Cattle Country - December 2022

Sue Clayton Looks Back at Her Career With Agriculture in the Classroom-Manitoba

BY ANGELA LOVELL

After seven-and-a-half years with Agriculture in the Classroom Manitoba (AITC-M), Sue Clayton has retired as its Executive Director, and Cattle Country caught up with her recently to reflect on a career where she has focused on ensuring students graduate high school agriculturally literate.

“Agriculture in the Classroom Manitoba’s goal is that when students graduate from high school, they are agriculturally literate citizens,” Clayton says. “What that means is that when they go to the grocery store, they understand what labels mean. That when they go to vote, they understand that agriculture is a huge driver of our provincial and federal economy, and that one in eight jobs in Canada are directly linked to agriculture. And when they graduate, because they are aware of our industry, they are potentially interested in working in our industry, or at least know that it’s important to support the industry.”

The path to Agriculture in the Classroom-Manitoba

Clayton has a degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Manitoba, and her career took

many turns before she ended up with AITC-M. She worked in the crop protection industry in Saskatchewan before spending a few years in Europe as head of international marketing and regulatory affairs for a division of ConAgra. After taking a break to raise her young children, she returned to the ag industry in a different role as the Community Liaison Coordinator at the University of Manitoba, where she first made her connections with AITC-M.

“At the U of M my job was student recruitment and marketing, and that’s where my path started to cross with Ag in the Classroom Manitoba,” she says. “I became interested in what they were doing because they were trying to educate students in schools about agriculture and where their food comes from. It made sense to me to work in partnership with them at the university level, so that by the time we were trying to recruit students coming out of high school, they would have more of a knowledge of the agriculture industry.”

That led to collaborations that continue to this day, including hosting school classrooms at the university faculty and professional development about agriculture for teachers. Clayton eventually joined the AITC-M board of directors, and was offered the position of

Executive Director a few years later.

Clayton has always been strongly committed to partnerships and collaborations. “You often see that two plus two equals five,” she says. “When people and organizations work together, we can be so much more efficient and accomplish more.”

Strong ties to the beef industry

Ag in the Classroom-Manitoba works with all commodity groups in Canadian agriculture, but has a strong history of working with the beef industry, some thing that Clayton has built on during her career. There has always been a beef station at the annual Amazing Agriculture Adventure (AAA), held at the Richardson’s Kelburn Farm and the University of Manitoba’s Glenlea Research Station near Winnipeg, that gives students in Grades 3 to 6 a hands-on, interactive ag experience.

At Brandon’s Manitoba Ag Days, Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) partners with AITC-M to offer activities at their booth for Grade 7 and 8 students. It’s through these events that Clayton has made strong connections with producers, including Dianne Riding, past president of MBP.

Winter arrived in Onanole near Riding Mountain National Park in early November. (Photo credit: MBP)

Reflecting on

It’s the most wonderful time of the year… and quite possibly, the busiest! In talking to many produc ers at our recent fall district meetings, it was a pretty consistent story that we all felt like we were a few weeks behind in our preparations for winter. Considering this, it was great to meet and catch up with many of you who attended, but also provided some rationale as to why many regular attendees were not able to make it.

For me, the biggest takeaway from the district meetings was the collective concern about shrinking cow numbers in the province and the long-term impli cations for our industry and communities. While this sentiment is not new, especially after the adverse weather events of the last few years, the number of herd dispersal sales that have taken place this fall seems to be easily the largest in a decade. I have firsthand experience with this trend as two of my cattle producing neighbours sold most of their cows this fall.

I can understand the pressures that have led to this disturbing trend. Rising input costs, a shrinking skilled labour force, extremely challenging weather events and, until this year, stagnant fall calf prices have all contrib

TYLER FULTON President’s Column

uted to the trend of selling cows. Honestly, it’s a wonder we did not experience this selloff even earlier.

Cattle farmers and ranchers are a persistent bunch. We take pride in raising healthy animals, at times in extreme conditions. For many of us, raising cattle in Manitoba is a legacy and a lifestyle that we love and are willing to sacrifice our time and resources to sustain. But I personally wonder if this “resilient cattle culture” contributes to a bias to a more stable supply as compared to other commodities that would not tolerate the same challenges and risks? We may call it resilient, that we can experience droughts and floods and keep operating, but the collective effect of maintaining a relatively stable sup ply of cattle to the marketplace must be significant and could possibly be a factor that impacts our cattle prices.

In any case, I believe our industry is at a turning point in profitability if we see a moderation in the extreme weather we have experienced in the last two years. Calf prices are up 25-30% from year ago levels, which represents the biggest gain we have seen in about eight years. Going forward, I think we can expect even stronger prices as US feeder cattle futures prices have a 15% rally built into them over the next year. Market analysts have an expectation of a North American wide long-term reduction in the cow herd, a response to the drought of the last two years that has yet to break its hold in many areas of the US.

In closing out 2022, I am thankful for our resilient producers who stick with it through all the challenges and I am hopeful that we will be rewarded for our efforts. We do have new producers starting their cattle career every year that see opportunity in our industry, and this gives me optimism for the future. Merry Christmas from all of us representing you at Manitoba Beef Producers and here’s to a prosperous 2023!

Committment to the land, water, air, and wildlife is a prerequisite to raising healthy cattle. Sustainability is not a buzzword... it's a way of life.

Committment to the land, water, air, and wildlife is a prerequisite to raising healthy cattle. Sustainability is not a buzzword... it's a way of life.

Importance of Beef Industry Engagement

Season’s greetings everyone! I hope you were able to get as much fall work completed as possible before the snow came in mid-November. We got a major dump of it in Winnipeg that looks like it is here to stay. Good winter moisture for next year is great, but let’s just hope we do not get another hammering of spring storms.

What a year we have seen again. Just when we thought the winter snow was going to get us past the recent drought, Colorado decided to send us three consecutive spring storm systems that were devastat ing to cattle producers. The influx of moisture was a double-edged sword. We needed it for soil and pasture health, but it was a cause of many livestock losses, mainly of young calves. The summer saw an incredible bounce back of pasture and forage stands, to the point where some producers said cattle were being visually lost in fields of grass. As well, prices have improved for the fall run of calves compared to previous few years. This is a good step forward, although input costs still make profitability challenging in the sector overall.

After reviewing our advocacy efforts with producers during our fall district meetings, I want to end the calen dar year with a comment on the importance of sectoral representation and having involvement from producers. Over the last two challenging years, MBP has been able to get support for our producers through various levels of government, the top two being AgriRecovery pro

Page 1 Sue Clayton Looks Back at Her Career

“Dianne is a huge advocate for beef education with students, and she has been fantastic about bringing her cows to AAA,” Clayton says. “We surveyed the teachers and students afterwards, and they always mentioned they loved seeing the live animals. We often had com ments about Dianne and how wonderful she was with students, so that goes a long way.”

Clayton says beef is also featured in a new resource that Ag in the Classroom Manitoba is launching in fall 2022 called Eat Well, based on the new Canada Food Guide aimed at Grade 5 science teachers and Grade 7 and 8 home economics teachers.

“One activity in particular looks at proteins and contains accurate information about protein foods, nutrition and sustainable protein food production in Canada,” Clayton says. “Sirloin steak is used to represent the beef protein, and students discover the progress beef producers have made in decreasing the environmental footprint of cattle production.”

As part of the program, teachers show students the Canadian Cattle Association Guardians of the Grasslands video, and MBP’s Manitoba Species at Risk Partnership of Agricultural Land videos. Agriculture in the Classroom Canada has developed resources in French and English to accompany the videos, so teachers can do activities with the students to solidify their learning.

Another program Clayton helped develop, called Follow the Farmers, will feature Manitoba beef producer, Andre Steppler and his family this year.

“Classrooms dial in or participate via Zoom and we show a video that’s been premade of Andre’s farm where he talks about sustainable beef production,” Clayton says. “Andre is there live to answer the students’ ques tions. Last year we had about 6,000 students involved from all across Manitoba. It’s like a field trip happening right in their classroom.”

To accompany the program, AITC-M has worked with MBP to update its Beef-it-Up activity booklet that will be available to schools this year.

Beef is also prominently featured, says Clayton in AITC-M’s new virtual resource hub called Foundations of Manitoba Agriculture, developed with the industry.

“With the virtual hub, there are three different things for each commodity, and one is an in-depth, deep dive into the commodity,” she says. “That is aimed at high school students and teachers, and there’s a short form version that’s more for younger kids with diagrams and lighter information, and then there’s an e-learning activity to help kids learn more about that particular commodity.”

A lot more interest in food production

Since Clayton first got involved with AITC-M, she has seen numbers of teachers and students participating

CARSON CALLUM General Manager’s Column

gramming for drought impacts and Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA) for livestock mortalities and winter storm damage. These “wins” show the importance of beef sector-specific advocacy work. MBP’s board of directors and staff advocate on many different fronts, and without the great involvement of the whole team at MBP, producers may not have seen support. To ensure we are working on the priority issues and topics in the sector, we need to have continued engagement with you, the producers on the landscape to help inform our advo cacy work. I greatly thank all those who are engaged in the sector’s issues provincially and nationally, and I look forward to seeing where we go from here with the great leadership of producers from Manitoba’s beef industry.

With the impacts of the pandemic lessening, I also consider this year as the “we can meet again” year. I have had so many phenomenal in-person engagements again, such as lobby fly-ins with MPs in Ottawa to discuss beef industry issues and opportunities. Thanks to the Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association (MFGA)

staff and board of directors for putting on another great Regen Ag conference in Brandon mid-November. The level of attendance and engagement was very impressive. Lots of great topics were discussed, such as soil health, biodiversity, carbon, and metrics to gauge the outcomes from various practices. All of these tie into the impor tance of having cattle on the land. Great job MFGA!

We look forward to continued engagement with you in the production, policy and legislation realms at our 44th Annual General Meeting on February 2-3, 2023, this time at a different venue, the Victoria Inn in Winnipeg. We will be looking at a wide range of topics in the sector, such as research and managing risks on farm. We also have two thought-provoking and entertaining slots filled on the agenda. The keynote speaker for Day 1 after the business component will be Tim Hague Sr., winner of the Amazing Race Canada several years ago. He will touch on motivation and perseverance in tough times, something that producers will certainly be able to relate to. For entertainment, following the president’s banquet we will have a comedic husband/wife duo. I know ending the day with shared laughs is some of the best mental health therapy anyone can have. I am greatly looking forward to our AGM in February, minus the cold weather.

Merry Christmas to all of you and your families, and cheers to the New Year!

in its various programs double.

“We have seen a lot more interest,” she says. “During Canadian Agriculture Literacy month in March, we ask producers and industry representatives to go into class rooms across the province and tell their story. When I’ve talked to beef producers that have done this, they say the most amazing thing for them is talking to kids and telling their story about how they care for their animals. There has been a lot of misconception around the ani mal care issue, specifically, that I believe has started to be rectified by telling the accurate, balanced and current story, and a lot of that is through direct interaction be tween producers, industry people and kids.”

That growing interest in food and agriculture has been the biggest change Clayton has seen over her ca reer, so there is no end to the work and resources that AITC provides across Manitoba and the rest of Canada.

“During COVID there was a lot of interest in where our food came from, especially with the sudden supply chain issues,” she says. “People want to know how our food is grown, where it comes from, is it local or not local, about food safety and what is in our food. That is what we are trying to help students and teachers understand.”

Encouraging agricultural literacy

Looking back over her time at AITC-M, Clayton says one of the things she is most proud of is the Pillars of Agricultural Literacy that she helped develop about four years ago.

“There are six pillars that we focus on; agriculture and the environment, food, fibre and energy, animals, lifestyle, technology and the economy, and we have an educator on staff, Karen Hill, who is also a cattle pro ducer,” Clayton says. “Karen and the staff went through the whole kindergarten to grade 12 curriculums in Manitoba, every unit, every grade, every subject, and explored where agriculture could weave into that cur riculum because it’s not specifically taught anywhere. Our challenge is to weave agricultural content into cur riculums so that when teachers are teaching the subject to students, they’re legitimately teaching what Manitoba Education has mandated they must teach in that subject matter. Everything that we do has to be linked to Manitoba curriculum.”

The pillars, says Clayton help AITC-M ensure its resources and programs are bet ter focused and targeted for specific grades and subject areas.

“The idea is that eventually over many years, we will have a full complement of resources, activities and programs under every single pillar so that we can legiti mately say students in Manitoba will be

agriculturally literate when they graduate from high school,” Clayton says. “It took us a long time to do this work and we hold this up constantly when we’re devel oping a new program, resource or activity to say where does this fit or does it fit?”

Clayton is also proud that AITC-M created a new position to work on career exploration for students.

