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• Crop Production
• Forages Production
• Livestock Production

 

Agriculture is an integral part of the Parkland's social and economic infrastructure and contributes to our community's overall quality of life. Continued support is important because this primary sector is the economic engine that drives the communities of Roblin, Grandview, Gilbert Plains, Ethelbert and Dauphin.

 

The region follows the provincial border between the Manitoba and Saskatchewan on the west and on the east is contained by the shorelines of the Lake Dauphin.  The region covers a wide range of soils, climatic conditions and environmental challenges.  Many of the farms are smaller mixed grain and cattle operations; however there is a growing trend to larger farming operations as farmers are retiring.

 

There is a trend towards a full range of agricultural activities with 95% of the Mountainview Planning District’s rural land based being held in large parcel sizes of 160 acres or greater, with very low levels of land fragmentation.  The average size of a farm operation is approximately 1,000 acres.  The average size of farm units in the RM of Ethelbert has been consistently larger than the average farm unit in the Province of Manitoba.  Larger farm sizes are due to the large number of livestock operations.

 

In general, crop production is similar to overall changes in the Province of Manitoba.  A number of alternative crops such as buckwheat, mustard seed, canary seed, dry field peas and fababeans were widely grown in the 1970’s  but have decreased over the past couple decades due to crop diversification. 

 

About 37.5% of the Mountainview Planning District land base is agricultural crop land where the land is normally cultivated on an annual basis.  Another 1.8% is generally perennial forages such as alfalfa or clover with blends of tame grasses and 17.7% grassland with native or tame grasses and scattered stands of shrubs.

 

More than 68% of all soils in the Mountainview Planning District are classified as prime agricultural land – CLI Classes 1, 2 & 3 and 7.9% are moderately productive soils – CLI Classes 4 & 5 and only 7.5% - CLI Classes 6 & 7 are low productivity soils.

 

To learn about the current costs of production for various crops, cattle and other agricultural commodities in the Parkland visit the Manitoba Agriculture Food & Rural Initiatives website. 
              

 

Agricultural Weather

The long frost-free season makes the lowlands of Dauphins, Grandview, Gilbert Plains, Ethelbert and Hillsburg suitable for agriculture.  The later spring seeding in the Parkland means that the temperature conditions affect the crops later in the growth cycle.  Heat stress is the main concern and this usually will have more effect of vegetation or dry matter production than on grain yield.  Cereal crop production is more stable in the Parkland than in southern Manitoba because the periods of heat stress tend to be shorter and less severe.  Parkland straw production is also higher than other areas of the Canadian Prairies with an average of wheat straw producing 1.4 tonnes per acre in comparison to only 1 tonne per acre. 

 

Manitoba Ag-Weather Program is a monitoring program that provides current seasonal information and crop reporting.  The program is  updated and maintained by the Manitoba Agriculture Food and Rural Initiatives Crops Knowledge Centre and supported by Environment Canada. 

 

Crop Production

(80% of Canadian agricultural land base is in the Prairies)

Source: 2003-2004 Statistics Canada; Manitoba Agriculture, Food & Rural Initiatives

 

Canola

Canola is a major cash crop in the area with an average of 23% of the annually seeded acres.  Currently canola is grown for crushing into edible oil. Some designer canola varieties are now being grown for the specialty markets.  With the entrance of new varieties, farmers consider blackleg resistance, lodging, crop maturity, tolerance to herbicides and yield when making a production decision.

 

Canola meal is one of the most widely used protein sources in animal feeds. It has an excellent amino acid profile and it is rich in vitamins and essential minerals. It is palatable and non-toxic. A process has been patented to create a 90 per cent protein isolate that has excellent nutritional and functional characteristics for human consumption. Canola meal is also a high-quality organic fertilizer.

 

The canola industry has 60,000 farmer decision-makers and a real value-added sector that processes canola seed into canola oil and meal. With 13 processing plants in five provinces and over 2,800 people directly employed in highly skilled and professional jobs, the canola industry contributes more than $6 billion annually to the Canadian economy. Two plants are located in Manitoba.

