Malted Barley grains

The chicken and egg scenario of new barley varieties

Maltsters will buy new barley varieties if farmers will grow them. Farmers will grow them if maltsters will buy them

Reading Time: 6 minutes When ordering a beer these days, your choice is no longer just a couple of same-tasting brands from big national or international breweries. North Americans have developed a taste for “craft” beers from an ever-expanding list of smaller breweries. Different beers need different malts, which creates a demand for different varieties of malting barley. But […] Read more

(Country Guide file photo)

Prairie spring wheat bids tick lower

Reading Time: 2 minutes CNS Canada — Cash spring wheat bids across Western Canada were slightly weaker during the week ended Friday, as the Canadian dollar gained ground relative to its U.S. counterpart. Depending on the location, average Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) wheat prices were down by roughly $1 to $2.50 per tonne over the course of the […] Read more


German brewer Radeberger has ordered up 70 tonnes of a new Australian gluten-free barley for use in a new beer it plans to sell at retail. (Radeberger Gruppe KG, Frankfurt)

Brewers toast Australian gluten-free barley

Reading Time: 2 minutes 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 […] Read more

Durum wheat. (Gipsa.usda.gov)

North Africa showing solid demand for durum

Reading Time: 2 minutes CNS Canada –– North African countries have been some of the best customers for Canadian durum over the past few months, and weather issues with this year’s crops in the region should keep that demand solid going forward. As of February, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria combined have imported 1.3 million tonnes of Canadian durum during […] Read more



Photo: Prairie Oat Growers Assoc.

Five tips for a successful oat crop

Oats is a small-acre crop that has tended to fall behind in terms of agronomy research. That’s changing as more oat varieties become available and new niche markets continue to develop and offer premiums to growers meeting their specifications. For anyone trying oats for the first time, or considering adding oats to their rotation, soak[...]
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(Canada Beef Inc. photo)

Limited selling, buying leave feed barley flat in Lethbridge

Reading Time: < 1 minute CNS Canada — Lethbridge’s feed barley market is sitting stagnant, as feedlots quit hand-to-mouth buying and farmers hold onto their grain. Farmers who stored their feed barley post-harvest don’t want to sell at current prices, despite relative strength, said Jared Seitz, trade manager for Agfinity at Stony Plain, Alta. “It’s not so much that prices[...]
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In the chase for varieties best suited to Ontario conditions, the needs of farmers and the seed companies get balanced with those of the processors.

Getting back into Toledo

IP premiums for soft red and other wheats may open doors to make both reds and white more profitable

Reading Time: 4 minutes In Eastern Canada, if you hear the phrase “identity preserved” or “IP,” it’s almost always in connection with soybeans. And that’s only fair, given the importance of that market. But increasingly, “IP wheat” is also becoming part of the jargon. In 2015, the soft red winter wheat variety Branson seemed to be the hot commodity[...]
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(Canada Beef Inc. photo)

Feed barley due for spring rally

Reading Time: 2 minutes CNS Canada –– 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[...]
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