Australian countryside near Bendigo, northwest of Melbourne. (CIA.gov)

GrainCorp to join buyer group for Australian wheat marketer

Sydney | Reuters — Australia’s GrainCorp said Wednesday it was joining a consortium that plans to acquire, then list, Western Australia’s grower-owned Co-operative Bulk Handling Ltd (CBH), the country’s largest wheat exporter. The proposal is led by Australian Grains Champion, a Western Australian grower-led initiative. The acquisition would be valued at A$3 billion (C$2.96 billion), […] Read more

(Country Guide file photo)

Prairie wheat bids drift down with U.S. futures

CNS Canada — Cash spring wheat bids across Western Canada edged lower in most locations during the week ended Friday, as losses in the U.S. futures weighed on values. However, basis levels saw some slight improvement in many locations, as Canadian wheat has continued to see more stable export demand compared to U.S.-origin supplies. Average […] Read more


Sunset in Egypt on the Nile River south of Luxor. (CIA.gov)

Egypt rejects Canadian wheat shipment over ergot

Abu Dhabi | Reuters –– Egypt’s agricultural quarantine authority has rejected a shipment of Canadian wheat, saying it contained traces of the fungus ergot, a trade source said and official documents obtained by Reuters showed. The move by the quarantine authority is the latest in a series of rejections, which have caused serious concerns over […] Read more

Ex-Iraq grain board chief to be investigated in graft case

CORRECTED, Feb. 20, 2016 — Baghdad | Reuters — Iraq’s acting trade minister has referred former grain board chief Saad al-Hamdani and 16 unnamed individuals for investigation over suspected transportation of illegal wheat shipments, a ministry statement said Monday. The grain board is responsible for purchasing billions of dollars worth of commodities internationally and from […] Read more


Find the right cereal variety for your farm

Agronomy tips... from the field

Variety selection in cereals, like every crop in your rotation, is one of your first and most important management decisions. Each variety is unique, as are the growing conditions on your farm. A variety’s performance is going to vary across environments due to many factors, including soil type, precipitation, fertility, temperature, planting date, pest infestations, […] Read more



(Canada Beef Inc. photo)

Buyers eating up Lethbridge feed barley

CNS Canada –– Lethbridge feed barley prices have strengthened on bargain buying, according to one market watcher, while demand for feed wheat is steady at best. Lethbridge barley prices have increased from $200-$205 in January to $205-$215 in February, as the grain becomes more difficult to source, said Jim Beusekom, president at Market Place Commodities. […] Read more

Swathed oats can be threshed as soon as they reach the correct moisture level. Left too long in the field and they may weather and lose quality.

Five keys to successful oat production

Here’s the lowdown on five of the key factors behind growing a winning oat crop this year

Oats is a small-acre crop that has tended to fall behind in terms of agronomy research. That’s changing as more oat varieties become available and new niche markets continue to develop and offer premiums to growers meeting their specifications. For anyone trying oats for the first time, or considering adding oats to their rotation, Grainews […] Read more


As more oat varieties become available to growers and premium niche markets continue to develop, there is more oat agronomy research underway.

New oat varieties on the horizon

New oat varieties focus on yield, milling quality and oat disease resistance

Since 2011 there has been an increase in the frequency of registration of new oat varieties, says Dr. Aaron Beattie, professor and oat breeder at the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre (CDC). Breeding programs continue to focus on increasing yields and improving disease resistance. They’re also trying to address the needs of millers who […] Read more

(Country Guide file photo)

Prairie spring wheat bids slide lower

CNS Canada –– Cash spring wheat bids across Western Canada moved lower during the week ended Friday, as the firmer Canadian dollar and losses in U.S. wheat futures weighed on values. Average Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) wheat prices were down by $4-$6 per tonne over the week, according to price quotes from a cross-section […] Read more