day and age cannot afford to lose that amount of money on the product they have produced.”

MacKay said the CGC wants to drop its current security program, which requires licensed grain companies to post enough security to cover what’s owed to farmers for the grain they delivered and replace it with an insurance scheme.

“That means we’re looking at a process where companies would pool their risk through an insur-

ance program and they would cover the payment obligations that are required for producers,” MacKay said.

Participating in the insurance program would be a condition of licensing.

The current program requires companies to report their grain stocks and financial status to the CGC monthly. Sometimes when companies fail there isn’t enough security to cover what farmers are owed.

The new system should be cheaper for companies and the CGC to administer and guarantee all farmers 100 per cent of what they are owed, he said.

The CGC is asking insurance companies for more information, and then it will make the details public and consult with the grain sector, MacKay said.

The goal is to have the new system operating by Aug. 1.

“Right now we’re feeling quite comfortable about it and we will continue to move forward on all of these processes,” he told reporters, but added that time frame might be ambitious if the security program is expanded to include unlicensed buyers such as feed mills.

“There are a lot of different feed mills,” MacKay said. “You’ve got big ones, you’ve got mid-size ones and then you’ve got the small ones and then you’ve got one farmer selling to another farmer.

Where do you draw the line? We’re looking at it to see if it’s at all possible... No matter what happens it will be an added cost to them.”

If the CGC does expand coverage, it’s likely to initially stick with the 21 grains and oilseeds already covered under the Canada Grain Act, he said. allan@fbcpublishing.com

Win with AgCelence We’re giving away 4 Hawaiian vacations. enter at

agsolutions.ca/agcelence Use code: H M T J d Y y

Peace of mind can be yours when you use Headline® fungicide on your canola.

I t ’ s w h at y o u ’ l l feel when you get an extra 3 to 4 bushels of canola an acre.

not only is it unrivalled in Blackleg control, it gives plants inner strength through AgCelence™greener leaves, stronger stems and as a result, higher yields.* and since it can be applied with your herbicide, it saves you work too.

So your feelings of tranquility will be as bountiful as your yield. Visit agsolutions.ca/headline for more.

*all comparisons are to untreated, unless otherwise stated.

Always read and follow label directions.

AgSolutions and Headline are registered trade-marks of BaSF Corporation; AgCelence is a trade-mark of BaSF Se; all used with permission by BaSF Canada inc. Headline should be used in a preventative disease control program. © 2013 BaSF Canada inc.

110200809_2013Serenity_MC_v1.indd 1

13-01-24 10:56 AM

14

The Manitoba Co-operator | January 31, 2013

SHEEP & GOAT COLUMN

BRIEFS

Prices follow Ontario trends

Mexican farmers want overhaul of grain-hedging programs

It was bitterly cold outside, but there was some heated bidding on the inside

By Mark Elliot

January 9, 2013

CO-OPERATOR CONTRIBUTOR

P

roducers provided 350 sheep and goats to the Winnipeg Livestock Auction Jan. 23. The bidding from the buyers was strong and heated, compared to the freezing cold temperature outside.

The Manitoba market followed the Ontario market trend in prices on the lambs.

Wool ewes dominated ewes on offer at this sale. The price ranged from $0.69 to $0.80 per pound. Bids on hair ewes brought $0.66 per pound.

There was a higher demand for a group of open Rideau-cross ewes, which brought $0.85 per pound. However, there appeared to be less interest by the buyers for a group of 10 pregnant Dorper-cross ewes due to lamb in March. They fetched $92. Limited producers wanted to increase their present herd with this group of ewes.

The well-structured 240-pound-frame Dorper-cross ram brought $168 ($0.70 per pound). The trend for this sale was the heavyweight rams produced lower prices compared to lighter rams. The weight ranged from 158 to 205 pounds, ranging in price from $0.82 to $0.66 per pound.

The heavyweight classification was represented by one 140pound Suffolk-cross lamb which brought $133 ($0.95 per pound).

EWES

$98.67 - $129.50

n/a

$133

$133.20 - $136.88

95 - 110

$94.05 - $109.14

$135.45

80 - 94

$97.11 - $101.20

$102.40

72 - 75

$87.12 - $92.25

$84 - $94.01

60 / 69

n/a

n/a

53 / 56

$59.36 / $62.72

n/a

LAMBS (LBS.) 110+

Under 80

There was a strong presence of market lambs delivered for this sale. There were more wool lambs on offer but prices were no different than for the hair lambs. Weights ranged from 94 to 107 pounds, with a price ranging from $94.05 to $109.14, showing a range of $0.99 to $1.05 per pound.

The bidding on the feeder lambs was stronger than the market lambs, but still lower from the last sale. The weight of the feeder lambs ranged from 83 to 88 pounds, ranging in price from $97.11 to $101.20 ($1.15 to $1.19 per pound).

The demand for the lightweight lambs remained similar to the last sale and the last sale of 2012, based upon the bidding from the buyers. Once again, there was a good selection of these lighter lambs.

Three 72-pound Rideau-cross lambs brought $87.12 ($1.21 per pound). There were two groups of 75-pound lambs.

O n e Su f f o l k - c r o s s l a m b brought $89.25 ($1.19 per pound), and the other group of 42 mixed lambs brought $92.25 ($1.23 per pound).

Two 53-pound lambs brought $59.36 ($1.12 per pound).

Twenty-five 56-pound lambs brought $62.72 ($1.12 per pound).

Goats

Two 98-pound Boer-cross does brought $90 ($0.92 per pound).

A group of five Boer-cross does and one La Mancha-cross doe with a weight of 106 pounds brought $88 ($0.83 per pound).

B:10.25” The bidding on a group of seven pygmy-crossT:10.25” does was not as strong from the buyers as the S:10.25”

producer had wanted and they didn’t change owners.

There were no mature bucks delivered to this sale.

Six 89-pound Boer-cross wethers brought $100 ($1.12 per pound). One 85-pound Boercross goat brought $102.50 ($1.21 per pound).

Two 70-pound goats brought $80 ($1.14 per pound).

Three 63-pound Boer-cross bucklings brought $70 ($1.11 per pound). Eight 63-pound goat kids brought $80 ($1.27 per pound). Nine 64-pound goat kids brought $80 ($1.25 per pound).

Five 59-pound Boer-cross goat wethers brought $68 ($1.28 per pound). A group of 41 59-pound Boer-cross goat kids brought $70 ($1.19 per pound).

Five 54-pound Boer-cross goat kids brought $68 ($1.26 per pound).

A group of Boer-cross and Alpine-cross goat kids brought $73 ($1.26 per pound).

Ten 45-pound Boer-cross goat kids brought $55 ($1.22 per pound). Three 43-pound Boercross goat kids brought $54 ($1.26 per pound).

The Ontario Stockyard Report indicated that all classes of sheep, lambs and goats sold at a steady price. However, the prices had been dropping over the past few sales. The newcrop lambs showed limited demand at this sale, thus lower price bidding from the buyers.

MEXICO CITY / REUTERS With a harvest deadline looming, Mexican grain farmers are calling for an urgent overhaul of two government programs that help small producers buy derivatives contracts to hedge their crops.

With corn prices down nearly 15 per cent since August and facing the possibility of an uninsured crop, farmer groups say they need a solution within three weeks to safeguard the April/May harvest.

“The crop has already been planted,” said Eduardo Palau, the head of CAADES, an agricultural producers’ association. “Now we have to protect it so we can get a good price for it.”

The government has frozen a $41-million fund pending a review of how it operated. But farmers liked the program, which provided government money so they could buy hedging contracts through private brokerages that are then traded on the Chicago exchange. Government picked up 85 per cent of the cost.

By funding the hedging, the government avoids having to shell out big crop subsidies when harvests fail.

By 2050, there will be 9,000,000,000 hungry people and less farmland than there’s ever been. On August 19–25, 2013, the world’s youth will gather at the global 4-H Youth Ag-Summit to advance solutions to this growing crisis of agricultural sustainability.

Apply now at youthagsummit.com.

FOR A LEFT PAGE AD SBC13009.ManCoop

T:7.75”

Come to the table. Your perspective could change the course of history.

B:7.75”

S:7.75”

If you’re 18–25, you should send us your thoughts.

We might just send you to Calgary, Canada (expenses paid) to share them with 120 other bright young minds and industry leaders.

15

The Manitoba Co-operator | January 31, 2013

Beef Food Industry Summit brings key players together Next meeting in attempt to build a nationwide strategy could be in March

By Victoria Paterson STAFF / CALGARY

R

epresentatives at a meeting on the state of the Canadian beef industry last November agreed that the status quo is not acceptable, but that more work is needed to bring the industry together.

“The hard part is coming up next,” said Gordon Cove, CEO and president of the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency.

ALMA organized the Canadian Beef Industry Summit in Calgary after a Canadian AgriFood Policy Institute (CAPI) report said the nation’s beef industry was falling behind and missing opportunities because of a lack of a comprehensive strategy.

“ALMA thought there was at least a need to respond,” Cove said.

He said the meeting went well, pulling many members of senior management from various parts of the industry, including representatives from Loblaws, Cargill, Overwaitea and McDonald’s, as well as other organizations.

Cove said everybody agreed the status quo wasn’t good enough.

“Canada needs to do better in the beef industry. Everybody was committed to the beef industry,” he said. “The hard part is coming up with what’s next.”

He said the result of the meeting is that a group has been detailed to go out and conduct discussions. That group will bring a “straw man” of ideas back to a future meeting as a starting place to come up with that comprehensive strategy.

Cove said involvement will need to be expanded past the 50-odd people at the November summit. He emphasized ALMA’s role will now be to help industry run with the idea.

“ALMA’s not the lead on this.

ALMA works with the industry and this has to be an industry-led process,” he said. He said there’s a good chance a followup meeting will be held in March.

“We’ve got to find better ways of working together.”

TED BILYEA

Coherent strategy lacking

The McDonald’s Canada representative to the meeting thought the summit was “an important first step in this critical dialogue.” Geoff Giles, director of strategic supply, said in an email that the summit was an opportunity for industry leaders to start the strategy-building process to improve the performance of the Canadian beef sector.

“As it stands now, there is a lack of coherent, customerfocused Canadian beef selling proposition or strategy that all

links in the supply chain buy into,” he said.

Giles said any strategy that is developed needs to be consumer-centric and include food safety, traceability and sustainability.

McDonald’s Canada is the largest purchaser of ground beef in Canada, Giles said, and applauds the efforts to bring stakeholders together to discuss industry challenges.

“I was actually quite encouraged at the meeting,” said Phil Rowland, president of the Western Stock Growers’ Asso-

ALMA CEO Gordon Cove says the review process must be industry led.

Chosen to perform ELITE CORN DestineD to finish strong BrettYoung and Elite® are launching the E Series grain corn lineup in Western Canada. With a focus on yield, maturity, drydown and standability, these hybrids are sure to deliver in your field.

New to the lineup are E44A02 R (2150 CHU) and E50G29 R (2400 CHU) hybrids. Both have fast emergence with great drydown and high bushel weight. E44A02 R comes with Genuity® VT Double PRO™ RIB Complete™ to deliver the best corn borer protection without the hassle of planting separate refuges. E50G29 R comes with Genuity® VT Triple PRO™ for above ground insects and E50G27 R (2350 CHU) is an excellent fit for growers who do not need corn borer protection.

In the end, it all comes down to performance and BrettYoung brings a new standard of excellence to the field.

brettyoung.ca

•

800-665-5015

Jon MontgoMery

Industry co-operation, trust needed

Ted Bilyea, the chair of CAPI’s board of directors told the summit that the trade deficit highlighted in the report has continued to grow.

“The purpose of the report really was to take a systems view of the beef industry,” Bilyea said. He said the meeting helped trigger discussions and made the industry players more aware of the deficit.

“We know there are significant issues around the way we go to market, the way we do things,” he said. “We’ve got to find better ways of working together.”

Bilyea said it seemed to him it was a “constructive listening session” and people were in favour of trying to find out how to be a better industry.

“We all have to rethink our position and essentially work towards a more trusting relationship because that’s what it takes to work towards something significant,” he said.

ciation and one of the summit’s attendees. “There was recognition that we can’t keep doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results,” he said. Part of the meeting was discussing targeting markets for Canadian beef instead of being “an infill supplier to the United States.”

He noted Asia, in particular China’s growing middle class, is an attractive market for beef. “The fact… that we’re going to have a more comprehensive look at this is encouraging all by itself,” Rowland said. “ We’re finally talking about this stuff out loud and not ignoring some of the obvious things.” He said more cooperation will be welcome.

“We need a way forward and this may be how we’re going to find it.”

2010 Olympic Gold Medalist – Skeleton 2008 World Championship Silver Medalist

Join Jon’s teaM!

Brettyoung.ca/JoinJonsteam BrettYoung is a trademark of BrettYoung Seeds Limited. Elite is a registered trademark of La Coop fédérée.

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 and Design®, Genuity Icons, Genuity®, RIB Complete and Design™, Roundup Ready 2 Technology and Design®, Roundup Ready®, Roundup®, VT Double PRO™ and VT Triple PRO® are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC, Monsanto Canada, Inc. licensee. Respect the Refuge and Design is a registered trademark of the Canadian Seed Trade Association. Used under license. 12029 11.12

16

The Manitoba Co-operator | January 31, 2013

WEATHER VANE

Weather now for next week.

Get the Manitoba Co-operator mobile app and get local or national forecast info.

Download the free app at agreader.ca/mbc

M A RCH COM ES I N W I T H A N A DDE R’S H E A D, BU T G OES OU T W I T H A PE ACOCK’S TA I L .

Seasonable weather returns Issued: Monday, January 28, 2013 · Covering: January 30 – February 6, 2013 Daniel Bezte Co-operator contributor

O

nce again Mother Nature played her own game last week, as the weak system that was f o re c a s t t o h i t southwestern Manitoba last Thursday ended up being stronger and farther north than anticipated. This brought a good five to 10 centimetres of snow to much of southern and central Manitoba late last week.

As predicted, the western ridge did weaken, allowing warmer air to move into the forecast area over the weekend and into the early part of the week. By Wednesday, the weather models show a strong area of low pressure moving out of the U.S. Midwest toward Eastern Canada.

Behind this system an area of arctic high pressure will be building south. This arctic high will begin moving into our area late on Wednesday, and by Thursday we should be firmly back into the cold air.

Luckily, the centre of this area of high pressure should be to our west, which means that the coldest temperatures should stay to our west. This high also looks as if it will move through quickly, which means the cold weather will only stick around until late Friday or Saturday.

With a much weaker western ridge in place we’ll not see as much cold arctic air trying to push south during the second half of this forecast per iod. Temperatures should moderate back to more seasonable values, with high temperatures expected to be in the -10 C range. It also looks like the weekly snow machine will be turned off for a while, as none of the models predict any significant snowfall.

Usual temperature range for this period: Highs, -21 to -5 C; lows, -32 to -13 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

Percent of Average Precipitation (Prairie Region) November 1, 2012 to January 24, 2013

< 40% 40 - 60% 60 - 85% 85 - 115% 115 - 150% 150 - 200% > 200% Extent of Agricultural Land Lakes and Rivers

Produced using near real-time data that has undergone initial quality control. The map may not be accurate for all regions due to data availability and data errors.

Copyright © 2013 Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada Prepared by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s National Agroclimate Information Service (NAIS). Data provided through partnership with Environment Canada, Natural Resources Canada, and many Provincial agencies.

Created: 01/25/13 www.agr.gc.ca/drought

Not a lot has changed in regards to snow cover over the Prairies, so instead of looking at the snow cover map this week, here is a map showing the amount of precipitation that has fallen across the Prairies so far this winter compared to the long-term average. Most regions have seen near- to above-average amounts (green areas), with a large area of southern Saskatchewan seeing well-above-average amounts.

Record warmth the top story for 2012 The southeast’s fire-and-ice damage, the March heat wave and the melting Arctic made the list

By Daniel Bezte CO-OPERATOR CONTRIBUTOR

O

ver the last few issues we’ve looked at the top weather stories from around the world in 2012. In this issue it’s time to zoom in on Canada and see what the top weather stories were this past year. Environment Canada creates a list of the top weather stories each year along with a list of runner-up stories. If you want to check them out, visit www.ec.gc.ca. What I plan to do here is to summarize five of these top events, in the order of how important I thought they were, paying particular attention to the Prairies.

For the No. 1 weather story of 2012 I’ll have to agree with EC that it was the exceptionally warm year we experienced. I could take up the rest of this article going over the different temperature records broken across Canada in 2012.

The year started off with the winter that never was, as warm air remained in place across pretty much all of Canada.

Nearly every region saw winter temperatures in the top three for warmest winter ever.

Spring saw more seasonable temperatures across Canada, but as summer rolled around the temperature soared once

Usually a lot of heat energy goes toward melting ice and snow, but with very little snow around, the heat remained, allowing March temperatures to soar.

again. For the June-throughAugust period Canada recorded the warmest average national temperature. Nationally, the July-to-September period was even warmer, coming in as the warmest threemonth period in recorded history. Atlantic Canada, Nunavut and the northern Prairies all recorded their warmest summers ever. Only B.C. saw near-average temperatures.

I think the second-biggest story of 2012 was the incredible March heat wave. While it ties in directly with the first story I think it deserves a place of its own. EC also felt this, but lists it as the fourth top story. Once in a while things just come together to bring a truly amazing weather event, and this is exactly what happened last April. After a warm winter with little snow cover, atmospheric patterns developed that allowed warm air to

flow northward. Usually a lot of the heat energy would go toward melting all the ice and snow, but with very little snow around, the heat remained, allowing temperatures to soar.

All-time records were shattered from Saskatchewan to Atlantic Canada during this heat wave, with high temperatures making it into the low to upper 20s.

Usually records are broken by only a few 10ths of a degree and once in a while by a degree or two. During this heat wave records were being broken by as much as 17°! In fact, in some places overnight lows were so warm they were beating the record highs!

My third-biggest weather story of 2012 and EC’s sixth was the big melt in the Arctic. I’ve already written a lot about this, but to summarize, 2012 saw the lowest amount of Arctic ice on record. Summer minimum ice extent is now down to only

25 per cent of the Arctic Ocean and this is nearly 50 per cent lower than the 1979-2000 average. Not only is the extent of ice cover declining, but the volume of the ice is now at record lows as thick multi-year ice melts away and is replaced by thin one- or two-year-old ice.

The fourth-biggest stor y and EC’s third was the spring and early-summer flooding in B.C. Heavy winter snowfalls had officials concerned about spring flooding. Combine this with the pine beetlerelated loss of large tracts of trees, which would normally help to slow down the snowmelt and store run-off, and things were set for some serious flooding. As April rolled along some flooding did begin, but then cold weather moved in, delaying the snowmelt. When the warm weather returned about a month later, it also brought heavy rains and thunderstorms. This created a rapid snowmelt in the mountains and all this water, combined with the rain, resulted in river levels not seen in decades throughout much of southern and central B.C. Making the flooding particularly bad, as late-spring flooding came to an end, more heavy rain moved in, prolonging the flooding well into July.

My fifth and last weather story of 2012 was one of EC’s runner-up stories. In fact, there are two runner-up stories and I’m not sure which one I should go with. The first is the fire-toice story in southern Manitoba, when areas around Vita and St. Malo had to deal with wildfires that ended up destroying four homes early last October. Making this story more memorable, the fires were brought to an end when a storm system moved in, dumping upward of 30 cm of heavy, wet snow, along with heavy icing.

The other big story was the record snows that occurred over south-central Saskatchewan and then up into north-central Manitoba during November and December. Regina broke a daily snowfall record on Nov. 9, when 24 cm were recorded, and by the end of the month the city had recorded its snowiest November on record. In December more snow moved into Saskatchewan and then pushed into north-central Manitoba. This system dumped some amazing amounts of snow, with some locations in Manitoba reporting upward of 90 cm.

All in all, 2012 was quite a record-breaking year. Will 2013 follow suit? We’ll just have to wait and see!

17

The Manitoba Co-operator | January 31, 2013

CROPS Expert says new corn varieties can be planted early Advances in corn yields, seed treatments and production strategies take centre stage at AG Days

By Daniel Winters CO-OPERATOR STAFF

C

orn acreage has exploded f ro m n e a r l y n o t h i n g 5 0 years ago to 275,000 acres last year — and you only have to look at yields to see why.

Back in 1960, an average crop meant 25 bushels an acre. Today it’s 120, which also is why corn was in the spotlight at Ag Days.

Traditional thinking calls for corn to be seeded when the soil temperature hits 10 C, but Pam de Rocquigny, a provincial feed grains business development specialist, advised growers to get cracking and seed as soon as the ground can be worked in spring.

“Soil temperature doesn’t play as big of a role anymore,” de Rocquigny said in an Ag Days presentation.

“If you can get into your field in the end of April, guys will do that just to get their acres seeded.”