 

Source: 2003-2004 Statistics Canada; Manitoba Agriculture, Food & Rural Initiatives

 

Wheat

Wheat is the number one annual crop grown in Manitoba and in the Parkland region.  Wheat consistently accounts for about 35-40% of annual crop production with the spring wheat class bringing the highest of which Canadian Western Red Spring (41 bu/acre) being the most popular. 

 

There are six main classes of wheat grown in Manitoba;

• Canadian Western Red Spring                       4.       Canada Western Extra Strong
• Canadian Prairie Spring (Red)                       5.       Canadian Western Hard White
• Canadian Prairie Spring (White)                     6.       Canadian Western Durum

Winter Wheat may be grown if there is an early harvest as it needs to be seeded into previous crop stubble to ensure successful over wintering.  Total wheat acres reported have decreased over the years with the elimination of the Western Grain Transportation subsidies but would increase with value-added processing opportunities.

 

Hard Red Wheat is marketed through the Canadian Wheat Board whereas feed wheat can be priced on an open market and be sold through feed wheat markets such as feed mills, ethanol plants and livestock producers.  The average price trend line from 1984-2003 indicates that average wheat prices have remained constant over this period. 

 

 

Barley

This region, like other areas in Canada, grows barley for the pork feed industry as grain or silage. Six row barley varieties are generally grown, however malting varieties are also grown for Dominion Malting for further processing by the breweries. Barley is a shorter season crop that is gaining popularity with livestock producers as a silage crop as it does well in the area’s soils and climate.  The chart below indicates that in the period 1984-2003, the average market price of barley in Manitoba has increased slightly. 

 

Source: 2003-2004 Statistics Canada; Manitoba Agriculture, Food & Rural Initiatives

 

Oats

Oats has been grown in Manitoba for forage or feed and for milling oats for the human consumption as rolled, quick-cooking, instant oatmeal, steel-cut, oat flour, oat bran and oatmeal.  Typically, milling quality (tan) oats attract a premium price relative to lower-quality feed oats, and at times, a premium over the price of high quality (performance) feed oats for the race horse industry.

 

A key factor in determining the quality of oats is the test weight. Millers prefer oats that weigh 38 to 39 pounds per bushel (48.6 kg/hl to 49.9 kg/hl) or more, and may be willing to pay premiums for heavier test weights or, conversely, accept oats weighing slightly less at a price discount.

 

Source: 2003-2004 Statistics Canada; Manitoba Agriculture, Food & Rural Initiatives

 

Flaxseed

Flax is one of the oldest area crops grown for seed to the multigrain food markets and for crushing into oil for the industrial markets such as oil paints, varnishes and stains.

 

Source: 2003-2004 Statistics Canada; Manitoba Agriculture, Food & Rural Initiatives

 

Hemp Seed

Industrial hemp was licensed to be grown in Canada in 1998. The Northwest region of Manitoba has taken the lead in Canada for the production of hemp.  In 2004, there were 4,395 Industrial hemp acres in Manitoba. In 2005, more than 14,000 acres were grown.

 

Industrial hemp is a valuable crop for seed and straw fibre. The Parkland Industrial Hemp Growers Co-op of farmers intend on supplying fibre to manufacture a number of products.

 

Industrial hemp to date has been grown and harvested as a grain crop. Yields generally range from 400 to a high of 1,200 pounds per acre. Average yields have been in the 6 to 700 pound per acre range with a contract price in the area of $.50 cents a pound.  Operating costs for hemp seed per are $141.20, fixed costs are $59.04, total costs are $203.36 per acre.  The break even yield is 406 pounds per acre.  Hemp yields can vary greatly and hemp plants do not withstand flooding. 

 

Borage

Area farmers have successfully grown borage under contract as a specialty crop for several years.  The market is speculative based on comparative products entering the market and over production by non-contract production and other countries as it is mainly sold to the elite pharmaceutical sector in 'health foods' and nutritional supplements.  Borage has been known to grow in a variety of soils and climate.

 

Borage is a traditional medicinal and culinary herb native to the Mediterranean and first cultivated in Turkish Asia and Syria, and later in Spain by the Moorish Arabs. Today it has spread all over Europe as a weed, even into northern Europe. Commercially borage is called Starflower and directly competes with Evening Primrose from China.

