Manitoba Archives - Newsline by Cole's Ag

NewsLine by Cole's Ag on September 17, 2024, 9:03am

Manitoba Crop Alliance commits over $2.6 million to Global Agriculture Technology Exchange

Sept. 17, 2024 (Carman, MB) – Manitoba Crop Alliance (MCA) has conditionally approved $2,655,587 in funding for Cereals Canada’s Global Agriculture Technology Exchange (Gate) initiative.

With this contribution, MCA joins Alberta Grains ($4,319,798) and the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission ($6,243,074) among grower organizations that have committed funding towards construction of the new facility, which is expected to cost approximately $100 million.

“Market development and access is a top priority for MCA and one of the core principles that guide our work,” says MCA chair Robert Misko. “This support for Gate will help Cereals Canada continue their valuable work in this area, which benefits Manitoba farmers and the entire cereals value chain.”

MCA’s investment is based on the business plan provided by Cereals Canada, which highlights the need for a new facility to help the cereals industry grow and thrive. This funding is conditional upon Cereals Canada securing the required financial support from government entities and other funding partners to cover the remaining projected costs.

MCA is a proud member of Cereals Canada and sees significant value in the market development and access initiatives the organization spearheads on behalf of its membership.

“As a Cereals Canada member, we are part of a united effort to drive the growth, maintenance and development of the Canadian cereals market, both domestically and internationally,” Misko says.

“Because Cereals Canada is based in Winnipeg, we frequently collaborate on programming that facilitates direct engagement between Cereals Canada and our directors, delegates, staff and members, including technical exchanges and other farm tours.”

Over the last 50 years, Cereals Canada (and its predecessor, the Canadian International Grains Institute) has worked to advance the cereals value chain and built a reputation for training, testing and innovation within the industry. Cereals Canada needs a new facility to maintain this momentum and continue meeting global demand for high-quality Canadian grains.

MCA looks forward to working with Cereals Canada and other industry partners to ensure that Cereals Canada can continue its crucial work on behalf of Canadian farmers.

Read our FAQ here. For more information about Gate, visit gate-canada.ca.

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For more information, please contact:

Cole Christensen
Communications Manager
403-589-3529
cole@mbcropalliance.ca

About Manitoba Crop Alliance:
Manitoba Crop Alliance is a non-profit organization established Aug. 1, 2020, representing more than 7,700 farmer members. Manitoba Crop Alliance puts their farmer members first and strives to continuously improve the competitiveness and profitability of all crops represented by the organization by focusing on four main areas: research, agronomy, market access and development, and communications. It is through investment in these key areas that Manitoba Crop Alliance can ensure wheat, barley, corn, sunflower and flax are sustainable production choices for Manitoba farmers. For more information, visit mbcropalliance.ca.

NewsLine by Cole's Ag on July 2, 2024, 8:00am

Manitoba Crop Alliance opens nominations for delegate positions on crop committees

July 2, 2024 (Carman, MB) – Manitoba Crop Alliance (MCA) is now accepting nominations from farmer members to serve as delegates on its four crop committees.

“Our unique governance structure ensures a strong voice for each crop type we represent,” says MCA CEO Pam de Rocquigny. “It also provides plenty of opportunities for a whole-farm, cross-commodity approach to decision-making, which is important because the majority of our farmer members grow several different crops.”

MCA delegates work towards strengthening the mandate of research, agronomy, market development and access, and communication and advocacy initiatives within each of the four crop committees: corn, flax, sunflower, and wheat and barley. They also receive personal growth opportunities, such as the chance to network with fellow farmers, researchers and industry stakeholders, while gaining a deeper understanding of all the crop industries MCA represents.

This nomination period, there are four open positions on each of the corn, flax and sunflower committees, as well as five open positions on the wheat and barley committee.

“We take great pride in the collaborative, farmer-driven nature of our organization,” says de Rocquigny.

“By becoming a delegate, farmer members get to help determine how their check-off dollars are invested. I encourage farmer members who are interested in guiding the direction of our industry to get involved and add their unique knowledge and perspectives to our committees.”