Along with advances in cold tolerance, new seed treatments mean the balance is shifted more towards calendar dates rather than soil temperature, and earlier planting gives a wider window for maturity and yield development before the first fall frost, which, it should be noted, arrived on Aug. 20 in 2004.

“Soil temperature doesn’t play as big of a role anymore.”

PAM DE ROCQUIGNY

But Rob Park, owner of RJP Seed, still considers July 1 a critical milestone for corn development, much like his father did decades ago.

“It’s not scientific, but if your corn is knee-high by the first of July, it’s probably going to make it,” he said in a presentation on crop forensics.

Pam de Rocquigny

PHOTOS: DANIEL WINTERS

This summer, with his corn developing well and drought south of the border boosting prices, he opted to push his management to a higher level in terms of fertility and pest management.

The result? A bin-busting 140 bushels per acre.

But in 2004, he recalled how his corn was knee-high to a grasshopper by July 8 and it was difficult to even see the rows. The cold and wet summer left it severely stunted and signs of nitrogen and phosphorus deficiencies were visible.

“We had a big decision. Do we put 100 pounds per acre of anhydrous up the rows?” he said. After seeing that his potential crop insurance payout would cover his losses, and discussing his options with various sources, he opted to give up on it.

“Farming to the end is not always the best decision,” said Park.

Soybeans for Maximum Yield

Roundup Ready ® is a registered trademark used under license from Monsanto Company.

Pioneer ® brand products are provided subject to the terms and conditions of purchase which are part of the labeling and purchase documents.

The DuPont Oval Logo is a registered trademark of DuPont. ®, TM, SM Trademarks and service marks licensed to Pioneer Hi-Bred Limited. © 2013, PHL.

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

Rob Park

As for rotational considerations, de Rocquigny said following low-residue crops such as pulses or beans can give corn a boost in terms of warmer soil and residual nitrogen.

But as some growers in 2012 found out, seeding on canola stubble risks having a crop with purplish leaves, yield loss, and wetter grain at harvest due to phosphorus deficiency.

Canola’s lack of interaction with mycorrhizal soil fungi is to blame, and research shows that up to 80 per cent of corn’s early-season uptake of the immobile soil nutrient occurs via the symbiotic fungi.

High levels of starter phosphorus can compensate for this problem, she noted.

Herbicide-tolerant varieties make weed control simple, but letting weeds get higher than four inches can compromise yields, she added.

But while Manitoba farmers are falling in love with corn, growing it

2425 heat units

isn’t cheap. The provincial Agricultural Department’s 2013 cost-ofproduction guide for the western side of the province pegs seed at $76 per acre, fertilizer $89 per acre, and drying cost at $35 per acre.

But it pretty much pencils out even at the 10-year average yield of 81 bushels per acre (based on crop insurance data for risk area four) and a price of $5.02 per bushel.

Using the province’s total operating expenses budget of $295.82 per acre, average marginal returns on corn in the southwest stand at $110.80 per acre.

“To cover operating costs, you need 59 bushels per acre. To cover both operating and fixed costs, you need about 78 bushels per acre, and to cover total costs, you need 84 bushels per acre,” said de Rocquigny. daniel.winters@fbcpublishing.com

2450 heat units

Pioneer® brand soybeans offer the newest genetics with key defensive and agronomic traits to accelerate top-end yield. And with very early maturity, they are bred to perform in Manitoba. Talk with your local Pioneer Hi-Bred sales rep today.

www.pioneer.com PR351_Soybean_MB_CPS_v3.indd 1

13-01-10 4:30 PM

18

The Manitoba Co-operator | January 31, 2013

Iowa weed scientist wades into glyphosate controversy at Ag Days Sensational claims by Purdue professor, Don Huber don’t stand up to scrutiny, says weed scientist

By Daniel Winters CO-OPERATOR STAFF / BRANDON

I

s glyphosate the greatest thing since sliced bread or an agronomic catastrophe waiting to happen?

There’s not solid evidence for the latter, but there is some cause for concern, according to a presentation by agronomy expert Bob Hartzler at Ag Days.

“Based on my experience in Iowa, where we have 22 million acres of Roundup Ready corn and soybeans, we have not seen any problems that we can correlate with the widespread use of glyphosate and plant disease and micronutrients,” said the extension weed specialist and professor of agronomy from Iowa State University.

“That doesn’t mean it doesn’t cause problems. We’re at near-

crisis levels in terms of glyphosate-resistant weeds.”

Looming over his presentation were public statements made by “that person” – Don Huber, an emeritus professor of plant pathology from Purdue University – who Hartzler described as the “flag-bearer” for those portraying glyphosate as “a bad thing.”

A case “could be made” for the retired professor’s concerns about glyphosate’s role in new and emergent crop diseases such as fusarium and Goss’s wilt, said Hartzler, who knew Huber briefly during his undergraduate days.

“It’s well documented that plants that are susceptible to glyphosate — when exposed to a sublethal dose — that increases the risk of disease developing in that plant,” said Hartzler.

However, the insertion of a foreign gene into Roundup Ready crops such as corn and soybeans

“You could look at this data and say glyphosate is actually protecting us from disease.”

BOB HARTZLER

keeps a critical pathway of immunity open for such plants, thus preventing disease, he added.

Hartzler also addressed Huber’s claim that the strong chelating effect of glyphosate immobilizes micronutrients such as manganese in plant tissues leading to more disease outbreaks.

“Again, there has been a lot of research conducted and none of it has shown that glyphosate ties up micronutrients in plants,” he said.

Bob Hartzler, extension weed specialist and professor of agronomy at Iowa State University, debunks myths about glyphosate in a presentation at Ag Days.

PHOTO: DANIEL WINTERS

One area that may have “greater credibility,” noted Hartzler, is the “well-documented” suspicion that the herbicide’s tendency to be translocated through the plant

Ahead of your Canola.

CleanStart

®

getting tough on total weed control in front of canola.

If you’ve got a combination of tough weeds, you won’t get them all with glyphosate alone. No matter how hard you try.

Give your high-value canola crop a fighting chance.

Applied properly CleanStart is proven to take down tough weeds that glyphosate leaves behind.

1-800-868-5444

www.nufarm.ca

CleanStart® is a registered trademark of Nufarm Agriculture Inc.

to the root zone may be influencing pathogen activity in the rhizosphere.

University of Missouri microbiologist Rober t Kremer’s research has “clearly documented” that spraying Roundup Ready soybeans with glyphosate causes increased colonization of the roots by fusarium species, he said.

“Glyphosate does increase the number of disease organisms growing on the roots, but what Dr. Kremer has never shown is increased disease incidence,” said Hartzler, adding that outbreaks of disease require “unique conditions.”

He also pointed to long-term plot research that seems to show the real culprit in sudden death syndrome outbreaks may, in fact, be genetic weaknesses in the source hybrids used to create Roundup Ready crop varieties, not the genetic modification itself.

“You could look at this data and say glyphosate is actually protecting us from disease,” he said.

A study of fusarium in barley conducted in Saskatchewan and Quebec found production of fusarium inoculum and mycotoxins in the grain seemed to be more related to the susceptibility of the cultivar grown than the application of glyphosate, he said.

In response to a question about glyphosate’s reported tendency to become resurrected in soil after an application of phosphorus fertilizer, Hartzler said all the studies of this phenomenon were done under lab conditions, not field conditions.

Hartzler, who said he’s considered a “tree-hugger type” by his peers, admitted that as “just a weed scientist” he often gets “really nervous” when discussing plant pathology in the public sphere. He said he agreed to address the glyphosate controversy after being approached by officials at the University of Iowa who were concerned about the effect Huber’s sensational allegations might have on exports from the Midwest Corn-Soy Belt.

“They talked to the plant pathologists and they said they didn’t want to touch it with a tenfoot pole,” said Hartzler. “The majority of plant pathologists say there’s nothing there.”

Still, audiences are often hostile to his defence of the technology, he said, adding he’s been asked “what he will tell his children when Huber is eventually proven right.” daniel.winters@fbcpublishing.com

19

The Manitoba Co-operator | January 31, 2013

Monsanto touts Brazil royalty deal, some farmers resist

The company is accused of continuing to charge royalties after the patent on its RR soybeans expired in 2010 Reuters

M

onsanto Co. and Brazil’s National Confederation of Agriculture (CNA) said they had reached an agreement with local farmers to end a dispute over royalty payments on seed technology.

But key producing groups in top soybean-growing state Mato Grosso, that are fighting Monsanto in local courts, said they did not accept the agreement.

Pr o d u c e r s i n 1 0 s t a t e s, not including Mato Grosso, accepted Monsanto’s proposal in exchange for the “permanent

Jana takes case for Agrium breakup to Canada investors Jana wants the retail division separated from wholesale

By Rod Nickel

and irrevocable” suspension of royalties charged on Roundup Ready soybeans, starting with the current 2012-13 harvest, according to a statement from the CNA released Jan. 23.

On its website, St. Louisbased Monsanto said farmers participating in the agreement would not have to pay royalties for this and next season and in return would secure licences to purchase new soybean technology, known as Intacta RR2 Pro. Monsanto did not immediately respond to the request for comment.

Far mer associations Aprosoja and Famato in Mato

Grosso issued a joint statement saying they rejected the agreement and would continue to pursue legal action against Monsanto.

Monsanto could eventually face losses if it is made to return royalties it charged farmers after 2010, when the groups say Monsanto’s patent on Roundup Ready expired in Brazil.

Biotechnology has helped Brazil’s corn and soybean crops grow in recent years and now accounts for almost 90 per cent of all soybeans planted as Brazil aims to surpass the United States as the world’s top grower of the oilseed.

Workers harvest soybeans on a farm in the city of Tangara da Serra in Cuiaba. Photo: REUTERS/Paulo Whitaker

NEW EVEREST 2.0.

RELENTLESS ON WEEDS. SAFE ON WHEAT. ®

winnipeg / reuters

A

ctivist shareholder Jana Partners LLC said Jan. 23 it is taking its case for splitting up Agrium Inc. to the fertilizer company’s Canadian investors, just ahead of an Agrium move to solidify its support among sell-side analysts.

Jana, a New York-based hedge fund, wants Agrium to split its farm retail division from its wholesale operations and make other changes to improve returns to shareholders.

Agrium has steadfastly refused to consider spinning off its retail arm while seeking to placate disgruntled shareholders by raising its dividend last year and completing a share buyback.

“Agrium’s board has been living in an alternate universe where shareholders have no desire to explore the many ways we’ve identified to unlock value,” said Jana managing partner Barry Rosenstein, one of the hedge fund’s candidates for Agrium’s board.

“All along we have been speaking to shareholders and seeing a much different picture, with just about every shareholder we speak to wanting to see a serious discussion of these issues and a large and growing number who support enhancing the board so Agrium can reach its full potential.”

Jana owns six per cent of Agrium, making it the biggest shareholder of the widely held company.

It’s rare to find a herbicide you can count on for long-lasting stopping power that’s also safe on wheat. The advanced safener technology in EVEREST® 2.0 makes it super selective for best-in-class crop safety. Safe on wheat, it’s also relentless on weeds, giving you Flush-after-flush ™ control of green foxtail, wild oats and other resistant weeds. And a wide window for application means you can apply at your earliest convenience.

RELENTLESS ON WEEDS

SAFE ON WHEAT

WIDE WINDOW OF APPLICATION

TREAT MORE WITH LESS

INCREASED YIELD POTENTIAL

Follow us on Facebook.

Always read and follow label directions. EVEREST and the EVEREST 2.0 logo are registered trademarks of Arysta LifeScience North America, LLC. “Flush after flush” is a trademark of Arysta LifeScience North America, LLC. Arysta LifeScience and the Arysta LifeScience logo are registered trademarks of Arysta LifeScience Corporation. ©2013 Arysta LifeScience North America, LLC. ESTC-209

20

The Manitoba Co-operator | January 31, 2013

AgriStability changes unwelcome Opinions on the effectiveness of AgriStability may differ, but most feel farmers are getting shortchanged

By Shannon VanRaes CO-OPERATOR STAFF

DOUG CHORNEY

they kind of hesitate and kinda think about it for a while, so we don’t know the answer,” Jacobson said.

Todd Lewis, vice-president of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan, isn’t happy with the changes to the program. But he wasn’t happy with AgriStability in the first place.

“Our position at APAS was that the program should be wound up,” he said. “It was a program that had a lot of flaws in the

per cent drop in program year margins instead of 15 per cent.

Payouts will also be based on the lower of a producer’s reference margin or allowable expenses.

In the past, it was based on the reference margin.

Jacobson said there are also outstanding questions about whether AgriStability will be used as a trigger for other assistance programs.

“The government hasn’t said if there’s any cross-compliance yet, but when you do ask the question,

“I expect governments are hoping grain prices are going to stay high, and that livestock prices will recover and times will be good,” Chorney said. “But when you look back at history there has always been this cyclical nature of weather and market conditions that don’t favour consistent profitability.”

Providing some extra stability to the farm sector through programs like AgriStability is beneficial to the agricultural industry and urban populations via the economic spinoff it creates, said the KAP representative.

“Canada is driven by agriculture, we don’t need to make any apologies for getting government backstop during these downturns,” he said. “General Motors got help from the government, why can’t farmers know the government will be there for them in a year when they need it?” shannon.vanraes@fbcpublishing.com

BRIEFS

Bean

Russian winter grain crops suffer MOSCOW / REUTERS / Dry conditions during sowing and cold snaps are taking their toll on Russia’s winter grain crop.

Russia’s Grain Union says conditions are similar to those last winter, which preceded a fall in the country’s gross grain harvest to just over 70 million tonnes in 2012 from 94 million tonnes in 2011. Nearly a tenth of the winter plants haven’t sprouted and more than a million acres are without snow cover, an official said.

Analysts say Russia is poised to import grain to make up for volumes exported in the first half of the July 2012 to June 2013 marketing season.

Me Up! For astronomical soybean yields TagTeam® is the only MultiAction® nitrogen and phosphate inoculant in the known universe.

It releases unavailable soil and fertilizer phosphate AND delivers more fixed nitrogen to your soybean crops, increasing yields by an average of 5%* compared to single-action, nitrogen only competitors. Get yields that are out of this world: get TagTeam!

CWB campaign offensive: NFU MultiAction Legume Fertility ®

Novozymes is the world leader in bioinnovation. Together with customers across a broad array of industries we create tomorrow’s industrial biosolutions, improving our customers’ business and the use of our planet’s resources. Read more at www.novozymes.com.

www.UseTagTeam.ca 1-888-744-5662 *Summary of 38 independent large-plot research sites in North America since 2002. ® TagTeam and MultiAction are registered trademarks of Novozymes A/S. All rights reserved. 12041 10.12

© 2012 Novozymes. 2011-17070-02

P

roducers will have to take a close look at their farm’s finances before deciding if AgriStability is the right program for them in the coming years, say Prairie farm leaders.

Last fall, changes were made to how program payouts are triggered. For some producers these changes will come into effect in 2013.

“It’s all over the board... everybody really has to take a look at their own situation and analyze their own figures and make their own decision,” said Lynn Jacobson, president of the Wild Rose Agricultural Producers.

Jacobson discussed the issue with other producer group representatives during the Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) annual general meeting in Winnipeg.

Under the new AgriStability guidelines, payout requires a 30

“Canada is driven by agriculture, we don’t need to make any apologies for getting government backstop during these downturns. General Motors got help from the government, why can’t farmers know the government will be there for them in a year when they need it?”

design and could be easily manipulated.”

That said, Lewis would like to know where the money the federal and provincial governments are saving on AgriStability is going. Although he’d like to see it go to new programs for farmers, or towards reinforcing crop insurance, Lewis said the government hasn’t supplied that information.

“I think that farmers need something that is bankable, AgriStability never was bankable — nobody was sure what cheques were coming, or if you got a cheque if you’d be able to keep it all,” he said. “I think we need something much more predictable.”

KAP president Doug Chorney said he was disappointed by the “pseudo-consultation” the federal government did with producers before making the changes.

The new system doesn’t recognize good management skills on the part of the producer, he said. It also banks on unrealistic stability.

The National Farmers Union is taking the new CWB to task for its “Still on the fence?” marketing campaign, saying the ad is offensive, unprofessional and will push farmers away rather than attract them to the voluntary pools.

The latest CWB ad campaign depicting a cowgirl sitting on a fence is offensive, unprofessional and desperate, the National Farmers Union says.

“What an image of a long-legged woman straddling a fence has to do with selling grain is beyond me,” Joan Brady, NFU women’s president said in a release. “The ad is offensive, and likely to cause farmers to market their grain elsewhere,” she said.

21

The Manitoba Co-operator | January 31, 2013

Veggie producers see margins shrink while grain and oilseed prices soar

A good day

By Phil Franz-Warkentin commodity news service canada

M

Manitoba Agriculture Food and Rural Initiatives Minister Ron Kostyshyn signs the proclamation declaring February 19, 2013 as Manitoba Women’s Institute Day. Seated at his left is MWI president Joan Clement, accompanied by Patricia Dyck, MWI executive administrative officer (l to ) Mona Cornock, director of the Economy and Rural Development Knowledge Centre in Brandon, Donna Young, MWI president-elect, and provincial board members Enid Clark, Lynne Hopley, and Diane Hrychuk. photo: submitted T:8.125”

Comes out fighting.

Raxil® MD is the winner and undisputed seed treatment champion of wheat, barley and oats.

Its micro-dispersion technology provides uniform and thorough seed coverage resulting in strong emergence, superior plant protection and an increased return on your investment.

Score an easy victory over the most serious early-season cereal diseases, including true loose smut and both seed- and soil-borne fusarium, without the application struggle.

For more information visit: BayerCropScience.ca/Raxil

BayerCropScience.ca/Raxil or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative.

Always read and follow label directions. Raxil® is a registered trademark of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.

C-55-01/13-BCS13021-E

T:10”

anitoba vegetable growers are hoping it will soon be their turn to enjoy the high prices that have pumped up profits for their grainand oilseed-growing neighbours.

And, if not, they may eventually turn to other crops.

South of the border, corn and soybeans have been stealing acres away from every crop that’s not as profitable — “which is most everything,” said Tim Hannagan, a Chicago-based grains analyst with Alpari US LLC. It’s hoped that buyers will start offering premiums to keep farmers growing veggies instead of the less-risky grains and oilseeds, but it’s not clear when, or if, that will happen.

In Manitoba, just over 4,000 acres were seeded to commercial vegetable crops (excluding potatoes) in 2011 — down from about 5,000 acres in 2006. The major Manitoba vegetable crops are carrots, onions, sweet corn, cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli.

About 80 per cent are exported.

Production costs have been steadily rising and profits shrinking in recent years, said Todd Giffen, of Mayfair Farms in Portage la Prairie and president of the Vegetable Growers Association of Manitoba.

“It’s been tough for some producers,” he said. “Everybody is looking at cutting back to try and be profitable… making decisions of what crops to reduce or drop to be sustainable.”

While vegetable crops generate a larger gross return per acre than other field crops, there is also a considerably higher risk involved, he noted.

“It doesn’t make sense for all of these other commodities to go up, and vegetables not to go up,” said Giffen.

Unless prices rise, producers will eventually turn to other crops with less risk, he predicted, even though they’ve made major investment in coolers, irrigation, warehouses, and equipment.

“Any producer, no matter what their main crop is, is always checking out other options to see if there’s a way to make more money with less risk,” said Tom Gonsalves, vegetable specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives in Carman.

Gonsalves said he hasn’t heard of any major adjustments in the provincial vegetable industry just yet, but noted that any shift in acres away from vegetable crops would be taking place in larger farms, as the intensive market garden producers farming only a few acres are not likely to switch.

Raising prices isn’t easy, he noted.

“In the vegetable world, like it or not, prices are set by (asking), ‘What would it cost to bring onions in from somewhere else into this marketplace?’” said Gonsalves.

22

The Manitoba Co-operator | January 31, 2013

Research supports need for crustacean welfare New research would suggest throwing live lobsters into boiling water is inhumane Queen’s University Belfast release

T

he food and aquaculture industries should re c o n s i d e r h ow t h e y treat live crustaceans such as crabs, prawns and lobsters, says a Queen’s University Belfast researcher who has found that crabs are likely to feel pain.

The latest study by Professor Bob Elwood and Barry Magee from Queen’s School of Biological Sciences looked at the reactions of common shore crabs to small electrical shocks, and their behaviour after experiencing those shocks. The research has been published in the Journal of Experimental Biology.

Elwood’s previous research showed that prawns and hermit crabs respond in a way consistent with pain. This latest study provides further evidence of this.

“The experiment was carefully designed to distinguish

between pain and a reflex phenomenon known as nociception. The function of pain is to aid future avoidance of the pain source, whereas nociception enables a reflex response that provides immediate protection but no awareness or changes to long-term behaviour,” he said in a release.

“While nociception is generally accepted to exist in virtually all animals the same is not true of pain. In particular, whether or not crustaceans experience pain remains widely debated.”

This latest study showed that shore crabs are willing to trade something of value to them — in this case a dark shelter — to avoid future electric shock.