 

Up to the year 2000, borage seed was an important seed crop in western Canada. However, borage crop area was estimated to have dropped dramatically in 2000 in response to a sharp drop in the price to $ 5.5 /kg ($2.50/lb.) in 1999 to about $2.20/kg ($1.00/lb.) spot price in 2000.   It is currently $1.50- $2.00 per pound

 

Buckwheat

Manitoba has the ability to produce the majority of buckwheat grown in Canada (65-75%).  Without a stable processing market the acreage in Manitoba has declined from 125,000 acres in 1981 to 15,000 acres in 2003 with average prices of $314.87 per tonne ($6.86 per bushel).  The provincial average yield was .3504 tonnes per acre (16.1 bushels per acre). 

Forages Production

 

Hay

Approximately 95% of the areas hay production is used by beef operations.  The remaining 5% is for dairy production, export markets and other livestock.    On average, the yield is 2.30 tons/ac at 15% moisture or 1.96 tons/ac dry matter.

 

The price of hay is dependent on supply and demand.  Market opportunities are limited with over production as the cost of transportation can be high.  Weather can affect forage quality and price determination.  A small portion of hay crop is sold out of the province mainly to the US dairy market and mostly as medium or large square bales.

 

Source: Statistics Canada – 1991, 2001 Census of Agriculture

 

Timothy Hay for Export

Farmers who grow high quality timothy hay sell into the Japanese market or harvest for seed if the quality has been reduced.  In 2003 nearly 30,000 tonnes of timothy hay was exported out of the province.  Current average yields are 2.25 Tonnes/Acre with grades ranging from Supreme, Premium, Low Premium, Standard and Utility. Prices are in the range of $120 per tonne for premium quality which is a product that is celery green in color and free of brown leaves.  The cost of production in 2004 was $184.12/acre or $81.47 per tonne based on a yield of 2.25 tonnes per acre.

 

Livestock Production

 

Whereas the Provincial Land Use Policies serve to promote the protection of prime agricultural land, The Planning Act empowers Planning Districts or Municipal Councils to formulate both broad land use policies through a Development Plan and site-specific regulations through a Zoning By-law for both non-agricultural and agricultural land uses, including livestock production operations.

 

The Dauphin & Ethelbert Community Pasture and the Duck Mountain Community pastures cover 35,000 acres in the eastern areas of the RM of Ethelbert extending from the north along the RM of Mossey River extending south into the northern RM of Dauphin.  Traditionally native pastures have been continuously grazed in large blocks.  Rotational grazing is one management practice that has been proven to increase total overall forage production.  However, BSE and tight cash flows have limited the amount of brush control and rotational grazing implemented. 

 

Eighty-two percent of native pasture is located on leased Crown Land.  Producers have sometimes been reluctant to invest money and time on improvements on leased Crown Land.  Also all parcels of Crown Land have land development codes.  With Crown Land and its multi-disciplinary uses, options for land improvement are sometimes limited depending upon its development code.

 

There are 6 grazing clubs in the Parkland.  Grazing clubs are a group of producers who work together to improve the management of their pastures.  They hold informal meetings and host pasture tours to share ideas on new forages, livestock watering systems and pasture management techniques.  The grazing clubs also secure funding for on farm projects and demonstrations. Producers adopt technology that other producers have successfully introduced into their operations.

 

 

Source: Statistics Canada – 1991, 2001 Census of Agriculture

 

 

Crown Land

A large percentage of the land base used for beef production is on crown land.  Approximately 82% of native land is Crown and 18% is privately owned.  All crown land is governed by a public access policy.  Access is not restricted to agricultural leaseholders only.  It is available for public access to be utilized for many purposes such as recreation and hunting.  All stakeholders have input into developing crown land use strategies.  All crown land is designated for either agricultural use, recreation, wildlife, or non agricultural.  Louisiana Pacific based in Minitonas, Manitoba harvests lumber for their processing plant from crown land in the Parkland region.

