Nobody asked about a review of railway costs for shipping grain when the federal government announced its strategy to improve railway service last week. Not even the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB), which seldom misses an opportunity to ask for a review. However, the CWB still wants one, said CWB spokeswoman Maureen Fitzhenry. A study commissioned
Rail Costing Review Not In Sight Yet
Early Seeding Boosts Flax Yields
Last year, Manitoba’s flax crop averaged a disappointing 19 bushels an acre, not far off the 10-year average of 20. But there are ways to boost flax yields, says Anastasia Kubinec, an oilseed specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives. A survey of farmers who grew above-average-yielding flax found they planted at least 40
New Killer For Kochia In Flax
Western Canadian flax growers have a powerful new herbicide to control Group 2-resistant kochia, called Authority. But there’s lots for farmers to consider before using Nufarm’s new pre-emergence product with residual weed control. Soil pH, organic matter and texture will affect the application rate and in some cases prevent its use. And there are re-cropping
Man. livestock feed transportation program extended
Manitoba livestock producers now have until the end of this month to get in on a program to help pay to haul feed to their animals, or to haul their animals to feed. The deadline to apply for the transportation component of the Canada-Manitoba Feed and Transportation Assistance Program (CM-FATAP) has been extended to March
Crop Insurance Is The Farmer’s First Line Of Defence: Struthers
March 31 is the crop insurance sign-up deadline and with the possibility of another wet spring farmers are being urged not only to enrol, but to review their Excess Moisture Insurance (EMI) options and consider forage insurance. “We need a dry spr ing because if we have a wet spring with five or six inches
Flax Growers Vote To Scrap Checkoff Cap
The Manitoba Flax Growers Association (MFGA) wants the $275 cap removed from its farmer checkoff of half a per cent of the value of flax when it’s sold. MFGA members voted in favour of removing the cap at their annual meeting here March 3. The MFGA will ask the Agricultural Producers’ Organization Cer tification Agency
New Flax Recommended For Registration
FP 2270, a new flax cultivar developed by Scott Duguid, a flax breeder with Agriculture and Agri- Food Canada based in Morden, has been recommended for registration. It yields much the same as CDC Bethune across the West, but does slightly better in Manitoba, where CDC Bethune yields on average 34 bushels an acre, Duguid
Shrinkage Deduction Ending At Process, Transfer Elevators
The official term is “shrinkage” but farmers often call it “tookage” and won’t be grieving its demise. The Canadian Grain Commission has ordered licensed process and terminal elevators to stop making shrinkage deductions effective March 19. “Comprehensive shrinkage” is defined as the loss in weight of grain while it’s handled or treated, and shrinkage deductions
Elevator Association, Grain Commission Going To Court
The Western Grain Elevators Association’s (WGEA) appeal to the Federal Court of Canada concerns how much moisture shrinkage elevator companies are allowed for tough, damp, moist or wet grain artificially dried at the farmer’s request. A Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) order, which took effect last Aug. 1, changed the formula that grain companies use to
Record Farm Income Claims Challenged
Predictions that Canadian farm income will set a new record high in 2010 are wrong, according to Darrin Qualman, a former researcher with the National Farmers Union (NFU). “These income levels are in no way a record,” Qualman said in an interview last week in response to a report prepared by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada