It’s what we learn in the field that sticks with us the most. Seeing research plots and demonstration fields firsthand, as they’re thriving and surviving throughout the growing season, is helpful to Manitoba Pulse & Soybean Growers’ (MPSG) agronomy team when it comes interpreting the data and understanding the study outcomes.
As for MPSG’s production specialists, the team loves being out in the field and interacting with producers, agronomists and researchers. For Terry Buss and Wendy McDonald, it’s their experiences in the field that they draw on to craft the bi-weekly agronomy-focused Bean Report e-newsletter. Buss and McDonald enjoy participating and presenting at field days and taking part in farm press interviews, among many other activities.
This growing season, the two focused on extending knowledge by producing 12 issues of the Bean Report and 10 video and radio reports throughout the growing season. They gleaned a lot of content ideas and information by participating in 15 field days across the province and being in-field evaluators for the provincial disease surveys of peas, faba beans and soybeans.
Follow along as they share a few snap shots from events they participated in throughout the 2025 growing season.
In July, MPSG attended the Westman Agriculture Diversification Organization (WADO) field day in Melita, M.B. with over 90 participants. Presentations included the pea leaf weevil seed treatment study and a Dry Beans 101 presentation in front of MPSG’s dry bean variety trials. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldIn July, MPSG staff toured the Prairie Fava facility near Glenboro, M.B. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldIn September, Terry Buss, production agronomist – east for MPSG and Dennis Lange, provincial pulse and soybean specialist for Manitoba Agriculture, delivered a joint presentation to industry agronomists and growers at the Agassiz Soil and Crop Improvement Association’s Soybean Variety Workshop in Beausejour, M.B. Photo credit: Nirmal HariIn August, Prairie Giants held a crop tour day near Angusville, M.B., which included soybean plots and MPSG staff talking about pea, faba bean and soybean diseases and harvest tips. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldAt the Parkland Crop Diversification Farm field tour near Roblin, M.B. in August, MPSG staff chatted to the crowd about pea leaf weevils and lupin production. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldAt the On Farm Network tour near MacGregor, M.B. in July, hosted in collaboration with the other grower groups, MPSG staff featured its On-Farm Network experiences and successes with the soybean row spacing trial at Beaver Creek Farms. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldAt the New Era Ag field tour near Minitonas, M.B. in July, MPSG staff presented about the pea leaf weevil and seed treatment studies. Participants were able to see the herbicide tolerant soybean, conventional soybean, faba bean, dry bean narrow row and pea variety trials. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldWhile touring at the Manitoba Crop Diversification Centre near Carberry, M.B. in June, staff from MPSG, Manitoba Agriculture and other crop diversification centres learned more about lupin production, marketing and end uses. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldIn September, Laird Lampertz, sales manager at Pitura Seeds, delivered a presentation to delegates of the Japan Tofu Makers Association Trade Mission on conventional soybean quality assurance measures during cleaning and processing at the Pitura Seeds facility located in Doman, M.B. Photo credit: Terry BussIn August, MPSG staff joined with Heritage Co-op near Charter, M.B. to chat with farmers about pea leaf weevils, pea diseases and eight different pea varieties in the co-op’s demonstration trials. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldIn June, Grade 8 students from Gilbert Plains Elementary joined MPSG in a Soybean Survivor challenge for fun, hands-on learning about soybeans and scouting. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldAt Burr Forest Group’s Effective Extension: Communications Training for Farm Groups in June, MPSG staff joined with staff from Manitoba Crop Alliance and Manitoba Canola Growers to learn improved communication skills for effectively providing farmers with valuable production information. Photo credit: Burr Forrest GroupThe MPSG Board of Directors and staff enjoyed a tour at the University of Manitoba research farm near Carman, M.B. in July. The tour showcased Kristen MacMillan’s research. Photo credit: Ian KirbyDavid Rourke held a tour near Minto, M.B. in July to showcase his research on soybeans and dry beans with spring seeded cover crops – soybeans, green seeded and herbicide black and pinto beans, and non-GMO soybeans, as well as zero till versus tilled soybeans, black beans and pinto beans. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldIn July, at Crop Diagnostic School in Carman, M.B., MPSG staff learned about the effectiveness of different spray applications and chemistries on soybeans and dry beans. Staff also saw the symptoms of spraying the wrong chemistry on herbicide tolerant soybeans. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldMPSG staff toured the dry bean plots at AAFC Morden with dry bean breeders Anfu Ho and Jamie Larsen in August. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldIn October, MPSG took part in the soybean field harvest for the 2025 acres for the Hamiota, M.B. community grow project. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldAt the 4R Nutrient Management field day, on the EMILI Smart Farm near Grosse Isle, M.B., hosted by Fertilizer Canada in August, Wendy McDonald moderated the panel discussion on 4R nutrient management practices and enhanced efficiency fertilizers. Photo credit: Wendy McDonald
