MFGA eBulletin - October 2021 |
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photo credit: Nerbas Bros. Angus |
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From the Desk of the Executive Director |
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Well, things got very fast all of a sudden!
Turning the corner into November over the next week and a bit, we are flat-out, full steam ahead for our 2021 MFGA Regenerative Agriculture Conference, Nov 15-17, 2021 at the Vic Inn Conference Center in Brandon, Mb for in-person delegates, with the livestream of the proceedings hosted online across farms and households around the globe joining our celebration of regenerative agriculture virtually.
Our agenda is set, the venue locked down, the audio-visual support in place, the trade show looks amazing and our super-valuable conference supporters are all right there with us, helping bring this event to Manitoba for the fourth straight year in the fourth different format! One of the highlights for me last year was the ability for conference delegates to ask questions of the keynotes in a Question and Answer segment before a local producer panel discussed the presentation with direct emphasis on what’s underway in Manitoba which also included an interactive component. By the fourth night of our conference last year, the chat feature was bumping and we actually improvised and extended the interactive session on-the-fly to keep the momentum rolling. That was very cool to see and a very emphatic exclamation point that learning more about and sharing around regenerative agriculture is so important to many Manitoba and Prairie farmers. I am really looking forward to the robust discussions around the keynote Q&A and the panels again this year.
Kind of under-shadowed in the brighter glare of the conference will be the MFGA Annual General Meeting which will be held Nov 15 at 5:00 pm in the conference salon. For most of us, AGM’s are like chewing on cotton batting – super dry with a bit of fluff. But the AGM is the most important meeting of the year for the official business side of a non-profit like MFGA. At our AGM, we are required by the Corporations Act of Manitoba to present a financial report based on our annual audit, to ratify bylaws and governance changes, to hear reports from the Chair and the Executive Director and to acknowledge outgoing board members and welcome incoming board members.
This year’s MFGA AGM though, will have a really cool twist in that we will unveil our first-ever raft of MFGA Wall of Fame recipients. MFGA has been around for more than 30 years and we have done a great job of living in the moment and not such a great job of saluting our history and where we are and how we got here. Stay tuned for more details on that front. We are very proud of our history, the MFGA Wall of Fame will be a great place to showcase our past leadership with a new Wall of Fame class going in each year as we keep making history for MFGA.
Muchos Grasses,
Duncan Morrison, MFGA Executive Director
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The Soil Carbon Sponge and Climate Change
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October Hay Situation & Price Update
As we move towards the end of October, hay fields have been harvested and corn silage is complete. Across the province most areas are reporting a two thirds to half a crop for corn silage. With the grain corn harvest underway producers are taking advantage of putting up corn stover for feed or grazing corn stubble fields to extend their forage inventories. Read on...
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Straw as a Feed Source
The fall of 2021 has provided some reprieve from the hot, dry conditions of summer 2021. Timely rains, mid to late August, have given dry hay fields and pastures a needed boost providing additional forage and extending the grazing period well into and past October. Read the full MFGA article here.
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Fall Pasture Management
Although the August and September rains greened-up drought-stricken pastures, pasture growth in Manitoba for the most part is pretty well finished for this season due to the lack of additional moisture and cooler conditions. The present forage situation has many producers trying to get as many grazing days in as possible in an effort to stretch their hay inventories till spring grazing. The question some are asking is if they should be taking advantage of the lush growth or will it have an effect on 2022 production? The answer will depend largely on the grass species in the pasture. Read the full MFGA article.
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By-Laws
The MFGA Bylaws have been updated for Fall 2021 are now publicly available for review here. Anything in green print in the document is what the MFGA Board has approved for update and will be confirmed at the 2021 MFGA AGM.
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Cheerios-Xerces Pollinator Habitat Program open until Jan 31, 2022
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MBFI Webinar Alert: University of Manitoba research and survey results of on-farm cover crop innovation occurring across the Canadian Prairies
Attend the Cover Cropping on the Prairies webinar hosted by Manitoba Beef and Forage Initiatives (MBFI), Nov 4, 2021 at 7pm CST where researchers from the University of Manitoba (UM) will share the results from the 2020 Prairie Cover Crop Survey. Participation is free. Register here.
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YOUNG AGRARIANS: "We need YOU to mentor the next generation!"
Pass on your knowledge and work alongside enthusiastic aspiring farmers through the Young Agrarians (YA) Apprenticeship Program. YA will help you find great candidates and create a successful apprenticeship experience on your farm. All production types and scales of farms are invited to apply so long as you have an interest in regenerative farming. Learn more here.
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FCC mid-year farmland values update
Farm Credit Canada (FCC) has released its mid-year farmland values update. The report indicates that the average value of Canadian farmland has increased by 3.8 per cent in 2021. In Manitoba, the average value of farmland has increased by 3.5 per cent. To learn more and access the report, click here.
