Work is underway for a new beef and forage research collaboration between government and producer organizations.

Manitoba Beef and Forage Initiatives (MBFI), put together by Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Beef Producers, Ducks Unlimited, and  Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association, is made up of three sites in the Brandon area and will have its grand opening this summer. But research work including projects with annual forages already started last year.

"What we want to focus on is research projects that are a bit risky," says project coordinator Carollyne Kehler, "like things that producers don't necessarily want to try on their own farm, but we can try for them, and then if it works, they can take it use it in the future. Some of the examples would be different forage projects, different rotational grazing, things to do with new technology."

So far the project has over 1300 acres in the Brandon area with 55 cow/calf pairs.