MFGA eBulletin - July 2024 | |
Photo Credit: Nerbas Angus Bros. | |
From the Desk of the Executive Director | |
Let’s talk about grasslands.
A recent Agriculture Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) project summary around grasslands and ensuring sustainability stated that approximately 75 per cent of Canada’s grasslands have been lost over time.
From MFGA’s viewpoint, natural grasslands are incredibly important ecosystems. These are the lands that are often right out of our farmer or ranchers back door or a few fields over that can graze and feed our livestock, cradle our calves, gallop our horses, store our carbon, slow our flood waters, clean our air, hatch our birds, bolster our biodiversity, multiply our species at risk, flourish our flora and fauna, host our wetlands, embrace our traditional medicines, respect our cultures, educate and train our students, showcase our farm families and connect us terrestrially via grasslands as a shared continental resource among the three North American countries.
Outside of the land/lease asset valuation of the farm or community or the financial books of the livestock farms and herds, or grassland conservation easements, not one of these incredibly important grassland features has a market value or an easily qualified price tag.
As a farmer-led group, MFGA fully understands that grasslands face well-documented ongoing rural and urban pressures. That’s not to say that this understanding is any kind of endorsement or stand-down on the continued loss of grasslands. Grassland is in our organization’s name and a huge focus of MFGA for economic and environmental provisions on both natural and seeded grassland systems.
Grasslands, obviously and for all of us, need all hands-on deck.
One potential avenue though is raising awareness. Specific case in point, a recent Canadian Wildlife Federation survey advised that most Canadians assume grasslands are at some risk, but only one in four identify them as especially at risk.
In fact, in the context of listing ecosystems or habitats that are especially at risk, at some risk, at little risk, or at no or virtually no risk, Grasslands placed SIXTH behind Arctic/Polar Ice Caps, Tropical Rainforests, Coral Reefs, Northern Forests, and Wetlands. Grasslands did land ahead of Deserts. The survey results have led CWF to organize and lead a collaboration of orgs and groups, including MFGA, to brainstorm how we can collectively lift grasslands into our nation’s consciousness.
In the meantime, as we pursue greater grassland awareness and with that a hoped-for accelerant for plans that MFGA finally hopes will emphasize the potential of on-farm incentives and a dedicated focus on all grassland inclusive or restoration willing farms, the core scenario remains.
That is that individual farms and farmers- some generously bolstered by conservation funding and targeted government programs- are pretty much holding the fort here on a good portion of Canada’s valuable existing grassland acres on our working agricultural landscapes.
Over to you, Canada… Grasslands, indeed, are important for all of us.
We all need to be aware of that.
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Muchos Grasses ALL,
Duncan Morrison, MFGA Executive Director
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Clayton Breault outlines the plant diversity on the family fields. | |
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Breault Ranching Showcases Plant Diversity and Regen Ag Practices
About 40-50 Manitoba and Saskatchewan producers, watershed and ag group staff, Manitoba Ag extension and seed company reps were on hand as Clayton Breault showcased some of the regenerative farming practices underway at the family’s Breault Ranching fields near Touts Aides, Manitoba.
Hosted by Westlake Watershed at the Community Hall in Ste Rose Du Lac, Breault’s presentation and drive-to field tour followed an informative introductory session around the six core regen ag principles by Understanding Ag’s Blain Hjertaas and Michael Thiele. While touching on all the core principles, Breault especially emphasized the role and importance of plant diversity on fields toward soil health and herd health as well as significant profitability the family ranch realized through savings via their feed and grazing practices.
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Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame names four inductees for 2024
July 16, 2024 by RealAgriculture News Team
Four names will be added to the Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame this week, as the hall of fame inducts Hugh Drake, Dr. Don Flaten, Dr. Allan Preston, and Fred Tait for their contributions and accomplishments to Manitoba’s agriculture industry.
The induction ceremony will take place at Red River Exhibition Park in Winnipeg on July 17, 2024. The Manitoba Agriculture Hall of Fame formally and publicly recognizes inspiring individuals who, during their residence in Manitoba, have made an outstanding contribution to the improvement of agriculture and the betterment of rural living in the province.
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July Hay Situation & Price Update
The winter's lack of snow cover and potential dry to drought conditions in 2024 have been resolved, with recent rains reducing drought conditions to dry areas and allowing adequate soil moisture for the rest of Manitoba. Read on..
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How Rain Affects Hay Quality
Hay season should be in full swing throughout Manitoba, at least according to the maturity of most of the grasses. Read More.
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Credit: Nerbas Bros. Angus | |
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Early Insights on 2024 MFGA Bird Surveys Signal Bird Abundance
Three expert bird surveyors – Tim Poole (MB Wildlife), Marissa Bedard and Meredith Stoesz (Important Bird Areas) - have concluded field visits to nine MFGA regenerative agriculture focused, soil health practicing farms as part of the 2024 MFGA Bird Survey.