Crabs prefer dark hideaways beneath rocks where they can shelter from predators.

Researchers tested whether crabs would learn to give up that valued hiding place in order to avoid a mild electric shock.

Contrary to conventional beliefs, crustaceans do feel pain, new research suggests. photo: thinkstock.com

“Ninety crabs were each introduced individually to a tank with two dark shelters.

On selecting their shelter of choice, some of the crabs were exposed to an electric shock.

After some rest time, each crab was returned to the tank. Most stuck with what they knew best,

returning to the shelter they had chosen first time around, where those that had been shocked on first choice again experienced a shock.

“When introduced to the tank for the third time, however, the vast majority of shocked crabs now went to the alternative safe

shelter. Those not shocked continued to use their preferred shelter.

“Having experienced two rounds of shocks, the crabs learned to avoid the shelter where they received the shock.

They were willing to give up their hideaway in order to avoid the source of their probable pain.”

Elwood says that his research highlights the need to investigate how crustaceans used in food industries, such as crabs, prawns and lobsters, are treated. “Billions of crustacean are caught or reared in aquaculture for the food industry.

In contrast to mammals, crustaceans are given little or no protection as the presumption is that they cannot experience pain. Our research suggests otherwise. More consideration of the treatment of these animals is needed as a potentially very large problem is being ignored.”

briefs

Vibrant roots fuel better performance.

The rains that come are never enough as U.S. drought persists JOB ID: 4977-1C

DATE: NOV 8, JAN 3, FEB 21, APR 18

CLIENT: SYNGENTA CANADA

Crops thrive with Cruiser Maxx® Vibrance™. When the Vigor Trigger ® effect meets Rooting Power ™, you get enhanced crop establishment from stronger, faster-growing plants, above and below the ground. It also protects your wheat and barley crops against a broad range of insects and diseases and delivers best-in-class Rhizoctonia control.

ByPROJECT: Carey Gillam

CRUISER MAXX VIBRANCE reuters WHEAT ROCKET

Recent rains have brought PUBLICATION: MANITOBA CO-OPERATOR some relief to Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas, but DESIGNER: the U.S. Plains remains JEFF ANTON tightly gripped by severe ( ) MECHANICAL ( ) PDF/X drought.

The SIZE: worst-hit FINAL 8.125" Xareas 10" remain in sad shape, said UCR: 240% Brian Fuchs, climatologist at the University of CLIENT SERVICE Nebraska-Lincoln.

PROOFREADING “We’re still looking at significant precipitation ART DIRECTION deficits,” Fuchs said. “We PRODUCTION really haven’t seen anything that has changed the situation.”

Roughly 60.26 per cent of the contiguous U.S. was in at least “moderate” drought as of Jan. 8, a slight improvement from 61.09 per cent a week earlier, according to a “Drought Monitor” report.

But severe drought still blanketed 86.20 per cent of the High Plains — with all of Kansas, Nebraska and Oklahoma in that category or worse.

The latest USDA figures have 62 per cent of U.S. wheat-growing areas suffering from drought.

That prompted Washington recently to declare much of the central and southern U.S. Wheat Belt a natural disaster area — making growers in large portions of four major wheat-growing states (Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma and Texas) eligible for low-interest emergency loans.

Some experts estimate up to a quarter of the crop will be abandoned because of poor development.

Visit SyngentaFarm.ca or contact our Customer Resource Centre at 1-87-SYNGENTA (1-877-964-3682).

Always read and follow label directions. Cruiser Maxx® VibranceTM Cereals, Rooting PowerTM, Vigor Trigger ®, the Alliance Frame, the Purpose Icon and the Syngenta logo are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. © 2012 Syngenta Canada Inc.

4977-1C SYNGENTA VIBRANCE_Wheat Rocket.indd 1

12-09-30 7:01 PM

23

The Manitoba Co-operator | January 31, 2013

An inventory of the province’s wetlands is one project receiving support The research projects are designed to restore the health of Lake Winnipeg Staff

T

he University of Manitoba’s Watershed Systems Research Centre is receiving $50,000 to launch a water management pilot project aimed at storing run-off water on agricultural land as part of a new suite of programs aimed at improving water quality.

Conservation and Water Stewardship Minister G ord Mackintosh announced last week it is tripling funding for the Lake Friendly campaign and funding eight other initiatives to $600,000 to help restore the health of Lake Winnipeg including new wetlands research and support for international co-operation on nutrient management.

The minister announced funding

of more than $75,000 for the ongoing work of the Lake Friendly initiative.

The program is run by a partnership of nine municipalities along the south basin of Lake Winnipeg. The funds will support the Do What Matters project, the first program in the country that works to educate people on the impact everyday choices have on waterways.

Noting the Red River contributes about 70 per cent of the phosphorus that enters Lake Winnipeg, the minister also announced $100,000 for an ongoing grant to support the work of the Red River Basin Commission including its efforts to improve cross-border nutrient management.

The Red River Basin Commission is a key partner in work being led by the International Joint Commission, Manitoba, Minnesota, and North and

Owners vow to rebuild destroyed Otterburne greenhouse

South Dakota to develop a nutrient management strategy for the international Red River watershed.

The Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation, a Crown corporation mandated with conserving and restoring fish and wildlife habitat, received $130,000 to undertake an inventory of the province’s wetlands, which will assist in gauging progress on the protection of these wetlands. The minister announced earlier this year the corporation would be sharpening its focus on the protection of Lake Winnipeg.

The minister noted five additional projects will also receive funding including: • The Lake Winnipeg Research Consortium — $150,000 to assist in operation of the MV Namao to conduct

monitoring and research on Lake Winnipeg; • The Manitoba Environmental Industries Association — $15,000 to support a Clean Water Technology Leaders Initiative; • The University of Manitoba’s Watershed Systems Research Centre — $24,000 to develop assessment criteria to identify priority areas for wetland conservation and restoration; • Researchers at the universities of Winnipeg and Manitoba — $25,000 to examine the timing and amounts of phosphorus release from Manitoba soils during floods; and • Researchers at the universities of Winnipeg and Manitoba — $10,000 to help determine the human and ecological threat of algal toxins to water and fish in Lake Winnipeg.

Get the cleanest fields in the fastest way possible this spring. Tank-mix glyphosate with HEAT® herbicide and you’ll get the most complete control from your pre-seed and chemfallow applications. Learn more by

Cause of fire unknown pending investigation

visiting agsolutions.ca/heat or calling AgSolutions® Customer Care at 1-877-371-BASF (2273).

By Lorraine Stevenson CO-OPERATOR STAFF

AgSolutions is a registered trade-mark of BASF Corporation; HEAT, KIXOR and the unique KIXOR symbol are registered trade-marks of BASF SE; all used with permission by BASF Canada Inc. © 2012 BASF Canada Inc.

Always read and follow label directions.

A

Ja n u a r y 2 3 f i re t h a t destroyed a southern Manitoba commercial greenhouse producing the province’s largest indoor crop of cucumbers remained under investigation at the end of last week.

The fire in the Otterburne-area greenhouse, co-owned by brothers Trevor and Scott Schriemer, started around 4:30 a.m. Twenty volunteer firefighters from St. Pierre-Jolys and St. Malo fought the blaze through windy and bitterly cold temperatures before it was contained about 8 a.m.

Trevor Schriemer was called to the scene before firefighters arrived and entered the smoke filled building himself to shut off the gas to the operation’s boilers. Treated for smoke inhalation at nearby Steinbach’s Bethseda Hospital, Schriemer and his brother later told Manitoba media they plan to rebuild.

No figures were released last week but the large greenhouse, built only two years ago, is believed to be worth several million dollars. The fire has left at least 15 people out of work, other media reports said.

Schriemer has been a wellknown name associated with the gardening, produce vending and landscaping businesses in Manitoba since 1952 when the brothers’ father began marketing vegetables.

An RCMP spokesman said January 24 the cause of the fire or damages won’t be known until the RCMP and Office of the Fire Commissioner complete their investigations.

For the

Ultimate

Burndown.

lorraine@fbcpublishing.com 110200806_HEATAd_Manitoba Coop_v1.indd 1

Client: BASFCAN File Name: HEATAd_Manitoba Coop_v1

12-11-30 12:28 PM

Publication: Manitoba Co-op Page Position: JRPG

.

.

.

Desiree

V1

24

The Manitoba Co-operator | January 31, 2013

U.S. farmers may turn to soybeans and away from corn

FROSTY POWER

Commodities battle for new crop acres in the U.S.

By Mark Weinraub CHICAGO / REUTERS

T

High humidity this winter has resulted in lots of hoar frost.

he so-called battle for acres on U.S. farmland heated up last month when soybean prices rallied to a six-month high against corn, which could be a catalyst for increased soy production.

New-crop November Chicago Board of Trade soybeans gained more than 55 cents on December corn, solidifying some farmers’ decision to boost their soybean seedings.

Many were already leaning in that direction because last year’s drought took a heavier toll on corn than soybeans.

Mark Degler, a farmer in Mattoon, Illinois, said he “just got burnt too many years in a row” on corn and will grow more soybeans.

New-crop corn futures dropped below $6 a bushel for the first time in six months in late December, and Degler said it would take a rally back to $8 a bushel to entice him to increase his corn acreage.

“Reality comes knocking eventually,” Degler said. “We have had three soft crops in a row.”

He averaged just 80 bushels per acre in 2012 while soybean yields were in the 40s. In his county, the average corn yield from 2007 to 2011 was 169.3 bushels per acre compared to 51.8 bushels per acre for soybeans.

In general, growing corn is a more expensive proposition but higher yields typically make up for the additional input costs. On high-productivity farmland in central Illinois, the net return on corn plantings averaged $119 per acre from 2005-11 versus $64 per acre for soybeans.

The profit expectations make it difficult for farmers to cut back on their corn seedings, even with the higher risks and a nine per cent drop in new-crop corn futures during the fourth quarter of 2012.

PHOTO: JEANNETTE GREAVES

BUILT MY 2013 PLAN – online.

Your business depends on the internet.

You can depend on Xplornet.

BRIEFS

These days, a fast, reliable Internet connection is a must for most every business. Xplornet offers wireless business Internet connectivity across Canada, including many places where wireline service is unavailable. And we offer peace of mind, through our reliable network, which leverages the latest technologies, like 4G. With Xplornet’s Business Internet Solutions, your business is connected. Ready for high-speed? Call Xplornet today at 1-866-615-9269 to get started!

• choose from a range of business-grade packages, with speeds up to 5 mbps.2 or choose a residential plan, starting from just $54.99/month.

• 30-day money back guarantee.

3

FREE

Basic installation and no EquipmEnt to buy!1 4G Business plans starting from $84.99/month.1

HigH-Speed internet

For All oF Canada

xplornet.com 1.866.615.9269

Limited time offer. Subject to change without notice; where 4G Satellite service is available. If installation requirements go beyond the scope of a basic installation, additional fees may apply. Term contract required.

Activation fees apply. Early termination fees apply. Subject to site check. Site check fee may apply. Taxes will apply. See dealer for details. 2Actual speed online may vary with your technical configuration, Internet traffic, server and other factors. Traffic management applies to all packages. 3For complete details of Xplornet’s traffic management policies and 30-day money-back guarantee, visit xplornet.com. Xplornet® is a trade-mark of Xplornet Communications Inc. © Xplornet Communications Inc., 2013.

1

FBC SAT MCO PLAN ADMAT 01/2013

• 24/7/365 toll-free canadian customer service, and priority technical support if you ever need help at your location.

U.S. drought prompts record crop insurance payout WASHINGTON / REUTERS Crop insurers have paid a record $11.6 billion to U.S. growers in compensation for losses due largely to widespread drought in 2012.

Some analysts expect indemnities to reach $20 billion this year, nearly double the old record set in 2011. That would mean steep losses as insurers collected just over $11 billion in premiums.

Washington not only pays 62 per cent of premiums but is on the hook for about three-quarters of underwriting losses. Crop insurance is the largest U.S. farm support.

Some 85 per cent of eligible farmland, 281 million acres, was covered by $116 billion worth of policies in 2012.

25

The Manitoba Co-operator | January 31, 2013

Fiscal battles block work on new U.S. farm subsidy bill Congress is facing Sept. 30 expiry without a date to draft a bill

By Charles Abbott WASHINGTON / REUTERS

F

iscal battles in Congress could prevent lawmakers from writing a new Farm Bill for weeks or months, prolonging disputes over farm subsidy reforms and cuts in food stamps for the poor that together could save up to $35 billion.

Agricultural leaders in Congress originally hoped for speedy work on the overdue Farm Bill — the 2008 law expired last year — but are unable to give a timeline for action in the Senate or House of Representatives.

“There are a lot of pieces up in the air,” Frank Lucas, chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, said Jan. 23. He cited overarching issues such as the federal debt limit, automatic spending cuts

BRIEFS

Six farm operators vie for OYF STAFF / Six farm operators are vying to represent Manitoba at the national Outstanding Young Farmer competition in Regina later this year.

The Manitoba nominees are: Bryce Lobreau of Pipestone; Allan and Carolyn Nykoliation of Crandall; Tyler and Dorelle Fulton of Birtle; Danny Gerrard of Oak River; Brett Sheffield of Pilot Mound; Steven Boaerchers and Ellen Gorter of Beausejour.

The Manitoba division will hold its awards banquet Feb. 23 at the Elk Horn Resort in Onanole.

Open to participants 18 to 39 years of age, making the majority of income from on-farm sources, participants are selected from seven regions across Canada, with two national winners chosen each year.

The program is sponsored nationally by CIBC, John Deere, Bayer CropScience, and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and supported nationally by AdFarm and Farm Management Canada.

that could take effect in March and the new “baseline” for federal spending due in a few weeks.

“No starting date at this point,” Lucas said, when asked about the farm legislation. “We really don’t know the lay of the land right now.

When we know, we’ll go.”

Senate Democrats put a new Farm Bill on their list of priorities for the year but no date was set to draft a bill. Senate Agriculture Committee chairwoman Debbie Stabenow of Michigan said she will call a “markup” session as soon as possible to approve an updated version of its 2012 bill, which was passed by the full Senate in June.

have yet to choose a date to begin work on reauthorization of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which oversees U.S. futures markets.

Congressional renewal of the regulatory agency is required every few years.

CFTC chairman Gary Gensler has suggested lawmakers wait until his agency finishes writing rules to implement the Dodd-Frank financial refor m law, said Rep. Collin Peterson of Minnesota, the Democratic leader on the House panel.

The Dodd-Frank Act, signed into law in 2010 in response to the 2008-09 global financial crisis and late-2000s recession, brought federal regulation to the mammoth market in derivatives, hybrid instru-

Futures industry regulator needs renewal

Moreover, the House and Senate Agriculture committees

ments that meld stocks and futures.

Spending cuts, but how big?

Farm-state lawmakers expect that congressional leaders will order larger spending cuts in the five-year Farm Bill that otherwise would cost $500 billion, with the bulk of the money going to food stamps.

The scope of the cuts could be determined by modifications to the $1.2 trillion in cuts in federal spending that are due in early March, as well as the budget baseline issued in March and federal debt ceiling. The House voted Jan. 23 to delay until May 19 a decision on the debt limit.

With fiscal austerity on the horizon, the Senate passed a Farm Bill last year with budget

cuts of $23 billion, half of them from crop subsidies. The House Agriculture Committee proposed $35 billion in cuts, half from food stamps, in its version. Some analysts expect larger cuts will be ordered this year.

An election-year deadlock prevented the House from voting on the Farm Bill, so Congress extended the now-expired 2008 farm law until Sept. 30, 2013. The extension includes another round of the directpayment subsidy, which costs about $5 billion a year and is made regardless of need.

This is the first time Congress started work on a Farm Bill in one session and was forced to reintroduce it in the following session, congressional researchers say.

Get AheAD AnD stAY AheAD PEKKO R2

SAMPSA R2

Make your Move early with elite soybeans froM brettyoung Blast out of the ground fast with Elite® brand soybeans from BrettYoung, and stay ahead of the pack with industry leading performance.

Pekko R2 is the earliest maturing GENRR2Y soybean on the market and takes off early, displays high pod set and finishes strong. Choose Pekko R2 for impressive, reliable yields.

Or choose Sampsa R2 to deliver very rapid and vigorous emergence, high performance and outstanding yield in the medium maturity group.

In the end, it all comes down to performance and BrettYoung brings a new standard of excellence to the field.

brettyoung.ca

•

800-665-5015

Jon MontgoMery 2010 Olympic Gold Medalist – Skeleton 2008 World Championship Silver Medalist Join Jon’s teaM!

Brettyoung.ca/JoinJonsteam

MAKE DEATH WAIT VOLUNTEER TODAY

Together, heart disease and stroke are the leading cause of death in Manitoba, and claim the life of one Canadian every seven minutes. heartandstroke.ca/help

Phone: (204) 949.2000 Toll-free: 1.800.473.4636 ask@heartandstroke.mb.ca

BrettYoung is a trademark of BrettYoung seeds Limited. elite lite is a registered trademark of La Coop fédérée.

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 glyphosate tolerant.

Genuity®, Genuity and Design®, Genuity Icons, roundup®, roundup ready®, and roundup ready 2 Yield® are trademarks of monsanto technology LLC used under license. 12030 09.12

26

The Manitoba Co-operator | January 31, 2013

Dietary shifts driving up phosphorus use

Rodent control

Rising meat consumption, and calorie intakes are complicating efforts to conserve essential resource McGill University release

D

ietar y changes since the early 1960s have fuelled a sharp increase in the amount of mined phosphorus used to produce the food consumed by the average person over the course of a year, according to a new study led by researchers at McGill University.

Between 1961 and 2007, rising meat consumption and total calorie intake underpinned a 38 per cent increase i n t h e w o r l d’s p e r c a p i t a “ p h o s p h o r u s f o o t p r i n t ,” the researchers conclude in a paper published online in Environmental Research Letters.

The findings underscore a significant challenge to efforts to sustainably manage the supply of mined phosp h o r u s , a n o n - re n e w a b l e resource widely used as fertilizer. When phosphorus is lost through agricultural run-off or sewage systems, it can pollute waterways downstream.

In addition, because deposits are heavily concentrated in a few countries, global supplies and prices for the resource are vulnerable to geopolitical tensions.

In recent years, many researchers have explored how human activity has altered the phosphorus cycle in the environment and how management of phosphorus could be altered to ensure

“It is really remarkable how much influence changes in diet have had on our demand for this very limited resource.”

Professor Elena M. Bennett

l o n g - t e r m s u s t a i n a b i l i t y.

This new study sheds more light, in particular, on how diet choices have affected the intensity of phosphorus use around the world.

“Our results demonstrate that changes in diet can be a significant part of the strategy for enhancing sustainability of phosphorus management,” says lead author Geneviève Metson, a doctoral student in McGill’s department of natural resource sciences. “In particular, reduced consumption of meat, and especially beef, in countries with large phosphorus footprints could put a big dent in demand for mined phosphorus — since it takes many kilograms of feed, which is fertilized, to produce a kilogram of meat.”

Metson and her co-authors, Professor Elena M. Bennett of the McGill School of the Environment and Arizona State University Professor James J. Elser, computed phosphorus-footprint values based on annual countr y-by-countr y diet composition data from t h e Fo o d a n d A g r i c u l t u re

Organization. They calculated the total amount of phosphorus applied to food crops for humans and animals by using fertilizer application rates available through the International Fertilizer Association, among other sources.

The authors also examined the statistical relationship between economic development and phosphorus-footprint values, and developed scenarios to consider the relative importance of diet changes.

“It is really remarkable how much influence changes in diet have had on our demand for this very limited resource,” Bennett says.

“As research in this area proceeds, it would also be interesting to learn how much of the phosphorus used in food production is able to be recycled and how much is currently reused. Food waste a n d h u m a n w a s t e g e n e rally aren’t reused today, but can be a valuable resource if turned into fertilizer or compost for use on nearby agricultural fields.”

Franny the cat keeps a close watch over the farm. photo: grace crayston

Japan opens door wider for Canadian beef Allowing animals 30 months and younger could double sales to $150 million annually

By Alex Binkley Co-operator contributor

J

Sponsored by your local AGROTAIN® nitrogen stabilizer representative

Cold, hard facts about temperature and N loss Marc Davy

By Marc Davy

As producers move up their seeding dates, early spring weather can feel more like winter than summer. Popular belief has been that low temperatures can stop or slow ammonia volatilization, the process of nitrogen loss on the soil surface, so it might be OK to apply unprotected nitrogen in early spring.

But recent studies confirm that volatilization can be a problem even on frozen soils. A multiyear study by Dr. Rick Engel at Montana State University showed that the process of converting urea to ammonia gas on the soil surface still occurs even when temperatures drop below freezing. The process is driven by the enzyme urease that is found in all soils.

The good news, however, is that AGROTAIN® nitrogen stabilizer remains active in cold weather as well. Dr. Engel’s research compared unprotected urea with urea that had been treated with AGROTAIN® stabilizer. On average, 21 percent of the nitrogen from the unprotected urea had been lost to the air across 12 trials. In contrast, the urea treated with AGROTAIN® stabilizer had lost only 7 percent of its nitrogen in the same campaigns.