The nomination period will close at 4:30 p.m. CDT on Oct. 1, 2024. For more information on the nomination or election process – including eligibility requirements, responsibilities of a delegate, time requirements and how to submit a nomination form – visit our website or contact us by email at hello@mbcropalliance.ca or phone at 204-745-6661.

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For more information, please contact:

Pam de Rocquigny
Chief Executive Officer
204-745-6661
pam@mbcropalliance.ca

^{About Manitoba Crop Alliance:}
^{Manitoba Crop Alliance is a non-profit organization established Aug. 1, 2020, representing more than 7,700 farmer members. Manitoba Crop Alliance puts their farmer members first and strives to continuously improve the competitiveness and profitability of all crops represented by the organization by focusing on four main areas: research, agronomy, market access and development, and communications. It is through investment in these key areas that Manitoba Crop Alliance can ensure wheat, barley, corn, sunflower and flax are sustainable production choices for Manitoba farmers. For more information, visit mbcropalliance.ca.}

NewsLine by Cole's Ag on May 15, 2024, 10:01am

New Fusarium head blight mapping tool now available to farmers across the Prairies

May 15, 2024 – New Prairie-wide Fusarium head blight (FHB) risk maps are now available to producers in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. The tool provides assessment of Fusarium head blight index (FHBi), Fusarium-damaged kernels (FDK), and Deoxynivalenol (DON) risk levels in spring wheat, winter wheat, barley and durum based on weather conditions.

These risk maps were created as part of a three-year research project led by the University of Manitoba’s Dr. Paul Bullock, with collaborators from Alberta Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation, Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Crop Alliance (MCA), Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission (Sask Wheat), Saskatchewan Barley Development Commission (SaskBarley) and Alberta Grains.

“The Faculty is very pleased to release this important risk management tool for the agriculture industry,” says Dr. Martin Scanlon, dean of the faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences at the University of Manitoba.

“The project is a great example of multi-institutional collaboration, where the combined skills and talents of both federal and provincial agricultural personnel, plus university collaborators, has facilitated research outcomes that could not have been achieved otherwise.”

The weather-based risk is calculated using real-time weather data from more than 500 stations operated by Environment and Climate Change Canada, the Manitoba AgWeather Program, Saskatchewan Public Safety, Alberta Climate Information System and Metos Canada. The risk algorithms are “homegrown” based on research data collected from 600 plot sites across 15 locations in Western Canada each year from 2019 through 2021 and tested in more than 300 producer fields on the Prairies during the same period. Previous FHB risk maps from each provincial agriculture ministry utilized imported FHB risk algorithms with limited accuracy testing and could not assess risk in barley or durum, nor for either FDK or DON. The risk mapping tool is publicly available and accessible using a smartphone, tablet or desktop computer.

The risk for disease severity varies considerably by location and year because of variable weather during the lead-up period prior to flowering. The tool has both financial and environmental benefits, since the need to apply fungicide for disease control at a given location also varies from one extreme to the other.

“We are proud to help provide Manitoba wheat and barley farmers with a powerful tool to combat FHB in their fields,” says MCA CEO Pam de Rocquigny. “These new risk maps are an excellent example of MCA’s vision in action – an investment that will make our farmer members more productive and sustainable.”

The project was funded through the Integrated Crop Agronomy Cluster with funding from the Canadian Agriculture Partnership, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Western Grains Research Foundation, MCA, Sask Wheat, Alberta Grains, Brewing and Malting Barley Research Institute and Prairie Oat Growers Association. The FHB risk mapping tool is available at prairiefhb.ca.

For more information on using and interpreting the maps check out our new joint extension document, here.

