Cattle Country - May 2023

MFGA’s Aquanty Forecasting Tool Could Help Beef Producers Make Better Decisions

BY ANGELA LOVELL

The Manitoba Forage and Grasslands Association (MFGA) recently launched its Aquanty Project Forecasting Tool for producers in the Assiniboine River Basin and the Pembina Valley Watershed District.

“The forecasting tool will give producers both nearterm (7-day) and longer term (32-day) forecasts for soil moisture, ground water and surface water conditions on or near the land that they manage,” says Amanda Taylor, a geological modeller with Aquanty Inc., developers of the tool. “This tool should help them address the risks associated with water resources management under increasingly variable climate and weather conditions. The tool will help provide advance warning of both flood and drought conditions. In addition to the forecasting abilities, the tool will also allow producers to view recent satellite imagery of their land so that they can monitor all areas of their land in near-real time without requiring on site visits.”

MFGA is encouraging farmers to try out the Forecasting Tool via its online portal and provide their feedback about it. Producers can create an account at the signup page on the MFGA website at https://waterforecast.mfga.net/signup

The tool provides forecasts related to streamflow, soil moisture, groundwater levels and recharge, the depth to groundwater (how far it is from the soil surface), as well as surface water depth and exfiltration (the flow of groundwater into surface water features on the land).

“One area where the curtain is being lifted is on groundwater,” says Duncan Morrison, Executive Director of MFGA. “Until now, that was something that producers did not have much access to. The forecasting tool gives producers insights into the availability of groundwater, soil moisture and streamflow that are important to their farm management.”

As an example of how producers might use the tool, it could help predict future conditions for groundwater levels for producers who are reliant on well water or dugouts for livestock. Producers growing forage crops could use soil moisture forecasts to help time seeding and fertilizer applications to optimize their inputs.

The Aquanty Project Forecasting Tool offers producers two different map views. The Forecast Feeds map provides the hydrological forecasts for a selected watershed, and farmers can also click on a specific location on the map to get forecasts for that location or click on the

nearest weather station to also get observations about that location.

The Remote Sensing map view provides farmers with more detailed information about a specific area of interest that they can create and save themselves (for example specific fields or areas in a field). This view provides satellite imagery, calculators, and site-specific data.

Producers could use this satellite imagery to monitor plant growth on their forage crops and assist in timing rotation of their livestock though different fields.

The Forecasting Tool uses credible, up-to-date information sourced from real-time, public data systems run by Manitoba Agriculture. The model recalibrates as the information updates across the entire watershed region.

MFGA has been focused on delivering the new tool but is also working on how the tool will be made available for producers and other users going forward.

Funding for the Aquanty Forecasting Tool was provided through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s (AAFC) AgriRisk Initiatives Research and Development stream via the Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

Executive Director Alexandra Froese, Bindi, and Field Supervisor Jessica Riach from the Manitoba Burrowing Owl Recovery Program were special guests of MBP at the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair. See page 3 for information about their visit. (Photo credit: Melissa Atchison)

The Importance of Trade Access to Canada’s Beef Industry

After a busy late winter and early springtime filled with many meetings I look back upon the importance of international trade to our sector. This shouldn’t come as a surprise as we are so reliant on trade in our Canadian cattle industry. However, this is a very delicate system, filled with vulnerabilities. Basically, half of all our Canadian beef goes for export, in many different forms, to many different countries, at many different values, both in terms of retail values at the point of sale and the value we recognize as producers.

We, as producers, know that the beef we produce is some of the highest quality, most sustainable in the world and we are proud of our industry. The challenges come in the form of recognition of this high quality, but also, to a larger extent, the many other trade, tariff, and even completely unrelated issues in trade negotiations that we may never consider. The past little while has been an active time for some of these trade talks.

To begin with, some good news came on March 27, when the Canadian beef industry gained full export access to Japan. This was the final step following the granting of our 2021 BSE negligible status by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). This market now includes access for our processed products and

is significant, as Japan is not just a very large market, but also a high value one. We have seen our exports to Japan increase significantly with the signing of the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in 2017. This trade deal means a reduction in tariffs on our beef in Japan and since the signing in 2017, we have seen our exports there increase 192%. All indicators suggest that we will continue the trajectory of increased export numbers. This was a big win for us as Canadian cattle producers and stands to see all of us recognize more value for our beef now, and in years to come.

Unfortunately, under the same CPTPP trade agreement, we were recently dealt a negative blow by the United Kingdom (UK). The UK was granted access to the CPTPP without Canada having full access to the UK market for beef. This has been a complicated relationship since before the UK left the European Union and has

continued with many of the same issues. The challenge is that UK beef has been flowing into Canada, without any tariffs, under a bilateral agreement. However, Canadian beef has not been flowing back to the UK as it should. The main issue has been over steps used in our processing industry here in North America. At a processing level, following a final wash with all hygiene standards met, they then go one more step, in applying peroxyacetic acid. This is an extra step in ensuring safe food production, and one our processors are not willing to give up. This process is being used as a non-tariff trade barrier, preventing us from having access to those UK and also EU markets. The same product is used extensively by the wine industry and many others, both here and in Europe, so the product and its use are not the issue. This is an extremely frustrating problem, as we are seeing UK beef coming into Canada, yet these excuses are preventing us from exporting our beef there.

On a different level, there is a federal bill that is causing concern. This is Bill C-282 ‒ An Act to Amend the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act (Supply Management). The Bill states with respect to supply management “In exercising and performing the powers, duties and functions set out in subsection (2), the Minister must not make any commitment on behalf of the Government of Canada, by international trade treaty or agreement, that would have the effect of (a) increasing the tariff rate quota, within the meaning of subsection 2(1) of the Customs Tariff, applicable to dairy products, poultry or eggs; or (b) reducing the tariff applicable to those goods when they are imported in excess of the applicable tariff rate quota.” The Bill has now passed second reading and is going through various levels of committee and the Senate before it heads back to the house for third reading.

To summarize, Bill C-282 basically puts a policy down in writing, for all to see, protecting the supply management area of agriculture from being part of any future trade negotiations. I am very concerned at the prospect of having this come to fruition. Having this policy in place may have some very severe implications down the road. As the great exporting nation that we are, we need to constantly be attempting to market our product to other nations. The problem is that this would say to all potential trading partners that these areas of agriculture are untouchable. On one hand, it is showing your cards before you sit down at the table, but on the other hand, it stands to prevent us from even getting a seat at the table with some trading nations. The Canadian cattle industry has been advocating with decision makers like Members of Parliament to give serious second thought to the potential consequences of this legislation for sectors like the beef industry and others before proceeding with the proposed bill.

Going into any trade talks, there is obviously the understanding that there are some areas that a country is unwilling to negotiate on, but in my view, it is just bad business to tell the world what they are ahead of time. Whether it is an unwillingness for other nations to sit and negotiate trade with us, or that beef or canola or any other agricultural product sees tariffs that would have otherwise been applied to something like dairy is just bad policy. This is not an attempt to pit one area of agriculture against another, but rather to ensure that we all can have access to trade and that we leave the details to the negotiators in the room hammering out the details.

DISTRIC T 1 ALFRED EPP

Boissevain-Morton, Brenda-Waskada, Grassland, Deloraine-Winchester, and Two Borders

DISTRIC T 2

NANCY HOWATT

Argyle, Cartwright-Roblin, KillarneyTurtle Mountain, Lorne, Louise, Pembina, and Prairie Lakes

DISTRIC T 3

ANDRE STEPPLER

Cartier, Du erin, Grey, MacDonald, Portage la Prairie, Rhineland, Roland, Stanley, Thompson, Montcalm, Morris, and Ritchot

DISTRIC T 4

BYRON FALK De Salaberry, Emerson-Franklin, Hanover, La Broquerie, Piney and Stuartburn, Montcalm, Morris, Ritchot, Spring eld, Ste. Anne, Taché, R.M. of Piney and Reynolds

DISTRIC T 5 STEVEN MANNS

Cornwallis, Elton, Norfolk-Treherne, North Norfolk, Oakland-Wawanesa, Glenboro-South Cypress, and Victoria

DISTRIC T 6

VACANT

Pipestone, Riverdale, Sifton, Souris-Glenwood, Wallace-Woodworth, and Whitehead

DISTRIC T 7

T YLER FULTON PAST PRESIDENT

Ellice-Archie, Hamiota, Prairie-View, Riding Mountain West, Rossburn, Russell-Binscarth, and Yellowhead

DISTRIC T 8

MATTHEW ATKINSON

Clanwilliam-Erickson, Glenella-Lansdowne, Harrison-Park, Minto-Odanah, Oakview, North Cypress-Langford, Rosedale, and West Lake-Gladstone

DISTRIC T 13

DISTRIC T 9 TREVOR SUND

Alexander, Brokenhead, East St. Paul, Lac Du Bonnet, Rockwood, Rosser, St. Andrews, St. Clements, St. Francois Xavier, West St. Paul, Whitemouth, Woodlands,

MARY PAZIUK Dauphin, Ethelbert, Gilbert Plains, Grandview, Roblin and Mossey River

LGD of Pinawa, Reynolds, Spring eld, Ste. Anne, and Taché

Bifrost-Riverton, Fisher, and Gimli

and West Interlake

MATTHEW ATKINSON President’s Column

MBP Busy With Consultations, Events

Greetings all, I hope the warmer weather that has finally arrived is making calving more pleasant for those that have been battling the extended cold. I am sure many of you are itching to get out in the field to plant feed or forages. By the looks of the soil moisture map, we have plenty of moisture moving into the warmer part of the spring. Hopefully flood challenges will remain minimal, but I know the flood forecast is concerning. Producers will be looking at their emergency preparedness plan to ensure they are able to deal with the challenges if they do arrive.

I want to start by formally welcoming our new director from District 4, Byron Falk. Byron considers himself a first-generation farmer, but has been involved in agriculture his whole life. He has a growing operation and will bring some great perspective to the table. Byron’s background and experience will be a welcome addition to the board. I greatly look forward to working with Byron.

Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) has been quite busy with consumer and public communication events over the last couple of months. In March, MBP took part in the first Discover Agriculture in the City event at The Forks Market in Winnipeg since the pandemic. This was a great event that saw more than 900 people attend MBP’s booth.

District 9 Director Trevor Sund helped staff the booth and had many great conversations about beef production with attendees. MBP’s participation also led to three media interviews that further extended the positive message we share with the public on all the benefits beef production provides, such as to the environment.

