Document 2025649

Volume 41, Number 9 | april 7, 2015
$4.25
PRA C T I C AL PR O D U C T I O N T IP S F O R T H E PRAIRI E F AR M E R
www.grainews.ca
Moving canola to market
We can increase our canola yields, but experts question whether we have
the transportation infrastructure to get that extra production to our buyers
By Lisa Guenther
D
told delegates. “The discussions
among leaders in our countries
have shifted from how to develop
integrated national or continental
grain transportation systems to
how to reduce government spending and taxation.”
Leaders have a hard time distinguishing between consumption and investment, Blank said.
Infrastructure is usually grouped
into general expenditures, he told
delegates.
And when they do spend on
infrastructure, they don’t look
at the whole network, he added.
Often the focus is on satisfying local taxpayers, and so more
money goes to fill potholes than
fix big problems, he said.
“The other side of this, is dear
God, it’s expensive,” Blank added.
Every four years American
Society of Civil Engineers grades
U.S. infrastructure and calculates
funding gaps. U.S. infrastructure currently rates a D+ overall,
according to the civil engineers. To
bring it up to a B by 2020, the U.S.
government would need to throw
in over $3.6 trillion.
Canada’s situation isn’t any rosier. Canada needs to pony up $66
billion to maintain urban roads
and bridges by 2023, Blank told delegates. Those numbers come from
the McKinsey Global Institute.
There are no shortages of problems in North America’s transportation infrastructure, Blank
said. Railroads are near capacity,
he said, and there are only so
many miles of track. It takes nearly
as long to dray across Chicago,
the major railway hub, as to run
freight from Winnipeg, he added.
Waterways are “a disaster,”
Blank said. “More than a decade
ago 50 per cent were declared
functionally obsolete.”
Ports have their issues, too.
The port at New Orleans is “enormously vulnerable.” to climate
change, Blank said. The port of
Los Angeles-Long Beach lives “on
a knife-edge” because of growing
citizen reaction to conditions and
congestion, he added.
“Infrastructure’s become more
contentious in many communities,” Blank said. The not-in-mybackyard attitude towards projects
has morphed into BANANA — Build
Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near
Anything, he told delegates.
North Americans are clever people, he said, who will “make do
and mend.” But if we push off
major infrastructure investments
for a decade or so, what will that
do to our competitive position in
the world, he asked.
Three scenarios
Blank presented three possible
scenarios for how North American
governments would tackle infrastructure investment. Blanked
described them as images of plausible alternative futures. He cautioned the scenarios aren’t meant
» continued on page 4
photo: thinkstock
r. S t e p h e n B l a n k
believes the Canola
Council of Canada’s
production goal of 52
bushels per acre by 2025 is impressive, he told delegates at the council’s recent conference in Banff,
Alta.
“But there’s an 800 pound
gorilla in there that we haven’t
talked much about,” said Blank,
an expert on North American
transportation infrastructure.
“That’s moving stuff from supply to demand. The physical infrastructure of grain transportation.”
In the 1980s and early 1990s,
North America’s transportation
infrastructure met demand, Blank
told delegates, because of excess
capacity and new technology. A
completed interstate system and
consolidation in rail and trucking
also helped, he added. But the
picture is much different for 2015.
“Decades of chronic underinvest-
ment have left our systems incapable of keeping up with routine
maintenance, let alone increasing
capacity to accommodate forecasted growth,” said Blank.
Today’s transportation infrastructure problems started to show
in the 1990s, when congestion
increased. New value chains were
emerging and there wasn’t any
more extra capacity, Blank said.
Over the decades, governments
delayed maintenance and put in
new environmental restraints. The
terrorist attacks on September 11
meant more security measures at
borders and ports, Blank added.
Deficit reduction strategies in
Canada and Mexico took precedence over infrastructure spending, he said.
The sum of all this is more congestion on North America’s rails,
roads, and in waterways and ports. There’s also been a crucial shift
in how Canadian and U.S. governments view infrastructure
and spending in general, Blank
In This Issue
Publications Mail Agreement Number 40069240
Wheat & Chaff .................. 2
Features . ........................... 5
Crop Advisor’s Casebook . 8
Columns ............................ 22
Machinery & Shop............. 31
Cattleman’s Corner .......... 39
New faba bean varieties
Melanie Epp
page 13
JCB Fastrac updates
scott garvey page 32
FarmLife ............................ 44
2
/ grainews.ca APRIL 7, 2015
Wheat & Chaff
STAMPEDE
BY JERRY PALEN
Leeann
Minogue
I
“
“It’s certainly refreshing to meet an old farmer
who looks like an old farmer!”
contact us
Write, Email or Fax
SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES:
Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (CST) 1-800-665-0502
U.S. subscribers call 1-204-944-5568
or email: [email protected]
If you have story ideas, call us. You can write
the article and we’d pay you, or we can write it.
Phone Leeann Minogue at 306-861-2678
Fax to 204-944-5416
Email [email protected]
Write to Grainews, 1666 Dublin Ave.,
Winnipeg, Man. R3H 0H1
hearts
Ask for hearts
When you renew your subscription to
Grainews, be sure to ask for six Please
Be Careful, We Love You hearts. Then
stick them onto equipment that you,
your loved ones and your employees
operate. That important message could
save an arm, a leg or a life.
Like us on Facebook!
Grainews has
a Facebook page.
Find, read and comment on blog
posts easily and with a thumbs up!
Find us on Twitter:
Leeann Minogue is @grainmuse
Lisa Guenther is @LtoG
Lee Hart is @hartattacks
Scott Garvey is @machineryeditor
t is a truth universally
acknowledged, that a single
man in possession of a good
fortune, must be in want of
a wife.” This opening line of Jane
Austen’s 1813 novel, Pride and
Prejudice is still relevant today if
we replace “single man” with “upand-coming crop,” and “wife”
with “industry association.”
As soybean acreage grows,
so do the number of people
involved in soybean industry
organizations.
On June 14, 2014, Statistics
Canada reported in The Daily
that, “Nationally, soybean area
could reach a record high for the
sixth consecutive year, rising 23.5
per cent from 2013 to 5.6 million
acres.” Soybeans are still “new”
here — from 2005, and 2008,
there were less than three million
acres seeded in Canada each year.
For comparison, keep in mind
that Canadian farmers seeded
24.1 million acres of wheat in
2014.
Here in Saskatchewan, farmers grew 300,000 acres of soybeans in 2014. This is remarkable, considering that many of
us had never even seen them
growing a few years ago.
Provincial
organizations
In Saskatchewan, the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers (SPG) collect levies when farmers sell soybeans, even though the industry
has come to agree that soybeans
are not, in fact, pulse crops at all.
The association formerly
known as the Manitoba Pulse
Growers has a special page on
its website to explain the difference. “By definition, soybeans
are not a pulse because their
seed is not dry (it contains high
amounts of oil), and while they
are healthy, they are not as
nutritious as edible beans, peas,
lentils and chickpeas.”
In February, 2015, to reflect
the fact that it’s been collecting
levies from soybean growers,
the Manitoba Pulse Growers
changed its name to the
Manitoba Pulse and Soybean
Growers. In the press release,
executive director Francois
Labelle said “While soybeans
are not technically a pulse, they
have become a large part of
our business through increased
acres and sales.” They even
updated their logo. The new
logo, they say, is “representative of a bean seed sprouting,
indicative of growth.”
The Manitoba Pulse and
Soybean Growers do a lot of
soybean agronomy research.
The list of 2014 research on the
group’s website includes a cyst
nematode survey, a study of
soybean residue management
and a look at the effect of lower
seeding rates on yields in western Manitoba.
In the last few years, the SPG
has also made efforts to include
soybean agronomy and bring
information to farmers.
At the SPG regional meeting in Regina in 2015, Tom
Warkentin, a plant breeder at the Crop Development
Centre at the University of
Saskatchewan, told farmers
“We are doing a little bit of
breeding work on soy. Not a
lot, but we’ve started a bit.”
They’re partnering with an
Agriculture and Agri-Food
Canada breeding program, and
testing genetic material with a
shorter growing season. New
varieties are being grown in
test plots across Saskatchewan
and Manitoba.
Soy Canada
The SPG and the Manitoba
Pulse and Soybean Growers
forward a portion of the levies
they collect to Pulse Canada in
Winnipeg for the promotion
of the pulse industry. But now,
levies collected from soybean
sales are going to Soy Canada
instead. (Just to make it a little more complicated, Pulse
Canada’s Courtney Hirota
explained by email that “Some
soybean funds do go to Pulse
Canada for specific projects”).
So, if you’re growing soybeans
in Manitoba or Saskatchewan,
you’re now sending five cents
per tonne to Soy Canada. If
you didn’t know that, don’t
worry, it’s new.
Soy Canada is a new organization, but some of the people
at the table will have worked
together before. Soy Canada’s
executive director Jim Everson
explained to me that the
former farmer-driven Canadian
Soybean Council and the
Canadian Soybean Exporter
Association “are folding members into Soy Canada.”
Farmers in Quebec and Ontario
also pay five cents per tonne to
belong to Soy Canada. And farmers aren’t the only paying members: soybean crushers pay two
cents per tonne, to a maximum
of $20,000. Soybean Exporters
and seed companies pay tiered
fees, up to $20,000 per year.
“It’s a value-chain organization,” Everson said, meaning
that Soy Canada represents the
entire Canadian soybean supply
chain, from seed suppliers to
farmers to exporters and processors. Picture the Pulse Canada
business model, but for soybeans.
As Pulse Canada does for lentils, one of the things Soy Canada
is doing is promoting Canadian
soybeans to the world. “We just
finished a trade promotion to
Japan,” Everson said.
For now, Soy Canada has just
one person in its Ottawa office
— Jim Everson. In areas like
transportation or sustainability,
where other commodity associations have the same goals,
Everson said, “we want to partner with those organizations
that are leading those efforts.”
If you want to get involved
with Soy Canada, your best bet
is to become active with your
provincial association. John
Bennett is the Saskatchewan
Pulse Growers representative
to the Soy Canada board. In
Manitoba, Ernie Sirski (brother
to Grainews columnist Andy
Sirski), represents the Manitoba
Pulse and Soybean growers.
Manitoba farmers are also represented on the board by member-at-large Edgar Scheurer.
“The key thing for us is that
it’s a new structure,” Everson
said. By pulling together all of
the components of the industry, he said, “the whole is more
significant than the sum of the
parts.”
While western Canadian
farmers make up only a small
part of Canada’s national soybean acreage, Jim Everson
hopes to represent us well.
With the large increase in western Canadian soybean acres,
Everson said, “Where is that
product going to go? What
export markets are there? What
sensitivities are there in terms
of market access?”
For western Canadian farmers, Everson said, Soy Canada
is “making sure that the product they grow finds markets
and that those products are
predictable. We hope that the
western producer sees a lot of
value in it.”
A few other groups
Besides these, there are still
a few more Canadian associations out there dealing with
soy-related issues.
Soybean 20/20 is a “project”
more than an organization. It
was founded by the University
of Guelph, the Grain Farmers
of Ontario, and the Ontario
Ministry of Agriculture and
Food.
For an example of the type of
work that Soy 20/20 does, see
page 21 of this issue. Soy 20/20
was a major driving force behind
Health Canada’s recent acceptance
of the claim that consuming soybean foods can lower cholesterol.
Acceptance like this is a major
marketing coup for companies
involved in selling soy-based foods.
Soy 20/20 is working with
Soy Canada, in fact, it’s actually a dues-paying member.
The Canadian Soy Foods
Marketing Council bills itself as
“an initiative of Soy 20/20.” This
Council runs a website (soyforlife.
ca), which points out all the health
benefits of soy food products. The
soyforlife.ca website says it’s a
“group of Canadian farmers and
suppliers, soy food processors and
manufacturers.” There are several
other members of the Canadian
Soy Food Marketing Council
listed — these include Syngenta
Seeds Canada, Pioneer Hi-Bred
Ltd., Parrish and Heimbecker and
Bunge North America.
The brochure on the soyforlife.ca website shows the
normal photos of healthy
soy products (tofu, edamame
beans, cooking oil), but there
was also a picture of something
that I’m pretty sure is an ice
cream sandwich. I’m in. †
Leeann​
APRIL 7, 2015 grainews.ca /
Wheat & Chaff
Farm safety
Photo contest
Positive outlook
after farm injury
P
aul Croken grows 120 acres of carrots,
turnips and cabbages on Prince Edward
Island, on the farm he’s owned for 30
years. Every year he hires local help for
the harvest season and to help with vegetable
grading. Perhaps if it wasn’t for all his reliance on
his friends, family, and employees, Paul’s farming career may have come to an abrupt end on
October 8, 2008.
He had gone out alone with his sprayer in the
early morning, just at the beginning of harvest
season. While reaching over the sprayer hitch to
make a quick adjustment, the drawstring of his
coat was caught in the power take-off. “I remember coming to on the other side of the tractor and
sprayer, about 15 feet away, and I’d gone between
the PTO and the draw-bar,” he says. His wife,
Heather, remembers getting a phone call from
their neighbour between her morning shower and
the time she’d usually start getting ready for work.
“Gordie McKenna found, him and he just said not
to worry, that he’d phoned an ambulance and it
was coming to get him,” she recalls. The McKenna
family knew Paul well enough to consider an
unattended tractor odd enough to investigate, but
Gordon McKenna didn’t want to worry Heather
by what they’d found. Paul’s left arm had been
nearly completely severed in the accident and
he had lost a lot of blood. When the ambulance
arrived, Heather got a second call urging her to
bring the kids to the field right away. “They didn’t
think that I was going to make it to Halifax, I’d
lost so much blood, and I had a lot of internal
damage as well,” Paul recalls.
Paul was airlifted from Charlottetown hospital
to Halifax the same morning. “They wanted me
to go in the helicopter with him, but I didn’t
want to leave the kids,” Heather says. “I just kept
telling the kids that it was just his arm, no big
deal, because I really just did believe that.” In the
end, doctors did have to amputate his arm at the
shoulder and Paul was also left with a paralyzed
diaphragm and just one working lung. He spent
four weeks in the hospital, leaving the harvest
season in the hands of friends and family.
“I’d pop over when they were at the warehouse, just to give them an update on how he
was, but that was it,” she says. “The vegetable
growers’ co-op, Brookfield Gardens, and every-
GIVE US YOUR BEST SHOT
This photo came from Wolfgang and Claudia Kohler, from
Carman, Man. Wolfgang wrote, “Please find attached a picture of
our beautiful 10-month-old baby girl, Lea, sitting on winter wheat
stubble and enjoying the August sunshine.”
Thanks so much for sharing this. We agree, Lea’s beautiful!
We’re sending you a cheque for $25.
Send your best shot to [email protected].
Please send only one or two photos at a time and include your
name and address, the names of anyone in the photo, where the
photo was taken and a bit about what was going on that day. A
little write-up about your farm is welcome, too. Please ensure that
images are of high resolution (1 MB is preferred), and if the image
includes a person, we need to be able to see their face clearly.
Leeann
Even after his injury, Paul Croken continues to
grow beets and other vegetables on his Prince
Edward Island farm.
body that he knew all came together and they
harvested everything without any of our help.”
When Paul first got out of the hospital, he says
it wasn’t easy to be optimistic but looking back on
it as a family now, both Paul and Heather agree
the lasting effects have been nothing but positive. “He wouldn’t slow down before, but now he
doesn’t have a choice,” Heather says, “and more
people need to learn that.” She sees how much
closer he’s become with his family. Paul says he
still works on the farm, and although he can’t do
everything he used to, now that they’ve expanded
the farm, they can afford to have year-round help,
so he doesn’t have to. “Believe it or not,” he jokes,
“Other people can do things!” Paul says now that
he appreciates his own limitations, he can see that
his accident was simply the result of one man
trying to do the work of three. He’d advise other
farmers not to suffer a life-threatening incident
before evaluating what’s really important in life
and learning to slow down more often. †
Amy Petherick, Canadian Agricultural Safety Association,
www.casa-acsa.ca.
Agronomy tips… from the field
The 4Rs of wild oat control
Y
Weather Lore
You might be from the Prairies if...
By Carson Demmans and Jason Sylvestre
ou might have heard about the 4Rs of nutrient management: applying the right product at the right rate at the
right time and in the right place.
Now, we can take those same concepts and apply
them to a wild oat program.
First — the right product. Look at whether you’re dealing with
a light or heavy wild oat infestation and then pick a product
that’s suited to the task. Consider using a fully serviced product, which gives you technical support and backing for added
insurance.
Second — the right rate. Always use the rate that’s listed on the
label, even if it means spending a few extra dollars. Stretching
or skimping on rates may appear to work at first, but in the
background, those wild oats could be developing resistance and
multiplying.
Third — the right time. Wild oats can quickly reduce the
amount of nitrogen available to your crop. Getting rid of them
early reduces inter-crop competition, allowing your crop to intercept sunlight and use more nutrients.
Fourth — the right place. Wild oats’ vertical leaves can make
them a really difficult target for herbicide applications. Make sure
you’re getting even coverage by using proper water volumes and
slowing down your sprayer travel speeds. †
This agronomy tip is brought to you by Chadrick Carley, technical development lead
with Syngenta Canada Inc.
CANDLE
POWER
Candlelight,
candlelight;
Before a shower,
not as bright.
T
he high humidity
that occurs before a
rain can cause your
candles to burn less
brightly. The wick, particularly
if not treated with wax, will
absorb moisture from the air.
Water vapour in air will also
decrease the amount of available oxygen. Since oxygen
feeds a flame you may notice a
weaker light. †
You thought a low-carb diet was a joke book.
Shirley Byers’ book “Never Sell Your
Hen on a Rainy Day” explores over
100 weather rhymes and sayings. It is
available from McNally Robinson at:
www.mcnallyrobinson.com.
3
4
/ grainews.ca APRIL 7, 2015
Cover Stories
Crop production
» CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Moving it to market
as forecasts or predictions, but as
processes that need to be revised.
The first scenario was a make
do and mend mindset. Short-term
fixes would predominate, Blank
said. Governments would fix the
most pressing infrastructure problems that provide relieve to the
largest number of users, and also
create jobs. Governments would
keep spending as low as possible.
The danger is that without a
broader vision, enormous sums
could be spent on local and
regional projects without advancing a more integrated national or
continental system, he said.
In the second scenario, government would shift responsibility
to the private sector. “In this scenario, government deficits are seen
as the primary threat to national
well-being, not the decaying infrastructure,” said Blank.
Proponents of privatization
would put forth three positive
effects:
1. Cut costs and eliminate inefficiencies.
2. Introduce services and make
investments that are responsive to
users’ preferences.
3. Develop new innovations
and expedite the implementation
of current advances in technology.
The concern with this scenario
is that private firms would be able
to set excessive prices and cut services because they face no competition, Blank said.
Blank also outlined a third scenario — reconstruction. Leaders
would invest in continent-wide
efforts to rebuild freight infrastructure, he explained. They would
see national freight systems as elements of a North American freight
transportation system for decades
to come. Decisions would be more
centralized. Research and collaboration would cross borders and be
shared by governments.
But this scenario would rest on
a substantial shift in leaders’ perceptions around infrastructure, he
said. “How could this happen?
Well, perhaps (as) the response to
a major catastrophe.”
Canola industry’s role
Blank suggested the Canola
Council think about how it could
influence which scenario will
emerge.
“Someone has to say something,” Blank said. The Canola
Council of Canada represents “an
enormously successful” North
American industry, he added.
The industry should be thinking about how it can leverage
rising global demand for canola to
improve transportation infrastructure, he added.
He asked whether canola growers can push government leaders
to look at the economic and budgetary implications of long-term
investment in infrastructure. He
also posed the question of reaching out to other exporters.
“Is it impossible to think of
a North American Commission
on Freight Transportation?” Blank
asked.
But as he wrapped up his presentation, Blank didn’t seem overly
optimistic about the future of
North America’s infrastructure.
“I’m worried as hell. I don’t see
an easy light at the end of the tunnel.” †
Shippers facing shortfall
The Ag Transportation Coalition measures railway performance
and releases numbers every week. By mid-February, the numbers were
not encouraging.
For Week 28, February 8 to 14, 2015, the Ag Transport Coalition
reported that CN and CP supplied only 29 per cent of the 7,304
hopper cars that shippers had ordered. That left shippers short
5,193 cars for the week.
Week 29 was worse. CN and CP supplied only 27 per cent of
the 6,861 ordered cars. Shippers were short 5,083 cars.
From the start of this crop year to February 21, the Coalition
found that the railways supplied just 43 per cent of customer orders
in the week for which the cars were ordered. During that same
period, 35 per cent of all bulk grain shipments waited more than 48
hours for pick up by the railways; only 28 per cent were picked up
within 24 hours.
From August 1 to February 21, 23,929 of the hopper cars
ordered by shippers were not supplied. The report says, “This
represents a shortfall equivalent to 11 per cent of shipper
demand.”
Find these reports online at www.agtransportationcoalition.
com.
Members of the Ag Transportation Coalition are: the Canadian
Canola Growers Association (CCGA), the Alberta Wheat
Commission (AWC), Pulse Canada, the Manitoba Pulse Growers
Association (MPGA), the Western Grain Elevator Association
(WGEA), the Canadian Oilseed Processors Association (COPA),
the Inland Terminal Association of Canada (ITAC) and the
Canadian Special Crops Association (CSCA). †
PUBLI SH ER
Leeann Minogue
H e ad O f f i c e
1666 Dublin Avenue,
Winnipeg, Man. R3H 0H1
Phone: (204) 944-5568
Fax: (204) 944-5562
M
John Morriss
Edi tor
Leeann Minogue
fiel d Ed ito r
Lisa Guenther
Cattleman’s Corner Editor
Lee Hart
Farm life Edito r
Sue Armstrong
Machinery EDITOR
Scott Garvey
Pro duction Di recto r
Shawna Gibson
Des igne r
Steven Cote
MARKETING/CI RCUL ATION
Dir ector Lynda Tityk
Circul at ion manag er Heather Anderson
president
Glacier farmmedia
Bob Willcox
Ad ve rtis ing Ser vice s
Co-o rdin ato r
Arlene Bomback
Phone: (204) 944-5765
Fax: (204) 944-5562
Email: [email protected]
photo: thinkstock
The Canola Council of Canada has set an ambitious goal,
calling for average on-farm yields of 52 bushels per acre
arcus Weidler is confident that
the canola industry can meet
the lofty production goals set
out by the Canola Council of
Canada. It’s a long way from the 2014 average Canadian canola yield of 34.4 bushels per
acre to 52 bu./ac. by 2025.
“Yeah, it’s ambitious,” said Weidler, vice
president of seed operations for Bayer Crop
Science. “But I have full trust in both the
innovations that we can bring to the table
as an industry, but also in the ability of the
growers to adapt and to really use the full
potential of the innovation we bring to the
growers in the next couple of years.”
Yields on farms have dramatically increased
in the last decade, he said. Canola is now grown
in more areas than before. Plus, seed companies are introducing new traits, he added.
Canola breeders and farmers alike still face
challenges from the usual suspects, he said —
namely disease and pests.
“But at the moment I’m pretty confident
that we have all the tools that are required
to deal with those challenges,” Weidler said.
The biggest stumbling block canola breed-
Associate Publisher/
Editorial director Cory Bourdeaud’hui
Phone: (204) 954-1414
Fax: (204) 944-5562
Email: [email protected]
Getting to 52 by 2025
ers face is the same one farmers have struggled with for centuries — unpredictable
weather. Western Canada has seen unusually wet weather for the last 10 years, he
said. The question now is whether that
pattern will persist or fall back to the longterm average, presenting farmers with more
drought conditions.
Asked how canola breeders deal with
weather unknowns, Weidler said the introduction of hybrids several years ago helped.
Hybrids deal with abiotic stress better, he
explained.
The other aspect is a focus on both yield
and yield stability.
“How will this product behave under different environmental conditions? Is this
product stable enough from the yield perspective,” Weidler said.
For example, if a potential variety yielded
150 per cent under optimum conditions, but
only 65 per cent when conditions were a little off, Bayer wouldn’t introduce that product
to farmers’ fields, he explained.
Weidler is most excited about the podshattering resistance trait in Bayer’s new
variety, L140P. It should enable growers to
straight-cut canola and allow them to wait
Lynda Tityk
Sa les Di re ctor
Lisa Guenther is field editor for Grainews based
at Livelong, Sask. Contact her at Lisa.Guenther@
fbcpublishing.com or on Twitter @LtoG.
By Lisa Guenther
1 6 6 6 D u b l i n Av e n u e ,
W i n n i p e g , MB R 3 H 0 H 1
w w w. g r a i n e w s . c a
and plan harvest operations, he explained,
rather than trying to harvest 10,000 acres
in two days. Less pod-shattering should also
mean fewer volunteers the following year.
Concerns beyond the farmgate
But mercurial weather isn’t the only big
problem the canola industry faces.
How the industry will get that much grain
out of the country is a bit of a conundrum.
Not too many people would be happy with
a bumper crop if they can’t get it to key customers, Weidler said.
Regulatory systems in the European Union
and China are also a “major question mark,”
Weidler said. “It’s a wild card there because
you don’t know how long it will take you to
get innovation to the marketplace because of
this uncertainty.”
Weidler says he doesn’t have a silver bullet
for regulatory problems. “But we’ll have to
find some way to come back from an emotionally-based regulatory approval to a science
and fact-based regulatory approval.” †
Lisa Guenther is a field editor with Grainews based at
Livelong, Sask. Contact her at Lisa.Guenther@fbcpublishing.
com or on Twitter @LtoG.
At Farm Business Communications we have a firm commitment to protecting your privacy and security as our customer. Farm Business Communications will only collect personal information if it is required for the
proper functioning of our business. As part of our commitment to enhance customer service, we may share this personal information with other strategic business partners. For more information regarding our Customer
Information Privacy Policy, write to: Information Protection Officer, Farm Business Communications, 1666 Dublin Ave., Winnipeg, MB R3H 0H1
Occasionally we make our list of subscribers available to other reputable firms whose products and services might be of interest to you. If you would prefer not to receive such offers, please contact us at the address
in the preceding paragraph, or call 1-800-665-0502.
Printed in Canada by
Transcontinental LGM-Coronet
Winnipeg, Man.
Grainews is published by Farm Business
Communications, 1666 Dublin Avenue,
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3H 0H1.
Publications Mail Agreement No. 40069240.
We acknowledge the financial support of the
Government of Canada through the Canada
Periodical Fund of the Department
of Canadian Heritage.
Subscription prices:
For Canadian farmers, $55.00 per year or
$87.00 for 2 years (includes GST) or
$109.00 for 3 years (includes GST). Man.
residents add 8% PST to above prices.
U.S: $43.00 per year (U.S. Funds).
Outside Canada & U.S.: $79 per year.
ISSN 0229-8090.
Call 1-800-665-0502 for subscriptions.
Fax (204) 954-1422
Canadian Postmaster: Send address
changes and undeliverable copies
(covers only) to PO Box 9800,
Winnipeg, Man. R3C 3K7
U.S. Postmaster: Send address changes and
undeliverable copies (covers only) to 1666
Dublin Avenue, Winnipeg, Man. R3H 0H1
Grainews is printed on recyclable paper with
linseed oil-based inks.
Published 18 times a year.
Subscription inquiries:
Ca l l t o l l f r e e 1-800-665-0502
U.S. subscribers call
1-204-944-5568 o r email:
[email protected]
Your next issue!
You can expect your next issue in your
mailbox about April 28, 2015
The editors and journalists who write,
contribute and provide opinions to Grainews
and Farm Business Communications attempt
to provide accurate and useful opinions,
information and analysis. However, the editors,
journalists and Grainews and Farm Business
Communications, cannot and do not guarantee
the accuracy of the information contained in this
publication and the editors as well as Grainews
and Farm Business Communications assume no
responsibility for any actions or decisions taken
by any reader for this publication based on any
and all information provided.
APRIL 7, 2015 grainews.ca /
5
Features
Crop production
Warm winters and winter wheat
Don’t panic and start reseeding. Your winter wheat crop might be just fine
By Stephanie Grace
T
he recent warm weather
across most of the Prairies
has brought concerns
for many winter wheat
growers. Temperatures of up to
10 C are certainly not optimal.
While areas of the Chinook belt
may have a different prognosis, Paul Thoroughgood, speaking on behalf of the Western
Winter Wheat Initiative (WWWI),
believes there is hope for the 2015
winter wheat crop.
“Potentially, the biggest risk
the warm weather presents (aside
from the very warm areas such
as the Chinook belt) is simply
the lack of snow cover leaving
plants exposed to winter elements
without the insulation of snow,”
Thoroughgood said.
“In most parts of the Prairies
it did not get warm enough for
plants to begin growing. In order
for this to occur, the soil temperature would have to reach a
minimum of 5 C. Even for those
areas that the air temperature did
reach 10 C, the soil would have
remained much colder.”
In the fall, cold temperatures
have less effect on crops because
the soil remains warm, while the
opposite is true in winter. During
winter months, the ground is
already frozen, meaning that it
takes a longer period of warm
weather to increase soil temperatures enough that plants are able
to begin growing. Even a small
layer of thawed ground is not
sufficient to allow wheat crops to
begin growing.
such as Kansas that grow winter wheat on a regular basis,”
Thoroughgood said. “But all too
often, farmers act too quickly
and spray a winter wheat crop
that would have been very profitable. Especially on a year like
this one when spring seeding
conditions could be tough with
the wet 2014 fall, it is a headstart to already have crops in the
ground.”
In the spring, one of the first
things to look for is new root
growth. “Leaves most often
freeze dry during the winter and
in many cases, the roots die off
as well, so the most important
thing to watch for is new, white
root growth emerging from the
crown tissue. The best timing for
checking this is half way through ing nutrients, but unfortunately,
spring seeding. This timing gives by this time the crop may have
the ground enough time to warm already cut back on its yield
up so that the plants can begin potential because it was starved
growing,” said Thoroughgood.
for nitrogen early on.
