Australia set for big jump in oilseeds output

Australia’s 2008-09 soybean harvest will be the largest in two decades while its canola harvest will rise by half, the Australian Oilseeds Federation said in a crop report Jan. 20. The federation forecast the 2008-09 soybean harvest to rise to 128,220 tonnes from 34,730 tonnes the previous harvest, when drought cut plantings. AOF said there

Rating wheats for fusarium tolerance isn’t arbitrary

The system used to rate a wheat variety’s tolerance to fusarium head blight (FHB) is science based, but it doesn’t mean ratings don’t sometimes change, Pam de Rocquigny told farmers here Jan. 21 at Ag Days. “They change for two reasons – there is further testing in the co-op trials… and because of performance in


Canola looks good for 2009-10, but not as good as 2008-09

DON BOUSQUET It’s Your Business For three-times-daily market reports from Don Bousquet and RNI, visit “ICE Futures Canada updates” at www.manitobacooperator.ca Grain and oilseed futures at ICE Futures Canada in Winnipeg closed the week ended Jan. 23 mixed, with canola pressured down by increased farmer selling, a firmer Canadian dollar and weakness in the Chicago

What’s up – for Jan. 29, 2009

Please forward your agricultural events to [email protected] call 204-944-5762 Jan. 28-30 – Keystone Agricultural Producers 25th annual meeting, Delta Winnipeg, 350 St. Mary Ave., Winnipeg. Theme: “A quarter-century of progress.” For more info visit www.kap.mb.caor call 204-697-1140. Jan. 28-30 – KAP’s young farmers committee annual meeting, Delta Winnipeg. Speakers to focus on marketing, business planning,


CWB chief predicts stable prices in 2009

World wheat, durum and malting barley prices will stabilize over the next 12 months and be “reasonably high” through 2009, according to Ian White, president and CEO of the Canadian Wheat Board. “Volatility should be reduced by increased stocks in the world, but any significant production or supply side shocks to the system… will reflect

Basis comparisons need context

“All we ask is you make note of the fact that when you use the numbers you point out the fact that there is a difference in the way that they are calculated and the canola number has a higher probability of error.” – MARK HEMMES Which is more efficient at moving grain to export:


Lack of co-operation hurts world’s best grain system

Western Canada has the best grain handling and transportation system in the world, but it breaks down because its participants don’t get along, according to Mark Hemmes, president of Quorum Corporation, which monitors the system’s performance for the federal government. “We probably have, without a doubt, the best country elevator system anywhere,” Hemmes told the

Ritz says expanding trade key priority

Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz wants to focus on finding more customers for Canadian farm and food products and less on the future of Prairie barley marketing. Speaking to reporters in mid-January after official visits to India and Hong Kong, the minister said he’s looking forward to trips to the Middle East, Russia, Mexico and China


Farmers urged to lobby for rail costing review

The millions of dollars the railways are reported to have overcharged western grain farmers underscores the need to review railway costs – and to update the formula used to determine how much the railways can earn hauling grain. So said Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) spokeswoman Maureen Fitzhenry in an interview last week: “We need to

Open market on hold, but WCWGA still optimistic

“Whether it’s a few months or a few years, certainly we hope it’s the shorter.” – Kevin Bender The open barley and wheat markets the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association (WCWGA) has pushed long and hard for is on hold, but its new president is certain it will come someday. “We had hoped it would