“We were getting many phone calls from schools and school divisions saying can you come and talk to our career counsellors, or our high school students about careers in agriculture, and we had had some great resources from Ag in the Classroom Canada, and locally, but we didn’t have anyone that we could spare the time to go and do that,” Clayton says. “We hired Adelle Gervin (also a beef producer) and this November, AITC-M is launching a Careers Exploration Program across the province. It’s been in the works for a long time and I’m proud that we’re accomplishing something that both the ag and education industry have been asking for.”

Coming full circle

Clayton is coming full circle in her career, as she heads back to the University of Manitoba in the role of Director of the School of Agriculture. She is excited to be working again with students who want to make their careers in the ag industry, and is positive about the future of ag in Manitoba and Canada.

“There are amazing people working to educate students across the province; teachers and people from all of the commodity associations and industry groups that we work with, and hundreds of volunteers,” she says. “When you see people in the industry getting passionate about what they do and educating kids, it’s really inspiring. It gets me excited about a bright future. I think that the general public is becoming more aware of the importance of farmers, producers and the industry in general, and are becoming more supportive of food production. And I see more students becoming interested in the science and the business of agriculture, and seeing a bright future for themselves.”

Resolutions Arising from the 2022 Fall Manitoba Beef Producers District Meetings

Five resolutions came forward from Manitoba Beef Producers’ fall district meetings which were held in odd-numbered districts where director elections were required.

Resolutions will be debated at MBP’s 44th Annual General Meeting (AGM) set for February 2-3, 2023 at a new location: the Victoria Inn at 1808 Wellington Avenue in Winnipeg.

MBP’s board of directors is also accepting in writ ing suggested late resolutions for potential debate at the AGM. Details on how to submit those can be found in this article after the list of resolutions arising from the district meetings. In consultation with the resolution’s author, proposed resolutions may be subject to editing by MBP for clarity and to ensure consistency of format ting across all resolutions.

Resolutions Arising From the District Meetings

District 9 – Oct. 19, Stonewall

9.1 Whereas wildlife such as deer and elk cause irreparable damage to stockpiled feed during the winter months.

Be it resolved to recommend that Manitoba Beef Producers lobby the provincial government to provide financial assistance for a fencing program to reduce the risk of wildlife eating stockpiled feed.

District 11 – Oct. 20, Ashern

11.1 Whereas predation issues continue to be a major concern for producers in Manitoba.

Be it resolved to recommend that Manitoba Beef Producers lobby the provincial government to inves tigate reinstating resources specific to addressing pre dation related to problem predators, including a rapid response process.

District 7 – Oct. 25, Miniota

7.1 Whereas labour challenges, including the avail ability of skilled labour, continue to be a major issue in the agriculture sector.

Be it resolved to recommend that Manitoba Beef Producers lobby the provincial and federal governments to streamline and/or simplify programs to secure timely access to agricultural workers for Canada.

7.2 Whereas some beef producers have been experiencing issues getting timely access to Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation’s (MASC) staff to answer program questions, to process claims, etc. due to MASC office consolidations in recent years.

Be it resolved to recommend that Manitoba Beef Producers lobby Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation and the Government of Manitoba to con sider reopening some previously closed MASC service centres in order to improve customer service levels to agricultural producers.

District 5 – Nov. 2, Austin

5.1 Whereas during August 2022 Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) announced its intention to expand its membership base by applying a 1% levy on cattle producers’ initial $26,225.50 in sales, resulting in the deduction of a $262.50 KAP membership fee plus $13.12 GST ($275.62); and

Whereas Manitoba cattle producers already pro vide financial support for both national and provincial organizations; and

Whereas producers providing KAP with a written “Notice of Objection” as described under Section (26) of The Agricultural Producers Organization Funding Act will be exempted from having the KAP membership levy deducted from their sales for a two-year period (any KAP membership levy collected during the two-year exemption period must be refunded).

Be it resolved to recommend that Manitoba Beef

Producers utilize its publication Cattle Country to pub lish a copy of Section (26) of The Agricultural Producers Organization Funding Act, accompanied by a brief explanation reminding producers that by providing Keystone Agricultural Producers with a written notice of objection they will become exempt from have the KAP membership levy deducted from their sales for a period of two years.

Be it further resolved to recommend that Manitoba Beef Producers shall make available to its membership a standard fill-in-the-blanks form that could be used by producers wishing to notify KAP of their objection to having KAP membership fees deducted from their sale.

Submitting a Late Resolution

Late resolutions will be accepted for consideration until 9 a.m. Friday, January 27, 2023. If the resolution is deemed to be in order by MBP’s Resolutions Committee it will be considered for debate at the end of the regular resolutions session, time permitting.

Please note: If the resolution covers off matters on which MBP is already conducting advocacy work, it may be deemed to be redundant and not taken forward for debate so as to ensure there is time to debate resolutions on emerging matters. As well, it is also important that proposed resolutions deal with something that is po tentially achievable and clearly state the actions you are asking MBP to consider taking.

Send late resolutions to info@mbbeef.ca to the at tention of General Manager Carson Callum and Policy Analyst Maureen Cousins. Or, you may fax them to 1-204-774-3264 or mail them to 220-530 Century Street, Winnipeg MB R3H 0Y4. All resolutions for debate will be posted on MBP’s website at www.mbbeef.ca to help ensure Manitoba’s beef producers are aware of them in advance of the AGM.

A sample resolution template can be found on MBP’s website at https://mbbeef.ca/events/save-the-datemanitoba-beef-producers-44th-agm/

We look forward to your participation and ask that you register in advance for the 44th AGM. For more details visit: https://mbbeef.ca/events/.

As a reminder, voting on MBP resolutions is re stricted to producers who are members in accordance with MBP’s bylaws. As per the Section 1(1) (b) of the bylaws, membership refers to “Every person who is de termined by the Board of Directors to be actively engaged in the raising of cattle in Manitoba, and who pays all fees to the Association in the manner and in the amount imposed on sellers of cattle pursuant to regulations made by the Board of Directors from time to time.” What does this mean? It means that if you have requested a refund in the last 12 months you have not paid all fees to the association as set out by the regulations and are not considered a member in good standing.

MBP’s District 1 meeting in Deloraine on November 3. (Photo credit: Melissa Atchison)

Fixing the Disconnect Problem

BY ANGELA LOVELL

One of the biggest problems that people face today is disconnection; the ability to look someone in the eye and make a connection with them.