Applying nutrients early in
For those who have sustained
the spring — regardless of how damage and are considering
the crop appears — allows farm- reseeding, it is important to
ers to maximize the profitability weigh options carefully. Often, a
of winter wheat crops. Winter less-than-hoped-for winter wheat
wheat has tremendous tillering crop is more profitable than
ability, so the number of plants reseeding if it is getting too late
required for winter wheat to in the year for a spring-seeded
prove profitable is much lower crop to reach maturity and be
than for spring wheat. Don’t be harvested in good conditions.
dismayed by a sparser stand early
The WWWI advises farmers to
on and remember that even if first determine the winter wheat
reseeding occurs, the new crop crop potential, then estimate the
will utilize the fertilizer. Many probability of growing a profitfarmers opt to wait and see if the able crop. It may be riskier to
T:8.125”
crop has recovered before apply- try reseeding in some cases than
to leave the winter wheat and
maximize potential profitability
through applying fertilizer and
controlling grassy weeds if crops
are slow to recover. The winter wheat crop may not produce
what farmers had hoped for, but
it may still be better than the
alternative if spring seeding is
dragging on and the number of
frost-free days are counting down.
Farmers with questions can
contact the Western Winter
Wheat Initiative. General information, tips and contacts can be
found on the WWWI webpage
at: www.wwwi.org. †
Stephanie Grace is a writer and student from
B.C.’s Peace River country. For more from
Stephanie or to contact her, please visit her
website at www.stephaniegrace.org.
It may be
riskier to try
reseeding
T:10”
One area of concern is the issue
of standing water or ice encasing
plants. Thoroughgood said, “If
plants are encased in water and
ice, that could be cause for concern.” The recent warmth may
have caused this in some areas
where runoff conditions led to
standing water freezing around
plants. If this condition persists
over a longer period of time, it
could present a problem if plants
are oxygen-starved.
What to do in the spring
Avoid making any hasty spring
decisions. In many places, crops
could be slower to recover in
2015, but wait until other crops
are in the ground before making
a decision to reseed winter wheat
fields. Many producers do not
apply a grassy weed herbicide
on winter wheat fields in the
spring, but when plants are slow
to recover, this is a good way to
allow crops the chance to recover
without competition. It is never
a bad idea to be prepared by
arranging fertilizer and seed for
another crop.
“Average winter kill for winter
wheat is actually very low at
approximately nine per cent.
This is nearly equal to states
The complete solution. Grass and broadleaf weed control for wheat and barley, no tank mixing required.
For more information, please visit: BayerCropScience.ca/Tundra
NOW SAVE
$1.00
PER ACRE
WITH NEW 2015 PRICING
Save up to 17% more with the 2015 BayerValue program.
BayerCropScience.ca or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative.
Always read and follow label directions. Tundra® is a registered trademark of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.
C-59-03/15-10307870-E
6
/ grainews.ca APRIL 7, 2015
Features
Crop production
What to do with that flax straw
Many farmers think flax looks good this year. The downside? All that straw
By Dilia Narduzzi
I
f you’re already growing flax
as a part of your rotation, or
you’re thinking of starting
to include flax at your farm,
you might already know that the
flax seed market is good. But,
the question always comes up:
what can be done with the straw?
Often flax straw is seen as a waste
product that is burned after harvest, but there are some markets
for it, especially if it is good quality. Here’s what you need to know
if you want to grow flax and sell
the straw.
“Just like any other crop,”
says Wayne Thompson, executive director of the Saskatchewan
Flax Development Commission
(SaskFlax), “flax should be planted
earlier to give the crop more time
to produce yields, and get seeds
set and matured before the first
frost.” On the plus side for flax, it
has a strong straw and therefore
you have some flexibility when
harvesting it, says Thompson. The
straw doesn’t rot as quickly or as
easily as wheat, barley, or even
canola, so you have a longer window come harvest time. If you
can’t harvest flax right away, you
can come back to it a few weeks
after your other crops and it’ll still
be standing.
Roughly 800,000 tonnes of
flax was produced in Western
Canada in 2014. The current flax
seed market is strong, even with
increased production over the last
couple of years. “Prices for seed are
remaining good and reasonable,
there’s significant demand on the
industrial and feed sides, in pet
food, and the human consumption side is growing as well,” says
Thompson.
Though there are many uses for
processed flax straw — in Europe,
for example, they grow flax mostly
for the straw and use the processed
fibre in woven materials, paper,
and so on — it is a still a bit of a
struggle on the straw side of the
flax market here. Part of this has
to do with transportation costs
if processing plants aren’t close
to farmers. But there are companies in Western Canada that buy
flax straw — SWM in Winkler,
Man., for example, has bought
the most flax straw over the past
couple of years, volume-wise, says
Thompson. They use almost all
of the processed fibre for cigarette paper. SWM didn’t buy much
flax straw in 2014, but that was
because they had enough supply
from the previous two autumns.
New uses for flax straw
There are other companies
researching how to further develop
the flax straw market here. For
example, mats (made of natural
material like flax straw) have been
proposed as a form of natural erosion control for use in ditches at
the sides of roads. Flax straw can
also be used for animal bedding
and duck nesting, straw-bale buildings, insulation and so on.
As it stands now, if you’re already
growing flax for the seed market,
the money you make from the
straw will likely just be that little
bit of extra income, provided you
can secure a buyer (more likely if
you’re closer to a processing plant)
and, importantly, if you take the
extra steps to ensure that your
straw is good quality.
Biolin Processing, a small flax
straw processing plant outside of
Saskatoon whose mission “is to
utilize 100 per cent of the flax
straw for commercial end uses
so that the straw, traditionally
burned or chopped in the fields
by farmers, becomes a viable and
profitable product, completing the
natural recycle circle,” is headed
by Alvin Ulrich.
Ulrich has several suggestions
for keeping flax straw high quality. “For all end uses, people
don’t want weedy straw,” says
Ulrich, “that’s the single biggest
thing to consider. For specialty
end uses, like cigarette paper,
they don’t want any plastics (i.e.
twine), or any litter. Stony fields
can be a problem because stones
can end up in the processing
machines.”
Certain processing plants have
specific requirements. For Biolin’s
purposes, they want taller straw,
straw that’s not been damaged too
much through a combine (or straw
hasn’t gone through a combine at
all), as well as straw that has been
retted. Biolin hasn’t bought much
straw to date because they started
as a research facility for higher
end uses, but this coming fall
they might buy 5,000 to 10,000
tonnes, which they will process
and sell to buyers who want good
quality fibre. At this point, Biolin
is trying to scale up so they can
provide fibre to interested parties.
Some companies they are connected with are looking to using
flax fibre to replace the fiberglass
used in plastics, says Ulrich, others are looking to use it in mats, as
mentioned above, or even replacing some of the plastic-based mats
used in cars.
“If you’re far
from the plant,
good luck”
“Think long beforehand,” says
Ulrich, if you want to do something with your flax straw, and
make sure you know what markets
are close to your farm that might
be interested in your straw, what
kind of flax straw they are looking for, and whether you’re able
to provide it. Don’t look for a use
after harvest, emphasizes Ulrich,
start looking for uses now.
For example, maybe there is
someone who would buy little
square bales of flax straw — but
you need to know that in advance
so you can find someone with a
little square baler to bale it. Or,
if you contact potential buyers
in the spring, they could provide
you with more information and
ask questions like, “Could you
harvest the straw in a different
way? Could you hire someone to
cut it or rake it?” This kind of conversation can be fruitful for both
parties. “If you call me in October,
and there’s going to be snow next
week, nothing much is going to
happen.”
Putting a dollar amount on flax
straw is very difficult too, says
Thompson, because right now,
“it’s up to the buyer to determine the price, because they know
what they’re looking for, they
know what their market is. There
isn’t a general market for straw
in Western Canada right now. If
you’re close to the plant, then yes
they’ll pay you; if you’re far from
the plant, good luck.”
It’s safe to say that the flax
straw market is still only emerging in Western Canada, though
Thompson emphasizes that there
is lots of research going on behind
the scenes to develop the market
and there is potential.
“In the future we will probably have people planting flax just
for fibre — that could be quite
viable,” agrees Ulrich, but “you’d
have to think about it as a fibre
crop. And you have to think ahead
of time.” †
Dilia Narduzzi is a freelance writer in
Dundas, Ont.
photo: leeann minogue
If you want to sell your flax straw, look for buyers close to your farm,
and find out early in the season exactly what kind of flax straw they’re
looking for.
YOU WON’T FIND
BETTER VALUE OR A
GRASSY WEED.
APRIL 7, 2015 grainews.ca /
7
Features
Grain marketing
Higher demand, higher prices
Global equity investor says world food demand for food is likely on the rise
By Lisa Guenther
W
hen it comes to
global food consumption, there’s
one trend Vikram
Mansharamani is willing to bank
on.
“As the world gets more money
in its pocket, it’s putting more meat
in its mouth,” Mansharamani told
attendees at the Canola Council of
Canada’s conference in Banff last
March. Mansharamani is a global
equity investor and Yale lecturer.
Global protein consumption has
been rising steadily — 450 per cent
over the last 50 years, he told delegates. Meat consumption per capita generally stays flat until it hits
a tipping point, Mansharamani
said. “And that tipping point is
somewhere around $5,000 GDP
per capita.”
More than half the world’s population is nearing that tipping point,
with population-weighted gross
domestic product (GDP) of $4,100
per capita as of 2013, Mansharamani
said. That population resides in a
group of countries he tagged the
“Future 15”: Pakistan, India,
Nigeria, Vietnam, the Philippines,
Egypt, Indonesia, Ukraine, Algeria,
Thailand, Iran, China, Peru,
Columbia and South Africa.
People wondering what will
happen when the Future 15 hit
their tipping point only need
look at their recent predecessors.
China is one.
“It shouldn’t surprise any of
us that they acquired Smithfield
Foods, the world’s largest pork
processor,” said Mansharamani of
China’s growth. The fact that canola seed exports to China are “going
through the roof” is part of this
story of China reaching the tipping
point, he added.
Implications
of more demand
Mansharamani believes rising
meat consumption will push
food prices higher. “The transmission mechanism is feed.”
High food prices hit hardest in
regions where workers spend a
big chunk of their wages on food
because they simply can’t afford
the price jump, he explained.
Once the UN Food Price Index
stays at 210 or above, people riot
virtually every time, he said.
Meat consumption
will push food
prices higher
In 2013, the index averaged
209.9 for the year, and unrest bubbled up in Pakistan, Thailand and
other regions. “We were on the
edge,” he said.
“It gets scary when food prices
go up. Social systems break down.
Political systems can break down,”
said Mansharamani.
Political unrest isn’t the only
potential consequence of a growing global population. As farmers
grow more grain, they’ll need to
source fertilizer for those crops.
Morocco and the Western
Sahara have nearly three-quarters
of proven phosphate rock reserves,
Mansharamani told delegates.
“That is scary because that means
in the land of food and fertilizer,
Morocco will have more power
than OPEC had in the land of oil.”
Although some countries consider Morocco and the Western
Sahara one nation, the regions
are ensnared in a territorial dispute that has spanned decades.
“This is not geopolitically-stable
terrain. Yet it may hold the key to
supporting plant growth in the
long run,” Mansharamani said.
He ventured that countries
might start developing strategic fertilizer reserves, much like
strategic petroleum reserves.
Skyscrapers
and signals
Achieve greater than 95% wild oat control† with new IntakeTM adjuvant.
• Increased wild oat control + other tough grasses
• Same crop safety you’ve come to expect
• Flexible, dependable, wide window of application
• The best value herbicide you’ll find
Go to the new dowagro.ca or call 1.800.667.3852.
†
Source: DAS Intake research trials
Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company(“Dow”)
or an affiliated company of Dow.
0315-41094 GN
® TM
One of Mansharamani’s
favourite indicators of economic bubbles is skyscrapers.
Historically, skyscrapers have
popped up in regions right
before a financial crisis.
Why would an ambitious
skyscraper precede financial
doom? Mansharamani listed
three reasons:
1. They indicate easy
money conditions. Banks
are happy to lend money to
ambitious projects.
2. Developers are willing
to take a big risk by building
them and then seeing if tenants are attracted.
3. They’re a manifestation of hubris and overconfidence. “This is chestthumping. There’s no other
way to describe it. It’s not
rational to build buildings
this tall anymore. It’s crazy.”
Dubai’s Burj Khalifa holds
the title of tallest skyscraper in
the world. Mansharamani has
visited the tower. Commuting
from the top floor to the street
outside can take 45 minutes
if the elevators are mistimed
perfectly, Mansharamani said.
Architects, art historians,
and skyscraper enthusiasts
visit Skyscraperpage.com to
track building projects.
“But very few people in
the business world go to
it. And I think you should.
I think this will tell you a
lot about forward demand,
even for canola,” said
Mansharamani.
Today, the site shows
there are mile-high skyscrapers being proposed in
Saudi Arabia.
“Might that mean the end
of the energy boom for the
Saudi’s? Don’t know. It’s
worth thinking about what
these implications are.” †
Lisa Guenther
“Might the mere act of starting
to acquire those reserves create a hoarding mentality that
generates the price action that
reserves are supposed to avoid?”
Mansharamani also told delegates that demographers’ assumptions about Africa’s population
could be off-base. Most demographers assume that a higher
income means a lower birth rate.
But as incomes rise in Africa, birth
rates have held steady.
Child mortality rates, which
cover children under the age of
18, are assumed to hold steady as
incomes rise. But child mortality
rates in Africa have dropped as
incomes have increased.
“So mortality rates are falling
and birth rates are staying high.
The average woman in Africa
today will have 4.2 children. You
need 2.1 to sustain a population,”
said Mansharamani. The end
result could be even more people
on the planet than expected.
Signs that
he’s dead wrong
Mansharamani believes the
world is on a road to higher food
prices, but acknowledged that he
could be “dead wrong.”
One of Mansharamani’s assumptions is that the GDP of the Future
15 will hit $5,000.
“But what if it doesn’t,” he
asked. Business confidence is
likely low in Ukraine right now,
he said. Thailand has had riots in
the streets and farmers blocking
its roads. Iran is currently in the
home stretch of lengthy nuclear
talks with the U.S. The question
is whether Iran will enter the
world economy as a responsible
actor, Mansharamani said.
Changing demographic policies could throw a wrench in
Mansharamani’s predictions. China
is now relaxing its one-child policy
because of skewed demographics.
“China will soon have more
retirees than new entrants into
the labour force. That has big
economic implications,” he said.
Other regions might see the imposition of social policies to limit
population growth, he added.
Mansharamani is also banking on rising meat consumption
among the Future 15. But 1.3 billion of those people live in India,
a society with historical norms
and cultural biases against eating
meat, he said. Two states in India
have tightened bans on beef sales,
a move that’s not sitting well with
non-Hindus, Channel NewsAsia
reported in mid-March.
But Mansharamani thinks
people in India will eat meat,
although it’s not clear how much.
He pointed out India has the thirdlargest Muslim population in the
world. Channel NewsAsia noted
the country has one of the world’s
largest cattle populations and is a
major exporter of everything from
beef to leather.
If Indians do eat more
meat, it will move the needle,
Mansharamani said.
“So watch what happens in
the news flow relating to Indian
meat consumption.” †
Lisa Guenther is field editor for Grainews based
at Livelong, Sask. Contact her at Lisa.Guenther@
fbcpublishing.com or on Twitter @LtoG.
8
/ grainews.ca APRIL 7, 2015
Features
Crop Advisor’s casebook
Crop trouble follows a pattern
By Rachelle Farrell
I
t was back at harvest time the
previous year when I received my
first SOS about a particular field
problem from Joe, who grows
canola, wheat and barley on his farm
at Morinville, Alta. The performance
of his barley crop just wasn’t up to
snuff — yield was way down as a result
of numerous irregular spots in the field
where the heads of the barley had
failed to fill.
I went to Joe’s farm to have a look,
but I wasn’t able to analyze any plants
as there was only straw left in the field
at that point. We sent a number of soil
samples in for testing but that didn’t
reveal anything of much use, either.
That was likely because the areas in
the field where the samples were taken
from were at best rough estimates.
All this meant Joe and I would need
to keep a very close eye on the next
crop to go in that field, to see if the
problem reappeared.
Wheat was planted in the field the
following growing season, and by summer there were no apparent issues. I’d
gone out to the farm in early July and
the crop looked great all around. To be
on the safe side, we had a few tissue
tests performed but there was nothing
out of ordinary that foretold trouble in
Joe’s wheat field.
But within a matter of a week or so,
that changed.
A clearly frustrated Joe called in midJuly to inform me the problem was
back, and that his wheat was starting
to turn white. As was the case with
the barley crop, the affected wheat was
appearing in an irregular pattern, and
the patches in the field were even more
pronounced than they had been the
year before.
When I arrived at Joe’s farm to see
for myself, the affected spots in the
wheat field were clearly evident. A
closer look at the plants revealed white
heads and dried-up flag leaves.
Something was causing the wheat
to turn white, but what? Joe had been
following a fertilizer plan we’d laid
out earlier in the season, so the nutrients were there for the crop. There
were no signs of insect damage, and
while there had been a little bit of
rain recently, it wasn’t enough to have
affected the crop this way. Something
wasn’t adding up.
Do you think you know what’s
going on in Joe’s wheat field? If you
do, send your diagnosis to Grainews,
Box 9800, Winnipeg, Man. R3C 3K7;
email leeann.minogue@fbcpublish
ing.com or fax 204-944-5416 c/o
Crop Advisor’s Casebook. The best
suggestions will be pooled and one
winner will be drawn for a chance
to win a Grainews cap and a one-year
subscription to the magazine. The
answer, along with the reasoning
that solved the mystery, will appear
in the next Crop Advisor’s Solution
File. †
Rachelle Farrell is a crop inputs manager with
Richardson Pioneer Ltd. at Morinville, Alta.
Rachelle Farrell is a crop inputs
manager with Richardson
Pioneer Ltd. at Morinville, Alta.
Casebook winner
T
his issue’s Casebook winner is
George Waldner
from new Elm
Farming Co. Ltd. at
Magrath, Alta. George,
thanks for being a regular casebook reader and
thanks for entering!
We’re renewing your
Grainews subscription for
a year and sending you a
Grainews cap. †
Leeann Minogue
In affected spots in the wheat field, the plants had white heads and
dried-up flag leaves. Something was causing the wheat to turn
white, but what?
Crop advisor’s solution
Insufficient sulphur and phosphorus harms canola
By Spencer McArthur
D
wane, a grain farmer at Davin,
Sask., called me in early July
to tell me about an issue with
his canola. His canola crop
was progressing exceptionally well in
terms of plant condition and vigour, with
one exception — one field had strips
of unhealthy canola plants starting to
appear.
“I measured out an isolated strip and
it was 80 feet wide, the exact width of
my drills,” Dwane explained. He thought
something must have happened at seeding time, but he couldn’t figure out
exactly what went wrong.
I went to the field to have a look for
myself, and the strip pattern was evident
right away. Canola in the unaffected areas
looked great — the plants had cabbaged
and covered the ground, and the foliage
had a dark blue-green tinge to it.
Plants in the affected strips, on the
other hand, had noticeably smaller
and thinner leaves, and the colour had
Tundra
changed to a lighter shade of green. The
newest formed leaves coming out of
the growing point were small, slightly
cupped, and beginning to yellow.
After ruling out seeding depth and
seed quality, our attention turned to
fertilizer, or a lack thereof. Dwane had
applied a strong fertility program to his
canola at seeding, with seed-placed nutrients to match phosphorus and sulphur
needs and a side-banding application to
meeting nitrogen requirements. The fertilizer rates seemed adequate for meeting
Dwane’s yield target, and they were same
in all of the canola fields on the farm.
The symptoms I observed in the affected
plants were a clear sign of nutrient deficiency. The strip pattern in the problem
field led me to believe that the seed-placed
fertilizer had not been metering on the
drill at planting, causing the plants to
be low in phosphorus and deficient in
sulphur. Fortunately for Dwane, the seedplaced fertilizer must have started to metre
correctly again so that the whole field was
not affected.
Sulphur has low mobility in canola
plants; therefore, deficiency symptoms usually show up in the younger
leaves and stems. Phosphorus deficiency
symptoms in canola are not as definitive and are more difficult to diagnose.
Phosphorus is mobile within the plant
and deficiency symptoms appear first
in older tissues as the plant transfers
reserves to newer growth. Because the
tissue test samples were taken from the
newest formed leaves, the lab results
confirmed the sulfur deficiency but there
were no definitive conclusions on plant
phosphorus content.
However, from past soil sampling I
knew that the phosphorus levels on
this field were generally lower, so it
wasn’t surprising to see stunted plants
that were lagging in maturity in those
areas where no phosphorus fertilizer had
been applied. Past soil sampling had also
revealed that soil in this area was quite
sandy, and that due to its lighter texture
it was generally more susceptible to nutrient leaching. As a water mobile nutrient,
Tundra
sulphur was more than likely washed out
of the rooting zone during one of the
many heavy rainfall events we had experienced in June.
Rescue treatments of sulphur have been
shown to be quite effective in reducing or correcting sulfur deficiency symptoms, especially if the application is made
prior to flowering. Foliar sprays generally
can’t provide enough sulfur to correct a
severe deficiency, so I recommended that
Dwane apply a top dressing of a granular
product such as ammonium sulfate over
the affected strips. I felt this would be his
best management strategy for salvaging
as much yield as possible from his crop in
the problem field.
For phosphorus, top-dressing to correct
a deficiency is usually not as effective.
Phosphorus is utilized most effectively
when it is placed near the rooting zone
for uptake; due to its relative immobility
in the soil, it is a poor candidate for a topdressing rescue treatment. †
Spencer McArthur is a sales agronomist with Richardson
Pioneer Ltd. at Balgonie, Sask.
APRIL 7, 2015 grainews.ca /
9
Features
Farm management
Niche crops can pay well
Future crop prices are anyone’s guess; contracts can give you pricing security
By Brie Vany
“
W
hat should I grow?
What is going to
make me money?
These are common question this time of year.
If only grain brokers had a crystal
ball to answer that question with
assurance! But at the end of the
day the professional experts and
even the coffee shop geniuses
are really only taking a stab in
the dark.
There are so many different
cropping options, how do you
know which makes the most
sense for your farm? The best
place to start is talking to your
local elevators, processing plants
and brokers and getting their
thoughts. They will provide you
with the best information they
have at hand because in the long
run they want to earn your business. However, in the end it is
your decision and it comes down
to agronomics, marketing and
what works best at your farm.
Growing “niche” crops
Depending on your region and
growing conditions there are a
number of niche crops that many
farmers may not necessarily know
about. If you are looking for a
pulse option there are limited
acres on something like a marrowfat pea. The beauty of these is
that they grow extremely similar
to any other pea and typically
yield you more money at the end
of the day. Buyers of these peas
would offer you a full production
contract, so there is literally no
risk to your farm if there happens
to be an “Act of God” and you
don’t get a crop.
Marrowfats offer a pretty
healthy premium over a yellow
or green pea. So what’s the downside? Most contracts for marrowfats are full crop year, meaning
delivery timelines can go from
off the combine to June of the
following year. This is a small
market crop and “limited acres
available” from buyers generally
means they don’t take on more
than they can handle, so overproduction is a risk.
Although not “niche” per say I
think flax and mustard are commodities that too many people
disregard as the “poor man’s
crops.” On our Rayglen 24-crop
projections calculator these two
crops are in the upper echelon of
return per acre. The cost of production is lower than many other
crops and they don’t have the
extreme disease susceptibility that
some of the other oilseeds, cereals
and pulses do. Contracts with Act
of God are offered on both flax
and mustard so growers can pencil
in a profit while not carrying production risks.
Unlike a lot of other crops mustard demand is pretty much inelastic so if there is a production failure
prices will shoot up. Flax, on the
other hand is gaining momentum,
as China becomes what appears at
this time to an unquenchable beast
the flax industry is pretty confident
in their future. There are some very
strong production contracts available for both flax and mustard.
Another big topic of conversation of late is faba beans. I have
to be honest, we are fairly new
to marketing these beans but
already we have learned that the
end buyers are quite particular
about the variety of fabas that
they purchase with both size and
tannin content being considered.
The highest premiums, pricewise, are going to come from
the largest seed type available.
These seeds are so big that they
tend to cause issues with seeding
and so far that is why growers
have tended to shy away from
these larger ones until the market develops more.
What we have managed to do
in the meantime, is secure some
small programs with a few buyers
in the $6 to $7 range with an Act
of God clause. These programs
will give growers an opportunity to iron out any seeding and
agronomic issues of growing a
new variety on your farm, while
still knowing they have a home
in the fall for their production.
Fababeans have the potential to
be a great addition to many crop
rotations in Western Canada,
especially in the wetter zones of
the Prairies. It’s another option
that is starting to look promising.
At the end of the day the
markets change so rapidly that
by the time you’re done reading
this article, chances are something has happened in the world
market that impacts us here in
Western Canada.
There are a variety of different
crops that we can grow here so
you need to grow something that
is going to provide you a profit.
Even if you aren’t comfortable
with venturing out into a niche
crop market why not look at the
contracts available for crop you
already grow? For example, for
those in red lentil growing areas,
we have been trading new crop
contracts in the mid 20’s with
an Act of God picked up in your
yard. At an average yield of say,
1,500 lbs./acre, this is grossing
your farm $375 an acre. How
do you go wrong in taking some
risk off the table and locking in a
profit? †
Brie Vany is a grain merchant with Rayglen
commodities. Contact her at 306-249-9671.
Faster harvest.
Better Weed Control.
no Compromises.
By jonny hawkins
Country Chuckles
Timing doesn’t get more crucial than at harvest. That’s why you’ll appreciate
the rapid action of new Heat® LQ herbicide. Registered for use in field peas,
soybeans, dry beans, sunflowers and canola, it’s the only harvest aid that gives
you a faster crop dry down plus exceptional broadleaf weed control. Heat LQ
also enables straight-cutting canola for a faster, more efficient harvest. So get
time on your side this season. Visit agsolutions.ca/HeatLQPreHarvest or
contact AgSolutions® Customer Care at 1-877-371-BASF (2273) today.
Always read and follow label directions.
AgSolutions is a registered trade-mark of BASF Corporation; and HEAT, and KIXOR are registered trade-marks of BASF SE;
all used with permission by BASF Canada Inc. © 2015 BASF Canada Inc.
“Where sour cream comes from.”
110201935_HeatLQ_PH_GN_v4.indd 1
NEWSPRINT
2015-03-17 10:48 AM
10
/ grainews.ca APRIL 7, 2015
Features
Crop production
Growing alfalfa hay for export
Alfalfa looks attractive for Prairie farmers. Here are three areas to consider
By Michael Flood
A
number of factors are
coming together to make
hay production attractive for farmers on the
Canadian Prairies these past five
years. Increasing demand for beef
in developing markets like China
has led to intensified ranching and
feedlot activity in the United States
and Eastern Canada. At the same
time, continuing dry weather and
droughts in the major hay growing
regions of the American Midwest
have driven the cost up even further than the naturally growing
demand from ranchers and feedlot
operators. Rates for trucking have
also been lower because of the
huge number of rigs hauling up
machinery to Alberta’s oil industry;
to avoid running empty transportation companies are looking for
good hauls to back to the United
States.
Below are some tips for growing, bundling, and shipping hay
to help you take advantage of this
lucrative crop.
dry, then turning it over once
to ensure thorough drying. After
that, it can be bundled.
2. Bundling it
Unless you’re going to be bundling hay regularly it may not be
economical to purchase your own
baler. Renting the equipment,
either from a professional dealer or
a neighbouring farm, may be your
best bet. There may be lots of competition at harvest time, however,
so you should see whether it is possible to reserve a baler in advance.
This may require paying a small
up front fee, but will be worth it to
avoid scrambling to find one once
you’ve harvested the alfalfa.
Forages like alfalfa can be bun-
dled after curing in a number
of different ways, in square and
round bales of different sizes and
widths. For shipping and storage
purposes large square bales (of
around 35" x 47") are preferred
— they can be packed most efficiently on a truck bed, allowing packing up to the maximum
weight, they are very dense, and
they have reduced wind resistance compared to round bales,
an important factor that makes
them preferred by trucking companies who have to think in
terms of fuel use per mile. Most
significantly, they can be packed
to a width on the truckbed of
less than eight feet, which means
they do not require special wide
load permits to ship on American
highways and roads. The square
bales are also easy to handle,
load, and unload.
3. Selling and shipping it
After you’re done growing it and
baling it, you’re going to need to
find someone to ship it Given competition for freight and the need to
find a good price, you’ll want to
have a shipper and a buyer lined up
before the crop is grown.
There are multiple markets into
which you can sell hay, and they
purchase hay of different qualities. It’s unlikely you’ll have an
entire field of high quality forage,
so it is vital to identify different
customers for different qualities.
Low-quality forage is of use for
beef and dairy ranching, while
high-quality feed is preferred for
pregnant heifers.
Hay is not sold through a regular market like corn or soybeans
so it can be difficult to determine
prices and find buyers. You can sell
through hay brokers, but you must
be able to meet their high quality
requirements and (often) sell exclusively to them. They will save you
significant time and hassle.
Whether you’re selling direct to
your customer or using a broker,
alfalfa hay could be a valuable
rotation option for your farm —
both for the land and for your
wallet. †
Michael Flood (www.michael-flood.com) is a
business writer and columnist. You can reach
him at [email protected].
T:17.4”
1. Growing it
Alfalfa is the highest-demand
forage for livestock production.
It is high in protein and both
dries and ships well. It makes an
ideal rotation to restore nitrogen
to your soil after growing cereal
grains like wheat.
Alfalfa hay could
be a valuable
rotation option
While alfalfa is well-adapted to
growing in a wide range of conditions it grows best in firm, moist
soil that has been well pulverized.
Choose a good pre-plant herbicide
for the beginning of the growing
season as it will prevents weed
from competing with the emerging alfalfa sprouts, ensuring they
get maximum use of the soil water
and nutrients. Alfalfa is particularly vulnerable to insect pests like
lygus bugs, pea aphids, alfalfa weevils and grasshoppers so regular
surveillance of fields is necessary
to spot infestations before they get
out of control.
Alfalfa is harvested by first
mowing it then leaving it to
By jonny hawkins
Country Chuckles
Ba
Alw
“Emily Chickenson”
FS:8.45”
F:8.7”
APRIL 7, 2015 grainews.ca /
11
Features
Weed management
Killing weeds with rotary hoes
Looking for fresh weed control options for pulses? Try old-style rotary hoes
By Melanie Epp
P
T:17.4”
ulse crop growers may
have a new tool to manage weeds. Perhaps,
though, “new” isn’t the
right word. While rotary hoes
have been around for decades,
they have fallen out of use. They
could be making a comeback,
though. Two researchers — Steve
Shirtliffe, a plant sciences professor from the University of
Saskatchewan and Eric Johnson,
a weed biologist with Agriculture
and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) —
have evaluated its use in pulse
crops and found it to be a valuable weed management tool.
