Manitoba Government drops case against farmers

May 07, 2013

The NDP government in Manitoba has dropped the case against several farmers including Joe Johnson, in relation to the farmer blockade that took place on April, 29th 2013 The farmers were protesting the provincial government’s decision to open the Portage Diversion, to avoid flooding to surrounding communities.

The three-dozen farmers were rallying against the opening of the diversion, claiming that the government had failed to provide adequate compensation dating back to the 2011 flood. Farmers are calling on the government to provide compensation and the diversion fixed up.

The farmers involved say that they are relived that they don’t have any charges against them and are happy with the progress that they have made thus far, noting that more people are now aware of the issue.

About 100 farmers and First Nations groups rallied outside the Manitoba legislature on Tuesday. Emergency Minister Steve Ashton met with some demonstrators to hear their concerns. Both sides are now in talks to avoid future conflict.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.