MCA News

Feb. 12, 2025 (Carman, MB; Winnipeg, MB) – The University of Manitoba has hired Loveleen Kaur Dhillon as its agronomist in residence for special crops, a new, five-year position funded by Manitoba Crop Alliance (MCA).

MCA recognized a gap in research capacity for special crops (i.e., corn, sunflower and flax) in Manitoba and identified this position as an opportunity to expand applied agronomy research for these crops. Research outcomes over these five years will lead to recommendation-based results, addressing agronomic challenges and contributing to the advancement of the special crops industry in Manitoba.

“MCA strives to fund meaningful research that advances all the crop types we represent, but this can sometimes be difficult for the smaller-acreage crops,” says Jonothan Hodson, MCA vice-chair and corn crop committee delegate.

“This position will boost research capacity for these underserved crops and ensure they remain productive and sustainable options for all our farmer members.”

Dhillon has a PhD from the University of Saskatchewan, with a specialization in plant breeding and agronomy. She is eager to engage with the special crops industry to develop an impactful research program that provides significant return on investment for Manitoba farmers.

“This hiring is the culmination of a long process that saw us look at many potential ways to increase research capacity for corn, sunflower and flax in Manitoba,” says Katherine Stanley, research program manager for special crops with MCA.

“Loveleen brings a lot of valuable experience and enthusiasm to the role, and we’re excited to work with her to advance the special crops industry in the province.”

The agronomist in residence for special crops will develop an applied research program focused on identifying best management practices for Manitoba corn, sunflower and flax farmers. They will also communicate research results and increase knowledge transfer between the University of Manitoba and Manitoba’s special crops industry.

“We welcome Loveleen to the University of Manitoba into an important role that will carry out practical farm-level research and share best practices to producers. She will also help foster the next generation of agricultural leaders through hands-on training and mentorship,” says Martin Scanlon, Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences at the University of Manitoba.

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For more information, please contact:

Cole Christensen
Communications Manager
Manitoba Crop Alliance
403-589-3529
cole@mbcropalliance.ca

Crystal Jorgenson
Communications Specialist
Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences
University of Manitoba
204-474-9435
crystal.jorgenson@umanitoba.ca

About Manitoba Crop Alliance:
Manitoba Crop Alliance is a non-profit organization established Aug. 1, 2020, representing more than 7,700 farmer members. Manitoba Crop Alliance puts their farmer members first and strives to continuously improve the competitiveness and profitability of all crops represented by the organization by focusing on four main areas: research, agronomy, market access and development, and communications. It is through investment in these key areas that Manitoba Crop Alliance can ensure wheat, barley, corn, sunflower and flax are sustainable production choices for Manitoba farmers. For more information, visit mbcropalliance.ca.

Nov. 27, 2024 (Carman, MB)  – Manitoba Crop Alliance (MCA) has received approval to start issuing cash advances on winter wheat and fall rye planted in fall 2024 through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Advance Payments Program (APP).

The APP is a federal loan program administered by MCA. It offers Canadian farmers marketing flexibility through interest-free and low-interest cash advances. Under the program, eligible farmers are eligible to receive up to $1,000,000, with the Government of Canada paying the interest on the first $100,000 of the advance for the 2025 program year.

Funds can be issued in three to five business days once the application process is complete. MCA’s interest rate on interest-bearing cash advances is competitive with major banks and credit unions.

“Our friendly and knowledgeable APP staff understand the complex financial needs of farmers,” says MCA chair Robert Misko. “The friendly and personalized service they provide to clients keeps them coming back to us year after year for their cash advance needs.”

To apply for an advance under the 2025 program year on winter wheat and fall rye planted in fall 2024, farmers can phone MCA’s office at 1-204-745-6661 or toll-free at 1-877-598-5685 to request an application form.

MCA also continues to process applications for the 2024 program year on more than 35 crop kinds and honey.

If farmers would like to be notified regarding APP-specific information, please email hello@mbcropalliance.ca to be added to the subscriber list. More information on the APP can be found at mbcropalliance.ca.

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For more information, please contact:

Darcelle Graham
Chief Operating Officer
204-745-6661
darcelle@mbcropalliance.ca

^{About Manitoba Crop Alliance:
Manitoba Crop Alliance is a non-profit organization established Aug. 1, 2020, representing more than 7,700 farmer members. Manitoba Crop Alliance puts their farmer members first and strives to continuously improve the competitiveness and profitability of all crops represented by the organization by focusing on four main areas: research, agronomy, market access and development, and communications. It is through investment in these key areas that Manitoba Crop Alliance can ensure wheat, barley, corn, sunflower and flax are sustainable production choices for Manitoba farmers. For more information, visit mbcropalliance.ca.}

Nov. 19, 2024 (Carman, MB) – Manitoba Crop Alliance (MCA) and Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers (MPSG) have committed $691,591 in funding to Manitoba Diversification Centres to increase research capacity in the province.

