Rapid Visco Analyzers are just one small step towards the longed-for ‘black box’ for grain testing.

Falling number, objective grain-grading debate not new

The grain industry explored machine testing more than a decade ago

Calls for “objective” grain grading on the elevator driveway, especially for falling number, have been around for years, ebbing and flowing with the quality of the wheat crop. These days it’s the Alberta Grain Commission and Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association (WCWGA) advocating for the change. They say since grain companies sell wheat to customers



Complaints about Canadian grading of U.S. wheat justified: Gifford

American complaints that Canadian regulations unfairly block American wheat from entering Canadian elevators are justified, says Mike Gifford, Canada’s former chief agricultural trade negotiator. “This is a classic issue of where the optics are awful,” Gifford told the 22nd annual Fields on Wheels conference in Winnipeg Dec. 15. “It seems to me it is an

Three acclaimed to MWBGA board

There will be two new faces around the Manitoba Wheat and Barley Growers Association (MWBGA) board table. MWBGA completed its election process through this fall and early winter and Boris Michaleski of Ashville and Rauri Qually of Dacotah join returning director and current chair Fred Greig of Reston. The three farmers were acclaimed. Michaleski and


Crumbling river infrastructure is putting pressure on the ability of the U.S. to meet grain market demand.

Wooden dams and river jams: U.S. strains to ship record grains

In a story familiar to Prairie farmers, the U.S. grain-handling system is creaking under a heavy load

America’s worst traffic jam this fall occurred on the Ohio River, where a line of about 50 miles of boats hauling grains and other products turned into a water-borne parking lot, as ship captains waited for the river to reopen. Such delays are worsening on the nation’s waterways, which are critical to commerce for the

Farmer Walking Through Field Checking Wheat Crop

This spring be wheat variety aware

CWRS and CPSR wheats you seed in the spring could be in the CNHR class when you combine them in the fall

Western farmers should review which wheat varieties they intend to sow next spring — because come harvest some could be in a different class. On Aug. 1, 2018, 25 wheats in the Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) class and four in the Canada Prairie Spring Red (CPSR) class will move to the Canada Northern Hard


Scott Stothers (l to r), Loic Perrot, Tabitha Langel, and Doug Cattani with bread made from Kernza.

Making bread — and maybe history too

The first loaves of bread made from Kernza have been gobbled up in Manitoba

You won’t be buying Kernza bread in a Manitoba bakery or grocery store any time soon, but a small group of proponents see it as a sign of things to come. Guests at a small reception at the Tall Grass Prairie Bakery in downtown Winnipeg Nov. 23 were treated to loaves of freshly baked sourdough




High-tech tracker to battle ancient wheat plague

High-tech tracker to battle ancient wheat plague

Wheat rust early detection is critical and a surprising source is providing new hope

The tracking technology used to halt the deadly Ebola and Zika viruses could now be turned against wheat rust as scientists try new ways to stop the fungus devastating world grain crops. Wheat rusts are nothing new — ancient Romans honoured the rust god Robigus, hoping to protect their fields — but they are adapting