MINISTER BERGER HIGHLIGHTS FROM FALL page 7 MEETINGS … · 18 PRodUCER PRoFiE 22 GRAin GRoWERs...

Publications Mail Agreement No. 40068933Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to:Alberta Barley Commission, #200, 3601A – 21 Street NE, Calgary, Alberta T2E 6T5

ESTABLISHED 1991

ALBERTA’S BARLEY INFORMATION SOURCE

FEBRUARY 2012

ELITE BARLEY: BEST IN MALTpage 14

HIGHLIGHTS FROM FALL MEETINGSpage 8

MINISTER BERGERpage 7

“ Some of our clients welcome the change and some preferred the old system, but I don’t think heading into an open market should scare anyone. ”

- Reid Fenton

Exploring options in a new marketing era

BY GERALd PILGER

Many growers consider the added expense of planting certified seed each year, but

few take into consideration the added value certified seed offers—particularly when calculated against the costs of using their own bin run seed. Growers who have looked at both the costs of common seed and benefits of certified seed usually find that good seed doesn’t cost—it pays.

The true cost of common seedThe hidden costs of bin run seed

include forgoing the income from selling that grain, but also the incurred costs of cleaning, storage, labour, equipment, and interest charges on that seed.

There are a number of downloadable seed cost calculators available on the web that can assist in determining the actual cost of bin run seed. One of the best can be found at: http://gostarseed.com/certified-seed.

Star Seed Inc. of Osborne, Kansas has posted this easy-to-use web calculator that allows farmers to simply plug in their own values for 14 variables—in-cluding local grain prices, cleaning costs, and expected yields. The chart will immediately show a farmer’s true seed costs and will project the potential economic advantage of using certified seed. This seed cost calculator can also be used for all crops.

continued on page 4

BY LEE HART

These days, everyone’s asking the multi-million-dollar question: “What will the wheat and barley

marketing system be like under a new open market in Western Canada?” The simple answer: “Whatever tools you use for marketing canola and pulse crops will be available for wheat and barley.”

With Bill C-18, the Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act, passed into law in mid-December, there are few details of exactly what grain companies and other buyers will offer farmers in 2012. Industry specialists, however, say they expect producers will be able to use the same marketing tool box they’ve used for other crops for years.

“I think the biggest thing is produc-ers will have to make more decisions at the kitchen table,” says Reid Fenton, a marketing consultant with BLB Grain in Three Hills, AB. “They will have to look at their options and decide when to sell, at what price, and how much. Farmers

will have to operate with more foresight. Some of our clients welcome the change and some preferred the old system, but I don’t think heading into an open market should scare anyone.”

Bill Cooper, a long-time Saskatch-ewan farmer and principle consultant with Farm West Holdings Inc., says the changes will benefit the barley industry.

“Particularly with barley, we have seen production declining in Western Canada in recent years and a lot of that has to do with uncertainty,” he says. “We have a good product, and the market is out there, but we also need to have the volume—increase production—so we are able to supply these markets.

continued on page 6

Great crops start with good seed

Housed in this Winnipeg building, the Canadian Wheat Board has been the hub for Western Canadian grain marketing. Despite recent legal challenges, the federal government maintains that farmers will be able to choose how to market their own grain as of Aug. 1, 2012.

PHOTO CREDIT: BRyAn SCOTT

Fenton says it will be important for producers to shop around, determine prices and delivery opportunities differ-ent companies offer, and look at con-tracting options.

BARLEY COUNTRY FEBRUARY 20122

By Anne-MArie BruzgA LuchAk

The Western Canadian agriculture industry has undergone many changes since our last issue. The

Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act received royal assent before Christ-mas and—just as it seemed legal action was finished for the moment—a new $15.4 billion lawsuit was launched out of Saskatchewan on Jan. 12, 2012.

While this new lawsuit claims that farmers should be repaid from Canadian Wheat Board assets, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Minister Gerry Ritz has assured Western Canadian farmers that the government’s changes to grain marketing will not be derailed.

As a newspaper that’s published every couple of months, it’s challenging to keep up with the day-to-day progression on this marketing issue and, as such, we will continue to post relevant informa-tion on our website. In the meantime, within Barley Country, we continue to look at the bigger picture.

