Keystone Agricultural Producers

The Voice of Manitoba Farmers

News Releases & Statements

KAP News Release – KAP applauds new funding for MELT training

NEWS RELEASE

November 24, 2020

Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP), the voice of Manitoba farmers, supports the provincial government’s new initiative to assist farmers seeking mandatory entry-level training (MELT) to obtain their Class 1 license, KAP president Bill Campbell said today. This program comes as a result of successful advocacy work from KAP, as well as calls from farmers to address these added financial barriers to entering the program.

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KAP hires Executive Assistant

KAP is pleased to announce the hiring of Audrey Henschell as our new executive assistant.

The majority of Audrey’s career has been in administration as an executive assistant with the non-profit union sector, representing middle management employee groups. She has also worked for the provincial government and for the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

Audrey was raised in southern Manitoba and now resides in Winnipeg. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family, reading, painting and sketching, and spending time at the lake.

KAP hires Program Marketing Coordinator

KAP would like to welcome Emily Lalonde, who starts today (Monday, November 9) as our new program marketing coordinator.

Emily is an experienced events and marketing professional in the international electric power systems industry. Prior to her work in power systems, she lived in Nunavut for a year working in grocery sales.

Emily is born and raised in Winnipeg, and she is excited to be working in the agriculture sector. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time outdoors and continuing to hone her passion for photography.

KAP op-ed – Changes needed to protect farms, animals

This article originally appeared in the October 5th edition of the Winnipeg Free Press. 

Manitobans should be confident about where their food comes from. Manitoba farmers take biosecurity and food safety incredibly seriously because we know that what we produce should meet the highest standards.

Stringent national biosecurity requirements from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency include requirements, depending on species, such as employees showering when entering and exiting a barn, mandatory gowns, face masks, and boot covers, and other standards aimed at keeping both the animals and the food supply safe.

These standards and accompanying programs from the livestock industry are mandatory, enforceable and include third-party independent auditing and verification.

KAP letter – Minister Fielding on Bill 44

KAP has written a letter to Manitoba’s Minister of Finance Scott Fielding on Bill 44, the Public Utilities Ratepayer Protection and Regulatory Reform Act. We believe there are amendments required to this legislation that would better protect farmers as Manitoba Hydro ratepayers.

In Manitoba, agriculture is a key economic driver. Farm cash receipts in 2019 were over $6.5 billion which makes up approximately 5% of Manitoba’s GDP. When considering the secondary and tertiary contributions created by the agriculture sector, agriculture represents more than 10% of all economic activity in the province. Primary production in Manitoba is essential to the entire value chain.

Click here to read the full letter.