The next steps will be collating the surveys into a report that includes the species and counts, the specific on-farm practices, especially the soil health practices, and the landscape scope, including grasslands and wetland features nearby. MFGA developed the survey to better understand the benefits of soil-focused regenerative agriculture practice and intact natural habitats to birds – with a target on species at risk such as Bobolink (pictured above) and Sprague’s Pipit - on nine different farm operations this year.
Early reports from the surveyors are very positive in numbers as were the experiences of the nine MFGA farmers, some of whom accompanied the surveyors. Jacques Saquet, MFGA board member and bison farmer, was one of those who sat in on the bird survey and summarized the experience as follows:
“What a tremendous morning to carry out a bird survey! Sunshine, no clouds, no wind except at the end of site 4, a mild wind. We had lots of mosquitoes, no wood ticks because of heavy dew on the tall grasses and the best bonus of the outing: five adult female wapiti with 3 young. Thank you Marissa for re-igniting my fervor with birding. “
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Prairie drought conditions improve in June: AAFC
The Canadian Prairies experienced improved drought conditions in June due to above-normal precipitation and cooler temperatures, as per the latest drought monitor report from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Read more.
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PWCP Summer Speaker Series
The Prairie Watersheds Climate Program is conducting three one-hour summer webinars to raise awareness about Beneficial Management Practices (BMPs) in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and beyond.
Webinar 1 - Cover Crop Strategies for Prairie Conditions - July 25, 2024, PRESENTER: Dr. Yvonne Lawley, University of Manitoba
Webinar 2 - Reducing Nitrogen Input - August 8, 2024
Webinar 3 - Rotational Grazing - August 29, 2024
For more details: 2024 PWCP Speaker Series — Manitoba Association of Watersheds
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The Manitoba Crop Report: Crops are thriving despite rain
Manitoba experienced fluctuating precipitation despite excess moisture in most areas, as crops continued to develop. Read more.
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CAPI's Inaugural Agri-Food Risk Report Phase 1 identifies policy, extreme weather, and trade as the top three risks to the agri-food sector.
CAPI's Agri-Food Risk Report, supported by the Global Institute for Food Security, surveyed 550 Canadian stakeholders to identify strategic risks and facilitate dialogue on opportunities and future direction in the agri-food sector. Read on..
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Summer is "FORE" Ag Group Golf Tourneys
Dairy Farmers of Manitoba (DFM) and Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) are hosting golf tournaments in the coming weeks. Visit their websites for more info:
KAP Classic 16th Annual Golf Tournament - July 31, 2024 – Larters at St. Andrews, MB
Dairy Farmers of Manitoba Golf Tournament - August 7, 2024 – Quarry Oaks, Ste. Anne, MB
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Industry Events
Young Agrarians Farm Tour - July 28, 2024 - St. Norbert, MB - Young Agrarians KAP Classic 16th Annual Golf Tournament - July 31, 2024 - St. Andrews, MB
Location: Larters Golf Course, more details at KAP
Woodworth Grazing Club Tour - August 6, 2024
Contact Cameron Hodgins for more information
Assiniboine West Watershed District Regen Ag Workshop - August 7, 2024 - Miniota, MB
Free Regen Ag Workshop - To RSVP: stephaniem@myawwd.ca
Dairy Farmers of Manitoba’s (DFM) golf tournament - August 7, 2024 - Quarry Oaks, Ste. Anne, MB
DFM (dairyfarmersmb.ca)
21st Annual Sask Pasture Tour - August 7, 2024 - Estevan, SK
For more details: saskforage.ca
CCA Semi-Annual Meeting/Canadian Beef Industry Conference – August 19-22, 2024 – Saskatoon, Sk
To register: CBIC 2024
MFGA GRAZING DAY 2024: September 19, 2024 - Shellmouth, MB
Details: mfga.net
34th Annual Organics Recycling Conference: October 2-4, 2024, Niagara Falls, Ontario: Details here.
Agriculture Enlightened 2024 - Nov 7, 2024, in Winnipeg, MB
Details here: Agriculture Enlightened Conference
MFGA 2024 Regenerative Agriculture Conference - Early Bird Registration Open!!!! NOV 12-13, 2024 - Sign up now for early bird savings and block your hotel rooms.
Manitoba Farm Women’s Conference - Nov 18, 2024 - Winnipeg, MB
Details here: mfwc
2024 Western Canada Conference on Soil Health and Grazing - Dec 10-12, 2024, Edmonton, Alberta
Registration Open: www.absoilgrazing.com/ for dates and details.
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Thank you to our 2024/25 Annual Supporters!
It's never too late to join these 2024/25 leaders who are some of the best of the best in the agriculture and conservation communities - sign up here!
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