The main indication of the research is that nitrogen loss is affected by a number of factors in addition to temperature — such as soil moisture conditions, crop residue, windy or dry conditions, and soil cation exchange capacity (CEC).

With so many factors to face and knowing the economic implications of nitrogen loss, stabilized nitrogen becomes important for growers and applicators.

Spring weather can change quickly in most production areas, which can contribute to many of the factors for nitrogen loss. Regardless of the current conditions or the forecast, investing in AGROTAIN® stabilizer is proven to keep more nitrogen in the soil; whether it’s hot or cold, wet or dry.

If you have a question for the Nitrogen Miser, don’t hesitate to contact me at marc.davy@kochind.com or 204-451-0536 or 877-782-2536.

AGROTAIN.COM ©2013 Koch Agronomic Services, LLC. All rights reserved. AGROTAIN is a registered trademark of The Mosaic Company and is licensed exclusively to Koch Agronomic Services, LLC. AGROTAIN® nitrogen stabilizer is manufactured and sold by Koch Agronomic Services, LLC under an exclusive license from The Mosaic Company. 0113-19606-2MB-MC ®

apan, the No. 4 customer for Canadian beef, has agreed to accept meat from animals 30 months or younger as of Feb. 1.

Shipments had been restricted to meat from cattle 21 months and younger, a safeguard against BSE. Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and Martin Unrau, president of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, told a news conference Jan. 28 that the move, which followed years of lobbying by Canada, could see beef exports double to $150 million a year.

Ritz said the announcement comes on the heels of the return of Canadian beef to Korea, an international ruling against American discrimination on Canadian imports and growing shipments to China.

Unrau said Canada will be able to send beef to Japan on a year-round basis, which meets Japan’s need for a more consistent supply of Canadian beef.

“Japan is an extremely important market and this expanded access will breathe new life into the Canadian beef cattle sector.”

Like many other countries, Japan banned Canadian beef after the discovery of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in 2003. Canada had gained access for the under-21month cattle in 2005 and had been expecting the broader access for months.

Ray Price, chairman of the Canadian Meat Council, said the announcement was welcome after “a long and arduous under-

taking that must be negotiated on a government-to-government basis.”

Japan’s refusal to fully open its market is more restrictive than recommended by the International Animal Health Organization, but “they do represent a landmark step along the road to the restoration of normal trade,“ Price added.

“Although the Japanese have high expectations for quality, they reward exporters who meet these expectations,” said meat council executive director Jim Laws. “We look forward to rapid progress on the Canada-Japan Economic Partnership negotiations that were announced by the Canadian and Japanese governments earlier this year.”

Unrau said the under-21months rule had “presented a significant challenge to Canada’s ability to supply beef to Japan on a year-round basis. As the majority of Canadian calves are born in the late winter and early spring, the U21 cut-off typically means few cattle qualify for Japan between December and April. The expansion of beef access to UTM resolves this issue and enables Canadian beef exporters to better serve Japanese meat importers who have wanted a steady year-round supply.”

There never was any scientific rationale for the Japanese ban, Unrau said. “We are confident that all Canadian beef is safe due to our BSE surveillance and strong control measures and it is gratifying to have the Japanese scientific community and health officials agree.”

27

The Manitoba Co-operator | January 31, 2013

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

Classification

index Tributes/Memory Announcements Airplanes Alarms & Security Systems AnTiqueS Antiques For Sale Antique Equipment Antique Vehicle Antiques Wanted Arenas

Your guide to the Classification Categories and sub-listings within this section.

Roofing Building Supplies Buildings Business Machines Business Opportunities BuSineSS SeRViCeS Crop Consulting Financial & Legal Insurance/Investments Butchers Supply Chemicals Clothing/Work wear Collectibles Compressors Computers

AuCTiOn SALeS BC Auction AB Auction Peace AB Auction North AB Auction Central AB Auction South SK Auction MB Auction Parkland MB Auction Westman MB Auction Interlake MB Auction Red River Auction Various U.S. Auctions Auction Schools

COnTRACTinG Custom Baling Custom Feeding Custom Harvest Custom Seeding Custom Silage Custom Spraying Custom Trucking Custom Tub Grinding Custom Work Construction Equipment Dairy Equipment Electrical Engines Entertainment Fertilizer

AuTO & TRAnSpORT Auto Service & Repairs Auto & Truck Parts Autos Trucks Semi Trucks Sport Utilities Vans Vehicles Vehicles Wanted

FARM MAChineRy Aeration Conveyors Equipment Monitors Fertilizer Equip Grain Augers Grains Bins Grain Carts Grain Cleaners Grain Dryers Grain Elevators Grain Handling Grain Testers Grain Vacuums

BeeKeepinG Honey Bees Cutter Bees Bee Equipment Belting Bio Diesel Equipment Books & Magazines BuiLDinG & RenOVATiOnS Concrete Repair Doors & Windows Electrical & Plumbing Insulation Lumber

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

hAyinG & hARVeSTinG Baling Equipment Mower Conditioners Swathers

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

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

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

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

✁

Classified Ad Order Form MAiL TO: Manitoba Co-operator, Box 9800, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 3K7

FAX TO:

204-954-1422

Name: __________________________________________________________ Address: ___________________________________________ Province: ____________________________

phOne in: TOLL FREE IN CANADA:

1-800-782-0794

Phone #: ______________________________

Town: ____________________________________________

Postal Code: _________________________

plEASE pRInT youR AD BEloW:

Classification: ___________________________ ❏ I would like to take advantage of the Prepayment Bonus of 2 FREE weeks when I prepay for 3 weeks.

❏ VISA

________________ x

$0.45

x

No. of weeks ____________________ = ____________________ Minimum charge $11.25 per week

❏ MASTERCARD

Add $2.50 if being billed / Minus 10% if prepaying: ______________________

Card No.

Add 5% GST: ______________________

Expiry Date: 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.

noon on THuRSDAyS (unless otherwise stated)

Or (204) 954-1415 in Winnipeg

plEASE noTE: Even if you do not want your name & address to appear in your ad, we need the information for our files.

No. of words

ADVeRTiSinG DeADLine:

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-

TOTAL: ______________________ tion Privacy Policy, write to: Information Protection Officer, Farm Business Communications, 1666 Dublin Ave., Winnipeg, MB R3H 0H1.

Occasionally we make our list of subscribers available to other reputable firms whose products and services might be of interest to you. If you would prefer not to receive such offers, please contact us at the address in the preceding paragraph, or call 1-800-782-0794.

The editors and journalists who write, contribute and provide opinions to Manitoba Co-operator and Farm Business Communications attempt to provide accurate and useful opinions, information and analysis. However, the editors, journalists and Manitoba Co-operator and Farm Business Communications, cannot and do not guarantee the accuracy of the information contained in this publication and the editors as well as Manitoba Co-operator and Farm Business Communication assume no responsibility for any actions or decisions taken by any reader for this publication based on any and all information provided.

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 $32.20 per column inch ($2.30 per agate line).

• Minimum charge $32.20 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.

28

The Manitoba Co-operator | January 31, 2013

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 Minitonas

AUCTION SALES Manitoba Auctions – Interlake MCSHERRY AUCTION SERVICE LTD Estate & Moving Auction Sat., Feb. 9th 10:00am Stonewall, MB. 12 Patterson Dr. Yard; Tools; Antiques; Pine BR Suite; 2) RWing Butterchurn 1) 8-gal 1) 3-gal 2) 1-gal RWing Crocks; English Tea Set; Household; Unique Items. Annual Spring Gun Sale Sat., Mar. 23rd 9:30am Consignments Welcome! Stuart McSherry (204)467-1858 or (204)886-7027 www.mcsherryauction.com

Durban

AUTO & TRANSPORT

Winnipegosis

Roblin

Dauphin

Grandview

Ashern

Gilbert Plains

Parkland

Birtle

Riverton Eriksdale

McCreary

Langruth

Minnedosa

Melita

1

Neepawa

Gladstone

Brandon

Carberry

Treherne

Killarney

Pilot Mound Crystal City

Elm Creek

Sanford

Ste. Anne

Carman

Mariapolis

Lac du Bonnet

Beausejour

Winnipeg

Austin

Souris

Boissevain

Stonewall Selkirk

Portage

Westman

Waskada

Interlake

Erickson

Rapid City

Reston

Arborg

Lundar Gimli

Shoal Lake

Hamiota

Virden

AUTO & TRANSPORT Auto & Truck Parts

Fisher Branch

Ste. Rose du Lac Russell

St. Pierre

242

Morris Winkler Morden

Altona

Steinbach

1

Red River

ANNOUNCEMENTS LEO & SYLVIA HRUSHOWY of Rorketon, MB intends to sell private lands: SE7-29-16W, NE, NW, SE, SW8-29-16W & transfer the following Crown lands: NW6-29-16W by Unit Transfer. If you wish to comment on or object to the eligibility of this unit please write to: Director, MAFRI, Agricultural Crown Lands, PO Box 1286, Minnedosa MB R0J 1E0; or Fax (204)867-6578.

ANTIQUES ANTIQUES Antiques For Sale

STEEL SERVICE TOOLBOX FOR 1/2, 3/4 or 1-ton truck, 6-compartment, 79-in wide, 8-ft long, front of box to middle of axle 58-59-in, good shape, $1000 OBO. Phone:(204)669-9626.

AUTO & TRANSPORT Autos 1980 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL, 2-DR, 352 motor, could be easily restored. $1,000 OBO Phone: (204)669-9626

AUTO & TRANSPORT Trucks 2007 GMC CLSC CREW DSL 4x4, cloth seats, 6.6 box, one owner, $19,900; 2006 F350 Diesel Crew Lariat, 6.6 box, leather seats, extended warranty included, $15,900. Trades considered. Financing available. Free delivery to Manitoba, Sask & NW/Ontario. Call Anytime (204)895-8547 Glenn.

FOR SALE: 04 CHEVY 2500 4x4, 4-dr, gas, new safety, new steer tires, flat deck w/tool boxes, $8500. Phone:(204)871-0925.

AUTO & TRANSPORT Vehicles Various

2 SETS OF LIGHT driving harness; 2 sets of general purpose leather harness; Scotch tops; Antique ivory spread rings; several horse collars; several leather halters; cutter tongue eaveners & neck yokes; a good selection of antique horse machinery. Phone:(204)242-2809.

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

AUCTION SALES

AUCTION SALES

February IQBID Auction

BUILDING & RENOVATIONS

BUILDINGS

BUILDINGS

FARM MACHINERY Haying & Harvesting – Various

FARM MACHINERY Parts & Accessories

Rebuilt Concaves

NEW & USED TRACTOR PARTS NEW COMBINE PARTS

BUILDING & RENOVATIONS Roofing

PRICE TO CLEAR!!

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

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

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

Ask about our blowout colours...65¢/ft.2 Also in stock low rib white 29 ga. ideal for archrib buildings BEAT THE PRICE INCREASES CALL NOW

FOUILLARD STEEL SUPPLIES LTD. ST. LAZARE, MB. 1-800-510-3303

BUILDINGS AFAB INDUSTRIES IS YOUR SUPERIOR post frame building company. For estimates and information call 1-888-816-AFAB(2322).

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

BUSINESS SERVICES

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

BUSINESS SERVICES Crop Consulting

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

FARM CHEMICAL SEED COMPLAINTS

Combines

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

CLOTHING / WORKWEAR INDUSTRIAL SEWING MACHINES SALES & Service for Sergers walking foot for machines & Patchers. Sewing for wedding dresses, costumes, all garments & alterations. Also leather, shoe repairs & upholstery. Call Anne or Doug (204)727-2694 cell (204)574-4213 mabrolund@hotmail.com

CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT

FARM MACHINERY Combine – Case/IH FOR SALE: 2005 CASE IH 8010 combine, AWD, 45-32 front tires, means 45-in wide, 28Lx26 rear tires, approx 1950-separator hrs w/spreader & chopper, 30-ft draper header, $150,000; 2008 Case IH 8010, AWD, 45-32 front tires, 28Lx26 rear tires, spreader & chopper, approx 800-separator hrs, w/30-ft flex draper header, $250,000.

Phone:(204)871-0925.

FARM MACHINERY Combine – John Deere 1997 JD 9600, COMPLETE w/Trelleborg tires, always shedded, field ready, $65,000 OBO. Phone:(204)745-8333.

Combine ACCessories FARM MACHINERY Combine – Accessories

CATERPILLAR D6B SER#1134, standard shift w/Johnson bar, hydraulic angle dozer, good undercarriage, pup start, tractor in good shape, ready to work, $13,000 OBO. Phone:(204)669-9626.

FARM MACHINERY Fertilizer Equipment FERTILIZER SPREADERS, 4-9 TONNE, Large Selection, $2,000 up; 10T Tender, $2,500; Vicon 3-pt Spreader, $350; Valmar 240 Applicator, $1,000; B-Line Trail Type 50-ft., $2,000.

Phone (204)857-8403.

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.

CUSTOM BIN MOVING Book now! Fert Tanks.

Hopper Bins/flat. Buy/Sell. Call Tim (204)362-7103 or E-mail Requests binmovers@hotmail.com

FARM MACHINERY Grain Cleaners

SPECIAL OFFER Can-Seed Equipment Ltd. has received some Buhler Sortex Demo machines and we are able to pass this unique sale onto you.

We have a Z+1BL, Z+1B and a Z+1VL available for $65,000 to $93,500 these full colour optical sorters come with 1 year warranty.

Call Can-Seed Equipment Ltd today at 1-800-644-8397 for more details on these great deals!

www.canseedequip.com FARM MACHINERY Grain Dryers 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.

FARM MACHINERY Haying & Harvesting – Various 2009 NH 7090 ROUND baler, wide PU & endless belts, big tires, auto wrap, less than 7,000 bales, shedded. Phone (204)388-4975

STEINBACH, MB. Ph. 326-2443 Toll-Free 1-800-881-7727 Fax (204) 326-5878 Web site: farmparts.ca E-mail: roy@farmparts.ca TRACTORS FOR PARTS: IHC 1486, 1086, 886, 1066, 966, 1256, 656, 844, 806, 706, 660, 650, 560, 460, 624, 606, 504, 434, 340, 275, 240-4, W9, WD6, W6, W4, H, 340, B-414; CASE 4890, 4690, 2096, 2394, 2390, 2290, 2090, 2470, 1370, 1270, 1175, 1070, 970, 870, 1030, 930, 830, 730, 900, 800, 700, 600, 400, DC4, SC; MF 2745, 1805, 1155, 1135, 1105, 1100, 2675, 1500, 1085, 1080, 65, Super 90, 88, 202, 44, 30; JD 8640, 3140, 6400, 5020, 4020, 3020, 4010, 3010, 710; Cockshutt 1900, 1855, 1850, 1800, 1655, 1650, 560, 80, 40, 30; Oliver 66; White 4-150, 2-105; AC 7060, 7045, 7040, 190XT, 190, 170, WF; Deutz DX130, DX85, 100-06, 90-06, 80-05, 70-06; Volvo 800, 650; Universal 651, 640; Ford 7600, 6000, 5000, Super Major, Major; Belarus 5170, 952, 825, 425, MM 602, U, M5; Vers 700, 555, 145, 118; Steiger 210 Wildcat; Hesston 780. Also have parts for combines, swathers, square & round balers, tillage, press drills, & other misc machinery. MURPHY SALVAGE (204)858-2727 or toll free 1-877-858-2728 .

FARM MACHINERY Snowblowers, Plows FOR SALE: CAPITAL I one way plow, VGC, ready to plow, currently set up w/wheel loader quick attach brackets, but will remove for greater application, $9,000 OBO. (204)649-2276

LINKBELT LS98 CRAWLER CRANE 50-ft. boom, CAT D318 motor, long under carriage c/w all rigging including 3-yd Sauerman bucket for dredging gravel machine, ready to go to work, $20,000 OBO. Phone:(204)669-9626.

FARM MACHINERY

Large Inventory of new and remanufactured parts

Tillage & Seeding FARM MACHINERY Tillage & Seeding – Air Drills HEADER TRAILERS & ACCESSORIES. Arc-Fab Industries. 204-355-9595 charles@arcfab.ca www.arcfab.ca

FARM MACHINERY Parts & Accessories WISCONSIN MOTOR PARTS FOR VG4D: crank shaft, heads, fly wheel, starter, manifold and carb, $1000 OBO. Phone:(204)669-9626.

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

FYFE PARTS

1-800-667-9871 • Regina 1-800-667-3095 • Saskatoon 1-800-387-2768 • Winnipeg 1-800-222-6594 • Edmonton “For All Your Farm Parts”

www.fyfeparts.com 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 WaTRoUs, sK. Fax: 306-946-2444

FARM MACHINERY Salvage GOODS USED TRACTOR PARTS: (204)564-2528 or 1-877-564-8734, Roblin, MB. Round up the cash! Advertise your unwanted equipment in the Manitoba Co-operator classifieds.

2004 SEEDHAWK 45-FT, 10-IN spacing w/Raven NH3 controller, w/Flexi-coil 2320 tank, well maintained, $39,500 OBO. leonplett@gmail.com (204)364-2354.

36-FT & 44-FT JD 730 5 w/787 carts, $18,000 $19,000; 787 carts $12,000 - $14,000. Can deliver.

Brian (204)856-6119 or (204)685-2896, MacGregor, MB.

FARM MACHINERY Tillage & Seeding – Seeding FOR SALE: 2004 JD 1790 CCS planter, 24 row, 20-in spacing, will sell with or without options. Call for more details:(204)325-6237.

FARM MACHINERY Tillage & Seeding – Various 80 used 4-IN. PAIRED ROW DUTCH openers (bodies & tips) VGC, $80. Phone (204)648-4945.

FOR SALE: 33-FT FLEXI-COIL 5000 air drill, w/1720 TBH air tank, heavy trips, 3/4-in Atom Jet Carbide hoe-tips on 7.2-in spacing, steel press wheels & liquid fert. kit, good cond., side-slide markers also avail.

Call (204)867-2087 (204)867-7117, Horner Cattle Co., Minnedosa.

JD TANDEM DISC AW model, 20-in. blades, 9-in. spacing, 13-ft. wide, good shape, $2,000 OBO. Phone:(204)669-9626.

KIP KELLY GRAVITY CLEANER #300, has 2 decks, powered by 7.5-HP electric motor, $6450; 2) Forever Grain cleaners 36x42-in, powered by 1-HP electric motor, $3450; 1) 36-ft 4x6-in all-steel bucket elevator, $3795. 1) 7-inx45-ft Brandt grain loader, $750. Phone:(306)728-3760 lv msg, Melville SK.

TracTors FARM MACHINERY Tractors – White FOR SALE: 2-105 WHITE tractor, complete new engine & frame 10-hrs ago, rear tires approx 80%, LPTO, the high-low shift, nice tractor, $9500.

Phone:(204)871-0925.

FARM MACHINERY Tractors – Case/IH 1982 CASE IH 5288, 160-hp, cab w/heater & A/C. New 20.8 x 38 rear tires w/factory duals, 1000 PTO. Tractor’s in very nice condition, w/9,300-hrs, engine & trans. just recently rebuilt. Asking $18,000. Phone Dave:(204)743-2145 Mornings & evenings or Days (204)526-5298. Cypress River, MB. 93 CASE 7140 MFD, 20.8x42 rear tires, all new tires & batteries, 710 loader w/bucket & grapple, runs & drives excellent, $45,000 OBO. Call (204)526-7139 or (204)827-2629.

FARM MACHINERY Tractors – John Deere 1993 JD MODEL 6300 MFWD, open station, c/w 640 self levelling JD loader, good rubber, excellent condition, $25,000 OBO. Phone (204)967-2157, Kelwood.

29

The Manitoba Co-operator | January 31, 2013

FARM MACHINERY Tractors – John Deere 1974 JD 4430, CAB w/heater & A/C, new 18.4 x 38 rear tires w/factory duals, 540 & 1000 PTO. 12,500-hrs on tractor, engine was rebuilt at 9,000-hrs. Comes w/148 JD loader, manure bucket, dirt bucket & bale prong. W/joystick control. Asking $24,000. Phone Dave:(204)743-2145 Mornings & evenings or Days (204)526-5298. Cypress River, MB. FOR SALE: 4955 JD Tractor, front wheel assist, 3-pth, quick hitch. New radial tires all around, including duals. Powershift, front weight. Clean & mechanically sound.

Only $46,000.

Phone: (204)376-5458 or (204)642-2091.