CARSON CALLUM General Manager’s Column

This environmental message was further delivered at our booth at the Royal Winter Fair in Brandon at the end of March. Along with a live cow/calf pair (provided by Steppler Farms), we hosted colleagues from the Manitoba Burrowing Owl Recovery Program and their brand ambassador, Bindi. Bindi is a lovely burrowing owl that brought a lot of attention to our booth. This partnership was a great way to demonstrate the importance of cattle on the landscape for keeping critical habitat intact for species at risk, like the burrowing owl. We counted approximately 8,000 visitors to the MBP booth over the course of the six-day event in Brandon. The busiest time at the booth was when Bindi was there, along with our cow/calf pair helping to deliver that positive environmental story to those who attended. I look forward to future partnerships with groups like these.

MBP has taken part in many consultations over the last few months on a variety of topics such as the environment, agricultural Crown lands regulations, the proposed federal sustainable agriculture strategy, and government budgetary matters. A consultation MBP has been involved with for some time now is for the new Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (S-CAP). Over the course of these consultations MBP has been providing feedback on the importance of

having equitable business risk management tools and programming in the agriculture industry, specifically for the beef sector. The governments of Canada and Manitoba signed the S-CAP agreement on April 6. Hopefully by the time you are reading this column, more specific details of programming offered under S-CAP will be available.

Overall, I am seeing positive signals of programming available and what could benefit the beef sector. An example is the Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program (RALP) referenced in the S-CAP announcement. Maintaining grasslands through recognition of the ecological goods and services producers provide on them is an avenue we have stressed to both levels of government. I look forward to seeing further details in the coming weeks and providing direct feedback to government officials.

Looking forward, MBP has many important areas of work to focus on. For example, animal disease concerns globally continue to be a focus and ensuring we have a strong livestock traceability system in place to manage outbreaks will be crucial for the sector. There is lots of optimism in the sector especially with the price outlook. I hope this optimism continues and improved margins happen for producers.

All the best you and yours this busy spring. MBP board and staff continue to be honoured to work on our members behalf. And stay tuned in the coming weeks in our various communications channels for a producer-focused event we are looking to host in mid-July that would include knowledge transfer activities and some opportunities for engagement with your fellow producers.

MBP is pleased to welcome Byron Falk as the new Director for District 4. Falk has a cow-calf operation in the St. Malo area.

(Photo credit: Byron Falk)

District 9 Director Trevor Sund during the Discover Agriculture in the City event at The Forks in Winnipeg. (Photo credit: Jonathon Ferber)

Disaster Financial Assistance is Not Insurance

BY ANGELA LOVELL

Last year’s spring flood was the largest Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA) program in Manitoba since 2011, with more than 2,000 private claims made, 1,000 of which were from farms.

DFA programs are cost-shared by the federal and provincial governments and provide farmers with financial support after a disaster. DFA is a program of last resort and does not cover anything that is insurable or can be insurable, such as insurable livestock and early sales. Things that are eligible for the program include emergency feed and pasture rental, transportation costs to move cattle to safe areas, as well as the costs to rent handling equipment or load animals for an evacuation.

DFA claims are handled by the Emergency Management Organization under the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, not Manitoba Agriculture. To be eligible for the program, farmers must have an annual gross revenue between $10,000 and

$2 million, employ no more than 20 full-time workers, and must be owner operators involved in the day-to-day management.

AgriRecovery

The severe drought of 2021 triggered the largest AgriRecovery response for livestock in Manitoba to date. AgriRecovery is cost-shared between the provincial and the federal governments and it is part of their Business Risk Management (BRM) suite, but it’s a framework rather than a program.

“There is no application for AgriRecovery as there is for AgriStability or AgriInsurance,” said Grant Palmer of Manitoba Agriculture in a presentation at the Manitoba Beef Producers Annual General Meeting in February. “It is something that gets pulled out in response to an event when needed, and is [designed] to fill the gaps between the other risk management programs. The most recent example was the 2021 drought; the severity of it warranted an additional response beyond the existing BRM programs.”

Before AgriRecovery is implemented in response to a disaster, extensive negotiations take place between the province, federal government and industry organizations, such as Manitoba Beef Producers, to examine the nature and severity of the disaster and determine what the needs of producers are and how best to address them.

“Many of the features that were available in the program [in 2021] were a result of input from your MBP leadership,” Palmer said. “Their involvement was an important factor in getting to the final product.”

What Palmer emphasized, though is that producers should not rely on AgriRecovery, or indeed Disaster Financial Assistance programs, to automatically be available or consider it an alternative to insurance.

“We don’t want people to think that they can rely on AgriRecovery, and that if things go bad it’s going to be an automatic response,” said Palmer. “It is not an alternative to regular, ongoing insurance programs [like AgriStability] that we encourage them to participate in.”

Investments in the Beef Industry Are Paying Off

BY ANGELA LOVELL

An analysis of the return on investment for Canadian beef producers’ check-off dollars shows that in 2022 for every dollar invested in national programming, $33 was returned back to the industry.

Manitoba beef producers contributed around $1.5 million to advance beef marketing, research, and public and stakeholder engagement (PSE) in 2021/22 through their check-off dollars. Besides those national investments in the beef industry, around 13% of their check-off dollars were returned to Manitoba to fund important projects such as the Manitoba Beef & Forage Initiatives, beef communications activities through the Farm and Food Discovery Centre, and the livestock predation prevention pilot project.

“I think you can be proud of the investments that have been made here in Manitoba because they definitely have impact beyond Manitoba’s borders and provide benefit to all Canadian producers,” said Melinda German, General Manager of the Canadian Beef CheckOff Agency in her presentation at the Manitoba Beef Producers 44th AGM in February.

Nationally, Canada Beef launched its Beef Information Gateway in 2022 that allows consumers to scan a QR code on beef packages that takes them to a

portal where they can get recipes, production information and everything they want to know about the beef industry.

Advancing positive messages about beef production Children in Alberta’s classrooms recently got to play a new video game based on the award- winning Guardians of the Grasslands documentary produced by Ducks Unlimited Canada in collaboration with the beef industry and other conservation groups. The new game is an online grazing simulation that helps students in Grades 7 to 12 learn how cattle promote carbon sequestration and provide wildlife habitat through rotational grazing on native grasslands. By moving cattle at the right time, and leaving enough grass behind, players earn carbon points and attract numerous species of wildlife to their land. Other stewardship practices, like using off-stream watering systems, are also featured along with invasive weeds that must be managed through grazing or avoided for toxicity concerns.

It’s an example of how the Canadian Cattle Association’s Public and Stakeholder Engagement Committee and staff work with industry and conservation partners to try and win over consumers’ hearts and minds in terms of making them feel good about beef production in Canada and their choice to enjoy Canadian beef on their plates.

As much as they try to be proactive and support positive messaging for the industry, they also need to work to deal with issues that arise, such as the proposed federal front of package labelling requirements in early 2022, and media misinformation about an atypical case of BSE in Canada.

“We support in the background with key messages and information, and clarification about any consumer concerns,” said Lynsay Beavers, Stakeholder Engagement Specialist with CCA in her update on the organization’s recent activities during MBP’s AGM.

Other proactive CCA campaigns over the last year have included Cooking by Degrees, featuring recipes, submitted by university and college chefs, showing ways to prepare their favourite beef cuts.

A digital advertising campaign, Getbothsides.ca showcased to consumers how they can love both beef and the environment at the same time by highlighting the many ecological benefits of beef production.

Meanwhile, at the LoveCDNBeef YouTube channel there are features of farms and ranches across Canada and some recent short documentaries like Too Close to Home that focused on targeting grazing in British Columbia to manage wildfire risk. Another is planned for fall 2023 about how food waste is managed by reusing some of the byproducts from beef production.

Exploring Producers’ Options for Managing Risk on Their Farms

BY: ANGELA LOVELL

Beef producers are no strangers to the concept of risk; they deal with plenty of it every year and from all directions. Whether it’s a flood, drought, disease or interest rate hikes, there aren’t too many risks that they can control, but they do have a number of options to try and help mitigate or reduce risks to their operation.

During the risk management portion of the recent MBP Annual General Meeting, presenters from Manitoba Agriculture and the Manitoba Livestock Cash Advance Program outlined details of several business risk management tools that beef producers can access.

AgriStability

Ben Hamm, a Farm Management Specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, believes that producers should give AgriStability a good, hard look.

“AgriStability is an all-encompassing program, and it can protect you on your operation in so many different ways,” he said to producers at the AGM. “The coverage isn’t as high as Agri-Insurance, but it does come through and help a lot of producers under certain circumstances.”

To help beef producers better understand AgriStability and what it can do for them, Hamm and other Manitoba Agriculture staff have developed some tools as part of the Cost of Production (COP) calculators available online.

Hamm admits that many producers have a negative perception of AgriStability, largely due to the reference margin limits that were in place, but these have now been removed from the program. The coverage has also been increased to a maximum of 80 per cent.

“There are some positive things happening,” Hamm said. “If you are not in AgriStability, it’s worth a second look. It is one of the cheapest risk management programs available; [it’s] $300 for a $100,000 margin protection.”

AgriInsurance

Producers wanting to protect some of their feed production risk can use the forage insurance component of AgriInsurance that is also built into the COP calculators so that producers can enter their own costs and decide if the program pencils out for them or not.

“A lot of times when I talk to producers about forage insurance, they say the coverage is not enough because

“We have increased the days to 135 from 134 days, and allow up to $2.64 per head per day coverage,” Hamm said. “We saw in 2021 how important pasture feed risk coverage is. As your pasture days decrease your payments go up.”

Livestock Price Insurance

Livestock Price Insurance (LPI) is another tool that Hamm believes producers aren’t paying enough attention to. At the time of the AGM in February, new policies had just been announced and producers could get up to $2.90/lbs. LPI coverage for calves and $2.68/ lbs. for backgrounders in the 650 to 850/lbs. range.

“There are some tremendous coverages out there right now, and producers can use LPI to protect against some of the price risk and lock in some of that profitability,” Hamm said.

Beef producers are no strangers to the concept of risk; they deal with plenty of it every year and from all directions. Whether it’s a flood, drought, disease or interest rate hikes, there aren’t too many risks that they can control, but they do have a number of options to try and help mitigate or reduce risks to their operation.