“The development of technology has allowed for so many things but what it has also given us is the opportu nity to look away,” said Dr. Jody Carrington, a psychol ogist based in Olds, Alberta that has spent the last 20 years working to help people build healthy relationships and effective teams. “The hardest thing we will ever do – despite the fact that we are wired for connection – is to look into the eyes of the people we love.”

It’s a big reason why divorce rates in North America and Europe have increased by 33 per cent, and child maltreatment and domestic violence has never been as high, Carrington explained in her keynote presentation at the 2022 Canadian Beef Industry Conference in Penticton, B.C. in August.

“When we didn’t have exit ramps; when my grand father was raised in a one-bedroom, 700-square-foot house, there was little opportunity to look away,” she said. “The idea is when we have so many more exit ramps, we will take them.”

bones, and when we get tired, and our resources are down, we lose compassion for people,” Carrington said. “Then, the futility sets in. What’s the point? It’s all too much. So, you see how difficult this is in an industry built on relationships, when burnout becomes really prominent. The ability to stay connected is the thing we need to talk about.”

What has changed since grandpa’s time?

What’s changed over the last couple of generations is that people, in all aspects of society, have been sub jected to a system of reward and punishment to try and regulate their behaviours, but it has had the effect of making people even more disconnected than they have ever been.

“The truth is you can’t take enough stuff away from anybody to make them be kind,” Carrington said. “This strict idea of behaviourism, of rewarding and conse quences, worked so much better two generations ago because we had one thing present that we didn’t know we had to measure. Proximity to each other.”

People grew up in households where they sat down to dinner as a family every Sunday and showed up when people were going through crises in their lives, whereas today we don’t do these things as often or as instinctively.

Dr. Jody Carrington

their team, whether that is a family, a business team or an organization? There are three things that matter and they need to be addressed in the right order, says Carrington.

Can’t tame what you can’t name

The problem is that no one can address what they don’t acknowledge, and many people simply don’t like to admit when something is wrong.

“The highest rate of suicide in this country is mid dle-aged men,” Carrington said. “What we like to do is just say everything is OK, but you have got to be able to name it to tame it. When you feel disconnected and overwhelmed, if you have nowhere to put it, it’ll eat you from the inside out. Anxiety and depression won’t kill you but not talking about it might.”

Emotional regulation

The only way that people learn how to regulate their emotion is when they are connected to another human being to show them and walk them through the hard things in life. “One of my favourite philosophers, Ram Dass, said ‘we are all just here walking each other home’,” Carrington said.

Emotional regulation is about being at your calmest.

“We like it best when people are calm,” Carrington said. “An emotionally dysregulated person is like a twoyear-old having a temper tantrum. When children are emotionally regulated, they have access to everything they know to be true; when they flip into emotional dysregulation, they haven’t lost their ability to be kind, they have lost access to it. When we are emotionally dysregulated and overwhelmed, we lose access to all the good parts of us.”

Pandemic has made disconnection worse

The world today is emotionally dysregulated, Carrington said, especially after two years of a pandem ic that took away many of the opportunities for people to connect with each other and regulate their emotions.

“You learn emotional regulation through faceto-face connection with another human being,” she says, giving the example of putting a crying infant into someone’s arms. Their first instinct is to rock and try to sooth the baby. “There is a rhythmic exchange between the big person and the baby in an attempt to regulate their emotions. This is a universal experience. We es sentially understand what it means to be calmest, to be emotionally regulated, because we feel it in our bones.”

When people are dysregulated and going through the hardest times in their lives, what they don’t need is someone telling them something; they need somebody physically present. “Typically, no words fix emotional dysregulation; human connection does,” Carrington said.

The three things that characterize emotional dysregulation are uncertainty, fear and no end in sight. That leads to burnout. The three prominent things when people reach the burnout stage is emotional exhaustion, lack of compassion and an experience of futility.

“Emotional exhaustion means I am tired to my

“Right now, as a globe, we are tired,” she said. “And we are only OK when the people around us are OK, because we were never meant to do this alone. Right now, we have lost our ability to just show up and go for a coffee, or jump in the truck and go look at the cows today – and that is the thing that we need.”

How to fix disconnection

How to deal with disconnection is to acknowledge each other. “When we are acknowledged we will rise,” Carrington said, adding that she has learned three things about acknowledgement: it is not an apology, it is never a one-shot deal, and it must be genuine.

“Research in the world of human resources and building strong teams has shown that the magic num ber for acknowledgment is 12 times a year,” she said. “It doesn’t have to have a monetary value. You allow people

“Reconnect as much as you can to your people, your breath and your why,” she says. Your people are a very small, select group that know your soul and who you can always lean into. “Your people are the only reason that we do these things – when you can reconnect with your people you will be okay.”

Next, practice breathing and relax your body. “When you are in a relaxed body, anxiety cannot live there,” she said. “When do this you have access to the best parts of yourself so you can lead your team or family.”

And finally, reflect often on why you are here, what is your legacy? “If you can sink into those three things at least once a week, you are going to be okay,” Carrington says. “Once in that state, you can worry about your team or whatever you are a part of, and then finally the people

Excess Moisture Insurance Coverage Increasing for the 2023 Crop Year

(October 6, 2022 Joint Federal/Provincial News Release) Manitoba producers will receive higher Excess Moisture Insurance (EMI) coverage levels as part of the AgriInsurance program for the 2023 crop year, federal Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau and Manitoba Agriculture Minister Derek Johnson announced.

“Extreme weather conditions continue to chal lenge and threaten the viability of many producers,” said Bibeau. “With the increasing cost of inputs, these enhancements to the AgriInsurance program’s Excess Moisture Insurance will allow for greater coverage in the event of financial losses.”

Basic EMI coverage is a standard feature of the AgriInsurance program that provides protection against the inability to seed due to wet conditions. Producers can choose increased coverage options at higher premi

ums. Since 2000, basic EMI coverage has been $50 per acre, while higher coverage options increased in 2014 to $75 and $100 per acre. For 2023, basic coverage will increase to $75 with higher coverage options increasing to $100 and $125.

These changes were made in consultation with producer groups that have expressed interest in higher coverage levels due to rising farming costs. The prov ince’s share of premiums for the 2023 EMI program is estimated to be $8.6 million.

Manitoba Agricultural Services Corp. (MASC) reports there were 866,000 unseeded acres in Manitoba this year (approximately eight per cent of the total acres), resulting in estimated EMI indemnities of $53.5 million.

“The excessive moisture during the growing season this year brought extremely challenging conditions for producers across our province,” said Johnson. “The

AgriInsurance program exists for them in these kinds of situations. The newly increased coverage provided through Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation will bring further assistance and relief to those who need it most.”