MCA recently commissioned a study evaluating research capacity in the province. The resulting report highlighted four main challenges to maintaining and expanding research capacity: equipment, infrastructure and land, funding programs, and human resources.

This investment is enabling the diversification centres to purchase new or specialized equipment, such as tractors and seeders. The equipment will help the centres enhance the efficiency of their current operations and expand the types of research they conduct to provide impactful results to farmers across the province.

“We identified inadequate equipment as one of the primary challenges holding back research capacity in Manitoba and this investment will help bridge that gap,” says Katherine Stanley, research program manager for special crops with MCA.

“The diversification centres conduct crucial, applied research on behalf of our farmer members, and their locations across the province ensure that regional differences in soil and climate can be studied.”

Manitoba Diversification Centres are non-profit, farmer- and industry-directed organizations that are integral to keeping the flow of applied research information to farmers alive. They host a wide range of research activities that MPSG and MCA are invested in, such as AgriScience Program cluster projects, regional variety evaluation trials, and product evaluation and comparison trials.

“Each diversification centre has a capable team that we believe in and rely on each year to carry out mainstay projects and to be agile in accommodating new research,” says Cassandra Tkachuk, research project manager with MPSG. “We are pleased to collaborate with MCA in supporting the expansion of field research capacity at the centres to continue sending value back to farmers.”

The four diversification centres in the province are at Carberry, Roblin, Arborg and Melita, covering a variety of agro-climate conditions and soil types to highlight the response of crops to different growing conditions. By accounting for unique growing conditions at each location, the centres can conduct more robust and meaningful research, while testing novel ideas such as alternative crops and agronomic practices.

The investments from MCA and MPSG will be distributed among the four diversification centres as follows:

• Manitoba Crop Diversification Centre (MCDC)
  • $198,697 from MCA
• Parkland Crop Diversification Foundation (PCDF)
  • $64,237 from MCA
  • $64,237 from MPSG
• Prairies East Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (PESAI)
  • $122,000 from MCA
  • $122,000 from MPSG
• Westman Agricultural Diversification Organization (WADO)
  • $63,860 from MCA
  • $56,560 from MPSG

“On behalf of the WADO board, we are excited to partner with MCA and MPSG on the capital investments grant,” says WADO chair Gary Barker. “Purchases will help WADO with building capacity efficiencies, reduce risk from wildlife losses, and assist with monitoring greenhouse gases in future projects.”

To learn more about the Manitoba Diversification Centres, visit mbdiversificationcentres.ca.

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For more information, please contact:

Cole Christensen
Communications Manager
Manitoba Crop Alliance
403-589-3529
cole@mbcropalliance.ca

Kate Menold
Communications Coordinator (Contract)
Manitoba Pulse & Soybean Growers
204-807-1912
kate.menold@manitobapulse.ca

About Manitoba Crop Alliance:
Manitoba Crop Alliance is a non-profit organization established Aug. 1, 2020, representing more than 7,700 farmer members. Manitoba Crop Alliance puts their farmer members first and strives to continuously improve the competitiveness and profitability of all crops represented by the organization by focusing on four main areas: research, agronomy, market access and development, and communications. It is through investment in these key areas that Manitoba Crop Alliance can ensure wheat, barley, corn, sunflower and flax are sustainable production choices for Manitoba farmers. For more information, visit mbcropalliance.ca.

About Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers:
Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers (MPSG) was founded in 1984 and represents over 3,500 producers in Manitoba who grow soybeans, edible beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas and faba beans. MPSG’s mission is to provide farmer members with production knowledge and market development support, through focused research, advocacy and linkages with industry partners. MPSG is funded by a 0.5% check off levy and is governed by a board of directors, including elected active producers and appointed industry representatives. For more information, visit manitobapulse.ca.

Oct. 8, 2024 (Carman, MB) – Manitoba Crop Alliance (MCA) is pleased to announce the results of the nomination process for delegate positions on its four crop committees. The nomination period ran from July 1 to Oct. 1, 2024.

In total, 16 farmer members were nominated for the 17 available delegate positions across the four crop committees and are thereby elected by acclamation. Among those 16 delegates, eight are new to their respective committees and eight are incumbents.

“I would like to thank all the farmers who let their names stand for nomination during this cycle,” says MCA CEO Pam de Rocquigny. “Each MCA crop committee delegate has made the choice to represent their peers and help guide the direction of our industry, and we are grateful for their service and dedication.”

