MFGA eBulletin - August 2022 |
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photo credit: Nerbas Bros Angus |
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From the Desk of the Executive Director |
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With harvest on the immediate horizon - or already here for some- and our nights getting chillier and our days shorter, it is pretty clear we are steaming into September at a fast pace.
However, in retrospect, what a summer it has been. Led by Lawrence Knockaert, Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association (MFGA) Chair, our organization continues to participate in key dialogues and discussions, often leading to collaborations and consultations that serve the interests of our farmers and producers throughout our MFGA network. Regionally, we are stronger than ever, arm-locked with our partners next door at Saskatchewan Forage Council as well as the incredible connectivity and synergies we are developing and accelerating with the respective Manitoba and Saskatchewan Watershed Districts and our collaborations with both organizations. (Learn more about MAW’s PWCP below). Add in the excellent conversations, support and collaborations with governments, industry, and conservation groups, and we are incredibly pleased with MFGA’s Summer 2022.
From a special mention perspective, I'd like to congratulate Cameron Hodgins and the rest of the Wallace Grazing Club board and network for their excellent tour hosted July 28, 2022, that drew around 75 farmers and stakeholders to their Virden-area event. Well-planned and well-attended tours such as the Wallace Grazing Club tour are so awesome and so vital for peer-to-peer interactions, especially among the innovative and “early-adopter” farmers out there, including many in our MFGA circles. I'd also like to tip the cap to Bray Rookes (see below) for stepping up with a huge voice for young farmers super keen on learning to do great things on their farms. See Bray’s take on cover crops below. Nicely done!
And finally, I'd like to thank one anonymous donor who reached out to MFGA as follows: “I was cleaning out a file from a meeting I went to years ago regarding native prairie, and wetlands. I live on 10 acres, like native grasses, and stories about "the old days" on the prairie. I came across your publication, I am always looking for ways to support meaningful environmental causes and I guess I never really looked at the contents (Spring 2018). I am an annual donor to The Nature Conservancy, and I like the new/old methods (0 till, crop rotation, grazing methods, etc....) that are being taught to our land stewards (farmers/ranchers) and am always looking for ways to support those endeavours. I will watch and see if I support your mandate (by reading your publication) and if so, will continue to support you. I'm a city boy, never was involved in agriculture at all.”
Happy Harvest to all - wishing you all the very best,
Muchos Grasses,
Duncan Morrison, MFGA Executive Director
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BE AN EARLY BIRD: Register NOW for
MFGA's 2022 Regen Ag Conference
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Our full 1.5 day event will feature North American keynote speakers, including Kara Kroeger, Fred Provenza, Ryan Boyd, Kimberly Cornish, David McInnes, and Randy Booker along with local producer panels, all focusing on regenerative agriculture and the great potential of profitable farm operations via your farm's soil, herds and learning more about the potential for human health benefits from soil-benefitting agriculture practices. Early bird deadline is October 1 - REGISTER NOW!! |
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Prairie Watersheds Climate Program (PWCP) First-Ever PWCP Webinar: A big success
With more than 500 names registered and attendance constantly hovering around 250 for the entire webinar, organizers were pleased that the first ever Prairie Watersheds Climate Program (PWCP) webinar August 26, 2022 was a big success. PWCP project managers Dan Cox, Manitoba Association of Watersheds and Lynne Roszell, Saskatchewan Association of Watersheds gave great overviews of the PWCP in each province, including a very interactive Q&A ability for the audience to ask questions. The webinar will be posted online in near future and a FAQ sheet from the discussions will be developed as well. Watch for more details. Learn more about PWCP here.
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Young Farmer positive that cover crops help cover wet weather
When it comes to explaining how the addition of cover crops have impacted his family farm, Bray Rookes is full of positives as to how his farm has benefited. But the 20-year-old Western Manitoba farmer in the Assiniboine West Watershed District (AWWD) really gets excited when detailing how his family’s cover crop mixes handled the deluge of 2022 rain after a year of drought in 2021.
photo: Bray Rookes
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2022 Saskatchewan Forage Council's Pasture Tour highlights
A successful Saskatchewan Pasture Tour was held on August 4th near St. Brieux, where SM AG Research and Kertan Farms showcased their diverse operation to a large crowd. Read about all the highlights.
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MSA Annual Show & Sale hits 500 in attendance
The Manitoba Sheep Association was pleased to hold its annual Show & Sale on August 19-20, 2022 in Minnedosa after a two year hiatus due to COVID. The two-day event saw more than 500 people attend to take in wool demonstrations, stock dog demonstrations, presentations from MB Ag and more! In the below photo, Olivia Stobie works the Sale Ring, selling a Dorset X Ewe Lamb. The Show saw entries from 21 different producers while the Sale included 34 buyers. Next up for the MSA is a Jackpot Market Lamb Show in conjunction with Ag Ex on October 28th & 29th in Brandon.
