Cereals & Production Tips

Barley, Crops, Markets, Reuters, Weather

Frozen barley crops to push craft beer prices higher

By Rod Nickel, GFM Network News September 22, 2014

Winnipeg | Reuters –– Beer prices in North America may rise next year as brewers and maltsters face higher costs after cold, wet weather damaged Canadian barley crops and left farmers and tipplers crying in their beer. Canada, the world’s second-biggest exporter of malting barley, was already harvesting its smallest crop since 1968, before a […] Read more

Cereals, Crops, Markets, Spring Wheat, Winter Wheat

Wheat bids slide with U.S. futures

By GFM Network News September 22, 2014

Average cash bids for Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) wheat moved down across Western Canada during the week ended Friday, as continued losses in U.S. futures weighed on values. The highest CWRS prices were still available in Manitoba, but average bids in the province declined by $8 from the previous week, coming in at roughly […] Read more

Crops, Markets, Reuters, Spring Wheat

U.S. spring wheat protein premiums soar after wet, cool summer

By GFM Network News September 16, 2014

Chicago | Reuters — Cash prices for top quality U.S. hard red spring wheat are soaring as the rain-delayed harvest throws up lower-than-average protein levels, and traders and analysts said outsized premiums are likely to continue for months. Farmers are expecting the largest harvest in four years as wet, cool weather swells yields. But that […] Read more

Cereals, Crops, Markets, Spring Wheat

Wheat bids down again

By GFM Network News September 15, 2014

CNS Canada — Average bids for Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) wheat moved down by an average of $2 to $5 per tonne across Western Canada during the week ended Friday, as large global wheat supplies weighed on the North American market. The highest CWRS prices were still available in Manitoba, but average bids in […] Read more

(Michael Thompson photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Cereals, Crops, Weather, Winter Wheat

Late harvest to hurt Prairie winter wheat seeding

By GFM Network News September 15, 2014

CNS Canada –– Monday (Sept. 15) marks the full coverage crop insurance seeding deadline for winter wheat in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, with Alberta farmers having until the 20th or 30th of the month, depending on their location. A late harvest this year, however, has prevented some farmers from getting the crop seeded in time. “Unfortunately […] Read more

Cereals, Crops, Markets, Spring Wheat, Weather

Bigger feed wheat supplies to stay put for now

By GFM Network News September 11, 2014

CNS Canada — Adverse weather conditions over the past month, including snow in Alberta and untimely rains in many other regions of the Prairies, are expected to lead to quality downgrades in Canada’s wheat crop. While a greater percentage of the wheat in the country will likely go to feed than normal, Canada is unlikely […] Read more

Rye deserves its bad reputation for volunteering, sometimes three or four years after it's grown. One tool to deal with these volunteers is a good sense of humour.

Cereals, Columns

Rye, oh rye: the second part

Two new hybrid varieties, ergot research and some all-too willing volunteers

By Sarah Weigum September 10, 2014

My last column on fall rye yielded a surprising amount of positive feedback from readers, so I’m plunging ahead with Part 2. Last month I discussed some agronomics and some niche marketing opportunities with fall rye. This issue I’m discussing new research on an old crop and what to do about those persistent rye volunteers. […] Read more

ESN, a polymer-coated fertilizer product, may not be the answer for all winter wheat growers but does add another option.

Crops, Features, Winter Wheat

Fertilizing winter wheat

With new polymer-coated nitrogen products on the market, winter wheat growers have one more option when it comes to fertilizer decisions

By Andrea Hilderman September 10, 2014

Getting winter wheat seeded is a juggle of equipment, people and inputs that leaves little room for delays. On top of that, fertilizer and seed safety is top of mind for growers, more so in winter wheat, and for two good reasons. Getting the crop seeded is a challenge in the fall, and accommodating the […] Read more

Barley, Cereals, Crops, Weather

Malt barley prospects decline with excess moisture

By GFM Network News September 9, 2014

CNS Canada — It looks like this year’s Canadian malt barley crop could be a lot smaller than originally expected. Canada’s 2014-15 barley production was estimated at 7.2 million tonnes by Statistics Canada. This compares to last year’s total of 10.2 million tonnes. That estimate, however, was before persistent rains swept across the Prairies during […] Read more

"This bacterium can cause elongated water-soaked lesions on leaves, which later turn light brown," AARD's Michael Harding says.

Cereals, Crops, Features

Detect and avoid bacterial leaf streak

By Rebeca Kuropatwa September 8, 2014

Last summer, bacterial leaf streak was found in fields in southern Alberta. For best control, avoid infected seed

Bacterial leaf streak (BLS) and black chaff occur in cereal crops around the world. In 2010, BLS in wheat was declared an emerging problem in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. In 2013, it was found in a number of fields in southern Alberta. BLS can cause significant yield loss on some cereal varieties, but, […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures higher on screwworm news

Trade mission heads for Japan as Canada becomes the country’s top pork supplier

U.S. grains: Soybeans drop on lack of Chinese demand, wheat hits contract lows

GFM Network News