FEATURES


where value-added and related industries come in. Tere are local processing plants, grain elevators, trucking companies, farm supply businesses, implement dealers – to name a few. In Winnipeg, James Richardson and Sons,


and Richardson International, are head- quartered here, where they coordinate the handling and selling of grains and oilseeds. They also run multiple food-processing operations. And all of this adds up to jobs in the capital area. Patterson Global Foods is another agri-


business that owns companies in grain trad- ing, shipping and food processing. It, too, is headquartered in Winnipeg, as is Cargill Canada. Again, jobs are created for those in the capital region. Winnipeg has always been the grain capi-


tal of Canada, with three grain exchanges since 1892. It’s because of them that Win-


2017


harvest yields are up and still counting


Agriculture is alive in Manitoba’s Capital Region M


Keystone Agricultural Producers


anitoba’s capital region is a vibrant mix of crops and livestock. But they don’t stay on the farm – and that’s


Photo courtesy of the Keystone Agricultural Producers.


nipeg’s Exchange districts developed – first the west and then the east. Accompanying the grain trade were opulent banks to attract wealthy grain traders and other businesses related to farming, leaving us with a row of historic bank buildings along Main Street called Bankers' Row. When the third grain exchange opened on


Lombard, the street contained nothing more than shacks. Within a few years, many other businesses followed suit – including lavish


Chuck Fossay T


he fall harvest determines if all the chal- lenging work that farmers have been do- ing since the spring will result in making


or losing money on their farm. Te 2017 harvest is quickly coming to an end


but there is still lots of crops out in the field waiting to be combined and put in the grain bin before local farmers can say they are done for another year. Fall rains have slowed the harvest and farmers will be busy for another month harvesting crops, cultivating fields and applying fertilizer for next year's spring seeding. Te dry conditions in August and early Sep-


tember allowed farmers to harvest their wheat, oats, barley, and canola in good condition. Most farmers were pleasantly surprised - that


office buildings and the impressive Great West Life Company. Tey shaped the area we know today. A stone’s through from Lombard is the Ca-


nadian Grain Commission, which regulates grain handling in Canada, including estab- lishing quality standards, certifying exports of grain, and evaluating new grain varieties. Numerous people from the capital region are employed here in research, administra- tion, quality control, sampling – and a host


of other positions. The Canadian Internat ional Grains


Institute is also in this area, promoting agriculture through research, product development, and education. It employs specialists in a wide range of disciplines, and they help market Canadian crops. Tey also find innovative ways to use them – in milling, baking, feed for animals, pasta, noodles, and biofuels. People come to Winnipeg from all over the


world to learn how to use Canadian crops in the dishes specific to their countries. Te Canadian Malting Barley Technical


Centre is also located here, and master brew- ers from around the world come to learn how to best use Canadian barley to make beer. Agriculture starts on the farm, creating


commerce in local communities. It also moves into the city in the form of agribusi- ness, technology, research, manufacturing, consulting – and so much more. Agricul- ture in Manitoba, directly and indirectly, contributes $10 billion to our provincial economy and creates 62,000 jobs – many of them in Manitoba’s capital region.


Hopefully, the fall rains will stop soon and


despite the dry weather all summer - with crop yields that were well above average. Many farmers have told me that their crop yields were 25 to 40 percent their long-term average. Unfortunately, crop yields have been very good in several other countries and grain prices have declined from their summer highs by 10 to 25 percent.


TRUE TO OUR NATURE


sagecreek.ca ridgewoodwest.com oakbluffwest.com 8 Regional Times


Description: Qualico Communities “True to Our Nature” Publication: PMCR Newsletter Artwork Delivery Date: September, 2017 Publication Date: 2017 Size: 9.875” wide x 7.875” deep


www.manitobacapitalregion.ca


allow fields to dry up and farmers to get back to harvesting late fall crops like soybeans, corn, and sunflowers that are still out in the field. Soybean fields that have been harvested so far are yielding below average to average - 30 to 36 bushels/acre - compared to the high yields that we have experienced the last two years. Corn and sunflower yields are yet to be determined but are expected to be around the provincial long-term averages. All in all, despite the lower grain prices the


average to above average yields of most crops should provide local farmers with decent in- comes this year. Chuck Fossay farms with 3 brothers in the


Starbuck area and is a director on both the Keystone Agricultural Producers and Manitoba Canola Growers Association board of directors.


Qualico Communities’ commitment to sustainability is core to our culture and embedded in our communities. It’s part of who we are.


WE DEMONSTRATE THIS COMMITMENT EACH DAY BY:


Creating natural environments where people, plants and wildlife coexist;


Working collaboratively with residents, special interest groups and experts to build-in and preserve what’s important to each community;


Building on our longstanding legacy of supporting local initiatives, organizations and charities.


taylorfarm.com


pfsouthlandsvillage.com


qualicocommunitieswinnipeg.com Fall 2017


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