“I have reverse engineered our calculation of program net benefits, one of the most important pieces of information in AgriStability, and turned it into a calculator, so that producers can analyze any situation they may have and see if AgriStability is going to pay [in that situation],” Hamm said. “I think there is huge potential in understanding AgriStability with some of these tools.”

my yield at home is double what they are offering,” Hamm said. “My answer is, take that information to them and see if they can utilize your data to have the coverage you need on your farm. As long as you have the data, they should support that and should be able to provide that coverage for you. Talk to your agent and develop a relationship with them; it can definitely benefit you.”

Another question Hamm is asked a lot is when does AgriInsurance trigger.

“This program analyses all that as well,” he said. “It tells you what your expected [yield] is and what your payments are going to be. It is tied to your own COP and identifies which programs are working for you, which are covering operating costs, which are covering operating and fixed costs, and the challenge associated with it.”

As an example, Hamm said producers with alfalfa that is less than four years old can get coverage up to 114% of operating, covering all their costs and more.

As land values increase, the risk of tying up acres in feed production increases, so more and more producers are looking at things like corn silage to get more bang for their buck, and they can also get good insurance coverage for it.

“Some of our corn silage varieties can produce close to 14 tonnes per acre in some areas, so if we have a disaster year, you can have double the coverage versus the top coverage in alfalfa,” Hamm said. “The premium is quite high but you only need a third of the acres.”

AgriInsurance also covers summer feed production risk with its pasture days component.

Accessing interest free money

As interest rates continue to rise, there are a couple of ways that producers can access some interest free money, one of which is AgriInvest.

“If you don’t know what AgriInvest is, you should,” Hamm said. “It’s available on one per cent of your allowable net sales. It’s a small amount but it’s free money so take a look at it.”

Manitoba Livestock Cash Advance Program

The other tool that can save producers some money is the Manitoba Livestock Cash Advance Program (MLCA). For 2023, the MLCA provides interest free, cash advances up to 50% of the value of the producer’s agricultural product up to a maximum of $250,000. Producers can receive a cash advance up to $1 million with an interest rate of prime plus 0.15% for any amount over $250,000.

(Note: The federal budget tabled March 28, 2023 has included a proposed increase to the interest free portion of the 2023 Advance Payments Program (APP) cash advance from $250,000 to $350,000. This change will not be effect for the beginning of the 2023 Program Year, as at the time of writing the 2023 budget has yet to be passed and legislative changes will take time to be implemented. Currently the interest free limit for 2023 will remain at $250,000. Watch the MLCA website for further updates ‒ manitobalivestock.com.)

“We can help you with your cashflow and provide extra money that is available to you to help with input costs,” said Gabi Sponagel-Ridder, program support officer for MLCA. “It also gives you flexibility. You can keep your animals longer because your cashflow is not so strained, and you can wait for better market conditions.”

For cattle, the production period is 24 months in length and starts every year on April 1. For other livestock and grain commodities, the production period is 18 months. There is a separate program for feedlots and there are also rates available for mature bulls, yearling bulls, mature breeding cows, bred heifers and heifer calves. Producers can also get advances for crops and turf.

Producers repay the advance upon the sale, or first partial sale, of the cattle, and the payment must be made within 30 days after they get a receipt from the buyer, along with a proof of sale. Without a proof of sale, the producer will pay a penalty rate of prime plus 0.25% back to the date of the advance, and late payments over 30 days are also charged the same penalty for each additional day over 30 days. The program accepts BRM programs like AgriStability as security for the loan, or Livestock Price Insurance. Alternatively, producers can provide a letter of guarantee from their financial institution.

Any Canadian citizen or permanent resident is eligible if they have a credit score over 60, can provide acceptable security, own the cattle and are responsible for their marketing. Applications are normally processed in about 10 business days, but it’s best to apply early and avoid the rush in April when the new year for the program starts and the office gets busy, SponagelRidder said. She also encouraged producers to phone 1-866-869-4008 for help with filling out the paperwork to help speed up the approval process.

Preparing For Emergencies on the Farm

BY: ANGELA LOVELL

When a major wildfire threatened his ranch in 2021, David Haywood-Farmer already has an emergency plan in place from his past experiences with other wildfires. Haywood-Farmer, who runs a 1,200 cow/calf operation near Kamloops, British Columbia, joined the Manitoba Beef Producers AGM by video in February to share some tips about how to develop an emergency plan so producers are prepared for the unexpected.

“In 2021, we had very little rain in spring, and grazing areas were dry, and we had many fires in all three of our range areas,” Haywood-Farmer said. “The one that affected us the most was started by a lightning strike in an area about 40 miles west of the ranch centre and it quickly spread and got out of control, and burned some of our important spring and summer ranges. We had just come off of the spring ranges and were saving a lot of that grass for fall and winter use and the fire took most of those grasses.”

While working to remove as many of the at-risk cattle as they could to other areas, and turning on the irrigation systems to soak the areas around the home yard to try and protect their property, the ranch stayed in constant contact with the Wildfire Centre manager to get as much information as possible about the fire’s behaviour and movement. They made sure the fire crews working in the area were informed about where the ranch’s assets, such as fences, corrals and watering sites were, and accompanied the fire crews in helicopters to find missing cattle and provide their expertise. Haywood-Farmer says that kind of local knowledge is invaluable in an emergency situation because farmers are familiar with the layout of the land and can help fire crews better tackle the situation.

The BC Cattlemen’s Association also has a program

that keeps a list of members willing to become liaisons and spring into action if fires break out in their areas, providing support for ranchers trying to save their cattle and homes.

“Fires are very damaging and stressful to all the people involved, and our losses of cattle, the grass resource, fences, corrals and access roads has been a real challenge,” Haywood-Farmer said. “Local people worked shoulder to shoulder and side by side to protect the land and what we call home. Fences are being replaced and the damage is being repaired, but the healing takes time.”

Tips to prepare for an emergency.

12 tips from B.C. rancher, David Haywood-Farmer and Dora Frolich of Manitoba Agriculture to help producers develop emergency plans for their farms.

Make sure people on the ranch (and others like neighbours or friends) are ready to respond quickly if an emergency strikes. Prepare an emergency contact list that includes your staff, veterinarian, handlers or transportation contacts, feed suppliers, and anyone you think would be helpful in an emergency. Make sure it is available in more than one place around the farm, and that everyone is aware of it.

Always have any equipment on hand and ready that you might need to protect the land, livestock and property. This includes fire-fighting equipment like a slip tank full of water with hoses and nozzles attached and ready to use that can be hooked up to a tractor and towed where needed.

Take any courses offered that might be helpful. For example, updates on what to do during a wildfire.

Have a movement plan for the livestock in place so that family and staff know how and where to move cattle if they need to. Ensure you have people around who are familiar with the area and know how to get the job done. Care of animals: Store emergency feed where it can

stay dry, be protected from damage and remain accessible even in bad weather. Provide proper bedding, access to water and a wind barrier or shelter of some kind for animals in extreme weather events.

Have emergency kits for staff with a change of clothes, toiletries etc. in case they can’t leave the premises due to bad weather.

Have everyone – yourself, staff, family members and visitors to the farm - practice good biosecurity at all times to alleviate the risk of disease.

Cattlemen who live and work in the area are invaluable to emergency services so contact the local municipality’s emergency coordinator to offer your expertise if needed.

Understand roles and responsibilities in an emergency. Every producer is the first contact and has the first responsibility for their own animals. If they can’t deal with the animals on their premises, they should next contact the local municipality and speak with the emergency coordinator, who has the authority to contact the Emergency Services Organization if needed.

Manitoba Agriculture also maintains a list of animal protection officers with various levels of expertise and other resources like the flood forecasts that begin in March.

Whenever you have a chance to meet with politicians, explain the effects of the disaster, the losses and how important the cattle industry is to the economy.

Understand that the management of a ranch after a disaster will not be the same as it was before. In addition to any loss of animals, there will be loss of assets like fences and corrals, and likely losses of feed resources that will take time to repair or replace. It will likely require more people to source feed and manage the cattle around areas that are being repaired or restored.

Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership Launched

(Joint Federal/Provincial Government News Release) On April 6, federal Agriculture and AgriFood Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau and Manitoba Agriculture Minister Derek Johnson announced $221 million for strategic agricultural initiatives in Manitoba under the new the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP).

The Sustainable CAP is a five-year, $3.5-billion investment by Canada’s federal, provincial and territorial governments that supports Canada’s agri-food and agri-products sectors. This includes $1 billion in federal programs and activities and a $2.5 billion commitment that is cost-shared 60 per cent federally and 40 per cent provincially/territorially for programs that are designed and delivered by provinces and territories.

The Manitoba government has launched a suite of programs under the Sustainable CAP framework that will help the sector reach its full potential by expanding business opportunities, investing in sustainable practices throughout the sector, and strengthening resiliency of the entire food chain. These programs were developed through significant consultation with industry partners, who highlighted a number of priority areas, including research, innovation and market development, emergency preparedness and technology advancement.

For example, the new Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program has been developed based on feedback from the industry, and supports ecological goods and services by funding on-farm projects that remove carbon (or carbon dioxide) from the atmosphere to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Eligible applicants include community pastures, agricultural Crown land forage lease-holders, First Nations and Métis communities and farmers outside of watershed district boundaries.

Canadian producers also have access to an enhanced suite of business risk management programs

to help them manage significant risks that threaten the viability of their farms and are beyond their capacity to manage. The Sustainable CAP comes into effect April 1, and replaces the Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

Quotes

“The Sustainable CAP is a commitment by the governments of Canada and Manitoba to continue investing in the agriculture sector’s growth and innovation, ensuring producers, ranchers and processors reach their full potential and have access to new markets for their products. Building a resilient and productive sector in Manitoba will help Canada remain a world leader in sustainable agriculture.” — The Honourable MarieClaude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

“Manitoba producers and agri-processors are key contributors not only to Manitoba’s economy, but to the entire international agri-food value chain. Our government is committed to supporting this industry through targeted programming while they work to sustainably feed the world, right here at home. I want to thank our industry stakeholders for their input in consultations over the last two years so we could create programs that fit exactly what Manitoba producers need. I look forward to future investments that will support Manitoba agricultural operations.” — Manitoba Agriculture Minister Derek Johnson

Note: the following information was pulled from the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership page on the Manitoba Agriculture website on April 20, 2023. For the most current information, go to: https:// www.manitoba.ca/scap/

The province has identified its six priority areas under Sustainable CAP as follows:

Priority Area 1: Climate Change and Environment

The Sustainable CAP supports the sector in reducing greenhouse gas emissions while adapting to the impacts of climate change through supporting the

adoption of practices and technologies that enhance climate change adaptation and mitigation, both on farm and in plant. This program is not yet available. Follow Manitoba Agriculture on  Twitter for new program and intake announcements.