 

Non Agricultural Crown Land

The Parkland Region has approximately 60,000 acres of crown land designated non agricultural.  These areas have little road access or other infrastructure.  These areas create a watershed retention area that maintains ground water levels and a healthy riparian area.  First Nations communities utilize this land for traditional hunting and trapping.  It is currently utilized for harvesting lumber, wildlife, wild berry picking, wild-crafting, trapping and guiding.  This land has limited productivity and is suited to the current use.  This area contains native species of grasses and other vegetation. 

 

 

The Farms Practices Guidelines for Producers in Manitoba contains guidelines dealing with hogs, beef, dairy cattle and poultry.  These guidelines provide local governments with a basis for evaluating livestock operations.  They also assist producers in efforts to prevent pollution and minimize odours.  Intensive livestock operations are fairly evenly distributed throughout the region.  There are several potential new locations where future intensive livestock operations (ILO’s) could be guided as existing operations are widely separated.

Cattle and hog operations dominate livestock production in the region with an increasing number of farms growing in size.  Livestock population is predicted to increase over the next decade as farms and municipalities promote sustainable development and land use planning.  There are a number of innovative livestock operations in the region including; bison, elk, ostrich and immues in addition to traditional cattle, hogs, horses, sheep and goats. 

 

In a study completed in 2002 for the Mountainview Planning District communities of Ethelbert, Gilbert Plains and Grandview, there were 289 intensive livestock operations (ILO’s) of which 16 operations were more than 300 animal units. 

 

In a study completed in May 2007, it was determined that 63% (12 of the 19 identified) of intensive livestock operations (ILO’s) for the Roblin Planning District, were in the RM of Hillsburg.  These operations include 7 beef operations, 4 hog operations and 1 bison operation. 

 

Beef Cows

Beef Production is one of the major enterprises in the Parkland region.   According to the July 1, 2005 Canadian Cattle Survey, beef cow numbers have increased 40% from 467,237 cows to 655,000 cows from 1991 to 2005.   Beef cow numbers in each R.M. are shown in Table 1 comparing farm and cow numbers from 1991 to 2001.

 

The July 2005 Cattle Survey carried out by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada estimates there are now 655,000 cows on farms in Manitoba as of July 1st.   Manitoba has the largest percentage of old cows in the country, cows over seven years of age or 39% of the cow herd.  The national average is 31%.  Only 81% of the cull beef cows are productive and are expected to calve this year.  Cow numbers have increased dramatically since BSE hit in May 2003.

 

Beef production has a competitive advantage in Parkland due to attractive feed grain prices, abundant forages, relatively low land values and sufficient acreage for manure application. 

The cow-calf enterprise is the major cattle production enterprise in Manitoba.  Approximately two-thirds of our calf crop is marketed to other provinces or to the United States for backgrounding or finishing.

 

In April 2005 a survey conducted by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada estimated 30% of Manitoba’s calves were retained after weaning.  Only 61% of these are backgrounded and the others are finished.  Almost 55,000 calves are sold as they are weaned with little value added.

 

Larger farm sizes in the RM of Ethelbert are due to the large number of livestock operations.

 

Source: 2003-2004 Statistics Canada; Manitoba Agriculture, Food & Rural Initiatives

 

Sheep and Goats

Sheep production has declined in the area but goat production has more than doubled.

 

X – Suppressed to protect confidentiality
Source:  Statistics Canada 1991 and 2001 Census

 

X – Suppressed to protect confidentiality
Source:  Statistics Canada 1991 and 2001 Census

 

Swine Production

There are approximately 21,806 pigs in the Parkland region.  Most of these are located in and west of Grandview.

 

Source: 2003-2004 Statistics Canada; Manitoba Agriculture, Food & Rural Initiatives

 

Bison

The Parkland is well suited for bison production as the area has close to 20% of Manitoba’s bison production. The 1991 census did not separate bison producers from other livestock farms.

 

X – Suppressed to protect confidentiality
Source: Statistics Canada – 2001 Census

 

Honey Production

The Parkland has captured 20% of the provincial production as there are a growing number of producers.

 

X – Suppressed to protect confidentiality
Source: Statistics Canada – 1991, 2001 Census