Corn: Carl Bangert (Beausejour), Riley Anderson (Morris), Craig Riese (St. Andrews) and Patrick Gamache (Laurier) were nominated for the four available crop committee delegate positions. They will join Doug Martin (East Selkirk), Jonothan Hodson (Lenore), Warren McCutcheon (Carman) and Richard Dureault (Fannystelle) to form MCA’s corn committee.

Flax: Dean Buchanan (Crystal City), Lorne Johnson (Arborg), Myles Kubinec (Holland) and Amanda Ellis (Wawanesa) were nominated for the four available crop committee delegate positions. They will join Darcy Unger (Stonewall), Eric Fridfinnson (Arborg), Leigh Smith (Oak Lake) and Nick Matheson (Stonewall) to form MCA’s flax committee.

Sunflower: Korey Peters (Randolph), Sally Parsonage (Baldur) and Andrew Saramaga (Hazelridge) were nominated for the four available crop committee delegate positions. They will join Darcy Watson (Rossendale), Nathan Tollenaar (Balmoral), Gregg Fotheringham (Reston) and Mark McDonald (Virden) to form MCA’s sunflower committee. One delegate position on this crop committee remains vacant.

Wheat and Barley: Boris Michaleski (Ashville), Sheila Elder (Wawanesa), Carly Owen (Killarney), Marcus Loeppky (Niverville) and Ty Ballard (Bield) were nominated for the five available crop committee delegate positions. They will join Brad Myskiw (Warren), Robert Misko (Roblin), Ryan Hueging (Woodlands), Scott Mowbray (Cartwright) and Wilfred Harder (Lowe Farm) to form MCA’s wheat and barley committee.

The new delegates will join their respective committees in January 2025. MCA is seeking candidates to fill the vacant delegate position on the sunflower crop committee.

MCA would like to thank outgoing delegates Fred Greig (wheat and barley), Josee Saquet (wheat and barley), Hubert Preun (corn), Emile Morin (corn), Edgar Scheurer (sunflower), Lance Biernes (flax) and Jack Hodgson (flax) for their valuable contributions to the organization.

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For more information, please contact:

Pam de Rocquigny
Chief Executive Officer
Manitoba Crop Alliance       
204-745-6661
pam@mbcropalliance.ca

^{About Manitoba Crop Alliance:
Manitoba Crop Alliance is a non-profit organization established Aug. 1, 2020, representing more than 7,700 farmer members. Manitoba Crop Alliance puts their farmer members first and strives to continuously improve the competitiveness and profitability of all crops represented by the organization by focusing on four main areas: research, agronomy, market access and development, and communications. It is through investment in these key areas that Manitoba Crop Alliance can ensure wheat, barley, corn, sunflower and flax are sustainable production choices for Manitoba farmers. For more information, visit mbcropalliance.ca.}

Sept. 17, 2024 (Carman, MB) – Manitoba Crop Alliance (MCA) has conditionally approved $2,655,587 in funding for Cereals Canada’s Global Agriculture Technology Exchange (Gate) initiative.

With this contribution, MCA joins Alberta Grains ($4,319,798) and the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission ($6,243,074) among grower organizations that have committed funding towards construction of the new facility, which is expected to cost approximately $100 million.

“Market development and access is a top priority for MCA and one of the core principles that guide our work,” says MCA chair Robert Misko. “This support for Gate will help Cereals Canada continue their valuable work in this area, which benefits Manitoba farmers and the entire cereals value chain.”

MCA’s investment is based on the business plan provided by Cereals Canada, which highlights the need for a new facility to help the cereals industry grow and thrive. This funding is conditional upon Cereals Canada securing the required financial support from government entities and other funding partners to cover the remaining projected costs.

MCA is a proud member of Cereals Canada and sees significant value in the market development and access initiatives the organization spearheads on behalf of its membership.

“As a Cereals Canada member, we are part of a united effort to drive the growth, maintenance and development of the Canadian cereals market, both domestically and internationally,” Misko says.

“Because Cereals Canada is based in Winnipeg, we frequently collaborate on programming that facilitates direct engagement between Cereals Canada and our directors, delegates, staff and members, including technical exchanges and other farm tours.”

Over the last 50 years, Cereals Canada (and its predecessor, the Canadian International Grains Institute) has worked to advance the cereals value chain and built a reputation for training, testing and innovation within the industry. Cereals Canada needs a new facility to maintain this momentum and continue meeting global demand for high-quality Canadian grains.

MCA looks forward to working with Cereals Canada and other industry partners to ensure that Cereals Canada can continue its crucial work on behalf of Canadian farmers.

Read our FAQ here. For more information about Gate, visit gate-canada.ca. 