Rotary hoes probably had their
peak in the mid-twentieth cen-
tury, says Shirtliffe. “They’re certainly not a common tool today,”
he continues. “But we started
to be interested in them to try
to find an in-crop, mechanical
weed control method that had
reasonable crop tolerance.”
Farmers fighting herbicideresistant weeds may ultimately
need to turn to mechanical control to get rid of determined
weeds.
Johnson was first to try the
tool in the field. Not long after,
Shirtliffe located a second rotary
hoe and began testing it in the
field too. Although what they
have found isn’t necessarily new
information — more like, “lost
information,” says Shirtliffe — it
is likely that it is new to grow-
ers who are more accustomed
to the weed management tools
of today.
“What we found is that they
will work well to control small,
shallowly-emerging weeds quite
early,” says Shirtliffe.
Pulse crops have quite good
tolerance to rotary hoeing. The
hoes also work well in conditions where there is a lot of crop
residue. As most growers know, if
there’s a lot of trash in the field,
harrows will plug up and, as a
result, won’t work well. Rotary
hoes may not work that well on
stony land either.
“The Achilles heel of this
method,” says Shirtliffe, “is that
you do need good conditions.”
First, he says, soil should be
dry, and not too compacted. “If
it’s too packed, they won’t sink
in enough,” he says.
Soil must not only be dry
before hoeing, but should remain
dry afterwards as well. Be sure to
check the weather forecast before
beginning, advises Shirtliffe.
Without a doubt, the most
important condition, though, is
that weeds must be very small
in order for the method to work,
says Shirtliffe. In fact, it’s a point
he says he cannot emphasize
enough.
“They have to be essentially
just emerging,” he says. “So the
timing is absolutely, utterly critical.”
Weeds should be at what’s
called the “white thread” stage,
where the cotyledons are just
opening up. “If you wait too long
— even a couple of days after
that — what happens is that the
roots get too anchored and the
plant can’t be flipped out of the
ground,” he says.
Rotary hoes are best used to
manage small, hard-seeded
broadleaf weeds, like Lamb’s
quarters, redroot pigweed, koshia,
or small-seeded grass weeds,
like green foxtail. Basically, says
Shirtliffe, the seed should germinate from shallow depths and
have a small seed, so that it
doesn’t grow too quickly.
“We haven’t had good luck in
controlling wild oat, though” he
notes. “I think part of the issue is
that it’s such a large seed. When
it does germinate it can germinate from deeper, and its roots
grow quite quickly, so it can’t be
uprooted.”
Wild mustard, if you get it
at the right time, can also be
controlled with a rotary hoe.
Keep in mind, though, that it
grows quite quickly. If it’s past
the cotyledon stage it can be
quite difficult to flick out of the
ground, says Shirtliffe.
They’re not as
expensive as a
cultivator
T:10”
Growers worried about time
management need not worry
at all. In fact, the faster you
go, the better the tool works.
“Fifteen kilometres an hour isn’t
too fast,” says Shirtliffe. “So you
can cover a lot of land in a hurry
with them.”
While the rotary hoe is mostly
considered a tool of the past,
there are a few manufacturers
that still make them. What’s
even better is that they’re not
as expensive as a cultivator, says
Shirtliffe.
So, is the rotary a hoe a good
option for growers? Johnson
and Shirtliffe think it could be.
“Will it work every year?” asks
Shirtliffe. “No. Will it work well
in some years? Yes.”
“Some organic farmers have
been using them with success,”
he adds. “Even when a rotary
hoe works best, though, it still
doesn’t work as well as herbicides.”
While Shirtliffe and Johnson
looked at using a rotary hoe in
combination with other techniques to help farmers manage
for herbicide resistance, their
results were mixed. “We didn’t
see as good as results as we were
hoping for,” says Shirtliffe. “But
it did help controlling it.”
“But as soon as you compare
it to any herbicide, it’s not going
to work as well as a good herbicide,” he continues. “But then
again, you’re not selecting for
herbicide resistance then either.”
To see one of these machines
in action, go to youtube.com,
and search for “rotary hoe weed
control.” †
Freedom from wild oats.
Varro® herbicide for wheat.
Freedom from Group 1 herbicide resistance.
Freedom to select your preferred broadleaf partner.
Freedom to re-crop back to sensitive crops like lentils.
To learn more about Varro, visit:
BayerCropScience.ca/Varro
BayerCropScience.ca or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative.
Always read and follow label directions. Varro® is a registered trademark of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.
C-78-01/15-10303665-E
Melanie Epp is a freelance farm writer based
in Guelph, Ont.
F:8.7”
12
/ grainews.ca APRIL 7, 2015
Features
Crop protection
Six steps to curb resistance
Help keep herbicide resistant weeds off of your farm with these six tips
By Michael Flood
T
o a standing room only
audience at this year’s
F a r m Te c h s h o w i n
Edmonton Dr. Linda Hall,
a weed scientist at the University
of Alberta, gave a stark warning
to Canada’s farmers: herbicide
resistance in common weeds is
on the rise. Already endemic in
the United States, where strains
of Russian thistle, wild oat and
kochia resistant to all known herbicides are increasingly common,
new strains of herbicide resistant weeds have begun to spread
to Manitoba, Saskatchewan and
Alberta.
In particular, Hall drew attention to spreading glyphosate
resistance in kochia in Alberta.
This is particularly alarming as
glyphosate is the most commonly
used and, until recently, one of
the most effective weed killers.
Glyphosate resistance, she said,
is different than ordinary resistance to herbicides; rather than
outright resistance (where the
plant is simply unaffected by the
chemical) glyphosate-resistant
kochia is exhibiting what she calls
a “creeping” resistance. That is,
each new generation of kochia
that survives burndowns and incrop sprayings is marginally more
immune to glyphosate than the
generation before it, having more
of the the amino acids the chemical is designed to inhibit.
This
creeping
resistance
requires higher and higher rates
of glyphosate spraying, but this
is compounding the problem.
Overreliance on glyphosate is
what led us into this situation.
end of chemically assisted agriculture. With careful use, she emphasized, glyphosate can remain an
effective part of a farmer’s arsenal
for decades to come.
1. S
pray when weeds
are young
Resistance
cannot be
stopped
Too many farmers, Hall said, have
relied on glyphosate as a cure-all, a
one-size-fits-all weed killer. Unlike
some weed scientists, however, she
is not all doom and gloom; Hall’s
not prophesying that this is the
Weeds are most vulnerable
to herbicides during their primary growth phase after emerging from the soil. Even strongly
resistant kochia are vulnerable
during this time.
2. Exercise zero tolerance
Every kochia plant needs to
be presumed glyphosate-resistant
and destroyed. Every one that sur-
vives a round of spraying will pass
on its resistance to its descendants, and come back to bother
you next year. The survivors will
also pollinate each other, producing even stronger strains. Hall
admitted this may require manually removing the last few plants
but she insisted the effort will be
more than worth it.
3. Use full rates
of glyphosate
Because glyphosate has been
so effective many farmers have
felt they can use less than the
recommended amount per acre.
After all, spraying at less than full
concentrations kills most weeds,
enough to prevent major nutrient
losses in crops, so lighter spraying has seemed to be effective
while also saving money. Luckily
immunity to glyphosate is still
only partial, a tolerance rather
than a true (total) resistance, so
it can be overwhelmed by a sufficiently strong spraying. This
means you need to use the full
recommended rate (and possibly
more if there are resistant weeds
in your field).
4. End nozzle
rate reduction
Late in a session of spraying, particularly as you reach the edges of
your field, your tanks will be running low and the pressure coming
out of the nozzle will be reduced.
This means, Hall said, each plant
in those areas gets less glyphosate.
It will be time consuming to go
back to the shed and top up the
tanks with more herbicide, but
Hall says it will save aggravation
in years to come.
5. Spray field edges
Glyphosate-resistant kochia can
live around the borders of a field,
and drifting spray can increase
these border dwellers resistance
each generation. These kochia
plants, being outside of your regular spray path, can then plant
their seeds back on your field. Hall
recommends spraying the borders
of your field when you lay down
each herbicide application to
stamp out these protected zones.
6. Use tank mixes
SPRING OIL SALE
ON NOW!
www.coopag.ca
Hall repeatedly emphasized that
too many farmers are spraying
only glyphosate on their fields
rather than using tank mixes. This
saves money, but at the cost of
boosting glyphosate resistance.
She called upon all farmers to
make weed surveys of their field,
identifying what is growing and
picking secondary herbicides to
mix with their glyphosate that target those weeds specifically.
These practices will not only
help combat the spread of
glyphosate-resistant kochia, they
will also help to stop the creeping
resistance in a number of other
weeds Hall and her colleagues
are watching, including wild oat,
green foxtail, cleavers and annual
sowthistle. †
Michael Flood (www.michael-flood.com) is a
business writer and columnist. You can reach
him at [email protected].
APRIL 7, 2015 grainews.ca /
13
Features
Crop varieties
New fababean varieties coming
New varieties of fababeans are being evaluated in AARD variety tests
By Melanie Epp
A
Variety trials
After being suspended for five
years due to a lack of mar-
per cent lower than the check
Snowbird (three year summary
2009 to 2011) and 15 per cent
lower in the 2013 Regional
Variety Trials (one year data).
“Farmers may grow any one
of those varieties dependent on
end use or market, so suggesting
one over another showing more
or less promise isn’t something
one can do,” says Olson. “You
have to let the buyers decide.”
At present, Snowbird makes
up close to 80 per cent of the
market. While there are new
varieties in the pipeline, Olson
says they’re not ready yet. The
seed multiplication process, he
says, does take some time. †
photo: mark olson
In 2013 and 2014, Regional Variety Trials (RVTs) were conducted for
Melanie Epp is a freelance farm writer based
Trim: 8.125”
fababean in Alberta. This photo was taken at Morinville, Alta., in 2014.
in Guelph, Ont.
R CROP
SELECT YOU
®
Acapela
Fungicide
vement
st-in-class mo s
e
B
•
n
io
ct
te
ease pro
condition
innovative dis exible under a variety of
fl
• Powerful &
d
pid uptake &
thracnose an
a
n
R
a
,
•
w
s
e
ie
d
rt
il
e
m
p
pro
powdery
nia, leaf rust,
ti
ro
e
cl
S
:
s
e
s
Disea
many more.
Trim: 10”
lberta Agriculture and
Rural Development
(AARD) has AARD has a
unique business model
— they work with breeders from
both private and government
organizations in Canada and overseas. Now, they’re evaluating fababean varieties to see which ones
have the best fit under Alberta’s
conditions.
Mark Olson, unit head, pulse
crops, has been working closely
with collaborators, like professor Bert Vandenberg of the
University of Saskatchewan Crop
Development Centre. “While
Bert is a partner in our screening of germplasm research, our
project is unique in that we are
working with multiple breeders,”
says Olson.
Breeders are primarily looking
for high yield and early maturity.
“Large seed size, as well as the
tannin types, are generally preferred, especially for the human
consumption market, although,
low tannin have been making
their way into this market as
well,” says Olson.
Since 2004, annual insured
acreage of fababean in Alberta
has increased from 2,757 acres to
an estimated 20,669 acres. Why
are fababeans making a return
now? “Fababean is the highest
nitrogen fixing annual grain legume globally, fixing upwards of
90 per cent of its own nitrogen
fertilizer requirements,” explains
Olson. “This lowers the carbon
footprint not only in the year in
which producers grow the fababean crop, but also of the entire
cropping system.”
Older varieties are less desirable, since they mature too
late, making them suitable only
for biomass or silage. The seed
would also suffer frost damage,
which is also undesirable. On
top of that, Olson says that markets two to three years ago were
unsuitable. That’s all changed
now, though.
“The markets for tannin types
are Middle Eastern countries
such as Egypt and the United
Arab Emirates,” says Olson. “As
well, a large amount of low tannin fababean is going into the
domestic feed markets for hogs
as a replacement for both soybean and field pea.”
New varieties are bred using traditional or classical breeding techniques, which starts with crossing
two parents with desirable traits
and selecting progeny that displays trade traits uniformly over a
number of generations.
“Like all true pulse crops in
Canada, excluding soybean, which
is considered an oilseed, fababean
is non-GMO,” says Olson.
Once developed, the new varieties need to be tested under field
conditions. Before that, though,
there’s a lengthy process of selecting varieties with the desired
attributes. It could be as long as 10
to 12 years before farmers have the
varieties for use, says Olson.
kets and a lack of new varieties being registered, Regional
Variety Trials (RVTs) were conducted for fababean in Alberta
in 2013 and 2014. These are
post-registration, commercialization trials, says Olson. RVTs
look at the adaptability of the
varieties in different areas of the
province. Yield, maturity, seed
size and the presence or absence
of tannin in the seed coat are
the characteristics listed in the
RVT results.
So far, only a few varieties
have been tested, including
Snowdrop and Tabasco.
Snowdrop (FB 34-2), a white
flowered, zero tannin fababean,
was developed by Vandenberg.
In 2013, yield in co-ops was 10
ACAPELA FITS THE WAY YOU FARM WITH
FLEXIBILITY IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE.
®
DuPont Acapela broad-spectrum fungicide offers you all the flexibility, powerful performance and control
you need under a variety of conditions in canola, cereals, pulses and soybeans.
TM
®
Multiple disease threats? Acapela helps to deliver healthier crops and higher yield potential by defending against
important diseases, including sclerotinia, leaf rust, powdery mildew, septoria leaf blotch, anthracnose and tan spot.
®
DuPont
Acapela
TM
Inconsistent staging? Acapela features best-in-class movement properties with translaminar and systemic action
that travels across, into and around the leaf, protecting both existing leaf tissue and new growth.
®
Weather threatening? When conditions are challenging, you can count on Acapela® for excellent rainfastness.
DuPont Acapela fungicide. It fits the way you farm.
Questions? Ask your retailer, call 1-800-667-3925 or visit acapela.dupont.ca
TM
®
As with all crop protection products, read and follow label instructions carefully.
The DuPont Oval Logo, DuPont TM, The miracles of scienceTM and Acapela® are trademarks or registered trademarks
of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company. E. I. du Pont Canada Company is a licensee. Member of CropLife Canada.
© Copyright 2015 E. I. du Pont Canada Company. All rights reserved.
®
14
/ grainews.ca APRIL 7, 2015
Features
Farm management
Get to successful succession
These five habits could help your family through the farm succession minefield
By Michael Flood
D
r. John Fast, a business
planning consultant, bills himself as
“The Family Business
Doctor.” Judging from the size
of the crowd at his talk at this
year’s FarmTech Exhibition in
Edmonton, lots of farmers are
seeking his prescriptions.
His presentation, “The Ultimate
Management Challenge:
Succeeding At Succession,”
addressed one of the most difficult parts of running a family farm: planning to transition
ownership. While 99.9 per cent
of farm businesses in Canada are
family owned only 30 per cent
of are passed down to the second
generation, 15 per cent make it
to the third, and only five per
cent make it to the fourth.
The issues are not legal or
financial. The real issues, he said,
are relationships. Unresolved
conflicts destroy family businesses.
To make transitions easier Fast
recommended five habits for
families to cultivate.
1. Define a common
vision of success
The first thing Fast asks his
clients to do is to come up with
a common vision of what a successful transition looks like. It
doesn’t need to be anything
grand like the vision statement
of a corporation. What it has to
be is common: everyone has to
be on board for it to succeed.
One family he helped had their
vision of success defined by their
mother: “Everyone is happy to
come for Christmas dinner every
year.” That is, a succession where
everyone is still on speaking
terms. He recommended making
a habit of discussing and refining the common vision, ideally
years before the retirement of the
owners.
2. Avoid role confusion
Family businesses, Fast said,
face a lot of complexity. On a
family farm where multiple siblings work along with the par-
ents you often have situations
where someone is both a father
and a manager, or where one
sibling can be the de facto boss
of another. This can lead to hurt
feelings because impersonal business decisions can feel like personal snubs.
Fast gave the example of a family where the father decided that
the fourth son of six would be
head of the family farm, which
was shocking news to the eldest.
That painful situation, Fast said,
could have been avoided if the
father had come to his sons as a
father to discuss what he felt was
best for the farm before making
a pronouncement as a manager,
rather than confusing everyone
by mingling the two roles.
3. Respect people’s choices
One major roadblock in succession planning, Fast said, is
failure to respect each others
choices. This is one of the key
sources of resentment in families,
particularly towards siblings who
left the farm and now when succession is being discussed, expect
a part of the business. The failure
of respect is mutual — the sibling who left does not appreciate
that they made a decision that
involves a sacrifice, and the others do not appreciate that the sibling is still family and, while not
necessarily entitled to a share,
needs to be part of the discussions about succession. These
conversations, like all the others,
have to start early.
4. Prepare your founder
for transition
HELP IN EVERY DIRECTION.
To provide you with the best agricultural equipment and support possible, we
have 37 locations across the Western Prairies. So you never have to look far to
find us. And we never have to look far to service you. It’s the kind of proximity,
convenience, and quality that you can depend on. See our full lineup of Case IH
equipment at rockymtn.com.
DEPENDABLE IS WHAT WE DO.
A founder’s inability to let
go is a problem in every type
of business, Fast said, but it’s a
huge problem on family farms.
Retirement means giving up control and that can be very hard for
someone who has worked their
entire life building a successful
business. They can worry that
their children will screw things
up. Worse, they can fear that
their children will be more successful than they were.
Start making a
habit, right now
To successfully transition the
founder to retirement, Fast recommends encouraging them to
cultivate hobbies outside of work
long before retirement. He also
recommends preserving an office
for them to give them some
place to go, to feel that they’re
not completely out of the loop.
Finally, he says that they need to
be encouraged to see their children’s success as their own: it’s
proof that you raised them well.
5. Build trust through
communication
ROCKYMTN.COM
Ultimately, Fast said, good
relationships come down to
good communication. The ultimate habit, he said, the one that
embraces all the other four, is
making a habit of communicating with your family what you
believe and feel.
It is not conflict, he said, that
kills people or makes them ill
with stress — it is suppressing
conflict from fear. This means
that conflicts can be buried so
long that they will blow up and
hurt everyone when they come
out when they could have been
successfully addressed years
before. All members of the family need to start making a habit,
right now, of being open with
one another about how they feel
and what they think about the
farm and about succession before
it becomes an issue. †
Michael Flood (www.michael-flood.com) is a
business writer and columnist. You can reach
him at [email protected].
APRIL 7, 2015 grainews.ca /
15
Features
Crop production
Fender XTender keeps mud down
This bolt-on addition to tractor fenders keeps mud off wide sprayer tires
By Michael Flood
M
Michael Flood (www.michael-flood.com) is a
business writer and columnist. You can reach
him at [email protected].
B:8.125”
T:8.125”
S:8.125”
photos: eric gray
Fender XTender is a bolt-on addition to sprayer fenders that
covers the wider tires and stops the mud from being kicked
up. Gray is proud of how local this company is.
From flag to head.
Who says you can’t be in two places at once?
With the wide window of application and flexible
rate options of Folicur® EW fungicide, it means
you simply have more time to work with.
Folicur EW continues to provide exceptional
value for cereal growers who want long-lasting
protection from a broad spectrum of diseases,
including fusarium head blight and the most
dangerous leaf diseases.
For more information, visit:
BayerCropScience.ca/Folicur
NOW SAVE
$2.25
PER ACRE *
WITH NEW 2015 PRICING
Always read and follow label directions. Folicur® is a registered trademark of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.
*Compared to 2014 SRP at the 200 mL/ac. rate
C-50-03/15-10287619-E
T:10”
BayerCropScience.ca or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative.
B:10”
S:10”
ud can be a huge
problem on farm
equipment.
In spraying season,
mud can be especially problematic: it damages sprayer nozzles,
contributes to corrosion and rust
and requires a lot of downtime
for washing equipment. Mud can
also be dangerous to your crop —
pathogens like clubroot can spread
from field to field in a glob of mud.
To get sprayers into wet fields,
you need wider tires. Those wider
tires kick up a lot more mud even
at slow speeds.
This wouldn’t be so bad if the
sprayer fenders weren’t made only
for the slim (dry weather) size of
tire, allowing a gap where mud
flies free and can collect.
You can buy wide fenders, but
they’re expensive, and it takes a
long time to install them and
remove them.
Where an average farmer sees
only a problem an enterprising farmer sees an opportunity.
One of those enterprising farmers is Eric Gray of Indian Head,
Saskatchewan. Eric manufactures
the FenderXTender (www.fenderxtender.ca), a bolt-on addition
to sprayer fenders that covers the
wider tires and stops the mud
from being kicked up. They are
made of durable polyurethane
they do not rust, and can be
stacked easily when they aren’t
needed. Gray has also made sure
they install easily; you won’t need
to modify the fenders provided by
your manufacturer.
They not only install easily, but
uninstall just as easily when you
switch back to narrow sprayer
tires. This means you don’t need
to worry about the wide fenders knocking the tops off of your
growing crop.
Gray came up with the idea
after a few particularly frustrating
days spraying his fields. With the
heavy rain they had been experiencing, maintenance and cleaning
was taking up more and more of
his time. “It was getting to the
point where I had to clean off
my sprayer with a shovel every
day,” he says. He searched the
Internet looking for a wide fender
solution but could not find one.
Realizing that no convenient solution existed Gray decided to create
his own. “I called my Dad about
this idea I had and he said, ‘Yeah,
I think you’re on to something.’”
Working with his father,
Gray came up with a prototype
FenderXTender close to the current design. After testing it on his
field they were both impressed by
how well it worked and how much
it shortened cleaning time and
decided to take it to market.
They sold the first few units to
neighbours and, after a year testing prototypes, officially launched
it at the Farm Progress Show in
Regina, winning Runner-Up in
the New Invention Category. They
have been taking it around to farm
shows all winter and now dealers
have started to come to them asking to carry it.
Gray is proud of how local the
company is: the FenderXTender’s
plastic parts are made in Saskatoon,
the metal pieces are laser cut in
Regina, and a welder in Indian
Head assembles the final units. It’s
also a family company: “My Mom
is a retired school teacher and I
recruited her to help out at the
farm shows and my Dad comes
to help out with the engineering.
And I have an aunt that is the chief
financial officer for the company.”
You can catch Gray at major
agriculture technology exhibitions
this year. With wet weather likely
to be common for the foreseeable
future, and clubroot a growing
concern across the Prairies, Gray
and his FenderXTender are likely
to find a lot of business for years
to come. †
16
/ grainews.ca APRIL 7, 2015
Features
Farm management
New tool measures sustainability
Demand for “field print” calculations is on the rise By Rebecca Hannam
tool that is focused on output
data and sustainability metrics
n e r g y c o n s u m p t i o n , that are quantitative in nature,”
land use, erosion and says Tremorin, who has been
climate impact are key working on development for the
to environmental man- last four years.
agement. Consumers and food
He says producers in Manitoba,
retailers are now demanding this Saskatchewan and Alberta have
type of information. But how do successfully piloted the tool in
you measure your efficiency? A 500 fields covering over 80,000
new calculator can help.
acres and are continuing to
Denis Tremorin, director of expand the project.
sustainability at Pulse Canada,
D’Arcy Hilgartner, a grain,
is the driving force behind the oilseed and pulse producer from
Canadian Field Print Calculator Camrose, Alberta is a participant
project and says the tool is simi- and says that he is proud of
lar to household resources that how sustainable his operation is
would measure a family’s carbon but is seeing increased demand
footprint.
from buyers and consumers to
“We’ve FBC-JuniorAds.pdf
made the calculator
an prove it.
1 09/02/2015 12:44:44 PM
easy-to-use Microsoft Excel-based
“Just saying that we are doing
E
a good job isn’t cutting it and
that’s where projects like this
come in,” he says. “The calculator highlighted areas of our
operation where we are doing
well such as soil heath, water and
biodiversity.
Tremorin says there is growing market demand for findings
like Hilgartner’s as many retailers announce new policies about
sourcing sustainable products.
Kellogg Company, for example,
recently published a commitment
to responsibly source their top
10 ingredients and materials by
2020. The company’s list of priorities for agricultural suppliers
— resilience to climate change,
optimization of fertilizer inputs,
improvement of soil health and
more — closely match the metrics
provided by the tool.
“General Mills, Inc. has seen
the calculator and is interested in
an in-depth pilot project with oat
growers who they purchase from
so we will be working together
with them in Western Canada,”
says Tremorin.
Using the tool
Calculator users need to complete an initial data input of
equipment used, farm locations
and field details such as soil type,
tillage practices and drainage.
The majority of the input is then
required as practices like seeding,
fertilizer and pesticide application and harvest are completed.
“When growers provide their
records of each activity, equipment used and hours operated to
our consultant, they receive individual field performance reports
based on five indicators — land
use efficiency, soil erosion risk,
energy use, climate impact and
soil carbon release,” explains
Tremorin.
The functions of the tool
are closely based on another
resource available in the United
States through Field to Market:
The Alliance for Sustainable
Agriculture. Tremorin says this
group is working successfully
with Unilever and other large
companies to share data.
Hilgartner says that he did not
find the data collection process
to be too onerous, which is key
for more growers to participate.
Tremorin notes that the pilot
project has allowed for refining
of the tool which could lead to
partnerships with farm management companies to combine the
calculator with existing software
farmers may be using.
Farmers need
to have a set of
measurements
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
The output reports allow users
to monitor improvements and
compare management scenarios
on their own farms but also compare their sustainability scores to
regional averages.
Tremorin sees the output report
as a way for growers to know their
environmental impact and share
information in support of their
production methods. “We are realizing that food companies want to
understand the agricultural production side and we are working
with impact metrics because we
want to change the discussion
along the food supply chain.”
Hilgartner, a director of the
Alberta Pulse Growers, says that
if the market is looking to know
how products are being produced,
farmers need to have a set of measurements to back up their position.
“I have a fear that multiple
markets will develop individual
sustainability programs with different criteria, different reporting
and little producer benefit,” he
explains. “We need to stay at
the forefront of the creation of
these programs to develop one
common practice which requires
information that is already being
collected.”
Tremorin agrees and says he is
focusing on the data to reduce
overall impact scores through
the innovation of farmers, as
opposed to purchasers demanding what specific practices are
used in the field.
“The goal now is to get the
word out and increase distribution,” says Tremorin. Interested
farmers are encouraged to contact Pulse Canada or visit www.
serecon.ca/calculator. †
Rebecca Hannam is a freelance agricultural
writer based in Fergus, Ont. Follow her on
Twitter @rebeccahannam.
APRIL 7, 2015 grainews.ca /
17
Features
Crop protection
Mulch-based weed control
Using mulch as a weed control strategy isn’t just for organic growers anymore
By Julienne Isaacs
A
s conventional farmers
search for a wider variety of tools to control
hard-to-kill weeds, a
Manitoba research has found that
mulches may help.
Martin Entz, a researcher at the
University of Manitoba’s Plant
Sciences Department, has led or
participated in several recent studies of weed control through the
use of mulch.
“One of the first things farmers need to ask themselves is,
‘How am I going to achieve my
mulch?’ Do you grow a plant
specifically to create a suppressive mulch? Do you use straw?
Do you use chaff? What are the
possibilities there? It’s a new idea
for farmers,” Entz says.
“The two main ways we’ve
thought of is to grow a cover crop
that suppresses the weeds after
the main crop is harvested, or to
use the economic crop residue to
create the mulch, or to use a combination of the two.”
One study, led by PhD student
Caroline Halde, looked at the
use of hairy vetch and barley to
create mulch in organic no-till
systems. In the first year, hairy
vetch and barley were grown
as green manure. In the second
year, flax or spring wheat was
seeded directly into the mulch.
“Cover crop mulches with hairy
vetch were effective at reducing
weeds biomass by 50 per cent to
90 per cent in the no-till spring
wheat, in 2011 and 2012, compared to other mulches,” the
study found.
But cover cropping is not a onesize-fits-all strategy for weed control, Entz warns.
One study he participated in
calculated the availability of late
season heat and water resources
across 21 sites in Manitoba,
Saskatchewan and Alberta for
relay and double cropping with
winter wheat.
“If you look at Lacombe in our
data, there are some limitations
there in terms of whether you’re
going to get much late season
harvest,” he says. “If you look at
Swift Current, Lethbridge or the
southern prairies — there you’ve
got way more potential.”
In short growing season regions,
growers need to carefully select
the most effective cover crop.
Cereal straw
residue mulch
Entz and his team have also
looked at cereal straw residue
mulch. “The idea with that project
was to use a stripper header that
strips the oats while leaving the
straw standing,” Entz explains.
“Our idea was to use the existing
plant as the mulch, and seed some
cover crops into that wheat to supplement the biomass.”
Stripper-header straw results in 30
to 80 per cent more straw biomass
in late fall compared to chopped
straw, according to the study.
Entz says this method does not
allow growers to eliminate herbicide use, but “buys growers time”
by reducing the growth of weeds
in the fall and reducing new weed
infestation over time.
Another benefit of the mulch
is that it conserves water, he says,
pointing to a body of research
conducted at Agriculture Canada’s
Semiarid Prairie Agricultural
Research Centre in Swift Current,
Sask. Herb Cutforth, an agrometerologist and soil physicist at the
Centre, published a study in 2011
analyzing the effects of extra-tall
stubble on crop yield.
“Generally, compared with cultivated stubble, extra-tall stubble
increased yield by about 17 per
cent,” write the authors. They conclude, “Crop yield and the overall average water use efficiency
increased linearly as stubble height
increased to 45 cm.”
One downside of using the stripper-header, Entz says, is that crop
residues were pushed down when
the researchers used a blade roller,
which resulted in insulated soil
temperatures to the point where
crop development slowed the
following year. Entz says recent
research in Switzerland and France
indicates that the mulch is just as
effective when the material is left
standing.
Residue managers are commercially available that can remove
mulch where growers are seeding,
so that the field warms in a more
typical fashion and plant emergence is rapid. †
Julienne Isaacs is a Winnipeg-based freelance
writer and editor. Contact her at julienne.
[email protected].
