After a worryingly dry start to the year, Saskatchewan has finally seen some moisture, and it shows. “We’ve been very fortunate,” says Sherrilyn Phelps of the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers. “Over the past month…we’ve gone from where crops are barely hanging on in some areas where it’s been so dry, to getting that rain and all… Read More
There’s no understating just how significant the loss of Canadian pulse exports to India has been this past year. Carl Potts, executive director of the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, says that the organization’s budget — directly funded through a value-based levy — fell short by nearly 40%. It shows just how dire the situation has been… Read More
Federal minister of agriculture Lawrence MacAulay was at the University of Saskatchewan this week to announce $11.1 Million in funding for SaskPulse and Pulse Canada under the Canadian Agriculture Partnership, AgriScience Clusters. In addition, $7.2 million of industry matching funding will bring the total investment to over $18 million. At the press conference, held at… Read More
Faba beans seem to grow forever. They don’t, but their days to maturity are about five days longer than most varieties of wheat, so it feels like forever when you are trying to get harvest started. This is why it’s important to know what to look for, and then what to do, when it comes… Read More
In a move to support domestic prices after a bumper crop, India’s government has announced a 50 percent import duty on peas, while also raising its tariff on wheat from 10 to 20 percent. The country’s Central Board of Excise and Customs issued an order on Wednesday seeking to “increase rate of basic customs duty… Read More
Saskatchewan Pulse Growers (SPG) says it has licensed the distribution rights for select newer pea, lentil and chickpea varieties outside of Saskatchewan to SeCan and SeedNet. Since 1997, SPG has funded the pulse breeding program at the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre (CDC) in exchange for commercial rights to pulse crop varieties developed at… Read More
Saskatchewan Pulse Growers is extending the temporary reduction of the levy it collects on pulses and soybeans grown in the province for another year, as it draws down its surplus accumulated with record pulse acres and strong prices in recent years. SPG reduced its non-refundable checkoff from 1 to 0.67% of gross sales on August… Read More
Mother Nature has given the prairies many different crop conditions this year, and Saskatchewan is no exception to this rule. For the most part, Saskatchewan pulse growers are seeing very dry conditions, although this has helped keep disease levels down, notes Sherrilyn Phelps, agronomy specialist with Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, in this latest Pulse School episode…. Read More
India’s government has give notice of another six-month exemption regarding its fumigation requirements for agricultural commodities shipped to the country, but it looks like shipments to Canada’s largest pulse market could face another trade obstacle — much higher inspection fees — upon arrival at Indian ports. Saskatchewan Pulse Growers (SPG) says “additional clarity is required”… Read More
Tough to say and even harder to control, aphanomyces has the potential to significantly reduce pea and lentil yields, and can stick around in the soil for an extremely long time. It’s recommended that farmers not plant pea or lentil for five to six years if aphanomyces has been confirmed in a field, but that’s… Read More
The Saskatchewan Pulse Growers’ board of directors is keeping its levy non-refundable. The board had one year to respond to a resolution passed at the organization’s 2016 annual general meeting requesting the check-off be made refundable. SPG chair Tim Wiens informed members of the decision in a letter distributed December 13 (see below.) SPG is… Read More
With revenues climbing quickly alongside the number of pulse crop acres, Saskatchewan Pulse Growers is informing its members of a temporary reduction in the checkoff on pulses and soybeans grown in Saskatchewan. Effective August 1, 2016, the non-refundable levy on pulse sales will be reduced from 1% to 0.67% for one year, according to a… Read More
Saskatchewan Pulse Growers has reached a five year, nearly $23 million pulse crop breeding deal with the Crop Development Centre at the University of Saskatchewan. The arrangement, which spans from 2015-16 to 2019-20, fulfills the third five-year term in SPG’s 15-year breeding deal with the CDC, focused on developing new varieties of peas, lentils, chickpeas,… Read More
Optimal seeding rates for faba beans can vary from less than 3 bushels per acre to over 6 bushels per acre due to a wide range in seed size. With spring around the corner, Sherrilyn Phelps of Saskatchewan Pulse Growers stresses the importance of knowing the thousand kernel weight of faba bean seed. “Depending on variety and… Read More
There were plenty of lessons to be learned about growing faba beans in 2015, as the number of acres covered by crop insurance in Saskatchewan tripled from just under 20 thousand in 2014 to around 60 thousand last year. “When you increase acres, there are definitely things we gain more information on,” notes Sherrilyn Phelps,… Read More