Manitoba Bulletin

Share your thoughts on the Code of Practice

Canada has long held a reputation for producing excellent quality crops using sustainable practices, and an initiative is now underway to document these practices and build upon them so that future generations have healthy soils, air and water. This will provide proactive guidance for how Canadian farmers can continue to protect and build on our strong reputation, and identify changing practices that will improve sustainability.

Your input on the drafted Responsible Grain Code of Practice is critically important to ensure the document provides balance between practical and realistic crop production practices while addressing issues that are of interest or concern to grain buyers and consumers, both in Canada and around the world. The Responsible Grain Code of Practice was drafted by a committee of farmers, scientists, commodity organizations and industry representatives. Now that the draft standards are complete, your feedback is needed to understand how the Code would impact production at the farm level.

MCGA will be engaging our membership and board throughout the consultation period to ensure everyone has the opportunity to share their comments on this important document. Expect to hear from us between November 2020 and February 2021. Your opportunity to review and comment on the draft standards will be facilitated via an online workspace. To receive your invitation directly to comment on the Responsible Grain Code of Practice, visit responsiblegrain.ca/landing/.

Ag Literacy for Tomorrow’s Leaders

Youth are the decision makers of tomorrow.

This is the driving force behind Manitoba Canola Growers Association’s strategic direction to engage with youth to create a deeper understanding of agriculture and canola through interactive learning opportunities.

Traditionally, one of the foundations of MCGA’s youth programming pillar is the Canola Learning Centre, a free farm tour aimed at educating urban students and their educators about canola and other Manitoba crops in a real farm setting using fun, entertaining, hands-on activities.

The impacts of COVID-19 unfortunately forced the cancellation of the 2020 Canola Learning Centre season. That is when MCGA decided to try something a little different to bring the Canola Learning Centre into classrooms all year round.

“As a parent, helping my kids with remote learning this spring, I was intrigued by some of the activities being sent home. I started exploring how agriculture could be represented in resources to support teachers and engage students through these challenging times.” says Leanne Campbell, Communications Manager and lead of youth programming for MCGA.

Over the summer of 2020, MCGA staff partnered with Agriculture in the Classroom – Manitoba and an amazing teacher, Emma Rathgeber who develops and shares educational resources through the Teachers Pay Teachers platform. Rathgeber created resources aimed at students in grades three, four, five and six that are tightly tied to existing Manitoba curriculum making it easy for teachers to bring a little bit of agriculture into their classrooms.

“After launching these resources in September, we saw success right away with impressive uptake and positive feedback from teachers” says Campbell, “We are already working with AITC-M and another teacher to help us create the next round of resources to launch in the spring.”

Given the current pandemic and the changing approach to education, MCGA is unsure what the future holds for Canola Learning Centre in 2021 and beyond. These new resources will offer a way for students across the province to connect with the farm, even if a farm visit is not possible.