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Winnipeg Free Press
7 days ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Ottawa, province tab $6M for 19 Manitoba food-sector firms
BRANDON — The Maple Leaf Foods plant in Brandon will seek to upgrade its equipment and increase efficiency after the Manitoba government announced $6 million in funding for processing facilities across the province. 'It is uncertain times. We need strong farms and we need good, strong food processors,' Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn said at a news conference on Wednesday. The $6 million will be split between 19 companies — including meat processing, agriculture, dairy and brewing — with more than $1 million going to Maple Leaf and $2.5 million to the McCain Foods production plant in Carberry. Tim Smith / Brandon Sun Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn speaks with Municipal and Northern Relations Minister Glen Simard (from left), director of operations for Canada Packers Inc. Rob Ackerblade and Maple Leaf Foods plant manager Jim Brown standing by in Brandon Wednesday. The federal government is covering 60 per cent of the funding, with the province putting in the rest, Kostyshyn said. 'The funding helps them buy equipment and invest in new technologies,' the NDP MLA for Dauphin said. 'We're here to help them grow and be competitive as we find new and emerging markets around the world.' Kostyshyn said the aim is to keep Manitoba connected in interprovincial trade, as tariffs from the United States and China make international trade more difficult. 'The reality is starting to set in … we need to become creative in our own opportunities of building from start to finish a finished product and marketing throughout the world and through Canada and Manitoba.' Kathleen Sullivan, Maple Leaf Foods vice-president of government and industry relations, said the upgrade will not only help the Brandon plant but the entire provincial economy. 'It's more product coming out that can be sold and it also means that more hogs come into the plant,' she said. 'That means we need to grow more hogs here in Manitoba. 'I think it's clear to everyone in the industry that we need to be ensuring we have maximum productivity, we are utilizing our capacity,' Sullivan said. 'We have product to sell to Canadians, but also to other countries around the world.' She said the money Maple Leaf receives will be spent on upgrading split saws, which cut pig carcasses, to improve speed, efficiency and limit waste. Rob Ackerblade, director of operations for Canada Packers Inc., which shares the Maple Leaf building in Brandon, said the plant processes about 16,000 pigs per day. He said the company is 'very thankful' for the support of both levels of government. 'The investment you're announcing today will help us modernize the facility with state-of-the-art equipment that will help us improve reliability, efficiency and production quality.' Wednesdays A weekly dispatch from the head of the Free Press newsroom. Municipal and Northern Relations Minister Glen Simard said combating foreign tariffs by helping local businesses is important. 'We need to make sure that as we create these new opportunities, we need to create more capacity,' said Simard (Brandon East). 'We need to make sure that as new markets emerge that rural Manitobans benefit and that agricultural producers benefit.' He said the 19 companies — some of which are small and family-owned — are an important part of Manitoba's ag sector. 'They support jobs in their communities, help support jobs for agricultural producers who supply them to Manitoba and the world.' The $2.5 million for McCain Foods' Carberry plant will be used to install new freezers and refrigeration equipment, increasing potato processing capacity by 12 per cent, according to a government handout. — Brandon Sun
Winnipeg Free Press
7 days ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Drought aid announced for Interlake farmers
The federal and provincial governments have launched drought support for livestock producers who are coping with parched pasture land and hungry cattle. The hot, dry summer is limiting pasture growth crucial for feeding livestock. Such conditions prompted some Interlake municipalities to declare agricultural emergencies, including Armstrong, Coldwell, St. Laurent and Woodlands. In response, Manitoba Agricultural Services Corp. will provide funding through its AgriInsurance program and expedite claim payouts so producers can quickly source livestock feed, the governments said in a joint news release. The program, which protects against shortfalls and losses caused by natural events, will include a slate of 'practical changes,' Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn said in a statement Wednesday. Those include reduced yield appraisals for drought-stricken crops, deferred premium deductions for forage insurance and partial payments on forage claims, he said. 