MASC will send EMI confirmation letters to all existing AgriInsurance clients later this month to reflect the new coverage levels and premiums. Producers have until Nov. 30 to make changes to their EMI coverage for 2023 by contacting a MASC Service Centre.

Under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, AgriInsurance premiums for most programs are shared 40 per cent by participating producers, 36 per cent by the Government of Canada and 24 per cent by the Manitoba government. Administrative expenses are paid 60 per cent by Canada and 40 per cent by the Manitoba gov ernment.

Manitoba Government Launches Its New Water Management Strategy

(Nov. 8, 2022 Province of Manitoba News Release)

The Manitoba government is unveiling a new water management strategy – the first of its kind in nearly 20 years – to guide future actions, decisions and investments to protect the province’s water resources and ecosystems while sustainably growing the economy and commu nities, Premier Heather Stefanson and Environment, Climate and Parks Minister Jeff Wharton announced.

“Our collective water needs are changing. Our growing communities, vibrant agriculture sector and expanding industries all depend on continued access to water,” said Stefanson. “At the same time, climate change and extreme weather, such as floods and droughts, have a significant impact on water availability and security. Manitoba’s new water management strategy balances environmental, social and economic needs, and creates opportunities to partner with industry, communities and all Manitobans to unlock future growth while ensuring the province remains a leader in sustainable

water management.”

As Manitoba’s first whole-of-government water strategy since 2003, the new water management strategy provides a comprehensive framework to conserve and protect the environment, enhance resiliency, improve water quality and availability and foster economic development opportunities, the premier noted. The water management strategy will help support innovative solutions, best practices and new technologies to help address the shared water needs of Manitobans.

A water action plan for fulfilling the vision and objectives of the strategy will be developed this winter through further engagement with the public and inter ested stakeholders, the premier added.

“We have heard from Manitobans that developing a priority-based strategy now will set the stage for thriving and resilient ecosystems, communities, and our econo my,” said Wharton. “The water management strategy is the starting point for this critical work to address water

security. Together, we will chart a path to meet the water needs and priorities of Manitoba’s communities and economy in a way that will be resilient and sustainable for generations to come.”

Focus areas within the water management strategy incorporate specific strategic objectives to guide and prioritize actions, initiatives and investments including:

• maximizing water resource potential through con servation and efficient water use;

• addressing water infrastructure challenges and opportunities;

• meeting water supply needs of current and future generations sustainably;

• protecting biodiversity and aquatic ecosystem health;

• building Manitoba’s preparedness and resilience to a variable and changing climate;

• protecting the quality and quantity of groundwater;

• protecting and improving surface water quality;

• improving co-ordination of water management and governance across watersheds, basins and aquifers;

• improving data information and knowledge avail able on water;

• advancing Indigenous inclusion in water manage ment; and

• enhancing engagement and participation of Manitobans in water stewardship.

The Manitoba government’s new water management strategy builds on extensive input from Manitobans including the Expert Advisory Council, citizen engage ment through EngageMB and stakeholder engagement administered through Enterprise Machine Intelligence and Learning Initiative (EMILI). All areas of input recog nized water security as both a challenge and a competitive opportunity for communities and industry alike.

“Manitoba is fortunate to have excellent water resources at a time when water security and resilience are a growing factor for companies considering where to invest,” said Ray Bouchard, co-chair, Integrated Water Strategy Committee and board chair, EMILI. “In a changing climate, sustainable water management and smart water investments will be a strong part of Manitoba’s competitive advantage in agriculture, indus try and future growth sectors.”

The premier and minister noted the strategy builds on a strong foundation of water management enhancements and significant investments in recent years including over $200 million in the Conservation GROW and Wetlands GROW trusts and many actions under the Climate and Green Plan and the Sustainable Watersheds Act.

To read the water management strategy and learn more about next steps visit: https://manitoba.ca/sd/pubs/ water/water_mgmt_strategy2022.pdf.

Manitoba Cattle Producers Support Grasslands Stewardship Program

BY WAYNE HILDEBRAND

There was tremendous interest from cattle pro ducers in 2022 for a new grasslands incentive program.

Manitoba Beef Producers teamed up with Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation to offer a program that provides incentive funding for cow-calf operators to upgrade pasture infrastructure, improve grass quality and maintain wildlife habitat.

“In short, the program sold out,” said Manitoba Beef Producers General Manager Carson Callum. “The $972,000 budget was fully allocated. The funding impacts 24,000 acres of grazed pasture in Manitoba with projects that include fencing, watering systems, shrub control and grassland improvements. A total of seventy-four cattle producers participated in the program in 2022.”

Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation (MHHC) delivers the Grassland Stewardship Program on behalf of Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP). “We are happy to partner with The Manitoba Beef Producers and cattle farmers to deliver this program,” said Curtis Hullick, Field Manager of MHHC. “We recognize that having livestock on the landscape is essential to managing and enhancing grassland ecosystems and wildlife habitat. The key is to support cattle producers to ‘keep grazing’.”

The Manitoba cattle industry forecasts future declines in the cow-calf sector. Stats Canada has shown that marginal lands (pasturelands) are increasingly be ing converted to cultivated cropland. This is a concern for the future of prairie grasslands and species at risk in Manitoba.

The Grasslands Stewardship Program provides $13,000 incentive funding per quarter section up to a maximum of $50,000 per landowner. The funding comes with a 10-year commitment from the landowner to conserve the grasslands and maintain the infrastruc ture within the project. Landowners can also participate

in Range Management Planning, which evaluates the health of the pasture and provides recommendations to maximize productivity, while balancing the benefits to wildlife.

Valerie and Jarret Sollner operate a mixed farm near Plumas and participated in the Grassland Stewardship Program this year. “Our cow-calf business includes 9 quarter sections that we graze,” said Valerie. “We liked that the incentive funding included fencing materials and cattle watering systems. Jarret and I wanted new fencing that would allow us to rotate the cattle to im prove our grass management and prevent overgrazing. We installed almost 10 miles of 4-strand barbed wire fence along with a new dugout.”

“Applying to this program was easy,” Valerie re

layed. “There was very little paperwork. The incentive payment from Manitoba Beef Producers worked well for us and really helped with the cost of materials. We feel this is the best support program for cattle producers in the province.”

