Manitoba Beef and Forage Initiatives

What Manitoba Beef and Forage Initiatives does

Manitoba Beef & Forage Initiatives Inc. (MBFI) is a private, non-profit research and demonstration organization focused on improving the productivity, sustainability, and profitability of beef cattle and forage production in Manitoba, Canada. It operates three farm stations near Brandon — Brookdale Farm (640 acres, on Ducks Unlimited Canada land), Johnson Farm (320 acres, formerly an AAFC Beef Research Farm), and First Street Pasture (426 acres) — totaling approximately 1,386 acres of demonstration and trial land. MBFI serves Manitoba cow-calf producers and the broader beef and forage value chain by running 46+ active research and demonstration projects covering planned grazing, soil health and carbon monitoring, extended winter grazing, forage polycultures, precision ranching, weed biocontrol, pollinator habitat, and biodiversity. Its primary customer segment is Manitoba beef producers, with extension programming delivered through field days, workshops, webinars, the Beef & Forage Roundup podcast, the MBFI Learning Centre, and the Grazing Mentorship Network.

MBFI's technical platform is a "Smart Farm" that integrates multiple precision-livestock and environmental monitoring tools across its farm stations, including Batt-Latch automatic gates, solar cow cameras, Lotek GPS collars, Moonsyst rumen boluses, Allflex SenseHub Beef ear tags, C-lock SmartFeed Pro feed bunks, FarmSimple water bowl sensors, Optiweigh in-pasture weighing, and eShepherd virtual fencing collars. The organization is a member of the Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network hosted by Olds College, enabling cross-province data sharing and technology validation with collaborators including Lakeland College, Thompson Rivers University, and Buck Lake Ranch. It also operates International Drought Experiment drought structures for rangeland research and runs the multi-province Precision Ranching for Improved Reproductive and Grazing Efficiencies project (2022-2025) funded by CAAIN.

MBFI does not sell commercial products or charge for its research outputs. Its funding model is built on federal-provincial agricultural policy frameworks (Canadian Agricultural Partnership, Growing Forward II, Manitoba Hydro), industry association grants (Beef Cattle Research Council, Manitoba Beef Producers), scientific leadership from AAFC and provincial agencies, in-kind contributions from approximately 40 seed and input companies, and academic collaborations with the University of Manitoba, Brandon University, and Assiniboine Community College. Facility rental income from the Learning Centre and farm sites is secondary and prioritized for partners, sponsors, and youth organizations. GTM is event-driven: research findings and demonstration results are disseminated through field days, farm tours, workshops, webinars, podcasts, video content, and direct producer engagement, with no traditional sales motion.

Name

Manitoba Beef and Forage Initiatives

Legal name

Manitoba Beef & Forage Initiatives Inc.

Website

https://mbfi.ca

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Manitoba Beef & Forage Initiatives is a non-profit research and demonstration organization operating three farm stations near Brandon, Manitoba, that runs applied research and extension programs to help Manitoba cow-calf producers improve grazing, soil health, and precision livestock practices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Research and Demonstration Services

NAICS

Beef Cattle Ranching and Farming (112111), Beef Cattle Ranching and Farming, including Feedlots (11211), Farm Management Services (115116), Support Activities for Animal Production (115210)

SIC

Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Beef Cattle Grazing & Pasture-Based Operations (AFAEABAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Animal Nutrition & Feeding Support Services (On-Farm Feeding, Feed Management) (AFAEALAJ), Farm Technology Enablement & Data Integration Advisory (FMIS/ERP, IoT, Decision Support) (AFACAJAG)

Keywords

• Agricultural research services
• Beef cattle production
• Forage management research
• Soil health research
• Precision livestock technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Winnipeg

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Research Funding and Grants: MBFI operates as a non-profit research and demonstration organization funded primarily through government agricultural programs (Canadian Agricultural Partnership, Growing Forward II, etc.), industry associations (Beef Cattle Research Council, Manitoba Beef Producers), and in-kind contributions from partners and sponsors. Revenue supports farm operations, research projects, and extension activities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Manitoba Beef & Forage Initiatives (MBFI) operates a network of three research and demonstration farm stations near Brandon, Manitoba (Brookdale Farm, Johnson Farm, and First Street Pasture) totaling roughly 1,386 acres for beef cattle and forage production research. Its core activities include on-farm multi-year research and demonstration projects (planned grazing, extended winter grazing, soil health, forage polycultures, pollinator habitat, carbon monitoring, leafy spurge biocontrol), integration and demonstration of smart farm precision livestock technology, and extension/outreach programming delivered via field days, the MBFI Learning Centre, podcasts, video library, factsheets, and the MB Grazing Mentorship Network.

Product overview

Manitoba Beef & Forage Initiatives (MBFI) is a research and demonstration organization focused on beef and forage production in Manitoba, Canada. MBFI does not offer a traditional software product, platform, or module. Instead, it operates three farm station sites (Johnson Farm, Brookdale Farm, and First Street Pasture) where it conducts agricultural research and demonstration projects covering topics such as grazing management, soil health, forage production, weed biocontrol, and extended winter grazing strategies. MBFI also maintains a Smart Farm initiative that utilizes various smart technologies (GPS collars, cow cameras, rumen boluses, water sensors, automated gates) for research and demonstration purposes. The MBFI Learning Centre serves as an educational facility for hosting workshops, producer-group meetings, and youth events. MBFI's core offering is agricultural research, knowledge transfer, and on-farm demonstration rather than a packaged software or technology product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Research and Demonstration Projects Multi-year on-farm research and demonstration projects conducted at MBFI's three farm stations to advance beef cattle and forage production practices for Manitoba cow-calf producers and industry stakeholders.
• Smart Farm Program A precision livestock technology research and demonstration program integrating wearable and remote monitoring tools across MBFI's farm stations, available through the Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network to support on-farm technology adoption by producers.
• MBFI Learning Centre and Farm Facility Rentals Rental of the MBFI Learning Centre and farm facilities (Brookdale Farm, Johnson Farm) for agriculture-related activities including industry workshops, producer-group meetings, and youth events; booked via email or phone with priority given to MBFI partners, sponsors, and youth organizations (4-H, schools, youth clubs).
• MB Grazing Mentorship Network A peer mentorship program that pairs experienced Manitoba grazers with producers seeking to adopt improved grazing management practices, supporting knowledge transfer and adoption of evidence-based grazing approaches.