'We recognize how difficult this season has been for producers facing prolonged dry conditions and low precipitation levels,' Kostyshn said. 'These measures will help get more cash into producers' hands quickly, so they can make the best decisions for their operations during a challenging year.' Manitoba Agricultural Services Corp. will introduce a quality adjustment factor to reduce yield appraisals by 40 per cent. This will apply to cereal crops that are converted to livestock feed, including all varieties of wheat, oats, barley, fall rye, tritical and grain corn. The adjustment was last activated in 2021, leading to more than 100,000 acres of grain crops to be converted to livestock feed, the release said. Additionally, premium deductions on payments for forage insurance claims made prior to Oct. 1 will be deferred. Producers will receive partial claim payments on forage insurance and pasture days insurance claims when feasible, it said. The corporation will also allow lending clients to defer loan payments, and will provide guidance on ways to finance feed purchases, the release said. 'Our livestock producers play a critical role in our food supply and our economy. We need to do everything we can to support them, especially in the face of these dry conditions,' federal Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Heath MacDonald said in a statement. More than 90 per cent of Manitoba's annual crop acres, and more than 7,400 farms, are enrolled in the AgriInsurance program. Support for the program comes from a joint agreement between the provincial and federal governments. Tyler SearleReporter Tyler Searle is a multimedia producer who writes for the Free Press's city desk. A graduate of Red River College Polytechnic's creative communications program, he wrote for the Stonewall Teulon Tribune, Selkirk Record and Express Weekly News before joining the paper in 2022. Read more about Tyler. Every piece of reporting Tyler produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Global News
7 days ago
- Business
- Global News
Manitoba, federal ag ministers announce funding for local food processors
Nineteen food processors in Manitoba will share in more than $6 million in provincial and federal funding, Manitoba's agriculture minister announced Wednesday. Ron Kostyshyn, in a statement alongside federal agriculture and agri-food minister Heath MacDonald, said the money — via the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership — will go toward expanding facilities, and upgrading equipment and technology. Story continues below advertisement 'These investments support our economy, strengthen our communities and ensure sustainable food security for generations,' said Kostyshyn. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'By enhancing our local food infrastructure, we help to create jobs, reduce our carbon footprint and foster a resilient food system that benefits everyone.' Among projects receiving funding are Brandon's Maple Leaf facility, along with Jowett Farms (Blumenort), River Valley Specialty Farms (Bagot), Prairie Flour Mills (Elie), Buffalo Creek Mills (Altona), and Prairie Fava (Glenboro). 'When we invest in food processors, we're helping them grow, stay competitive and ensure they can keep putting their high-quality food on tables here in Canada and around the world,' said MacDonald.
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
States of emergency, agricultural disaster declared in parts of drought-stricken Manitoba
The extremely dry conditions in Manitoba, which have led to multiple wildfires in the north, are now pushing other areas toward an agricultural calamity. The rural municipality of St. Laurent has declared a state of emergency, while the RM of Coldwell has declared a state of agricultural disaster. "In the RM of Coldwell, there's a huge cattle industry, and right now … I would say that on average, the hay's maybe 25 per cent of what they got last year, which is not very good," said Reeve Virgil Johnson. "Everybody's hoping for rain, but we didn't get any — nothing that's really measurable." Many farmers use irrigation systems, relying heavily on dugouts with stored water, "but the dugouts are drying up," Johnson said. The situation is the same in St. Laurent, which is just south of Coldwell. They're both on the west side of Manitoba's Interlake region, up against Lake Manitoba. "We have had many farmers contact us. Their hay is dry and they need help," said St. Laurent Reeve Richard Chartrand. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada said as of June 30, the Interlake is in a severe drought situation. Johnson was in touch with Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn a couple of weeks ago, but since then, "it's gotten worse." That prompted a meeting among administrators in the region and an agreement to publicly declare the urgent situations. "We're hoping with everybody doing that, it goes back to the government, and hopefully they can put out some programs for us and help the producers here in a meaningful way, whether that's with feed or freight," Johnson said. "Once they see how many people are actually in trouble in the farming industry in the area — up and down No. 6 highway, it's pretty dry, and surrounding areas as well — hopefully … it does put pressure on them." In a written statement to Radio-Canada and CBC, a spokesperson for Manitoba Agriculture said the province is in discussions with several farmers and municipal officials in the Interlake region. "While we are closely monitoring the situation, we will continue to work with producers to help them address business challenges, including through existing business risk management programs. We remain committed to supporting farms in the Interlake region and across Manitoba," the statement said. Loni Jack, co-owner of Clegr Farms in Lake Francis, just south of the RM of St. Laurent, estimates she'll get barely a third of the canola she had planned to harvest. The same goes for wheat. "We were able to plant our fields, but it hasn't rained, so the crops aren't growing well at all," she said. "It's positive to have planted them, but if they don't grow, we won't make any money." To people passing by the farms while driving along the highway, some crops might look good, but they're not, Johnson said. "The heads just aren't filling out that well," he said, referring to the seed-bearing part of a crop, where the grains develop. Without anything for cattle herds to eat, producers must transport their animals from pasture to pasture, "and it's a big chore," Johnson said.
CBC
18-07-2025
- Climate
- CBC
States of emergency, agricultural disaster declared in parts of drought-stricken Manitoba
Social Sharing The extremely dry conditions in Manitoba, which have led to multiple wildfires in the north, are now pushing other areas toward an agricultural calamity. The rural municipality of St. Laurent has declared a state of emergency, while the RM of Coldwell has declared a state of agricultural disaster. "In the RM of Coldwell, there's a huge cattle industry, and right now … I would say that on average, the hay's maybe 25 per cent of what they got last year, which is not very good," said Reeve Virgil Johnson. "Everybody's hoping for rain, but we didn't get any — nothing that's really measurable." Many farmers use irrigation systems, relying heavily on dugouts with stored water, "but the dugouts are drying up," Johnson said. The situation is the same in St. Laurent, which is just south of Coldwell. They're both on the west side of Manitoba's Interlake region, up against Lake Manitoba. "We have had many farmers contact us. Their hay is dry and they need help," said St. Laurent Reeve Richard Chartrand. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada said as of June 30, the Interlake is in a severe drought situation. Johnson was in touch with Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn a couple of weeks ago, but since then, "it's gotten worse." That prompted a meeting among administrators in the region and an agreement to publicly declare the urgent situations. "We're hoping with everybody doing that, it goes back to the government, and hopefully they can put out some programs for us and help the producers here in a meaningful way, whether that's with feed or freight," Johnson said. "Once they see how many people are actually in trouble in the farming industry in the area — up and down No. 6 highway, it's pretty dry, and surrounding areas as well — hopefully … it does put pressure on them." In a written statement to Radio-Canada and CBC, a spokesperson for Manitoba Agriculture said the province is in discussions with several farmers and municipal officials in the Interlake region. "While we are closely monitoring the situation, we will continue to work with producers to help them address business challenges, including through existing business risk management programs. We remain committed to supporting farms in the Interlake region and across Manitoba," the statement said. Loni Jack, co-owner of Clegr Farms in Lake Francis, just south of the RM of St. Laurent, estimates she'll get barely a third of the canola she had planned to harvest. The same goes for wheat. "We were able to plant our fields, but it hasn't rained, so the crops aren't growing well at all," she said. "It's positive to have planted them, but if they don't grow, we won't make any money." To people passing by the farms while driving along the highway, some crops might look good, but they're not, Johnson said. "The heads just aren't filling out that well," he said, referring to the seed-bearing part of a crop, where the grains develop. Without anything for cattle herds to eat, producers must transport their animals from pasture to pasture, "and it's a big chore," Johnson said.
