New forecasting tool to help Manitoba farmers better manage extreme weather events

WINNIPEG, MB, June 15, 2021 /CNW/ - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

From current drought and dry field conditions to flooding in recent years, extreme weather events continue to create challenges for Manitoba farmers. The Government of Canada is working with the agricultural sector to equip farmers with tools they need to proactively manage and mitigate risks associated with these events.

Today, on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change (Canada Water Agency) and to the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages (Western Economic Diversification Canada) and Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South, Terry Duguid, announced an investment of over $1.1 million for the Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association (MFGA). The funding will be used to develop a new forecasting tool that will help farmers and stakeholders better understand and manage extreme weather events within the Assiniboine River Basin.

With this funding, the MFGA will create a web-based tool that will provide seven-day, forward-looking forecasts for soil moisture, groundwater and surface water flow. Producers can use this real-time information to adopt better risk management strategies and inform decisions about their operations in the face of extreme weather.

The new interactive tool will also show how soil and landscape management strategies could influence moisture and water conditions over the seven-day interval, with the goal of encouraging adoption of beneficial management practices.

Quotes

"Manitoba farmers understand the major impacts that extreme weather events, such as flooding and droughts, can have. The Government of Canada is committed to supporting resources that help to better understand and manage these risks. With this funding, the Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association will create an interactive tool that provides real-time information to help farmers and industry professionals increase resiliency of the land and communities in the Assiniboine River Basin."

-        Terry Duguid, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change (Canada Water Agency) and to the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages (Western Economic Diversification Canada) and Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South

"As a producer-led non-profit organization, MFGA has full respect and understanding of the challenges farmers and producers face with their farm operations every day when it comes to planning around water and dealing with climatic events. MFGA is very grateful to AAFC's AgriRisk Initiatives for the project funding and we are very pleased to be delivering this new interactive forecasting tool for farmers and land managers in the Assiniboine River Basin. Besides the forecasting ability, we are equally excited that the tool will also showcase how beneficial soil and landscape management practices could potentially influence soil moisture, groundwater, and surface water conditions over the seven-day interval."

-        Larry Wegner, Chair, Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association

Quick Facts

• The funding announced today is part of the AgriRisk Initiatives Research and Development Stream. The AgriRisk Initiatives program, under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, supports the development of new risk management tools.
• The governments of Canada and Manitoba also recently announced that livestock producers who have been affected by dry conditions on pasture in Manitoba can apply for funding to support water source development under Ag Action Manitoba, which is funded through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership.
• The Canadian Agricultural Partnership is a five-year (2018-2023), $3-billion investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen and grow Canada's agriculture and agri-food sector.
• The Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association (MFGA) is a producer-led, not-for-profit organization dedicated to the development and promotion of the forage and livestock industry in Manitoba.
• MFGA's new forecasting tool will be built by Aquanty, a water resources science and technology firm located in Waterloo, Ontario.
• Today's announcement builds on previous AgriRisk Initiatives funding for MFGA, which supported development of a highly-visual water movement model of the Assiniboine River Basin to help predict the effects of flooding, excess moisture and extreme drought on agricultural lands.

Additional Links

• AgriRisk Initiatives
• Canadian Agricultural Partnership
• Manitoba Forage & Grassland Association
• Governments of Canada and Manitoba Provide Livestock Producers with Funding Options to Address Dry Conditions on Pasture
• Federal investment will help Manitoba farmers predict the effects of flood and drought on farmland

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SOURCE Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Oliver Anderson, Director of Communications, Office of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, [email protected], 613-462-4327; Media Relations, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, 613-773-7972, 1-866-345-7972, [email protected]

Related Links

www.agr.gc.ca