Quantifiable outcome

• Planned grazing produced more forage and more grazing days than continuous grazing over multiple years (2016-2021 Planned Grazing project)
• +7 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Manitoba Agriculture and Resource DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCore provincial government partner providing funding, technical staff, and research collaboration across multiple MBFI projects including grazing management, soil health, and forage evaluation. Manitoba Agriculture staff serve as project leads and collaborators on numerous demonstration projects.
• Manitoba Beef ProducerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCore industry partner representing Manitoba beef producers, providing funding and in-kind support for MBFI research and extension activities. MBFI and MBP co-present events and share content with Manitoba's beef producer community.
• Ducks Unlimited CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLandowner of the Brookdale Farm property (640-acre section at 31-12-18W) provided to MBFI for research and demonstration. DUC and MBFI collaborate on wetland health assessments, riparian management, pollinator habitat projects, and producer education through Grazing Clubs.
• Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal research agency providing scientific leadership, funding, and in-kind contributions to multiple MBFI projects. AAFC researchers (including scientists from Brandon Research and Development Centre and Swift Current) lead or collaborate on soil health, forage polyculture, biocontrol, and drought response projects.
• University of ManitobacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partner providing project leads, graduate student supervision, and scientific expertise. University of Manitoba faculty (Kim Ominski, Emma McGeough, Karin Wittenberg, Argenis Rodas Gonzalez, and others) lead or collaborate on livestock nutrition, forage evaluation, supplementation, and extended grazing projects.
• Brandon UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner providing scientific expertise in soil health and soil microbial biomass research. Dr. Terence McGonigle and Dr. Alex Koiter from Brandon University's Geography department lead soil carbon monitoring, microbial biomass, and planned grazing studies at MBFI farm sites.
• Assiniboine Community CollegesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerACC shares a border with First Street Pasture and collaborated with MBFI on the Ferruginous Hawk ACC Capstone Project (Breanna Sheppard, 2020), designing artificial nesting structures for endangered hawks as a student capstone project.
• Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational industry research organization providing funding, decision-making tools, webinars, and factsheets referenced throughout MBFI's research projects. BCRC co-funds projects on extended grazing, strategic supplementation, cover crop grazing, and forage evaluation.
• Pan-Canadian Smart Farm NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMBFI is a member of this network (hosted by Olds College) alongside other smart farm organizations across Canada. The network facilitates sharing of data and expertise to help farmers, industry, and developers advance on-farm technology adoption.
• Olds College Technology Access Centre for Livestock ProductionsecondaryTechnology or IntegrationMember of the Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network; serves as the host institution for the network. Collaborates with MBFI on smart farm technology evaluation, data sharing, and cross-province research trials.
• Manitoba Forage & Grassland AssociationsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerMBFI connects with MFGA through the Range and Pasture Health Workbook and related grassland management resources, supporting knowledge transfer on sustainable grazing practices across Manitoba.
• Multiple Seed and Input Companies (Imperial Seed, Northstar Seed, DLF Pickseed, SeCan, Pride Seeds, Brett Young, Union Forage, Syngenta Canada, Zeghers Canada, Corteva, Maizex, Central Testing Laboratory, etc.)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerApproximately 40+ seed companies, agricultural input suppliers, and service companies provide in-kind support (seed, fertilizer, technology) for MBFI research demonstrations. These sponsors appear on MBFI's website partner and sponsor logos and contribute to specific project trials (forage polycultures, corn intercropping, pollinator habitat, etc.).
• Farm Credit Canada (FCC)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerFederal agricultural lender listed as a sponsor/in-kind contributor on MBFI's website, providing financial support for research activities and demonstration infrastructure.
• McDonald's CanadaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational quick-service restaurant chain listed as a sponsor on MBFI's website, reflecting industry interest in sustainable beef production and supply chain sustainability.
• Assiniboine West Watershed District / Upper Assiniboine River Conservation DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWatershed district partners collaborating on shelterbelt establishment and cicer milkvetch abundance projects at MBFI farm sites, contributing to riparian and soil health improvements.
• Manitoba Association of WatershedssecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvincial watershed association collaborating on Living Lab Manitoba events and projects, including co-hosting the 2026 Living Lab Manitoba Tour with registration managed through the association.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC): National beef industry research funding body that co-funds MBFI projects and disseminates its findings through factsheets and webinars. Comparable as a national coordinator that overlaps with MBFI's research prioritization, funding, and knowledge dissemination roles.
• Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC): Federal research agency that collaborates extensively with MBFI and historically operated the Johnson Farm research site. Comparable as a much larger, broader public-sector agricultural research institution whose beef and forage work overlaps with MBFI's portfolio.
• Canadian Forage and Grassland Association: National industry association promoting forage and grassland sustainability. Comparable as a coordinating body that overlaps with MBFI's knowledge transfer, extension, and producer engagement work at a national scale.

Others

• Ducks Unlimited Canada: Owns the Brookdale Farm site that MBFI operates and collaborates with MBFI on wetland, riparian, and pollinator habitat projects. Directly comparable as a partner with overlapping grazing management and biodiversity research interests, though DUC's primary mandate is wetland conservation rather than beef production.
• Manitoba Beef Producers: Core industry partner and primary audience for MBFI's extension programming. Comparable as the Manitoba producer-facing body that co-funds, co-presents, and amplifies MBFI's research outputs to the province's cow-calf producers.

Direct peers

• Olds College (Smart Farm): Hosts the Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network alongside MBFI and operates a comparable smart farm research and demonstration facility focused on livestock and crop production technology validation. Directly comparable as the network's anchor institution with overlapping smart farm technology, livestock research, and producer extension mandate.
• Saskatchewan Forage Council: Provinces-wide forage research, demonstration, and extension organization with a mandate closely parallel to MBFI's forage and grassland work. Comparable as an industry-led research and knowledge transfer peer for prairie beef and forage producers.
• Lakeland College (Alberta): Participates with MBFI in the Precision Ranching for Improved Reproductive and Grazing Efficiencies multi-province project. Comparable as a western Canadian college operating applied livestock research with smart farm technology validation and producer extension.
• University of Saskatchewan — Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence: Academic-operated beef and forage research facility with cow-calf, feedlot, and forage production units. Highly comparable to MBFI's three-station demonstration model in scale, applied research focus, and producer extension mission.
• Western Beef Development Centre (Saskatchewan): Saskatchewan's beef and forage research center with a similar mission of conducting applied research, demonstrations, and extension programming for prairie cattle producers. Operates its own research herd and forage trials, comparable in scope and funding model to MBFI.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCxu5nJ0Cs9pUdSzJjEBwZRA/featured

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Manitoba Beef and Forage Initiatives