Assiniboine College getting $120M to expand ag school, help fill jobs in 'backbone' of Manitoba economy: Kinew

May 22, 2025

Assiniboine College in Brandon, Man., is getting a $120-million boost from the province to expand its agricultural school and get its long-planned Prairie Innovation Centre for Sustainable Agriculture built — a project Premier Wab Kinew says is critical to filling labour gaps in one of Manitoba's key economic sectors.

Kinew announced the funding Thursday during his state of the province address to the Brandon Chamber of Commerce.

"We know that there are so many jobs that we're going to have to fill going forward into the coming years to be able to keep growing that backbone of our provincial economy," Kinew said. "Assiniboine College's Prairie Innovation Centre is the way to get it done."

The new centre, which has been years in the making, and is expected to offer 16 new or expanded educational programs under its roof.

It will more than double the Russ Edwards School of Agriculture and Environment from about 300 students to 800 students, said Assiniboine vice-president of advancement Derrick Turner.

He says the college researched gaps in agriculture industry training, and the new state-of-the-art facility will help students prepare to work in areas like automation, chemical technology and resource management— all key for supporting Manitoba's evolving agriculture sector.

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Video: Winter Canola Trial in Mississippi | Can It Work for Double Cropping? | Pioneer Agronomy

Can winter canola open new opportunities for growers in the Mid-South? In this agronomy update from Noxubee County, Mississippi, Pioneer agronomist Gus Eifling shares an early look at a first-year winter canola trial and what farmers are learning from the field.

Planted in late October on 30-inch rows, the crop is now entering the bloom stage and progressing quickly. In this video, we walk through current field conditions, fertility management, and how timing could make this crop a valuable option for double-cropping soybeans or cotton.

If harvest timing lines up with early May, growers may be able to transition directly into another crop during ideal planting windows. Ongoing field trials will help determine whether canola could become a viable rotational option for the region.

Watch for:

How winter canola is performing in its first season in this Mississippi field

Why growers chose 30-inch rows for this trial

What the crop looks like as it moves from bolting into bloom

Fertility strategy, including nitrogen and sulfur applications

How canola harvest timing could enable double-cropping with soybeans or cotton

Upcoming trials comparing soybeans after canola vs. traditional planting

As more growers look for ways to maximize acres and diversify rotations, experiments like this help determine what new crops might fit into existing systems.