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For more information, please contact:

Cole Christensen
Communications Manager
Manitoba Crop Alliance         
403-589-3529
cole@mbcropalliance.ca

^{About Manitoba Crop Alliance:
Manitoba Crop Alliance is a non-profit organization established Aug. 1, 2020, representing more than 7,700 farmer members. Manitoba Crop Alliance puts their farmer members first and strives to continuously improve the competitiveness and profitability of all crops represented by the organization by focusing on four main areas: research, agronomy, market access and development, and communications. It is through investment in these key areas that Manitoba Crop Alliance can ensure wheat, barley, corn, sunflower and flax are sustainable production choices for Manitoba farmers. For more information, visit mbcropalliance.ca.}

July 10, 2024 (Carman, MB) – Manitoba Crop Alliance (MCA) has awarded six graduating high school students from Manitoba with bursaries valued at $1,000 each. The six bursary recipients are Alara Krahn from Mather, Laura Delichte from St. Alphonse, Riley Jorgensen from Cromer, Madisyn Robertson from Neepawa, Zenith Vanstone from Miami, and Evan Whetter from Alexander.

“I’d like to offer my sincere congratulations to our inaugural high school bursary recipients and wish them well in their continued studies,” says MCA Chair Robert Misko. “MCA is committed to supporting agriculture’s next generation and expanding our bursary program is one way we have demonstrated that commitment.”

MCA established these bursaries to assist graduating high school students within the province of Manitoba who are planning on continuing their education at a Canadian college or university in a field that will benefit the agriculture sector. MCA also awards annual bursaries valued at $2,000 each to post-secondary students enrolled in agricultural programs within the province of Manitoba

An independent selection committee was contracted to evaluate the applicants based on their connection to or interest in agriculture, how they hope to use their education to benefit the agriculture industry, and their academics and writing skills.

This year, the selection committee included Adelle Gervin, program manager with Agriculture in the Classroom – Manitoba; Sonia Wilson, oilseeds specialist with Manitoba Agriculture; and Santosh Kumar, research scientist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Brandon Research and Development Centre.

For more information about the MCA bursary program and to read biographies of the recipients, visit mbcropalliance.ca.

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For more information, please contact:

Cole Christensen
Communications Manager
Manitoba Crop Alliance         
403-589-3529
cole@mbcropalliance.ca

^{About Manitoba Crop Alliance:
Manitoba Crop Alliance is a non-profit organization established Aug. 1, 2020, representing more than 7,700 farmer members. Manitoba Crop Alliance puts their farmer members first and strives to continuously improve the competitiveness and profitability of all crops represented by the organization by focusing on four main areas: research, agronomy, market access and development, and communications. It is through investment in these key areas that Manitoba Crop Alliance can ensure wheat, barley, corn, sunflower and flax are sustainable production choices for Manitoba farmers. For more information, visit mbcropalliance.ca.}

July 2, 2024 (Carman, MB) – Manitoba Crop Alliance (MCA) is now accepting nominations from farmer members to serve as delegates on its four crop committees.

“Our unique governance structure ensures a strong voice for each crop type we represent,” says MCA CEO Pam de Rocquigny. “It also provides plenty of opportunities for a whole-farm, cross-commodity approach to decision-making, which is important because the majority of our farmer members grow several different crops.”

MCA delegates work towards strengthening the mandate of research, agronomy, market development and access, and communication and advocacy initiatives within each of the four crop committees: corn, flax, sunflower, and wheat and barley. They also receive personal growth opportunities, such as the chance to network with fellow farmers, researchers and industry stakeholders, while gaining a deeper understanding of all the crop industries MCA represents.

This nomination period, there are four open positions on each of the corn, flax and sunflower committees, as well as five open positions on the wheat and barley committee.

“We take great pride in the collaborative, farmer-driven nature of our organization,” says de Rocquigny.

“By becoming a delegate, farmer members get to help determine how their check-off dollars are invested. I encourage farmer members who are interested in guiding the direction of our industry to get involved and add their unique knowledge and perspectives to our committees.”

The nomination period will close at 4:30 p.m. CDT on Oct. 1, 2024. For more information on the nomination or election process – including eligibility requirements, responsibilities of a delegate, time requirements and how to submit a nomination form – visit our website or contact us by email at hello@mbcropalliance.ca or phone at 204-745-6661.

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For more information, please contact:

Pam de Rocquigny 
Chief Executive Officer 
204-745-6661
pam@mbcropalliance.ca

^{About Manitoba Crop Alliance:}

^{Manitoba Crop Alliance is a non-profit organization established Aug. 1, 2020, representing more than 7,700 farmer members. Manitoba Crop Alliance puts their farmer members first and strives to continuously improve the competitiveness and profitability of all crops represented by the organization by focusing on four main areas: research, agronomy, market access and development, and communications. It is through investment in these key areas that Manitoba Crop Alliance can ensure wheat, barley, corn, sunflower and flax are sustainable production choices for Manitoba farmers. For more information, visit mbcropalliance.ca.}