Thanks to generous funding from Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development Department's Canadian Agricultural Partnership: Ag Action Manitoba Program, Research and Innovation, MFGA and Aquanty recently completed a project titled: Investigating the influences of soil health and landscape management on the hydrologic behavior of the Assiniboine River Basin (ARB). Built by Aquanty using the MFGA Aquanty Model for the Assiniboine River Basin, the new modelling provides scenarios around soil health and the impact of potential dry dams landscape management will be evaluated by simulating conditions from 2009 to 2015, including the 2011 and 2014 flood events. As the final results of the model are pulled together, MFGA will be leading communications and outreach to stakeholders and key audiences.  Learn more about this project.

MFGA Green Gold Program (Optimum Alfalfa Harvest Date) is launching Year 25 of predicting the best cut date when harvested pure alfalfa stands are at optimum quality 150 Relative Feed Value (RFV). The potential boost to producer productivity is why MFGA continues to deliver this long-standing program.
WANTED: HAY FIELDS FOR GREEN GOLD TESTING: MFGA Green Gold is seeking producers with hay fields that are mostly alfalfa, fairly new, and in good condition for testing through the May/June growing season. You will receive results from those fields twice a week from the beginning of sampling until first cut, providing you with real time information on the quality of your alfalfa and how it is potentially declining with each passing day after recommended cut date. If interested please email John McGregor, MFGA Green Gold Program Coordinator.

It's generally well-known that first-cut haylage or hay, when harvested at its optimum stage, provides one of the most digestible feeds. Heading into our 25th year,  MFGA's Green Gold Program is  designed to take some of the "guesswork" out of this first cut by following the decline in the alfalfa RFV to help you target the optimum first-cut harvest date. The quality of first cut is affected by growing conditions, maturity, harvesting and storage conditions. Read on....

Fertilization is just as important to forages as it is for annual crops when looking to maximize productivity. An important part of livestock production is ensuring sufficient forage for both hay and pasture. However, low soil nutrient levels often limit forage production. With good soil fertility and fertilizer/nutrient management, the productivity of many hay and pasture fields can be greatly improved. For specific recommendations, it is best to have your soil sampled. Read on....

With the COVID-19 pandemic around us, many people are taking to their favourite music as distraction from the times around us. We also know many of you are getting ready for #Plant20 by downloading your best tunes for field time. With the MFGA Regenerative Agriculture Conference, there is always a need for music in the background during breaks. As such, we thought we would give you a chance to help us build a MFGA Regen Ag Playlist that we will cobble together to post on Spotify and use your tunes as background at our conference. Send your fave tunes to [email protected].

Regeneration Canada's Living Soils Symposium is a space to learn and exchange about one of the least-known, most promising solutions to climate change: regenerative land management. Join online presentations led by leaders of the regenerative movement including MFGA'sRyan Boyd (Nuffield Scholar), Gillian Flies (The New Farm), Dr. David Montgomery (University of Washington in Seattle), Joel Williams (Integrated Soils) and others. More info here.

To reduce the spread of COVID-19, we all must implement safety and sanitation protocols in our daily lives and on our farms. As preparations are made for the spring planting season, it is imperative that producers and staff practice appropriate sanitation. The Manitoba Farm Safety Program and Keystone Agricultural Producers have developed a list of best practices to consider for on-farm sanitation. This list will continue to be updated as more information becomes available from Manitoba Health and other public health agencies. View the factsheet on KAP's website.

- The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health has put together a useful resource on how to process significant changes to your daily life and how to deal with your mental health during this time. Access to tools and resources found here. 

- The Farm, Rural, and Northern Support Services Line provides telephone and online counselling and support to farmers, and rural and northern Manitobans: 1-866-367-3276. 

- Never Give Up Manitoba Support Line for Manitobans struggling with anxiety can be reached at 204-925-0040 between the hours of 9am and 9pm Monday to Friday, and 10am to 4pm on weekends.

Manitoba Open Farm Day will held on September 20, 2020 and is a great opportunity for the public to engage with farmers and producers to see where their food comes from. Host sites are now being accepted, including farm operations, ag venues, and museums across the province. Registration deadline is April 30. To register  click here.

The BCRC Beef Researcher Mentorship Program is inviting applications from upcoming and new applied researchers in Canada whose studies are of value to the beef industry, such as cattle health and welfare, beef quality, food safety, genetics, feed efficiency, or forages. The deadline to apply is May 1, 2020.   Full details here.