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For more information, please contact:

Cole Christensen
Communications Manager
Manitoba Crop Alliance
403-589-3529
cole@mbcropalliance.ca

Dr. Paul Bullock
Senior Scholar, Department of Soil Science
University of Manitoba
Paul.Bullock@umanitoba.ca

NewsLine by Cole's Ag on March 13, 2024, 8:00am

Study reveals Manitoba Crop Alliance crop types are major drivers of Manitoba economy

March 13, 2024 (Carman, MB) – Today, Manitoba Crop Alliance (MCA) released data highlighting the significant contributions of its crop types to the Manitoba economy.

MCA contracted information services company GlobalData to conduct a study assessing the impact of Manitoba-grown wheat (excluding durum), barley, grain corn, sunflower and flax on the province’s economy.

Together, these five crop types account for a large part of Manitoba’s agriculture industry. Several of these crops are also the foundations for important food industries, both within the province and beyond.

GlobalData found that the total economic impact of MCA’s five crop types averaged roughly $6.9 billion over the past three years, including more than 28,000 Manitoba jobs and $2.5 billion in wages.

“This study shows the major role our crop types play in the economic well-being of the province and the country,” says MCA chair Robert Misko, who farms east of Roblin, MB.

“As farmers, we have long known our position in the system and how we contribute to the province’s success, but it is heartening to see those contributions laid out in a measurable way that anyone can understand.”

For a full breakdown of the study, including summary data and in-depth reports for each crop type, visit mbcropalliance.ca/economic-impact.

This economic assessment was modelled after work done last year by Cereals Canada on wheat, barley, durum and oats. Visit cerealscanada.ca/economic-impact for more information.

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For more information, please contact:

Cole Christensen
Communications Manager
403-589-3529
cole@mbcropalliance.ca

NewsLine by Cole's Ag on March 4, 2024, 9:20am

Manitoba Crop Alliance launches 2024 APP Cash Advance Program

March 4, 2024 (Carman, MB) – Manitoba Crop Alliance (MCA) is now accepting applications for 2024 Advance Payments Program (APP) cash advances, with funds to be issued starting April 2, 2024.

The APP is a federal loan program administered by MCA. It offers Canadian farmers marketing flexibility through interest-free and low-interest cash advances. Under the program, eligible farmers are eligible to receive up to $1,000,000, with the Government of Canada paying the interest on the first $100,000 of the advance for the 2024 program year.

Funds for the 2024 spring cash advance program will start being issued on April 2, 2024. For the 2024 program year, MCA’s interest rate on interest-bearing cash advances is prime – 0.50 per cent. This interest-bearing rate is the most competitive in Manitoba among other APP administrators, major banks and credit unions.

“The APP is a great tool that allows farmers to market their agricultural products when they want to and when it will provide the most benefit to their operation,” says MCA CEO Pam de Rocquigny. “After more than 40 years as an APP administrator, we’re proud to continue offering this valuable program to farmers across Manitoba.”

To apply for an advance under the 2024 program year, farmers can visit mbcropalliance.ca/advance-payments-program-cash-advance/ or phone the MCA office at 1-204-745-6661 or toll-free 1-877-598-5685 to request an application form.

MCA also continues to process applications for the 2023 program year on over 35 crop kinds and honey until March 15.

“Client satisfaction is our top priority with this program,” says de Rocquigny. “If our clients aren’t happy with their MCA cash advance experience, we haven’t done our job.”

If farmers would like to be notified regarding APP-specific information, please email hello@mbcropalliance.ca to be added to the subscriber list. More information about the APP can be found at mbcropalliance.ca.

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For more information, please contact:

Darcelle Graham
Chief Operating Officer
204-745-6661
darcelle@mbcropalliance.ca

About Manitoba Crop Alliance:
Manitoba Crop Alliance is a non-profit organization established Aug. 1, 2020, representing more than 7,700 farmer members. Manitoba Crop Alliance puts their farmer members first and strives to continuously improve the competitiveness and profitability of all crops represented by the organization by focusing on four main areas: research, agronomy, market access and development, and communications. It is through investment in these key areas that Manitoba Crop Alliance can ensure wheat, barley, corn, sunflower and flax are sustainable production choices for Manitoba farmers. For more information, visit mbcropalliance.ca.