Tour highlights on-farm conservation amid a turbulent start to summer
One month into summer, producers across Manitoba have already faced a string of severe weather events — floods, dust storms and tornadoes — that strained fields and rural infrastructure across the southeast and the Red River Valley. Against that backdrop, a farmer-led non-profit convened a national tour last week to show how practical conservation measures on private land are being used to blunt the impact of weather made more frequent and intense by climate change.
Alternative Land Use Services, better known as ALUS, brought about 100 participants from across Canada to Steinbach for a two-day look at projects underway on working farms. The ALUS National Field Conference, held Wednesday and Thursday, included guided stops at four farms in southeast Manitoba where landowners described steps they are taking to keep soil in place and water moving as intended during storms.
‘Farmers are the best stewards of the land’
ALUS chief executive Jordan Sinclair framed the approach as a partnership that relies on producers’ practical knowledge and willingness to put conservation on the ground where it matters most.
“The whole premise of ALUS to begin with was that farmers are the best stewards of the land, and that they could meet the needs of society and the government for delivering conservation projects on private land,” Sinclair said.
Attendees heard how the program supports projects designed to reduce damage from wind and water, keep drainage functioning and protect the productive base of farms. The focus, organizers said, is on solutions that work with the landscape rather than against it.
Montcalm farmer recounts dust storm and clogged drains
One stop on the tour was Marsh River Farms, located east of Morris in the Rural Municipality of Montcalm. Owner Harold Janzen, who recently marked 100 years of his family farm, described a spring like none he has seen. A May windstorm blew in silty dust that settled across fields and filled roadside ditches, and when rain followed, the material turned to mud that backed up drains. Several municipalities in the Red River Valley, including Montcalm, declared local states of emergency as they worked to clear blockages and protect roads and properties.
“Many people lost tons and tons of topsoil. ALUS has programming that will help you, whether it’s through wind or water… It helps preserve your biggest ingredient to farming — your land,” Janzen said before climbing onto his tractor to pull a trailer of visitors through his fields.
Janzen, who also serves as a Montcalm councillor, said keeping soil where it belongs is central to both farm viability and community infrastructure. When drains clog, problems cascade beyond a single property line, he noted, adding that coordinated conservation work upstream and downstream can reduce risks to neighbours during fast-changing weather.
Why a field tour matters for policy and practice
The tour placed policy ideas in front of producers and municipal officials who must navigate the realities of drainage, culverts and crop schedules when conditions shift quickly. Organizers emphasized the role of private landowners in delivering projects that benefit the wider public, through less erosion and fewer blockages during storms. In a region where spring snowmelt and summer downpours can both arrive with little notice, the message resonated with attendees who have spent recent months repairing ruts, clearing ditches and re-seeding patches stripped of topsoil.
While the conference centred on farm operations, the issues reach into nearby towns and villages, where plugged drains and eroded approaches can strand residents or disrupt rural bus routes. Producers said they are weighing investments that can help their own operations ride out the next squall line while also supporting the resilience of local roads and waterways.
At a glance: ALUS field conference in southeast Manitoba
| Event | Details |
|---|---|
| Host | Alternative Land Use Services (ALUS) |
| Location | Steinbach and farms in southeast Manitoba |
| Dates | Wednesday–Thursday (last week) |
| Participants | About 100 attendees from across Canada |
| Farm stops | 4 sites, including Marsh River Farms in Montcalm |
What farmers and communities are watching next
- Monitoring drainage systems after heavy rain following dust events that deposit fine sediment in ditches.
- Reducing the loss of topsoil to wind and water to protect yields and keep road allowances and municipal drains clear.
- Co-ordinating conservation work on private land that has measurable benefits beyond property lines during extreme weather.
With more volatile conditions expected this season, producers in the southeast say they are looking for measures that can be put in place quickly and maintained over time. The tour underscored that when heavy winds and sudden downpours arrive, preparation on individual farms can lessen pressure on surrounding communities. As Sinclair put it, the stewardship decisions made inside a fence line increasingly shape what happens on the roads and rivers just beyond it.