On the cover, Lee Hart walks us through how open market grain trading will likely work. On the marketing front, Maeve O’Rourke takes us through some courses and workshops being offered through the Alberta Canola Producers Commission (ACPC). And I sit down with Alberta’s new Minster of Agriculture and Rural Development, Evan Berger, to get his take on the opportunities that exist for Alberta farmers.

Whatever way you choose to market your grain, selecting seed will directly affect your profitability. Therefore, new reporter Gerald Pilger examines certi-fied versus bin run seed while Hart covers malt seed and production tips. For those of you with malt contracts or those interested in taking a shot at growing malt, we take a look at addi-tional malt production tips from some of Canada’s most successful malt growers in our two-page Elite Barley feature.

EdITOR’S MESSAGE

New year, new startTurning to Alberta Barley Commission

business, Chairman Matt Sawyer gives us an update on the ways he’s trying to increase the profitability of barley on his own farm and through the work of the Commission. General Manager Lisa Skierka speaks to the annual general meeting (AGM), as well as policy and transportation developments at the federal level.

As you know, most of our federal lob-bying work is done through our partici-pation in the Grain Growers of Canada (GGC). We’re joined once again by GGC Executive Director Richard Phillips, who provides an update on national initiatives. In her Barley Country debut, Commission Project Coordinator Taryn Dickson covers the highlights from the GGC’s fall AGM.

In other ag news, Madeleine Baerg gives us a recap of the recent Feed Sum-mit and Terry Bullick gives us an update on the progress of the Alberta Wheat Commission. (Please see their insert for more information.) Calgary writer Kailen Renelle Krawec also profiles farmer Gerald Finster of Valleyview, AB. And, as a new feature, we invite the dynamic Simone Demers Collins, ACPC’s Market Development & Promotions Coordinator,

This issue

to write an industry guest column. Her passion for all things local is contagious.

We also give you the highlights from what we’ve been told was one of the most enjoyable AGMs the Commission has had in recent memory (and not just because of the brew tour). With your newly elected members in place, we’ve provided you with the contact listing for your 2012 directors and delegates. If you have questions or concerns over the next year, they want to hear from you.

From our lead research reporter Caitlin Crawshaw, we have a story about how smart fertilizers could change the face of ag, as well as a feature about bar-ley feed segregation. Commission Policy & Research Coordinator Darcy Kirtz-inger provides a research update about the Funding Consortium. Lastly, new reporter Helen McMenamin examines the latest provincial Fusarium survey as well as preventative measures.

I hope you enjoy the revamped Barley Country. We are committed to continu-ally improving as a newspaper. Look for our next issue on April 15.

n Anne-Marie Bruzga Luchak is the communications manager for the Alberta Barley Commission.

Alberta is Barley country.

This province grows more barley than any other, and Alberta’s output typically accounts for half of Canada’s annual crop.

See past issues of Barley Country at www.albertabarley.com

Barley Country is published four times per year by the Alberta Barley Commission to inform producers about new technology and developments affecting barley production, and to promote new markets for Alberta barley growers.

Barley Country is circulated to more than 24,000 producers, agrologists, researchers and grain industry representatives. It is printed in Calgary, Alberta on recycled paper using canola-based inks.

Publisher: Lisa Skierka [email protected]

Editor: Anne-Marie Bruzga Luchak [email protected]

graphic Designer: candace evans Two cents creative

contributors: Madeleine Baerg, Terry Bullick, Caitlin Crawshaw, Simone Demers Collins, Taryn Dickson, Lee Hart, Michael Interisano, Darcy Kirtzinger, Kailen Renelle Krawec, Deb Marchand, Helen McMenamin, Gerald Pilger, Maeve O’Rourke, Richard Phillips, Matt Sawyer, Bryan Scott

Alberta Barley commission #200, 3601A – 21 Street NE Calgary, AB T2E 6T5 (800) 265-9111

