It’s estimated 70 to 80 percent of the barley grown in Western Canada was affected by heavy rains and snow in early-to-mid September. Factor in the 31 percent decrease in overall barley production estimated by Statistics Canada in its report out Friday morning, and the math is simple; barley that qualifies for malt will be harder to… Read More
Category: Barley
With the news last week that the Manitoba Wheat and Barley Growers Association has become a member of Cereals Canada, some farmers in Saskatchewan are now wondering where their provincial organization — the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission — stands. According to its strategic plan unveiled earlier this month, the goal for the newly-formed Cereals Canada… Read More
The Manitoba Wheat and Barley Growers Association (MWBGA) is a new member of Cereals Canada, the not-for-profit industry group announced yesterday. “Cereals Canada brings together a broad and diverse collection of partners from all parts of the cereals sector and across the country. Representation from farmers from all regions is a critical element to our… Read More
The Saskatchewan Barley Development Commission (SBDC) recently announced it has hired Jill McDonald as the new executive director. McDonald has extensive and diverse experience in agriculture, having worked with the Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership (STEP), as a lecturer and researcher at the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Agriculture and having operated a private consulting company. “I… Read More
The first few weeks’ of crop growth are critical for two things — one, evaluating your seeding or planting pass; and, two, providing timely protection for the crop at its most vulnerable stage. In this special version of the Agronomy Geeks podcast, I’m joined by Brunel Sabourin, agronomic advisor with Cargill based at Morris, Man…. Read More
The Canadian Grain Commission recently announced upcoming changes to tolerance levels for Ergot, Sclerotinia and Fusarium. The new levels will help create uniformity and simplify assessment. “These grading changes are not only uniform between Eastern and Western Canada, they also ensure Canada’s grain continues to uphold its reputation for quality and safety.” said Elwin Hermanson, chief commissioner,… Read More
Farmers in Manitoba know the symptoms of fusarium head blight all too well — bleaching of the grain head, sometimes with a pink tinge, that results in shriveled and shrunk kernels. Sometimes called scab or tombstone, fusarium head blight not only bites into yield, it’s also a downgrading factor of grain. Grain with fusarium damaged… Read More
These are exciting times for farmers, as new cereal commissions, associations and industry groups crop up (sorry) offer farmers the chance to forge the path ahead for the wheat and barley industry’s market development. Alberta was the first province to set up a development commission following the dismantling of the Canadian Wheat Board’s monopoly powers… Read More
The newly created Manitoba Wheat and Barley Growers Association (MWBGA) has cleared the final regulatory hurdle in creating a grower-driven organization. As of February 1, 2014, the group will begin collecting a refundable checkoff of $0.52/tonne of wheat and $0.50/tonne of barley. The checkoff will be collected by all buyers in Manitoba — feed mills… Read More
All of us have bad days at work, good days at work and then there are awesome days at work. Today it is clear that Dave Hansen had a great day at work. Not only did Gerry Ritz hold his Agricultural Growth Act press conference at the Canterra Seeds office but the inclusion of UPOV91… Read More
2013 was a big year for western Canadian cereal crops, and with big yield can come big problems with toppling over. Lodging risk is a complicated mixture of genetics, a nutrient imbalance, nutrient deficiency, improper seeding rate or a combination of these factors. Having all those things in check is key, but if you still… Read More
Cereals Canada, a multi-stakeholder, multi-commodity organization, with a goal of enhancing the domestic and international competitiveness of Canadian cereals was recently formed out of the Cereals Council of Canada Working Group. This committee of industry stakeholders came together in 2012 to address the growing national and international interest in cereals. Modeled after other highly successful… Read More
A frost in mid-September isn’t unexpected, but the damage caused varies widely, depending on a number of factors. Just because the temperatures dip doesn’t mean that your immature crop is a write-off. Crop type, maturity and length of time the temp sat below freezing all play a role in the final damage done. The first… Read More
Today marks one year since the CWB was stripped of its monopoly. This climax of, oh, 40 years (or more?) of bickering between those for and against the monopoly was a great day for many, but also rather anti-climatic. As RealAgriculture.com shared then, August 1, 2012 dawned with no earthquakes, riots in the streets or… Read More
Have you ever walked around a farm show and thought, “If only I had the money.” We put that question, and a few others, to a group of farmers we bribed with t-shirts asked to participate in the latest installment of Talking to Farmers.Watch the video below to hear about how often these farmers trade… Read More