FOR SALE: 7420 MFWD, auto-quad, LHR, 3-pt., 3 hyd, 741 FEL; 7320 MFWD, PQ, LHR, 3-pt, 3 hyd, 1,800-hrs, w/wo loader; 2, 4650 MFWD, 15-SPD, 3-pt, factory duals; 2, 4455 MFWD, 3-pt, 15-SPD, w/280 FEL; 4450 MFWD, 15-SPD, 3-pt; 3155 MFWD, 3-pt w/loader; 2955 MFWD, 3-pt, w/wo loader; 2950 MFWD, 3-pt, w/260 FEL; 4430 Quad, 3-pt, painted; 4240 8-SPD powershift, 3-pt, 2 hyd; 2130 3-pt., 146 loader; JD 725 FEL; Front Weights for 30, 40, 50 series. All tractors can be sold w/new or used loaders. MITCH’S TRACTOR SALES LTD Box 418 St. Claude, MB R0G 1Z0 Phone: (204)750-2459 JD 4040 DSL TRACTOR, c/w 146 loader, good tires, quad shift, 2-hyd in VGC, always shedded, Phone: 1-877-564-8734, Roblin MB.

FARM MACHINERY Tractors – 2 Wheel Drive

LIVESTOCK LIVESTOCK Cattle Auctions EDIE CREEK ANGUS has 28 Meaty, Moderate, Maternal, Black & Red Angus bulls for sale. March 16th at Ashern Auction Mart. Easy Calving, Easy Fleshing. Developed as 2 yr olds to breed more cows for more years! Great temperaments, many suitable for heifers. www.ediecreekangus.com (204)232-1620

Highway #1 West, Whitewood, Sask.

EXPECTING 350 HEAD FOR THIS SALE

FARM MACHINERY Tractors – Various

PLUS:

1982 HESTON FIAT 1880 DT w/front wheel assit, 160-hp, comes w/894 Allied motor w/manure bucket, dirt bucket & bale prong. New 20.8 x 38 rear tires, 16.9 x 28 front tires, 70% thread left. 1000 PTO, triple hyd., Cab has heater & A/C. In good running order w/9,900-hrs. Asking $26,000. Phone Dave:(204)743-2145 Mornings & evenings or Days (204)526-5298.

FARM MACHINERY Machinery Miscellaneous FOR SALE: DRILL STEM 2 & 3-inch. Contact Jack at (204)841-4045.

GRAVITY WAGONS NEW 400B, $7,100; 600B, $12,000; Used 350B, $2,500 up; Parker 650B, $10,500; Parker 750B, $14,900; Large Selection Grain Carts Brent 620, $10,000; JM 750, $12,500; JM 875, $20,000; Ficklin 700B Hyd Dr., $13,500; Grain Screeners Hutch #1500, $2,200; Hutch #3000, $5,000; HiCap 5-48, $2,500; DMC 54, $5,000; Kwik Kleen 5-7 Tube, $3,500 up; Valmar Applicator, $850; New Hyd Post Auger for Skidsteer, $2,250; Grapple Bucket, $1,600; Pallet Fork, $850. Phone (204)857-8403.

SAKUNDIAK GRAIN AUGER 7 X 43 w/18-HP Brigg, $900; JD 800 Swather 18-ft head, $900; NH round baler 851, $900; JD #444 corn header, 4 x 36-in row, will fit M.F. combines, $3000; 18-ft M.F. sunflower head, $900; Melroe harrow #403, 60-ft w/cyl, $900; Coil packers 3 x 7-ft, $600; Hay rack, $250. Phone (204)828-3396, Graysville.

FARM MACHINERY Machinery Wanted WANTED: 250-300-GAL. Phone (204)724-5673.

3-PTH

SPRAYER.

WANTED: 927 JOHN DEERE flex header w/PU reel (with air?) Fibre glass dividers; Wanted: Harrow packer bar w/P30 packers, approx 60-80-ft.

Phone (204)385-2857.

HEAT & AIR CONDITIONING

The Icynene Insulation System®

1-800-587-4711

GRUNTHAL LIVESTOCK AUCTION MART. LTD. Hwy #205, Grunthal • (204) 434-6519

NEXT SHEEP & GOAT SALE

AGENT FOR T.E.A.M. MARKETING

SPECIAL ANGUS SALE

every TUESDAY in February at 9 am

Friday, February 8 Gates Open Mon.-Wed. 8AM-4PM Thurs. 8AM-10PM Friday 8AM-6PM Sat. 8AM-4PM We Will Buy Cattle Direct On Farm For more information call: 204-694-8328 Jim Christie 204-771-0753 Scott Anderson 204-782-6222 Mike Nernberg 204-841-0747

www.winnipeglivestocksales.com Licence #1122

KILLARNEY AUCTION MART LTD UPCOMING SALES Regular cattle sales every Monday BRED COW SALE February 7, at 11:00 AM Ken Welsh, Killarney 204-523-4774

80 Mar calving Char/Gelbvieh X cows

BRED COW SALE February 14, at 11:00 AM Dymond Farms,Manitou David 204-242-4146

105 Mar calving Black Angus X

Bill & Dave Challner, Boissevain Bill 204-534-6663 34 Mar calving Black Angus

Lakeside Dairy, Killarney Wendell Moffat 204-523-8840

45 Apr calving Xbred cows bred Black Angus For more information or to consign to upcoming sales call 204-523-8477 Or visit the website at killarneyauctionmart.com DEALER LICENCE #1361

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

www.penta.ca

LIVESTOCK Cattle Auctions

REGULAR SALE Wednesday, February 6 @ 1:00 pm

GRUNTHAL, MB.

REGULAR CATTLE SALES

PLUS - Monday, Februay 11th Sheep & Goat Sale with small animals at 12:00 Noon.

Saturday, February 16th Bred Cow & Heifer Sale at 10:00 a.m.

Monday, February 25th Sheep & Goat Sale with Small Animals at 12:00 Noon

A GAMBLE...

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.

Bull & Female Sale Monday, 1:00 p.m.

February 11

Ste. Rose Auction Mart Ste. Rose, MB

Selling 91 Simmental Bulls

OSSAWA ANGUS AT MARQUETTE, MB has 2-yr old & yearling bulls for sale. For more information Phone:(204)375-6658.

Selling 56 Reds, 30 Fullbloods and 5 Blacks

WWW.REDDIAMONDFARM.COM 18 MTH OLD PB Black Angus bulls for sale. Check out our bull catalogue online. We guarantee & deliver. Phone Michael Becker (204)348-2464, Whitemouth.

Also selling 23 open heifers

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Red Angus DB MICHIELS RED ANGUS purebred 2-yr old bulls for sale. Yearling bulls & heifers available.

Contact David (204)870-7070 or (204)526-0942, Holland, MB. Email dmichiels10@gmail.com FORSYTH F BAR RANCH have for sale 35 yearlings & 10 2-yr old registered Red Angus bulls, bulls will be semen tested & delivered. For info contact Roy (204)448-2245, Eddystone, MB. WWW.REDDIAMONDFARM.COM 18 MTH OLD PB Red Angus bulls for sale. Check out our bull catalogue online. We guarantee & deliver. Phone Michael Becker (204)348-2464, Whitemouth.

Sales Agent for

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Charolais

We also have a line of Agri-blend all natural products for your livestock needs. (protein tubs, blocks, minerals, etc) For on farm appraisal of livestock or for marketing information please call

FOR SALE: PUREBRED CHAROLAIS bulls, 1-1/2 yr olds & yearlings, polled, some red factor, some good for heifers, semen tested in spring, guaranteed & delivered, R & G McDonald Livestock, Sidney MB. Phone:(204)466-2883, cell (204)724-2811.

HIQUAL INDUSTRIES

Harold Unrau (Manager) Cell 871 0250 Auction Mart (204) 434-6519 MB. Livestock Dealer #1111

WWW.GRUNTHALLIVESTOCK.COM

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Angus 150 BRED YEARLING BLACK Angus heifers, AI bred June 11th to Final Answer & half of them to Right Answer. Heifers from SW Sask, to start calving March 24th, call Harry Dalke (204)822-3643, cell (204)362-4101, Morden MB. ANDERSON CATTLE CO. Bull Sale Mar. 28th 2013 at Valley Livestock Sales, Minitonas, MB. 30+, 2 yr old Red & Black Angus bulls. (204)734-2073 F BAR & ASSOCIATES ANGUS bulls for sale.

Choose from 20, two yr old & yearling Red & Black Angus bulls. Great genetics, easy-handling, semen tested, delivery avail. Call for sales list. Inquiries & visitors are welcome. We are located in Eddystone, about 20-mi East of Ste Rose, or 25-mi West of Lake Manitoba Narrows, just off Hwy 68. Call Allen & Merilyn Staheli (204)448-2124, E-mail amstaheli@inethome.ca STEWART CATTLE CO. & GUESTS BULL SALE 50 Black Angus bulls & 10 Simm Angus bulls, 12 PB Angus Heifers, February 28th, 2013 at 1:30pm Neepawa Ag-plex, Neepawa, MB. Contact Brent Stewart (204)773-2356 home, (204)773-6392 cell.

View catalogue online at www.stewartcattle.com stewartcows@wificountry.ca

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Black Angus

FARMING IS ENOUGH OF

9th Annual

HERD DISPERSAL: 33 BLACK Angus cow calf pairs for sale 16 which were 1st calvers. Cows just finishing calving. Also 8, 2 yr old open heifers & 6, 1 yr old open heifers. If interested please call Jeff (204)612-1734

• 250 Angus, Charolais & Simmental Cows

Every Friday 9AM

Rendezvous Farms

FOR SALE: POLLED BLACK Angus & Hereford bulls. Good selection of yearlings & 2-yr olds, semen tested & delivery available. Call Don: (204)873-2430.

• 45 Black Heifers, 72 Red & Tan Heifers, 13 Speckled Park Heifers Bred Angus

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.

BLACK CROSS-BRED HERD DISPERSAL 180 Black Angus X Maine-Anjou bred cows, 30 bred heifers. Closed herd, full health program. Calving starts April 1. Ph: Marcel (204)981-6953.

CRANBERRY CREEK ANGUS BULLS for sale on the farm. Bulls are registered, will be semen tested.

Choose now, we will deliver at the end of April.

Hand fed for longevity, not pushed, these bulls have a great disposition. A.I. sired by Pioneer, Final Answer, Coalition, Mohnen Dynamite, Game Day, natural sires are S Square Tiger & Cranberry Creek Networth. All EPD’s & weights available. For more info please call David & Jeanette Neufeld (204)534-2380, Boissevain.

Friday, February 8, 2013 at 11:00 am

Next Bred Cow Sale - Friday, March 8, 2013

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Simmental

BOTANY ANGUS FARM & Leaning Spruce Stock Farm have for sale yearling & 2 yr old Black Angus bulls. Come early, a deposit will hold your purchase until Spring. For more info & prices contact Ryan Shearer (204)824-2151 or (204)761-5232.

Bred Cow & Heifer Sale

For more information please call Whitewood Livestock at 306-735-2822 or check our website at www.whitewoodlivestock.com for more information and pictures of this sale

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Black Angus

128 1 IRON BLACK ANGUS BRED HEIFIERS. Sourced from reputation herd in SW Sask. extremely uniform group of commercial heifers, bred to easy calving, easy fleshing, forage based Black Angus bulls. Exposed to bulls for 70 days, to start calving April 10th. Full herd health program including 1st Scourguard shot. Avg weight 1100-lbs. For more info, pictures, video, pricing options, (freight available) call Richard (204)424-5895 or (204)392-3764 email richlanefarms.mb@gmail.com Le Broquerie MB.

FREE STANDING CORRAL PANELS, Feeders & Alley ways, 30ft or order to size. Oil Field Pipe: 1.3, 1.6, 1.9, 1 7/8, 2-in, 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.

Advertise in the Manitoba Co-operator Classifieds, it’s a Sure Thing!

1-800-782-0794

18TH ANNUAL CATTLEMAN’S CONNECTION BULL SALE Fri., Mar. 1st, 2013 1:00pm. Heartland Livestock, Brandon, MB. Selling 75 yearling Black Angus Bulls. For catalogue or more info call Brookmore Angus Jack Hart (204)476-2607 or (204)476-6696 e-mail brookmoreangus@mts.net Sales Management Doug Henderson (403)350-8541 or (403)782-3888.

FARM MACHINERY Machinery Miscellaneous

FARM MACHINERY Machinery Miscellaneous

FARM MACHINERY Machinery Miscellaneous

WWW.REDDIAMONDFARM.COM 18 MTH OLD PB Polled Charolais bulls for sale. Check out our bull catalogue online. We guarantee & deliver.

Phone Michael Becker (204)348-2464, Whitemouth.

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Gelbvieh 40 BRED COWS, bred Gelbveih, calving Mar Apr, 25-30 1st to 2nd time calvers, can feed till March.

Your choice, $1,600. Phone (204)388-4975.

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Hereford FOR SALE: POLLED HEREFORD & Black Angus bulls. Good selection of yearlings & 2-yr olds, semen tested & delivery available. Call Don: (204)873-2430.

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Holstein ONE SERVICE AGE POLL Holstein bull. Sired by Forest Lawn P latte P-Red & Hickorymea Overtime P; One 1037 New Holland pull-type bale wagon.

Phone (204)836-2030 or (204)526-7531.

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Limousin TRIPLE R LIMOUSIN, HAS 2013 herdsires for sale. Red & Black yearling & 2 yr olds. 40+ Look for open house in early Apr. Pick from the largest herd of PB Black Limousin in MB. Bred for calving ease or Performance. 2 yrs guaranteed option on bulls.

Your source for quality Limousin genetics. Call Art (204)685-2628 or (204)856-3440.

LIVESTOCK Cattle – Maine-Anjou FOR SALE: 2-YR OLD & yearling polled Black Maine-Anjou bulls, low birth weights & good performance. Guaranteed & delivered in spring. Will take hay on trade. (204)523-8408.

View catalog at www.transconlivestock.com

Rendezvous Farms Ste. Rose, MB Call or Text Anytime David Maguet Cell: 204-447-7573 Gerald Maguet Cell: 204-447-5037 LIVESTOCK Cattle Various 10 QUALITY ANGUS HEIFERS, calving Feb-Mar, bred to easy calving Red Angus bull, $1350 firm.

Phone:(204)728-7308.

200 BRED HEIFERS, REDS, Blacks, Tans, full herd health program, bred to Black & Red Angus bulls, to start calving April 1st, 2013. All heifers were sourced out of reputation herds.

Phone:(204)325-2416.

250 BRED HEIFERS. Blacks, Tans, Reds bred to Red Angus heifer bulls. Herd health program, plus pelvic measure & preg checked, start calving March 20. Your choice $1300. Volume Discount. Jim Abbott (204)745-3884 or cell (204)750-1157 Carman, MB. 25 BRED COWS Angus/ Simm/ Char. Bred to Red Angus & Red Angus/ Simm X Bulls. Bulls out June 25th. Full herd health program, asking $1,250.

Phone evenings (204)539-2428, Benito, MB. 25 ONE IRON RED Angus cross Simmental heifers, bred Red Angus, all vaccinations, begin calving Feb; Also 3 Red Angus bulls. Inglis, MB (204)564-2699.

BRED COWS FOR SALE $1,075 & up. Phone (204)425-3016.

BRED HEIFERS, 55 BLACK Angus & Baldies, top genetics bred to Black easy calving Simmental Maple Lake Bull. You pick $1500, take all- discount.

(204)782-8312, Stonewall.

COMPLETE HERD DISPERSAL 225 Char X Simm cows. 25 Reds & Blacks, exposed to Char bulls June 25th, young herd. Discount prices on larger lots. Phone (204)732-2481, evenings.

FOR SALE: 45 COWS calving Feb 21, 2013; 10 heifers calving Mar 15, 2013; 3 bulls. Phone (204)352-4440 Glenella, MB. FOR SALE: 49 SIMMENTAL - Red Angus cross heifers, bred Black & Red Angus, start calving Mar 20. Phone (204)855-2847 or (204)748-7442, Oak Lake.

FOR SALE: 4 CHAROLAIS cross cows, w/month old calves, $1400; 2 bred cows.

Phone:(204)825-8354 or (204)825-2784.

FOR SALE: 60 HOME-RAISED Angus cross heifers, bred to Black Angus bulls, to calve late March.

Total health program current, performance guarantee. Call (204)867-2087 or (204)867-7117, Horner Cattle Co., Minnedosa.

Herd Dispersal 13 Bred Char Simm X cows. Bred Red Simmental to calve mid March. Bull also included. Nice big cows, closed herd. Very quiet. (204)7736346 Binscarth MB. douglasdarin@hotmail.com HERD DISPERSAL OF 40 young cows, Charolais Angus cross & hereford cross bred Charolais, bulls exposed May 18, vac program, & Ivomec, includes 6 bred heifers & 13 second calvers, herd avg. under 5-yrs old. (204)638-8502 or (204)648-5186, Dauphin.

HIGH QUALITY BLACK ANGUS & polled Hereford 2-yr old bulls for sale. Bar H Land & Cattle Co. Phone:(306)743-2840. Langenburg SK.

Buy and Sell anything you need through the

Classifieds

30

The Manitoba Co-operator | January 31, 2013

save!

Renew early and

LIVESTOCK Livestock Equipment

Kopp Farms Simmentals

KELLN SOLAR SUMMER/WINTER WATERING System, provides water in remote areas, improves water quality, increases pasture productivity, extends dugout life.

St. Claude/Portage, 204-379-2763.

9th Annual Bull & Female Sale ON THE FARM - AMARANTH, MB

Offering Approx. 110 Bulls

Semen tested & guaranteed Remember, bull shopping doesn’t have to be a gamble.

Kopp Farms produces bulls that are beneficial to the beef industry.

1·800·782·0794

Email: subscription@fbcpublishing.com

View Catalogue & Sale Videos Online www.koppfarms.com For Information or Catalogue Inquiries call 204-843-2769 Edmunds Cell: 204-856-3064 Steven’s Cell: 204-843-0090

M S E R : 12345 2010/ 12 P UB John Smith Company Name 123 E x a m p l e S t .

Town, Province, POSTAL CODE

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

LIVESTOCK Cattle Wanted WANTED: ALL CLASSES OF feeder cattle, yearlings & calves. Dealer Licence# 1353. Also wanted, light feed grains: wheat, barley & oats.

Phone:(204)325-2416. Manitou, MB.

LIVESTOCK Sheep For Sale MJ MILLAR RANCH Lundar, MB. 1,200 ewe sheep operation is seeking Full & Part Time employees.

Immediate start date. See website for more details www.mjmillarranch.com Contact Mitch Millar (204)280-0822 mitch@mjmillarranch.com

ATTACH YOUR MAILING LABEL HERE

Horses LIVESTOCK Horse Auctions

Canadian Subscribers

U.S. Subscribers

❑ 1 Year: $55.44* ❑ 2 Years $96.00*

❑ 1 Year: $150.00 (US Funds)

*Taxes included

ROCKING W SPRING HORSE SALE Keystone Centre, Brandon, MB. Huge Tack Sale: Fri., Apr 19th. Horse Sale: Sat., Apr 20th. Catalogue deadline Mar 1st. (204)325-7237 rockingw@xplornet.com www.rockingw.com Farming is enough of a gamble, advertise in the Manitoba Co-operator classified section. It’s a sure thing.

1-800-782-0794.

Payment Enclosed ❑ Cheque

❑ Money Order

❑ Visa

MISCELLANEOUS FOR SALE

B U L L S

Offering Approx. 45 Heifers

Call, email or mail us today!

PORTABLE WINDBREAKS, CALF SHELTERS, free standing rod & pipe panels, fence line & field silage bunks. Also sell Speed-Rite & 7L Livestock fence equipment, drill pipe & sucker rod. Phone (204)827-2104 or (204)827-2551, Glenboro.

February 18, 2013 - 1:00PM

B E E F 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!

LIVESTOCK Cattle Various

Various Aluminum Fuel Tanks New & Used From $250 and up Call Ken 204-794-8383 #2 Mountain View Rd Winnipeg, MB

Swine LIVESTOCK Swine For Sale

Trux-N-Parts Salvage Inc.

FOR SALE: BERKSHIRE BOARS & gilds, also Tamworth. Delivery available at cost. Call Troy Collingridge (204)750-1493, (204)379-2004, (204)750-2759 or (204)828-3317.

LIVESTOCK Swine Wanted

WANTED: BUTCHER HOGS SOWS AND BOARS FOR EXPORT

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

MUSICAL 76 NOTE KEYBOARD, $299; Deluxe Banjo, $699; Lapsteel, $269; Mandolin- Banjo, $499; Drumscymbals, $399; Double Base Drum Paddle, $150; 300W Base Amp, $399. Hildebrand Music, Portage La Prairie Mall (204)857-3172.

PERSONAL SHARE YOUR LIFE, as it’s meant to be! Look forward to someone special in 2013. CANDLELIGHT MATCHMAKERS is here to help you. Confidential, Photos & Profiles to selected matches, Affordable, Local. Serving MB, SK, NW Ontario. Call/Write for info: Box 212, Roland, MB, R0G 1T0, (204)343-2475.