It reduces
weeds, which
reduces reliance
on herbicides
Entz says the team is still perfecting the hairy vetch system, but
many farmers have adopted this
method with good results. “What
we’ve established with the hairy
vetch system is that it’s possible
to grow one or two no-till crops
without using herbicides, if you
take a year off,” Entz says.
Another study has looked at
fall-seeded cover cropping, or
post-harvest cover cropping. “If
you get cover crops planted after
your barley, winter wheat or even
canola crop, they’re very helpful for weed control,” Entz says.
“Again, it doesn’t eliminate the
need for herbicides, but it reduces
weeds, which reduces reliance on
herbicides.”
A research team led by
University of Manitoba PhD candidate Harun Cicek looked at the
productivity and nitrogen benefits
of late-season legume cover crops
in organic wheat. The crops were
grown alongside or after the cash
crop in the same growing season.
“We conclude that late-season
cover crops enhance the following
wheat yield and facilitate reduced
tillage in organic crop production,” write the authors.
A powerful combination.
Hit weeds where it hurts this season. Monsanto and BASF are once again partnering to promote
the use of multiple modes of action and herbicide best practices with a great offer. Save $0.50 per acre
on Roundup Transorb® HC when you buy matching acres of Heat® LQ or Distinct® herbicides.*
For complete offer details, see your retailer or visit powerfulcombination.ca
*Heat® WG is also an eligible product.
*The Roundup Transorb® HC, HEAT and DISTINCT offer off-invoice discount acres will be calculated using the following label rates: One case of Heat® LQ = 80 acres (jug of Heat® LQ = 80 acres), one case of Heat® WG = 640 acres (jug of Heat® WG = 80
acres), one case of Distinct® = 80 acres (jug of Distinct® = 40 acres), Roundup Transorb® HC 0.67L = 1 acre (10L = 15 acres, 115L = 172 acres, 450L = 675 acres, 800L = 1,200 acres). ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Tank
mixtures: The applicable labelling for each product must be in the possession of the user at the time of application. Follow applicable use instructions, including application rates, precautions and restrictions of each product used in the tank mixture.
Monsanto has not tested all tank mix product formulations for compatibility or performance other than specifically listed by brand name. Always predetermine the compatibility of tank mixtures by mixing small proportional quantities in advance.
Roundup Transorb® is a registered trade-mark of Monsanto Technology LLC, Monsanto Canada, Inc. licensee. AgSolutions® and DISTINCT are registered trade-marks of BASF Corporation; and HEAT and KIXOR® are registered trade-marks of BASF SE;
all used with permission by BASF Canada Inc. MERGE® is a registered trade-mark of BASF Canada Inc. © 2014 Monsanto Canada, Inc. and BASF Canada Inc.
18
/ grainews.ca APRIL 7, 2015
Features
Farm management
Young Peace farmer
This 26-year old woman is growing her herd in B.C.
By Stephanie Grace
T
o Brittany Enns, a 26-year old
Peace Country farmer, the hard
work, dedication and attention to
detail that come with an agricultural lifestyle are nothing new. Farming is in
her blood on both sides of her family.
Moving from Carrot River, Saskatchewan
to B.C.’s Peace Country in 1986, Brittany’s
parents Walter and Dolores Enns started
Creek Bank Farms and have grown their
business into a diverse farming operation
that encompasses grains, oilseeds, pulses,
turf grass seed, forage seed, silage and hay
as well as a herd of bison.
Today, Creek Bank Farms is a familyrun operation that consists of Walter
and Dolores, Charissa (and her daughter
Maddie), Brittany and twins, Jeffrey and
Bailey as well as one full-time employee and
seasonal workers. In 2010, Brittany Enns
started her own herd of beef cattle (together
with her sister, Bailey). Enns felt the need
to have something of her own. She says, “I
really do love working with cattle and I saw
an opportunity to start a herd.” The family
has since scaled back the bison herd and it
appears as if the cattle may begin to play a
larger part in the future.
Enns says her favourite part of being
involved in agriculture is the diversity she
can experience on a daily basis. After receiving her agricultural business diploma from
Olds College in 2009, Enns returned to the
family farm and became more involved than
ever.
She says, “While going through college,
my plan was to continue with buffalo. I
believe there are major opportunities in the
bison industry, even more so than beef. I am
still very involved with the buffalo, but the
beef are easier for me to handle and man-
age. There is less risk [with cattle], but also
less opportunity for market development.”
Enns has also become very involved in all
aspects of the family farm: GPS programming, operating the drill during seeding,
running harvesting equipment and everything in between.
Starting the herd
Enns started her herd by choosing the best
heifers from two local producers and has
grown the herd (together with Bailey and
their mom, Dolores) to approximately 100
head of young, quality commercial cattle.
The herd mainly consists of Black Angus
cows that are crossed with black Simmental
bulls to get a little extra growth without sacrificing efficiency. On heifers, they use Angus
bulls for calving ease.
Last year, Enns used artificial insemination (A.I.) to breed a handful of their best
cows, performing this task herself after a brief
refresher from a local producer. Enns says, “I
believe A.I. is a fantastic, economical way of
improving a cowherd. Besides not having the
risk of a bull going lame during breeding season and the cost of feed, it provides access to
genetics that I otherwise could only dream of
owning. Synchronizing can also help shorten
a calving season to a few weeks, rather than a
month and a half.” In the future, Enns plans
to A.I. most, if not all of her herd.
Farm life can get busy, especially in spring
when both the bison and cattle are calving
and seeding is happening. Bison are unlikely
to have problems calving, but cattle can be
a different story. Bailey (who finished high
school in 2014) is largely responsible for the
cows during calving as Brittany Enns and Jeff
operate the drill, so one of the main focuses in
developing the herd is, “maintaining troublefree calving. This means calves need to be
born on their own, get up and suck without
any help. Calving ease, especially in heifers,
good udders and longevity are all essential.”
After the calves are weaned, they are typically backgrounded before being sold sometime around February or March, depending
on market trends. Typically, feed is stockpiled in order to keep options open. By
having excess feed on hand, Enns is able to
hold her animals back if the market is suddenly lower than expected, or sell earlier if
an opportunity arises.
Calves are fed a ration of silage, grain and
dry hay until they are sold, which gives an
opportunity to find the most efficient animals. Enns firmly believes in the value of
keeping accurate records in order to determine feed efficiency and average daily gains
in their livestock. Enns says, “In the end,
more pounds means extra money in the
bank, so the more feed efficient an animal
is, the better. With record high cattle prices,
I believe one of the main focuses on a lot
of farms will be to have more pounds to
sell when it comes time to market, so feed
conversions and efficiency is a major factor
we consider when selecting breeding stock
in both the bison and cattle.”
Enns raises a handful of her best bull calves
to market to local producers, but in the future,
she plans to begin raising purebred black
Simmental cattle and has considered embryo
transplant as a means of herd improvement.
She says, “This would allow me to begin with
the best available genetics and build my purebred herd from there. One issue with this is
how far away from a major market I am.”
Owning and finishing bison has taught
Enns a number of lessons. She says, “Cattle
and buffalo are stressed in the same ways.
With beef, it’s just not as noticeable. For
example, when feeding buffalo in the feedlot, we would move and divide a group
Brittany Enns
into two separate pens and just the stress
of sorting and moving into a new pen
caused them to cut back on feed to half
their normal ration for a week. Experiences
like this have shown me how much stress
actually affects profits. Every time animals
are stressed, you are losing money, whether
that stress causes them to back off feed, not
gain as well or get sick.”
From her father, Enns has learned to keep
her options open and consider everything
with an open mind. She is not shy about
“talking to other producers about their
management practices or doing research
and some experimenting to find out what
works for our operation.” Seeking to understand, learn and improve is a way of life for
Enns, a value she is not likely to abandon
in the future.
Author’s note: Although I write under the
pen name Stephanie Grace, I am in fact the
Charissa Enns mentioned in this article, sister
to Brittany Enns. †
Stephanie Grace is a writer and student from B.C.’s Peace
River country. For more from Stephanie or to contact her,
please visit her website at www.stephaniegrace.org.
Crop research
Genome mapping done faster
Faster gene mapping will help wheat breeders develop new wheat varieties more quickly
By Leeann Minogue
T
he Israeli research
company NRGene has
broken new ground
when it comes to speed
in mapping maize genomes.
It used to take months, or
even years to map a complete
genome. Now, NRGene has
mapped five maize genomes in
just five weeks.
Guy Kol is one of the company’s founders, and its vice-pres-
ident of research and development. He describes the process
they use as “transforming the
information from a molecule to
computer text.”
“Imagine a 3.3-billion letter book that has been given
to you,” he explained, trying to
simplify the process for a nonscientist. “We build the book; we
make it readable.”
For farmers, this means that
wheat breeders now have faster
access to much better informa-
tion. Breeding wheat, Kol says,
“or any other crop for that matter, involves actually combining wheat varieties together.”
Breeders use genomic data to
decide which varieties to cross.
“It takes a long time and a lot of
money,” to try different options.
Now, breeders can select specific
parts of the genome from the
“mother” plant and other parts
from the “father,” with better
information about what traits
these parts might bring.
“Wheat’s genome is very big,
and hexapolid,” Kol says. “That
makes it very difficult to follow and understand.” Because of
this, wheat breeding is slow, and
prone to errors. Better information about the genome, he says,
will “make breeding faster and
more accurate.” This should ultimately mean better wheat varieties at the farm level.
This genetic information is
not necessarily associated with
genetic modification, Kol says.
“As long as you’re crossing lines
from the same organism,” in
this case, types of wheat, “that’s
called breeding.”
NRGene sells the service of
genomic mapping and/or its software to academics as well as large
seed breeding companies. Kol is
excited about his job, and his
company’s ability to use sophisticated technology and “turn it
into something very, very useful
to humanity.” †
Leeann Minogue is the editor of Grainews.
APRIL 7, 2015 grainews.ca /
19
Features
Crop protection
Fighting myths about ag chemicals
The ag conversation includes many misunderstandings and dangerous myths
By Michael Flood
D
r. Joe Schwarz, director
of McGill University’s
Office for Science
and Society (OSS) is
a chemist by training and a science popularizer by profession.
The OSS works to promote scientific literacy among the general
public and combat dangerous
myths and misunderstandings.
This year Dr. Schwarz brought
his message to the attendees at
FarmTech 2015 in Edmonton,
warning them about the deep
misperceptions about agricultural chemicals that are being
spread by the media, organic
food promoters and “experts”
with no credentials.
The major problem, Schwarz
said, is that the public conversation about food, health and agriculture has become dominated
by quacks — people purveying
pseudoscientific nonsense to
scare the public.
Farmers, governments, and
agriculture companies have
become complacent, he said,
trusting that the public thought
well of them and could sort out
nonsense from sense, science
from pseudoscience. Regrettably,
this is not the case. Not only
is misinformation about science
becoming more widespread it is
growing so widespread it could
have a serious impact on how
farmers grow their food by promoting legislation for regulating industry that is not sciencebased, with long-term impacts
on both farm viability and consumer nutrition.
The word “chemical”
we do not know. Long-term
effects are very difficult to study.
What we are able to determine is
that the chemicals we use have
not led to any notable increases
The media
are no help
scaremongers are asking science
to do the impossible: to prove
that harmful effects absolutely
cannot happen. This cannot be
done — it is always possible, in
principle, for any scientific finding to be overturned. It will be
tricky, Schwarz said, but we need
to educate the public about how
scientists and regulators judge
risks against benefits.
The need for
in human mortality, and have
chemical agriculture
in fact been introduced at a time
One important thing to remind
when human life expectancy
continues to grow year after year. consumers, Schwarz said, is that
If they do have a negative effect, the adoption of fertilizers, pestiit is one cancelled out by the cides, fungicides, and herbicides
B:8.125”
was not a purely profit seeking
benefits of having access to plenactivity. It was necessary. To grow
tiful nutritious food year round.T:8.125”
Effectively the quacks and enough food to feed the world’s
S:8.125”
growing population requires continuously increasing crop yields.
That is not possible without agricultural chemicals to improve
plant nutrition and prevent losses
from fungi, weeds and insects.
Schwarz concluded by reminding his audience (and asking
them to remind others) that
“chemicals are to be neither worshipped nor feared; they are to
be understood.” Through a sustained effort by every part of the
agricultural industry, from large
companies down to small farmers, we can begin to change the
tide of public opinion away from
the quacks and towards sound
science. †
Michael Flood (www.michael-flood.com) is a
business writer and columnist. You can reach
him at [email protected].
Address the
Elephant in the Field.
Take charge of your resistance concerns by
making Liberty® herbicide a regular part of
your canola rotation. As the only Group 10
in canola, Liberty combines powerful weed
control with effective resistance management
to help protect the future of your farm.
BayerCropScience.ca or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative.
Always read and follow label directions. Liberty® is a registered trademark of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.
O-67-02/15-10284121-E
T:10”
To learn more, visit:
BayerCropScience.ca/Liberty
B:10”
S:10”
In Schwarz’s opinion the most
damaging effects of this misinformation has been the demonization of the word “chemical.”
He showed slide after slide of
organic food stands and advertisements advertising “chemical
free” produce. The media are
no help: they prefer “man bites
dog” stories where people were
harmed by chemicals over the
countless stories of food made
safer and more nutritious with
chemical inputs like fertilizers
and pesticides.
Numerous online bloggers,
lacking any scientific credentials at all, have frightened
many consumers into the belief
that “if you can’t pronounce it,
it’s not food.” Schwarz showed
the silliness of this by presenting a list of the chemical
compounds present in organic
apples, which included acetone,
formaldehyde and isopropanol
(rubbing alcohol). That might
sound scary, he said, but asked
the audience to always keep in
mind the saying of Paracelsus,
the 16th century alchemist
and one of the founders of
modern chemistry: “only the
dose makes the poison.” Tiny
amounts of chemicals that are
lethal in large amounts have
no known effects on human
health.
All the chemicals in common
use in agriculture, from herbicides and pesticides to preservatives and ripeness promoters,
have been approved by Health
Canada and other regulatory
agencies; they have been extensively tested to ensure they are
safe for human consumption.
They are safe at levels far above
the trace amounts that make
it onto the average Canadian’s
dinner plate.
The quacks and misinformed
citizens respond to these facts
(when they don’t claim all the
research is biased towards the
agrichemical companies) by
demanding to know about the
long term effects of those trace
amounts. A few micrograms
here or there of glyphosate may
be harmless, they say, but what
about a few micrograms per day
over a lifetime? Couldn’t that
cause cancer or other illnesses?
The fact, Schwarz said, is that
20
/ grainews.ca APRIL 7, 2015
Features
Farm management
Farm couple creates agro-tourism
John Coté and Barb Stefanyshyn-Coté sold their farm and moved into flowers
By Edna Manning
their market and are now supplying some florists and wholesalers.
W
hen John Coté and
Barb StefanyshynCoté sold their
3,000 acre grain
farm near Leask, Sask., four years
ago, they had several prerequisites
in mind for their next endeavor.
“First, we wanted to do something that would get us working
directly with the customer. We
enjoy that interaction with people.
Secondarily, no matter what we
did, it had to be fun,” says Barb.
They had options. John and Barb
are both professional agrologists.
Barb received the Outstanding
Young Agrologist award from
the Saskatchewan and Canadian
Institute of Agrologists. She and
John were Saskatchewan and
Canada’s Outstanding Young
Farmers in 2001.
Early in 2010 they sold the
farm and in August of that year
purchased 80 acres along Valley
Road southwest of Saskatoon. The
Valley Road area already had a
number of established businesses,
which were drawing traffic. And
they would be close to markets
and family in the city.
The first couple of years the
Cotés tried growing corn. “In
2012, we planted five acres of corn
the challenges
Now John Coté and Barb Stefanyshyn-Coté are constructing a distillery.
and got hit with corn borer which
made it unsalable. We ended up
mowing it down and turning it
back into the soil,” says Barb.
The idea for a flower farm
dawned on her during the winter.
“I started thinking about the fact
that there were very few cut flower
growers in the province. I knew of
only one other grower and they
live 40 miles away.”
“Who doesn’t love flowers?”
she says.
In the spring, Barb went to a
local seed shop and purchased
every package of flower seed that
would produce flowers taller than
12 inches. “That was all I knew
about the cut flower industry —
they like long stems.”
The transition from grain to
flowers has been a steep learning curve. “When we were grain
farming, we had five varieties
— wheat, barley, canola, peas,
oats and maybe flax. And if you
needed help, there’s information
that’s been accumulated for years
and it’s readily available.
“In the flower industry, I’m now
growing close to 200 varieties, and
they’re all different.”
The Cotés grow annual and
perennial flowers, bulbs, and
ornamental grains and grasses on
about five acres. They’re building
They have faced several challenges. “Much of it was knowledge — learning what works, what
doesn’t, such as choosing which
varieties are best suited to our
climate. Time to experiment was
another challenge.
“Locating markets has also been
interesting. Florists have their established markets and supply chains.
Am I going to be consistent?
Consistency is a tough thing for
this sort of business because we’re
working with Mother Nature.”
Two orchards with approximately 6,000 raspberry and 4,000
haskap bushes will come into
production in 2015. The fruit will
also be sold fresh directly to consumers with the remainder to be
used for liqueurs.
The construction of a distillery
(Black Fox Spirits) began in late
2012 and will be open and in production in spring 2015. It will be
the third in the province and the
only on-farm distillery.
The Cotés will be growing the
majority of what goes into producing their whisky, gin, vodka,
and liqueurs. They also want to
experiment with different fruits,
including pumpkins.
“We’re trying to establish an
agro-tourism location. We want
people to come out and see what
it’s like to be out on the farm. With
our distillery, we’d love to have
people come and help us with the
whole process — planting, taking
care of the crop, harvesting, help us
put the fruit in the mash tanks and
bottling it off. Then they’ve had a
hand in the entire process and can
call it their own,” Barb says.
The couple’s four children have
all been involved in the building
of Tierra Del Sol. Their oldest,
Joshua, is now studying agriculture engineering; Erin is studying
agri-business. Morgan and Lyndon
are in high school. “The children
have been a huge help.”
The Cotés appreciate the support they’ve received from the
community, including the Valley
Road Association, a group of businesses that recently began working
together to promote the area. “We
see Valley Road as a destination for
people from the city to come and
spend some time checking out a
variety of attractions.”
For more information about
Tierra Del Sol, visit www.tdsfarms.
biz or call 306-955-4645. †
Edna Manning writes from Saskatoon, Sask.
STOP THE SPREAD
Help stop the spread of kochia. Tank mix two or more
herbicide groups to help control the spread of weed
resistance on your farm. For tank mix recommendations,
visit www.rrwms.ca/kochia
Download the WEED ID App today, visit weedidapp.ca
ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Tank mixtures: The applicable labeling for each product must be in the possession of the user at the time of application. Follow applicable use instructions, including application rates, precautions and restrictions of
each product used in the tank mixture. Monsanto has not tested all tank mix product formulations for compatibility or performance other than specifically listed by brand name. Always predetermine the compatibility of tank mixtures by mixing small proportional quantities in
advance. Monsanto and Vine Design® and Roundup Ready® are registered trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC, Monsanto Canada, Inc. licensee. © 2015 Monsanto Canada Inc.
APRIL 7, 2015 grainews.ca /
21
Features
Crop marketing
Soybeans lower cholesterol
By Leeann Minogue
choices,” says Soy 20/20’s CEO Jeff
Schmalz in a press release.
n March 18 Heath Canada
“This decision by Health Canada opens
approved the claim that con- up tremendous opportunity for growth in
suming at least 25 grams of soy the Canadian soybean and soy food indusprotein per day helps lower tries, both domestically and internationcholesterol levels.
ally,” he added. “The versatility of soy —
“Soy has long been considered tofu, yogurts, cheeses, textured proteins,
a healthy food option, but Health edamame — ends itself to endless uses for
Canada’s acceptance of the science every lifestyle.”
means that we can now include this
This endorsement is the result of years
information directly on packaging to of effort by Soy 20/20 and Agriculture and
B:10.25”
help consumers make healthy food
Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) on behalf of the
O
photo: leeann minogue
Consuming at least 25 grams of soy protein
per day helps lower cholesterol levels.
soy industry. Guelph-based Nutrasource,
a contract research organization and consulting firm specializing in regulatory
and scientific affairs, was also involved.
Nutrasource reviewed the scientific literature and prepared the food health claim
submission for Health Canada.
“Health Canada’s process for accepting
new therapeutic and disease risk reduction
health claims for foods is among the most
extensive and rigorous in the world,” said
Nutrasource president and CEO, William
Rowe. “The acceptance of this health
claim is a testament to the strength of the
scientific evidence supporting the cholesterol-lowering effect of soy.” †
Leeann Minogue is the editor of Grainews.
T:10.25”
S:10.25”
BAYER
11.4286X5.0000
000057843r1
4C
Quality meets quantity.
BayerCropScience.ca or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative.
Always read and follow label directions. Prosaro® is a registered trademark of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.
C-53-02/15-10287620-E
T:11.375”
For more information, please visit:
BayerCropScience.ca/Prosaro
B:11.375”
With two powerful actives, Prosaro provides long-lasting
preventative and curative activity, resulting in superior
protection against fusarium head blight, effective
DON reduction and unmatched leaf disease control.
With Prosaro you’ll never have to settle for second
best again.
S:11.375”
In addition to providing an exceptional yield increase,
Prosaro® fungicide protects the high quality of your
cereals and helps ensure a better grade.
22
/ grainews.ca APRIL 7, 2015
Columns
Soils and crops
Phosphorus: capital account
We’ve greatly increased the spending from our capital accounts of phosphorus
les
henry
our spending rate (crop removal)
on the capital account (total soil P).
“Spending” P
from the soil account
I
n my March 10 column, we
established that phosphorus
fertilization comes down to
simple arithmetic: If we haul
more phosphorus off to the elevator than we put on in fertilizer or
manure, the phosphorus (P) soil
test will go down and with it the
crop yield potential.
If we add more P than we haul
away, over time, the soil test P will
go up along with the crop yield
potential.
Now we will look at the effect of
For crop removal (what we haul
to the elevator) I will use the following rates:
Wheat: 0.6 lbs. P2O5/bu.
Canola: 1.0 lbs. P2O5/bu.
Peas: 0.7 lbs. P2O5/bu.
Soybeans: 0.85 lbs. P2O5/bu.
Fababeans 1.1 lbs. P2O5/bu.
I am using a 12-year period to
accommodate three cycles of a
four-year rotation.
Numbers will be rounded — these
are approximate numbers, and I
don’t want to leave an impression
of precision that is not there.
In the good old days, when
the first phosphorus fertilizer recommendations were made, wheat
was the crop, half summerfallow
was common and yields were low.
A 30-bushel fallow wheat crop
was considered great back on
Brunswick farm at Milden, Sask.,
in the 1950s.
Using 0.6 lbs. P2O5/bu., a
30-bushel wheat crop would
remove 18 bushels of P2O5 per acre.
With a wheat/summerfallow rotation, over 12 years there would be
six crops, for a total of about 108
lbs. P2O5 per acre over the 12-year
period, or about
10 lbs./acre/year.
T:11.5”
But, fast forward
to now. As an
S:10.25”
example, let’s take a four-year rotation: wheat, peas, wheat, canola.
In 12 years we will have six
wheat crops, three pea crops and
three canola crops.
For yields we will use: wheat 50
bu./ac.; peas 50 bu./ac.; canola 40
bu./acre.
Many of you beat those yields
often, so the number we come up
with will be low for some areas
and farms.
This scenario would remove
about 405 lbs. of P2O5/acre or
about 35 lbs. P2O5/acre/year.
Plug in higher yields that many
now achieve and the “spending”
can go higher.
In the early days I can remember being asked about the total
P2O5 in soils and we gave a very
general answer. “It is 2,500 lbs./
ac. in six inches, or more, and
when we are taking off only a few
pounds per acre per year it is not
an issue.” Not to be worried about
for a few hundred years!
The capital account:
what’s the total
When we started to realize the
much larger amounts of P being
hauled off to the elevator I went
looking for total soil P data. We
have recently learned that in the
long run fertilizer P use efficiency
is high and in dry areas nitrogen
can be more than 100 per cent.
At Scott, Sask., in the dark
brown soil zone, Agriculture and
Agri-Food Canada has a wheat
field that has been in continuous
wheat production for over 100
years with no input of manure or
Believe it or not, there’s a simple trick to protecting your canola
yield before sclerotinia even becomes a problem – and you don’t
have to be a magician.
Based 100% in science, easy-to-use Proline® fungicide proactively
protects your profits and continues to be the number one choice
for canola growers looking for effective sclerotinia protection.
For more information, visit BayerCropScience.ca/Proline
BayerCropScience.ca or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative.
Always read and follow label directions. Proline® is a registered trademark of the Bayer Group.
Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.
O-68-02/15-10284129-E
APRIL 7, 2015 grainews.ca /
23
Columns
fertilizer. The field is still producing 15 or so bu./ac. of wheat each
year. Now, we know that some
nitrogen comes from rain and
lightning and a bit of fixation by
soil organisms all by themselves.
That explains the nitrogen. But
what about P?
In organic farming, nitrogen can
be handled by including legumes
in the rotation and some green
manure crops. Green manuring is
also a phosphorus fertilizer, but the
P still all comes from the soil. Most
organic farms rely on livestock and
manure to maintain P in the long
term. So the question arises as to
how long the soil will continue to
supply P. At the low yields of continuous wheat the removal is low
but with legumes supplying nitrogen and better yields how long will
the P last?
In conventional farming large
nitrogen rates and other good
agronomy has lead to much larger
nutrient removal.
In looking for the answer about
total soil phosphorus we soon realized: we really do not have a good
database of total P data for soils of
Western Canada.
When soil fertility work began
it was soon learned that the total
amount of a nutrient in a soil was
not a predictor of the need for that
nutrient in any given year. Some
early soil survey reports had a
table of data including total P for a
good cross section of soils. It turns
out that total P is a messy and
time-consuming lab procedure so
no total P data is in any modern
soil survey report. Alberta soil survey reports have total soil P data
up to the late 1950s, Saskatchewan
to the 1950s. Early Manitoba soil
reports did not have total P data.
But, the library is a great place
and many journals are now available with a few mouse clicks so
I have assembled my estimate of
total P data for Canadian Prairie
soils (see the table).
It is still all too common to see
Mind your
Ps and Ks
upper subsoil can be much less
than the topsoil.
We will be pushing for somebody at Scott to get a measure of
the total P in the soil of that 100+
year wheat field.
I hope this little piece stirs up
enough interest to encourage
some work to get a better set of
numbers than that provided here.
Stumbling around in the scientific literature from before even
this old fossil was born is a bit
sobering. There is a lot of U.S. literature from the 1940s and earlier
that shows clearly that large P fertilizer rates lead to significant residual effects. In Eastern Seaboard
states, a 1945 paper shows the balance between P fertilizer and crop
removal by potatoes. Even then
they were porking on as much
three times crop removal — and
it showed up in the soil tests of
the day.
Now that so much of the older
literature is so easily available
there is no reason not to know
about it.
APPROXIMATE TOTAL P
In this table, total P is expressed as approximate pounds of P2O5
per acre per six inches of Canadian Prairie soil.
Soil
S:10”
Les Henry
Total lbs. P2O5/ac./six inches
Sandy brown/dark brown
1,600
Medium/heavy brown/dark
brown
2,300
Medium texture black
3,400
Thick black clay (e.g. melfort)
4,100
Grey wooded
1,200
Parting Note: Manure
In feedlot alley in Alberta
there are quarter sections with
2,200 lbs. P 2O 5/ac. of available soil test P in the top six
inches of soil. Who knows what
the total is, but the soil test
P is higher on those heavily
manured soils than the total in
similar soils without manure.
Once again I say: we need to
find ways to make use of that
excess P to the benefit of much
larger acreages. In 100 years
folks will look back and wonder
why such a valuable resource
was not better utilized. †
J.L.(Les) Henry is a former professor and
extension specialist at the University of
Saskatchewan. He farms at Dundurn, Sask.
He recently finished a second printing of
“Henry’s Handbook of Soil and Water,” a
book that mixes the basics and practical
aspects of soil, fertilizer and farming.
Les will cover the shipping and GST for
“Grainews” readers. Simply send a cheque
for $50 to Henry Perspectives, 143 Tucker
Cres., Saskatoon, Sask., S7H 3H7, and he
will dispatch a signed book.
ENFORCER.
T:10.75”
P x 2.29 = P2O5
K x 1.21 = K2O
It is becoming all too common to see slippage in the
correct use of P versus P2O5
and K versus K2O. I have
seen too many presentations
lately stating that a farmer
used 20 lbs./ac. of P, when I
suspect s/he actually used 20
lbs. P2O5 per acre.
If 20 lbs. P/ac. are used
that is:
20 x 2.29 = 45.8 lbs. P2O5/
acre — a very large error.
Most soil test labs report P
as ppm and they mean P. To
convert that to lbs./acre P it
is multiplied by two; to convert to lbs./ac. P2O5 it is again
multiplied by 2.29.
With K: the factor to convert K to K2O is only 1.21 so
the error is not as big.
Be sure to know the units
when calculating P fertilizer use.
If you want the complete
explanation see page 32 of
Henry’s Handbook of Soil and
Water. It is a dumb confusing system that should
have been changed decades
ago. †
P and P2O5mixed up in various
publications. Almost all field work
on residual P gives the application
rates in kilograms of P per hectare.
Many studies had rates up to 400 kg
P/ha applied, which is equivalent
to 1,568 lbs. of 11-52-0/acre. That
is 356 lbs. P/acre, which equals 815
lbs. P2O5/acre. This is equivalent to
1,568 lbs. of 11-52-0/acre.
If the above numbers are
divided by 10 — to go back to the
“good old days” it is easy to see
why we paid no attention to total
P in the soil. But, if we divide the
numbers by 30 or 40 some of the
“weaker” soils would be a cause
for concern.
In soil development the P ends
up being moved by plants from
the subsoil to the topsoil, so topsoil usually has higher levels.
The upper subsoil is somewhat
depleted. In thick black soils like
those at Melfort, Sask., there is
almost as much P in the six- to
12-inch depth as in the zero- to
six-inch depth, so supply is large
there. But in “weaker” soils the
TAKE A TOUGH STANCE AGAINST
PROBLEM WEEDS IN CEREALS.
Enforcer® delivers effective, post-emergent control of well-established
weeds in one convenient application. Three active ingredients work
together to hit hard-to-control cleavers, kochia and wild buckwheat.
