Green Barley Ears

A smut by any other name

Smut is one of the few diseases that’s not a hot button issue this winter. But true loose 
smut can cause headaches for barley growers. Here’s how to keep it out of your fields

Covered, loose, false, true, stinking, stem, common. Apparently, a smut exists for every occasion. Smut is a broad term that refers to a variety of fungal diseases that affect cereal grains on the Canadian prairies. Each smut is caused by a specific fungi which attacks a particular grain and produces slightly different effects. One thing all smuts have in common: […] Read more

grain

Farmers say some low-quality grain grades inconsistent

Grain quality has taken a beating from hail, moisture and disease. Now some farmers report facing uneven wheat and durum grading at the elevator

Some farmers are still hurting from a poor growing season and harvest at elevators this winter, as they struggle with inconsistent grading. “The condition of this year’s durum crop leaves a lot to be desired,” Jim Wickett said. Wickett farms near Rosetown, Sask., and sits on the Western Standards Committee, which makes recommendations to the Canadian […] Read more


train railcar wheel

Grain movement chills in winter

Why can’t the railways push through winter? Kyle Petluk hails from Alberta’s Peace River region. He was one of few farmer delegates at the Field on Wheels transportation conference in Winnipeg last December. Farmers are hurting after last winter, not CN and CP shareholders, he said during an interview. “(The railways are) saying it’s a […] Read more

Cargill grain terminal

Farmers still concerned about grain movement

Grain is moving more freely this winter, but concerns linger

The grain industry’s transportation woes have eased somewhat over the last few months, but farmers’ concerns linger. To get a sense of where things are at and what need to be done to resolve the complex issues around transportation, Grainews spoke to farmers from each Prairie province. Grain bound for ports at the West Coast […] Read more


Grainews Giveaway contest winners!

What can we say, our Grainews readers love farm equipment and who can resist a new, shiny red tractor! Thanks to our subscribers, website visitors and social media followers, we received a great number of contest entries for our first ever Grainews Giveaway! It was a great success and many thanks to Versatile for supplying […] Read more



young family standing in a field of corn

Adding value pays off for farm business

Manitoba: When buying more land became difficult, Myron and Jillian Krahn made the most of what they had

Myron and Jillian Krahn don’t have a lot of opportunity to increase the land base of their southern Manitoba farm, but they do grab every opportunity they can to add more value to farm enterprises they do have. They’ve increased the size of the farm near Carman, Man. considerably since they took over the operation […] Read more

young woman in a greenhouse of growing vegetables

Vegetables straight to consumers, year round

B.C. / Yukon: Outstanding Young Farmer Lydia Ryall gets her organic vegetables 
into the hands of her grateful customers 12 months of the year

Lydia Ryall, the 2014 Outstanding Young Farmer nominee for the B.C./Yukon region grows vegetables and pastures a flock of 100 laying hens on her 10 acre certified organic farm on Westham Island off the B.C. west coast. From a young age, she knew she wanted to be a farmer. She kept her eyes on that […] Read more


Richard and Nicole Brousseau with Ethan, Cassie and Emery

New barn grows dairy

Alberta: Moo-Lait Farms makes plans for future growth


Nicole Brousseau figures her husband Richard walked their dairy herd through every corner of their new northeast Alberta dairy barn at least 1,000 times (in his head) before they even began construction of the barn, which was completed and put into service in March. The 72’x160′ loose housing structure that connects to a double seven […] Read more

Quebec city waterfront

Quebec City hosts OYF national event

Outstanding young farmers from across Canada will gather in Quebec on November 28

Beautiful down town Quebec City will be the backdrop later this month for the 34th annual Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers (OYF) national awards program, being hosted this year by the La Belle province OYF committee. Nearly 200 OYF alumni and guests from across Canada are expected in Quebec City, Nov. 26 to 30 to participate […] Read more


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