Cereals & Production Tips

These changes in height and lodging rates were found on irrigated land at Lethbridge in 2015.

Researchers put PGRs to the test

Alberta researchers find that PGRs impact different wheat varieties in different ways

By Lisa Guenther March 2, 2016

The perception that all hard red wheat varieties respond equally to plant growth regulators doesn’t hold up in the field, according to an Alberta Agriculture and Forestry researcher. “We’ve looked at several different hard reds that have a height reduction, but they don’t have the improvement in standability that we need,” Dr. Sheri Strydhorst told […] Read more

Cereals, Features

Specialty oats take extra patience

Growing gluten-free oats can pay a premium, but it takes extra time and planning

By Angela Lovell February 29, 2016

There are more and more gluten-free products on store shelves these days, which is good news for Zenneth Faye’s two daughters. Their intolerance to gluten was a factor in their father’s decision to look at growing gluten-free oats three years ago on his farm near Foam Lake, Saskatchewan. Faye also had a piece of land […] Read more

Crops, Markets, Spring Wheat

Prairie spring wheat bids drop as loonie rises

By GFM Network News February 29, 2016

CNS Canada –– Cash spring wheat bids across Western Canada moved lower during the week ended Friday, as the strengthening Canadian dollar cut into basis levels. Average Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) wheat prices were down by about $5-$7 per tonne over the course of the week, according to price quotes from a cross-section of […] Read more

Cereals, FarmLife

Canary seed approved for humans

And why not? It’s nutritious and gluten free

By Amy Jo Ehman February 26, 2016

I got the news, appropriately, via Twitter, i.e. a tweet: Canary seed has been granted the status of human food. Last month, regulatory authorities in Canada and the United States gave canary seed the human stamp of approval. Which raises the question, if canary seed is for the birds, why would we humans flock to […] Read more

Cereals, Crops, Reuters

Cargill joint venture to build grain terminal in Ukraine

By Reuters, GFM Network News February 24, 2016

Kiev | Reuters — U.S. agriculture giant Cargill and Ukraine’s MV Cargo said they would build and operate a grain terminal at Ukraine’s Black Sea port of Yuzhny under a US$100 million joint venture agreement signed Wednesday. The terminal, near Ukraine’s biggest port city of Odessa, will have an annual loading capacity of five million […] Read more

Crops, Markets, Spring Wheat

Prairie spring wheat bids rise with U.S. futures

By GFM Network News February 22, 2016

CNS Canada — Cash spring wheat bids across Western Canada moved higher during the week ended Friday, as U.S. futures moved up and basis levels held reasonably steady. Average Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) wheat prices were up by about $2-$5 per tonne over the course of the week, according to price quotes from a […] Read more

Cereals, Crops

PBR breach to cost Saskatchewan seed grower $150K

By Allan Dawson, GFM Network News February 19, 2016

A Saskatchewan seed grower will pay $150,000 to SeCan — the largest penalty in the seed company’s history — for breaching SeCan’s plant breeders rights (PBR). Harvey Marcil of Pasqua Farms near Moose Jaw, Sask., has also agreed to stop making unauthorized seed sales and was expelled from SeCan’s membership, Todd Hyra, SeCan’s business manager […] Read more

Apple Honey Oatmeal and Chocolate Oat Clusters.

Cereals, FarmLife

What’s more Canadian than a bowl of porridge?

Prairie Palate: Canada is the second-largest oats producer and the largest exporter and they were a staple for pioneers

By Amy Jo Ehman February 19, 2016

I started my day with a bowl of oatmeal porridge. Nothing could be more Canadian. We grow more oats in Canada than anywhere else but Russia. Canada is the second-largest producer — and the largest exporter — of oats in the world. Mountains of our oats are turned into brand-name breakfast cereals, oatmeal cookies and […] Read more

Crops, Markets, Reuters, Spring Wheat

Egypt writes to wheat suppliers on ergot, hoping to win confidence

By Reuters, GFM Network News February 17, 2016

Abu Dhabi | Reuters — Egypt’s Agriculture Ministry sent a letter to traders saying it will allow an ergot fungus tolerance level of 0.05 per cent in wheat imports, hoping suppliers will make offers in international purchase tenders for the strategic grain. Disputes about ergot content level have disrupted top buyer Egypt’s wheat imports in […] Read more

Barley, Features

Recommended malt barley varieties

Tired of the same old thing? Try a new malt barley variety this spring

By Leeann Minogue February 16, 2016

Last year, 73 per cent of Prairie acres that grew two-row malt barley were seeded with AC Metcalfe or CDC Copeland. Because both of these varieties have been available for quite a few years, Michael Brophy, President and CEO of the Brewing and Malt Barley Research Institute (BMBRI), would like farmers to have more options. […] Read more

Daily Network News

Southern California honeybees show resistance to varroa mites

Pulse Weekly: SaskPulse optimistic despite input, crop price concerns

Canadian aquaculture should be classed as agriculture, industry groups say

Cereals