MarketsFarm — Canadian farmers made record deliveries of canola into the commercial pipeline during the second week of October, according to the latest Canadian Grain Commission data. Wet weather, including heavy snow in some regions, continued to keep farmers off of their fields across much of Western Canada, but producers were actively delivering canola and […] Read more

Canadian canola deliveries hit weekly record

Canola deliveries slow as Prairies’ harvest drags
MarketsFarm — The slow pace of the canola harvest across Western Canada is limiting farmer deliveries into the commercial elevator system, with a large backlog yet to come. Farmers delivered 187,100 tonnes of canola into the commercial pipeline during the week ended Sunday (Sept. 15), according to the latest Canadian Grain Commission data. That marked […] Read more

Election 2019: Ag groups want the parties to pay attention
MarketsFarm — Two major national farm organizations want the political parties to pay more attention to agriculture as the federal election continues. However, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) and the National Farmers Union (NFU) have somewhat different takes as to what they see as paramount. “It’s really important that we uphold the quality of […] Read more

Know your grain quality going into the bin
Reading Time: < 1 minute A provincial crop specialist is reminding producers to take a sample of each load going into the bin to get a representative overall sample. “The goal is to have a sample that has the same characteristics as the large volume of product that it represents,” said Neil Blue. Farmers should also consider using the Canadian […] Read more

ILTA Grain escrow fund set up for unpaid farmers
Farmers who delivered to Prairie pulse and grain processor ILTA Grain but didn’t get paid before the company went into creditor protection are being asked to “immediately” get in touch with the Canadian Grain Commission. The CGC late Wednesday announced it has reached an agreement with the company’s court-appointed monitor for a new escrow account, […] Read more

Crop year ends with grain export record
Both major railways have announced record grain shipments, and with a more than a week left in the crop year, total Canadian grain exports had already topped last year’s record. The Canadian Grain Commission reports that as of July 21, with 10 days left in the 2018-19 crop year, total exports of Canadian grain had […] Read more

Grain Commission suspends ILTA Grain’s licenses
Farmers owed money for grain delivered to ILTA Grain Inc. should call the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC). The CGC on Thursday suspended the Surrey, B.C.-based company’s grain dealer’s license and its primary grain elevator licenses for elevators at Belle Plaine and Saskatoon, Sask., Remi Gosselin, the CGC’s manager of corporate information services, said in an […] Read more

Former CGC assistant chief commissioner broke conflict rules
Jim Smolik, a former Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) assistant chief and acting chief commissioner, contravened post-employment obligations under the federal Conflict of Interest Act while working for Cargill Canada. That’s according to a 24-page report released May 30 by Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion. Dion ruled Smolik breached Sections 33 and 35(2) […] Read more

What’s the big deal with the falling number test?
Bakers and pasta makers prize wheat with a certain falling number as determined by this test
Reading Time: 2 minutes Even the best bread and pasta makers are at the mercy of an enzyme called alpha-amylase. The enzyme breaks down starch in wheat and converts it to sugars, but you don’t want too much — and the level of alpha-amylase in a batch can vary dramatically. And if there is too much, it’s a bad […] Read more

Could a wheat sample test put money in your pocket?
Buyers are increasingly using falling number to determine wheat’s value — but farmers don’t get paid for that
Reading Time: 4 minutes Alberta Wheat is hailing a move by the Canadian Grain Commission to consider making tests for falling number and deoxynivalenol official grain-grading factors. “We want the grain commission to make a whole bunch of changes,” said chair Gary Stanford. “We think the grain should be sold by falling numbers… Everybody wants to sell at Grade […] Read more