Organic Bytes Newsletter: June 2025
- Nanki Saluja
- Jun 4
- 2 min read
June 4th, 2025
What’s Growing This Season: Events, Funding, and Opportunities in Organics 🌱
Summer is here, and with it comes a busy, opportunity-rich season for Manitoba’s organic community. Whether you're a producer, consumer, researcher, or simply passionate about regenerative agriculture, there’s something for you in our June update.
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🚜 Upcoming Events You Won’t Want to Miss
1. Cover Cropping Webinar – June 5 (Online)
Join Jeff Veenstra of Wild Earth Farms for a practical deep-dive into cover cropping. Whether you're prepping for our June 20 farm tour or just looking to strengthen your soil health game, this lunch-hour webinar is a great place to start.
2. Farm Tour + Cover Cropping Workshop – June 20 (Oakbank, MB)
We’re headed back to Wild Earth Farms! This tour is a hands-on opportunity to see last year’s cover cropping project in action—what worked, what didn’t, and what was learned. Co-hosted with Manitoba Organics, Young Agrarians, and Direct Farm Manitoba.
3. Farm Tour at Green Beach Farm & Food – July 31 (Strathclair, MB)
Get to know Zack Koscielny and explore the systems and values behind Green Beach Farm & Food, in partnership with OPAM. A great chance to connect, learn, and be inspired by regenerative practices on the ground.
🗳️ Have Your Say: Public Comment Now Open on Organic Standards
The 60-day public comment period on the 2025 draft Canadian Organic Standards is officially open. This is your chance to influence the future of organic farming in Canada. Click here to learn more: https://www.manitobaorganics.com/post/the-public-comment-period-for-the-2025-draft-of-the-canadian-organic-standards-has-begun
💰 Funding Deadlines You Should Know
1. On-Farm Climate Action Fund
Financial + technical support for adopting beneficial practices like cover cropping and legume rotations. Funded by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, managed by Ecocert Canada and COTA.
2. Sustainable CAP – Now Accepting Applications!
Market Development Stream – Deadline: July 10
Indigenous Agriculture Relationship Development and Engagement – Deadline: June 26
Find out if you’re eligible and apply today.
🔬 Spotlight on Research & Innovation
Climate-Friendly Vegetable Production – Dr. Sean Smukler and his team are testing compost and cover crop systems to reduce emissions and increase nutrient efficiency.
Improving Vegetable Varieties – Dr. Loren Rieseberg’s team is combining farmer input, genomics, and field testing to improve carrot and salad green seed varieties.
The Buzz on Pollinators – Learn why bees are essential to organic systems, from Dr. Erica Shelley.
Tillage and Livestock – Dr. Dunling Wang explores the impact of reduced tillage and integrated livestock on soil health and productivity.
📅 Mark Your Calendar
We’re thrilled to announce our Organic Trade Show is happening November 14, 2025! Stay tuned for more details—this will be a major gathering for connection, innovation, and community.
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