Engage the Enforcer to target the toughest weeds in your cereals.
Ask your retailer which Enforcer is right for you.
1.800.868.5444 | Nufarm.ca
Always read and follow label directions. Enforcer ® is a registered trademark of Nufarm Agriculture Inc.
40552R-0415
24
/ grainews.ca APRIL 7, 2015
Columns
Kelly’s AgExpert Tips and Hints
AgExpert transaction entry
Speed up AgExpert entry time: memorize transactions, print cheques, add notes
Kelly
Airey
W
e all look forward to
getting our bookkeeping caught up
so we can head outdoors when the snow melts! The
key to keeping caught up is making data entry fast and simple.
Memorizing a transaction
Memorizing a transaction is a
great feature to use for recurring
transactions such as monthly
loan payments, bill payments or
bank charges. Adding a memorized transaction will create a
template of the information in
the transaction entry screen.
Once the template is created,
then the next month you can
simply load the transaction you
memorized.
Every part of the transaction
including transaction type, bank
account, descriptions, and posting accounts are populated based
on the template you saved. Be
sure to change certain details
if necessary such as the date,
amount and reference number.
Hint: I recommend “memorizing” complex transactions
such as deposits for grain sales
with deductions. Since these
transactions include numerous
lines for deductions, it can be
very helpful to save a template
to speed up data entry. You can
also memorize a transaction that
only happens once or twice a
year, helpful if you’re worried
about forgetting how you’ve
done it before.
To add a memorized transaction:
1. Open the transaction entry
screen, complete the screen as
you normally would and make
sure the transaction is balanced.
2. Before you record the transaction, on the bottom left side
of screen, select the icon with
the page and green plus symbol
on it to open the add memorized
transaction box.
3. Enter a name for the trans-
action, for example, “Monthly
Phone Bill.”
4. Click “Save” to create a
template, then click “Record.”
Next month, when you want
to load the memorized transaction for the phone bill:
1. Open the transaction entry
screen.
2. On the bottom left corner
of the screen, click the icon with
two pages it. This will open the
memorized transaction box.
3. Select the transaction template you would like to load.
4. All the information loads
into the transaction entry
screen. Make the necessary
changes such as date, reference
number and amount.
5. Click record.
Calling all farmers
We need your help to
tell a story that directly
affects your livelihood.
As farmers we need all of the tools in our tool box, be they aspects of
conventional, or organic production. The use of GMO technology is
one of those tools and we need your help to protect it.
KNOW GMO the MOVIE will be “an uplifting discussion about food”
and is going to be a world-class, science-based documentary designed
to show consumers what the words genetically modified actually
mean. It will demonstrate how biotechnology is contributing to
global food security, decreasing disease and conserving land, all in a
sustainable manner. Filming across North America has already begun.
If you care about how the story of agriculture is being told, we need
your support to make this movie a reality. Please go to
www.knowGMOtheMovie.com to learn more and to donate.
Robert Saik PAg, CAC
Executive Producer
“Fear sells and is easy to believe.
We made a mistake in not
telling agriculture’s story.
We assumed people understood
what farmers did”
lorie farrell
Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United
Donations are tax deductible through the
Farm & Food Care Foundation (KNOW GMO MOVIE)
We need the help of farmers to tell the story. Please visit
www.knowGMOtheMovie.com
to learn more and to donate.
Printing cheques
Printing cheques from AgExpert
allows you to pay bills and record
the transaction at the same time.
To enable the option to print
cheques:
1. Setup > Preferences > Optional
Features Tab > Place a check mark
in the “Print Cheques” box.
2. Click Save
3. Setup > Preferences >
Cheques Tab
4. Select Printer. Here you can
choose whether or not you’d like
to print cheques right away or save
them to print in a batch later.
5. Cheque designer: Click Add
to add a new template and customize your cheques. When you’re
done, click the “Print Test” button
at bottom right side of screen to
see how they look.
6. To purchase cheques, click
on the blue link that will take
you to the online community for
suggested companies that supply
compatible computerized cheques.
Printing Cheques immediately
upon recording a transaction:
1. Setup > Preferences > Cheques
> Place check in the box to “print
Cheques immediately upon recording transaction.” Click Save.
2. In the transaction entry
screen, enter your expense details.
The program will populate information into the top right corner of
your screen that will be printed on
the cheque. Under “memo,” type
in anything you would normally
write on a cheque. The cheque will
print immediately.
Tip: If the cheque didn’t print
for any reason, maybe the paper
jammed, or you forgot to put the
cheques in the paper tray (which
I’ve done!), go to Transactions >
Print Queue > Cheques, then place
a check mark in the box at bottom left of screen to include items
already printed. Select the cheque
you want to re-print and click Print.
Hint” If you are entering an
expense that you don’t need a
cheque for, in the transaction
entry screen, uncheck the box that
says “Print Cheque For.”
To place cheques in a queue for
printing later:
1. Setup > Preferences >
Cheques > Deselect the box to
“Print Cheques immediately upon
recording transaction.” Click Save.
2. Follow the steps above.
When you’re ready to print: go
to Transactions > Print Queue >
Cheques.
3. Place a check mark next to
the cheques you want to print >
Click Print.
Adding transaction notes
To add more details about a
transaction than the memo line
can hold, click on the notes icon
on the bottom left corner of screen
with a page and pencil symbol.
Type your notes, click ok, then
record the transaction. These
notes can be viewed in the table
view of the transaction report.
Reports > Reports Console >
Transaction/Account Information
> Transactions > Table View. †
Kelly Airey is a producer and ag consultant in
Western Manitoba. She offers software setups &
training, and discounts on software purchases.
Contact Kelly at [email protected]
or (204) 365-0136.
APRIL 7, 2015 grainews.ca /
25
Columns
Reporter’s notebook
Cost cutting with technology
Technology is moving at a pace we couldn’t have imagined. Can it help you?
By Lisa Guenther
I
f you’ve ever wondered what
the future will be like, Jack
Uldrich has the answer. It
will feel like you’re sitting in
a driverless car for the first time as
the vehicle careens around pylons
and executes high-speed turns.
In other words, a little nervewracking.
Uldrich, a futurist and author,
showed us a video clip of an
alarmed woman in a driverless
car during his presentation at the
Canola Council of Canada’s conference in Banff in early March.
As he outlined how technology
is set to reshape our lives, the
message seemed to be that, like
it or not, things are changing.
Understanding the implications of
new technology is crucial to thriving in the coming decades.
The pace of change over the
last century has been incredible.
A while back, someone was telling
me about fence phones in southwestern Saskatchewan. What’s a
fence phone, you ask? Why, it’s
a home-made phone line strung
along a barbed-wired fence, in lieu
of a fancy government phone line.
That was about 50 or 60 years ago.
When I was a kid, we had a
party line. We had our own ring
— I think it was two long and
one short. I imagine party lines
were great technology for people
who liked to eavesdrop on their
neighbours.
form carbon dioxide into either
ethanol or biodiesel.
“I don’t know if this will necessarily scale, but if it does, it’s a
game-changer because essentially
carbon becomes a closed-loop system,” Uldrich said.
I used to write for Genome
Alberta’s Livestock News and Views
blog, so I know there’s no shortage
of promising genetic research on
everything from disease susceptibility to feed efficiency.
But don’t fall into the trap of
thinking genomics always offer
quick, easy solutions. When it
comes to viral diseases, for example, an animal’s genetic vulnerability is rarely due to one region
of the genome. Finding a chromosome that accounts for 10 per cent
of that susceptibility is a signifi- access to that data to manipulate
markets and land values.
cant discovery.
The same article mentioned
The research is worth doing,
but it still takes time and work to that Monsanto, John Deere and
DuPont Pioneer had met with
figure this stuff out.
Technology often offers both farm groups in the U.S. Together,
benefits and risks. For example, they’ve set down principles stating
agricultural companies ranging that farmers own their data, farmfrom John Deere to Monsanto ers should be told who the data is
have purchased satellite and data shared with and how it’s used, and
analytics companies. They’ll col- farmers should be able to get their
lect and analyze data in their cus- data back and opt out of services.
The same conversation needs to
tomers’ fields, and use that data
to help farmers bump yields, cut happen in Canada. If it is happencosts, or otherwise improve pro- ing, and I’m out of the loop, send
duction.
me an email or tweet.
But some farmers are underUldrich suggested we all rememstandably skittish about this ber that what served us well in the
idea. A Reuter’s story from last past might not work in the future.
November cited concerns about Producers should stay informed
T:8.125”
traders and land brokers getting
about technology and reflect on
how it might affect their business, he told us. He suggested
the free e-newsletters from MIT
Technology Review. You can sign
up at http://newsletters.technologyreview.com.
I’d also suggest thinking about
what you want from all these
gadgets. Do you want technology
like Google’s driverless car, which
will make all the driving decisions
for you? Or do you want technology that gives you the tools to
make better decisions yourself?
What are you willing to give up
for these new tools and what’s too
important to relinquish? †
Lisa Guenther is a field editor with
Grainews based at Livelong, Sask. Contact
her at [email protected] or
on Twitter @LtoG.
Technology
often offers
both benefits
and risks
T:10”
That was less than 30 years ago.
A century ago farmers were still
using heavy horses to work fields.
When comparing the technology
used on farms today, the contrast
is staggering. And the pace of
change isn’t slowing.
Most of you have probably
heard of 3-D printers — handy
little machines that allow you
to create everything from plastic
shoes to guns from the comfort of
your home. But did you know a
Minnesota company is using them
to “print” combine parts?
It’s always hard to know
exactly how this technology will
roll out. Uldrich suggested farmers might be printing their own
replacement parts. Maybe. Or
maybe your local parts place or
dealership will be able to print
your parts on the spot, rather
than ordering them in. Or maybe
some farmers will use 3-D printers to customize their equipment or help launch their own
machinery lines.
University of Georgia researchers are “tweaking” canola genes,
Uldrich said, to turn it into a
winter crop. And other researchers
are sequencing bacteria genomes.
The idea is to stick the bacteria in a bioreactor that contains
carbon dioxide from coal plants.
Depending on how their genes are
tweaked, the bacteria would trans-
More power to you.
Wind speed, pressure gauge, optimal nozzle
settings, check. All systems are go and it’s
time to take down the toughest weeds in your
wheat field, whether they’re resistant or not.
With three different modes of action in a single
solution, Velocity m3 herbicide provides you
with exceptional activity on over 29 different
tough-to-control grassy and broadleaf weeds.
For more information, please visit:
BayerCropScience.ca/Velocitym3
BayerCropScience.ca or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative.
Always read and follow label directions. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.
C-60-02/15-10303662-E
26
/ grainews.ca APRIL 7, 2015
Columns
Open field
Taking on a new initiative
Farming’s never stress free, but this new crop insurance program could help
sarah
weigum
A
lberta farmers: are your
dreams of growing coriander stymied by the
perils of farming without
insurance coverage? Would you try
your luck with fields of clover if
only there was a backstop in case
of a drought or grasshopper invasion? Then the new crop insurance
initiative (NCII) from Alberta’s
Agricultural Financial Services
Corporation (AFSC) is for you.
In all seriousness, coriander
production probably wasn’t the
driving force behind this new
program, but it will be eligible
for coverage along with soybeans,
dryland hemp seed, caraway, borage and several varieties of perennial seed, including brome grasses,
wheat grass and common alfalfa
and timothy.
Many of the crops covered
under NCII are grown on small
acreage and have access to straight
hail insurance, but not multi-peril
BayerCropScience.ca or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative.
Always read and follow label directions. Infinity® is a registered trademark of the Bayer Group.
Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.
coverage. This program is AFSC’s
answer to farmers who want to try
growing new crops but also mitigate the risk involved.
Because AFSC lacks data yield
data on these crops, coverage will
be based on an average cost of production (includes: seed, seed treatment, herbicide, fertilizer, insecticide, fungicide and fuel) combined
with a land opportunity cost.
Ken Handford, product development analyst with AFSC, describes
the land opportunity cost as “analogous to a cash rent.”
“We look at the value of the
land if [producers] were using it for
another commodity,” explained
B:17.7083”
Handford. The land cost is based
T:17.4583”
on provincial data, not necessarily
S:17.0833”
what you’re paying for cash rent
in a given year. Most crops covered
APRIL 7, 2015 grainews.ca /
27
Columns
by NCII will also be eligible for
the hail endorsement which is a
significantly cheaper product than
straight hail.
Where applicable, dryland and
irrigated premiums and coverage
will be determined separately to
account for different management
costs. For example, dryland soybeans will be eligible for up to
$225 per acre with a premium of
$8.89 and irrigated soybeans will
be covered for $310 per acre at a
cost of $5.36 per acre.
For producers to be eligible for
NCII they need to have an active
crop insurance contract on annual
crops. NCII payouts will be based on
the average loss producers have on
all other annual crops covered by
traditional insurance. So if you grow
wheat, barley, canola and soybeans
and average 30 per cent loss on your
wheat, barley and canola, you’re
eligible for $67.50 per acre on your
soybeans (30 per cent of $225).
Handford noted that coverage
areas are limited for some crops.
For example, dryland soybeans are
currently eligible for coverage in
Township 50 and south (west of
the fourth meridian only) and in
the southern Peace region in risk
areas 17, 18, and 19. Irrigated soybeans are covered in risk areas 2,
3, 4, 5 and 9.
Farmers must elect coverage
under NCII by the usual AFSC
deadline of April 30. Handford
encouraged producers to speak to
their local branch office about the
options and if the crop you want
to grow isn’t on the list, don’t
assume the door is closed.
“We will definitely take a good
hard look at other commodities
that producers are growing and
if it makes sense to offer coverage then we will,” said Handford.
“From AFSCS’s point of view it
gives us an avenue to get data on
crops that we don’t have a lot of
information on.”
As a producer accumulates farm
data on a particular crop she will
eventually be able to transition
from provincial numbers to her
individual records. If AFSC gathers
enough information from across
the risk areas, they may be able to
move a crop from NCII to traditional crop insurance.
“Irrigated hemp seed is one of the
commodities that we are bringing
into regular production insurance
in 2015,” said Handford, explaining that some crops may never be
grown widely enough to be given
multi-peril insurance, while others
may move into the mainstream
coverage quite rapidly.
It is with some personal interest
that I explored this new program.
We grow intermediate wheatgrass
for seed and have not been eligible
for crop insurance. I’m checking
the details with my local branch.
John Kowalchuk farms near
Rumsey, Alta. and plans to plant
his first crop of soybeans in 2015.
He said he would have grown soybeans regardless of coverage, but
appreciates the peace of mind that
comes with the program.
“I think the biggest thing for me
is shared risk,” said Kowalchuk.
“In the past the farmer took all the
risk to test the viability of crops in
new areas.”
Risk and reward: farmers need
a balance of each. While insurance doesn’t add any weight to the
reward side, it can reduce the burden
on the risk side of the beam. Good
on farmers and AFSC for working
towards an equilibrium fitting of
21st century farming practices. †
Sarah Weigum grows pedigreed seed and
writes at Three Hills, Alta. Follow her on
Twitter: @sweigum.
Crop inspection
LIGHT ’EM UP
T:11.9286”
B:12.1786”
S:11.4286”
Resistant or not, powerful Infinity® herbicide provides
you with the ability to take out the toughest broadleaf
weeds in your cereals. With its unique Group 27 mode
of action, Infinity helps ensure the profitability of your
farm today and for years to come.
Managing herbicide resistance is everyone’s fight.
Spray Responsibly.
To learn more, visit:
BayerCropScience.ca/Infinity
C-52-03/15-10287626-E
On July 20, 2014, Grainews columnist Les Henry’s grandchildren
Olivia and Thomas Haidl took a good look at their grandfather’s
crops on his farm near Dundurn, Saskatchewan.
28
/ grainews.ca APRIL 7, 2015
Columns
Understanding market bulls and bears
Understanding today’s basis
It’s not always simple to calculate the true basis these days. Here’s an example
Brian
wittal
I
n my previous article I
was remiss in detailing the
fact that there are costs for
freight, elevation and handling that must be accounted for
within the wheat basis that the
grain companies post.
To clarify a few things I am
going to do a complete calculation of price, costs and basis levels
starting with the price the grain is
sold for at port, less all deductions
back to the elevator net to the
producer and see what we come
up with.
The numbers
For a port price I have gone to
the Government of Canada website where I find the weekly price
summary for grains sold at the
West coast. On Feb. 20, 2015 the
indicator price for No. 1 CWRS
13.5 per cent at the West Coast
FOB (free on board the vessel) was
$336.93/tonne ($9.16/bu.).
Now we must determine the
costs involved for getting the
wheat from the producer in to
the elevator, then to the terminal
and finally onto the vessel.
Next we go to the Canadian
Grain Commission (CGC) website
where we can find the elevation
and handling charges for all port
and inland grain terminals and
elevators. The most recent numbers are from December, 2014.
Between the various terminals at the Port of Vancouver
the charges for receiving, elevation and loading out ranged from
$9.50/t to $10.45/t. For easy math
we will use an average of $10.00/t.
Cleaning costs ranged from
$5.80 to $5.89/t so we will use
an average of $5.85/t. CGC outward official inspection fees are
$1.63/t. All total the costs at port
to get the wheat unloaded from
the railcars, cleaned inspected
and reloaded onto the vessel are
averaging $17.48/t. There are a
number of other fees for special
services depending on what may
be required before the grain is
loaded on a vessel but for this
exercise we will assume no other
costs are needed.
Next we need to determine
the costs to get the wheat from
the country elevator to the Port
terminal — the basis the grain
companies offer you. These costs
would be freight, elevation and
handling fees at the country
elevator. Again, the fees charged
vary among grain companies so
I am going to use $53/t as an
average of all the costs based on a
facility at Lethbridge.
From all of this my math tells
me that the costs to get wheat
shipped from the country elevator to the port terminal and onto
the vessel is $17.48/t + $53.00/t =
$70.48/t total.
Now if we take the February
FOB price of $336.93 and subtract
$70.48 we end up with a price of
$266.45/t ($7.25/b). This price
should be a true market price
at the country elevator because
we have accounted for all of the
freight elevation and handling
charges needed to get the grain
from the country elevator onto
the vessels at port.
The only thing we have not
accounted for is any additional
risk coverage or profit the grain
companies may wish to take
in this transaction. Those costs
would have to be deducted from
the $7.25/bu. price we had previously calculated.
Now, you could argue that the
grain companies have already
taken a profit in their handling
fees so why should they take more
profit? The answer: because they
can. To be fair there are market
risks and unforeseen risks such
as demurrage and currency fluctuation that they could encounter
from day to day and this is a way
for them to help protect their
business from the potential loss of
profit they could face from those
risks. So let’s figure out the rest of
this equation.
Now we will take the elevator
posted bid price that I used in
my previous article —$6.15/by
on Feb. 24, 2015, and subtract it
from $7.25/bu. We have a difference of $1.10/bu. So in addition
to getting paid to handle the
grain, grain companies are taking
an additional $1.10/bu. (15 per
cent) for other risks and or pure
profit.
Do they
want to be
competitive?
Now in comparison, the posted
quote for No. 1 CWRS 14 per cent
delivered to Sweetgrass, Montana,
was the Minneapolis futures at
US$5.68 plus a $0.15/bu. basis for
a net delivered price of US$5.83/
bu. Multiply by 1.24 to convert to
Canadian dollars and you have a
price of $7.23/bu. Now we must
adjust the price lower to be equal
to a 13.5 per cent protein bid
so let’s deduct $0.15/bu. for the
additional half a per cent of protein which would bring the price
to $7.08/bu., so we can compare
apples to apples.
The costs to move grain
from Lethbridge to the port of
Vancouver ($53/t) are close to
By jonny hawkins
Country Chuckles
“He brings home the bacon.”
what the costs would be to move
grain from Sweetgrass to the ports
of Portland ($44/t) so the net price
offered to producers for delivery to
those facilities should reflect only
that difference between the costs
at those two facilities. So now if
we take the $10/t ($0.27/bu.) difference in costs and subtract that
from the Sweetgrass bid price it
should give us a more true price
comparison. So: $7.08 - $0.27=
$6.81/b.
Now we have a price delivered
to Lethbridge that is $6.15/b and
a price delivered to Sweetgrass
that is $6.81/b. The difference is
$0.66/bu. or $24.25/t.
Why?
What’s the difference?
Market demand, sales, logistical issues, freight, currency
risk, profit. All are factors as
to why there is a difference in
price between these two delivery points.
What I am trying to show is
that the Prairie grain companies have room in their pricing model to be a little more
competitive with prices in the
U.S. if they want to be. Do they
want to be competitive or not?
If not why?
Do they not have grain sales
on the books?
Have these major world players shifted their focus towards
greener pastures as far as sourcing and selling grain in other
countries where the opportunity for future growth and
expansion are far greater for
their shareholders? In Canada,
they know the market is mature
and they have it locked up —
they don’t have to worry about
losing the grain. They can let it
sit until they need it to fill sales.
Like it or not, the Canadian
Wheat Board was 100 per cent
focused on selling Canadian
wheat into world markets and
they tried to sell the maximum
amount of wheat they could
every year. Now we have grain
companies that look at things
from a global perspective and
will buy and sell wheat all over
the world based on where they
can make the highest net return
for the organization.
I am afraid that this means
Canadian grain will be treated
as a secondary supplier to world
markets because our costs make
us uncompetitive at times. If
this continues to happen what
does that mean for Western
Canadian producers? It means
we need to find more localized
markets for our products. The
most logical place to find these
markets is in the U.S., to get
away from being at the mercy of
the players in the world export
markets. †
Brian Wittal has 30 years of grain industry
experience, and currently offers market
planning and marketing advice to farmers
through his company Pro Com Marketing Ltd.
(www.procommarketingltd.com).
APRIL 7, 2015 grainews.ca /
29
Columns
Financial Markets: The Basics
The fundamentals of funds
This look inside mutual funds and exchange traded funds shows how each of
these investment types work, and how each of them handle risk
By Andrew Allentuck
H
ow do mutual funds really work? At the ground
level, they are diversified collections of assets,
usually stocks or bonds — sometimes both — in balanced funds,
picked for their ability to generate
income and/or capital gains. The
key word is “diversified,” for that
is their distinctive advantage. They
are usually actively managed to
seize cheap assets on the way up
and to dump overvalued assets on
the way down. Good managers are
opportunists, buying when markets are panicking and ducking
by reducing vulnerable holdings
when they see storms ahead. That,
at least, is the theory.
But what do investors really get
for the money? Does active management pay, compared to passive
or non-actively managed index
funds or exchange traded funds?
And what do investors really get
when they sign up for a bunch of
stocks or bonds?
Here comes the reality check.
There are two broad kinds of investment funds. The first are those
that have large capitalization stocks
like chartered banks and pipelines,
big railroads and giant integrated
oil companies. In Canada, those
collections makes up the top 60
stocks listed on the Toronto Stock
Exchange, the TSX 60. In the U.S.
it’s the megacap stocks of the S&P
500 or the gigacaps of the Dow
Jones Industrial Average. The second kind of investment fund is the
hunter-gatherer small to mid-cap
fund whose manager is tasked to
find and buy promising companies
on the way up. This is a much
harder job than buying the already
successful stocks that populate the
TSX 60 and the S&P/Dow.
Mutual funds that buy the large
cap TSX 60 shares wind up most of
the time as so-called closet indexers. They have to have some bank
shares, so they pick and choose
among the big six (TD, Scotiabank,
Royal Bank, CIBC, Bank of
Montreal and National Bank) making small variations of maybe a
little less BMO and a little more TD
than the index. Then they pick at
telcos with a little more BCE Inc.
or a little less Telus or vice versa.
They wind up as shadows of their
indexes, loaded with winners at
the top and losers and also-rans at
the bottom. This is pretty neutral
stock picking, but it can go very
wrong. Recall the disaster of Nortel
Networks, once a third of the TSX
by value of its shares compared to
all those on the exchange. Mutual
fund rules tend to limit exposure
of any one stock to 10 per cent of
the fund. But naked funds tasked
TOUGHER
EASIER
Tandem™ is the one.
to replicate the TSX index were
slaughtered when Nortel collapsed,
ultimately in bankruptcy.
Bond funds
If you want to buy into a big
Government of Canada bond
fund, the only thing the manager
will contribute is his potentially
wise decisions on where to weight
his bonds from short maturities
of five years or less, if he fears
rates are rising, to long maturities
of 10 to 30 years if he thinks rates
will stay down or not rise much.
Bond investing used to be an
occupation practiced in mornings
at the office before an afternoon
of golf. It’s harder now, but beating the broad Canadian bond
index or its specialized long and
short components is still tough.
Few managers get it perfect. You
can buy a bond index for the
entire Canadian market or the
broad U.S. market as an exchange
traded fund. It will have fees of 30
basis points (there are 100 basis
points in one per cent) or less or
you can go for the managed fund
with fees of several times that —
say 1.5 per cent.
The more tightly defined the
fund, say Government of Canada
bonds with terms of 10 years and
over or Swiss pharmaceuticals, the
less input the manager can contribute. After all, you have already
decided when he or she should
buy. Paying a manager a lot to do a
little makes no sense. You are better
off to buy a low fee ETF focused on
your sector or asset class. Moreover,
focused funds have higher fees,
perhaps because when they thrive,
more investors pile in (usually after
the party has ended). If you want
to pre-select a market or sector, go
cheap and save fees.
When you get into small and
mid-cap stocks that populate the
Russell 2000 index in the U.S.
and the TSX Venture exchange
in Canada, you are in a different
game in which there are thousands
of listed companies, some destined
to thrive, others to fail. Managers
earn their keep in this arena for
they must do a lot of research. Just
rebalancing holdings off the indices is meaningless. It’s the same for
junk bond funds in which the vast
market of non-investment grade
or unrated corporate debt varies in
By jonny hawkins
The easy, total-acre solution for key problem grass
and broadleaf weeds in wheat.
Country Chuckles
• Tougher. Control of wild oats, Japanese brome, wild buckwheat, kochia,
cleavers, hemp nettle, and more.
• Easier to use. Control all problem weeds using one solution.
• Flexible. Wide application window, rotational freedom, and excellent
crop safety.
• Multi-mode of action.
Go to the new dowagro.ca or call 1-800-667-3852.
® TM Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or an affiliated company of Dow.
0415-41120-02 GN
Download the 2015
Field Guide App from
the iPhone App Store
or at Google Play.
“Dock Dynasty.”
quality from pretty good and just
below investment grade to crap
close to bankruptcy.
Managers of funds of outliers
such as little companies that are
solid but unable to grow and bonds
of companies that never paid to
have them rated (issuers pay for
ratings — another problem for
another time) need to do a lot of
legwork. They also need to diversify a lot so that one or two bad
picks do not ruin their portfolios.
Scandals abound in the small to
mid-cap arena because vigilance by
the community of stock analysts
and the press is light. Most analysts
have better things to do than to
follow Chinese gold miners listed
on the TSX or yet another software
startup on the Russell 2000.
The time
to do research
is before
you buy
The problem for small to midcap fund managers is to keep up
with their holdings, which have
to be numerous to spread risk if
a few fail. The agnostic approach
to mid-cap stock investing is to
forget about beating the market
and just buy a relevant index.
For example, the iShares S&P/TSX
Small Cap Index ETF has a 60 basis
point management expense ratio,
a fourth of a typical mutual fund
management fee, and gives access
to 227 small cap Canadian companies. By comparison, the large
cap iShares S&P/TSX 60 Index has
management expense ratio of just
17 basis points. It is automatically
hooked up to the index and has
very little to manage.
The idea that a manager worth
his pay will forage to find good
companies is appealing, but there
are many hunters in the small cap
forest. In this forest, managers
meet at the same dog and pony
shows companies put on to peddle
their stock and suffer from herd
instinct. Managers gang up on
a small stock, buy it enthusiastically and run up the price. Then
they can abandon it and watch
the price collapse. Worse, some
small cap blowouts have been the
result of crooks and gullible fund
managers. Among the worst: the
gold mine with no gold called
Bre-X Minerals Corp.; the Russian
mafia-dominated bicycle and
magnet maker YBM Magnex; and
gun merchant Adnan Kashoggi’s
pitch to gullible investors to sell
stock in a venture to dig up gold
in King Solomon’s Mines. You get
a sense of what nonsense the markets offer
The time is to do research is
before you buy. “You don’t know
who’s been swimming naked until
the tide goes out,” said the great
investor Warren Buffett. Profit
beats remorse every time. †
Andrew Allentuck is author of When Can I
Retire? Planning Your Financial Future After
Work (Penguin, 2011).
30
/ grainews.ca APRIL 7, 2015
Columns
Off-farm income
A bullish look at oil prices
As more storage is built, oil prices may continue to fall in near future
ANDY
SIRSKI
O
ver the past weeks, the
surplus of oil going
into storage was over
a million barrels per
day. According to some figures,
on March 12 there were about 140
million barrels of free storage in
North America out of an estimated
600 million barrels. About 14 per
cent of that 600 mb is at Cushing,
Oklahoma, and it is 70 per cent
full. More storage is being built.
With 140 mb of open storage,
if the industry pumps one million barrels of surplus oil every
day, it would take four to five
months to fill it. Then there is
no way of knowing how low the
price of oil would go.
However, if the surplus drops
to half a million barrels and
shrinks from there, it would take
an estimated 300 days or close
to a year to fill that storage. I
think there is a good chance the
surplus oil number will drop and
drop as the industry drills fewer
wells, a lot of shale wells deplete
and oil consumption goes up two
per cent per year. So if surplus oil
drops and consumption is flat
to a little better, the buildup of
oil could slow down to a point
where there is no daily surplus.
That is about a 180-degree turn
from how I thought even a month
or two ago and there is no guarantee that I will be right. I will let the
price tell me when to buy good oil
stocks. These days the price of oil
drops with bad news (higher surplus or lower consumption) but
the price usually jumps if or when
we hear the opposite.
We need to look for the time
when the price of oil has higher
and higher lows and higher and
higher highs. I really would not
expect that for some time to come
but again I will let prices tell me
when to buy oil. For now I do not
hold any oil or natural gas stocks.
In a month or so a lot of refineries will be back at work as shutdown maintenance is completed,
strikes are settled and the refineries
start to produce summer fuel. Plus,
if the price of oil does drop a bit
more odds are some companies
will shut down wells and then the
supply of oil will drop in a hurry.
