Western Canadian feeder cattle markets were relatively unchanged from week-ago levels. Feeder cattle numbers are declining at this time of year, so those buyers looking to secure ownership had to be more aggressive. Higher-quality packages were available in Saskatchewan, which traded at a small premium to Alberta markets. In central and southern Alberta, there appeared […] Read more
Klassen: Stronger demand sustains feeder cattle market
More than bragging rights at stake in Alberta Wheat’s yield contest
The goal isn’t just getting growers to go big on a few acres, but to share their agronomic practices
Reading Time: 2 minutes Interested in growing a nice big crop of bragging rights? Alberta Wheat is making it easier for the second edition of its Wheat Yield Challenge. “We have tweaked the rules a bit this year, said Brian Kennedy, the crop commission’s grower relations and extension manager. “This year, we are going to compare what the grower […] Read more
‘Terroir’ turns everyday malt into ‘luxury barley’
From central Oregon to Daysland, growers are turning a commodity crop into something unique and special
Reading Time: 6 minutes Whisky from Scotland’s Isle of Islay. Champagne from its namesake region of France. Craft malt from Daysland, Alberta. People will pay a premium for all sorts of specialty products — as long as they like the taste. The brewing industry isn’t quite there yet, but it could be. Just ask Seth Klann. “We’ll buy wine […] Read more
Three recent barley varieties to check out
Reading Time: < 1 minute Here are three recent barley varieties developed by Agriculture Canada breeders. Roseland is a new two-row spring hulless food barley cultivar with excellent bread-making qualities developed at the Brandon Research and Development Centre. It has improved lodging resistance, higher test weight, and better threshability than check cultivar Millhouse and similar flour quality characteristics to Falcon […] Read more
Bold new plan aims to generate some new love for barley
New action plan targets seven million barley acres and yields of 95 bushels per acre by 2028
Reading Time: 3 minutes The current state of Canada’s barley industry is grim. “Barley’s piece of the pie is shrinking,” said Shannon Sereda, manager of market development and policy for Alberta Barley. “It’s no longer in a dominant position like it once was in Western Canada.” Barley acres across the Prairies have been in a long-term decline, Sereda said […] Read more
Feed barley prices beating out malt
Demand is strong for both feed and malt, but there’s plenty of the latter sitting in warehouses and bins
Reading Time: 3 minutes Farmers with barley in the bin have a bit of a love-hate relationship with barley prices right now. They love that feed prices are so high, but hate that malt prices are so low. “These prices are definitely something — to have feed prices where they’re at right now, it’s definitely out of the norm,” […] Read more
Klassen: Feedlots struggle through adverse weather
Western Canadian yearling prices experienced a week-over-week decline of $5-$8 with some pockets deteriorating $10 to as much as $12. Adverse weather in southern Alberta has resulted in limited buying interest from main feedlot operators. Feedlot Alley has received 150-200 per cent of normal precipitation over the past 60 days. Snow and rain, along with […] Read more
Wheat and barley groups merge management
The two organizations will have their own boards but are slimming down their administration costs
Reading Time: 2 minutes The trial went well, so the boards of Alberta Barley and the Alberta Wheat Commission have decided to permanently merge the management ranks of the organizations. “The ultimate goal of this exercise is to provide more value to you as producers,” Tom Steve told attendees at Alberta Wheat’s AGM at FarmTech. “We will continue to […] Read more
Trying to grow malt barley can make you cry in your beer
There’s way more money in malt than feed, but just 20 per cent of growers capture 80 per cent of malt sales
Reading Time: 4 minutes Kevin Sich thinks malt barley could give canola a run for its money any day of the week — even if market share doesn’t reflect that. “Malt barley is probably one of your most profitable crops. Return on investment is probably very strong,” said Sich, Rahr Malting’s grain department manager. “But if malt barley is […] Read more
Pork exports key in 2018 as U.S. slaughter ramps up
CNS Canada –– Canadian pork producers should see higher returns for their product in the spring of 2018, but whether those prices last may determine how successful Canada is at tapping new markets. According to U.S. Department of Agriculture supply estimates, weekly U.S. hog slaughter numbers over the past two months have averaged 2.369 million […] Read more
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