PETS

Specialty

PETS & SUPPLIES

LIVESTOCK Specialty – Bison/Buffalo

BORDER COLLIE PUPS REGISTERED, from champion working lines, black & white, born Dec 5th, 2012. Pictures, info.. www.wall2wallsheep.com Phone:(204)664-2027 wall2wallsheep@yahoo.ca

20, 2012 HEIFER CALVES, 20, 2011 heifers, 10, 2010 heifers. Excellent stock to add to your herd or a great starting package. (204)447-3332, Ste Rose du Lac, MB.

LIVESTOCK Livestock Equipment ALTERNATIVE POWER BY SUNDOG SOLAR, portable/remote solar water pumping for winter/summer. Call for pricing on solar systems, wind generators, aeration. Carl Driedger, (204)556-2346 or (204)851-0145, Virden.

PB AUSTRALIAN BLUE HEELER pups for sale, parents excellent cattle dogs, have been raising pups for 30 yrs. Phone (204)365-0066 or (204)365-6451.

QUALITY ENGLISH SPRINGER SPANIEL pups, all vet work done, born Jan 15th, asking $500, deposit will hold.

Phone:(204)845-2278, (204)556-2417, Elkhorn Mb.

REAL ESTATE REAL ESTATE Houses & Lots

FOR SALE: DRILL STEM 2 & 3-inch. Contact Jack at (204)841-4045.

HEAVY BUILT CATTLE FEEDERS/TROUGHS 3/8-in. steel, 500 or 750-gal capacity, 4-ft.x18-ft. size, good for any type of feed or water, lifetime quality, $495 & up. Phone (204)362-0780, Morden.

AGASSIZ HOMES custom builds quality RTM homes! Call us about our 1,408-sq.ft. 2013 spec home. Manitoba New Home Warranty on all our homes. agassizhomes@gmail.com or (204)371-8985

TAKE FIVE

❑ Mastercard

Visa/MC #: Expiry:

Phone:_____________________________

Email:____________________________________________________ Make cheque or money order payable to Manitoba Co-operator and mail to:

Box 9800, Stn. Main, Winnipeg, MB R3C 3K7

Sudoku 4 6

Help us make the Manitoba Co-operator an even better read!

Please fill in the spaces below that apply to you. Thank you!

If you're not the owner/operator of a farm are you: q In agri-business (bank, elevator, ag supplies etc.) q Other total farm size (including rented land)_______________ Year of birth________ q I’m farming or ranching q I own a farm or ranch but i'm not involved in it's operations or management

My Main crops are: No. of acres 1. Wheat ____________ 2. Barley ____________ 3. Oats ____________ 4. Canola ____________ 5. Flax ____________ 6. Durum ____________ 7. Rye ____________ 8. Peas ____________ 9. Chick Peas ____________ Livestock Enterpise No. of head 1. Registered Beef ____________ 2. Commercial Cow ____________ 3. Fed Cattle (sold yearly) ____________ 4. Hog Weaners (sold yearly) __________

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) __________

✁

Occasionally Farm Business Communications makes its list of subscribers available to other reputable firms whose products and services may be of interest to you. If you PReFeR NOt tO ReCeIve such farm-related offers please check the box below. q I PReFeR MY NAMe AND ADDReSS NOt Be MADe AvAILABLe tO OtHeRS

5 3 7 9 2 6 9

5 8 7 9 6 8 2 1 3 8 6 8 5 5 7 7 4

1 5 2 3

Last week's answer

6 4 1 9 2 8 7 5 3

8 9 2 5 3 7 1 4 6

3 7 5 6 4 1 2 8 9

4 5 6 8 1 9 3 7 2

9 3 7 4 6 2 5 1 8

1 2 8 3 7 5 9 6 4

2 1 9 7 8 6 4 3 5

7 6 3 2 5 4 8 9 1

5 8 4 1 9 3 6 2 7

Puzzle by websudoku.com

5 6 4 1 2

Puzzle by websudoku.com Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes.

The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

FARM FOR SALE - 150AC grainland, woodside area. Phone William G Browning Realty Gladstone:(204)385-2630.

SANDERS SEED FARM Cert, Reg, FDN Carberry, Domain, Kane, Harvest, Glenn Wheat, Cert Celebration Barley Canterra Canola varieties also.

Phone (204)242-4200, Manitou, MB.

FARM SPECIALIST: COUNT ON GRANT TWEED, informed, professional assistance for sellers & buyers. www.granttweed.com Call (204)761-6884 anytime. Service with integrity.

FOR SALE BY TENDER 334.62-acres of good pastureland in Riverside Municipality. East half of 32-6-17 good water, fences & corrals, holds 40-50 cow/calf pairs, approx 100-acres could be worked up. Very scenic & would be nice for a house or hunting cabin. Tenders close March 1st. Inquiries phone (204)824-2571, send tenders to E. Chalanchuk Box 20 Nesbitt MB, R0K 1P0.

Phone: 204-526-2145 Toll Free: 1-866-526-2145 Email: info@zeghersseed.com

REAL ESTATE Farms & Ranches – Wanted

2013 PEDIGREED SEED VARIETIES: Carberry, Glenn, Harvest, Kane & Pasteur

BUYING OR SELLING Hazel Free in MB. You need an Experienced Realtor. Buyers preapproved before showing. Ranches, Grain Land, Pastureland, Hunting, Recreation Land, Dairies, Homes, Farms, Cottages, Suburban & Rural Property. www.manitobafarms.ca Call Harold Delta Real Estate at (204)253-7373.

wheat, Conlon barley, Lightning flax, Souris oats, Meadow peas

Earn up to Make more with Make money more money with 10% SAVINGS!

SEED/FEED MISCELLANEOUS Feed Grain

Non-GMO

Make more money with Make more money with Non-GMO crops!

Non-GMO crops!

De Dell Seeds…

Real Corn…

Profit Ready!

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.homelifepro.com or Jim McLachlan (204)724-7753, www.homelifepro.com Home Professional Realty Inc.

early payment discounts Non-GMO crops!

Non-GMO crops! volume discounts

WANTED: GRAIN & LIVESTOCK farms for both foreign & domestic buyers. Receiving calls weekly from buyers looking to farm & invest. Considering selling? Now is the time to discuss all options. Professional service & confidentiality guaranteed. Contact Rick Taylor:(204)867-7551, Homelife Home Professional Realty. www.homelifepro.com

PEDIGREED SEED Oilseed – Various

REAL ESTATE Land For Sale

De Dell Seeds

www.responsibletechnology.org

SEED/FEED MISCELLANEOUS Hay & Straw

LARGE, APX. 2,000-AC, HIGH-PRODUCING Newdale clay loam soil farm, North of Brandon.

Phone:(204)856-3140 or Office:(204)885-5500.

Royal LaPage Alliance. Buying or Selling? Farm Specialist Henry Kuhl.

1ST & 2ND CUT alfalfa & alfalfa grass hay in 3x3 med. square bales, delivery available. Willow Bee Ventures, Gimli MB, (204)642-3259 or (204)642-3043.

MOSTLY PASTURE W/SOME OF it can be grain farm land, NW8-13-5, SW8-13-5, NW7-13-5, SE24-13-6 located North of High Bluff, MB. For additional info call (204)857-8108.

250 36X36X8-FT BALES OF reed canary hay, approx 850-lb per bale, dry & green $120/metric tonne or $46 per bale, OBO. Bales near Winnipeg & delivery available. Gerald Friesen (204)822-3633 (204)362-0678.

NOW BUYING Old & New Crop Confection & Oil Sunflowers

PASTURELAND 1/2 SECTION OF SE 10-17-13W & SW 10-17-13W in the Municipality of Lansdowne Ken Oswald (204)386-2223.

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

RECREATIONAL VEHICLES

Call For Pricing

RECREATIONAL VEHICLES Campers & Trailers

Phone (204)747-2904

Toll Free 1-888-835-6351 Deloraine, Manitoba

FOR SALE: 1997 26-FT Fifth Wheel, Triple E Topaz. No slides, rear kitchen, A.C. Excellent cond., always shedded, $10,900.

Call Denis (204)228-8031.

PEDIGREED SEED Specialty – Potatoes

RECREATIONAL VEHICLES Snowmobiles

QUALITY RED NORLAND POTATOES for sale 50-lb bag, $13; 25-lb bag, $7; Big Round Wheat Straw Bales. Call (204)728-8453, Brandon.

BLOWOUT COMPLETE WALL-TO-WALL. New & used for all: Snow, MC, ATV, scooters, mopeds, etc.

981 Main St. Winnipeg.

Canadian (204)582-4130. Start saving today.

PEDIGREED SEED Specialty – Various

RECYCLING

Bioriginal Food & Science Corp., based in Saskatoon, are looking to contract Borage acres for the upcoming 2013 growing season.

Southern,Southern Eastern, and Manitoba Western Western Manitoba

�

�

Tel: 204-248-2110

�

Great profit potential based on high yields, high prices and low input costs.

Attractive oil premiums and free on-farm pick-up.

Flexible contracting options available as well.

For more information, please contact Shane at:

Collection of plastic oil jugs Glycol recovery services Specialized waste removal Winter & Summer windshield washer fluid Peak Performance anti-freeze ( available in bulk or drums )

306-229-9976 (cell) 306-975-9271 (office) sfalk@bioriginal.com

Proud Supporter of Manitoba Businesses & Municipalities

We BUY used oil & filters

The only company that collects, recycles and re-uses in Manitoba!

888-368-9378 ~ www.envirowestinc.com

SAWMILLS MOBILE DIMENSION 128 SAWMILL, 4-cyl, VW, gas, 3 blades, hyd deck & trailer, asking $18,000.

Phone:(204)848-2254

PEDIGREED SEED PEDIGREED SEED Cereal – Various DE DELL DELIVERS! CANADA’S Only “Non-GMO Only” Family Owned & Operated Seed Corn Company! Great Non-GMO Hybrids. Certified Organic Seed Corn. Silage Hybrids. Bruce Bauman (807)483-1423.

DURAND SEEDS: CERT AC Carberry, Harvest wheat; Souris Oats; Conlon Barley; CDC Bethune & Sorrel flax; Mancan & Koma Buckwheat; Canola & Forage seed. (204)248-2268,(204)745-7577, NotreDame, MB. PUGH SEEDS: CERT AC Barrie, Carberry, Kane, Somerset, HRS Wheat. Souris Oats, Conlon Barley, Sorrel Flax. Phone (204)274-2179 or (204)871-1467, Portage.

4X4 SQUARE WHEAT STRAW bales, about 600 for sale, asking $20 per bale. Phone:(204)248-2407 or (204)723-5002, Notre Dame.

DAIRY, BEEF & HORSE hay for sale, large squares.

Phone: (204)526-7139 (day) or (204)827-2629 (evenings).

FOR SALE: ALFALFA & Corn silage; Corn & Wheat Straw large square bales. can deliver all of the above. Also selling bull calves. Phone Alvin Plett (204)355-4980 or (204)371-5744, Landmark.

LARGE QUANTITY OF WHEAT straw bales, 4x4x8. Can deliver. Phone Phil:(204)771-9700.

La Salle, MB. LARGE ROUND BALES THRESHED Timothy hay.

Baled right behind rotary combine.

Phone:(204)886-3212, Teulon MB. OAT STRAW & BARLEY Straw for sale, medium square bales. Phone (204)483-2990.

SEED / FEED / GRAIN SEED/FEED MISCELLANEOUS Feed Grain

SEED/FEED MISCELLANEOUS Grain Wanted

BUYING:

HEATED & GREEN CANOLA • Competitive Prices • Prompt Movement • Spring Thrashed “ON FARM PICK UP”

1-877-250-5252

Vanderveen Commodity Services Ltd. Licensed and Bonded Grain Brokers

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

A Season to Grow… Only Days to Pay!

WAREHOUSE, PACKAGING, FORKLIFT OPERATORS NEEDED We continue to grow our business, and have an immediate opportunity for skilled labourers. Having a mechanical aptitude and a strong work ethic is essential for success in this position. An agricultural or food processing background is preferred.

Visit our website, call us for more information at 1-866-526-2145 Email your cover letter and resume to

work@zeghersseed.com Attention Shawn or Doug.

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

FARMERS, RANCHERS, SEED PROCESSORS BUYING ALL FEED GRAINS 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, LLOYDMINSTER, LETHBRIDGE, VANCOUVER, MINNEDOSA

1-204-724-6741

TIRES FEDERATION TIRE: 1100X12, 2000X20, used aircraft. Toll free 1-888-452-3850

TRAILERS Livestock Trailers 2005 SOONER ALUMINUM TRAILER 20-ft. long 7-ft. wide & 7-ft. high, center gate, excellent condition, $12,000. Phone (204)736-2807, evenings.

EXISS ALUMINUM LIVESTOCK TRAILERS. Rebates offered on all 2013 models. Only 3 left: one 16-ft, two 24-ft. Available at Sokal Industries Ltd. Phone:(204)334-6596 or Email skalind@mymts.net

TRAILERS Trailers Miscellaneous 1995 TRANSCRAFT, 53-FT TRIDEM aluminumsteel combo, air-ride, tool box, bale ext., $8500 OBO; 2002 Doeppker, 53-ft Tridem aluminum-steel combo, air-ride, tool boxes & bale ext., $12,000 OBO. Phone (204)526-7139 or (204)827-2629

Box 426, Holland, Manitoba R0G 0X0 Fax: 1-204-526-2524

www.zeghersseed.com

Sharpe’s SOIL SERVICES LTD.

Sharpe’s Soil Services Ltd. is expanding its current team to meet the demands of the 2013 season.

Langenburg Maintenance Position Stockholm Sales/Operations Position Moosomin Management Assistance and Sales Position Wapella Management Position Applicants must be self motivated, enthusiastic, with a positive desire to achieve.

Sharpe’s Soil Services Ltd. a thirty seven year independent farm supply business in Sask. and Mb. is expanding its team. Sharpe’s markets liquid fertilizer, dry fertilizer, crop protection products, seed and related services.

Sharpe’s six branches are located in Langenburg, Moosomin, Stockholm, Rocanville, Wapella and Angusville MB. Sharpe’s has been acknowledged as CAAR’s 2010 Canadian retailer of the year, and in 2011 Sharpe’s Head Agronomist was selected as CAAR’s 2011 Canadian Agronomist of the year.

Resumes will be accepted until Wednesday, Feb. 6th Please include references Send to :

Sharpe’s Soil Services Ltd.

C/O CEO Dan McKenzie Box 880 Langenburg, Sask SOA 2AO Phone: 306-743-2677 Fax: 306-743-5409 Email: dan.mckenzie@sharpes.ca

24-FT HEAVY DUTY FLAT-DECK, 2) 7000-lbs axles w/10 ply tires, leveling king-pin, VGC. Phone:(204)768-9090.

BRANDON TRAILER SALES “You will like our prices!” “It’s that Simple!” “Let’s compare quality & price!” “Certainly worth the call!”

Phone (204)724-4529. Dealer #4383

CAREERS

Specializing in: • Corn, wheat, sunflower, canola,

soymeal, soybeans, soy oil, barley, rye, flax, oats (feed & milling) • Agents of the CWB • Licensed & bonded 5 LOCATIONS to serve you!

“Naturally Better!”

Soybean Crushing Facility (204) 331-3696 Head Office - Winkler (888) 974-7246 Jordan Elevator (204) 343-2323 Gladstone Elevator (204) 385-2292 Somerset Elevator (204) 744-2126 Sperling Elevator (204) 626-3261

**SERVICE WITH INTEGRITY** www.delmarcommodities.com

Toll Free: 888-974-7246

WE BUY OATS Call us today for pricing Box 424, Emerson, MB R0A 0L0 204-373-2328 *6-Row* *6-Row*

MALT BARLEY BARLEY MALT

Celebration Celebration&& Tradition Tradition We feed barley, feed wheat, Webuy buy feed barley, feed wheat, MALT BARLEY BARLEY MALT oats, corn & canola oats,soybeans, soybeans, corn canola *6-Row* *6-Row* Celebration&&Tradition Tradition Celebration COME SEE US IN COME SEE US AT AT AG AG DAYS DAYS IN We buy feed barley, feed wheat, THE CONVENTION HALL We buy barley, feed wheat, THEfeed CONVENTION HALL oats,soybeans, soybeans, corn & & canola canola oats, BOOTH corn 1309

BOOTH 1309 COMESEE SEEUS USAT ATAG AG DAYS DAYS IN IN COME THECONVENTION CONVENTION HALL HALL THE BOOTH1309 1309 BOOTH

2013 Malt Contracts Available 2013 Malt Contracts Available Box 238 Letellier, MB. R0G 1C0 Box 238 Letellier, MB. R0G 1C0 Phone 204-737-2000 Phone 204-737-2000 Toll-Free 1-800-258-7434 2013Toll-Free Malt Contracts Available 1-800-258-7434 2013 Malt Available Agent: M &Contracts J Weber-Arcola, SK. Box 238 Letellier, MB. R0G 1C0 Agent: M & J Weber-Arcola, SK. Box 238 Letellier, MB. R0G 1C0 Phone 306-455-2509 Phone 204-737-2000 Phone204-737-2000 306-455-2509 Phone Toll-Free 1-800-258-7434 Toll-Free 1-800-258-7434 Agent: M & J Weber-Arcola, SK. Agent: M & J Weber-Arcola, SK. Phone 306-455-2509 Phone 306-455-2509

MALT BARLEY

NOTRE DAME USED OIL & FILTER DEPOT

• 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.”

WHEAT & OAT STRAW bales for sale, 3 x 3 x 8.

Phone (204)343-2144 or cell (204)745-0085.

BuyUsed Used Oil Oil ••Buy •• Buy Buy Batteries Batteries ••Collect CollectUsed Used Filters Filters • Collect • CollectOil OilContainers Containers • Antifreeze

CAREERS Professional

We are buyers of farm grains.

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

De Dell Seeds 967 Valetta St., London, ON, N6H 2Z7 Dell Seeds… www.zeghersseed.com 967P:Valetta St., London, ON, N6H 2Z7 De DellDeSeeds…

(519) 473-6175 F: (519) 473-2970 473-6175 F: (519) 473-2970 Real Corn…Profit Ready! P: (519)www.responsibletechnology.org

Real Corn…Profit Ready!

SEED/FEED MISCELLANEOUS Grain Wanted

is the way to go!

*6-Row* Celebration & Tradition We buy feed barley, feed wheat, oats, soybeans, corn & canola

nitoba

PEDIGREED SEED Cereal – Various

COME SEE US AT AG DAYS IN THE CONVENTION HALL BOOTH 1309

es Containers

REAL ESTATE Farms & Ranches – Manitoba

2013 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

D OIL OT

31

The Manitoba Co-operator | January 31, 2013

CAREERS Farm / Ranch F/T EMPLOYMENT ON GRAINFARM near Starbuck, MB. Duties to assist in all aspects of grainfarming including mechanical, welding& trucking.

Class 1 license is required or willing to obtain. For more info call PAGE FARMS at (204)735-2373 or (204)981-4234.

MJ MILLAR RANCH Lundar, MB. 1,200 ewe sheep operation is seeking Full & Part Time employees.

Immediate start date. See website for more details www.mjmillarranch.com Contact Mitch Millar (204)280-0822 mitch@mjmillarranch.com Advertise your unwanted equipment in the Classifieds.

Call our toll-free number and place your ad with our friendly staff, and don’t forget to ask about our prepayment bonus. Prepay for 3 weeks and get 2 weeks free!

1-800-782-0794.

OVER 43,000 PIECES OF AG EQUIPMENT!

LOOKING FOR AG EQUIPMENT OR MACHINERY? Find it fast at

32

The Manitoba Co-operator | January 31, 2013

Search Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top agriculture publications with just a click.

Network Nobody has more daily news and up-to-the-minute ag information than the AgCanada Network.

Our respected titles cover all aspects of the industry, with award-winning, in-depth local, national and international coverage.

SEARCH

Look for the AgCanada Network Search button on the top right of the AgCanada.com homepage

Weather youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for a comprehensive article on a specific crop, or a recipe for muffins, start your search at the AgCanada Network.

AgCanada.com Network Search Search news. Read stories. Find insight.

33

The Manitoba Co-operator | January 31, 2013

LIVESTOCK

Mobile?

Take Manitoba Co-operator with you on your smartphone! Download the free app at agreader.ca/mbc

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

Sheep producers warned to be on the lookout for deadly parasite Expert says pasture rotation is key and since barber pole worms stay low, allowing pastures to grow a bit higher before grazing can help

By Shannon Vanraes CO-OPERATOR STAFF / BRANDON

W

ith two hot and wet summers under their belts, Manitoba sheep producers need to be on guard against the barber pole worm.

“It’s a problem in all of North America, and actually most of the world,” said Dr. Reuben Neumier, a veterinarian who raises sheep between Virden and Pipestone.

“This is the parasite that causes the most economic problems for the sheep industry,” he told producers during an Ag Days presentation at Brandon’s Keystone Centre.

“Sheep have all types of parasites. But the ones to really worry about, the ones that cost the industry the most money, are the intestinal worms.”