But there is a lot of floating
oil and we could have 600 million barrels of oil in land storage and of course those capped
wells could be turned on quite
easily. Any ups and downs in
the price of oil will come mostly
from speculators for some time
to come.
High U.S. Dollar
Central banks around the
world are cutting interest rates
to fight off the threat of deflation
and sagging economies. This has
helped push the U.S. dollar to
higher and higher highs. This has
also helped depress the price of
some commodities such as gold
and copper and might even help
push down the price of oil.
The high U.S. dollar also hurts
the profit picture for some U.S.
companies such as Microsoft.
Here’s why: as they or if they
bring dollars earned overseas
back to the U.S. they face the
exchange rate plus taxes on those
repatriated dollars.
This is one reason companies
like Apple are borrowing money
at these low rates to pay dividends and buy back shares. They
are betting the U.S. dollar will
eventually drop.
In the meantime we could
see how the price of shares of
Microsoft has sagged to around
$41 per share. Microsoft earns
a lot of money offshore.
Compare that to shares of, say,
Home Depot which earns most
of its money in U.S. dollars on
U.S. soil. That stock is hitting
new highs.
Apple might see its shares hurt
by the U.S. dollar too, especially
if they sell a lot of watches in
China.
By the way, Apple could be
buying a lot of gold, up to 30 per
cent of the yearly world production. So far it looks like seasonality and the higher U.S. dollar is
holding the price of gold down
but that could change after June.
About 2,000 tonnes of gold is
mined per year around the world
— Apple could buy about 740
tonnes to meet demand from its
new expensive watches.
The company was going to sell
those drugs are some very high
and profitable prices but competition kicked in and healthcare
insurance companies and countries started to negotiate lower
prices. That will hurt Gilead’s
earnings and shares have sort of
lost their bloom.
As I looked around for a
pharmacare stock I came
across TEVA, which I have followed for years. It waits for
drugs to come off patent and
then often starts to manufacture and sell generic drugs. The
company is based in Israel but
most of its business is outside
that country.
Another pharma is Merck
(MRK) which seems to be less
volatile but apparently had a
good pipeline of new drugs.
As always, if I own these
stocks and the price drops
through the 10-day moving
average I look seriously at selling the shares or selling calls in
the money. †
Porfolio
Andy is mostly retired. He plays with
granddaughters, does taxes, manages
his family’s investments and publishes an
electronic newsletter called StocksTalk. To
read it free for a month send an email to
[email protected].
Recall I owned shares in
Gilead over the past few months
as it developed some new drugs.
Looking for some ag inspiration?
Watch the AgCanada TV video series online now.
Gain a new perspective on your farm, your family
and your future with this informative video series
from Farm Credit Canada.
INFORMATIVE:
INSPIRATIONAL:
Watch reviews of the latest ag products.
From vehicles, equipment and services to
emerging ag technologies.
Listen to such noted speakers as Rick
Hanson and many others discuss the
challenges and rewards of farm living.
Current AGCanadaTV topics include:

Know Your Options: Take the Risk Out of Grain Marketing
Tyler Russell, Cargill National Grain Marketing Solutions Manager shares
how farmers can mitigate grain marketing risks and go from price takers
to price makers.
Trade in the Canadian Agri-food Industry

Hear about the resiliency of Canada’s agri-food industry and its
importance in the Canadian economy from FCC Chief Agricultural
Economist J.P. Gervais.
Grainews looks at Ford’s all-new, aluminum-bodied F-150

Grainews field editor Lisa Guenther talks with Trevor Boquist about the
features on Ford’s 2015 F Series truck.
Start watching: www.agcanada.com/video
AGCanadaTV is sponsored by
APRIL 7, 2015 grainews.ca /
31
Machinery & Shop
New equipment
AGCO updates
its RG700
RoGator
photo: agco
The RoGator RG700 will be rereleased in the
spring of 2015 as the updated RG700B.
The RG700
sprayer gets
enhanced
features, and
becomes the
RG700B
By Scott Garvey
A
GCO says it’s giving its
RG700 self-propelled
sprayer an update for
model year 2015, with a
simplified drive system to improve
performance and make for easier operation. The RG700 is the
junior model in AGCO’s RoGator
line. With a 700-gallon-tank, it
debuted last season as the newest and smallest member of the
RoGator family.
The plan is to have the redesigned model ready for introduction in late spring 2015. It will
then wear the new model number
designation RG700B. In addition
to having a Tier 4 Final engine, the
RoGator’s AWD (all-wheel drive)
Smart Drive System will enable
some components to operate
automatically without operator
input, according to Craig Miller,
sales and marketing specialist for
AGCO Application Equipment.
“The drive system will offer presets for both transport and field
conditions,” he says. “Within the
field range, the RPM floor setting
remains adjustable, although with
a higher limit to ensure peak performance.”
AGCO’s own AWD Smart
Drive System is designed to
provide consistent field speed
without shifting and improved
traction keeping all four wheels
on the ground. The result
should be a smoother ride, less
wear and tear on the booms and
more precise product application, even under variable field
conditions.
All of the RG700’s other features will carry over to the
2015 RG700B, including the
165-horsepower engine, adjustable track widths, boom control, steering systems, cab and
the option to order it ready for
Raven’s Slingshot digital technology right from the factory. †
Uptime. All the time.
You know downtime is not an option. And that’s why we
designed our MoCo cutterbars to have advanced shearhub
protection.
Unlike other MoCo’s, it protects the full cutterbar, including
the drive hub, from internal damage should you hit one of the
many unpleasant surprises that hide in felds. Rocks, stumps,
and tree limbs that would normally put you out of commission
will now only be a quick and easy in-feld repair. And our
cutterbar is so reliable it comes with an exceptional 3-year
warranty*.
Everything about a John Deere Mower Conditioner has
been designed to raise performance to all new levels, while
greatly reducing the chances of downtime. And should your
MoCo ever need service, it’s good to know that there’s a local
John Deere dealer standing behind you who will get you back
up and running – fast.
See your John Deere dealer today about a new 600, 800, or
900 Series Mower Conditioner – and enjoy uptime, all the time.
*
Three-year Cutterbar warranty covers internal drive components on 600 and
800 Series Mower Conditioners. See the CUTTERBAR LIMITED WARRANTY at
dealer for details.
JohnDeere.com/Hay
JohnDeere.ca/Hay
Model/item may not be exactly as shown.
Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews.
Contact him at [email protected].
58020-22_8.125x10.indd 1
3/4/15 3:53 PM
32
/ grainews.ca APRIL 7, 2015
Machinery & Shop
JCB field day
JCB Fastrac updates meant to
appeal to North American farmers
Grainews test drove the 4000 Series Fastrac tractor at JCB’s Georgia facility
By Scott Garvey
I
t’s been about 24 years since
U.K-based JCB introduced
the ag industry’s first highspeed tractor, the Fastrac.
That was back in 1991. This past
January, the company debuted a
reengineered version of that tractor, the new 4000 Series, at an
event in Quebec. The new tractor
also made an appearance at the
National Farm Machinery Show in
Louisville, Kentucky, in February.
In early March, members of the
farm media were invited to JCB’s
Savannah, Georgia, facility to see
all the brand’s new equipment,
including the 4000 Series Fastrac.
“It was the world’s first fully
suspended tractor,” said Tim
Burnhope, JCB’s chief innovation
and growth officer, during a formal presentation at the company’s
Savannah assembly plant. “It’s still
the only fully suspended tractor
on the market.”
With the 4000’s equal-wheel
design, full suspension, central
cab, air brake connections and rear
platform capable of carrying a load
of up to 4,000 kilograms (8,800
pounds), it remains unique in the
Canadian ag equipment marketplace. And company executives
are hoping the design changes
built into this series will make it
even more appealing to North
American farmers.
The 4000 Series addresses what
Dan Schmidt, JCB’s vice president
of ag equipment in North America,
says were criticisms of the previous
generation. Most notably, that the
Fastrac couldn’t be configured to
work in row-crop fields.
“The issue has always been for
the U.S. and Canada, yeah, I like
your tractor, but can it row crop,”
he said. “Until now, we haven’t
had that. So now, with narrower
tires, which are 65 kp/h rated, we
can set this up for traditional row
crops. We went to a new chassis
design. This chassis is a unibody
style, but it’s also narrower.”
The narrow chassis also gives the
4000 Series what Schmidt says is a
“best-in-class turning radius” of just
over 10 metres. (Although other
than maybe the Claas Xerion, it’s
hard to imagine what other tractors you could consider to be in the
same class as the Fastrac.) To further improve manoeuvrability, buyers can opt for standard front axle
steering only or an optional feature
that includes five different steering
modes by incorporating rear axle
steering. Also with the Fast Steer
option, steering wheel sensitivity
can be increased to only two full
turns lock-to-lock to make the tractor easier to handle in tight spaces.
Another
thing
engineers
addressed in the new tractors that
put off potential buyers on the
previous 2000 Series was that it
wasn’t ready for a front-end loader.
“For the first time ever, more
specifically for North America,
the 4000 Series is loader ready,”
Schmidt continued. “We think
this will be a great opportunity
in this 160 to 220 horsepower
class. On the Fastrac, I think mate-
1
photos: scott garvey
2
4
3
rial handling with loader work
is going to be a big deal for us.
Because we have a loader, you can
lock, or make the suspension rigid,
on the front.”
Listening to the users
According to Schmidt, these
improvements were the direct
result of feedback from North
American farmers.
“We built this tractor around
key elements that the traditional
ag customers appreciated most,”
he explained. “The Fastrac customers always knew it was fast.
The fully integrated suspension;
we had to maintain that. It had to
have powerful braking; if you’re
going to go fast you have to be
able to stop the load. And finally,
they really appreciated the deluxe,
centre-mount cab. We had to take
those features and incorporate
them into a new platform and a
new package.”
“We’ve tested it for thousands
of hours and had it with a huge
number of customers,” added
Burnhope.
To spin the tires, which are
now available in a variety of sizes,
all three Fastrac models will use
AGCO’s 6.6 litre, six-cylinder diesel mated to a CVT transmission.
In the hydraulics department, a
144 l.p.m. (38 g.p.m.), flow-on-
demand, closed centre, piston
pump delivers oil flow to implements while a separate gear pump
keeps fluid supplied to the tractor
steering system.
Brand
executives
believe
Fastrac’s high speed, along with
its standard rear air brake connections, which allow it to pull a
heavy truck trailer, will give the
tractor unique appeal to farmers who need to move equipment like sprayer nurse tenders,
round bale wagons or grain carts
back and forth to the field in
record time. And it can couple
that ability with the kind of traction offered only by a four-wheel
drive tractor.
“With North American farms
getting larger and larger, faster
cycle times really help improve
the materials handling process,”
said Schmidt.
And the unique rear deck behind
the Fastrac’s cab can handle a large
tank. Fitting a sprayer boom kit
to the tractor effectively turns it
into a high-speed field sprayer,
eliminating the need to invest in
a dedicated SP sprayer that is only
capable of doing one function.
“In Europe they do a lot of
spraying (with a Fastrac),” he
added. “This deck can hold 8,800
pounds.” †
Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews.
Contact him at [email protected].
APRIL 7, 2015 grainews.ca /
33
Machinery & Shop
5
6
1. The three 160 to 220 horsepower models in the new 4000 Series Fastrac
offer a 65 km/h road speed, full four-wheel suspension and are now loader
ready. 2. The “combine-sized” cab includes more space and glass area
than the previous 2000 Series, and the driver’s sear, with its attached
control arm, pivots 50 degrees right and 20 degrees left. 3 The new design
for the 4000 Series includes a sloping front hood for improved visibility
when doing loader work. 4. Air brake trailer connections and a three-point
hitch with an 8,045 kilogram (17,700 pound) lift capacity are standard. 5. A
front-mounted three-point hitch is available. 6. A feature offering five
different steering modes is available as an option.
About JCB
About JCB
IT PAYS TO LISTEN
FOR BLOCKAGE.
A
lthough JCB has
been doing business
in North America
for over four decades, many in Canadian agriculture may not know much
about the company or its origins. So here’s the lowdown.
JCB, whose name is the
initials of its founder, Joseph
Cyril Bamford, began by
manufacturing agricultural
end-dump trailers in a oneman operation in Uttoxetter,
England, after the Second
World War. Bamford was one
of several European entrepreneurs in that era to use
surplus military equipment
to manufacture products for
peace time needs.
Since 1945, the business, which is still privately
owned, expanded to one that
now employs roughly 11,000
workers worldwide and sells
its products through about
750 dealers, globally.
The firm builds light construction and ag equipment
on four continents. It has
also built modified construction machines for the British
and U.S. military, including
the Hemi, an armoured backhoe capable of travelling 100
kilometres per hour.
Skid-steers, compact loaders, backhoes and telehandlers bound for the North
American market are assembled at its plant in Savannah,
Georgia.
JCB’s world headquarters
is in England, and its current chairman, Joseph’s son,
Lord Anthony Bamford, also
farms. †
The Wireless Blockage and Flow Monitor from Intelligent
Ag uses patent-pending acoustic sensors to instantly
detect blockages or reduced flow, anywhere in your air
seeder, fertilizer applicator or box drill. Easy to install and
simple to use, this system utilizes Wi-Fi technology and
robust rubber tubing to take wire problems out of play,
and your iPad functions as its versatile in-cab monitor.
Keep your ears open, and never turn a blind eye to a
blocked implement. You’ll put more in the ground, and get
more profit out of it.
Scott Garvey
To find a dealer near you, visit IntelligentAg.com or call:
306-978-0872 (N. SK, AB, BC)
Visit grainews.ca
to sign up for enews.
306-546-2497 (S. SK, MB, ON)
Grainews_022515.indd 1
2/25/15 8:38 AM
34
/ grainews.ca APRIL 7, 2015
Machinery & Shop
forage production
Loader tractor or telehandler?
JCB executives believe once North American farmers get used to telescopic
handlers, they’ll never go back to a conventional ag tractor and loader
By Scott Garvey
1
uropean farmers have
been buying telehandlers in pretty large
numbers for decades,
but here in North America, onfarm materials handling has
been pretty much the domain
of the ag tractor equipped with
a front-end loader. Telehandler
sales numbers here have been
relatively small — so far.
Executives at JCB think a large
number of farmers who use loader tractors would be much better
served with one of the brand’s
purpose-built “Agri” telescopic
handlers.
JCB, originally founded in the
United Kingdom, is one of the
originators of the telehandler
concept. The brand introduced
its first Loadall model about 38
years ago. Today, the firm considers itself a leader in on-farm
materials handling, because it
offers a range of equipment,
such as telehandlers, skid-steers
and wheel loaders, specifically
equipped for farmers.
“The telehandler market in
North America is still in its very
early stages,” said Ray Bingley,
JCB’s North American product
and sales manager, during a
media event at the company’s
Savannah, Georgia, plant in
March. “The market is still small,
but we know we are headed in
the right direction, because we
talk to customers all the time.
The guys that buy them will tell
us they don’t know how they
managed their farm without it.”
“We have a range of 10
machines, starting with the 52560,” he added.
The 74 horsepower, low profile
Loadall 525-60 Agri is designed
to get into the smallest build-
2
E
» continued on next page
3
4
photo: scott garvey
1. Product and sales manager Ray Bingley explains the
features of JCB’s smallest telehandler, the 525-60 Agri, at
a company event in Savannah, Georgia, in March. 2. The
extended reach of the articulated telescopic loader gives
an operator greater flexibility when handling loads like
large round bales. 3. Telescopic handlers can lift loads
to much greater heights than a standard ag tractor with
front-end loader. 4. The TM220 is one of two articulated
telescopic loader models in JCB’s equipment line that
combine the articulated configuration of a wheel loader with
the extendable reach of a telehandler.
APRIL 7, 2015 grainews.ca /
35
Machinery & Shop
» CONTINUED FROM Previous PAGE
ings with a maximum height of
only 6 feet, 3 inches and a width
of 6 feet. The company makes
versions of this model available
with features designed to appeal
directly to poultry and hog producers.
The 525-60 Agri can lift 1,360
kilgrams (3,000 pounds) up to a
maximum height of 6.09 metres
(20 ft.). These specs are something a standard ag tractor that
could fit through a doorway as
small as one the 525-60 can slip
through just can’t match.
At the top end of the agricultural Loadall range is the 560-80
Agri Super, which can hold 3,000
kilograms (6,613 lbs.) at the top
of its boom lift, 7.9 m (25 ft., 9
in.) in the air.
The Loadall range includes features like end dampening when
retracting the boom or lowering lift cylinders. That helps take
the shock out of quick hydraulic adjustments. And the Smooth
Ride Suspension system can help
stabilize the machine when carrying loads.
The larger Loadalls get a
6-speed powershift transmission
with lock-up torque converter
and a regenerative hydraulic system that recoups energy when
the boom is retracted or lowered,
which also allows for more rapid
cylinder retraction.
“There is now a new automated bucket control system to
rapidly vibrate the bucket when
tipping muck and other sticky
materials,” said Tim Burnhope,
JCB chief innovation and
growth officer.
JCB offers “one can” SCR engine emissions solution
J
CB’s new Ecomax Tier 4 Final engines, are being installed in some
North American Loadall models for the first time in 2015. These
diesels have ratings of 109, 125 and 145 horsepower. According
to Alan Tolley, director of engine programs, even though these
diesels meet Tier 4 Final emissions standards, they remain compact
enough to fit into the existing chassis.
The reason for that is the “one can” emissions system that doesn’t
require a diesel particulate filter or diesel oxidation catalyst.
“The SCR unit is so compact, that in many cases it replaces the
existing exhaust,” says Tolley. “A two to three per cent ratio of additive (diesel exhaust fluid) to fuel is all we need to reach the NOx
targets, depending on the duty cycle. We believe this could be the
lowest in the industry.”
And the new engines offer a five per cent improvement in fuel
consumption over the previous generation.
The new TM220 articulated telescopic handler uses a 74 horsepower,
2.5 litre JCB by Kohler diesel, the same engine used in some of the
brand’s skid-steer loaders. Peak output occurs at just 1,500 r.p.m. and
almost 90 per cent of that is still available all the way down at 1,000
r.p.m. according to Tolley. The JCB by Kohler engine uses a combination of technologies from both brands, which were developed into the
current diesel by engine manufacturer Kohler. †
Scott Garvey
photo: scott garvey
JCB Loadalls and Telemasters use the brand’s own Ecomax diesels or
JCB by Kohler engines.
ALL NEW PRECISION
Auto Steer Solutions
The Telemaster
But now there is another
machine in JCB’s equipment stable that may appeal to Canadian
farmers even more than the
Loadall range of Agri telehandlers.
That is the Telemaster TM Series,
which is a blend of an articulated
wheel loader and a telehandler.
“Our Telemaster range has
been developed exclusively for
farmers,” said Burnhope. “It’s
a new concept in ag materials
handling in North America, but
it’s one that is gathering some
momentum quickly.”
With a configuration that more
closely resembles a wheel loader,
the operator sits in a central cab,
mounted higher on the chassis. But instead of standard lift
arms, it uses a telescopic boom.
JCB now offers two models of
Telemaster, the TM320 and the
brand new, smaller TM220.
“Sales to farmers in the U.S.
and Canada (of the TM320) have
exceeded our expectations, and
we expect sales of the TM220 will
be just as high,” added Burnhope.
“The TM220 will lift to a maximum height of 15 ft. (4.57 m)
and when extended it will support 2,535 lbs. (1,152 kg) at full
forward reach to off-load a trailer
or place a hay bale over a fence or
into a feeder.”
“The articulated chasis steering means that manoeuvrability
is very neat and predictable,”
he added. “Furthermore, operators can tweak the position of
a grab or bucket sideways while
stationary for precise placement
of materials. JCB Telemasters are
the perfect solution for operators
who want to drive like a wheel
loader but want the benefits of a
telescopic boom.” †
Drive
As a pioneer of the agricultural autosteer industry,
Outback Guidance® latest eDriveXC™ takes automated
steering and eTurns™ autoturn to the next level.
Outback MAX™ with ISO
Outback STX™
When combined with Outback MAX™ or Outback STX™, the eDriveXC system
provides an accurate and affordable steering platform that meets today’s
precision needs. eDriveXC offers growers the centimeter-level performance
needed to tackle demanding planting and nutrient placement applications
with season-to-season repeatability.
326 Saulteaux Crescent
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3J 3T2
Phone: (204) 888-4472
Toll Free: (866) 888-4472
Fax: (204) 888-0991
www.OutbackGuidance.com
Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews.
Contact him at [email protected].
OB-230B.indd 1
1/29/15 1:51 PM
36
/ grainews.ca APRIL 7, 2015
Machinery & Shop
John Deere
Deere adds large square balers
The brand introduces two models with all-new,
in-house engineering to its equipment line
By Scott Garvey
W
hen it introduced
its new 2015 product line at an event
in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin, in August, John Deere
significantly beefed up its hay
and forage implement offerings.
Arguably the most notable additions to that segment were the two
L Series balers that will be market
ready for the upcoming season.
“This is one we’ve been waiting to come to the market with
for quite a while,” says Jeremy
Unruh, product line manager for
hay and forage. “We’re excited
about it. I think this is a big one
for us.”
The L330 and L340 will make
3x3 foot and 3x4 foot bales,
respectively. In 2011, Deere
purchased authorization to use
European haying equipment
manufacturer Kuhn’s basic baler
design in the development of the
L Series. And although the Kuhn
baler formed the basis for Deere
engineers to build on, extensive
redesign and more than a little
in-house engineering makes these
uniquely John Deere.
“This is a John Deere designed
and manufactured product,”
Unruh continues. “We’ve actually started a new line at the factory. We have over 2,100 parts on
this baler, and we’ve designed 85
per cent of them. We took that
design (from Kuhn) and it helped
us get started out of the gate.
We changed 85 per cent of that
baler, or maybe a little bit more,
to make sure it fit our needs
in the North American market.
What we bought was a single-tie
machine that was manufactured
in Europe and what we are producing is a double-tie machine
manufactured in Ottumwa,
Iowa.”
The double-tie knotters reduce
the number of misses compared
to single-tie versions, say Deere’s
product marketing reps. The
knotters use a replaceable billhook and wiper plate, making
repairs a little easier. The balers also use hydraulically-driven
cleaning fans to keep debris out
of the knotters.
“On this system if there is a
problem with the knotter, you
can take it apart without having
to pull out the entire shaft,” says
Louis Fernandez, senior marketing rep.
And to keep all the key components properly timed, the L
Series models use direct drives
rather than chains. “Our timed
components are gear and shaft
drive,” Fernandez adds. “Some
of our competition uses chain
drives. Over time chains will
stretch, and we have a lot of
moving parts in here that all
need to be in correct time.”
Buyers have a choice of a
standard feeder system or one
that pre-cuts the crop feeding in,
which research has shown helps
improve feed utilization.
“They come in two configurations,” says Unruh. “The first is a
standard rotor. The second configuration is a pre-cutter. A precutter helps you size the material, which allows a cow, sheep or
horse to better digest it. We call it
theoretical cut (length), because
it’s not going to be perfect, but
we can get from six inches down
to about an inch and a half.”
Although the L Series balers are
designed to mate seamlessly with
Deere’s own GreenStar monitor,
they are ISOBus compatible, so
they can be controlled by a virtual terminal from any tractor.
“If a customer has a different
coloured tractor, using ISOBus,
we utilize it that way as well, but
we see optimization with a greenon-green solution,” Unruh adds.
And although the balers aren’t
available with moisture sensors
at the moment, Unruh says that
feature is currently in development and will likely be an option
in the future.
“Based on our test performance and field tests the factory
has completed, our bale shape,
our size and the ability to stack a
truck or fill up a barn is going to
be right on par or a little bit better than those (competing brands
of balers) on the market today,”
he continues. “We’re looking at
getting these machines to our
dealers in time for the 2015 hay
season.” †
1
photo: john deere
2
photo: john deere
3
Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews.
Contact him at [email protected].
ACCESS YOUR FIELDS
AT ALL TIMES
photo: scott garvey
4
Thanks to their unique design and market-leading footprint, Soucy TM systems:
• Reduce compaction
• Eliminate ruts
• Are ideal for no-till
• Reduce fuel consumption
• Provide outstanding comfort
• Save you time and money
ST-1000
ST-032
TM
www.soucy-track.com
photo: scott garvey
1. John Deere is introducing two large square baler models for the 2015
haying season. 2. Deere’s Frontier equipment line includes a bale spear
designed for large, square bales, which handle up to three at a time.
Frontier will also offer a squeeze-type grapple attachment. 3. Easy-toopen panels that offer good access along with simple service procedures
were two of the key points marketing reps wanted to emphasize about
the L Series balers. 4. Louis Rodriguez points out the features of the
Deere-designed, double-tie knotter.
APRIL 7, 2015 grainews.ca /
37
Machinery & Shop
Equipment accessories
Blue lights improve night spraying
photos: comatra
Left: Illumination from blue LED lights improves the visual contrast
at night and allows operators to more easily sprayer nozzle patterns,
according to the manufacturer. Right: The Comatra kit includes two LED
lights and wiring harnesses. Each light can illuminate about 18 metres
(about 60 feet) of boom.
LED light
kits designed
to better
illuminate
sprayer booms
By Scott Garvey
N
ight spraying can offer
advantages, such as
reduced wind speeds
to minimize drift and
slower rates of evaporation. But
defective nozzle spray patterns
can be much more difficult to
see in the dark, even with boom
lighting.
The Belgian company Comatra
Safety Systems is offering
Canadian farmers what it thinks
is an ideal solution to that problem. The firm’s CMTXV10 blue
LED light kits offer improved
visual contrast over white light,
allowing an operator to more
easily see the spray patterns
along the boom.
The LED lights draw 16.2
amps at 12 volts, have die-cast
aluminium bodies along with
stainless steel mounting brackets to resist corrosion and a
vibration resistance rating of
8.6 Gs.
Although Comatra doesn’t yet
have a Canadian distributor (they
are apparently looking for one),
it will ship lighting kits directly
to producers from Europe via
FedEx, and the cost of shipping
is included in the U.S.$344.00
purchase price. The kit, which
includes two LED lights and
wiring leads, will illuminate a
36-metre (118 foot) boom.
For more information visit
their website at www.comatra.
eu or email them directly at
[email protected]. †
Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews.
Contact him at [email protected].
Visit grainews.ca
to sign up for enews.
38
/ grainews.ca APRIL 7, 2015
Machinery & Shop
New machinery
New 6-Family JD tractors
New and updated models in the brand’s utility and mid-range tractor categories
By Scott Garvey
A
t its dealer convention in
Milwaukee, Wisconsin,
last August, John Deere
unveiled three new
models in its 6R Series tractor line.
It beefed up the previous 6170R,
6190R and 6210R models and rereleased them as the 6175R, 6195R
and 6215R, each with five more
rated horsepower. But they actually get 10 more maximum horsepower through the Intelligent
Power Management System,
which provides a boost when the
load on the tractor gets heavy.
“The three models we’re introducing here in Milwaukee are the
top three models in our 6R lineup: the 175, 195, and 215,” said
Brad Tolbert, marketing manager
for 6-Family tractors. “One key
thing, we added five horsepower
but also added 10 horsepower to
Intelligent Power Management.
One way to think of it (IPM) is
when I hit a slug and need a little
more power to move that through
the baler or I’m pulling a grain
cart down the road and have to go
up a hill and I’m maxing out my
power, that extra 40 horsepower is
there when you need it.”
In November, Deere added
another three tractors to 6R line,
with the introduction of three all
new, small-framed versions: the
6110R, 6120R and 6130R, which
fall into the 110 to 130 engine
horsepower bracket.
The new small-frame 6R tractors are designed with many of
the hydraulic, control and com-
fort features of the larger models,
but with a more compact size that
offers customers the manoeuvrability many want to more easily
handle a wide variety of chores,
according to Kory Ross, product
manager for mid-tractors.
And of those new features Ross
was referring to, it was hydraulic
improvements that figured most
prominently in Deere’s redesign
of the larger-framed 6Rs, which
according to Tolbert, was driven by customer feedback. “We
asked customers in a focus group
what they liked best about what
we did with the 6Rs, and they
said it’s the hydraulic update,”
he explained.
The rear SCVs have been more
conveniently placed and up to
six are now available. They use
the same rear coupler design
found on the larger 7R and 8R
tractors. And maximum hydraulic pump capacity has been
bumped up to 41 gallons (155
litres) per minute.
Inside the 6R cabs, things look
a little different this year. The 6R
operator’s seat now swivels 30
degrees to the right to avoid neck
strain when watching a trailed
implement. These tractors get
the same CommandArm control
arrangement their big brothers,
the 7Rs, 8Rs and 9Rs, use. And
buyers can opt for either a seveninch or 10-inch display screen.
Deere’s thinking is those who
want to use their 6R for a loader
tractor will opt for the smaller
monitor so they have better visibility. Anyone who plans on
photos: scott garvey
The three largest 6R tractor models get more horsepower and improved hydraulic performance for 2015. They
are also joined by three new, small-frame models in the 110 to 130 horsepower range.
using the tractor primarily for
field use will get better use out of
the larger version.
“We see the 6R as that transition from the utility tractor to the
row-crop tractor,” added Tolbert.
“Our dealers have the ability to
customize these tractors to meet
the application profile that their
customers need. We know our
customers at these horsepower
levels do more varied applications
with these tractors than any other
horsepower levels.”
Under the hoods, 6Rs will still
JUMP START YOUR SEEDING
WITH DEVLOO ROTO MUD SCRAPERS
use Deere’s own PowerTech diesel,
but it is now Tier 4 Final emissions compliant.
“We’re still using our John
Deere PowerTech, really the only
thing that’s changed from a customer perspective is you’re putting
two fluids in it (diesel and DEF),”
said Tolbert. “We’ve changed our
oil change intervals to 750 hours.”
The 6D Series
For producers who don’t need
all the high-end features the 6Rs
offer but still want a dependable
tractor that tops out the utility
segment and nudges the midrange category, Deere has a less
expensive option for them: the
6D Series. These tractors are a little
lower spec, and they don’t carry
the same engine management,
digital capacity and cab arrangements. But they can still drag a
baler, mower conditioner or even
tillage implement around a field
pretty efficiently.
“The 6D is our price finder,
it’s a value-spec tractor,” said
Jason Thomas, product manager,
Waterloo. “It offers all the functionality (some buyers) need at the
right price point.”
