Whether to go for malt or for feed is “a question a lot of farmers are asking themselves,” says the markets manager for Alberta Barley.

It’s not glamorous, but feed barley is a bright spot

Demand has shot up over the past year but there’s a caveat — China has been the big buyer

Reading Time: 4 minutes Barley growers will have a tough choice this spring: Target an oversaturated malt market or go for the red-hot one — feed barley. “It’s got to be a question a lot of farmers are asking themselves, especially if you’re in a region where feed and malt prices have been about the same,” said Geoff Backman, […] Read more



Forage stands are often terminated using tillage, but producers using this approach should pay close attention to conserving spring moisture.

Converting hay land to crops in spring is challenging

Fertility, soil moisture, herbicide applications, and a substantial seeding delay must all be considered

Reading Time: 2 minutes Producers should consider a number of factors before deciding to terminate hay land to seed an annual crop. “Traditionally, forage stands have been terminated in the fall by using one of three approaches — tillage only, herbicide application combined with tillage, and herbicide application followed by direct seeding into sod,” said provincial crop specialist Mark […] Read more



(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: Spring weather may swing Prairie feed markets

MarketsFarm — Weather conditions have the potential to swing feed grain markets in Western Canada over the next few weeks, although prices generally remain steady for the time being. “Spring is here, and as the snow melts it creates mud, road bans and all that lovely stuff,” said Brandon Motz of CorNine Commodities in Lacombe, […] Read more

CBOT May 2019 wheat with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat falls on profit-taking

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures eased 1.2 per cent on Wednesday, setting back on a mild round of profit taking after prices posted their biggest rally since last summer on Tuesday. Corn and soybeans ended higher after weakening overnight and early in the day session as traders moved to cover short positions amid […] Read more



The three types of flea beetles: crucifer, hop and striped. Crucifers have been dominant so far but more stripes have been seen in recent years.

Flea beetles: more species, more territory

Control options include seed treatment, seeding early and a higher seeding rate

Reading Time: 3 minutes They have been a voracious pest in canola for many years, but their pattern of infestation is changing. “Flea beetles can be a huge economic problem; pervasive and unpredictable,” Jennifer Otani, a pest management biologist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Beaverlodge said during a session at FarmTech. Adult flea beetles can move in and out […] Read more