Barber pole worm — a.k.a.

Haemonchus contortus — originated in the tropics, but is well adapted for Manitoba’s climate, Neumier said.

Because it needs moisture and heat to develop, recent warm years have increased the impact the parasite is having on Manitoba’s flocks.

Although they can also infest goats and cattle, the worm’s bloodsucking ways have the greatest impact on smaller animals. Each worm takes about half a drop of blood per day, said the veterinarian. “ W h i c h d o e s n’t s o u n d like a lot, but if you go for a month with 1,000 worms, they will suck half the blood volume that’s in a 100-pound lamb. That’s significant,” Neumier said.

The red and white parasitic worm has already gained the upper hand in states such as Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi.

“It’s just rampant there, it’s putting people out of business,” he said.

What’s worse is that in many areas south of the border, wor ms have become resistant to the drugs used to treat them, he added.

Resistance hasn’t become a problem in Manitoba yet, but said producers have to b e s t ra t e g i c w h e n u s i n g wormers if they want to keep resistance at bay, he said.

That strategy may include o n l y t re a t i n g s h e e p t h a t

Dr. Reuben Neumier, a veterinarian who raises sheep between Virden and Pipestone, speaks to producers about intestinal parasites in Brandon.

PHOTO: SHANNON VANRAES

clearly have barber pole worm infestations.

“Seventy-five per cent of the worms are in 25 per cent of the sheep,” said Neumier.

A patented colour card system is available to producers through the Manitoba Sheep Association that allows farmers to gauge anemia based on the colour of the mucous membrane on the sheep’s lower eyelid.

Anemia, along with bottle jaw, listlessness, and death are signs of barber pole infestations.

Strategically rotating sheep in grazing areas can also combat the spread of the worm, which transforms from egg to Stage 3 larva in fecal pellets, then spreads via surface moisture in the hope of being gobbled up by a wool-bearing ruminant.

“They live in moisture, not in sloughs, puddles and dugouts, but in the thin film of moisture on the grass and on the soil,” said Neumier.

“One of my friends has had issues with it and it really rattled her. She had a sheep suddenly die from it... so I’ve been warned.”

GAIL KASPRICK

But the larva usually stay about two inches off the ground, and rarely venture above four inches high on vegetation.

Neumier said if producers are able to keep their pastures a little on the tall side, encouraging sheep to eat higher up, they will reduce the chance sheep will ingest the larvae.

Under some conditions, such as very hot weather, rotating pastures can also allow larvae to die off while sheep are grazing elsewhere.

Gail Kasprick began sheep farming a year ago, but said her small flock will get off to a fresh start because the p a s t u re t h e y ’re i n h a s n’t been used for sheep before.

“I would think that if I start off clean, it would be much better,” said the Neepawa-area producer.

She said she hopes the b a r b e r p o l e w o r m w o n’t become a problem for her 16 sheep.

“One of my friends has had issues with it and it really rattled her,” Kasprick said. “She had a sheep suddenly die from it... so I’ve been warned.”

Even if you wor m strategically throughout the year, Neumier said flocks should be treated once for the worm between freezeup and lambing. The barber pole worm is able to hibernate within the sheep, but doesn’t start producing eggs again until spring.

Not all sheep are equally susceptible to the barber pole worm or the blood loss it causes, however.

“Resistance is a heritable trait, so you can actually select for it,” he said. shannon.vanraes@fbcpublishing.com

34

The Manitoba Co-operator | January 31, 2013

COLUMN

The deep relationship between horse and rider If both rider and horse have a sore back, it may not be a coincidence Carol Shwetz, DVM Horse Health

Happy, healthy people tend to have happy, healthy horses.

R

iders are aware of the numerous aids, equipment and body positions employed to influence a horse’s movement. However, few are aware of the much deeper exchange — what is not so readily obvious is that a rider’s own health and balance is intimately intertwined with the well-being of their horse. Few riders look towards themselves and their own body as contributing factors to their horse’s health and behaviour.

As a veterinarian, my focus is on the health of the horse, yet after years of experience I could not help but observe an interesting relationship between a person and their horse. This relationship becomes even more evident when the person becomes a rider. With time the horse will mirror aspects of the rider’s emotional, mental and physical makeup.

It became interesting to note how on many occasions, owners and their horses seemed to share similar stories of illness or lack of well-being. When a horse carries a rider, his body

yields to the misalignments and tensions within the rider’s body. Compensations manifest in various ways depending on the horse’s own patterns and alignment. Physical ailments like arthritis, lower back pain, lamenesses and even injuries may become shared.

Digestive disturbances, thyroid conditions, skin conditions and others may simil a r l y m a n i f e s t . Em o t i o n a l relationships such as anxiety, frustration, anger, and unease can also be created. To any individual horse owner, it may seem to be a “coincidence” that they share their horse’s illness and issues, yet within my experience such “sharing” is commonplace. The stronger the bond between the horse and person, the more likely it is that they will share such a relationship.

To the horse, the emotional world of the person, even suppressed emotions, appears to be readily apparent. Besides

When a horse carries a rider, his body yields to the misalignments and tensions within the rider’s body.

picking up on a rider’s patterns of muscular tension, the horse also picks up on the rider’s emotional issues. A great deal of information about an individual’s emotional state can be revealed through their breathing patterns. The horse is wired to read this information and responds accordingly. This is why the same horse can have different responses to different individuals.

The medical profession rec-

Yourmobile smartphone Instant info. With the Manitoba Co-operator app you can just got smarter.

stay up to date on all things ag. Download the free app at agreader.ca/mbc Get the Manitoba Co-operator mobile app and get the latest ag news as it happens.

Download the free app at agreader.ca/mbc

Young and Beginning Farmers Conference March 13 and 14, 2013 Victoria Inn - Brandon MB Register today for this valuable conference. A full line up speakers including Cedric MacLeod, John Stewart and David Drozd will take you through topics such as business management planning, legal considerations, marketing, human resources management and much, much more.

Cost to register is $125. For more information, please call Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives 204-726-6293 in Brandon.

ognizes emotional health to be closely linked to physical health and that many modern diseases are emotionally rooted. So then the emotional health of the horse’s caretaker/rider is crucial to the well-being of the horse itself.

Awareness and responsibility of one’s own emotional state prior to interactions with any horse frees the horse from the responsibility of bringing it to the person’s attention.

PHOTO: THINKSTOCK

Happy, healthy people tend to have happy, healthy horses.

January is full of New Year’s resolutions. One of the most common resolutions is better care of one’s self. It turns out that following through with that resolution will also bring benefits to the well-being of your equine companion.

Carol Shwetz is a veterinarian specializing in equine practice at Westlock, Alberta.

NEWS

New rules aimed at preventing nationwide border ban WINNIPEG / REUTERS / Canada and the U.S. have agreed to maintain livestock and meat trade during animal disease outbreaks using a new system that targets trade bans more precisely by region.

The new system, which won’t take effect until after consultation with industry groups and details are worked out, would prevent a full border ban that happened during the BSE outbreak. Instead, each country would only restrict trade within designated disease-control zones where the animal disease breaks out.

If it had been in place in 2003, the U.S. would likely only have restricted imports of beef from Western Canada, not the entire country, said Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz.

“This is a sensible approach,” he said, adding the “choke point” between the two zones would be at the inspection station at West Hawk Lake.

Brazil’s poultry exports to rebound SAO PAULO / REUTERS / Brazil’s chicken meat exports should increase by about three per cent this year after falling in 2012 due to high feed costs, says the country’s poultry association.

The association expects better demand from countries in Asia and Africa and a greater emphasis on processed foods to raise the value of sales and to compensate for high grain prices in the past year in the world’s top chicken meat exporter.

“This year, we want to improve the quality of chicken meat and add value to exports,” said Francisco Turra, president of the Brazilian Poultry Union (Ubabef ).

Brazil accounts for nearly 40 per cent of the world’s chicken exports.

www.manitobacooperator.ca

Your online source for the latest in ag news and information.

Manitoba Co-operator Young Farmer Conference Ad Insertion Dates: January 31, 2013, February 14, 2013, February 28, 2013 Ad size: 6 x 6.625”

35

The Manitoba Co-operator | January 31, 2013

Russia may block U.S. and Canadian meat over ractopamine Russian watchdog says U.S., Canada violated import rules but little impact is expected on Canada

By Melissa Akin and Theopolis Waters moscow/chicago/reuters

R

ussia may impose a temporary ban on the import of some U.S. and Canadian beef and pork products as of Feb. 4, amid concerns that they may contain a drug used to make animal muscle more lean.

Russia’s Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance Service said Jan. 23 that both countries were continuing to send chilled meat products to Russia that violated its import rules that require such proteins be free of residues from the feed additive ractopamine.

Such requirements are also in place in Belarus and Kazakhstan, that are partners with Russia in a three-country customs union.

Russia’s potential ban could jeopardize the more than $500 million a year in exports of U.S. beef and pork to Russia.

It also comes amid mounting trade tensions between the two countries.

The Russian veterinary group “is especially concerned about the import of chilled meat products to Russia,” the service said in an English-language statement on its website.

Ractopamine is used as a feed additive by livestock producers in the United States and Canada and elsewhere. But countries such as China have banned its use amid concerns that traces of the drug could persist, despite scientific evidence stating that it is safe.

The additive’s effects on humans may include toxicity and other exposure risks, according to U.S. groups lobbying the Food and Drug Administration for domestic limits on the drug.

The United Nations has agreed on acceptable levels of the drug in livestock production.

Economic impact on Canada limited

A ban would likely have limited impact on Canada’s livestock industry, as Canada ships no chilled pork to Russia and

only a small volume of chilled bovine meats.

In 2011, Canada’s fresh or chilled bovine meat shipments to Russia were worth just $216,000, compared with sales of nearly $15 million in frozen product, according to data provided by the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association.

Canadian Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz, asked about Russia’s position, highlighted the importance of basing international trade rules on science.

“We will continue to work with producers as they strive to maintain access into the important Russian market,” he said in an emailed statement to Reuters.

Tensions mount over use

Late last year, the United States asked Russia, the sixth-largest market for U.S. beef and pork, to suspend its anti-ractopamine requirement.

Federal officials also warned U.S. meat companies that Moscow might reject their pork shipments that contained ractopamine and stop buying pork from processing plants that produced pork with the drug.

This week, the Russian Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance Service said U.S. and Canadian regulators had failed to respond to requests for information on measures taken to prevent deliveries to Russia of meat containing ractopamine.

Canadian pork shippers have promised to comply with the Russian policy on ractopamine.

The Russian watchdog said imports from Canada were expected to be free of ractopamine by Feb. 28, but it had no such assurances from the United States.

Russia stepped up testing of U.S. and Canadian beef and pork imports in December as traces of ractopamine continued to appear in consignments of meat from those countries after a warning was issued early in 2012.

But the service had said imports continued despite the testing regime.

Celestial guidance for rolling balls of dung Dung beetles can’t keep a straight course when it’s cloudy AAAS release

Y

ou might expect dung beetles to keep their “noses to the ground,” but they are actually incredibly attuned to the sky. A report published online on January 24 in Current Biology, shows that even on the darkest of nights, African ball-rolling insects are guided by the soft glow of the Milky Way. While birds and humans are known to navigate by the stars, the discovery is the first convincing evidence for such abilities in insects, the researchers say. It is also the first known example of any animal getting around by the Milky Way as opposed to the stars. “ E v e n o n c l e a r, m o o n less nights, many dung beetles still manage to orientate along straight paths,” said Marie Dacke of Lund University in Sweden. “This led us to suspect that the beetles exploit the starry sky for orientation — a feat that had, to our knowledge, never before b e e n d e m o n s t ra t e d i n a n insect.”

Dacke and her colleagues found that dung beetles do transpor t their dung balls along straight paths under a starlit sky but lose the ability under overcast conditions.

In a planetarium, the beetles stayed on track equally well under a full starlit sky and one showing only the diffuse streak of the Milky Way. That makes sense, the researchers explain, because the night sky is sprinkled with stars, but the vast majority

Dung beetles appear to keep their noses to the ground, but they are actually incredibly attuned to the sky. photo: thinkstock

of those stars should be too dim for the beetles’ tiny compound eyes to see.

The findings raise the possibility that other nocturnal insects might also use stars to guide them at night. On the other hand, dung beetles are pretty special. Upon locating a suitable dung pile, the beetles shape a piece of dung into a ball and roll it away in a straight line. That behaviour guarantees them that they will not return to the dung pile, where they risk having their ball stolen by other beetles.

“Dung beetles are known to use celestial compass cues such as the sun, the moon, and the pattern of polarized light formed around these light sources to roll their balls of dung along straight paths,”

“Even on clear, moonless nights, many dung beetles still manage to orientate along straight paths.”

Marie Dacke Lund University

Dacke said. “Celestial compass cues dominate straightline orientation in dung beetles so strongly that, to our knowledge, this is the only animal with a visual compass system that ignores the extra o r i e n t a t i o n p re c i s i o n t h a t landmarks can offer.”

REGISTER TODAY! MANITOBA BEEF PRODUCERS

34TH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

February 7-8, 2013 | Victoria Inn, Brandon, Manitoba Engage with MBP directors and fellow producers, debate issues that affect your bottom line, and set policy which will impact the future of your industry.

$90 Registration - includes President’s Banquet ticket

$50 Single President’s Banquet tickets $40 Meeting only - no banquet Ractopamine has also been a sore point in Taiwan. In this photo taken last June 15, legislators from Taiwan’s main opposition Democratic Progressive Party and Ruling Nationalist Party display placards during a Legislative Yuan session to vote on amendments to Act Governing Food Sanitation. The placards read, “To protect our people’s health” (top r) and “No ractopamine and no rising electricity prices.” photo: REUTERS/Stringer

NEW!

MBP Members are encouraged to mentor and register a young producer (ages 18 to 39). *Young producer receives a complimentary registration with mentor’s registration.

Call 1-800-772-0458 or email info@mbbeef.ca to register.

VISIT WWW.MBBEEF.CA FOR MORE INFORMATION EVENT FUNDING PROVIDED BY:

36

The Manitoba Co-operator | January 31, 2013

LIVESTOCK AUCTION RESULTS Weight Category

Ashern

Feeder Steers

Gladstone

Grunthal

Heartland

Heartland

Brandon

Virden

Killarney

Ste. Rose

Winnipeg

Jan-23

Jan-22

Jan-22

Jan-24

Jan-23

Jan-21

Jan-24

Jan-25

No. on offer

660

772

237

475

2,729

380

1,282

n/a

Over 1,000 lbs.

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

900-1,000 800-900

n/a

100.00-117.50

n/a

110.00-124.75

117.00-125.50

n/a

n/a

n/a

110.00-123.50

105.00-122.50

110.00-118.00

115.00-129.00

120.00-128.50

117.00-123.00

122.00-130.00

n/a

700-800

119.00-131.00

110.00-130.00

112.00-125.00

120.00-138.25

123.00-138.00

125.00-134.50

125.00-139.25

n/a

600-700

125.00-144.00

120.00-141.50

125.00-132.00

125.00-144.00

128.00-143.00

130.00-141.00

130.00-148.00

n/a

500-600

139.00-155.00

120.00-148.75

130.00-144.00

135.00-160.00

138.00-156.00

140.00-152.50

145.00-157.00

n/a

400-500

n/a

130.00-166.00

140.00-174.00

155.00-173.00

148.00-168.00

158.00-177.00

150.00-165.00

n/a

300-400

n/a

135.00-152.00

150.00-174.00

n/a

n/a

145.00-175.00

n/a

n/a

Feeder heifers 900-1,000 lbs.

n/a

n/a

n/a

95.00-115.00

105.00-115.00

107.00-111.25

n/a

n/a

800-900

n/a

105.00-113.50

103.00-113.00

105.00-120.00

110.00-117.50

108.00-117.50

110.00-119.00

n/a

700-800

110.00-124.00

105.00-116.75

104.00-114.00

110.00-123.75

113.00-119.75

112.00-119.00

118.00-125.00

n/a

600-700

119.00-130.00

100.00-119.00

119.00-129.00

115.00-130.00

116.00-128.00

115.00-125.00

120.00-128.00

n/a

500-600

122.00-138.00

110.00-135.75

130.00-140.00

120.00-142.00

120.00-134.00

120.00-139.00

123.00-136.50

n/a

400-500

125.00-136.50

130.00-154.00

130.00-140.00

135.00-155.00

130.00-147.00

135.00-145.00

130.00-136.00

n/a

300-400

n/a

120.00-138.00

130.00-141.00

n/a

n/a

n/a

130.00-136.00

n/a

Slaughter Market No. on offer

100

n/a

106

75

n/a

n/a

71

n/a

D1-D2 Cows

60.00-69.00

n/a

n/a

64.00-69.00

62.00-67.00

52.00-58.00

52.00-63.00

n/a

D3-D5 Cows

50.00-60.00

n/a

47.00-55.00

57.00-63.00

35.00-61.00

n/a

40.00-50.00

n/a

Age Verified

65.00-71.00

n/a

n/a

n/a

64.00-69.50

59.00-65.00

61.00-69.00

n/a

Good Bulls

70.00-88.50

70.00-85.50

71.00-80.00

77.00-83.25

78.00-84.00

77.00-84.00

72.00-80.00

n/a

Butcher Steers

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

102.00-106.00

n/a

n/a

n/a

Butcher Heifers

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

101.00-104.50

n/a

n/a

n/a

Feeder Cows

n/a

40.00-70.50

60.00-70.00

70.00-80.00

67.00-80.00

n/a

n/a

n/a

Fleshy Export Cows

n/a

n/a

57.00-62.00

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

Lean Export Cows

n/a

n/a

55.00-65.00

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

* 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.)

Yourmobile smartphone Instant info. With the Manitoba Co-operator app you can

just got smarter. stay up to date on all things ag. Download the free app at agreader.ca/mbc Get the Manitoba Co-operator mobile app and get the latest ag news as it happens.

Download the free app at agreader.ca/mbc

Biofuels backed for jet fuel, but major hurdles still remain The National Research Council says jet fuel made from Prairie oilseeds provides comparable engine performance

By Alex Binkley CO-OPERATOR CONTRIBUTOR / OTTAWA

RetuRn youR BALe WRAP, tWIne And GRAIn BAGS Bale wrap and twine must Be Bagged. Pick up bags at participating Co-op Agro Centres and participating landfills. Grain bags must be rolled into bundles no bigger than 48” in diameter.

Program open to residents of the RM of Portage La Prairie, Evergreen Technologies partner municipalities and the RM of Edward. portage la prairie landfill PR 227, 6 miles east of Oakland

evergreen technologies regional landfill PR 466, 3.5 miles south of Hwy 16, West of Neepawa

rm of edward landfill Highway #256, one mile south of Highway #3

For more information call 877-622-4460 or visit: www.cleanfarms.ca return – dOn’t Burn. it’s Free and easY! This program is brought to you by:

J

ets can fly safely on straight biofuels, but a host of supp l y a n d i n f r a s t r u c t u re issues have to be resolved before airlines adopt the new fuel, according to the National Research Council (NRC).

The council’s tested 100 per cent biofuel in jets and found it to be “cleaner than and as efficient as conventional aviation fuel.”

The tests were conducted last fall in a Falcon 20 jet flying at 30,000 feet, similar to regular commercial aircraft altitude.

“These tests also show a comparable engine performance, but an improvement of 1.5 per cent in fuel consumption during steady operations,” the council said. “The jet’s engines required no modification as the biofuel tested in flight meets the specifications of petroleumbased fuels.”

There were also major environmental gains — both aerosol and black carbon emissions fell by half, and particulate matter was reduced by one-quarter.

Air Canada and Porter Airlines have also successfully tested biofuels in their aircraft.

But before biofuel takes to the skies on a regular basis, it will need international certification and aircraft makers will have to

approve its use in their engines, said Les Alders, vice-president of the Air Transport Association of Canada.

“The NRC has shown it can be done,” he said. “Now it’s up to the manufacturers of aircraft engines and the suppliers of fuel to make it happen.”

Biofuel for jets would open up a major new market for Canadian grain farmers, but there are hurdles there, too, he said.

A major challenge would be ramping up a sufficient supply of the fuel and making it available across the country, he noted. As well, none of the current biofuel plants in Canada are currently producing aviation-grade fuels, said Alders, adding a 50-50 blend of biofuel and regular aviation fuel would likely be the first step.

The fuel used in the NRC tests came from oilseeds grown on the Prairies.

“This year, more than 40 commercial growers in Western Canada have been contracted to grow over 6,000 acres of the oilseed crop that will be used to create 100 per cent bio jet fuel,” the agency stated.

Porter tested a 50-50 blend of fuel on a flight between Toronto and Ottawa last fall, while Air Canada used it on a flight between Toronto and Mexico City last summer.

37

The Manitoba Co-Operator | January 31, 2013

COUNTRY CROSSROADS CON N EC T I NG RU R A L FA M I L I E S

4-H courting urban, Aboriginal youth to boost enrolment Facing declining membership, 4-H Manitoba hopes to draw in urban and First Nations youth as it heads into its second century

Quinn Robins (r), Bailey Sykes and Logan Bridgeman are active 4-H members.