ISSN: 1188-8911

5 Caps off to local!

6 Brushing up on the markets

7 Ag Minister Evan Berger talks growth

8 Highlights from the fall meetings

10 Director and delegate contact list 2012

11 2011 Feed Grain Summit

12 AC Metcalfe still king in malt circles

13 Intelligent nano-fertilizers herald the future

13 Alberta Funding Consortium

14 Elite Barley recognizes excellence

16 Combatting Fusarium

18 Benefits of knowing your soil

19 Researchers crack long-time feed problem

19 Proposed wheat commission gains momentum

21 Grain Growers AGM

22 Grain Growers of Canada update

24 Events listing

24 Key contacts

RESEARCH NOTES13 ELITE BARLEY EXCELLENCE14

MINISTER BERGER7THINK LOCAL5

PRODUCER PROFILE18 GRAIN GROWERS UPDATE22

3BARLEY COUNTRY FEBRUARY 2012

chAirMAn’s MessAge

New year heralds new opportunity

GENERAL MANAGER’S MESSAGE

Food, feed, and malt

MATT SAWYER

If 2011 was a year of change and uncertainty regarding the future of grain marketing in Western Canada,

then 2012 will be a year of greater change leading to greater opportunity. Despite pending legal challenges facing the federal government on their imple-mentation of the Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act—which received royal assent in December 2011—the government remains committed to bringing wheat and barley marketing in line with that of other agricultural com-modities.

Like many of you, I’ve spent the past few months giving serious thought as to what these changes mean for my farm. Although I’ve grown barley for as long

as I’ve been farming, the open market is a game changer for me. This is why, in addition to continuing to grow feed barley this year, I’ve met with several local malting companies to explore my options for growing malt.

As you’ll read in this issue, the Alberta Barley Commission (ABC) continues to support the Elite Barley: Canadian Malt-ing Barley Grower Recognition Program. In reviewing this year’s nominees, I was struck by how committed they are to growing malt. Now that we’ll have an open market, there are opportunities to expand the demand for malt barley. I believe that now is the time to try something new in light of the chang-ing marketplace. And, like many of you, I will mitigate my risk by maintaining a positive relationship with my local feedlot.

As a crop, barley acreage has been on the decline for many years now. Yet we know that barley is a preferred feed for livestock and that worldwide consump-tion of beer is on the rise. We also have inspiring research on the benefits of barley for human consumption as well as a consumer health claim on the hori-zon.

The future is bright, but it’s up to those of us who believe in this crop to actively support research and market

development. To increase our market share, we need to show true leadership through investment and ensure we’re developing marketing initiatives that complement the good news we have about barley.

Part of showing leadership also means working with our industry partners. For

example, everyone knows the majority of barley in the province is grown for feed and that the feed industry has faced some tough challenges over the past few years.

To address the challenges facing the feed industry, the Commission co-hosted a feed summit with industry partners—including the Alberta Cattle Feeders and

Alberta Pork—after our annual general meeting in December. In coming months, Commission staff will work to develop a committee focused on solidifying relationships in the feed industry and exploring opportunities to strengthen partnerships for the benefit of the entire value chain.

As part of the Commission’s invest-ment in change, your Board has also invested in the development of the proposed Alberta Wheat Commission. Since provincial government approval of this new organization is likely, ABC has committed to lending them start-up funds to be repaid once they have ac-cess to check-off dollars from provincial wheat sales. This investment will also be recouped through the opportunities for collaboration and growth provided by strong grower representation for both crops.

Another major initiative is the pro-posed national barley organization. Modelled on the Canola Council of Can-ada, the Barley Council of Canada will raise Canada’s barley profile both na-tionally and internationally. Stay tuned for more information on this initiative in the next issue of Barley Country.

n Chairman Matt Sawyer is the director for region two and a farmer near Acme.

LisA skierkA

The Alberta Barley Commission ended 2011 with a successful annual general meeting (AGM)

focused on the changes and opportuni-ties in agriculture. The AGM covered topics ranging from marketing changes to trade agreements to the malt barley industry, and was followed a day later by a feed summit that brought together many of the different players in Alberta’s feed industry.

While reviewing the past year, we were able to celebrate our successes while acknowledging the challenges that

lie ahead. One priority in coming months is to take the findings of the feed summit and work with industry partners to find further common ground on which to build a more sustainable future. Another priority is to help barley growers access the information needed to best meet the changes to the grain marketing system in Western Canada.

Our pledge, as a staff, is to provide up-to-date information to barley growers while also working with both provincial and federal governments to address concerns specifically related to issues like transportation and market access.

I recently attended a meeting of the federal government’s Crop Logistics Working Group’s (CLWG’s) Producer Car Sub-Committee. This meeting was focused on addressing concerns related to producer cars—will they exist under the new system, how will they work, and who will be responsible for them?

