Manitoba hits record potato yields in 2015

2015 will go down in the books as a record year for potato production in Manitoba. It was an almost charmed season for producers in the province, beginning with an early start to seeding, continuing with low pest pressures and good weather, and ending with excellent conditions for harvest. According to Dan Sawatzky, manager of […] Read more

Storage infections are always a risk for potatoes because they damage relatively easily.

Potato storage rots likely this winter

Potato farmers storing record 2015 production may need to battle potato rots

This fall might be a tough one for a few Manitoba potato growers battling rots like pink eye, bud-end decay, late blight and leak in storage. Generally, these diseases are present in storages but the levels are not abnormally high, so a caution is warranted. According to Vikram Bisht, Manitoba’s provincial plant pathologist, leak and […] Read more


(FIle photo by Allan Dawson)

Manitoba corn locked in sideways trading mode

CNS Canada –– Manitoba corn appears locked into a sideways trading range for the foreseeable future, according to one industry watcher. From where the president of the Manitoba Corn Growers Association sits, it’s not surprising, given commodities’ bearish nature these days. “It’s not super-rosy; the (weak Canadian) dollar helps a bit, but we would like […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Manitoba pledges more law on nutrient loading

More legislation to cut nutrient loading into Lake Winnipeg and other water bodies is among the shorter-term commitments in the Manitoba government’s latest throne speech. In the speech, which Lt.-Gov. Janice Filmon delivered Monday, Premier Greg Selinger pledges to “work with all partners to reduce nutrient loading” in Lake Winnipeg and work to prevent further spread of […] Read more


Co-operator website earns national silvers

Co-operator website earns national silvers

The website for Manitoba’s farm newspaper of record has earned two silver medals from the Canadian Online Publishing Awards (COPAs). The Manitoba Co-operator’s website, ManitobaCooperator.ca, part of Glacier Media’s Farm Business Communications division in Winnipeg, won silver for Best Media Website, coming in second behind SalonMagazine.ca in the Blue division (scholarly, farm and B2B publishing). […] Read more

(Manitoba Co-operator file photo by Laura Rance)

Manitoba winter fertilizing ban back on

Snow’s arrival throughout Manitoba means no more extensions for the province’s farmers to apply winter fertilizer or manure. The province said Thursday its second extension, which was to run until the end of the day, has been rescinded, and the winter nutrient application ban is in place effective immediately, given “recent snowfall accumulations.” The winter […] Read more


Manitoba farmers Mark and Cori Pawluk with young son, Landon, have developed a diversified and value-added farming operation near Birtle.

Manitoba OYFs: Mark and Cori Pawluk

Access to a rail line gives the Pawluks extra flexibility on their Manitoba grain farm

When Mark Pawluk joined his parents back on the farm in 1999, after completing his degree in agribusiness at the University of Manitoba, he was open to new opportunities and challenges. Pursing those opportunities and developing a successful value-added farm business contributed to he and his wife Cori being named Manitoba’s Outstanding Young Farmers for […] Read more

(Manitoba Co-operator file photo by Laura Rance)

Warm Prairie soils delay fertilizing ban, winter weights

Manitoba’s winter ban on nutrient application has been postponed, again, while Saskatchewan has postponed its move to winter weights on its highways, due to warmer-than-average soil temperatures. Manitoba’s water stewardship department announced Friday it will further extend its nutrient application window until midnight, Nov. 19. Variances to Manitoba’s winter fertilizing ban — which typically runs […] Read more


Marcel van Staveren (left), shown here along with his harvest crew, has already planned out most of his acres for 2016.

Seeding decisions made, now waiting for spring

Farmers planning to hold their rotations steady with no major swings

Now that combines are shut down for the season, western Canadian farmers have a pretty good idea of what they will be growing in 2016, say producers contacted for the November Farmer Panel. They all plan to leave a bit of room for last-minute decisions — depending on markets and spring seeding conditions — but […] Read more

(Manitoba Co-operator file photo by Laura Rance)

Manitoba extends fertilizing deadline to Saturday

A warmer-than-usual November has allowed Manitoba’s conservation and water stewardship department to delay its winter fertilizing ban until Saturday (Nov. 14). With soil temperatures not yet at the freezing point, the province announced Monday it would extend its deadline for spreading of phosphorus and/or nitrogen, including synthetic fertilizers and/or manure, to Nov. 14 from Nov. […] Read more