MarketsFarm — The association representing the Prairies’ main grain handling companies says recent delays in loading vessels have less to do with the availability of grain and more to do with the railways hauling it to port. The Western Grain Elevator Association (WGEA), which represents major handlers such as Viterra, Richardson, Cargill and others, raised […] Read more
Railways to blame for terminal shortages, WGEA says
Grain handlers take issue with MarketsFarm report
Get an R&D tax break on your checkoff
Reading Time: < 1 minute It’s that time of year again for claiming tax credits on checkoffs. The Scientific Research & Experimental Development Fund (SR&ED) program encourages R&D investment by giving tax credits on eligible R&D work. The tax credit on checkoffs paid to Alberta Wheat for 2020 is 31 per cent; the tax credit for Alberta canola checkoffs is […] Read more
Watch for bacterial leaf streak in your wheat and barley this year
Reading Time: < 1 minute Cereal growers across Alberta should keep bacterial leaf streak in their sights this year. “It’s not a new pathogen, but it’s what I’d call an emerging pathogen,” said provincial researcher Michael Harding. “It’s becoming more and more prevalent and even causing some economic loss in cereals.” Most growers don’t watch for it or manage it […] Read more
Prairie farm slapped with plant breeders’ rights infringement penalties
Farmers need to know who they are buying seed from to avoid potentially significant costs
Infringing on Plant Breeders’ Rights (PBR) has cost a large southern Alberta farm a record $737,597. “The settlement relates to unauthorized advertisements and sales of PBR-protected barley and wheat varieties,” Alliance Seed, SeCan and an unnamed seed company said in a news release Wednesday. The settlement “includes the royalties, plus legal fees and penalties,” Todd […] Read more
Farmers’ net cash income improves as crop prices soar
Winnipeg | Reuters — Canadian farmers reaped record profits last year and are on track to do the same this year, the federal agriculture ministry said on Thursday, as prices for its top crops soared. Prices of canola hit all-time highs this month, rallying with oilseed rival soybeans, on brisk Chinese buying to produce feed […] Read more
Feed weekly outlook: Barley, wheat at par in Alberta
Demand also seen for heated canola
MarketsFarm — Prices for feed barley and wheat are running about the same, from where Susanne Leclerc sits at Market Master Ltd. in Edmonton. Barley and wheat going into central Alberta were both running at $315 per tonne, she said. “We’re seeing buyer strength gaining coverage for the summer,” she said, but noted trading activity […] Read more
FCC: Cattle feeders and backgrounders to struggle
Reading Time: < 1 minute Not bad for some, not good for others sums up Farm Credit Canada’s outlook for the livestock sector this year. “Farrow-to-finish operations will continue to witness pressures on margins, while isowean/ weanling operators will see a turnaround in profits,” states the FCC forecast. “Cow-calf margins should be strong while feedlot operators and backgrounders may struggle […] Read more
Feed weekly outlook: Demand strong for Canadian wheat
MarketsFarm — Domestically-grown feed wheat is seeing stronger prices and increased demand — but unlike other commodities, the demand is coming from Canada itself. Wheat has become a more desirable crop for feed rations in recent months as barley prices have risen due to increasing exports to China. With less barley available to feedlots, wheat […] Read more
It takes money to make money certainly holds true for canola
The price of the two most popular seed varieties has ‘increased significantly’ in recent years
Reading Time: 2 minutes The price of canola seed “has increased significantly over the past few years” and if crop returns stay high, could go up more, says a market analyst with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. “Based on the average yearly price, a farmer seeding canola at five pounds per acre will incur a per-acre seed cost of $63 […] Read more
Kevin Serfas and Robert Semeniuk new canola and pulse chairs
Three of the big four crop commissions have new leaders following recent annual general meetings
Reading Time: 2 minutes Some familiar faces have departed the leadership ranks of Alberta crop commission but some equally well-known ones — as well as some newcomers — are taking on leadership roles. Turin-area producer Kevin Serfas is the new chair of Alberta Canola. He takes over from John Guelly, who has been a director for Region 5 for […] Read more
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