Winnipeg, MB – (June 9, 2022) - Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association (MFGA)’s 30-plus year Green Gold Program is underway a bit later than usual this year due to the wet weather that much of Manitoba has had to deal with. However, besides that frustrating delay and the challenges for impacted farmers and producers, there is great news to celebrate for MFGA.
A new funding arrangement will see Dairy Farmers of Manitoba (DFM) commit up to $100,000 for MFGA over the next two years via corporate and project support, kicking off with support of the MFGA Green Gold Program, which is designed to guide the optimum cut of alfalfa based on highest relative feed value.
“This is an incredible and very unique partnership,” said Duncan Morrison, MFGA executive director. “We are humbled and grateful to have the support of DFM. The great thing is we have structured the partnership as a win-win for both organizations. We know that dairy farmers are keen to work with the soils, grasses and natural areas on their farms to help reach the net zero carbon pledge made by Dairy Farmers of Canada. We believe MFGA’s producer network, peer to peer interactions and project involvement underway and ahead are perfect to help DFM reach its goal.”
The history and connectivity between the two organizations is long and storied. Dairy Farmers of Manitoba is a long-time supporter of the MFGA Green Gold Program. Last year, MFGA featured a panel of regenerative agriculture-minded dairy farmers that really opened the eyes of many as to the great potential of soil-benefitting dairy-focused agriculture practices at the 2021 Annual MFGA Regenerative Agriculture Conference that showcased soil health, farm productivity and watershed health in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
Dairy farmers are keen on farming practices that help meet Dairy Farmers of Canada’s (DFC) mandate of being carbon neutral by 2050 says David Wiens, DFM Chair.
“By working with MFGA on future projects around soil, grasslands, and water management, we are creating more opportunities for dairy farmers to learn and participate in projects that support these best management practices,” said Wiens. “This is also a great opportunity to kick off our partnership with MFGA's Green Gold Program, in which we have been long time partners and supporters.”
On top of the corporate support, MFGA will look for case by case opportunities to promote and deliver programming, research, and knowledge transfer to dairy farmers (extension services) with DFM. Targeted and pitched projects will focus on water, grass, soil, carbon, and must fit with ongoing or new partnership opportunities around on-farm and applied research and projects with research potentially aimed at: BMP development, farmer profitability, environmental (soil health, carbon sequestration, etc.), water models, soil mapping and carbon models.
“We approached DFM with a proposal that centered on our shared interests, long and trusted history and our respective organizational ambitions,” said Morrison. “There is a lot of work ahead for MFGA to realize the absolute maximum from this partnership and we are up to the task. We all want healthy soils, lands and waters and in many cases, farmers are already doing that great work individually. This partnership is going to bring us all together on key fronts, allow us to work more strategically and seamlessly and celebrate our successes together.”
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