CNS Canada — Unseasonably wet conditions in Alberta this year are causing quality concerns for malt barley growers there. Harvest typically begins in late August for many growers, but steady downpours have forced delays across much of the province. “We actually started Sept. 1, but we only got two days in before it started to […] Read more
Malt barley growers face tough questions in soggy Alberta
Winter wheat not feeling the love
The crop’s backers say there’s a host of reasons to grow the fall-seeded crops, but admit it’s been a struggle to convince farmers
Reading Time: 3 minutes The arguments are persuasive: Winter wheat typically requires less crop inputs than its spring-seeded counterparts, yet can yield 20 per cent more and is known to bring greater — sometimes significantly greater — financial returns. The crop also reduces spring seeding time pressure, widens the fall harvest window, and offers environmental benefits. Yet, winter wheat […] Read more
Five wheat projects get funding
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Alberta Wheat Commission has invested $720,625 in five wheat research projects, which leverages an additional $622,625 from other funding partners. The projects are: New insights on management practices for hail-damaged crops; advanced monitoring to better understand stripe rust in Western Canada; improved water use efficiency for better yield and drought tolerance; new, low-cost testing […] Read more
Egypt cancels zero-ergot wheat policy amid mounting pressure
Cairo | Reuters — Egypt has reversed its controversial zero-tolerance policy on the common grains fungus ergot, the government said on Wednesday, backtracking on an import regulation that had all but blocked its access to global wheat. Egypt, the world’s largest buyer of wheat, has seen its imports grind to a halt since it imposed […] Read more
GrainsConnect puts Innisfail terminal project on hold
The Japanese-Australian joint venture is going ahead with a Saskatchewan grain terminal but is reviewing its plans in Alberta
Reading Time: 2 minutes A new high-throughput grain terminal planned for Niobe is now in jeopardy of being derailed. Construction of the $30-million to $40-million GrainsConnect Canada facility on a site one kilometre north of Innisfail was supposed to start this year, with the terminal opening in 2017. But the project has been suspended and the company is considering […] Read more
Russia may ban Egyptian citrus amid wheat dispute
Moscow/Cairo | Reuters — Russia threatened to ban Egyptian citrus imports on Tuesday, a move that could escalate a trade dispute over exports of Russian wheat to the world’s largest importer of the grain. Moscow said this week it hopes to hold talks with Egypt, its top buyer, over Cairo’s failure to approve Russian wheat […] Read more
Health ministry decision makes zero ergot Egypt’s new normal
Abu Dhabi/Cairo | Reuters — Egypt’s health ministry banned wheat with any ergot fungus on Monday, a decision traders said signals the zero tolerance policy that wreaked havoc on the country’s grain purchases earlier this year is back to stay. The decree, seen by Reuters, brings the ministry in line with an agriculture ministry decree […] Read more
Egypt’s GASC cancels wheat tender as ergot policy bites
Cairo/Abu Dhabi | Reuters — Egypt’s ability to buy wheat from abroad while demanding zero ergot fungus in shipments was dealt a serious blow on Wednesday, with state grain buyer GASC cancelling its tender after receiving just one offer. It was the country’s first tender to purchase wheat since it reinstated its zero-tolerance ergot policy […] Read more
Egypt bans ergot in wheat, again
Cairo/Abu Dhabi | Reuters — Egypt reinstated on Sunday a controversial ban on wheat shipments containing even the slightest amount of a common grain fungus, baffling traders who had returned to the Egyptian market just last month when the ban was lifted. The world’s largest wheat importer said on Sunday it was re-introducing its zero […] Read more
Russia muscling into rivals’ wheat markets
Moscow | Reuters — Russia is muscling in on the markets of its European and North American competitors as it overtakes the European Union to become the world’s biggest wheat exporter for the first time. Russia is expecting a record crop in the 2016-17 marketing season, which began on July 1, while EU harvests are […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
