Cereals & Farming Articles - Manitoba Co-operator

A new genetic study could make quinoa more consumer friendly over time.

Genetic study may make ancient Inca’s quinoa a grain of the future

The findings could pave the way to breeding out the bitter saponins that must currently be washed off post-harvest

By Will Dunham February 22, 2017

Quinoa, the sacred “mother grain” of the ancient Inca civilization suppressed by Spanish conquistadors, could become an increasingly important food source in the future thanks to genetic secrets revealed in a new study. Scientists on Feb. 7 said they have mapped the genome of quinoa and identified a gene that could be manipulated to get

Theresa Bergsma has seen a lot of changes in Manitoba agriculture, including corn, during her 29 years as general manager of the Manitoba Corn Growers Association (MCGA). She plans to retire in June.

Cereals, Local news

Corn grower association head has seen lots of change after 29 years on the job

Theresa Bergsma looks back on how agriculture and corn have changed in Manitoba

By Allan Dawson February 16, 2017

Farming in Manitoba has changed a lot during the 29 years Theresa Bergsma has been general manager of the Manitoba Corn Growers Association (MCGA). As her June retirement nears, Bergsma has been reflecting on some of them, including changes to grain corn. A combination of improved hybrids, improved agronomy and longer growing season, especially in

Jason Voogt (left), Lynne Sweeney and Fred Grieg all say there will be a learning curve as the CNHR wheat class finds its feet.

Cereals, News

New wheat class a mixed bag

Looming changes to the CNHR class will likely dilute some of the current  benefits of the varieties that currently call it home

By Gord Gilmour February 16, 2017

The Canadian Northern Hard Red (CNHR) wheat class is poised to expand Aug. 1, 2018 — but no one is exactly sure how the change is going to play out. The new CNHR class is already home to U.S. dark northern varieties, such as Faller, Prosper and Elgin ND. Next summer they’ll be joined by

An Alberta farmer says plenty of grain is moving through Western Canada — but too much of it is U.S. grain.

Cereals, News

Is U.S. grain eating up Canadian rail capacity?

Not according to CP Rail, which on average moves two trains of American grain through Western Canada daily

By Allan Dawson February 16, 2017

An Alberta farmer alleges Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) isn’t moving Canadian grain in a timely way because it’s preoccupied shipping American grain through Western Canada — an allegation CP denies. The Carstairs-area farmer asked not to be identified fearing it might reveal his source. The farmer said according to his source every day CP brings

Cereals, News

Measuring changes in the grain transportation system

Grain monitor proves that better data collection can drive change and improvement

By Alex Binkley February 15, 2017

The business adage that you can’t change what you don’t measure seems to fit the Prairie grain transportation system. In a presentation to the annual conference of the Canadian Agriculture Economics Society, Mark Hemmes, president of Quorum Corp., which tracks the performance of the grain transportation and handling system for Transport Canada, used the numbers

A virulent new strain of stem rust has been found in Europe and could threaten crops there and in northern Africa in the coming growing season.

Cereals, News

New rust strain threatens wheat crops in Europe and North Africa

In 2016 thousands of hectares of wheat crops were damaged in Sicily

By Umberto Bacchi February 15, 2017

A new, highly destructive strain of stem rust that battered wheat crops in Sicily last year could spread across the Mediterranean in 2017, threatening harvests and the livelihood of small farmers, experts warned Feb. 3. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) urged countries in Europe and North Africa to be vigilant to prevent possible

Cereals, Crops

Italy’s pasta labeling plan raises Canadian concerns

By GFM Network News, Isla Binnie, Rod Nickel February 15, 2017

Winnipeg/Rome | Reuters — Canada has raised concerns with Rome about Italy’s plan to require country-of-origin labels on pasta sold there, Canada’s agriculture minister said on Wednesday about a move that is alarming Canadian wheat exporters just as a free trade deal gained European approval. Rome sent a draft decree to the European Commission in

Cereals, Crops, Markets, Weather

‘Mini-harvest’ likely to weigh on feed grains

By GFM Network News, Phil Franz-Warkentin February 14, 2017

CNS Canada –– Seasonal lows in the Western Canadian feed grain market may stick around longer than normal this year, as the industry awaits the abnormal spring harvest of those fields left to overwinter this year. “The seasonals are fairly consistent,” said Jim Beusekom of Market Place Commodities in Lethbridge, adding “we usually see the

The Canadian Transportation Agency has been told to reconsider level-of-service complaints against CN after the original findings were struck down in court.

Cereals, News

Appeal Court reverses CTA rulings against CN

The Federal Court of Appeal says the regulatory agency made errors in assessing car shortfalls in 2014

By Alex Binkley February 13, 2017

The Federal Court of Appeal has struck down rulings by the Canadian Transportation Agency that CN breached a level-of-service obligation in early 2014. The CTA said the failure was related to supplying two Prairie grain companies with sufficient hopper cars during the frigid early months of 2014. Justice Marc Nadon ruled the CTA “made unreasonable

Cereals, News

Single checkoff coming for wheat growers

The new system will fund both wheat variety development and Cigi, say the provincial wheat groups

By Allan Dawson February 9, 2017

Wheat growers can expect to see a simplified checkoff system in the coming crop year. Beginning August 1, 2017, they’ll see checkoffs for the provincial associations combined with the transitional checkoff for funding variety research and market development. Those funds, collected through the temporary Western Canadian Deduction (WCD) checkoff, have since 2012 funded the Western

Daily Network News

U.S. grains: Soybeans continue gains on Trump’s China comments

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures end week higher on tight supply

Pea, lentil outlooks have some positive signals – Penner

Cereals

Genetic study may make ancient Inca’s quinoa a grain of the future

Corn grower association head has seen lots of change after 29 years on the job

New wheat class a mixed bag

Is U.S. grain eating up Canadian rail capacity?

Measuring changes in the grain transportation system

New rust strain threatens wheat crops in Europe and North Africa

Italy’s pasta labeling plan raises Canadian concerns

‘Mini-harvest’ likely to weigh on feed grains

Appeal Court reverses CTA rulings against CN

Single checkoff coming for wheat growers

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