Priority Area 2: Market Development and Trade

The Sustainable CAP supports the sector in meeting the evolving challenges of the interconnected globalized domestic and international market place. Funding targets efforts to strengthen and grow current markets and diversify into new market areas. The Market Development program is designed to advance the agriculture, agri-food and agri-product sector’s innovation and business capacity to maintain existing markets and capture emerging market opportunities. The program will provide financial assistance to eligible recipients for market development activities that enhance the export capacity of individual businesses and improve overall domestic and international access for the sector.

The program will support the following actions: Market Information and Research; Market Development, Planning and Training; Product Commercialization; and, Domestic and International Development Activities.

The intake for this program is currently open, and funding requests will be accepted until 11:59 pm on May 16, 2023. A cost share ratio of 50 per cent government and 50 per cent applicant to a maximum contribution of $30,000 per applicant per project applies for this program.

For complete details go to: https://www.manitoba. ca/scap/marketdevelopment/index.html

Update on the Pilot Livestock Predation Prevention Project

BY RAY BITTNER, PROJECT LEAD

The pilot Livestock Predation Prevention Project has been underway on Manitoba cattle and sheep operations for the past two years. So, what did we learn after initiating 10 different risk mitigation practices (RMPs) on over 109 projects on 46 farms and ranches?

We have found there are some effective RMPs for some predator problems, but some problems are harder to solve.

Problem 1:

Coyotes and other predators are attacking calves and lambs in the first days and weeks of life.

This was one of our major focal points of the pilot project, as producers usually have more control of their animals and more time for human intervention during the calving and lambing seasons. The following practices were found to be the most useful by the project participants.

Predator Resistant Livestock Pens

The project built several pens with seven wire high tensile electric fences with electrified wires close to the ground, and predator proof gates. Producers widely reported that this was very effective at keeping all animals away from predators. The cost of materials for these 5 acre pens totalled under $4,000 in 2022 prices and 86% of cooperators agreed that the pens save livestock from predators, and 86% of producers would recommend other producers build these pens if they are having problems at calving time.

Solar Foxlights

These are small solar-powered flashing light devices that emit a light show at night that consists of multi-colored lights flashing at random times. Surprisingly these simple little gadgets are enough to throw off coyotes, wolves and foxes for a few weeks to a month or two. They are simple to set up, and actually allows calves which are suffering from scours, cocci or pneumonia to recover without predators approaching them. Note: this practice works well for the September to April calving seasons, but there are so few hours of darkness in the May through August calving period that this would not help much. An investment of four solar foxlights adds up to under $800 and will help many farms. 85% of farms trying them said they would repurchase them at full retail cost if they lost the use of them.

Fladry

Wire

This is a poly wire electric fence wire that has red nylon streamers, and is intended to encircle an existing pen or small paddock temporarily to prevent coyotes or wolves from entering your pen. Producers were initially hesitant to spend half a day setting up a fladry wire temporary pen for 50-60 days of use. Little red streamers do not appear very scary to humans. Through this project we have found that little red streamers do disorient canine predators for a temporary need, so if you have calves that are recovering from stresses, fladry wire can slow or stop predator stalking. 80% of producers who used fladry reported that they would recommend it to others. Fladry is not inexpensive as it costs about $1,000 per 1,320-foot roll plus temporary posts and an electric fencer, and it needs to be rolled up and stored indoors 10 months a year.

Deadstock Composting Pens

These pens were installed and rated by cooperating farms, and all involved agreed that better management of deadstock was important. Reducing food sources for predators to dine on was a positive move and did not cost as much as you might expect. While this RMP does not directly keep predators out of pens, a combination of this practice and a predator resistant pen or solar foxlights can reduce losses dramatically. The deadstock composting pens built for the project were made with chain link fence and predator proof gates and cost about $2,500 for a 64 x 64-foot pen. 78% of producers claimed that the smell was either minimal or no smell, and 91% of producers who used them would recommend them to all producers.

Veterinary Assessments

Vet assessments were tested by a number of producers. Cooperators request a vet attend the farm for a visual assessment and an in-depth conversation about herd health practices. The aim was to have minimal numbers of livestock on pasture with a health issue, be it lameness, pneumonia or scours and cocci or other. Recommendations were provided related to improved vaccination and nutritional care to summer safe pens. Producers who used the assessments agreed that having an extra set of eyes on the herd was positive. And now that producers need a veterinary client patient relationship (VCPR) visit annually, having a vet out during late calving season, or early pasture season is an ideal time to have this evaluation.

Livestock Guardian Dogs

These dogs can be a valid predator reduction strategy for calving and lambing seasons. While this project did not test this strategy, we had reports from many cooperators that their dogs are an ideal supplementary protection for their herds and flocks. Guardian breeds of dogs carry a scouting instinct that patrols their local area, and try to ward off other canines. While these breeds of dogs can be slightly to highly aggressive, they can be effective. It is however a balance to find a dog that will patrol, and be appropriate for your yard area based on whether you have children and visitors, and how much time the dog will spend with the livestock. With distant pasture livestock where your dog will not go out to pasture, you will have a dog in your yard 12 months a year to solve a problem which may only be of a short duration, so this is not an option for all producers.

Hazing of Predators

Hazing can be a valid practice for reducing predator attacks. Human presence, human scent, and occasional removal of problem predators if needed is very helpful to reinforce predators’ hesitance to walk into your pens and paddocks. Manitoba laws allow for livestock producers to remove coyotes, wolves, bears, but not cougars if they are attacking livestock. This is called “in defence of property.” If a predator is removed for this reason, you should notify your local Manitoba Conservation officer within 10 days of doing so. This gives the authorities the knowledge there is a problem that the wildlife is caus-

ing. Multiple seasoned ranchers told us that if you have a coyote presence but no attacks, that perhaps leaving your local coyote in place might be in your best interest as predators are very territorial, and the coyote that you “know” is better than a new predator or predator(s) coming onto your farm taking their place.

Finally, if your operation is subject to livestock losses or injuries due to predators, preserve the carcass and take photos of the injury and contact Manitoba Agriculture Services Corporation (MASC) immediately to submit a claim under the Wildlife Damage Compensation Program for Livestock Predation. Most predator losses are subject to compensation if there is a provable attack. This program is available to all affected producers with no pre-enrolment required or fees involved. Contact your local MASC office for details.

Problem 2: Cattle on pasture in summer with wolves, bears, and coyotes. We will deal with this in the June edition of Cattle Country

Problem 3: Weaning time, stressed animals, occasional mortalities due to illness, and predators moving closer to yards. We will deal with this issue in the August edition of Cattle Country

Problem 4: Sheep producers face year-round challenges, depending on location. We will deal with this in the June edition of Cattle Country

For more information on each of the individual practices listed you can find them on Manitoba Beef Producers’ website at https://mbbeef.ca/producers/ Funding for the pilot Livestock Predation Prevention Project has been provided by the Government of Manitoba, Manitoba Beef Producers and the Manitoba Sheep Association.

Bull Nutrition an Important Component

BY: MELISSA ATCHISON

A bull is a significant investment in your herd and requires proper management to ensure effective longterm performance.

Managing the condition of bulls that you raise or purchase for use in your herd is essential to maximize breeding performance. Both under- and over-conditioned bulls can have reduced performance which may lead to lower conception rates. While a fat bull may be eye appealing in the catalog and in the sales ring, these

jarring shift in rumen dynamics that can cause excessive weight loss. This is especially true for yearlings if they are asked to start immediately start breeding cows while also on a falling plane of nutrition. Feed testing is the best way to ensure nutritional requirements are being met. The accompanying tables will give you an idea of expected dry matter intake and nutrient requirements of yearling and two-year-old bulls based on their projected mature weight and current weight. Ideally bulls should be in a body condition score of around 3-3.5 (on a 5 scale) when turned out for breeding season.

can detect issues and prevent costly wrecks due to open cows and a longer breeding season.

An effective bull-to-cow ratio is anywhere between 1:15-20 for younger bulls and 1:30-40 for mature bulls. A common rule of thumb is a bull is able to breed as many females as his age in months (i.e., an 18-monthold bull can handle 18 females). This is, of course, contextual and observing bulls over one to two years of breeding should give breeding managers an idea of the mating capacity of their bulls and inform breeding plans accordingly. Frequent observation of bulls during

robust bulls can “melt” if care is not taken to acclimate them with a transition back to a more forage-based ration that meets their energy and protein requirements as they continue to grow and mature. This transition is important to help newly-purchased bulls better adapt to on-farm management systems after coming out of performance bull development programs.

Did you purchase a yearling or a long yearling/ two-year-old? On what type of ration was he developed and what was his targeted gain? A bull’s diet impacts his rumen microbe population and proportions of those microbes. It takes time to for the rumen microbe population to shift from ones that predominantly digest starch in grain to those that digest cellulose in forage. Bulls that have been on a hot ration ought to be dialed down slowly over a period of a couple weeks to prevent a

The physical ability of a bull to breed can be evaluated using a standardized Bull Breeding Soundness Evaluation (BBSE) provided by a veterinarian. This exam is also an annual opportunity to identify any indicators of disease or injury that may limit a bull’s ability to perform. Sperm production in the bull is reliant on the temperature of the testes being maintained a few degrees lower than body temperature. Impaired cooling mechanisms can result in a reduction of testosterone, resulting in reduced sperm production and an increase of sperm abnormalities. High energy diets have also been linked to reduced sperm production and quality, and increased sperm abnormalities compared to bulls fed medium energy diets. Bulls who have been treated for illness or injury can potentially have reduced sperm quality due to fever associated with infection. A BBSE

the breeding season is important to detect any lameness, lack of libido or inability to mount or successfully breed that might be caused by injuries to the bull’s legs, back or penis. Post breeding recovery is also important and bulls should receive 4-8 months to recover after the exertion of breeding season.

Bulls are a significant up-front investment and have a significant impact on the future of the herd. Therefore, it is important to protect that investment to ensure bulls reach their full productive potential, and maximizing longevity through proper management and maintenance is a key component of that. For more information on bull management including vaccination, lameness, venereal disease, and EPDs, be sure to visit: https://www. beefresearch.ca/topics/bull-management

CCA Elects New Leadership Team, Sets Course for the Coming Year

Canadian Cattle Association media release - March 27, 2023

Ottawa, ON – Last week saw the election of a new leadership team, essential discussions on important issues to Canadian cattle producers, and the setting of priorities for the coming year at the 2023 Canadian Cattle Association’s (CCA) annual general meeting (AGM). Nathan Phinney and Tyler Fulton were acclaimed President and Vice-President, respectively for 2023-24.

