Reading Time: < 1 minute Most Italian pasta makers don’t need convincing about the quality of Canadian durum. While some companies have developed lines of pasta using only durum grown in Italy, they tend to be specialty products, partly because pasta makers aren’t able to source large volumes from Italy with the durum quality they need, said Luigi Cristiano Laurenza, […] Read more
For pasta makers, Canadian durum is eccellente
Texture and colour are key to top-quality pasta and Canadian Western Amber durum provides both
Wheat class is now in session — which one will you grow?
Hard red spring dominates wheat acres in Alberta, but you have to do the math for your farm
Reading Time: 3 minutes So what’s it going to be on your wheat acres? Canadian Prairie Spring or Canadian Western Red Spring? “For us, it all comes down to what we can grow well and how it pencils out in terms of profitability,” said Hannah Konschuh, who farms near Cluny. “Usually, it’s dictated by the markets. At this point […] Read more
Last chance to deliver cancelled canola variety
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Canadian Grain Commission is making an exception and allowing deliveries of canola variety 46A76 made before Aug. 1 to be assigned any grade for canola. The registrant of 46A76 had applied to cancel the variety’s registration, a popular open-pollinated canola variety in parts of Alberta. Alberta Canola learned about the cancellation last spring, but […] Read more
Face-to-face visits with our customers pay dividends
You may not know that some of your wheat goes to Nigeria or why building relationships with new customers is so vital
Reading Time: 3 minutes Who are Canada’s top wheat customers? Some of the answers to that question, such as Japan, will be no surprise to anyone. But many would not expect to see one of our newest top customers, Nigeria, on the list. Fifteen to 20 years ago, I would have never guessed that I would be in Nigeria […] Read more
Canola exports slow down in latest weekly report
CNS Canada — Weekly Canadian canola exports were down during the week ended Sunday, hitting their lowest level since September 2017, according to the latest Canadian Grain Commission data. Canada exported only 129,000 tonnes of canola during the latest reporting period, which compares with the previous five-week average of 194,800 tonnes. Total canola exports during […] Read more
Producers lose transparency with end of weekly crush report
CNS Canada — Canada’s grains industry found itself shocked when the Canadian Oilseed Processors Association (COPA) announced Friday it would stop publishing its weekly report on member crushings. “I loved that report. In Western Canada, or Canada in general, I think any reports that give you kind of a weekly snapshot of what’s happening in […] Read more
Don’t let your guard down — fusarium still a risk
Dry weather greatly reduced the incidence of the fungal disease last year, but the threat is likely greater than ever
Reading Time: 3 minutes Producers should be on the lookout for fusarium head blight this year, even though the incidence of the fungal disease was down in 2017. “Forecasting head blight is really quite challenging,” said Mike Harding, a research scientist and plant pathologist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. Read more: Provincial legislation isn’t helping fusarium battle, say seed growers […] Read more
Malting barley production down, quality up
Western Canada’s barley acres continue to fall, but malting barley quality was excellent
Reading Time: < 1 minute There was less malt barley produced this year but what did come off looked good, according to the Canadian Grain Commission. The organization’s 2017 Quality of Western Canadian Malting Barley report noted lower production, less acres, and a yield decrease, but high kernel weights and plumpness across the Prairies. Alberta and northeastern B.C. (the two […] Read more
Being the best is no longer good enough
Global wheat buyers love our quality but cheaper alternatives have increased the need for building relationships
Reading Time: 4 minutes A recent trade mission to promote Canadian wheat went around the world in 14 days — or at least that’s how it felt to Greg Porozni. “We had a very successful mission,” the Mundare-area farmer said of his travels to Indonesia, Dubai, Nigeria, and Ghana last month. “These are growth markets, and that’s a really […] Read more
It happens too often — loads of grain rejected because of insects
It’s not uncommon for elevators to find insects in grain — but it’s entirely preventable by aerating properly
Reading Time: 3 minutes Loads of grain across the Prairies are being rejected as a result of insect contamination — but that’s pretty much par for the course at this time of year. “It’s something that’s actually pretty commonplace, so it’s not too surprising to hear,” said Brent Elliott, infestation control and sanitation officer with the Canadian Grain Commission. […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
