On the Road to Bethlehem

Ag ministers wrap up FPT meetings in Winnipeg

Announced programs let farmers know the government has their backs, the federal minister said

Fall Frost in Soybeans – Assessing the Risk

It is not unusual in southern Manitoba, as we move from summer to fall, for the first significant dip in overnight temperatures to occur in late August to early September. Sometimes it is of no consequence to our soybean crop. The overnight lows forecast for the next few days suggest that we need to be on our toes this time around. Here are some points to consider: Severity of Frost Every frost event in every field happens within its own unique microclimate and the amount of damage to the soybean crop depends on the interaction of several factors. It is not simply a matter of how cold it ultimately got overnight unless temperatures drop dramatically. This is not usually the case with the first frost event of the fall. Further, temperatures reported at weather stations are usually done at around chest height. At this time of year, the air temperature at ground level versus four or more feet above ground level can be very different in either a way that helps or hurts us. Ultimately y

Pulse & Soybean Crop Update

Soybeans range from R6 (full seed) to late R7 (mid-maturity) with most crops at R6.5 to R7. Very early varieties, most often being grown for seed production have achieved R8 (95% brown pod) and are drying down with a few fields of such material already harvested. Soybean Maturity Guide ? Last week saw temperatures across the province approach or go below 0oC on multiple occasions. While widespread frost damage to soybeans did not occur, there were areas where extensive plant freezing did occur. With most crops in later R6 to R7 growth stages, overall yield and quality losses are expected to be small but some later maturing fields in early R6 (or even very late R5) were negatively affected. Late-season stem diseases like pod and stem blight or anthracnose are being noticed at low levels in some fields. With these diseases setting in at this late stage and occurring at low severities, they are not expected to impact yield or quality. White mould has been found in more fields this year.

Inconsistent weather, tariffs loom over Manitoba’s harvest

After a few days’ break due to rain, Korey Peters is back harvesting his crops. “Two-thirds done wheat,” he told Global News Thursday, adding that amounts to roughly 25 per cent of the total harvest at Herbsigwil Farms in Randolph, Man. “You never really know until you start harvesting,” Peters said. “We thought our wheat was going to be maybe a little above average, and it just wasn’t. So once we started harvesting, we realized it wasn’t as good as we were hoping, sometimes there’s really not much you can do in the end. “It’s Mother Nature’s decision.” Mother Nature has been particularly inconsistent this year, according to Keystone Agricultural Producers Vice-President Jake Ayre. “Quite a mixed bag this season. We’ve had varying amounts of precipitation across the province,” he said. “Yields ranging from very good to excellent to poor. That’s, again, varying on moisture.” Earlier this year, the RM of West Interlake declared an agricultural emergency due to drought. The province

Flooded fields after heavy rains slow start of harvest in south-central Manitoba

On the edge of a wheat field east of Poplar Point, Man., water had pooled more than 30 centimetres deep this week, swallowing rows of crops. Producer Carl Stewart says his 2,300-hectare (5,800-acre) wheat, canola and soybean farm has been hit with more rain in the past two weeks than the rest of the summer combined. Some storms brought almost 80 millimetres of water, flooding fields and making it tough to get equipment in for harvest. Stewart's farm is about 30 kilometres east of Portage la Prairie, an area that normally gets 73 millimetres of rain in August. After being hit with 100 millimetres of rain overnight on Aug. 20-21, it's now had 115 millimetres this month — 157 per cent of the normal monthly total. That will hit his bottom line this year, said Stewart. "We're going to have to leave some acres behind, and unfortunately those acres are the ones that go to the bank, not to our creditors," he said. A section of wheat on the farm has been flattened by the rain, slowing down