Phinney took over the role of CCA President in December 2022, following the sudden passing of Reg Schellenberg. The Schellenberg family was in attendance at the AGM and a dinner was hosted to honour Reg’s legacy and contributions to CCA and the broader Canadian beef industry.

“The transition to CCA President has not been an easy one – Reg left big shoes to fill,” said Nathan Phinney, CCA President. “It’s an honour to have the support of CCA’s board members to lead our organization and continue our work on the issues of importance to Canadian cattle farmers and ranchers.”

Over the course of the AGM, the key priorities discussed included: the recently launched consultation on the proposed changes to the traceability regulations, the impact of Bill C-282: An Act to amend the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act (supply management) on future trade deals, achieving reciprocal access for beef in the trade negotiations with the United Kingdom, the addition of new trading partners to the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), raising awareness about animal welfare concerns associated with the mandatory use of electronic logging devices (ELDs) for livestock trans-

porters, and the need for further enhancements to business risk management programs.

CCA board members also had an opportunity to meet in-person with Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau to have an open discussion about how the CCA and the Government can work together to ensure the economic and environmental sustainability of the Canadian beef industry.

CCA welcomed the following new board members for 2023-24: Renee Ardill (BC), Jana Harman (AB), Graham Overguard (AB), Greg Schmidt (AB), Curtis Vander Heyden (AB), John Schuttenbeld (NB), and Kevin Simmons (PEI). With the election of Tyler Fulton to Vice President, a new board member from Manitoba is forthcoming.

CCA appreciates the contributions of the following board members who retired from the board at the AGM: Linda Allison (BC), Melissa Downing (AB), Sheila Hillmer (AB), Brad Osadczuk (AB), Cathy Sharp (AB), and Peter Dixon (PEI).

Background

Nathan Phinney became President of CCA in December 2022. Phinney previously served as Chair of the New Brunswick Cattle Producers for eight years and Chair of the Maritime Beef Council for 10 years.

First elected as a director to the CCA in 2015, Phinney has been an active member of CCA’s Domestic Agriculture Policy and Regulations Committee and the Food Policy Committee.

Alongside his grandfather, Robert Acton, who previously served as a CCA Director, Phinney runs a family-owned backgrounding operation in Sackville, New Brunswick. He has been a strong advocate for cattle

producers in Atlantic Canada. Namely, he has championed making Livestock Price Insurance available across Canada.

Phinney and his wife, Jill, have a son and twin daughters.

Tyler Fulton was elected Vice President of CCA on March 24, 2023. Fulton also serves as Past President of the Manitoba Beef Producers.

Fulton was first elected to CCA in March 2020 and has served as an active member of the Domestic Agriculture Policy and Regulations Committee and Foreign Trade Committee. In 2022, Fulton was named Chair of the Domestic Agriculture Policy and Regulations Committee and previously served CCA in the capacity of Officer at Large.

Fulton and his wife, Dorelle, along with their kids Evan and Mae, own and operate Tyton Farm Ltd, a 600 head cow/calf/backgrounding operation south of Birtle, Manitoba. They are the third generation of cattle producers to operate the farm, with parents David and Verna Fulton still active on the farm.

The physical ability of a bull to breed can be evaluated using a standardized Bull Breeding Soundness Evaluation (BBSE) provided by a veterinarian. This exam is also an annual opportunity to identify any indicators of disease or injury that may limit a bull’s ability to perform.

Nathan Phinney Tyler Fulton

Component of Your

Table

StockTalk Q&A Feature Brought to you by Manitoba Agriculture

Pam Iwanchysko

Livestock and Forage Extension Specialist Manitoba Agriculture

pamela.iwanchysko@gov.mb.ca

Q: My pastures have been producing less and less each year. How can I improve pasture productivity to maintain my current herd size and possibly increase it in the future?

Answer: Now that spring has arrived, many producers want to place their cattle on pasture and out to the feed yards as soon as possible to reduce their workload. Although it may be tempting, there is a lot to think about, especially placing the cattle out too early and the overall productivity of the pasture in the long-term. Grazing a pasture too early will result in the vegetation being removed before the plants have had a chance to replenish root reserves. Grazing one week too early in the spring will sacrifice three weeks of grazing in the fall.

Livestock should go out on pasture when grasses have fully developed three to four new leaves. Turning out earlier than this is very stressful on the plants. Perennial forages rely on carbohydrates stored in their root systems to fuel regrowth when they break dormancy (Figure 1). The plants do not refill those carbohydrate stores until they have enough leaf area to produce more sugar than they need to grow. By waiting until grasses have three to four fully developed new leaves, those plants are given a chance to put energy back into the roots. The plants will draw on those reserves again to recover from grazing.

If cattle go out to pasture too early, the plants will have not been able to refill their root reserves and will have no energy to draw on when grazing takes their leaves away. This early spring stress will reduce pasture yields for the rest of the grazing season. If livestock are turned out too early year after year, weeds that begin their growth later in spring than grasses may be able to out-compete the forage plants.

Good pasture management increases profitability by

Weed invasion is a true indicator of poor management as plant populations will showcase whether or not the grazing system is working. Different pasture species need to be grazed at different times throughout the grazing season and should always be managed accordingly. Good pasture management is very complex and requires careful planning, usually a year in advance.

Stock density is also very important to consider when setting up a grazing plan. Stock density can be managed to reduce selective grazing. This will depend on the period of use and expectations of productivity. If one animal unit month per acre use can be expected, then the stock density will be one animal unit per acre if one month’s grazing is expected. If the pasture will be continuously grazed for five months, then the stock density will be one animal unit per five acres given the expected productivity of one animal unit month grazing per acre.

Through the Prairie Watershed Climate Program, you may be eligible for funding to help create and implement rotational grazing plans. This includes funding for fencing, watering systems, improving pasture compositions by seeding legumes and the creation of grazing management plan. For more information, please go to manitobawatersheds.org/prairie-watershed-climate-program or speak with your local watershed representative.

For assistance in grazing management and planning contact your local Manitoba Agriculture Livestock and Forage Extension Specialist.

Share your Voice

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

StockTalk for Cattle Country is brought to you by Manitoba Agriculture. We encourage you to email your questions to our department’s forage and livestock team. We are here to help make your cattle operation successful. Contact us today.

Andrea Bertholet Killarney 204-851-6087

Andrea.Bertholet@gov.mb.ca

Kristen Bouchard-Teasdale Beausejour 431-337-1688 Kristen.BouchardTeasdale@gov.mb.ca

Shawn Cabak Portage 204-239-3353

Shawn.Cabak@gov.mb.ca

Pam Iwanchysko Dauphin 204-648-3965 Pamela.Iwanchysko@gov.mb.ca

Cindy Jack Arborg 204-768-0534 Cindy.Jack@gov.mb.ca

Juanita Kopp Beausejour 204-825-4302

Juanita.Kopp@gov.mb.ca

Elizabeth Nernberg Roblin 204-247-0087 Elizabeth.Nernberg@gov.mb.ca

It also improves the health and sustainability of the grassland ecosystem. Poorly managed pasture systems, on the other hand, do not have high productivity, are not resilient to weather extremes, cause weed invasions, slow the recovery of plants and cause possible soil erosion. Having a sound strategy ensures high productivity and profitability, as well as high animal performance. Continuous grazing is not a financially rewarding practice.

There are several advantages to planning your grazing including:

• Reduced weed invasion

• Enhanced soil drainage and improved soil structure

• Improved water quality

• Even distribution of nutrients

• Increased carrying capacity

Overall, as a manager, the grass should be managed first and foremost. Over time, this practice reduces labor costs, strengthens the soil health, reduces the erosion risk, and provides an economical source of feed for the cattle. Forage maintenance involves regular monitoring and management changes. Changes in weather patterns with extreme storms can ultimately affect productivity and must be considered at all times.

Lois McRae & Joyce Gordon RR 1 Box 57 Brandon, Manitoba R7A 5Y1 h: 204-728-3058

c: 204-573-5192

f: 204-727-7744 marmacfarms1@gmail.com

Figure 1. Root carbohydrate reserves change during grass regrowth – Source: Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs – Timing Spring Turn Out

More Paperwork for Cattle Producers

BY: RICK WRIGHT

Cattle producers in Manitoba and across the country will have more paperwork to complete when moving livestock in the future. The federal government transport regulatory changes have completed the implementation time frame. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), with the support of the Livestock Markets Association of Canada (LMAC) and the Canadian Cattle Association, extended the educational period for producers through the fall 2022 cattle.

One of the pieces of the federal Health of Animals Regulations: Part XII: Transport of Animals the majority of cow-calf operators and primary producers are unaware of is “transfer of care documents” (TOC). The information required on the TOC is to be provided by the owner/caretaker of the cattle to the transporter of the cattle. The transporter then transfers the information to the intermediate site that the livestock are being delivered to. Intermediate sites include auction markets, buying stations, assembly yards and feed and water stations and packing plants. Currently, a TOC document is not required for horses.

The information required includes date and time the cattle were loaded, the last time and the location the cattle had access to feed, water and rest. Other information required includes the condition of cattle at the time of loading. This information is required even if you are hauling your own cattle. There is no standard form available from the regulators, but some industry organizations such as Verified Beef Plus have samples on their websites. Members of the Manitoba Livestock Marketing Association have forms available upon request. Many of the Manitoba auction markets have added the TOC information to their receiving slips to assist in the process.

Although stated in communications related to transfer of care, auction markets and assembly yards can accept livestock without TOC documentation; they will mark NO TOC on the receiving slip. Major packers will not accept delivery without proper documentation. The responsibility of providing the required information to the intermediate site falls on the transporter, and you can expect more truckers to ask for the information or documentation when transporting your cattle in the future.

Once the cattle reach their destination, to the intermediate site or packing plant, the receiver will accept the cattle, and responsibility of care will transfer to the site. Any animals that arrive compromised or are compromised while in storage will be dealt with under government welfare guidelines and regulations.

Manitoba producers can use the provincial livestock manifests that are available online free of charge (search “Manitoba Livestock Manifest”) and write in the condition and feed, water and rest required information on the manifest. CFIA inspectors will be doing the enforcement and have authorization to obtain the information upon request.

