Reading Time: 5 minutes High prices have made some of the advances in canola yields look pretty good in recent years, masking the fact that average Prairie wheat yield increases have been even higher. But with new private and public research investments and recognition that it’s not just a necessary part of the rotation, wheat is starting to grab […] Read more
Wheat’s turn to shine
Despite shrinking government support in recent years, there have been remarkable research payoffs, and new investments promise even more
Back to the future for Manitoba brewer
Neepawa’s Farmery Estate Brewery is highlighting the farm-brewer connection by showing the public the ingredients that make beer
Reading Time: 2 minutes A farm-based beer maker is offering a unique agri-tourism destination that will show attendees the historical ingredients that were used to make beer. Neepawa’s Farmery Estate Brewery, run by brothers Chris and Lawrence Warwaruk, are showcasing the malt barley varieties ranging from a century ago to modern times on their operation, which also produces other […] Read more
Cigi course highlights customer relations
Reliability of Canadian wheat is the theme of Cigi’s annual international program
Reading Time: 4 minutes They come from 16 different countries, but have one thing in common — Canadian wheat. Participants in the 49th annual International Grain Industry Program at the Canadian International Grains Institute, better known as Cigi, came to Canada to learn more about where the grain they buy comes from, how it is grown and how it […] Read more
New in winter cereal varieties
The long-term outlook for cereal yields is up. Here’s why
Reading Time: 4 minutes We might refer to the category as “winter cereals” but everyone knows winter wheat is the undisputed leader in the field, and the picture for the crop took an even more positive turn late in 2015. An early soybean harvest and a long, warm fall, plus a greater commitment to longer rotations, made for an […] Read more
Can the beef value of beer barley be rated with just one test?
Barley that fails to meet malt grade makes it the most common grain fed to feedlot cattle
Reading Time: 4 minutes After wheat and canola, barley is the most prominent crop in Western Canada. From 2005 to 2014, an average of 7.9 million acres was seeded resulting in an average annual production of 9.2 million metric tonnes. Barley grain has two primary end uses: as malt for beer or as livestock feed. On average, the value […] 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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The malting lottery continues
Having barley accepted for malting has never been a sure thing, and that’s still the case following changes to the marketing system
Reading Time: 4 minutes Malting barley can be one of the most profitable crops in Western Canada — if you can grow it, and if you can sell it. That’s not necessarily easy. Many farmers try — it’s estimated that 80 per cent of the barley sown in Western Canada is seeded to malting varieties. But only about 20[...]
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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[...]
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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[...]
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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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A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