“We have very good news for 2023,” said Callum. “Manitoba Beef Producers is working to secure funding to offer the Grassland Stewardship Program again in 2023. We are pleased that Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation will continue to deliver the program. Our goal is to ensure a sustainable future for the beef indus try in Manitoba for the benefit of our beef producers and all Manitobans. For program details go to MBP or MHHC websites at https://mbbeef.ca or www.mhhc. mb.ca or call MHHC at 204-784-4350.”

Photo credit: Lynnea Parker

StockTalk Q&A Feature Brought to you by Manitoba Agriculture

Elizabeth Nernberg Livestock Specialist Manitoba Agriculture

elizabeth.nernberg@gov.mb.ca

Question: I took inventory of all my feeds and am now trying to determine how much feed I will need for my cow herd. I heard that adequate feed supplies can be estimated by the rule of seven. What does this mean?

Answer: When determining how much feed is required, the rule of seven is a quick calculation for an average operation where the combination of tons of silage, average bales of hay and average bales of straw required add up to seven per cow. For example, it may be three tons of silage, two bales of hay and two bales of straw per cow per winter.

This rule is based on the general guideline that cattle will eat good quality hay at the rate of 2.5 per cent of their body weight (on a dry matter basis) per day. A 1,300 lb cow would consume 32.5 lb of hay at 0 per cent moisture or 38 lb of hay at 15 per cent moisture (as fed basis). Over a 220-day winter feeding period, the cow would consume 8,412 lb of hay or 6.5 round bales; based on a typical 5x6 ft round hay bale weighing 1300 lb (at 15 per cent moisture). If you have one hundred 1,300 lb cows, they are going to need about 650 bales to over winter. You can use the dry matter intake (DMI)

guide of 2.5 per cent of body weight for all classes of beef cattle to figure out how much hay or feed you will need for the winter.

DMI is affected by many factors, including the age and condition of the animal. Frame size and percentage of body fat are often considered in equations to predict feed intake by beef cattle. Condition scoring your cattle is also a useful management tool, as a thin cow (condition score = 1 or 2 on a 5 point scale) will consume more than a good conditioned cow (condition score = 3). Sex of the animal has a limited affect on DMI, whereas, one of the most important factors that affects intake is the reproductive status of the animal. A lactating cow will eat 40 to 60 per cent more than a dry cow. The age of the animal also affects intake, as older animals will consume more feed than younger animals as young cows have less rumen space.

The animal’s environment affects DMI as well. Adverse conditions such as mud and snow can decrease intake by up to 15 per cent. Intake can be depressed by 30 per cent under hot/humid conditions and can increase up to 30 per cent in colder temperatures. It is recommended that for every 10°C decrease in temperature below -20°C, feed should be increased by 15 per cent or an extra 6 ½ lbs of hay or 4 ½ lbs of grain per day.

In addition, nutrient deficiencies can decrease feed intake by 10 to 20 per cent. Adding ionophores can also reduce feed intake, but this will depend on how much is added to the feed with the higher the dose the less feed consumed, whereas growth-promoting implants tend to increase feed consumption.

The following are some feed intake guidelines:

Forage* Intake Guidelines

(as per cent of body weight per day)

Straw and Poor Forage

Medium Quality Forage

Excellent Quality Forage

Dry Mature Cows & Bulls 1.4 to 1.6% 1.8 to 2.0% 2.3 to 2.6%

Lactating Cows 0% 2.0 to 2.4% 2.5 to 3.0%

Growing and Finishing Cattle 1.0% 1.8 to 2.0% 2.5 to 3.0%

*Forage 90% dry matter basis; adapted from The Beef Cow-Calf Manual, Alberta Agriculture and Food, 2008 Agdex 420/10.

Some other factors that will affect the voluntary consumption of forage are:

• Stage of maturity - the fibre component of forages increases with maturity reduc ing intake

• Weathering - mould growth usually reduces consumption

• Species – grasses are usually consumed in lesser amounts than legumes

• Physical form – processing increases forage consumption, particularly with low quality forages

• Grain feeding – will usually depress forage intake, especially when grain is fed before forage

• Fermentation – consumption of dry matter from silage is usually less than if the same quality of feed were fed as hay

DMI is an important part of balancing diets to meet the animal’s needs. However, it needs to be monitored on farm because ration adjustments may be required if the actual intake is different than recommended. For example, if the animal is consuming more than expected, it could be gaining more weight as a result of the higher total nutrient uptake. If it is consuming less, performance will be lower than expected as it is unable to consume the required amounts of nutrients.

Not only do we need to ensure enough feed is being provided to the animal, but that enough of the right feed is being provided. Feed testing is required to determine the quality of the feed and if it is the right feed to match to what the animal requires based on its stage of production.

The rule of seven can give you a good starting point to determine your herd’s requirements for the winter months keeping in mind cow size, length of winter feed ing period and wastage can cause variations to this rule. Feed testing and balancing rations will more accurately define your feed requirements for the wintering period.

Share your Voice

In the next issue of Cattle Country, a Manitoba Agriculture forage or live stock specialist will answer a selected question. Send your questions to Elizabeth. Nernberg@gov.mb.ca.

StockTalk

Andrea Bertholet Killarney 204-851-6087

Kristen Bouchard-Teasdale Beausejour 431-337-1688

Shawn Cabak Portage 204-239-3353

Pam Iwanchysko Dauphin 204-648-3965

Cindy Jack Arborg 204-768-0534

Juanita Kopp Beausejour 204-825-4302

Elizabeth Nernberg Roblin 204-247-0087

Andrea.Bertholet@gov.mb.ca

Kristen.BouchardTeasdale@gov.mb.ca

Shawn.Cabak@gov.mb.ca

Pamela.Iwanchysko@gov.mb.ca

Cindy.Jack@gov.mb.ca

Juanita.Kopp@gov.mb.ca

Elizabeth.Nernberg@gov.mb.ca

Now Looks Like a Good Time to Restock Bred Cow Inventory

By the time this edition of the Bottom Line goes to print we will be into the final quarter of the fall run in Manitoba. As predicted, the fall run has been more con gested than previous years. That, combined with poor weather in the peak marketing weeks, had deliveries behind schedule.

With that in mind, there are still plenty of calves left to sell. The bred cow sales are ramping up, and there are lots of herd dispersals to pick from. In my opinion, the current prices for bred cows make them a pretty good investment, providing you have pasture to put them on next spring. The majority of the cow-calf operations have more than adequate feed, and it now looks like a good time to restock the bred cow inventory. Butcher cow prices really took it on the chin in November, dropping 14 to 16 cents per pound as supplies outnumbered de mand. The American cow market saw huge numbers on offer, and that lowered the floor price on the Canadian cows. We might see a slight increase in the Manitoba market in December as some investors buy cows to feed for tax purposes. The cost of feeding cows anything more than hay, with the current price of grain, makes it profit prohibitive. The packers traditionally store up a few cows to have on hand during the holidays, and that could help cull prices as well.

