Barley & Production Tips

File photo of wheat under snow. (Ssvyat/iStock/Getty Images)

Barley, Crops, Markets, Spring Wheat, Weather

Feed weekly outlook: Prairie grain market finding a bottom

By GFM Network News October 9, 2019

MarketsFarm — The western Canadian feed grain market is showing signs of finding a bottom, as buyers wait to get a better handle on the quality of grain still unharvested across the Prairies. Feed barley is currently trading at around $200 per tonne in southern Alberta, while feed wheat bids are around $210, according to […] Read more

File photo of a snow-topped field in Alberta. (Don White/iStock/Getty Images)

Barley, Crops, Markets, Spring Wheat, Weather

Feed weekly outlook: Snowfall boosts spot barley bids

By GFM Network News October 3, 2019

MarketsFarm — Spot barley prices have received support from last weekend’s snows in southern Alberta, but the major barley-growing regions were mostly spared. While the cold and wet weather has delayed harvest activity, a promising forecast should allow for harvest to resume in the Red Deer area, where most of the barley crop is located. […] Read more

A 2017 study maps out predictions for changes to the “water footprint” of rain-fed barley grown in agricultural Alberta. (Science of the Total Environment, March 2018)

Barley, Crops, Weather

University’s ‘Beefier Barley’ billboard binned

By GFM Network News October 1, 2019

A billboard about Alberta barley’s prospects under climate change in the University of Alberta’s ‘Truth Matters’ promotion — a series of ads meant to spark discussion about its researchers’ work — has been winnowed out of the campaign. Jacqui Tam, the Edmonton-based U of A’s vice-president for university relations, announced Sunday it would withdraw the […] Read more

Barley south of Ethelton, Sask. in early August 2017. (File photo by Dave Bedard)

Barley, Crops, Markets, Spring Wheat

Feed weekly outlook: Barley’s slide slows as harvest drags

By GFM Network News September 26, 2019

MarketsFarm — The slide in western Canadian feed grain prices over the past few months shows signs of slowing, as concerns over harvest delays supplant earlier concerns over large crops and quality downgrades. “The weather over the next week or so doesn’t look that great,” Allen Pirness of Market Place Commodities in Lethbridge said Thursday. […] Read more

Barley, Crops, Markets

Feed weekly outlook: Market not bottomed yet

By GFM Network News September 20, 2019

MarketsFarm — Falling feed grain prices in Western Canada have not hit the bottom just yet, especially as harvest delays lead to quality downgrades. “I would say it’s coming down quite a bit more,” said Mike Fleischhauer of Eagle Commodities in Lethbridge. The barley and wheat harvests are running behind normal in both Saskatchewan and […] Read more

Barley, Crops, Markets

Ample world malt barley supply to limit export prices

By GFM Network News September 13, 2019

MarketsFarm — Canadian malt barley growers may be dealing with adverse harvest conditions that could lead to quality downgrades in some areas — while world supplies of the key beer ingredient remain more than sufficient to meet global demand. “There’s no real indication at this time that we’ll see a significant up move (in price),” […] Read more

Harvest weather so far this fall may cost barley end-users seeking malting-grade product this year, the CMBTC warns. (Dave Bedard photo)

Barley, Crops, Markets, Weather

As harvest drags on, malt barley quality uncertain

By GFM Network News September 11, 2019

MarketsFarm — The quality of Canada’s 2019-20 barley crop remains to be seen, as cool and wet harvest conditions across much of the Prairies are raising concerns over how much will meet malt specifications. “We’ll lose a lot of malting barley this year, because of the weather,” said Peter Watts, managing director of the Canadian […] Read more

Barley, Features

New barley breeding efforts aim for a replacement for AC Metcalfe

Breeders have recently focused their efforts on the craft brewers

By Melanie Epp September 11, 2019

Aaron Beattie is a barley breeder at the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre. Beattie is looking for a replacement for AC Metcalfe. AC Metcalfe is a high enzymatic variety, so it’s suitable for large-scale brewers. A new variety, CDC Fraser, is also high in enzymes and offers more in terms of disease resistance and […] Read more

A barley crop south of Ethelton, Sask. on July 30, 2019. (Dave Bedard photo)

Barley, Corn, Crops, Markets

Feed weekly outlook: Barley bouncing back, reducing need for corn

By GFM Network News September 6, 2019

MarketsFarm — This year has been proving good for barley, according to trader Allen Pirness of Market Place Commodities in Lethbridge. “A lot of acres went in and that takes the edge off of supply,” Pirness said of the barley crop throughout southern Alberta. There had been a switch to corn in feed rations last […] Read more

AC Metcalfe is one of the most popular malt barley varieties.

Barley, Features

New malting barley variety acceptance an uphill battle

While the industry works to market new varieties, farmers seed the old standbys

By Melanie Epp August 31, 2019

Farmers choosing malt barley seed in the spring of 2019 would have seen CDC Copeland and AC Metcalfe at the top of the list of recommended varieties published by the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre (CMBTC). CDC Copeland was registered 20 years ago, in 1999. AC Metcalfe was registered in 1997. While the list includes newer varieties, barley […] Read more

U.S. grains: Soy futures set six-week low as China buys Argentine cargoes, snubs U.S.

U.S. livestock: Hogs rally ahead of USDA report

Canadian Barley Research Coalition pledges $1.8 million to USask Crop Development Centre

GFM Network News