After extensive beta-testing by computer-savvy ranchers this summer, the online record-keeping system called the BIXS, or Beef InfoXchange System, will be ready for launch for the cow-calf sector by September of this year, says Larry Thomas, national co-ordinator for the CCA’s Canadian Beef Advantage program. “The countdown to the BIXS launch has begun,” said Thomas […] Read more
BIXS cattle ID system soon to go live
Raising Canola With A Little Help From A Midwife
Reading Time: 3 minutes A unique trial at Agriculture Canada’s research station in Brandon, Manitoba will see if planting seed of other crops in the furrow along with canola can help the notoriously weak seedlings break through the soil crust and improve establishment rates. Research scientist Byron Irvine said that companion crops such as canary seed, flax, camelina, and […] Read more
Public Gets A Hands-On Driving Lesson
Reading Time: 2 minutes “It’s all about making people realize that there’s more to harnessing a horse than just throwing those straps on and going.” theresa early tnt harness and tack Driving a team of draft horses sure isn’t like driving a car. And according to Elizabeth Tardiff, who jumped at the chance to take the reins in a […] Read more
Oats And Beans And Barley Grow…together?
Reading Time: 3 minutes “It was incredible what happened. The love between the canola and peas was just remarkable.” Scott Chalmers diversification technician staff | brandon, manitoba One plus one can equal more than two – at least when you plant two crops together. That’s old hat for organic farmers, who have been seeding cover and relay crops since […] Read more
Better Times Are Ahead For Cattle, Says Manitoba Analyst
Reading Time: 3 minutes BOISSEVAIN, MANITOBA Cow-calf producers take heart, better times may be on the way. A mass sell-off of cattle around the world driven by years of low prices has finally ground herd numbers down to levels where demand is set to outstrip supply, says Rick Wright, a Manitobabased order buyer and market analyst. “Barring any natural […] Read more
Industrial Ag Model Is Broken, Says Ag Economist
Reading Time: 3 minutes RUSSELL, MANITOBA It’s just a matter of time before small towns humming with diversified, locally based economic activity surrounded by a thriving countryside filled with hard-working farm families start making a major comeback on the rural landscape. Why? There’s simply no other choice going forward, according to John Ikerd, a retired U. S. agricultural economist […] Read more
Everybody Has A Breaking Point
Reading Time: 3 minutes Every culture has its myths. In North America, the land of cowboys and hardy pioneers, there’s two widely held beliefs: boys don’t cry and real men don’t falter in the face of adversity. Pyschologist Greg Gibson of the Brandon Regional Health Authority in western Manitoba says the truth is that sooner or later, when locked […] Read more
Farmers’ Choice Will Determine Resistance Of 100 Years Or 10
Reading Time: 2 minutes If you plant a wheat midge-resistant variety this spring, then later find your field chock full of adult midge bugs, don’t panic and run for the sprayer. It’s supposed to be that way, and spraying isn’t necessary, according to John Gavloski, a Manitoba agriculture department entomologist. “Don’t be alarmed. That’s normal. The resistance isn’t against […] Read more
Eye-In-The-Sky Maps For Biomass Potential
Reading Time: 3 minutes A few years ago, ethanol and biodiesel from grains and oilseeds looked like a promising solution to the looming energy crisis, but the “food versus fuel” debate that followed put a damper on enthusiasm for renewable fuel sources that depended on edible feedstocks. Lately, the focus seems to be shifting towards biomass energy sources, mainly […] Read more
McDonald’s Vice-President Hears Rancher’s Beefs
Reading Time: 3 minutes “We pay a premium today for the firewalls that we have in place on beef.” The first rule of marketing is to know who the customers are and what they want. In the cattle business, that’s the buyers of burger meat, because up to 60 per cent of every steer that goes down the kill […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