The CFIA published the proposed regulatory amendments for traceability and movement reporting in the March 16 edition of the Canada Gazette Part 1. After over 12 years of discussion and delays, mandatory movement reporting is just around the corner. The public can make comments on the proposed regulations until June 16. Comments must be made online. After the 90-day comment period, the comments will be reviewed, and if no changes are deemed necessary, the final regulations will be published in the Canada Gazette 2, likely in late 2024. It would then become law, and there would a 12-month implementation period for the regulated parties to become familiar with the new requirements.

Years ago, the cattle industry formed the Cattle Implementation Plan (CIP) and lobbied the federal government for major changes in the original traceability proposals. It appears that the CFIA took a number of the CIP recommendations into consideration and made some significant changes to the original drafts. Manitoba Beef Producers, the Manitoba Livestock Marketing Association through the Livestock Markets Association of Canada, and Canadian Cattle Association attended numerous meetings though the 12-year process, representing the cattle industry and the marketing sector. The representatives didn’t win every battle, but they had positive input into the final draft.

Under the proposed requirements, mandatory group movement reporting of livestock going to auction

markets, assembly yards and buying stations must be reported. The information required in the report includes date and time of loading, date and time of unloading, the premise ID number (PID) of where the livestock were loaded, the PID of where the cattle were delivered, and the number and species of cattle delivered.

Producers who purchase livestock will be required to report to the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA) the following information within seven days of arrival. Producers must report the PID of both the departure site and the arrival site, the number of cattle and the individual ID numbers on the CCIA approved ear tags, the time and date of the arrival, and the licence number of the trailer used to haul the livestock.

Producers who send cattle to a community pasture or a pasture that co-mingles their cattle with other

producers must report the departure to and the return home from the pasture to the CCIA within seven days of the event. In this case, producers do not have to report individual ear tag numbers; the group movement requirements would apply.

No reporting is required if livestock are moved within your own property or to leased pasture if they are not co-mingled with other producers’ livestock.

As producers and industry stakeholders, you now have the opportunity to comment to the government on these proposals. You can make comments online at Canada Gazette, Part I, Volume 157, Number 11: Regulations Amending the Health of Animals Regulations (Identification and Traceability) on the canadagazette.gc.ca webpage.

Optimism in the Markets as the Calendar Turns Over to Spring

Cattle producers in Manitoba are enjoying some of the highest cattle prices on record. In March we exceeded the record high prices for feeder cattle established in 2015. A favorable Canadian dollar propped up the December 2022 market, and the cattle market has been moving forward ever since. The supply and demand ratio has kicked in, but in reality, we have not yet seen the full influence of a short supply of feeder cattle. Have we seen the highs in the feeder market? Probably not! The supply driven market has started, but I think that this fall, the market will show its true colors.

Both the US and Canada are seeing a major decline in the beef cow numbers. The US herd is the smallest in 50 years, with Canada’s herd at the lowest point since 1992. In 2022, Manitoba had the highest percentage-culling rate in Canada. The government rate was 13.6% of the beef herd, which leaves Manitoba with just 8% of the national beef herd. Heifer retention last year was very low, and a lot of producers exited the industry. Industry experts are suggesting that Manitoba could have lost nearly 20% of its total beef herd in 2022. Canadian cow harvest has averaged 14% higher than last year for the past 22 weeks. The cull cow market has been in a steady increase since the second week in January. At the end of March, cows were topping at $1.35. Can we have the possibility of realizing $150.00 by June?

The heavy culling of the Manitoba cows should be reduced this year. The declining culling rate does not mean herd rebuilding has started. It may be inevitable, but the extreme rate of beef cow culling and heifer dispersal over the past two years likely means that the beef industry is still two years away from serious rebuilding. Once the rebuild starts, producers will retain more heifers, and that will “short” the feeder cattle supply even more. Fewer feeder cattle available mean fewer cattle in the finishing lots and fewer cattle available to the packers. This means fewer pounds of beef in the supply chain. All of these fundamentals point to sustainable higher prices than what we are currently experiencing. Barring a ‘black swan’ such as a major North American drought or a border closure, cattle prices should remain strong for another five years. Many of my colleagues agree that we have reached a new threshold in the cattle market.

There are a few factors that have to happen to maintain these strong markets. Export markets have to remain strong; Canada had over five billion dollars worth of exports last year and demand for Canadian beef is strong. Japan, the US and Mexico are strong supporters of Canadian beef. The packers are going to have to share some of the high profits that they have enjoyed over the past three years. This means paying the feedlots more and holding domestic retail prices. With American packers showing more interest in Canadian fed cattle, Canadian packers will have no choice but to bid up to keep the harvest numbers profitable. Consumers are starting to show some resistance to the current price of beef. The spread between beef, pork and chicken is wide. Consumers are moving to price point rather than preference on their protein purchases. Consumers will have to get used to paying more for food. North American consumers have had the

luxury of top quality, safe food at low prices compared to the rest of the world. Those days appear to be over.

The demand for bred stock has really changed since Christmas. Good bred cows with some warranty out of dispersals are trading $500 to $1,000 higher than in the fall. Demand is strong, as producers are starting to replace some of the culling from the past two years. Calf prices for the fall look strong, and that has prompted some producers to purchase bred stock and pairs rather than breed replacement heifers. Everyone wants as many calves on the ground as possible to sell in the fall or next spring.

At the local markets, auctions in Manitoba have sold just over 100,000 head of feeder cattle in the first quarter of 2023, 11% more cattle in the first quarter compared to last year. Prices on heifers have really picked up this

spring. The gap is still wide, but good heifers are almost at last year’s steer prices. It is interesting to note that the majority of the heifers sold in the first quarter went on feed or to grass and not into breeding programs. Another interesting note is that Alberta feedlots are in competition with the Ontario cattle feeders for Manitoba feeder cattle this spring. Increased trucking rates to the east, combined with the shortage of trucks and the “hours of service” regulations have levelled the playing field on some classes of feeders. At the end of March, packer bids to Alberta feedlots were at par or slightly higher than the Eastern fed cattle price. Estimates are that eastern Canada increased their pen capacity by 19% in 2022, and if that is correct we will see more interest from the west than in the past. Feed grain prices in the west have started to go down, tightening the feed advantage between the east and west. The rest of the year looks promising in the cattle industry. For those cow calf producers who have managed to hang on, the better days that I have been promoting have started to arrive. To be able to take advantage of this new threshold in the cattle markets, strong ranch management now becomes more critical than ever before.

• GRASSFED: “True North Foods is partnered with A&W Canada to supply Canadian grassfed beef for A&W’s grassfed burger program.

• SERVICES: Whether you are a specialty producer looking to get your product to a speci c market or distributor, or if you are producing commodity livestock for sale, we can partner with you. From our multi-species capabilities to our ability to handle smaller volumes, we o er excellent capabilities for producers in the Canadian Prairies to maximize their pro tability.

• FACILITY: We have a state-of-the-art facility to allow us to reach markets across Canada, the USA, and beyond. We understand producer’s needs, their care for their animals, and their honest, straightforward nature. Call us to hear how we can work together to get your product to market.

Sustainable Agriculture: Exploring Net Zero, Indigenous Agriculture, Biodiversity

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

More than 300 researchers, farmers, policy makers, and industry representatives attended the 9th Annual Sustainability of Canadian Agriculture Virtual Conference held March 7-9th 2023 which tackled timely topics including the possibility of achieving net zero emissions, exploring the role of Indigenous agriculture and understanding how biodiversity is linked to agriculture production. The virtual event co-hosted by the National Centre for Livestock and the Environment (NCLE) and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) featured thought-provoking panel discussions, a GHG farm emissions modelling workshop and more. This year’s theme was a deep dive into exploring how new and traditional knowledge can work jointly to enhance sustainable food production in Canada and pave the way to achieving net zero emissions targets in agriculture.

The Keynote Address: Are net zero emissions achievable?

Internationally recognized speakers Henry Janzen and Tim McAllister with AAFC kicked off the workshop by critically examining the concept of net zero emissions in farming and its feasibility. Janzen, speaking from a land perspective, discussed the challenges associated with net zero emissions, including the obstacles that the industry, academia and society must navigate to reach ambitious international emission reduction targets. McAllister provided an overview of livestock as a contributor to the circular bioeconomy, highlighting advancements the Canadian livestock industry has made that lead to mitigating methane emissions intensities. Both speakers agreed that the solutions lie in the transformative reconfiguration of farming including restoring large areas of land to natural systems like grasslands, enhancing biodiversity, and reducing food waste – to name just a few.

Achieving net zero emissions

Anne Mottet with Food and Agriculture Organization at the United Nations, David Burton a soil researcher with Dalhousie University and Korb Whale a 7th generation dairy farmer and a director with Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) shared their perspectives regarding avenues to reach net zero emissions. Mottet provided a profile and breakdown of emissions from livestock production on a global scale. She proposed that livestock should be viewed as a climate change solution and proposed strategies to reduce emissions through improving animal and herd efficiency, increasing soil carbon sinks, reducing waste and increasing recycling. Burton discussed strategies to manage soil health and emphasized sound nitrogen fertilizer use including adoption of the 4R’s (right source, rate, time and place) and strategies to increase soil carbon. Burton suggested that a paradigm shift is required to achieve net zero emission targets, focusing on soil health rather than maximum yield. He suggests that along with traditional commodity production farmers must be rewarded for their role in maintaining environmental goods and services including storing carbon, building soil organic matter, reducing nitrous oxide emissions, encouraging activities that promote renewable energy production and biodiversity. Whale, whose farm recently won a DFC sustainability award shared perspectives from the Canadian dairy industry regarding adoption of on-farm management practices to reach net zero. He emphasized the importance of considering all management practices simultaneously to make them effective and profitable. He reinforced the importance of adopting a national tool to measure GHG emissions on-farm and the need to effectively transfer knowledge from research to farmers.