Don’t look for the CommandArm
or swivel seat in these cabs, but you
will find two new PowrReverser
transmission options for 2015,
which makes them much more
efficient in the field and allows for
clutch-less reversing when doing
loader work.
“It seems like a small change,
but really it’s a big change,” said
Tolbert. “In the 6D Series we’ve
introduced two new transmissions, these are replacing our current 9x9s. The 12x12 doubled the
number of gears we have in the
working range (5 to 13 m.p.h.).
Our 24x12, that’s the next level
up, 12 gears in the working range.”
Even without a powershift
option, the synchronized gear feature allows operators to manually shift the tractor in the field to
compensate for changing conditions. That becomes possible when
running a PTO-driven machine,
like a baler, that doesn’t put a
major load on the drawbar.
“With these new transmissions
it’s going to be a lot easier to find the
right working speeds, said Thomas.
“We’ve incorporated a new H-shift
pattern. To take it a step further, we
synchronized C and D ranges. The
operator can go from B to C and C
to D then back down without ever
coming to a stop. In the cab your
gear and range levers are on the
right-hand side.”
The 6D Series offers four models
from 105 to 140 horsepower. †
Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews.
Contact him at [email protected].
• Earlier seeding that leads to an
earlier harvest
• More consistent seed-depth
• Better fuel economy
• Less friction and wear
OVER 30,000 SCRAPERS NOW IN USE ACROSS THE PRAIRIES
WWW.ROTOMUDSCRAPERS.COM
Call us: 204.825.7655 North America: 888.744.2077 Email: [email protected]
The CommandArm, previously only available on the 7R, 8R and 9R
tractors, is now standard equipment in the 6R line. Two monitor options
with seven- or 10-inch screens are available.
APRIL 7, 2015 grainews.ca /
39
Cattleman’s Corner
The Markets
Higher feed costs
to push calves down
Jerry Klassen
I
’ve received many inquiries
from cattle producers regarding the barley outlook for the
summer and fall. The cost-perpound of gain is an important factor determining feeder cattle prices
and there is generally an inverse
relationship between feed grain
prices and feeder cattle values.
When feed grain prices increase,
(as experienced during the U.S.
Midwest drought of 2012) feeder
cattle prices tend to come under
pressure to the extent that margins
in the feedlot sector move into
negative territory.
Earlier this winter, for example, 840-pound steers were selling
for $240/cwt and the Lethbridge
delivered barley was $4.35 per
bushel resulting in a break even
selling price of $184/cwt for the
finished animal.
If the price of feed barley
increases, the purchase price of
840-pound steer needs to come
down in order to keep the break
even price constant. Feedlots generally bid up the price of feeder
cattle so there is very little margin
for finishing cattle.
KEEP EYE ON GRAIN PRODUCTION
Through the growing season, it is
prudent that cattle producers keep
up with crop conditions and yield
prospects because the sharp operators are constantly updating their
ideas for barley production and price
forecasts, which influences what
they can pay for feeder cattle.
The supply and demand table for
Canadian barley covers years back
to 2011-12 for comparison but the
eight-year average is what I use to
gauge the price forecast. I use the
eight-year average because during
the 2006-07 crop year cereal grains
moved into a new price range due
to growing ethanol and biofuel
usage. The eight-year average price
delivered to a Lethbridge area feedlot is $187/mt. If the carryout or
ending stocks for the crop year is
below the eight-year average carryout, prices will trade above the
eight-year average price and vice
versa. If the carryout is about the
same as the eight-year average then
analysts look at seasonal tendencies from larger supplies at harvest
to the peak demand season, which
is April.
We are over half way through
the 2014-15 crop year and we have
a fairly good handle on the fundamental structure which will result
in a carryout of 1.3 million mt.
This is down from the eight-year
average of 1.8 million mt so we can
expect that feed grain prices will
be relatively firm to slightly higher
for the remainder of the crop year.
Feedlot operators will likely reign
in their buying ideas for feeder cattle in April through July should the
price of barley increase by $20/mt
to $30/mt as expected.
TIGHT SUPPLIES FORECAST
Looking forward to 2015-16 crop
year, the grain industry is anticipating a five per cent increase in
barley acreage. Barley producers in
the non-major feeding regions are
expected to plant malt barley on
the hopes of malt selection. Malt
barley prices have been in the range
of $5.50/bushel to $6/bushel resulting in one of the higher returns
per acre compared to other crops.
Using a typical abandonment rate
and average yield of 60 bushels per
acre, production will finish near
7.2 million mt.
This is 2.2 million mt below
the eight-year average production
so we are starting with historically low production. Using an estimated barley export program of
800,000 mt (which will be mostly
malt barley) and similar demand
as this crop year, the carryout for
2015-16 will be extremely tight at
1.0 million mt. This could cause
barley prices to strengthen an additional $30/mt to $50/mt next winter, which would cause feeder cattle
SUPPLY AND DISPOSITION OF CANADIAN BARLEY
Stats
Can
Stats
Can
8 year
Est
Est
11-12
6,472
5,843
12-13
7,405
6,797
13-14
7,083
6,554
Ave
8,234
7,344
14-15
5,880
5,279
15-16
6,174
5,495
61.00
54.10
71.70
59
61.90
60.00
1,441
1,195
983
1,931
1,924
1,323
7,755
14
9,210
8,012
19
9,226
10,237
9
11,229
9,433
34
11,398
7,114
20
9,058
7,178
20
8,521
1,200
257
1,250
249
1,587
207
1,522
278
1,100
235
800
235
933
886
1,002
967
900
950
5,625
5,858
6,509
6,863
5,500
5,500
TOTAL USE
8,015
8,243
9,305
9,630
7,735
7,485
TOTAL
CARRYOVER
1,195
983
1,924
1,768
1,323
1,036
Acres Seeded
Actes Harv.
Yield (bushles
pre acre)
prices to come under pressure. As a
rule of thumb, a $50 jump in barley prices causes the cost per pound
gain (barley and silage only) to
increase by $0.20 per pound.
The outlook for feed barley is for
higher prices next winter if average yields materialize and seeded
acreage increases by five per cent.
Currently, feedlots whave bid up the
price of feeder cattle so there is very
little margin in finishing animals.
If feed barley prices strengthen and
fed cattle prices stay relatively constant, feeder cattle values will soften
from current levels. †
Gerald Klassen analyzes cattle and hog markets
in Winnipeg and also maintains an interest in the
family feedlot in southern Alberta. For comments
or speaking engagements, he can be reached
at [email protected] or call 204 899 8268.
Stats
Can
(000 TONNES)
SUPPLY
Opening
Stocks Aug. 1
Production
Imports
TOTAL SUPPLY
USE
Exports
Seed
Human Food/
Industrial \1
Feed-WasteDockage
1/ includes barley processed domestically and then exported as malt.
NOW AVAILABLE!!
Introducing
Weatherfarm
Mobile
Weather from hundreds of stations
available on your smartphone!
Available FREE for iPhone & Android devices
The new Weatherfarm Mobile app gives you
instant access to an extensive, live-updating
network with current and forecasted weather
data for your farm or surrounding area.
App features include:
Current conditions
Hourly, 6 hour and 10 day forecast data
 Radar & satellite data
 Weather news & facts
 Weather alerts
 Market and ag news
 Intuitive interface with large,
easy-to-read text
 More to Come


The Weatherfarm Mobile app gives farmers
clear and comprehensive weather information
that is essential to their operation.
Scan the code below to download the app available for iPhone and Android devices.
For more information please contact us at:
[email protected]
Get weather on your desktop at
weatherfarm.com
40
/ grainews.ca APRIL 7, 2015
Cattleman’s Corner
better bunks and pastures
Late spring calving can pack a profit
There are management issues, but also several pluses by waiting ’til mid-May calving
PETER
VITTI
better body condition (to be better
prepared for calving). Producers
would save money on their overwintering feeding program.
SUBSTANTIAL SAVINGS
I
remember not too long ago,
cow-calf operators in Western
Canada calved most cows by
mid-March. This century-old
tradition allowed cows to nurse
their calves and put heavy weaning-weight over the course of the
summer and then calves were sold
to feedlots by the end of October.
This doesn’t seem to be the sole
case anymore, since many people
have adjusted their calving season
to allow cows to give birth on
sprouting green pastures in order
to take advantage of a friendlier
climate and save on winter feeding costs.
Delaying the calving season
until May makes sense to me as a
beef nutritionist and novice economist. Since mid-gestation cows
in the middle of January/February
would have lower total nutrient
requirements compared to traditional cows in the last trimester of
pregnancy/calving.
This would allow producers
to overwinter the delayed cow
herd on good-quality forages of
lower nutrient value as well as
provide less energy and protein
supplementation. Furthermore, it
would also allow better efficiency
to increase their plane of nutrition to keep them warm during
the coldest winter months. As a
result, mid-gestation cows should
come out of a typical winter in
Consider the potential money
savings for a 250-beef cow operation by replacing all the drylot forages and half of the supplemented
barley grain in a drylot lactation
ration with one month of grazed
May pasture. One might assume
that cows were delayed one more
month in the fall and that grass
pastures in the late-spring contain
enough forage volume (dry matter
basis) to support the cow herd’s
general feed intake and contain
early vegetative growth of substantial energy and protein value
(note: some barley might still be
fed on pasture to assure all energy
needs are met).
The pencil calculations for potential savings of a late-spring calving
season are as follows: Total feed
intake of 15 kg = 600 kg x 2.5 per
cent of body weight, 15 kg = 14 kg of
mixed hay @ $90/mt + 1 kg of barley
@ $185/mt. One month winter feed
cost = $ 1.26 + $0.19 or $ 1.45 x 30
days. Total monthly feed cost savings (250 cows) = $ 10,875.
In this example, there is a general feed savings on over-winter
feed costs, but at the other end of
the scale, there might be dire economic consequences to revenue.
For example, some Canadian references state there is a difference
of about 50 kg less live weaned
pounds per calf sold during the
traditional autumn months.
Some of this loss of revenue
photo: file
Even though calves born in later spring might weigh less at weaning, there are several advantages to be
considered by switching to a mid-May calving season.
is offset by the marketing of
lighter-weight calves at higher
prices compared to heavier lowerpriced calves. Some studies by the
University of Alberta suggest latespring calves go through a summer
period of “catch up” in which they
growth faster than winter-born
calves, which significantly decreases this disparity. Some producers
often retain these light calves and
sell them at a later date in later
markets or put them into their own
background feeding programs.
Aside from the above potential
winter-feed savings and general
avoidance of calving out the cow
herd during arctic-like weather,
a late-calving season is not without its natural challenges. Under
poor weather conditions calves
are at greater risk of pneumonia
and diseases such as intestinal
scours.
BREEDING SEASON AFFECTED
By personal experience, one of
the first things that come to my
mind when producers switch from
midwinter to an early-spring calving season in May means that 80
days later their breeding season
tends to fall upon the hottest days
of the summer in July/August.
That means heat-stressed cows
are more likely to remain open,
because they are less likely to ovulate, have irregular estrus cycles,
may have poor conception rates,
and suffer from a high rate of early
embryonic deaths. Furthermore, a
period of “dog days” can literary
make otherwise-fertile bulls sterile.
A few years ago, I was called
out to a late-spring beef producer’s place (200-cow herd) in
southern Manitoba on a +30 C
July day. The owner was com-
plaining that a mineral feeding
program that I had put together for him was not working,
because one of his bulls couldn’t
settle a segregated group of 18
Angus replacement heifers.
I was confident that my mineral recommendations were sound
and once I saw his bull, which was
panting and testicles descended
to almost ground level; heat stress
had temporarily sterilized him.
All of the replacement heifers
were laying by the tree-line. In
a subsequent visit on a cooler
fall day, I discovered the same
bull had successfully bred each
one of those same heifers with a
new calf, which were put in the
producers’ fall-calving herd. †
Peter Vitti is an independent livestock
nutritionist and consultant based in Winnipeg.
To reach him call 204-254-7497 or by email at
[email protected].
Animal Health
Important points about scrotal circumference
Pay attention to minimum measurements for different breeds, but bigger isn’t always better
Roy
Lewis
animal
health
A
ll producers buying bulls
should understand the
meaning of a bull’s scrotal circumference. It is
good to review some of the common parameters and also clear up
a few misconceptions I’m sure are
out there. A tremendous amount of
information has been gathered and
we should use this when making
decisions with regards to our bull
selection. Scrotal measurement is
one of the best indicators of semen
output and hence fertility.
In measuring scrotal circumference the veterinarian pulls down
the testicles and measures across
the widest part of the scrotum.
The tape is then pulled tight,
compressing the scrotal skin.
This measurement (in centimetres) is then a correlation to the
testicular mass.
It is very repeatable as measurements made by different veterinarians might only vary by
one to two centimetres or so.
One must remember the technique used by U.S. veterinarians is much different than in
Canada. In the U.S. they simply
lay the tape around, pull it snug,
but do not compress the scrotal
skin. Often breeders importing
U.S. bulls will find their measurements four to five cm larger.
Caution then for anyone buying
U.S. bulls looking to increase
scrotal size; this very well could
be a misnomer by Canadian
standards.
Variability between measurements made by veterinarians or
producers, however is a concern.
Measuring tapes with spring
mechanisms on them standardize
the pull on the tape. Previously the
Coulter tape was used. Problems
in production and breakages have
seen this tape removed from the
market. The Reliabull Tape, a
newer tape invented by a professor in Saskatoon, works off
the same principle as the metal
tapes with a spring mechanism
and also works well. I personally
have found this tape very trouble
free, repeatable and durable. It
definitely standardizes the force
on the tape for veterinarians and
producers alike.
BREED MINIMUM
MEASUREMENTS
Beef breeds have established
accepted minimum scrotal circumferences in order to sell bulls
through sales. These vary from 29
cm for Limousin and Salers to 32
cm for Simmental at one year of
age. The breed associations generally have the accepted standard for
yearlings and two-year olds. The
two-year-old minimum is generally
two to four cm over the yearling
minimum. The Western Canadian
Association of Bovine Practitioners
have broken this down further with
minimums for 13, 14 and 15 to 20
months. This is because a bull’s
scrotum grows quite rapidly in the
10- to 15-month range so a real
difference exists when comparing
12-month-old bulls with 15-month
olds. A western Canadian survey
looked at average scrotal circumference of the breeds and a few were
adjusted upwards slightly reflecting
the increase in scrotal circumference from selection pressure.
These breed minimums are very
important as in most cases none or
very little semen is produced from
bulls measuring below the breed
minimums. These animals should
be culled from breeding programs.
At the very least, breeding capacity would be reduced significantly.
The different breeds definitely have
the distinctions. For example, a
30-cm Limousin yearling can produce good semen whereas a 30-cm
Simmental, even if we try to get
semen, there is virtually a 100 per
cent chance it is sterile. Therefore
the breed minimums are very
much worth noting. With other
species such as bison, 26 to 29 cm
for two-year olds is quite acceptable. Rams on the other hand often
measure around 40 cm. You can see
how through evolution different
scrotal sizes have occurred for different species.
With all the data that has been
collected on bulls over the years,
very accurate breed averages have
been established. These are constantly being pushed upwards
as purebred breeders select for
increased scrotal size in their herd
sires. Since scrotal size is highly
heritable breeders can keep driving up scrotal size. Replacement
heifers Heifer will also be earlier
maturing, as fertility is definately
enhanced by these larger-testicled
sires. These yearling averages vary
from 30.3 cm for Limousin to 36
cm for Simmental. Some producers only purchase bulls that are at
least close to the average for the
breed especially if breeding capacity is a concern.
BIGGER NOT always BETTER
While larger scrotal sizes are
desirable bigger is not always better. Research has shown that anything over 38 cm does not result
in any more semen production. I
get very nervous when yearlings of
any breed have scrotal size much
above 42 cm. Invariable problems
are encountered with abnormally
large scrotal size. Extremely large
mature bulls can even develop
problems with their suspensory
apparatus making temperature
regulation difficult.
When selecting your next herd
sires, get to know breed minimums, averages, make sure qualified veterinarians have done the
measurements and realize the differences between Canada and the
U.S. measuring techniques. Your
herd’s fertility depends on it. †
Roy Lewis is an Alberta-based veterinarian
specializing in large-animal practice. He is
also a part-time technical services vet for
Merck Animal Health.
BUILDING TRUST IN CANADIAN BEEF
Finding new benefits
in small beef production
Our smallest province understands small producers
The birthplace of Canada’s confederation is home
to another nation. Picturesque Prince Edward
Island (P.E.I.), with its iconic red soil, is home to
a nation of small beef producers.
There are just over 400 herds, most in the fiveto 50-head range. Much of what is produced here
is consumed regionally.
In many ways P.E.I. beef producers have had
a head start on the importance of issues such as
traceability. With fewer producers and natural
boundaries of an island culture, it is not hard to
trace back animals sold. Everyone knows everyone
and cattle sales are often to a relatively small circle.
Amanda Miller has a unique and personal perspective of this beef landscape. As co-ordinator
for the Verified Beef Production Program (VBP)
for P.E.I., and the three neighbouring Maritime
provinces she works daily with them.
That first-hand experience has led to a unique
view of how small producers can use VBP to
survive and prosper. Here are key points she
thinks may apply to smaller producers across the
country.
Think bigger. There are management options
and benefits available to larger-scale operations.
VBP allows small producers to have many of the
management benefits of much larger operations.
And it’s not really costly to achieve.
“Practically every producer who has taken the
VBP course tells me they have learned something about their management system,” says Miller.
“Simple things like the fact they need to change
how they mark and store medicated feeds. Or if
they have the tools to keep better records.
“VBP gives them a management framework
that is as effective as the largest operations in the
business. We help them think about their management and what they are doing on farm and
they can see how to make improvements.”
Think as an industry. One of the biggest benefits of VBP for small producers is to think as an
industry.
“Most beef producers I work with understand
that the public wants to know that their food is
safe. Producers know VBP is a simple way to demonstrate they are doing what’s right for the cattle
and for consumers.
“They know the importance of good records
to manage drug withdrawals or broken needles.
Thinking as an industry to maintain production
standards provides protection for their markets
and for them as individuals.”
Engage government. Building bridges with
government is a significant role for Canada’s
beef organizations. There is no one formula or
approach, but when it works, it is valuable for
sustaining a beef industry.
VBP has enjoyed solid support from the
PEI Department of Agricultures and Forestry.
Funding and programming available to cattle
producers through the Livestock Development
Program Beef Project helps them grow their business. Qualifying for that funding requires that
producers complete a VBP workshop, either in
person or online.
aSmall changes, big impact. In so many cases
it’s the little things that make a difference in
profitability of small beef operations, says Miller.
Each animal lost is so much a bigger factor for
small producers. Anything that can be done to
prevent that is huge.
“Producers open up in our on-farm workshops. They like the fact this program is not costly
and often that it has helped them tweak their
management.”
Canada’s small beef producers can play a big role in building customer confidence.
DEVELOPED BY PRODUCERS. DEVELOPED FOR CONSUMERS
CANADA’S
FIRST LINE
OF DEFENCE
AGAINST BRD:
NO B.S.
A sick calf costs time and money, so when it comes to preventing
BRD, serious cattlemen don’t play around. They go with the
proven leader — Pyramid® FP 5 + Presponse® SQ1. Over 10
million doses2 of this winning combination have been
administered for one simple reason: It works. One easy shot
protects your calves against 5 viruses and 1 bacteria associated
with bovine respiratory disease (BRD). And that’s no B.S.
For more information, talk to your
veterinarian or Boehringer Ingelheim
(Canada) Ltd. representative.
Aids in the prevention of disease caused by bovine rhinotracheitis virus, bovine virus diarrhea (Types I and II), bovine parainfluenza
3 and bovine respiratory syncytial virus, and aids in the reduction of severity of pneumonic pasteurellosis caused by Mannheimia
haemolytica. 2 Impact Vet data 2004–2014.Pyramid and Presponse are registered trademarks of Boehringer Ingelheim
Vetmedica, Inc. ©2015 Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd.
1
42
/ grainews.ca APRIL 7, 2015
Cattleman’s Corner
Anyone can start farming
Stall cleaning experience
A homemade schloop is one option for hauling manure to the field in winter
on it. It doesn’t fit into the barn
though so he has to fill one
wheelbarrow full at a time, but it
is closer to perfect than the old
flat stoneboat. Now we can make
compost on any field and easily
spread it when ready without
moving manure one bucketful
at a time.
Debbie
Chikousky
E
ver since we first wintered calves in our barn
it’s been challenging to
keep up with cleaning
in the winter. All kinds of advice
has been offered, but by far the
best came from our neighbour
lady whom passed away earlier this year. The best thing
is she would be very happy to
be remembered by my children
as the “Grandma” that was the
most awesome barn cleaner.
One day on her way home from
town, about 15 years ago, she
popped in for a cup of tea and
found the children and me struggling away with cleaning part of
the barn where the bedding had
frozen to the floor.
Cows being cows, they had
spilled water pails in their calving pens and it froze. We wanted
it cleaned down to the cement
because later it would melt and
make the fresh bedding dirty faster,
but we were not getting anywhere.
She asked for a pitchfork and proceeded to show our boys the proper
way to break this frozen bedding
and get it out in minutes.
She then voiced a valid opinion:
if we were better at keeping up
with this mess it wouldn’t have
Care with an old tank
photo: debbie chikousky
This fuel tank cut in half makes an excellent schloop for hauling manure
away from the barn until it can be spread on the field.
gotten so far ahead of us. But
winters were hard. You cannot
spread manure due to environmental regulations. And the fact is
that our little Case VA tractor will
not start in winter weather. What
do you do? You cannot just pile
right out the door forever. Then
she told us we needed a schloop.
We city slickers had no idea what
a schloop was.
She said it was a big piece of
metal, like a trough, which we
could park in the barn, load it,
then drag it out and make a compost pile wherever we wanted.
To dump the schlooop as it was
pulled across a field, stick a rod
into the ground and the schloop
would flip and dump. To my then
eight-year-old son this sounded
amazing. But it took us a while to
find the proper material for the
schloop.
A few years ago we were at
an auction sale and found a
stoneboat which was the closest
we could come to a schloop. It
worked OK but wasn’t an ideal
solution.
The other thing this neighbour lady taught us was to never
pitch manure twice if possible.
Moving manure piles from one
place to another is a waste of fuel
and time. So, our son set about
making a schloop out of an old
cleaned-out heating fuel tank.
The tank schloop had sides
so more manure could be piled
When making this version
of a schloop, the first step was
to make sure there was no risk
an explosion due to any fuel
vapours in the old tank when he
started cutting it with a cutting
wheel. Our welding expert said
to make sure it is empty and that
the big plugs are open. The tank
had open plugs and had been
sitting for years open so we were
safe. If you’re unsure it is best to
ask a welding expert for advice.
Using a chalkline he marked
a cutting line on the tank. Then
he proceeded to cut the shape of
the opening with a cutting wheel
on the angle grinder. He used
nine of the cheap generic cutting
blades. The DeWalt wheels had
a lot more cutting life in them.
If he had a choice he would
have used a cutting torch, which
would have sped up the work.
After the tank was cut, he
attached a cable to the front of
the tank so it could be pulled. He
used a pointy drift and punched
small holes near the bottom of
the front. Then he ran a steel
cable through the holes to make
a loop. He ran the cable through
small pipes on the inside along
the front to ensure the cable
didn’t tear through the tank. Two
steel cable clamps were used to
secure the ends of the cable. To
dump the loaded schloop, he uses
the bale fork on the tractor frontend loader — puts them under
the cable and lifts the tank.
Of course, he has changes he
would like to make to improve
this design, such as using a chain
to pull the schloop rather than
a cable.
This repurposed tank would
have met our neighbour lady’s
approval. It holds lots of manure
and we can pitch right into it.
Barn cleaning advice wasn’t
the only lesson our children
learned from the neighbour lady
that day. She told us lots of
stories about when her children
were home and they pitched out
the barn together. Apparently
we weren’t the only ones that
bonded over manure.
As we all move through calving season and welcome all the
new lives into this world may
we all feel this togetherness with
our own families as a blessing
and pass that spirit onto the next
generation of young people. †
Debbie Chikousky farms with her family at
Narcisse, Manitoba. Visitors are always
welcome. Contact Debbie at debbie@
chikouskyfarms.com.
Rancher’s Diary
Everyone is working to stay/get healthy
Activities changing around the ranch as spring moves closer
heather
smith
thomas
FEBRUARY 20
eggie, our 29-year-old
horse, is not so lame and
stiff now, so I cut back
on the amount of bute
(Phenylbutazone) I give him (one
pill daily instead of two) and that
seems to be enough. Bute can be
hard on the stomach, like aspirin. I
don’t want him to get ulcers.
Wednesday Andrea took Sam
and Dani to the doctor — Dani
for medication to ease her terrible
cough, and Sam for an x-ray of
her hip bone. She got hit with a
puck at hockey practice. It was just
badly bruised, however, and not
broken. It’s probably a good thing
hockey season is about over!
V
FEBRUARY 26
This past weekend was Emily’s
state hockey tournament in Boise.
Her team won their first game 7
to 0, with Em making one of the
goals and assisting with another.
Sunday afternoon some folks
from northern Alberta stopped by
on their way south to see the
Grand Canyon. They have a ranch
on the Fraser River, near Yukon
Territory. They’ve been reading
my Rancher’s Diary column in
Grainews for 20 years.
Dani’s respiratory problems took
a turn for the worse again and she
had a fever and stayed home from
school. Her fever was very high
Tuesday evening and Andrea took
her to the ER, where the doctor
gave her an injection of antibiotic.
On a brighter note, granddaughter Heather’s first book is
accepted for publication, by the
same editor who published my
book Horse Tales (which came out
last October. Her book discusses
safety when handling horses, and
will be published in April.)
MARCH 4, 2015
Andrea and Charlie left
Thursday evening to drive part
way to Salt Lake for his appointment Friday with the doctor who
has been overseeing the bowel
problem he’s had since he was a
baby. The doctor changed some of
his medications and wants to see
him again in a year.
Friday afternoon Lynn visited
with one of our neighbours who is
having a lot of problems this year
with calf scours. Lynn came home
and got some of the medication
we use, and took it to John to try.
Early Monday morning Lynn
went to the hospital for blood tests
his doctor ordered. While he was
there he also went to the ER to
have a doctor check out the severe
pain in his upper leg and thigh.
An x-ray showed arthritis and bursitis in that hip joint, along with
degenerative spine disease. The
doctor put him on medication to
help reduce the inflammation.
MARCH 11
Dani stayed home from school
two weeks and did her work at
home. Andrea took her in some
days for short periods, so she could
take her tests.
Today Lynn went to his doctor
for results of his blood tests. She
didn’t like the looks of some of
the readings, which indicate kidney problems. She took him off
blood pressure medication as well
as one of the anti-inflammatory/
pain medications he’s been on for
several years, since they may be
causing kidney damage. So now he
hopes he can get by without the
blood pressure medication that he’s
been on for more than 20 years.
MARCH 19
Young Heather is back from
Canada (where she was visiting
friends) and training horses again,
getting several ready for the big
horse sale in April. She bought five
dump truck loads of sand, delivered
to her outdoor arena, and Michael
borrowed our old disc to work it up
and make a nice, smooth surface.
The old disc had two flat tires,
and we had to get some other tires
before he could take it two miles up
the road to their place.
Dani is finally well enough to go
back to school. She got over the respiratory problems and now just has
to be careful to not over-exert, so
she can get over the mononucleosis.
When I helped Lynn feed the
cows Monday morning, Twinkle
Twinkle (one of the two-year-old
pregnant heifers) didn’t come
to the feed. She was dull, and
not interested in eating when
I herded her to the hay. After
windy weather, we thought she
might have pneumonia. Lynn and
I brought that group down to the
barnyard so we could sort her off,
with a couple other young cows to
keep her company so she wouldn’t
be so stressed, and took the rest
back to the field.
Andrea came and helped us put
her in the headcatch by the calving barn. I took her temperature
and it was 105, which is very high
for a cow. We gave her injections
of antibiotic and Banamine (the
latter to help reduce fever and
inflammation). When we let her
photo: heather smith thomas
A listless heifer making progress
after being treated with antibiotics.
out of the headcatch she squirted
bloody diarrhea. We called our vet
and he said it would be hard to tell
whether the diarrhea was caused
by the high fever or the fever
was caused by some kind of acute
intestinal infection.
By afternoon the Banamine was
working to reduce her fever. She
was chewing her cud again, even
though she didn’t want to eat. She
was licking salt, needing some after
losing so much body fluid and electrolytes through diarrhea. The next
morning she was eating a little
hay. Then it rained hard during the
night. Yesterday she was still dull,
with fever of 104, so we gave her
more Banamine and antibiotics.
She’s eating a little better, and we
hope she won’t abort her calf. †
Heather Smith Thomas ranches with her
husband Lynn near Salmon, Idaho. Contact
her at 208-756-2841.
APRIL 7, 2015 grainews.ca /
43
Cattleman’s Corner
The environment
Checking the ecological account
Monitoring the ecological state of and changes in your farmland
is of value to demonstate proper land stewardship
BY SEAN MCGRATH
arms and ranches rely
heavily on nature and ecological processes to produce food and to support
our own families. Nature is quite
an amazing entity and for the
most part will try to do everything
she can to protect us from our own
mismanagement. In other words
nature is resilient and covers a lot
of our management mistakes.
the public but it is also beneficial
for our own businesses. In many
cases the public is actually willing
to pay us for some of these ecological goods and services provided
from well-managed ranches, but
they want verification that they
are receiving what they pay for.
This is one of the primary reasons why tracking our ecological bank account is so important.
Hopefully we can see the why, but
the how can be overwhelming.
THE ECOLOGICAL ACCOUNT
MONITORING PROGRAM
Just as it is important to track
our financial position, it is also
important to measure and track
our ecological position. A lot of
times Mother Nature covers our
managerial butts with a very good
line of credit, but we can’t run a
sustainable business while growing an ecological debt. We want
a positive balance in our account
with Mother Nature’s bank, not
bounced cheques.
As the public concerns over
natural resource use grows, it is
becoming increasingly important
to demonstrate a positive and
hopefully growing ecological balance that is occurring under our
leadership. This is beneficial for
The first step in establishing any
monitoring program is determining where and what to measure.
