About a dozen Quebec dairy farms will be getting their collective manure together next year for the province’s first-ever ag co-operative devoted to renewable natural gas. Coop Agri-Energie Warwick, launched Monday, plans to start construction this spring on a $12 million biomethanization plant which will take in slurry and manure from dairy cattle mixed with […] Read more
Quebec ag co-op to power up on dairy cattle manure
Government grants available for manure handling
Funding available for controlling run-off, relocating a storage site and other projects
Reading Time: < 1 minute Grants are available for producers wanting to reduce the environmental impact of livestock manure. There are three categories of grants available from the Environmental Stewardship and Climate Change Producer program, which is part of the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, said Chris Ullmann, agri-environmental extension specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. One is Category B: Manure and […] Read more
Florence shuts down U.S. slaughterhouses
Chicago/Los Angeles | Reuters — U.S. food companies kept slaughter plants shut on Monday in southeastern states swamped by Hurricane Florence as flash floods collapsed the walls of at least two hog manure pits, made roads undriveable and delayed rail shipments. Catastrophic flooding from Hurricane Florence, which has dumped up to 36 inches of rain […] Read more
How to build a soil-health bank account
This organic production technique offers a big-picture view of nutrient management — and a ‘tough love’ approach to soil fertility
Reading Time: 3 minutes Soil is a little like a bank account for nutrients — in order to manage them properly, you need to balance the budget. “No matter how big the bank account is, if you only take stuff out, eventually it runs out,” said University of Manitoba research technician Joanne Thiessen Martens. “We need to look at […] Read more
Call (the conservation board) before you build
You may not need a permit, but water setback and manure management rules still apply
Reading Time: 2 minutes If you’re considering relocating livestock facilities, make sure you call the Natural Resources Conservation Board early on. “(We can) see if what (the producer) is planning needs a permit and if there are any other requirements they need to meet before they start doing anything and spending a whole lot of money,” said Andy Cumming, […] Read more
Ready to relocate? Don’t just jump in, says livestock facility expert
A successful move means checking off a lot of boxes, but there’s lots of help available to ensure the move goes smoothly
Reading Time: 4 minutes Do your corrals flood every year because you are close to a water body? Does your manure storage area have a river running near it? If so, the chances are you need to relocate your facilities — although you might also be eligible for funding to help you out. But the first step is to […] Read more
New online tool for using green manure
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Prairie Organic Grain Initiative has launched a free, online Green Manure Tool Kit. A reliable and effective green manure program is essential for the success of an organic farm, and the tool kit is a guide to help producers to select the best green manure for their farm conditions. It has modules on selecting […] Read more
New tool for managing nutrient run-off
Free downloadable tool for assessing phosphorus run-off risk and creating a customized mitigation plan will be available this spring
Reading Time: 3 minutes As more and more farmers, politicians and laypeople are coming to understand, nutrient run-off from farm fields into waterways is a very big deal. When not managed properly, nutrients from fertilizer and manure make their way into creeks, lakes, dugouts, and other water bodies. But a new tool to help mitigate phosphorus run-off risk will […] Read more
Nitrate buildup a threat after a light frost
When this happens you need to either harvest quickly or wait for nitrate levels to subside
Reading Time: 2 minutes Nitrate accumulation can become a problem when crops experience light frosts of -1 C to -2 C for even only a few hours during the night. These conditions damage the leaves of the plants, but not the roots. Over the next three to four days, the roots continue to send nutrients up the plant, and […] Read more
Green manure crops can put more green in your pockets
If organic producers can look past having a year out of crop production, green manure plow-down crops can pay off
Reading Time: 3 minutes For organic grain producers, your best investment is the crop you never harvest. “I can never stress green manure plow-down enough. It is your most valuable crop,” said Steven Snider, who runs an organic grain operation near Edberg. “Part of your farm should be soil building with a green manure plow-down. Don’t cheat yourself on […] Read more
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