Barley genome breakthrough may lead to better beer

London/Reuters – An international consortium of scientists has published a high resolution draft of the barley genome in a move that could not only improve yields and disease resistance, but may also hold the key to better beer. “This research will streamline efforts to improve barley production through breeding for improved varieties,” said Prof. Robbie

Austria wants review of Europe’s policy on GM corn

vienna / reuters / Austria’s minister for agriculture and the environment is calling on the European Commission to review its approval process for genetically modified food after a controversial French study linked GM corn to higher health risks in rats. The study — repudiated by many scientists — found rats fed on Monsanto’s GM corn


Egypt to boost wheat storage, crack down on smuggling

Reuters / Egypt wants to double the capacity of its wheat silos in the next three or four years and is considering changing a bread-subsidy mechanism to prevent smuggling or illegal trade in subsidized grain. Egypt’s new government has been looking at ways to better target subsidies and reduce waste as it seeks to plug




Ample heat, subsoil moisture helps sunflowers soar

National Sunflower Association of Canada looking at possible introduction 
of bird-repellent products used south of the border

It was a great summer to be a sunflower. “Yields are coming really good this year,” said Denis Touzin of Keystone Grain. “They like heat, and we had the heat.” With an unusually dry fall making a pre-Thanksgiving harvest possible for the first time in years, early reports are pegging yields at 2,500 to 3,200


Final Manitoba crop report for 2012

Provincial summary  In Manitoba, the majority of acres have been harvested. The remaining crops to be harvested are mainly sunflowers and grain corn, with a few acres of soybeans, potatoes and alfalfa seed.  Crop yields in Manitoba were variable in 2012, largely dependent upon the amount and timing of precipitation during the growing season, temperatures

Another record shattered as Manitoba soybean acreage soars

It’s no surprise why: Low production costs, high prices, 
improved varieties and availability of crop insurance is making “beans” a big money-maker

Manitoba farmers planted more soybeans in 2012 than ever before — but the record won’t last long. “If things go as planned, with a good spring and the seed supplies are there, I think reaching the million mark won’t be too difficult next year,” said Dennis Lange, a farm production adviser based in Altona. This


Light up for safety

With this year’s harvest winding down, I can’t help but reflect over a season that has resulted in both one of the earliest combining seasons I have ever seen, and also one that has seemingly dragged on forever. Early seeding and hot weather in August and September has ripened off plants and allowed producers to

Higher U.S. wheat plantings likely — and needed

Production problems haven’t left markets short yet but that could change if Australian growers 
continue to suffer from a lack of rainfall, which would set the stage for a wheat rally

Reuters / Stubbornly high prices have served to keep U.S. wheat out of contention on the export market in recent months, but a broad jump in winter wheat acreage coupled with growing overseas demand could change that picture. It’s no surprise that farmers in top hard red wheat states such as Kansas are upping their