By Shannon Vanraes CO-OPERATOR STAFF / BRANDON

T

imes are changing, farms are changing, and so is 4-H. Since its inception in the southern Manitoba village of Roland, a century ago, the venerable youth organization has been dedicated to instilling agricultural knowledge and universal life skills in rural youth.

But looking to the future also means looking to urban centres for growth.

“We’re definitely in a declining membership,” said Carrie Tapp, president of the 4-H Manitoba Council.

To combat that trend, the organization is using its 100th anniversary to launch a program called Embrace the Future to reach out to urban youth.

“Our goal with Embrace the Future is to double our membership by 2020,” said Tapp.

“It’s a very ambitious goal.”

Currently, there are about 3,500 4-H members in Manitoba.

But a move towards urban youth could also mean a move away from agriculture.

PHOTOS: SHANNON VANRAES

“It might focus more on things like home economics projects, woodworking and that sort of trade-type projects, rather than agriculture, but the same idea,” Tapp said.

Courting urban youth could also present opportunities to bring agriculture into the city, she said.

As urban food movements gain momentum, 4-H clubs could

“There are so many people who think food comes from the grocery store... they don’t realize there is a whole process, several months of planning and growing, and applying different things to make these crops grow.”

CARRIE TAPP

provide valuable knowledge and help facilitate community projects, she said. It could also help educate urbanites on where their food comes from.

“There are so many people who think food comes from the grocery store... they don’t realize there is a whole process, several months of planning and growing, and applying different things to make these crops grow,” Tapp said.

In addition to urban centres, 4-H is also looking to reach out to First Nations communities.

Members of Manitoba’s 4-H council recently tested the waters by bringing “4-H for a day” to Ebb and Flow First Nation.

The reception was phenomenal, with three times the expected number of kids coming out to participate, Tapp said.

She added the current drop in 4-H numbers isn’t the result of a loss of interest in the organization, but a reflection of declining rural populations, noting farms are becoming fewer in number and larger in size.

If Quinn Robins’ enthusiasm is anything to go by, rural youth are still drawn to the values of 4-H.

“It’s a really good program, it leaves you wanting to keep doing it,” the 15-year-old said while at Ag Days in Brandon.

“I like meeting new people, and it’s really fun,” he added.

Robins said he hopes the knowledge he’s gained working on projects, visiting farms and speaking to farmers will assist him when he eventually takes over the family cattle operation near Rivers.

As an only child, the Grade 10 student is fairly certain how his future will unfold into a career in agriculture, but he noted the same can’t be said for his like-minded classmates.

“I think there are a lot of people who are interested in (farming), it’s just kind of hard to get into it... it’s so expensive and a lot of work,” said Robins.

Tapp has been involved in 4-H for 20 years, and although she didn’t end up working in agriculture, the high school math teacher said being involved with 4-H has given her skills she still uses today, particularly public speaking.

“I think it’s just such a fabulous program,” she said.

Carrie Tapp has been involved with 4-H for two decades and is excited about initiatives planned to mark the organization’s 100th year throughout 2013.

To celebrate the organization’s centennial milestone, a social and gala will be held in Winnipeg the last weekend in May, followed by an event at the Roland museum.

The anniversary will also be marked by a year-long fundraising campaign, called $100 for 100 Years. shannon.vanraes@fbcpublishing.com

38

The Manitoba Co-Operator | January 31, 2013

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

The sunshine VITAMIN Lorraine Stevenson Crossroads Recipe Swap

S

ome of you might remember how you started cold winter days as kids with a tablespoon of cod liver oil. Mom always had it waiting on the corner of the kitchen table before I left for school — yeech! But it was good for us. It was a valuable dose of vitamin D, which, until milk was fortified in 1965, wasn’t so readily available in commonly consumed foods. We saw a major public health payback from milk fortification. It helped reduce what had been a troubling incidence of rickets in children. It got more vitamin D into grown-ups too.

Most of us learned in health class how vitamin D is the “sunshine vitamin” which we make in our own bodies when exposed to sunlight.

But Canadians aren’t able to produce much, if any, of it during winter. Between October and March, fewer ultraviolet B (UVB) photons reach our part of earth so even with exposure to sunlight outside on a wintry day we don’t produce vitamin D. We still see low vitamin D levels in Canadians today. A new report out this month from Statistics Canada says most, but not all, Canadians now retain levels of vitamin D in their blood at or above a level sufficient for healthy bones.

The study, done between 2009 and 2011, says over two-thirds (68 per cent) of those surveyed had sufficient vitamin D blood levels.

Men are less likely to have sufficient vitamin D blood levels than women. Not surprisingly, the same report says more of us have sufficient vitamin D in our blood in summer than winter.

Staying indoors a lot, wearing sunscreen, aging, living in places with smog and cloud cover, and having skin that is darkly pigmented all contribute to our challenge of having sufficient vitamin D levels in a wintry country.

Eating foods with vitamin D can help. But vitamin D is not found naturally in all that many commonly consumed foods.

Certain types of fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines and tuna naturally contain substantial amounts of vitamin D. Margarine and some soy or rice beverages and yogurts now, like milk, also have vitamin D added to them. Egg yolks are also a source of vitamin D. The Dietitians of Canada website, says most of us can get sufficient vitamin D if we eat enough vitamin D-rich foods and are out in the sun regularly (don’t overdo it). Those who aren’t sure if they’re getting enough should talk to a doctor.

Canada’s Food Guide recommends that all Canadians over the age of two consume two cups of milk every day for adequate vitamin D. Older persons are at a higher risk for insufficient vitamin D. Health Canada recommends that men and women over age 50 take a supplement of 400 IU/day. That’s the age group that will remember the taste of cod liver oil.

If you’d like to know more about vitamin D there’s lots of good information found on the Dietitians of Canada website at www.dieti tians.ca.

You can also find a list of food sources for adding more vitamin D to your diet. Included on that list is the mild-tasting whitefish. So here’s a recipe you might want to try.

PHOTO: THINKSTOCK

Poached Lake Whitefish

Alaska Salmon Mini-Loaves

4 Freshwater Fish lake whitefish fillets OR 1 whole lake whitefish, cleaned 4 c. boiling water 1 small onion, chopped 1/2 tsp. thyme 1 bay leaf 3 cloves garlic, chopped 1/2 tsp. basil 1/2 tsp. sage 1 tbsp. lemon juice 1 small red pepper, diced 1 celery stalk, sliced 1 large carrot, sliced Minced parsley

1 egg OR 2 egg whites, slightly beaten 2 tbsp. fat-free milk 1 tsp. dried minced onion 1/2 tsp. dillweed 1/2 to 1 tsp. lemon pepper OR Cajun seasoning 1 c. soft multi-grain or whole wheat bread crumbs (about 2 slices of bread) 1 can (14.75 oz.) or 2 cans (7.5 oz. each) traditional-pack Alaska salmon OR 8 to 10 oz. skinless, boneless salmon (canned or poached)

Rinse fish thoroughly in cold water. If using a whole fish, score back of fish with small slices.

Bring water to a boil and add onions, thyme, bay leaf, garlic, basil, sage, lemon juice, red pepper, celery and carrot. Boil for 10 minutes then place fish in water to gently avoid breaking. Simmer fish for 10 minutes and remove from water.

Drain fish and arrange on a platter. Garnish with minced parsley and vegetables, served with melted butter. Serves 4.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray-coat a shallow baking dish. Drain and chunk salmon. In mixing bowl, blend egg, milk, dried onion, dillweed, and seasoning. Blend in bread crumbs, then salmon. Divide salmon mixture into 4 pieces.

Shape each piece into a 4x2-inch mini-loaf, and place in baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes. To serve, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of your favourite sauce.

Prep time: 15 minutes.

Cook time: 20 minutes. Serves 4.

Source: Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (www.alaskaseafood.org)

Source: From Lake to Plate (www.freshwaterfish.com)

The amount of vitamin D you need depends on your age Age

Daily vitamin D needs (IU/day)

Do not exceed (IU/day)*

19 to 15

600

4,000

51 to 70

600

4,000

71 and up

800

4,000

Pregnant and breastfeeding

600

4,000

*This includes sources of vitamin D from food and supplements.

Source: Dietitians of Canada (www.dietitians.ca)

More info about vitamin D • Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin. This means that your body can store extra amounts of vitamin D. • It is important to get enough vitamin D from your diet because it helps our bodies absorb and use calcium and phosphorus for strong bones and teeth. Vitamin D can help protect older adults against osteoporosis.

• Vitamin D can also protect against infections by keeping your immune system healthy.

• It may help reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases such as multiple sclerosis and certain types of cancer, such as colorectal cancer. But this is still being studied.

Source: Dietitians of Canada (www.dietitians.ca)

39

The Manitoba Co-Operator | January 31, 2013

COUNTRY CROSSROADS

A

ndrew and Rose Jackson had an argument this morning about what caused the noise that woke them up at three o’clock in the morning. In the end they were able to agree that it was the cold, but apart from that, they did not reach a consensus.

“It was just one of the 2x6 studs in the exterior wall,” said Andrew. “Those studs shrink in the cold, just like everything else does. Every so often the cold will actually make one of them split or crack and that’s what that big bang was. Bernie Belfour says when it gets this cold, living in his timber frame house is like living in the OK Corral.”

“I don’t believe that,” said Rose. “In my opinion, that bang was the sound of absolute zero. It was the sound of the molecules in the air getting so cold they actually stopped moving. That’s why scientists call it a cold snap. Because when it gets cold enough you can actually hear it snap.”

“That’s ridiculous,” said Andrew. “But also strangely convincing.”

When he pulled up outside the café in town an hour later, the temperature display on Andrew’s dashboard read -29°, and the weather report on the radio put the wind chill at -52. Uncomfortable, according to the weatherman.

“Cold enough for ya?” said Grant Toews as Andrew took his usual chair at the usual table by the window.

“Meh,” said Andrew. “Just another day in paradise.”

“You think this is cold?” said Andre Bouchard who was in the chair across from Andrew, next to Carl Johnson who had the window chair. “You don’t know from cold, not until you have been in the coldest city in the world.”

Grant gave Andre a disbelieving look. “Let me guess,” he said. “Montreal?”

“Exactement,” said Andre.

“Oh come on,” said Grant. “It’s only 25 below in Montreal this morning. With no wind chill.”

“Ah yes,” said Andre. “But this cold we have here on the Prairie, it’s a dry cold.” He picked up his coffee cup and took a long sip. “In Montreal,” he said setting his cup down on the table, “it’s

The

Jacksons

BY ROLLIN PENNER

always humid. It makes everything worse. In summer it’s boiling, but in the winter, mon dieux, the temperature, she goes down down down, like the Canadian dollar in a bad recession. And the humidity in the air, it soaks up all of that cold and it waits for you outside the door and when you step outside, every time it’s like the polar bear dip. You feel like you’re Lady Godiva and you just jumped into the Arctic Ocean. No matter how you dress, if you’re outside for more than 15 minutes, hypothermia starts to set in and you find yourself reciting Robert Service poetry and looking for a place to lie down. I swear you can learn the entire

poem of The Cremation of Sam Mcgee just by listening to the poor half-frozen Quebecois who are waiting at the bus stop on Boulevard Henri Bourassa. And you know they’re at least halffrozen when they start reciting English poetry.”

He paused then leaned forward and said in a conspiratorial whisper, “I’m telling you, if we let the separatists take Quebec out of Canada, the whole country will warm up by10°.”

There was a long silence while the others considered this.

“I will say this for you Andre,” said Grant, “you have a serious knack for hyperbole.”

Andre gave Grant a questioning look.

“Hyperbole?” he said.

“Otherwise known as BS,” said Grant.

“It’s not BS if it’s true,” said Andre. “I am offended by your insinuation.”

“My apologies,” said Grant. “I have no wish to cast aspersions on your character. How about we just agree that your childhood memories may have become somewhat exaggerated over the years?”

“Never,” said Andre, “will I agree to such a thing.”

Grant looked around the café. “Anybody here been to Montreal recently?” he said. Everyone in the café turned to look at Grant.

“I was in Montreal last week,” said Carl.

“Ah, good,” said Grant. “Maybe you can convince Andre here, that he’s full of it.”

Carl shivered noticeably. He stared at Andre for a moment, then opened his mouth to speak.

“There are strange things done in the midnight sun, by the men who moil for gold, (he said).

And the Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold…” Carl’s voice trailed off, and there was a moment of silence.

“How cold was it in Montreal last week?” Andrew asked.

“Thirty below,” said Carl, still shivering. “I feel as though I will never be warm again.”

Grant looked at Carl, then at Andre. “My apologies,” he said raising his coffee cup. “Here’s to dry cold.”

“Amen,” said Andrew.

“Brrr,” said Carl.

Winter GARDENING project Keep those green thumbs busy and plant a dish garden

By Albert Parsons FREELANCE CONTRIBUTOR

D

uring the winter, I get the irresistible urge to get my fingers in the dirt and plant something. Surprisingly, there are quite a few options to keep those green thumbs dirty; one of them is to plant a dish garden composed of cacti and succulents. This is a good task to undertake during the winter because the materials that are required for the project are all readily available.

You will need a container — a rectangular one works best if you are planning to locate the dish garden on a windowsill. In fact, it is a good idea to decide where you want to display the garden — choose a location that gets some direct sun — and then choose an appropriate container. A ceramic one with no drainage holes works best so you won’t have to worry about trays or water damaging furniture surfaces. Choosing a container without drainage holes does require that you are careful not to overwater the garden.

You will need a planting medium. There is a wide variety of potting soils available; choose one recommended for cacti. If

Cacti and succulents come in a wide range of shapes, textures and colours.

you cannot find such a mix, purchase ordinary potting soil and add some perlite and sand to create an appropriate mix. The soil must be loose and have excellent drainage — cacti and succulents do not flourish when planted in heavy soil.

Finally, you will need some plants. Use those you have or off-

PHOTO:ALBERT PARSONS

shoots from them to save having to buy all the plants. Select small specimens so that the dish garden will not have to be disturbed for quite some time.

Be careful not to choose a fastgrowing plant that will take over the garden and create imbalance within your design. I like to choose plants that have a variety

of textures and forms — some round, some vertical, some with spines and some smooth. Cacti and succulents range in colour from dark green to bluish green so aim for variation of colour as well as texture.

Planting the garden is as simple as placing some of the soil mix into the container, slipping

the plants out of their pots and positioning them in the garden.

Give each plant enough space and move the plants around until you have a pleasing arrangement before filling the container with planting medium and settling the plants into position.

It is a good idea to water the plants you are using the day before you undertake the planting so that the root balls are moist.

After the garden is planted, water just enough to settle the soil around the plants, being mindful that the soil around the plants’ roots is already moist enough.

I like to finish off such a dish garden by smoothing the top of the planting medium with the bowl of a spoon to push down any lumps or pieces of perlite.

Add some sand to cover the soil surface, perhaps add a few polished stones, a small piece of driftwood, and/or a couple of decorative objects. I have a couple of small ceramic figurines of frogs and turtles that serve this purpose quite well. Place your dish garden in a sunny spot and rejoice in the fact that you have done some gardening today!

Albert Parsons writes from Minnedosa, Manitoba

40

The Manitoba Co-Operator | January 31, 2013

COUNTRY CROSSROADS

Junior Red Cross Early volunteerism in our schools

By Donna Gamache Freelance contributor

D

o you remember belonging to the Junior Red Cross? Most Canadians are familiar with the work of the Canadian Red Cross, both in Canada and in other countries, but fewer people today remember the activities of the Canadian Junior Red Cross. The Canadian Red Cross celebrated 100 years in 2009 while its junior counterpart was officially recognized as part of the program in 1922.

Thus, the Junior Red Cross officially marked 90 years in 2012, although it appears that in Saskatchewan there were some earlier branches whose children made contributions to the war effort during the First World War. The first Junior Red Cross director also came from Saskatchewan, Miss Jean E. Browne from Regina, who served as director from 1922-49. For some years, the Junior Red Cross was the largest youth organization in the world.

Nowadays the official name is Red Cross Youth, and members are teens and young adults, but in the early years most of the Junior Red Cross members were schoolchildren. Schools were encouraged to develop their own local Junior Red Cross clubs, with elected officers and regular meetings, like a present-day student council. Many did so — including the one-room school I attended.

Guidelines for Junior Red Cross organizers dealt with the promotion of healthy living, citizenship, and an understanding of other countries, and schools across Canada were encouraged to develop projects to contribute towards these ideals. Using the motto of “I serve,” the clubs raised money for medical and transportation costs for sick children, and convalescent units in various provincial hospitals. A 1959 article from the Steinbach Carillon said that the previous year there were over 90,000 Junior Red Cross members in Manitoba, and that between 1948 and 1959 “Manitoba

Add some colour to winter menu This may help prevent some health issues as well as brighten up the plate

schoolchildren have raised $184,300 to pay for the cost of the Junior Red Cross Convalescent Unit at the Children’s Hospital.”

An item paid for in 1953, according to a Winnipeg Free Press article, was an iron lung for the Children’s Hospital —the second one paid for by the Junior Red Cross.

Some Manitoba clubs may have had more modest projects.

Health kits containing soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, etc. were popular projects, as were kits with school supplies for needy countries overseas. A 1956 article in the Winnipeg Free Press said that the Junior Red Cross was seeking warm, clean clothing for children in Hungary. (This would have been about the time of the Hungarian Revolution.)

A December, 1957 article says that school kits and afghans had been sent to South Korea — a followup to the Korean War, no doubt — and a 1956 Free Press article talks about thank-you letters from children of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) for clothing, quilts and health kits.

A 1957 example of schoolchildren volunteering through Junior Red Cross.

COURTESY PHOTO

Mo n e y- r a i s i n g m e t h o d s included candy sales and “penny days” when children would donate pennies. Older children were encouraged to visit shut-ins or act as aides in the hospitals.

Knitting and sewing projects were also money-raisers. I have a photo from March, 1957 that shows an afghan knitted by children of our school, Crocus Hill, located north of Minnedosa. All the students, girls and boys, had taken part in the project knitting squares of various colours, and parents and teachers sewed them together. Our school had about 14 students at that time and the

six students holding the afghan had been selected in a draw as the lucky ones to hold the finished product for a school photo, which was submitted with the afghan. (I was not one of the lucky ones selected for the photo, but I did receive a keepsake photo.)

This picture is a reminder that even small country schools were able to make a contribution through the Junior Red Cross — an early example of volunteer organizations working through the schools.

Donna Gamache writes from MacGregor, Manitoba

That’s a good idea

By Stan Harder Freelance contributor

W

e all do things we don’t consider particularly profound until someone says, “That’s a good idea.”

Here’s one of those things.

In fall I take about two gal-

lons of ordinary gravel, pick out and discard any chunks larger than about half an inch and then run the balance through an ordinar y pasta sieve to remove sand that is also discarded.

The remainder is used on icy sidewalks. I heat approximately

a pint in a baking pan on top of the wood stove, and when the temperature reaches too hot to handle without oven mitts, I scatter this on the ice.

The heat melts the ice and the cold freezes the pebbles solidly in place giving a 100 per cent reliable grip.

Reader’s Photo

N

utrition experts recommend that we increase green and orange vegetables in our diets. Eating more brightly coloured vegetables may play a role in reducing our risk for cancer, heart disease and potentially blinding eye conditions.

For example, broccoli, along with other cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage and cauliflower, contains sulforaphane. In a laboratory study published by scientists at Oregon State University, sulforaphane was shown to have a potential role in preventing or potentially treating prostate cancer.

Many dark-gold and orange vegetables and fruits get their vibrant colours from natural pigments called carotenoids. Eating certain colourful vegetables containing carotenoids may be particularly good for our eyes by potentially playing a role in preventing cataracts and macular degeneration.

Carrots often come to mind when eye health is discussed.

Carrots contain beta carotene, a type of carotenoid that

our body converts to vitamin A. Deficiencies in vitamin A are linked to night blindness.

Two other carotenoid pigments may play an even greater role in preventing potentially blinding eye conditions. Lutein and zeaxanthin are two of the carotenoid pigments found in dark-green vegetables including kale, spinach, broccoli and romaine lettuce. These two pigments help maintain the health of our eyes and may help prevent macular degeneration.

During our wintry weather when we crave comforting beige and brown foods such as mashed potatoes, gravy and meat loaf, add some bright-green, gold and orange colours to your plate or bowl.

Try some new recipes, and make veggies available in your refrigerator. Try them with a dip such as fibre- and protein-rich hummus.

Julie Garden-Robinson, PhD, R.D., L.R.D., is a North Dakota State University Extension Service food and nutrition specialist and professor in the department of health, nutrition and exercise sciences.

Scenic drive south of Belmont, Manitoba. PHOTO: LILLIAN DEEDMAN

Welcome to Country Crossroads 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., Winnipeg, 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