The feeder cattle market continues to be strong de spite grain prices not dropping as predicted. There seems to no reason for the grain prices to drop in December. Barley in Alberta is $10.00 per bushel. Corn in the USA is $1.50 higher per bushel than last year. The Canadian feedlots lost the cost of feed advantage over the USA in November and have now started to import corn from the south. Even with higher feed costs, there are very few feeder cattle going south out of Manitoba. There have been a few loads of yearling heifers exported out of Manitoba and a small percentage of British-type heifers have found their way south of the border in November. Year-to-date, Canadian feeder cattle exports to the USA are approximately 175,000 head.

RICK WRIGHT The Bottom Line

Driven by Ontario demand and strong local sup port, Manitoba cow-calf producers have enjoyed the highest priced feeder cattle in western Canada this fall. Manitoba has been running six to eight cents per pound on average higher than Alberta and Saskatchewan feeder calf markets. Freight to Ontario from western Manitoba is running 16 to 18 cents per pound, and there is a severe shortage of trucks.

Once fall work was complete, local feeders stepped into the market and have made a positive impact on the light steers under 500 pounds and on the heifer market. It looks like a few more producers are holding back heifers than last year. With the extra feed available, that is not a surprise. There are not many heifers being purchased as replacements to breed in the spring; most are going into the backgrounding lots for resale in the spring.

In Manitoba, we are running about 12% to 14% few er feeder cattle marketed than last year. That percentage should tighten up when the markets finish the fall run in mid-December.

Manitoba prices on steers less than 500 pounds averaged $3.23 per pound, up 69 cents per pound over last year in mid November. The 500 to 600 pounds steers averaged $2.73, up 61 cents per pound from last year. The heavy steers over 600 lost a little steam from the end of October, but still averaged $2.50, up 60 cents from last year in mid-November. Heifers averaged between 40 and 50 cents per pound higher than last year, with the strongest demand for the 550-pound heifers, which were trading 50 cents per pound higher than last year at $2.28 per.

Last year the prices dropped in December for the feeders, but this year looks slightly more promising for the December market. The packers are still slow in moving finished cattle out of the feedlots, and there will be pen space in December. A lower Canadian dol lar will keep the Americans looking north for feeder cattle. In mid- November last year, the Canadian dollar was trading at approximately $80.30 while this year, during the same week, it traded at approximately $73.50 in US funds.

Prices for the first quarter of 2023 are looking promising for the feeder cattle. Backgrounders will have a tough time making expected returns unless the prices move higher. Fed cattle prices are currently around $3.00 per pound dressed and will need to move north to support the current calf prices and costs of gains at the feedlots.

There is starting to be some consumer resistance at the meat counter and in the restaurants for beef at the current prices. Canadians will have to get used to the higher prices for beef and other food products, as it looks like higher prices are here to stay. In the past, we have enjoyed cheap food in Canada compared to the rest of the world. Things have changed! In the past, we could use about 60% of the beef we produced in Canada do mestically and sold the surplus to the US at a discount. Over the past 10 plus years, Canada has done a great job of promoting and marketing Canadian beef abroad. Demand for Canadian beef has soared around the world and exports are up considerably. We now have to outbid the export demand to purchase our own beef products. This should be a happy story for beef producers, but the profits from these overseas markets, and sales to the USA and Mexico are not being shared with the primary producers and the cattle feeders. The packers are the major benefactors of this increased demand.

See you in 2023!

Until next time, Rick

Closing the Loop: The Role of Food Waste in a Circular Bioeconomy

BY THE NATIONAL CENTRE FOR LIVESTOCK AND THE ENVIRONMENT, UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA

Food waste in Canada is substantial – making up roughly 32% of all food dollars spent in retail and val ued at approximately 49.5 billion dollars. At the global level, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) at the United Nations suggests that one third (1.3 BMT) of potentially edible, nutrient rich waste is discarded annually. In efforts to improve global food security, and retain the lost nutrients, FAO has set a goal to halve the per capita global waste during food production, retail and consumption by 2030.

What is food waste?

Food waste falls into two categories. Food loss is associated with production, processing and distribution and includes by-products produced during grain and oil-seed, fruit and vegetable processing. The second category includes food wasted at the retail and consum er level. This waste is mostly attributed to consumer behavior.

The role of livestock in a “circular bioeconomy”

The concept of a “circular bio-economy” focuses on the production of agricultural commodities with minimal external inputs, closing nutrient loops, and re ducing negative impacts on the environment in the form of wastes and emissions, as seen in the figure. Cattle play a particularly important role as they can convert human-indigestible biomass, including grasses and for ages, crop residues, grain screenings, by-products from commodity processing, as well as foodstuffs that fail to meet the quality standards for human consumption into high-quality protein in the form of meat and milk. As a consequence, cattle are often referred to as “up-cy clers”, upgrading inedible plants and plant by-products to high-quality protein and essential micronutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Numerous by-products are garnered from livestock including hides, tallow, blood, hooves, horns, organs, and bones. These by-products are

utilized to produce marketable commodities including pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, leather, brushes, adhesives, charcoal, shampoo, glass, and pet food. Using the entire edible protein content from farmed animals, including currently underused meat co-products to meet the pro tein requirements of the global population could further improve environmental sustainability.

Challenges and solutions to re-using food waste.

Transportation

Researchers, industry and governments are continuing to work together to provide solutions to minimize food waste, however there are challenges. It can be costly to deliver by-products from food process ing operations to the farm, particularly if they have a high moisture content. To offset high transportation fees, some Canadian processors and retailers provide products at reduced or no cost to farmers. Increased regional processing of commodities has also resulted in increased use of co-products as feed as livestock opera tions are located close to the source and further offset the transportation fees resulting in significant decreases to the overall costs of feed.

Canadian regulatory framework

Canada’s regulatory framework can also act as a barrier to reusing food waste in livestock feed. At pres ent, all livestock feed materials must be included in the Feeds Act. According to CFIA, the Feeds Act supports the use of several by-product ingredients however small er volume and emerging novel ingredients are still not a part of the Act and hence not allowed for use. To move forward, we need to use evidence from sound research to influence and re-examine regulatory frameworks to ensure that these regulations are accommodating the changing needs of agriculture production.