Our operation uses a standardized process developed by Land
EKG in which we measure rainfall,
soil cover, plant growth, species
composition and biodiversity. This
sounds complicated, but in truth a
reading takes very little time and
provides a lot of useful feedback.
Ideally measurement locations
should be representative of the
entire pasture, or in some cases
may represent fragile or damaged
areas. They also need to be accessible, as the sites will be read on a
regular (annual) basis. Recording
rainfall, at least in Western Canada
F
Figure 1. Sample Photopoint comparison. Photos were taken from the same location. Pasture was grazed early
in 2014, and beavers pulled out a dam during mid-spring.
is also important, as it is the limiting factor in grass growth and
many ecological processes. We
also use site specific tools such
as riparian health assessments for
areas along creeks and wetlands.
Once the locations are set, the
next step is to establish a baseline
reading. This is an objective measure of where things are at right
now. This is extremely important
as it is the “opening balance” and
lets us know if our management
decisions are making ecological
deposits or withdrawals.
We use two basic types of readings in our operation. The first is a
transect, where we establish a line
in the pasture along which we take
a series of standardized readings
and photographs. The second is a
photopoint in which we return
to the same spot each year and
take a series of documentation
photographs in a complete circle.
By returning to the same sites and
comparing the data and the photos year over year and comparing
it with our management and rainfall we get a very clear idea of the
impact of our management decisions and whether we are making
withdrawals or deposits to our
account with nature.
DOCUMENTATION IMPORTANT
I know many very good range
managers that assess conditions
as part of their nature, but documented, repeatable measures of
our ecological impacts are becom-
ing more important as we face
continued pressure from the
public to explain our actions as
producers, challenges from issues
such as endangered species legislation and profit margins that may
be under pressure from rising land
and input costs.
If you would like more information on Land EKG monitoring
please visit www.ekgcan.com. For
wetland and riparian tools take a
look at www.cowsandfish.org. If
you are interested in learning more
about ecological goods and services
have a look at www.alus.ca. †
Sean McGrath is a rancher and consultant
from Vermilion, Alta. He can be reached at
[email protected] or (780)853-9673.
For additional information visit www.ranchingsystems.com.
the new grainews
app is ready to load!
Keep up to date on all the latest agriculture news that
matters to you with the new Grainews mobile app!
INSTANT ACCESS TO:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Daily regional news
Daily market news
Commodity futures
Crops news
WeatherFarm data
Livestock news
Machinery tips & reviews
Plus much more!
IT’S FREE!
Scan the code to
get the app – or
visit agreader.ca
Available for Android
devices, iPhones and iPad.
Part of the
More great agricultural apps available!
Sponsored by
network
44
/ grainews.ca APRIL 7, 2015
Home Quarter Farm Life
SEEDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT
The Elaine Froese (phrase) that pays
Elaine
Froese
O
ne snowy day at a
beautiful ranch home
in southern Alberta
around the expansive
kitchen table, the farm team said,
“Elaine you should make a list of
your top phrases that you use in
coaching.”
“OK,” I said, knowing that many
of the best projects are started by
attentive practical ranchers and
farmers who call it like they see it.
• It is your farm. Your family.
Your choice. This is my essential
message as a coach. I want farm
folks to build new scenarios for the
new chapters in their lives, that
suit their values and goals. Many
folks who feel “stuck” have not
stopped to talk with themselves
about what they really want in
their life, their family and their
farm business. Are you sensing a
new chapter coming up for your
life? What choices do you have
to make before some new experiences happen?
• You get the behaviour you
accept. So why are you putting
up with bad behaviour? Folks —
you do not have to allow abuse,
profanity, or nasty behaviour on
your farm. Stand up for what
you believe is right. Find support
beyond your farm gate.
• That was then and this is
now. (Attributed to my motheri n - l a w, M a r g a r e t F r o e s e . )
Meaning that things change
and you might need to make a
new decision for the present and
the future. Some founders make
promises to successors that have
to be broken when the financial
reality dictates that the founders
need more money for their reinvention years. Plans can change,
but the basic trust doesn’t need
to be harmed if the parties can
all be honest, transparent, and
agree to talk about their disappointment.
• A farm is not a piece of pie.
This means the critical mass of
assets needs to stay with the farm
owner or shareholders. Create
another wealth bubble for your
non-business heirs or have great
agreements that allow access
to the land for the farm operation. Parents are not responsible
to ensure that all of their adult
children are economically equal.
Many adult children have wealth
creation goals that don’t demand
large gifts from hard-working
founders. Perhaps if you sat down
with your children you’d discover
that their main desire is for you to
have some rewards now to be able
to enjoy the fruit of your labour.
• Change is inevitable, growth
is optional. Change is going to
happen, but are you ready to
embrace it and work through the
necessary steps to achieve your
goals in a timely fashion and
meet the needs of your team?
The Hudson Institute gave me
a great map called the “cycle
of renewal” that helps families
navigate change and make minitransitions to get aligned again
with their vision and goals. Life
is not a straight line, and we are
more resilient to the bumps in
the road when we take a “learner”
approach.
• You are good enough. This is a
take on Brene Brown’s work where
she says, “You are enough.” Many
young farmers feel that no matter
how hard they work it is never
“good enough.” All of our farms
could use more intentional affirmation. Lately I have been asked
to speak about “encouraging the
heart of your farm.” We all need
more affirmation and appreciation
on our farm teams.
• Divorce on farms does not
have to happen. This saying provoked a profane outburst at one
of my seminars, but I meant it.
Love and respect for all players
and spouses on your farm will
go a long way to avoiding the
divorce courts. Sometimes I think
people don’t ask for professional
help soon enough, and then the
pain and wounds are far too deep
to be healed.
• When is it her turn to get
what she needs? This is the
uncomfortable question posed to
the aging founder who has been
married for over 45 years and still
cannot see what his wife is longing for in a new chapter of life
beyond the farm. She wants to
move away from the main yard
(Grand Central Station) and spend
more time with her hobbies and
friends in town. She is tired. She
knows her husband still wants a
role on the farm, but now it needs
to be different, as the next generation becomes the main manager.
• A conversation is not a contract. My friend Jolene Brown
likely coined this term first, and
she is right. Many promises as
conversations will not hold up
when challenged. Families in
business are wise to write things
down in agreements that keep a
record of what was decided and
promised.
• Love does not read minds. I
think I was told this as a young
bride by our minister, and I used
this phrase recently in a coaching
call. It was powerful when I saw
the young farmer’s binder page
with the quote in BOLD block letters. He is planning to make it into
a wooden plaque for his kitchen.
• You have options, you can
leave. A young frustrated farm
woman asked me in a seminar
Q&A what to do with a father-inlaw who was not treating her with
respect. I quickly said, “Just leave.”
She did not leave, but the notion
that she did have the option to
choose a different path gave her
the freedom to make her current
situation different. She now blogs
about agriculture and we had the
pleasure of reuniting a few months
ago. I had no idea of the power of
the phrase until she told me her
story. You can find out more about
“necessary endings” in our book
Farming’s In-Law Factor. Chapter
10 talks about what to do when
things don’t work out.
• Conflict resolution is a business risk management strategy.
Discuss the “undiscussabull.”
I believe that conflict avoidance is one of the huge boulders
holding agriculture back. Many
founders have a fear of conflict,
so they procrastinate and do not
have courageous conversations.
Attack an issue without attacking
the person, and get resolution.
Don’t waste emotional energy
on “drama.” Learn to focus on
solving problems with effective
focused management. †
Elaine Froese is a certified farm family coach
and farm partner. Seek her out at www.
elainefroese.com or call 1-866-848-8311. Buy
her books for your mom. Share your stories of
how these phrases have impacted you. Elaine
wants to hear from you on Facebook at “farm
family coach” or Twitter @elainefroese.
What’s on the horizon
in agriculture?
Watch This Country Called
Agriculture and be informed.
This Country Called Agriculture is a new on-demand video
series that delivers relevant news & information on the
agriculture industry. Host Rob Eirich interviews ag pioneers,
professionals and academics that offer insight into today’s
trends and what the future holds for agriculture –
on and off the farm. Video topics include:
 Sustainability
 Starting a new farm
 Ag innovations
 Renewable energy
 Exporting
 Alternative energy
 New technology
 Food production
 Production
& fuel sources
 AND MORE
and marketing
Start watching now at
AGCanada.com/TCCA
Or scan the code with your phone to watch.
TCCA CURRENT EPISODES
Consumer Benefits from Genomics
Rob Eirich talking with Tom Lynch-Staunton of Livestock
Gentec, and Colin Coros of Delta Genomics, about the
benefits of animal genomics for consumers.
Brought
to you by
APRIL 7, 2015 grainews.ca /
45
Home Quarter Farm Life
Long legacy
of lentils
A favourite food of ancient Greece
finds new flavours in Canada
Amy Jo
Ehman
T
here’s an old adage in
Greece about not adding “myrrh to the lentil
soup” because myrrh is
too fancy for a humble bowl of
lentils. A culinary overkill.
Ancient Greeks preferred
more simple flavourings such
as vinegar and sumac (which
grew wild) or olive oil and salt.
They boiled the lentils until
they were soft and thick for a
soup called phakes (or fakes),
a dish the Romans called puls,
from which we get the botanical word pulse to describe legumes such as lentils, chickpeas
and peas.
The Romans believed lentils
were restorative and good for
your health. Their famous physician, Hippocrates, prescribed
a lentil diet as a tonic for liver
fatigue and, amazingly, modern
science has backed this up.
The oldest archeological evidence of lentils for dinner was
found on the coast of Greece at
a place known as the Franchthi
Cave, circa 13,000 years ago.
These were wild lentils. The
cave was home to a group of
hunter-gatherers but over time
they moved out of the cave
into a small village by the
Mediterranean Sea and took
up farming. By 6500 BC they
were growing wheat, barley
and lentils — the same domesticated grains that have been
farmed in the Middle East for
10,000 years.
Eventually, due to global
warming, the sea level rose
until it covered their village and
fields, which were discovered by
archeologists exploring the cave
in the 1960s.
With the spread of farming westward from the Middle
East, those three grains —
wheat, barley and lentils —
spread together. Lentils were
late coming to Western Canada
LOVE HEARING FROM YOU
Do you have a story about a farm or
home-based business? How about some household
management tips? Does someone in the family have
a special-diet need? Share some of your meal ideas.
SEND THEM TO FARMLIFE
1666 Dublin Ave., Winnipeg, Man. R3H 0H1
Phone 1-800-665-0502 Email [email protected]
Please remember we can no longer
return photos or material. – Sue
photo: amy jo ehman
Lentil cookies
— more than a century after
wheat and barley.
What was once the breadbasket of the world is now
the lentil basket of the world.
No nation produces more lentils, of more varieties, than
Canada. However, as Canadian
lentil production was rising,
Greek farmers were growing fewer lentils, preferring
instead to plant other crops
that qualify for agricultural
subsidies from the European
Union. According to an online
source, farmers in Greece grew
12,700 tonnes of lentils in
1961 and just 2,000 tonnes
in 2011. Now they buy lentils
from Canada.
Maybe I was eating Canadian
lentils the other day when I
ordered a bowl of lentil soup
in a restaurant in Athens. It
was rich and fragrant, seasoned
with tomato, carrots and parsley. Simple and delicious, the
perfect restorative after a long
day of travel and airport food.
As much a part of Greek history
as the Acropolis.
Despite its ancient pedigree,
new varieties of lentils are still
being developed. The small black
lentil is a Canadian invention,
according to Bert Vandenberg,
a plant scientist at the Crop
Development Centre at the
University of Saskatchewan. He
says it was bred at the research
farm at Indian Head, Sask.
Some enterprising chefs noted
that it resembled the black caviar of the Beluga sturgeon and,
voila, black Beluga lentils began
appearing on trendy menus.
While I’m a big fan of oldfashioned lentil soup, I also like
a new food trend. This cookie
recipe fits that bill — a delicious
new way to enjoy the ancient
legacy of the lentil.
CHOCOLATE LENTIL COOKIES
Small black or brown lentils
look deceptively like chocolate
chips in these delicious cookies.
1/2 c. soft butter
1 c. sugar
1 c. cooked small
black or brown lentils
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tbsp. milk
1 c. flour
1/3 c. cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
1 c. quick oats
Cream the butter, sugar and
lentils. Some of the lentils will
purée and some will remain
whole. Mix in the egg, vanilla
and milk. Sift the flour, cocoa
powder and baking soda, adding to the batter with the oats
until well blended. Drop by the
spoonful onto cookie sheets.
Bake at 350 F for about 15
minutes. Allow cookies to cool
slightly then remove them to
a cooling rack. Makes about 30
cookies. †
Amy Jo Ehman is the author of Prairie Feast:
A Writer’s Journey Home for Dinner, and,
Out of Old Saskatchewan Kitchens. She
hails from Craik, Saskatchewan.
Purchase anytime with the
RBC Equipment PurchaseLine .
®
When you need equipment for your crop, livestock or dairy
operation, time is always a factor. Now you can purchase
on your terms, so you get what’s right for your operation,
right when you need it.
Open your RBC Equipment PurchaseLine today.
Visit rbc.com/agriequipment 1-855-561-6723.
TM
® / ™ Trademark(s) of Royal Bank of Canada. Agriculture lending products are offered by Royal Bank of Canada and are subject to its standard lending criteria.
46
/ grainews.ca APRIL 7, 2015
Home Quarter Farm Life
Ghostwind Appaloosa Ranch
Couple committed to preserving Nez Perce Appaloosa line
BY CHRISTALEE FROESE
T
he deal was sealed with a handshake.
When Bill and Joanne Greenwood
left the ranch of Washington
Appaloosa breeder Gerry Messer and
his son Kelly in 2007, their future had been
determined by one sincere grasp.
Messer was dying of cancer and he had
one wish — to keep the bloodline of a particular family of Appaloosa horses alive. He
had spent a lifetime preserving the genetic
line that led directly back to the Nez Perce
tribe who lived in the Pacific Northwest
region of the U.S.
Nez Perce people and their Appaloosas
were systematically slaughtered by the
American Army in the Nez Perce War.
One of the tribe’s most famous leaders,
Chief Joseph, surrendered to the U.S.
Calvary in 1877. By that time most of the
Nez Perce Appaloosa line, known for its
speed, endurance and unique colouring,
had been wiped out. Messer, along with
a handful of North American breeders,
sought to keep the intelligent and majestic line of horses alive.
The Greenwoods travelled to Messer’s
ranch to pick up a young filly in order to
begin their retirement project as novice
Appaloosa breeders, and after a week at
the ranch, they decided to follow in the
Washington breeder’s footsteps.
In 2010 they got a call that Messer was
gravely ill and that the breeder had decided to give the Greenwoods his prized herd
of Appaloosas.
“At that time we made an agreement — it
wasn’t a contract, but it was a handshake
between friends that I would look after his
horses and make sure that the breed didn’t
disappear,” said Bill.
Bill and Joanne, both retired educators
who had grown up in Canada, bought a
farm in Odessa, Saskatchewan so they could
house their growing herd. They built a stateof-the-art birthing barn with 24-hour monitors at their Ghostwind Appaloosa Ranch
and proceeded to breed the purest form of
Nez Perce horses possible.
They became part of “The Appaloosa
Project,” a worldwide initiative by
American and Canadian researchers, to
investigate the nature of Appaloosa genet-
ics, and have one of the largest foundation
Appaloosa herds in North America.
The Greenwoods retain a small number of
foundation colts to enhance their breeding
program, and hand-select where their colts
will go, choosing people who will not only
take care of their horses but will continue to
breed them as pure Appaloosas.
“It’s not a question of money for us, it’s
that the right horse has the right home
which is exactly what Gerry would have
done,” said Bill.
The Greenwoods have had horses go as
far as Switzerland, Slovakia and throughout
the U.S. with prices ranging from hundreds
of dollars to thousands.
“We want to pass the legacy on to the
younger passionate breeders, the ones who
will take this on and continue the Nez Perce
Appaloosa breed into the future.”
While Bill and Joanne’s early horse experience involved recreational riding with
quarter-horses, the Appaloosa breed has
become their sole passion.
“There’s just something about them that
is truly majestic. They are very smart and if
we don’t take care of them they will disap-
photos: christalee froese
Bill Greenwood
pear because they’ll be seen as a commodity rather than what they are, which is the
backbone of what we have become in North
America,” said Joanne.
Bill considers it his personal responsibility
to protect and preserve them. “These horses
were the foundation of North American civilization for thousands of years and unless
we look after this historical horse, it’s going
to disappear.” †
Christalee Froese writes from Montmartre, Sask.
Appaloosa mares out for a run at Ghostwind
Appaloosa Ranch near Odessa, Saskatchewan.
AVAILABLE BACHELORETTES
Cindy is 41,
never married,
no children, with
no baggage
financially
secure, slim. 5’8
139 lbs blonde
healthy, loves
sports hockey,
basketball, Nascar,
as a professional
and single lady
I have a great
life. I love my
family, friends and
community. I just
don’t get many
opportunities to
meet single men
that are available
for a committed
relationship.
I work with
all ladies. My
town has a small
population, and an
aging population.
I would relocate
for the right man. I
do like a man who
can make me feel
safe and secure
regardless of his
age. If he treats and cares for me and
appreciates and respects me, I would move
heaven and earth for him and only him.
EXTENDED OUTLOOK FOR THE PRAIRIES
Weather Forecast for the period of April 12 to May 9, 2015
Thorough screenomg process, customized
memberships and guaranteed service.
Est 15 years in Canada & US. We are a full service
permanent relationship firm with a success
rate of 87%. Testimonials available.
Saskatchewan
April 12 - 18
Blustery days usher in a few mild,
sunny days followed by cooler,
wet conditions. Snow/frost is
expected in a few areas.
April 12 - 18
Highs in the teens most days
under sunshine, but cooler windy
intrusions bring some rain and a
chance of snow on 2 or 3 days.
April 19 - 25
Fluctuating temperatures are
expected. On cooler, windy days
there will be some rain and a
possibility of scattered snow.
April 19 - 25
Fluctuating temperatures with
highs near 20 in the southwest.
On cooler, windy days expect rain
and a slight risk of snow.
April 26 - May 2
Pleasant under sunshine and
milder temperatures, although
rain with a risk of snow/frost is
expected on 2 or 3 occasions.
April 26 - May 2
Pleasant under sunshine and
milder temperatures, although rain
with a risk of snow/frost is
expected on 2 or 3 occasions.
April 19 - 25
Pleasant, mild days are
interrupted by cooler, blustery
weather with scattered rain.
Scattered snow in central and
northern areas.
May 3 - 9
Variable weather as warm, dry
days interchange with cooler, wet
days and some frost. Chance of
snow. Blustery.
May 3 - 9
Variable weather as warm, dry
days interchange with cooler, wet
days and some frost. Slight
chance of snow. Blustery.
-3 / 9
Grande Prairie
19.8 mms
-3 / 10
Edmonton
-3 / 10
Jasper
21.2 mms
-3 / 9
32.4 mms
Banff
-2 / 11
Calgary
Forecasts should be 80%
accurate, but expect
variations by a day or two
because of changeable
speed of weather systems.
Manitoba
April 12 - 18
Mild and sunny days are
followed by cooler, wet days.
Windy at times. Frosty nights.
Periodic heavier snow in the
north.
April 19 - 25
Sunny with a few milder days in
the teens in the south. Scattered
rain and gusty on 2 or 3 days.
Some snow in the north.
April 26 - May 2
Mostly sunny aside from rain on a
couple of days with a chance of
snow in places. Frost most nights.
Often windy.
April 26 - May 2
Sunny, windy with variable
temperatures. Some highs hit
20s in the south, but frost on
many nights. Scattered rain.
May 3 - 9
Seasonal and at times cool with
nighttime frost. Sunny skies
alternate with showers or rain.
Windy. Risk of snow.
May 3 - 9
Seasonal to cool with occasional
frost. Sunny apart from showers
on a couple of occasions.
Chance of snow. Blustery.
Precipitation Forecast
22.1 mms
Matchmakers Select
1-888-916-2824
www.selectintroductions.com
Southern Alberta
Peace River Region
April 12 - 18
Blustery days usher in a few
mild, sunny days followed by
cooler, wet conditions.
Snow/frost in several areas.
25.1 mms
NEAR
NORMAL
-2 / 9
North Battleford
-3 / 10
Red Deer
22.9 mms
0 / 13
Medicine Hat
26.0
19mms
cms
Lethbridge
35.9 mms
26 cms
-1 / 12
-5 / 6
The Pas
-4 / 8
Prince Albert
22.2 mms
NEAR
NORMAL
21.7 mms
-3 / 9
Saskatoon
19.7 mms
27.4 mms
-3 / 9
Yorkton
-4 / 9
Dauphin
-4 / 7
-2 / 11 20.3 mms 31.7 mms
-2 / 11
Gimli
Regina
39.2 mms
-2 / 10 Moose Jaw 20.4 mms
Swift 24.3 mms
-2 / 10
-3 / 9
Current
Portage -2 / 10
-2 / 11
Brandon 40.4 mms Winnipeg
24.7 mms
Weyburn
35.4
mms
35.9 mms
28.9 mms -2 / 11
Estevan Melita -4 / 10
33.3 mms
33.5 mms
Precipitation Outlook
For April
Much Above Normal Below Much
above normal
normal below
normal
normal
Temperatures are normals
for April 15th averaged
over 30 years.
Precipitation
(water equivalent)
normals for April in mms.
©2015 WeatherTec Services
www.weathertec.mb.ca
APRIL 7, 2015 grainews.ca /
47
Home Quarter Farm Life
SINGING GARDENER
A tough rose for a good cause
Plus, Ted shares some readers’ comments
Tumbler tomato
ted
meseyton
F
rom a falling star to a rising star! Do you remember
a 1959 song recorded by
Perry Como titled: “Catch
a Falling Star?” It garnered him
a Grammy Award for best vocal
performance by a male that year.
Read on and I, Ted, shall tell
you about a really hardy Canadian
garden and patio compact rose
that’s destined to become a rising star in its own right in 2015.
I’ve also got my eye on planting
Tumbler tomato seeds and potatoes. (Speaking to myself)
Ted — it’s time to tip your
Singing Gardener hat and bid
everyone welcome.
photo: courtesy never alone foundation
Superbly beautiful “Never Alone” compact rose is 100 per cent developed in Canada. It has excellent
disease resistance and survives harsh Canadian winters. Ted tells why it’s important gardeners support
purchases of this rose.
IT’S A TOUGH ROSE
— FOR A GREAT CAUSE
ROCKING ALONE IN AN OLD
ROCKING CHAIR
I easily relate to real-life stories
put to music. Many were often
referred to as tearjerkers. The
“Never Alone” rose reminds me of
a song that was often requested by
listeners who wrote in to the radio
station back in the days when I
was a DJ. Here are some of the lyrics as best I recall from memory.
Rocking alone in an
old rocking chair,
I saw an old mother with
silvery hair,
She seemed so neglected by
those who should care,
Rocking alone in an
old rocking chair.
Her hands were calloused,
wrinkled and old,
A life of hard work was the
story they told,
And I thought of angels
as I saw her there,
Rocking alone in an
old rocking chair.
Bless her dear heart do you
think she’d complain,
Though life has been bitter
she’d live it again,
And carry the cross that
is more than her share,
Rocking alone in an
old rocking chair.
It wouldn’t take much to
gladden her heart,
Just some small remembrance
on somebody’s part,
A visit would brighten
her empty life there,
Rocking alone in an old
rocking chair.
I look at her and I think
what a shame,
The ones who forgot her she
loves just the same,
Yes, I think of angels as
I see her there,
Rocking alone in an old
rocking chair.
“Together we can do so
much.” Let’s join the Never Alone
Foundation and shout out loud
the name of their new rose introduction “Never Alone.” Over
65,000 of these roses are available
now at many nurseries and garden centres across our nation and
there are many reasons to buy one
or several.
“Never Alone” rose was
selected from over 2,000 different rose seedlings that were
planted at a three-acre research
plot on the southern outskirts
of Portage la Prairie for the
Canadian Nursery Landscape
Association (CNLA). I visited the
area last summer with friends
and a local water dowser where
some potential water sites were
staked out nearby.
The Never Alone Foundation
is a national registered charity partnered with CFL Alumni
Association and CNLA that seeks
to improve the lives of people
affected by cancer. “Never Alone”
rose is being marketed to raise
funds for this worthy cause.
What an exciting and startling
rose it is. Here are some attributes
of this beautiful, compact and 100
per cent Canadian rose introduction. New leaves begin with a red
tint, maturing to a deep glossy
green with sawtoothed edges. As
a continuous bloomer, “Never
Alone” looks fresh and attractive
throughout the season and will
not disappoint with its display of
rich crimson-edged petals, fading
to white at the base. There can
be as many as 30 blooms and
more on a single plant at one
time. Disease resistance is high
and “Never Alone” is proven to
survive harsh Prairie winters in
Zone 3 up to -30 C with very little
evidence of damage.
It’s perfect for landscaping in
an outdoor rose garden and then
left to overwinter as is with some
snow cover. Another option is
to feature “Never Alone” as a
container rose that’s placed on
the patio or deck. However, dur-
ing winter the root system of a
potted rose would not likely survive once exposed to a constant
temperature colder than -20 C.
Here’s one overwintering strategy
to consider.
Water the rose and allow the
roots to freeze in the pot as though
in a block of ice that remains
consistently frozen. Place the container holding the rose inside a
large cardboard box or in a large
jute bag and stuff the bottom,
sides and tops with flax straw. In
a pinch, dried leaves and some
crumpled newspaper can be considered for insulation. Close the
top and store in a shelter at a consistent temperature that remains
below freezing.
Remember, by purchasing this
rose, gardeners help ensure cancer patients and their families are
NEVER ALONE in their journey.
For more information contact
Anne Bowering, the communications co-ordinator, at toll free
1-888-446-3499, extension 8690.
READERS AND THEIR LETTERS
Now that my tomato seed
draws have concluded, I’ve begun
reading through all the entries
received; a few at a time. Many of
you included a sentence or two and
others wrote a full page and more.
I expect to share some of your
comments. However, it would take
many Singing Gardener columns
to include everyone, so please do
know whether your name gets
mentioned or not; every one is
truly appreciated. Thanks for those
381 entries.
From a heritage
tomato seed winner
Dateline: Feb. 28, 2015
Prince George, B.C.
Hello Singing Gardener Ted,
“I was very happy to be one of
the lucky winners of your 2015
heritage tomato seed draws. I
received my tomato seeds Feb. 24.
Thank you so much. I’m looking
forward to planting and harvesting them. I try hard each spring,
weather does not always co-operate. Sometimes the seasons seem
shorter than others. Hope you
continue to spread the good news.
A week of sunshine has brightened
up the winter blues or cabin fever
as people say. Hope you and your
family have a wonderful Easter
and summer.”
— Yours truly, Richard &
Margaret Arnett and family
MIX UP YOUR
GARDEN THIS YEAR
… with mixed bags of seed
potato. Eagle Creek Seed Potatoes
has a neat little potato guide for
2015 that you can request by
phoning 1-877-224-3939; write
to Box 70, Bowden, Alta. T0M
0K0; email: seeds@seedpotatoes.
ca or go to www.seedpotatoes.
ca. This year besides many early,
fingerling, mid-season and late
selections, they’re featuring four
different variety packs — Mixed
Season, Gardeners Favourites,
Heritage Variety and New
Variety — designed for those
with small gardens or who want
to try a variety of some new
potatoes. †
This is Ted Meseyton the Singing Gardener
and Grow-It Poet from Portage la Prairie,
Man. Plant a rising star and grow it in your
garden. In your rose garden that is. Plant
“Never Alone,” a rose reaching stardom.
This hardy rose is helping others live. It’s
been proven that gardening offers amazing
benefits to one’s health by teaching how
to relieve stress, get more exercise, eat
better and stay healthier and happier well
into old age. Got me to wondering: What’s
the age of our eldest Grainews gardener
who still gardens? Don’t be shy now if you
think you qualify! Send your name, age and
location with a bit of your gardening insight
to [email protected].
Elizabeth (Betty) Larsen
writes
from
Russell,
Manitoba. Let me paraphrase part of what she
says: “I have been growing Tumbler tomatoes for
maybe 20 years or more.
My Tumblers are 48 days to
maturity when weather cooperates. When we lived
in Alberta, I got my seeds
from Holes in St. Albert.
Last year I got Tumbler
seeds from Early’s. Their
Tumblers are the real thing
and seeds worth every
cent. I always plant them
in the black plastic cell
packs, one seed in each
cell. Plants have produced
well over 100 ripened
tomatoes on the vine. If
you lived closer, I would
like to start a Tumbler
tomato plant for you.
When we went to Alberta,
I took extra Tumblers to
my sister, nieces and my
daughter east of Innisfail.
Always enjoy your page in
Grainews.”
Ted responds: Thank
you so very much Betty
for your hand-printed,
five-page letter that also
contains a wealth of other
information
including
your experiences for dealing with leg cramps and
witching for water.
Here are two sources for
gardeners wishing to buy
hanging basket Tumbler
tomato seeds. They are:
West Coast Seeds, 392564th Street, Delta, B.C. V4K
3N2; email:
orderdesk@westcoast
seeds.com, phone toll free
1-888-804-8820, OR Early’s
Farm & Garden Centre, 2615
Lorne Ave., Saskatoon, Sask.
S7J 0S5; email: orders@ear
lysgarden.com, phone toll
free 1-800-667-1159. †
photo: courtesy west coast seeds,
www.westcoastseeds.com
Tumbler tomato is an excellent hanging basket choice
for an urban gardener’s balcony. It even tolerates shady
conditions. A single plant in a
25-cm (10-inch) pot cascades
over the sides, producing
masses of really early 1-1/2inch bright-red tomatoes.
See the lAteSt
in the FielD
Welcome to Ag in Motion –
Western Canada’s only outdoor farm expo!
16
July 21 – 23, 2015
LANGHAM
15 min. NW of Saskatoon
Join us at Ag In Motion – the unique opportunity to get up close and personal with
today’s agricultural technology. Experience live demonstrations of field equipment,
crops, livestock and services all together on 320 acres near Saskatoon. Come to the
farm show where there’s room to see it all – and how it all fits together.
SASKATOON
™
See Technology
tOUCh Innovation
™ Denotes a trade-mark of Canada’s Outdoor Shows Limited Partnership.
Be Empowered
www.aginmotion.ca