After meeting with representatives from the major railways, the Canadian Grain Commission, the Canadian Wheat Board, and shortline railways, as well as producer car administrators and terminal operators, it became apparent

that everyone says they want producer cars to continue to work. However, new market realities will affect which orga-nizations stay involved in producer cars and how they are administered. We will keep you updated as this progresses.

In terms of progress, we are still wait-ing for the food barley health claim to be

encourage market development of food barley. Although building this market will be a challenge, we’re up for it. After all, barley tastes great—and not just in a glass of beer.

On the marketing side, Commission staff have been developing new materi-als and promotions for feed, food, and malt barley. We are debuting our new producer booth at FarmTech in Febru-ary, while our new consumer booth will make its debut this spring. On the producer side, we’re using the slogans “make barley work for you” and “grow-ing value, growing results” to emphasize the opportunities in growing barley. On the consumer side, we’re using the slogans “think barley” and “know your food” as precursors to a full-fledged food campaign.

In order to be ready for the consumer health claim, we are also creating recipe cards that will be available at events like FarmTech, Aggie Days, and the Calgary Stampede. Be sure to stop by and say hello when you’re out and about.

n Lisa Skierka is the Alberta Barley Commission’s acting general manager.

One priority in coming months is to take the findings of the feed summit and work with industry partners to find further common ground on which to build a more sustainable future.

- Lisa Skierka

To increase our market share, we need to show true leadership through investment and ensure we’re developing marketing initiatives that complement the good news we have about barley.

- Matt Sawyer

approved by Health Canada.In order to make the best use of the

consumer health claim, we will be working with researchers, government, businesses, and industry partners to


Yield advantageMuch of the economic advantage of

using certified seed results from higher yields. There have been many trials comparing yields of planting certified vs. bin run wheat. United States Depart-ment of Agriculture testing consistently finds a 1.2–2.5 bushel per acre increase when seeding certified wheat when compared to bin run wheat.

While there have been few compari-sons done for barley, the University of Saskatchewan Crop Development Centre performed a one-year, 12-site compari-son that resulted in an average three bushel per acre advantage when using certified seed. (See table 1.)

Dr. Kelly Turkington of the Lacombe Research Centre is the lead researcher in a current, three-year study compar-ing certified and bin run malt barley. This study is a joint effort of the Western Grains Research Foundation, the Alberta Barley Commission, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and Rahr Malting.

Unfortunately, weather problems in 2011 plagued the first year of the study, flooding out four sites. While analysis is still underway, Turkington says there was no significant difference in yields in this first year of testing. However, he noted the bin run seed used in tests was only one year removed from certi-fied.

ThE ExTRA invEsTmEnT nEEdEd To produce high-quality seedSpecial care is needed to produce high-quality seed. While

certified seed may seem expensive to some growers, the price

includes the investment a seed grower makes to meet seed

standards.

Peter Galloway, of Galloway Seeds in Fort Saskatchewan, lists

some of the extra care that he has to do as a seed grower to

ensure he is growing top-quality seed:

• Find and prepare land that has been out of production of

that crop for at least two years.

• completely clean equipment at all stages of production.

This includes cleaning seed storage bins, trucks, drill,

combine, and augers before handling any crop intended

for use as seed. This is a major, time-consuming task. For

example: Galloway says it takes 12 man-hours to clean a

combine, and at least one hour to clean an auger.

• Plant pure seed. (Pedigree seed must be at least 99.994

per cent true to variety.)

• Field scout for weeds before and after herbicide

applications.

• use both seed and foliar fungicide applications to control

disease.

• have field inspections performed.

• seed should be harvested dry and stored in bins in which

heat and moisture is controlled and monitored.

• When cleaning, accept a high rate of cut as you want

high-test weight and plump seeds of uniform size to

ensure even seeding rates.

• have seed tested for germination, vigour, and disease.

(Agronomists recommend not using seed if germination is

below 90 per cent; vigour tests are more than 10 per cent

below germination, or if disease is present.)

