Crop Report – for Jul. 23, 2009

SOUTHWEST Most areas received rainfall over the past week with totals varying from 25 to 45 millimetres. Some areas received heavy thundershowers and areas in the northern part of the region reported temperatures close to 0C. Most early-seeded cereal crops are heading, with later-seeded crops in the flag leaf to early-head stage. Most canola crops

Improving Wheat’s Profitability

Monsanto was back in the news last week with its announcement that it is re-entering the wheat-breeding business with the purchase of a Montana-based company that specializes in germplasm. The objective is to develop genetically modified wheats that have better drought tolerance, improved nitrogen efficiency and ultimately higher yields. Monsanto’s competitors, Syngenta AG, BASF and


Are We Heading Back To Dismal Grain Prices?

For three-times-daily market reports from Don Bousquet and RNI, visit “ICE Futures Canada updates” at www.manitobacooperator.ca Grain and oilseed prices at ICE Futures Canada in Winnipeg closed the week ended July 17 little changed for canola, but moderately lower for barley. Canola was little changed on the week despite fairly strong gains in the Canadian

Canada/EU WTO Dispute Over

The formal end of Canada’s WTO trade dispute with the European Union over genetically modified organisms (GMOs), announced July 15, will benefit the country’s canola sector, according to an official with the Canola Council of Canada. “The Canadian government has worked really hard on this and we really appreciate all their efforts,” said JoAnne Buth,


Headline Gets Emergency Registration For Sunflower Rust

“Do not panic but rather get out there and scout your field. Early detection is critical. Yield losses can be significant.” – NSAC REPORT BA S F ’s fungicide Headline (pyraclostrobin) has received an emergency-use registration to control sunflower rust, a disease that decimated some fields in Manitoba last year and could be a problem

Consumers Rise To Buy-Local Challenge

Barbecue season is upon us and more and more Canadians are visiting farmers’ markets or seeking out a Product of Canada label in order to support Canadian farmers. Several campaigns promoting locally grown or Canadianproduced food have sprung up. Recently, retailers like Loblaw Companies Limited, fast-food chains such as McDonald’s and major companies like Unilever


New Crop Registration System Implemented

“Eventually the seed industry will argue that their crop kinds all need to be moved to Part (Option) Three because the claim will be made that independent testing and committee structures are too slow and expensive.” – TERRY BOEHM The new “flexible” three-tiered crop variety registration system implemented by the federal government July 8 will

Flea Beetles Don’t Like Hairy Legs

In the future, farmers may be eliminating one pesticide application on their canola. Researchers at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Saskatoon Research Centre are developing “hairy” canola plants that prevent flea beetles from feeding on the leaf and stem surfaces of newly emerged canola seedlings. This physical barrier means flea beetle resistance will be built into


Crop Report – for Jul. 16, 2009

SOUTHWEST REGION Several areas in the region received needed rainfall last week with amounts ranging from 15 to 150 mm. The majority of the cereal crops are in the flag-leaf to early-heading stage with some of the early-seeded crop finished flowering. The window for fungicide application is closing quickly. Canola crops are flowering with reseeded

Beneficial Plant Sterols Not Available To Canadians

Health Canada’s minister should listen to her provincial colleagues, all overwhelmed by the costs of health care, not the least from the public cost of drugs to treat CHD. The recently released report by Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) titled Food Regulatory Systems: Canada’s Performance in the Global Marketplace is yet another study