Federal Government invests in Manitoba agriculture

Jun 14, 2016

Investment will be used to develop an online tool

By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com

Canada’s Federal Government is investing over $1 million to help farmers in Manitoba try to predict the effects of flooding, excess moisture and extreme drought on farmlands in the province.

$1.1 million will be given to the Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association (MFGA) to develop a hydrology (science of the earth’s water) model of the Assiniboine River. The model will be used to develop a web-based tool that farmers can use to collect information on their farmland, manage moisture levels and assess risks.

Web tool

"Extreme weather events have created many challenges for Prairie farmers in recent years,” Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture, said in a release. “We're committed to working together with the agriculture sector to equip farmers with the tools they need to proactively manage business risks such as these."

Since 2007, various governments have been required to respond to severe moisture with AgriRecovery assistance; the MFGA says its model will help farmers be prepared for possible flood or drought conditions.

“The hydrology model will showcase proactive solutions for many stakeholders across the Assiniboine River Basin for flood and drought mitigation,” Henry Nelson, Vice-Chair, MFGA said in a release.

Video: Sweetener Effects on Gut Health - Dr. Kwangwook Kim

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Kwangwook Kim, Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, discusses the use of non-nutritive sweeteners in nursery pig diets. He explains how sucralose and neotame influence feed intake, gut health, metabolism, and the frequency of diarrhea compared to antibiotics. The conversation highlights mechanisms beyond palatability, including hormone signaling and nutrient transport. Listen now on all major platforms!

“Receptors responsible for sweet taste are present not only in the mouth but also along the intestinal tract.”

Meet the guest: Dr. Kwangwook Kim / kwangwook-kim is an Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, specializing in swine nutrition and feed additives under disease challenge models. He earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in Animal Sciences from the University of California, Davis, where he focused on intestinal health and metabolic responses in pigs. His research evaluates alternatives to antibiotics, targeting gut health and performance in nursery pigs.