Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) and Rapid City, Manitoba area cattle producer Gerald Bos are working collaboratively on a project that’s a win-win situation for both by benefitting nesting waterfowl and Bos’s beef herd. The project revolves around ‘The Smith purchase’ — a half section of land that DUC bought in 1994, which happens to be […] Read more
Cows and ducks work well together
Producer applies his rotational grazing system to conservation pastures
Replace that pencil with an online calculator
Take your homework from page to screen. Online calculators can help you add up production costs and estimate profits
If you need help planning for the upcoming crop year, there are plenty of online tools on provincial government websites to help. Some of them are in downloadable, customizable Excel spreadsheet format; and others are downloadable software that can producers can save to their computer and customize. With different soil and climate conditions, each Prairie […] Read more
Would your farm pass the stress test?
When you pencil out your farm budgets, calculate some “what if” scenarios as well
New provincial guidelines for estimating 2017 crop production costs are being released across the Prairies. These guidelines can help producers predict their operating costs, breakeven yields and profitability. Producers should also be doing a “stress test” to see how much deviation from those predictions the farm can actually bear without losing money, is the advice […] Read more
Simpler regulations for hemp growers
Life for farmers planting hemp will be littler simpler in 2017, thanks to regulatory changes
Hemp growers must obtain a licence from Health Canada each year to grow industrial hemp, but recent changes to the regulations have made the process slightly easier and more efficient. As of November 21, 2016 growers can apply for their industrial hemp cultivation licence electronically via email, which will speed up the process. A common […] Read more
Hemp gives grower highest returns
For this Manitoba farmer, hemp is an experiment that’s turned into a profitable option
Kevin Krueger has been growing hemp for three years on his farm, six-and-a-half miles south of Thornhill in south-central Manitoba. The first year he grew 70 acres, the second 25 acres and 30 acres this year. “I’ve called it an experiment every year,” says Krueger. “The experiments are starting to work so next year, I’m […] Read more
Growing demand means more hemp acres
As the hemp industry grows and matures, quality and consistency is critical for sales
As the Canadian hemp industry continues to expand and mature, the demand for hemp foods, not just in North America, but worldwide, is fueling more hemp acres across Manitoba and other areas of Western Canada, and is providing good economic returns for growers. “The returns per acre on hemp are better than just about any […] Read more
Farmers like grower rebate programs
Everyone likes a little free cash from those input rebates. But is it really free?
Grower programs offer cash rebates or other rewards against purchases of crop inputs such as seed and chemicals. How much producers receive back usually depends on how much product and, in some cases, the combination of products they buy from a specific company. Some could argue that in essence, the farmer has already paid for […] Read more
Goss’s wilt: An up-and-coming corn disease
It might be time to consider seeding corn varieties with resistance to Goss’s wilt
With plenty of summer storms bringing high winds and hail to the Prairies this summer, there has been more Goss’s wilt showing up in Manitoba fields. A visual survey of 142 corn fields across Manitoba in August and September identified Goss’s wilt in 56 of them. The inoculum for Goss’s wilt is present most years […] Read more
Outstanding Young Farmers Atlantic: Andrew and Jennifer Lovell
Marketing is key for Andrew and Jennifer Lovell’s orchard operation
Andrew and Jennifer Lovell have a flair for marketing, and it’s helped them diversify and grow their first generation farm at Keswick Bridge, N.B. And it also helped them achieve the title of 2016 Outstanding Young Farmers (OYF) for the Atlantic Region. The Lovells own and operate River View Orchards, which includes a U-pick operation for apples, […] Read more
What’s affecting land rental rates
The farmland rental market can respond to a lot of different market factors
When the value of land goes up it tends to affect land rental prices too, but it’s not the only factor that has seen land rents increase over the past few years — in some areas quite dramatically. Productivity of the land is also hugely important, as is the amount of competition for land in […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
