Government and Politics in Ontario Agriculture: The Boiler Room (79)

KAP Celebrates 42nd Annual General Meeting and Sets Strong Policy Direction

Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) held its 42nd annual meeting on February 3, 2026, at the Delta Hotels Winnipeg bringing together farmers, industry partners, stakeholders, elected officials, and government representatives to review a year of significant advocacy achievements and to set priorities for the year ahead. “Our AGM provides an opportunity each year to gather members from across the province, and I want to thank them for attending the 2026 AGM this week to connect with each other, engage on critical issues facing for our sector, and set priorities for our ongoing work and future direction,” said Jill Verwey, KAP President. Panels and policy workshops during the AGM focused on Manitoba’s drainage network, right to repair, interoperability and digital agriculture led by Tyler McCann, Managing Director of the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute.   “KAP’s work is driven by the priorities and perspectives of Manitoba farmers, said Colin Hornby, KAP General Manager. “This pa

Horticulture School

The Horticulture School is presented by Manitoba Agriculture, Agriculture Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) - Portage and Assiniboine College - Brandon.  The school provides horticulture producers with learning opportunities to improve yield and quality of their crops.  If you are a market gardener, vegetable &/or fruit producer, or have an interest in horticulture production please join us at the school. The following are the focus areas of the school: Pathology - Conventional and non-conventional disease management. Fruit - Production information and updates Vegetable - Production information and updates, sweet potato production, storage issues Entomology - Early season pests - cutworms, flea beetles, diamondback moth, grasshoppers Soils - Soil fertility planning Weeds - Recognizing drift, systemic vs contact herbicides, post harvest weed control Certified Crop Advisor credits are available for participants. Upcoming Horticulture Webinar Series: Tuesday, February 24, 2026 | 10:00 a.m. Dr. Vi

Portage la Prairie research farm to close following AAFC cuts

An Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) research farm in Portage la Prairie will be closing as part of federal government funding cuts. Earlier this month, the department announced that seven research facilities across multiple provinces will be closing as the federal government moves to reduce the size of the public service. “We knew that the government was going to be making reductions, it was just a question of where,” said Colin Hornby, general manager of Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP), which represents thousands of farmers in the province. “Firstly, the details are not all clear yet, we’re still figuring out how these things are going to happen… but more generally speaking, a reduction in research capacity is always something that concerns us,” he said. Hornby said the federal facility was also used by universities and other researchers to conduct a range of studies, including work on horticulture, grain, oil and other conventional crops. “Research is the foundation

Seeking Asian market development, growth

On Alfonz Koncan’s agenda: get more Manitoba businesses into Hong Kong. Koncan is Winnipeg chapter co-president of the Hong Kong-Canada Business Association. The group recently signed a letter of co-operation with the Manitoba government. The Hong Kong Trade Development Council, a statutory body, also signed a co-operation letter with the province. “We’re not focused hard enough,” Koncan said of local trade with Hong Kong (a special administrative region of China) and Southeast Asia. “We have too much of our trade going south (to the U.S.) and it’s vulnerable.” He called Hong Kong a “pivot point” — a financial hub where players from nearby countries find trading partners. Manitoba ships commodities such as barley, canola and wheat to Southeast Asia. There’s room for growth, especially as areas become wealthier and more populous, Koncan said. He and colleagues aim to connect Manitoba firms with Hong Kong trade shows. The association has been doing so for several decades; it’s crea

Supreme Egg Products Helps Ontario Processors Secure Reliable Liquid Egg Supply with 99% Fill Rate.

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