Role of Indigenous Agriculture in Our Food Systems

Dan Benoit is a Manitoba Métis from the Red River area, a manager with the Indigenous Science Liaison Office at AAFC, a farmer, hunter, trapper and a fisherman. Benoit’s presentation focused on the history of First Nations farmers prior to colonial settlements. He explored archeological evidence of farming by First Nations dating back 800 years which included corn seeds and stalks, and the importance of bison as a source of food, clothing and early tools to work the land. He described a Métis seasonal food harvesting

cycle that included planting, fishing, a bison hunt and a garden harvest. These activities were carried out in a way that respected the land and preserved biodiversity. Kyle Bobiwash, an Assistant Professor at the University of Manitoba and an Indigenous Scholar discussed the loss of original Indigenous territory in favor of colonial settlers. He reminded us that current farming activities used today to enhance sustainable agriculture are rooted, in part, in traditional Indigenous practices. These include no till farming, select pest management practices (pest predator dynamics), integrating fertility management in soils, the use of fire to reconfigure ecosystems to build ecological capacity and expand ecological ranges. Bobiwash urged the audience that it is important to bring Indigenous practices to the table to help re-design the structure of modern food systems and to train the next generation of decision-makers to create space for Indigenous leaders. Melissa Arcand, Associate Professor at the Department of Soil Science at the University of Saskatchewan and Anthony Blair Dreaver Johnston, Special Advisor to Mistawasis Nêhiyawak, a Cree community north of Saskatoon introduced the Bridge to Land Water Sky Living Lab project. This novel project is a first Indigenous Agricultural Climate Solutions Living Lab lead by Mistawasis Nêhiyawak in collaboration with Muskeg Lake Cree Nation, as well as other Indigenous partner organizations, U of S and AAFC. The “Bridge” refers to relationship building not only with people but those between land, water and sky. The project addresses carbon sequestration, GHG emissions and includes unique goals of improving local food security and creating learning opportunities within the community. Reintroduction of bison in this First Nations community is a unique and exciting element of the project which will be implemented over time. Johnston closed the presentations with a message that Bridge to Land Water Sky is the expression of hope for the Indigenous communities to join the Canadian agricultural community. Is Biodiversity the new Carbon?

As we strive to enhance the sustainability of agriculture and make changes to production methods, we also must address biodiversity. Majid Iravani with the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute at the University of Alberta is gathering information on how livestock production affects biodiversity. He is studying the wellbeing of many species of birds, insects and other organisms that are a part of the livestock landscape. Iravani says that natural grazelands contribute to habitat connectivity and to biodiversity by encouraging many native species of plants, birds and insects to prosper. Sarah Pogue with AAFC talked about the protection and conservation of biodiversity as one of the goals of Canada’s Federal Sustainable Development Strategy. Ecosystem and soil biodiversity, hydrological cycling and other natural processes are used as capital to produce natural contributions that effect human wellbeing also known as ecosystem services. Pogue discussed production management changes on farm that enhance ecosystem services including widespread adoption of conservation tillage, decreasing summer fallow, enhancing structurally diverse pastures that contribute to pollinator biodiversity and enhancing shelter belts around the farm. Birds are good indicators of ecosystem health said Ian Cook, Grassland Conservation Manager with Birds Canada. Keeping grasslands intact and preserving the natural habitats for birds is the best natural climate solution available in Canada. Birds Canada has adopted a tool to assess the status of bird communities on the prairies. The Bird-friendliness Index is an outcome-based indicator designed to represent and communicate the impacts of production management systems and conservation measures on a bird community. This tool may contribute to guiding agricultural management practices and to incentivize biodiverse production systems while halting and reversing biodiversity loss in our agricultural working landscape.

Living Lab

An overview of Canada’s Living Lab initiative was an addition to this year’s conference agenda. Kevin Anderson, Living Labs Climate Change Lead for AAFC, shared highlights of this new and unique approach to innovation and research in agriculture. Unique elements of this project include collaboration between farmers, ranchers, and researchers working together to co-develop innovative farm management practices. This approach to research, routed in farm scenarios aims to increase the likelihood and the speed of adoption of management practices on the farm. These solutions, developed in partnership, are expected to be innovative, economically viable and desirable in both human and social contexts. There are currently thirteen living labs across Canada focused on challenges such as climate change, but also reducing water contamination, improving water and soil conservation and maximizing habitat capacity and biodiversity. The Living Labs initiatives are funded through AAFC’s Agriculture Climate Solutions Program.

Student Videos, Holos Workshop and the Barley Sandwich Sessions

Graduate students were encouraged to pitch their research projects in 3-minute pre-recorded videos featuring the benefit of their work to improve the sustainability of Canadian agriculture. Five creative entries were submitted which featured a range of innovations to improve system sustainability including increased abundances of beneficial insects, wheat flour functionality, and adoption of smart farm technology to address food challenges in Northern Manitoba. Winners included first place Michael Killewald, a graduate student at the Department of Entomology. Second place and the People’s Choice Award went to Breanne Semenko and the third place to Nancydeep Kaur, both with the Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences at the University of Manitoba.

More than 130 conference participants joined the Holos model training workshop and received hands-on training using the Holos model, designed to estimate and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions based on information entered for individual farms.

Back this year were the Barley Sandwich Sessions. Two end-of-day sessions were designed to stimulate conversations between conference attendees, scientists, producers and industry on a wide range of topics related to agricultural sustainability in Canada.

The 2023 Sustainability of Canadian Agriculture Conference organizing committee, comprised of researchers, industry and producers was co-chaired by Kim Ominski, Director of NCLE, and Roland Kröbel with AAFC. The organizing committee would like to thank all those who attended and helped to make this annual conference a success. A special thanks to the group at EventCamp who worked hard to ensure a seamless online delivery of the conference. See you all next year!

Please visit the SCAC 2023 conference website to view recorded presentations, information about speakers, student research videos and more. https:// umanitoba.ca/agricultural-food-sciences/sustainability-canadian-agriculture-2023

Information on Canada’s Living Labs Program can be found here:

https://agriculture.canada.ca/en/programs/agricultural-climate-solutions-living-labs

Photo credit: Ducks Unlimited Canada

Annual Forage Polycrop to Build Soil Health

BY: DR. MARY-JANE ORR, MBFI GENERAL MANAGER

Looking forward to 2023 spring seeding the staff at Manitoba Beef & Forage Initiatives (MBFI) are excited to start the second field season for a trial comparing a monocrop of cereal greenfeed to a polycrop mixture with the same cereal.

We are using the term polycrop, rather than intercrop given that forage produced will be harvested as one for greenfeed or silage with the opportunity for later season regrowth grazing. Polycrops are a mix of plant species seeded together to complement growth canopy and carry out a function in improving a field’s soil health.

Soil health is important for resilience to climate extremes and the ongoing function of agricultural systems. It is the ability to sustain soil microorganisms, plants, animals, and humans. Healthy soils have good structure to support plant growth, organic matter to improve water infiltration and retention, store carbon, and cycle nutrients for crop fertility. Managing soil health is based in five principles: (1) maximize presence of living roots, (2) minimize soil disturbance, (3) maximize soil cover, (4) maximize diversity, and, (5) integrate grazing livestock.

Diverse annual crops seeded for cattle forage can be a tool to fulfill these principles. Annual forages have a key role in providing nutritious winter feed through greenfeed or silage. By seeding an annual cereal crop with additional crop species that will regrow following harvest, producers maintain living roots while also adding grazing days. Fall grazing of annual forages diversifies grazing plans, adds flexibility, and allows for perennial pastures to rest.

For the current field trial, MBFI staff were interested in measuring the difference between monocrop and polycrop greenfeed forage biomass yield and quality, and documenting differences in soil fertility and soil health indicators between treatments. Crop species were selected for the polycrop to fill different functional groups, including cool and warm season annual cereals, legumes, herbs (high-energy forage), forbs, and bras-

sicas. A complement of variety in root structures and above ground structures were considered in the mix.

Established in 2022, a 20-acre annual field was chosen that previously hosted a winter corn grazing demonstration (2018 to 2021). The combination of four years of conventional corn production and cattle grazing made this site an interesting choice for examining effects of annual forages on soil health. The field has a distinct compaction layer in the soil, variable topography, and is oddly shaped, incorporating several depressional wetlands. Fourteen plots (80 feet wide) were marked in the field for seven replications of each treatment to capture the variability of the field. The 2022 field preparation and seeding were delayed due to the cold, wet weather in May. By June, tractors could enter most of the field but were unable to pass through several low areas, which impacted the area seeded in the plots and led to issues with weed pressure in unseeded areas.

The control treatment of a monocrop of AB Advantage barley was seeded at 2 bushels per acre (bu/ ac) and the polycrop treatment was seeded with 1 bu/ ac of AB Advantage barley mixed with faba bean (30 lb/ac), 4010 forage pea (10 lb/ac), berseem clover (1 lb/ ac), Jeanne Italian ryegrass (5 lbs/ac), Red Prosso millet (3 lbs/ac), chicory (1 lb/ac), plantain (1 lb/ac), Winfred brassica (0.5 lb/ac), and phacelia (0.5 lb/ac). On June 23 and 24 seed and fertilizer (Nitrogen 30 lb/ac, Phosphorus 15 lb/ac) were seeded in one pass using a John Deere 752 zero-till drill.

Forage yield and quality samples were collected directly prior to field harvest of greenfeed on August 25. The cut forage was raked August 29 and baled September 1 as all one field. The high weed pressure in large unseeded areas led to a farm management decision to terminate the regrowth of the polycrop. Fall rye was seeded across all plots September 9 (150 lb/ac) to aid in weed control and provide improved seeding conditions to establish 2023 trial treatments.

The 2022 field season results were challenged by the unseasonal spring seeding conditions. A statistically significant (p-value 0.053) increase in overall biomass production was observed in the harvest from the poly-

crop greenfeed compared to the control. The monocrop AB Advantage barley yielded on average 5920 lbs/ac as fed (baled at 15% moisture). The polycrop greenfeed produced an average of 13% more biomass yield, an additional 650 lbs dry weight per acre (748 lbs/ac as fed) of forage compared to the monocrop of barley. On an 80acre field this difference could translate to an additional 50 round bales (1200lb) of greenfeed with the polycrop treatment.

Looking at forage quality, a significant difference (p-value 0.001) was also observed for the crude protein (CP) content of the forage samples. The polycrop forage was tested to have 33% higher CP compared to the monocrop control, interpreted to be due to the contribution of legumes in the polycrop seed mix. All other forage quality measures were comparable between the treatments. The monocrop barley forage quality tested to have 9.3% CP, 58% Total Digestible Nutrients with a relative feed value of 94.

The primary difference in cost of production between the control and polycrop treatment is the cost of seed for the polycrop. The field preparation, seeding, fertility and harvest was all the same across treatments in 2022. The polycrop seed cost was $41 per acre more than the control. If we look at the cost of production per dry weight lb of yield, it cost $0.028 per lb of monocrop greenfeed and $0.032 of polycrop, giving a difference of $0.004 per lb more for the polycrop. Taking into consideration the higher CP content and that for the 2022 field season we did not capture the additional productivity of polycrop regrowth and late season grazing potential, the polycrop treatment is anticipated to be competitive to the monocrop cost of production.