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SRWD helps grass and shelterbelts flourish
The grass planted three years ago near Highway 83 not far from Reston, Manitoba stands pretty much eye-to-eye with three-year old Paynter Brooker these days. Of course, that comparison today won’t last forever. But it is a pretty cool perspective these days for proud dad Dean Brooker, Souris River Watershed District (SRWD) manager, whenever he and Paynter take a side trip to check out 883 acres of wildlife habitat that SRWD and partnering organizations helped create and flourish within the watershed. Read the full article here.
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August Hay Situation & Price Update
As the end of August approaches, we hear reports of some very good hay yields that are near or above average. Most alfalfa growers and dairy operations have completed second cut and some took a third cut in mid August. Beef producers have completed their first cut with reports of a second cut nearing completion. Read on...
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Overgrazing pastures this fall
Although there is still plenty of grass to be grazed this year, it’s not too early to consider what management your pastures will need going into winter so that they can remain productive come spring. Read on...
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Learn about the MFGA Aquanty Forecasting Tool
Learn about a new forecasting tool to help Manitoba farmers better manage extreme weather events in this quick video. The MFGA Aquanty Forecasting Tool is designed to reduce the impact of extreme flood or drought events for the agricultural industry.
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AAFC Research highlighted: Living with leafy spurge
In terms of nightmare plants for pasture management, leafy spurge is a scary one. It’s an official noxious weed, invasive, deeply rooted, able to spread through both seed and creeping roots and almost impossible to eliminate. Its thick patches can wreak havoc on pasture productivity for most outdoor livestock species, goats and sheep being the exception. Read the full Mb Cooperator article.
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DUC leads winter wheat surge in Manitoba
David Van Mackelbergh steers his pickup along a winter wheat field in the southwest corner of Manitoba, the golden crop rippling in the breeze. He’ll be harvesting in mid-August and anticipates a great return. Read the full DUC article.
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BCRC: Alfalfa for Canada's climate
Very few of the alfalfa varieties sold in Canada were developed under Canadian conditions. The CFIA registered 119 varieties in Canada between 2012 and 2022, but only four (AAC Nikon, AAC Meadowview, AAC Bridgeview and AAC Trueman) were developed in Canada. The other 115 came from breeding programs where winters are generally milder than most places in Canada. Alfalfa’s winter survival depends on freezing tolerance and fall dormancy. Read the full BCRC blog.
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Dr. Yousef Papadopoulos Receives 2022 Canadian Beef Industry Award for Outstanding Research and Innovation
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Cleanfarms in Manitoba end of October
Cleanfarms teams will be in Manitoba October 24-28, 2022 collecting unwanted agricultural pesticides and old livestock/equine medications for safe disposal. Participating in the program is another way to help keep farms clean AND keeps these items out of the landfill. Specific dates at specific locations found at this link.
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Ag Action Manitoba Program for Farmers: Training and Consulting
For Farmers, young (under age of 46) and beginning farmers, this Training and Consulting grant helps farmers improve their business knowledge, develop management skills and develop farm business plans, for the purpose of growing profitable farming operations in Manitoba. The final deadline to apply is November 18, 2022. More details here.
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Industry Events
Inaugural CULTIVATE Sustainability Conference - Sep 7, 2022, Winnipeg, Mb
A day of knowledge sharing and engagement with industry thought leaders and innovators in sustainability, packaging, technology, automation, supply chain logistics, and more. Details here.
BCRC Webinar: Cost, Profits and What If? – A Look into the Canadian Cow-Calf Cost of Production Network - Sep 7, 2022
What makes the difference between the top, medium and low profitable farms? See the future farm scenarios most selected by producers and why it works for some and not others. This is the first webinar of the series. Details here.
Agri-Food Innovation Council (AIC) Conference - Nov 3-4, 2022, Ottawa, On
This conference will discuss several aspects of the globalization of agri-food research and innovation and includes a reception open to parliamentarians, government officials and key stakeholders. Registration is now open.
MFGA 2022 Regen Ag Conference - Nov 14-15, 2022, Brandon, Mb
Our 1.5 day event will feature North American keynote speakers and local producer panels. We have announced our first two speakers, Kara Kroeger and Fred Provenza, and outlined a fantastic Day one agenda on carbon. Get registered!
AgEx 2022 Conference - Nov 22-24, 2022, Canmore, Ab
Western Canada Soil Health & Grazing Conference - Dec 13-15, 2022, Edmonton, Ab
Two great conferences come together: Western Canada Conference on Soil Health & Western Canadian Grazing Conference, titled "Soil & Grazing: Biology Not Geology"and held at the Double Tree Hilton. Early bird pricing until October 31. Full conference details here.
Grey Bruce Farmer's Week (GBFW) - Jan 4-10, 2022, Elmwood, On
GBFW is run by a small committee of producers with a mandate to provide agricultural education to our communities. More information about the conference here.
The XXV International Grasslands Congress - May 14-19, 2023, Covington, KY USA
The theme is “Grasslands for Soil, Animal, and Human Health". A Call for Presentations deadline is August 15, and producers should consider attending and taking part in Congress, pre-congress tours etc. Additional details here.
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We are proud to showcase our 2022/23 Annual Supporters!
Join these leaders who are some of the best of the best in the agriculture and conservation communities - sign up here!
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