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2022/23 BMP activities: Nov 8 - Dec 10, 2021
Ag Action Manitoba – Assurance: Beneficial Management Practice activities will be opening on November 8, 2021 and close on December 10, 2021 for projects that will occur in 2022/23. Details and how the process works found here. EFP Workshops are ongoing through the fall and winter - dates and locations at www.ManitobaEFP.ca.
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New legislation protects landowners from trespassers
MFGA would like to commend the Government of Manitoba and Keystone Agricultural Producers for leadership on Bill 62 and Bill 63 that have been proclaimed and are in effect. Improvements to trespassing and biosecurity laws are important steps to ensure Manitoba farm families feel safe and biosecurity protocols are maintained. View Government of Manitoba news release.
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Farmland School Tax Rebate applications available
Applications for the 2021 Farmland School Tax Rebate are now available. Farm property owners who have submitted an application in the past are encouraged to apply for their rebate online at myMASC. Note: Even if you received an Education Property Tax Rebate cheque, you are still eligible to apply for the Farmland School Tax Rebate. For further information or assistance, call or email your nearest ARD and MASC Service Centre.
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Industry Events
AITC Follow the Farmers Tour: Weather to Farm - Oct 26, 2021, 1:30pm
Follow the Farmers is Agriculture in the Classroom-Manitoba's (AITC-M) new virtual farm tour program! Students will have the opportunity to tour local Manitoba farms and engage with Manitoba farmers to learn about where their food comes from right from their classroom. Learn more.
Environmental Farm Plan Workshops - Sept to Nov 2021, virtual
Environmental Farm Plans (EFP) are an essential part of every farm operation. These workshops will guide producers through the EFP workbook to help assess and identify the environmental assets and risks on their farm operations, and develop an action plan to address the identified risks. Workbooks and support material included. Details and registration here.
MWAF AgChats - Oct 25, 7-8pm, online
Manitoba Women in Agriculture (MWAF) offers AgChats, an online networking place for men & women, held monthly on the 4th Monday. This month will feature Jacqueline Keena, managing director of EMILI, sharing EMILI’s activities to support innovation and research, increase integration of intelligent technologies, close the skills gaps and provide support for the growth of agtech startups. More info here.
Introduction to Holistic Management - Oct 4-Nov 8, 2021, Mondays
Discover how to manage your farm or ranch for the triple bottom line (social, environmental, and financial sustainability). Learn our Holistic Goal Setting and Decision Testing Framework. Scholarships available. Register by Oct 4 here.
MBP District Meetings - Oct 19-Nov 9, 2021, online or on location (varies)
Manitoba Beef Producers' annual fall district meetings are underway. View the full schedule here.
MBFI Webinar: Cover Cropping on the Prairies - Nov 3, 2021, evening
Attend the Manitoba Beef & Forage Initiative (MBFI) webinar which will discuss the results of the Prairie 2020 cover crop survey of prairie farmers and industry stakeholders. Register here.
MFGA 2021 Regen Ag Conference - Nov 15-17, 2021, Brandon, Mb
Lock down your calendar right now for our 2021 MFGA Regenerative Agriculture Conference, held November 15-17, 2021, Victoria Inn, Brandon, MB. The theme is Water for Generations and we have secured a number of top-notch keynote speakers and producer panels including international, national and local experts, all of them focusing on regenerative agriculture and helping us all understand the great potential of working with the land to help improve your farm operations and the health of your farm lands. Registration is open - register now!!
Agricultural Excellence Conference - Nov 24-26, 2021, Virtual
This year's Ag Ex Conference theme, The Challenge of Change, is about acknowledging that change can be difficult and also provide immense opportunity - learning how to confront change with confidence is the key. Conference-goers will come away from AgEx equipped with the information, tools and practical skills to prosper change. Register here.
2021 Mb Watersheds Annual Conference - Dec 6-8, 2021, Brandon, Mb
Registration is open for the 2021 Manitoba Watersheds Annual Conference which will be hosted in-person at the Keystone Centre in Brandon Manitoba. This year’s theme Coming Together, Celebrating Success focuses on bringing environmentally passionate people together and giving them the opportunity to share, learn and educate one another on issues that matter, and that have a direct, and positive impact in communities throughout Manitoba. Details or to register found here.
Save the Dates: Beef & Forage Week - Jan 11-13, 2022 in various Mb locations
TOPICS INCLUDE: Marketing, Alternative Watering Systems, Forage Restoration, Mental Health for farmers and more.
Manitoba Ag Days - Jan 18-20, 2022, Brandon, Mb
Don't miss this three-day annual event, held in-person at the Keystone Center. Details found here.
Prairie Organics: Think Whole Farm 2022 Conference - Feb 8-9, 2022, Keystone Centre, Brandon, Mb
A two-day conference, tradeshow and organic ingredients event that strives to help farmers increase their understanding of the science of organic agriculture while providing practical farmer-tested solutions to improve the economic and environmental health of the farm ecosystem. More here.
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We are proud to showcase our 2021/22 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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