Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta’s barley breeders now have access to both phenomic (field trial) and genomic data in one place. “The phenomic data is in the hands of the breeder, but the genomic data is generated through lab work,” said provincial researcher and biostatistician Rong-Cai Yang, who developed a new software program called the Barley Breeding Platform (BBP). “Usually […] Read more
New tool could speed up crop breeding
Checkoff refund deadline looming
Reading Time: < 1 minute The deadline for applying for a refund for wheat and barley checkoffs is at the end of the month. The five-year transitional Wheat and Barley Check-Off was established four years ago and is administered by Alberta Barley. The checkoff is 48 cents per tonne of wheat and 56 cents per tonne of barley (four cents […] Read more
Learn how to grade your grain
July 26 workshop to be held in Vermilion
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Making the Grade workshops will be held at Lakeland College in Vermilion on July 26. Experts will show producers how to grade barley, wheat, canola, and pulses in hands-on sessions. “Understanding grain grading and factors affecting quality is important for all crop producers as it affects their bottom line,” said Terry Young, a producer […] Read more
Canola, field peas flowering, soil moisture mostly good to excellent
Alberta crop conditions as of July 5
Reading Time: 2 minutes Crop condition ratings improved in all regions of the province with the greatest improvement occurring in the South and Central regions. Precipitation in the form of frequent showers prevailed throughout the province and was much welcomed in the dry western areas though the precipitation was an unwanted impediment to those spraying fungicides or baling hay. […] Read more
Creep feeding an option if your pastures are hurting
A good creep ration could increase the value of a calf by $50 to $200 if prices stay around $2 a pound
Reading Time: 2 minutes It’s another tough year for pastures, and producers wanting to stretch limited forage supplies should consider creep feeding calves throughout the summer, says a provincial beef and forage specialist. “It’s possible that pastures will run out much earlier than normal,” said Barry Yaremcio. “In general, 70 per cent of total forage growth occurs before the […] Read more
Three steps to make your best grain grade deal
Here's how you can help maximize your profits when making your next grain sale
Occasionally producers make sales agreements with grain companies, then find their grain downgraded when they deliver it to their buyer later in the year. This can happen for numerous reasons. Grain companies may have aggressively over-bought early in the year, causing them to lose money and readjust their grain grading later in the year. Producers[...]
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U.S. pressuring Canada on grain grading
U.S. grain bought on spec, not grade, say Canadian grain industry watchers
Reading Time: 3 minutes U.S. officials say this country’s grain-grading system is to blame for why American farmers living close to the border can’t take advantage of higher Canadian wheat prices. But Canadian officials deny claims that Canada’s quality control system discriminates against imported U.S. wheat. Canadian officials concede imported U.S. wheat formally receives the lowest grade in the[...]
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Feed barley due for spring rally
Barley has been undervalued compared to feed wheat, but any price increases are likely to be modest
Reading Time: 2 minutes Feed barley in Western Canada usually sees a spring rally at this time of year, although the uptrend this year will be limited by large supplies still overhanging the market. Feed grains had trended lower through late February and into early March, with feed wheat leading to the downside. Losses in feed wheat spilled over[...]
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Brewers toast Australian gluten-free barley
Sydney | Reuters — Australian scientists say they have developed the world’s first WHO-approved “gluten-free” barley, a breakthrough for global beer manufacturers. They have had to use alternatives to barley such as rice and sorghum to brew gluten-free beer. Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) said April 8 it had sold 70 tonnes[...]
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Don’t graze cattle too early this spring
It’s tempting to start grazing when pastures green up, but nutrient quality is poor
Reading Time: 2 minutes Pasture recovery is an important topic on the heels of last year’s dry conditions, particularly given this year’s poor snow cover in the central and southern regions of Alberta. “If we have a dry spring, producers will need to balance potential feed shortages with the need to protect their recovering pastures,” said provincial forage and[...]
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