Pending findings include evaluation of soil health indications between the treatments to be carried in the spring of 2023. MBFI is grateful to our project sponsors Secan for the contribution of AB Advantage barley, and DLF Pickseed for the contribution of the polycrop species seed.

For more information or to start a conversation please email MBFI at information@mbfi.ca or call at 204-761-3300.

Comparison of regrowth two weeks following harvest of control monocrop AB Advantage barley (left) and AB Advantage barley polycrop (right). (Photo credit: MBFI)

New Rangeland Management Planning Initiative Good for Grasslands and Environment

BY WAYNE HILDEBRAND,

MHHC

We often hear that livestock production is responsible for a wide range of environmental problems like greenhouse gas emissions, land degradation, and water pollution. Is all livestock production bad for the environment?

Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation (MHHC), a non-profit charitable organization with a conservation and wildlife habitat mandate, has been working in partnership with Manitoba Beef Producers for the past seven years delivering the ‘Keep Grazing Program’ (now called the Grassland Stewardship Program). In 2022 the program allocated a million dollars to support 88 livestock producers to fund pasture infrastructure projects (like upgrading fencing and watering systems) on 60,000 acres of pasture in Manitoba.

So why would a conservation organization like MHHC partner with the livestock industry? Could there be some positive environmental impacts associated with livestock production? I asked MHHC’s Habitat Field Manager Curtis Hullick this very question.

“Livestock production plays a valuable role in maintaining grasslands, providing wildlife habitat, enhancing biodiversity, building soil fertility, sequestering carbon, and building climate change resiliency,” said Curtis. “That’s a lot of positive impacts! Cattle producers and their livestock are fundamental to the future of the grassland environment.”

“A well managed rotational grazing system increases plant density and diversity. This is beneficial for the cattle, increases farm profitability, and provides habitat for wildlife,” Curtis relayed. “Grassland nesting birds

 Page 6

are at risk in Manitoba and Canada, primarily due to habitat loss and fragmentation. Their future survival depends on maintaining healthy grasslands and the vegetation management performed by livestock.”

To recognize the grassland bird habitat that cattle producers provide, MHHC received funding from Environment and Climate Change Canada and partnered with Manitoba Beef Producers, to deliver a 3-year Rangeland Management Plan initiative. In 2021 Carol Graham expanded her role as a Rangeland Extension Specialist to work with cattle producers in western Manitoba with the mandate to promote Rangeland Management Planning. The intent is to enhance grassland productivity with grazing systems that supports the economic viability of the producer while providing wildlife benefits, such as conserving habitat for grassland bird species at risk.

“Rangeland management is the utilization of livestock to influence grazing distribution, carrying capacity, and timing to sync with grass development and performance,” said Carol. “It requires a vegetation inventory to identify plant species, define unique landscape features, and identify areas that are distinct grassland types.”

“It is a science-based approach where data collection and analysis allow identification of rangeland health, trends, and potential problems that can be addressed with the implementation or modification of a grazing system,” Carol said. “Cattle producers are the stewards of their grasslands. Rangeland Management Planning is simply a support tool for producers that helps improve management decisions, which ultimately helps to achieve healthy and productive pastures.”

Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership continued

Priority Area 3. Building Sector Capacity, Growth and Competitiveness

Sustainable CAP provides funding to enhance capacity and competitiveness in order to expand economic growth, drive domestic and export market activity, and enhance food security and local food capacity. Funding targets efforts to improve productivity, efficiency and scalability, addressing labour and training needs, and supporting capital infrastructure investments to support growth. Sustainable CAP programs include:

The Capital Infrastructure and Investments program supports the growth and expansion of Manitoba’s agri-processing sector by assisting with capital investment purchases for modernization and capacity building activities that enhance efficiency, productivity and environmental sustainability, by providing access to: development and implementation of new technologies; new markets through the implementation of quality control measures; streamlined and better managed operations, increased efficiency, and increased profitability by integrating company operations; new revenue streams associated with offering co-packing services, and co-packing services for brand owners who may not own their own agri-processing capacity

The list of funding streams under the Capital Infrastructure and Investments program is as follows:

Capital Assets – Processing Equipment: Supports the growth and expansion of Manitoba’s agri-processing sector by assisting with capital investment purchases for modernization activities that enhance efficiency, productivity and environmental sustainability.

Capital Assets – Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Software: Supports the purchase of software and systems that are inclusive of company operations that will enhance competitiveness, sustainability, or safety and/or public trust.

Co-Packing Capacity Building: Supports capital asset purchases related to adding and/or augmenting in-plant co-packing for plant owners. Supports brand owners/ marketers to access co-packer services.

Quality Control Capacity Building: Supports capital asset purchases related to adding in-plant quality control capacity for continuous improvement within an agri-processing facility to monitor and manage potential issues caused by microbial growth, or chemical or physical contamination.

For complete details on each element of this program, including intake deadlines and cost-share information, go to: https://www.manitoba.ca/scap/buildingsector/ capital/index.html

Priority Area 4. Science, Research and Innovation

Sustainable CAP provides funding to the sector for research and innovation activities that create opportunities for improved sustainability, resiliency and competitiveness. This includes investments in basic and applied research for scale-up and pilot-scale testing of new processes, technologies and practices, and capacity building.

This program is not yet available. Follow Manitoba Agriculture on  Twitter for new program and intake announcements.

MHHC is producing Rangeland Management Plans at no cost for the cattle producers participating in the Grassland Stewardship Program offered by MHHC. The minimum pasture area required is 320 acres. The Rangeland Management Plans outline opportunities for change along with incentives for improvements to the infrastructure of the pasture.

“There are a number of very good initiatives happening in Manitoba with sustainable livestock production and rangeland management planning,” said Curtis. “We are proud to be partners with Manitoba Beef Producers who are working to enhance biodiversity on the landscape, raise high quality nutritious food, and support a healthy rural economy.”

donation to Harvest Manitoba as part of the Burger It Forward campaign that took place during the month of February. 16 local restaurants participated and collectively sold over 1,000 burgers.

Pictured from left to right: Colleen McVarish, Harvest Manitoba, Vince Palletta, Harvest Manitoba, Carson Callum, MBP, Maureen Cousins, MBP, Susan Robinson, Harvest Manitoba, and David Hultin, MBP. (Photo courtesy of Harvest Manitoba).

Priority Area 5. Resiliency and Public Trust

Sustainable CAP supports resiliency to ongoing and emerging disruption while ensuring continued public trust in the food sector. This includes the development of actions and efforts that enhance the resiliency of the entire food system; from field to fork.

This program is not yet available. Follow Manitoba Agriculture on  Twitter for new program and intake announcements.

Priority Area 6. Indigenous Agriculture and Relationship Development

The Sustainable CAP provides funding for initiatives and the development of innovative partnerships that enhance relationships with Indigenous peoples and increase Indigenous participation and opportunities in Manitoba’s agriculture and agri-food economy; including the development and growth of local food systems to empower food sovereignty.

This program is not yet available. Follow Manitoba Agriculture on Twitter  for new program and intake announcements.

Carol Graham photo courtesy of Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation.

Manitoba Beef Producers presented a $2,000

Beef Borscht with Broth is Best

BY: ANNA BORYS

When it comes to the power of suggestion, I’m a pushover. One day recently a friend of mine sent me a video clip of his baby nephew completely tying into a bowl of homemade borscht. Beets and cabbage all over his face, head, lap…. you get it!

Having eaten it my whole life (tapping into my Ukrainian roots here), I instantly had a craving for borscht. As I was wandering through the butcher shop the other day, I was looking through the freezer items and noticed some beef shanks. As they are a lean cut, they are great for making beef broth. I bought the crosscut of shank, a small bundle of beets, a quarter of a cabbage and headed home with the excitement that I’d soon be satisfying that craving deep in my belly.

I’m all about a hearty, chunky and flavorful soup. The beef broth is light but adds depth. Although you could use a homemade beef stock for this recipe, I recommend using broth. What’s the difference? Stock is typically simmered for much longer and is mostly bones and cartilage which results in a more viscous product from the gelatin releasing from the bones. Broth is simmered for a shorter time and is a combination of meat and bones. It’s usually a bit lighter, and when salted, can even be sipped on its own.

Most borscht makers might typically use pork instead of beef, but it was fun to use a cut of meat that I don’t use that often to achieve a perfectly acceptable dish. In fact, my mom’s borscht (which is still my favourite) was usually made with beef broth.

Also, I like to keep the beets in chunks rather than shredded because I find it not only more aesthetically pleasing, but easier to eat. In a pinch, a bag of coleslaw mix also works instead of buying a whole cabbage. Although, if you ask nicely, the produce person usually will quarter a cabbage if you don’t want to buy the whole thing. I like to add onion, carrot and potato to give the soup a little more body and it makes for a filling meal. The dill and vinegar are really what make this soup so delicious. Sour salt (aka citric acid) also works, but white vinegar is much more readily available on my pantry shelf.

The only way I like to eat this soup is with a dollop of sour cream and a liberally buttered slice of local Manitoba rye bread.

Enjoy!

Borscht with Homemade Beef Broth

Yields 6 portions

BEEF BROTH

• 1" thick – Beef shank, cross section

• 1½ Cups – Cooking onion, diced

• ¾ Cup – Carrot, diced

• ¾ Cup – Celery, diced

• 2 – Bay Leaves

• 3L – Water

SOUP

• 1L – Beef broth

• ½ Cup – Onion, diced

• ½ Cup – Carrot, coins

• 2 Cups – Green Cabbage, diced

• 2 large Beets – peeled, half moons

• 1 Cup – Yellow potato, peeled and diced

• 2 Tbsp – White vinegar

• ¼ Cup – Fresh dill, chopped

• To Taste – Salt and pepper

METHOD BROTH:

1. Heat a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add 1 Tbsp of neutral oil to pot.

2. Season beef shank liberally with salt and pepper. Once oil is hot in pot, sear beef shank on all sides until browned.

3. Add chopped onions, carrots, celery, bay leaves and water. Bring water to a low boil and turn heat down to a low simmer. Simmer for 4 hours. Strain broth and discard solids. This should produce about 1-1.5L of broth.

METHOD SOUP:

1. Over medium high heat, sauté diced onion, carrots, cabbage and beets with a tablespoon of oil. Season with salt and pepper. Once veggies are slightly softened, add potatoes and beef broth.

2. Bring to a low simmer. Once vegetables are cooked through, add vinegar and fresh dill.

3. Season to taste.

4. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and buttered rye bread.

(Photo credit: Anna Borys)