On behalf of its interim board of directors and staff, Manitoba Crop Alliance (MCA) is pleased to announce to their membership and industry stakeholders that operations officially launched August 1, 2020.

Manitoba Crop Alliance represents over 8000 farmer members who grow and market wheat (spring & winter), barley, corn, sunflower and flax. Manitoba Crop Alliance has set goals to maintain and strengthen the mandates of the five founding organizations in areas including research and agronomy, market access and development, and communication with membership.

Manitoba Crop Alliance can be found online at mbcropalliance.ca where a fresh, innovative website shares information on research projects, agronomic resources for all six field crops, market development/advocacy, recent news and events, and more. The website will be a hub for the organization, updated regularly with relevant information to keep MCA farmer members and other industry representatives engaged. Contact information for Manitoba Crop Alliance’s interim board of directors, crop committee delegates, and staff can also be found on the website.

“The MCA website is a valuable resource for our farmer members, agronomists and industry stakeholders to stay up to date on activities happening with the organization,” says Fred Greig, MCA chair. “In addition to our website, we also are working to build up Manitoba Crop Alliance’s following on popular social media platforms, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to help keep members informed.”

Members of the agriculture community who use any of the above-mentioned social media platforms are asked to please follow @mb_cropalliance on Twitter and Instagram, and like/follow Manitoba Crop Alliance on Facebook. Farmer members are also encouraged to sign up for MCA’s e-newsletter – Heads Up. There will be monthly agronomic updates to provide subscribers with timely agronomic information such as scouting activities and risk of pests for wheat, barley, corn, sunflower and flax crops. This local, unbiased, science-based information is very important to aid members in making crop production decisions. MCA will also use e-newsletters as a resource to inform subscribers on recent news and events that are relevant to MCA and the crops represented by the organization. There is a link to sign up to receive MCA’s Heads Up e-newsletters at the bottom of the page at mbcropalliance.ca. MCA is also looking forward to sharing several other initiatives, including factsheets, research magazines, and bi-annual newsletters with the agriculture community in the coming months.

Manitoba Crop Alliance will be holding the first delegate elections at the crop committee level this fall with the nomination period opening September 1, 2020. Information on the roles and responsibilities of MCA crop committee delegates, eligibility requirements for nominees, the nomination procedure and election process can be found under About/Governance at mbcropalliance.ca.

“I encourage farmer members to consider running as a delegate with one of the four committees, which are wheat & barley, corn, sunflowers, and flax,” states Robert Misko, MCA’s vice-chair. “Having the crop committees within the MCA governance structure ensures crop specific focus and allows farmer members with an interest and passion for a specific crop type to be involved in the organization,” adds Misko.

With the amalgamation process into Manitoba Crop Alliance completed, the board and staff recognize that there will continue to be a transitional phase over the next few months but are excited to start this new chapter off strong. MCA is looking forward to better serving their farmer members with a more streamlined, quality approach to meet the goals laid out in their mandate.