Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Wheat and Alberta Barley have launched their online survey to consult members on amalgamating to form a single commission. Since 2018, the organizations have shared a management team but have two boards and separate financial structures. Members of both farm groups passed resolutions at their 2019 annual general meetings calling for a comprehensive review […] Read more
Cereal merger survey now online
Sawyer new Alberta Barley chair
Reading Time: < 1 minute Tara Sawyer is the new chair of Alberta Barley, succeeding Dave Bishop. The Acme-area producer is serving her second year as a director-at-large while Wade McAllister of Innisfail starts his second year as vice-chair. “Our organization has made significant strides in the last year, including the finalization of two new barley-breeding agreements that will ensure […] Read more
Prairie Cereals Summit cancelled
Reading Time: < 1 minute The rise in COVID cases has forced Alberta Wheat and Alberta Barley to cancel its Prairie Cereals Summit in Banff in December, although Alberta Barley’s AGM will be held online on Dec. 9. The barley group is encouraging farmers to register to participate in the online AGM and delegate and director session that will feature […] Read more
Many opportunities open to serve with cereal organizations
Nomination deadlines October 30
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Barley is looking for two directors and nearly two dozen delegates while Alberta Wheat is seeking four directors and six regional reps. The barley commission has one director opening in Region 1 and one director-at-large from either Regions 1, 4, 5 or 6. Its six regions have anywhere from two to six delegate spots […] Read more
Fusarium head blight study needs farmers
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Agriculture and Forestry’s pathology program at Brooks is again looking for growers of winter wheat, two-row barley and durum to participate in a fusarium head blight project for the 2020 growing season. The project, which aims to develop a disease prediction model, is a collaboration between the University of Manitoba and the agriculture ministries […] Read more
Crop webinars being held Wednesdays
Reading Time: < 1 minute With summer field days cancelled for now, Alberta Wheat and Alberta Barley are hosting webinars every Wednesday at 11 a.m. Each In The Field webinars will feature a guest presenter and Q-and-A session. The upcoming schedule is: U of Alberta Professor Boyd Mori on insects (May 20); retired provincial agronomist Ross McKenzie on in-crop nitrogen […] Read more
Protective equipment in short supply, some child care centres open
Reading Time: < 1 minute Most agricultural retailers are no longer stocking personal protective equipment and some farmers are reporting they’ve been unable to obtain gloves, masks, and other protective equipment, as well as cleaning agents. However, the provincial government has created a plan for getting these supplies to farmers. At this stage it is not known how quickly the […] Read more
Farm equipment supply chains functioning well
Reading Time: < 1 minute All major dealers of equipment parts, such as John Deere, Cervus, UFA and Rocky Mountain Equipment, are reporting very few issues with delivery times or stock with acquiring machine parts, other than a few weeks of delay in regular lead time. However, after-market and ‘no-name’ suppliers of parts (such as parts for tracks on gators) […] Read more
COVID-impact on research efforts to be minimized
Reading Time: < 1 minute Ag research will be impacted by the pandemic as universities and federal research centres implement social distancing measures. While AgCanada has closed its facilities to the public, essential work is ongoing. Essential work includes germplasm maintenance, livestock care and insect colony care. Maintaining germplasm means that advances will not be lost. Alberta Wheat and Alberta […] Read more
Tax credits available for cereal checkoffs
Reading Time: < 1 minute Cereal farmers who pay Alberta Wheat’s and Alberta Barley’s checkoff are eligible for Scientific Research & Experimental Development Fund (SR&ED) tax credits. For wheat, the tax credit is 31 per cent while for barley, it’s 13 per cent. The federal program encourages R&D investment by giving claimants tax credits for their expenditures on eligible R&D […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