Addressing food safety and nutrient quality

Some processing by-products can contain chemical

or physical contaminants, antinutritive factors, and high moisture that can promote bacterial growth. Research and industry have responded to address these challenges by exploring technology to eliminate food safety concerns including the physical separation of contaminants, heating, heat sterilization, ensiling and others. These technologies require investments in labour and equipment, but they are examples of how research and ingenuity can help to ensure we reuse by-products generated in food processing systems.

Finally, as an industry we need to invest in the char acterization of nutrients contained in food processing by-products. Ensuring nutrient consistency and high ingredient quality will increase uptake and subsequent ly the use of these products in livestock feeds.

Industry is committed to minimizing food waste

Food waste is a global issue. It is a diverse challenge that requires a diverse solution. Several life cycle anal yses have assessed the impacts of food waste destined for landfills versus the recycling and repurposing of this nutrient dense material. The message is clear, redistribution of food waste from landfills is essential to minimizing environmental impacts, ensuring resource sustainability and advancing global food security. Since cattle can successfully up-cycle low quality feedstuffs they are key in converting lower qual ity ingredients and wastes from novel food processing activities into high quality protein-based materials. As researchers work through the challenges and uncover opportunities, it is evident that integrating food waste in livestock production is a large part of the solution. Industry leaders are engaged and Canadian farmers have demonstrated interest, ingenuity and investment to replace traditional feeds with by-products and even food waste, setting new standards that ensure the devel opment of sustainable food systems in Canada.

Vet Column: A Look at Lump Jaw and Wooden Tongue in Cattle

BY DR. TANYA ANDERSON, DVM

Lump jaw and its “cousin” wooden tongue have been more prevalent in herds this fall and I thought I would do a brief overview of the causes and treatments, especially since many producers had not previously seen the condition in their herds.

Lump jaw is, just as it sounds, a bacterial infection of the jaw bone, usually the lower jaw, although the upper jaw can also be affected. Wooden tongue is a bacterial infection of the tongue that causes the tongue to become stiff (“wooden”) such that it does not work properly and prevents the animal from using its tongue to grasp grass and move food back into the mouth while eating.

Sometimes the bacteria can also cause infections of the soft tissues of the face ‒ under the skin, in the muscle or involving the lymph nodes if the infection gets into the lymphatics (like “blood” vessels that carry infection fighting lymph between lymph nodes). These animals can develop huge heads with swelling extending down the neck and into the brisket area. Early detection and treatment of these conditions is critical to ensure recov ery and avoid weight loss due to inability to eat.

Actinomyces bovis and Actinobacillus lignieresii are the causative bacteria for lump jaw and wooden tongue, respectively. Both are normal inhabitants of the bovine mouth and both respond to similar treatment so differentiating which is the problem is not that clinically important.

Usually only one or two animals are affected, but

in some herds and in certain years, as in this year, outbreaks can occur due to a common environmental factor. Usually the infection starts as infection of the gums and inner tissues of the mouth due to trauma from rough hay, coarse feed (think slough grass, overly mature forage), sticks or foreign material like wire baled up in hay. Occasionally a penetrating wound from the outside through the skin causes ideal conditions for bacterial proliferation. Younger animals (two to three years old) seem to be more prone as this is the time when they are shedding teeth so there is a “natural” wound in the bone sockets where the teeth are rooted.

Regardless of the cause, the bone can only respond one way to infection ‒ by growing more bone or losing bone. Bone loss (osteoporosis) results in loosening of the teeth and either bone change causes jaw distortion which can lead to maligned teeth and resultant pain and difficulty chewing. Consequently, both lump jaw and wooden tongue result in weight loss and animal suffering.

Early treatment is important before bone changes become severe as the new bone that develops and the moth-eaten diseased bone never subsides. It is for this reason that cattle that recover should be candidates for potential culling during the next cull cycle (after weaning or the breeding season if bulls are affected). However, if poor cull prices or higher value (as in bulls), these cattle can remain in the herd for several years as long as their dentition and body condition are good. Occasionally, infection flares again and additional treatment may

be needed. It is also important to consider that these animals may create special management considerations ‒ draining pus onto feed and in the waterer is a source of infection to other animals.

How to treat? If early where there is only a small lump or if noted on pasture, treat with a long-acting oxytetracycline. If an animal has more severe symptoms like large and/or multiple swellings or is losing weight, intravenous treatment with sodium iodide is needed in addition to long-acting oxytetracycline. One dose in early cases works well in my experience with two doses one to two weeks apart for more severe cases. If there are abscesses, flushing with a dilute betadine solution is also advised. Animals noted to be drooling or with swellings in their cheeks should be assessed for wooden tongue. In some of those cases, the swelling has been caused by a bone lodged at the back of the mouth ‒ one reason to avoid open sky burial! Examination of the mouth may also be needed to pull compacted feed material out of the cheeks and remove loose teeth if present. In some severe cases, I have had to use anti-inflammatories if there has been pharyngeal nerve damage such that an animal appears unable to swallow properly and repeat edly builds up “food balls” in the cheeks.

As with most everything to do with disease, early detection and treatment results in best outcomes. Don’t hesitate to reach out to your vet if you see something new to you and ensure that your approach and management of the problem is correct.

Manitoba Government Introduces Official Time Amendment Act; Legislation Would Enable Shift to Permanent Daylight Saving Time

(November 17, 2022 Province of Manitoba News Release)

The Manitoba government is proactively introducing the Official Time Amendment Act, which would allow the province to consider adopting perma nent daylight saving time should neighbouring jurisdictions enact similar legis lation and the majority of Manitobans support this change, Municipal Relations Minister Eileen Clarke announced.

“The Official Time Amendment Act would allow our province to maintain a consistent time zone approach with the United States, if they also adopt yearround observance of daylight saving time,” said Clarke. “Maintaining a consistent time zone approach with our neighbours would ease business relations, trade, transportation of goods and travel.”

The United States is considering a shift to permanent daylight saving time. Other Canadian jurisdictions, including Ontario and British Columbia, are also proactively preparing to make the shift if the United States adopts year-round observance of daylight saving time.

Recognizing that many Manitobans have deeply held views on time change, the Manitoba government plans to engage with residents and stakeholders to hear how permanent daylight saving time would affect them. The engagement will help identify potential supports that could be implemented to facilitate a smoother transition, noted Clarke.