Minister Vandal opens new PrairiesCan service location and announces federal investments in Manitoba's Westman region

Oct 12, 2022

The Westman region is an economically diversified area of southwestern Manitoba. It includes vibrant education, agriculture, food processing, manufacturing, and petroleum industries as well as significant tourism opportunities as a beautiful region of the province. As such, the region is a major contributor to the overall prosperity of Manitoba. Prairie regions like Westman have unique needs and perspectives. The Government of Canada is continuing to enhance a community-based approach to economic development and is responding to the requests of business and community leaders for greater PrairiesCan presence in more places across the Prairies.

Today, the Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, Minister responsible for PrairiesCan and Minister responsible CanNor Agency officially opened one of seven new PrairiesCan service locations. The new location in Brandon will bring a sharper focus to southwestern Manitoba's unique economic development opportunities. It complements PrairiesCan's long-standing Winnipeg office and new Thompson location, which opened in August to serve economic development needs in northern Manitoba.

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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.