Table 1: High Quality, Certified Seed is Important for Field Sanitation and High Yields

crop

noxious WEEd SEEdS (per kg)

OTHER SEEdS (per kg)

YIELd (Bu/Acre)

cerTifieD WheAT 0 0 41.5Bin run WheAT 148 671 39.7cerTifieD BArLey 0 0 70.0Bin run BArLey 600 3350 67.0

Twelve randomly selected seed samples were taken from certified and bin run seed sources. This chart illustrates the difference in the amount of noxious weeds found in seeds and shows an improved yield in certified seeds versus bin run seed. (Source: www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca)

“Great crops start with good seed,” cont’d from page 1

“ Varietal purity is number one for farmers growing malt barley.”

- Kevin Sich

Grain qualityWhile Turkington is still analyzing

data, he did notice differences in plant emergence, tillering, and kernel size.

“Crops grown from certified seed had higher emergence rates and a more competitive start,” says Turkington. “These crops also had more main til-lers and fewer secondary tillers. Crops grown from certified seed also had more uniform kernel size.”

Kevin Sich, grain procurement manager with Rahr Malting, says these findings show growers who use certified seed increase the likelihood their crops will meet malt specifications. Crops that start early and grow evenly will mature evenly. This is one reason Rahr does not contract with growers using seed more than one year out of certified—the other is seed purity.

“Varietal purity is number one for farmers growing malt barley,” explains Sich, who says the best way to guarantee purity is to plant certified seed.

Sich has received harvest samples from crops grown from bin run seed having up to 10 per cent of off-type barley in the sample even through the farmer believed the seed was pure.

added benefitsPlanting certified seed provides a

number of other benefits:• A lower risk of seed-borne diseases.• Certified seed must have a germina-

tion of 90 per cent or better. Certi-fied seed may also have been vigour tested, which is as important as germination testing when seeding under cool, dry, stressful conditions.

• It increases traceability of the crop and enables growers to pursue premium niche markets that require identity-preserved production.

• Certified is also guaranteed to be free of prohibited and noxious weeds and has low levels of other weeds. Bin run seed can have high numbers of weed seeds. (See table 1.)

Planting certified seed also minimizes the risk of lower yields because of poor seed quality. Buying new certified va-rieties gives growers access to the best genetics for the area and increases the yield potential.

“As much as 60 per cent of the final yield potential for a wheat crop is deter-mined at planting,” says Agronomist Dr. Wade Thomason, assistant professor/extension grains specialist at Virginia Tech. “Seeding too thinly, using poor quality seed and uneven stands, result in end of season yield losses that cannot usually be overcome.”

One of the best sources for informa-tion on new varieties and pedigreed seed is Alberta’s Seed Guide: www.seed.ab.ca. This comprehensive guide of registered varieties of cereals and oil-seeds is published each spring and fall. It provides growers with a quick glance at the characteristics of each variety as well as a listing of Alberta seed growers who are selling them.

This website also features a new va-rieties list that enables you to compare their characteristics to each other and to the industry standard. For example, the Fall 2011 Seed Guide lists two new feed barleys (Austenson and Gadsby) and five new malt barleys (Taylor, Merit 57, Meredith, Major—all two row; and Mayfair—a six row). All are compared to Metcalfe.

When seeding this spring, consider that the cost of certified seed is a rela-tively small percentage of the overall cost of production of cereal crops—and using certified seed almost always shows a positive return over seeding farm-saved seeds. You may find that cer-tified seed really isn’t all that expensive.

n Gerald Pilger is a freelance writer and farmer near Camrose, AB.


By siMone DeMers coLLins

I travelled throughout Alberta at the end of 2011, giving a speech entitled “Caps off to Canola!” At each session,

I asked producers how many would con-sider giving a case of canola oil to people on their gift-giving list. I’m sad to say that I had no takers. A lot of very strange looks, some sneers, and the occasional snide remark: “How do I wrap a dozen bottles of canola oil?”

Yet, when I was visiting an oil process-ing plant in Italy, farmer Giovanni—who was getting his olive harvest crushed—was proud to say that every year he provided this gift of oil to his family, both immediate and extended. And when I asked him what happened if they refused his gift, he simply stared, won-dering if the translator had provided the correct interpretation. It was inconceiv-able that family members would not gladly accept what he grew, with pride.

Likewise, members of the Japanese crushing industry tell us that canola oil is often provided as gifts to their family and friends. And when I travelled to South Korea in the spring, canola oil was being brought into the country spe-cifically for each of the two gift-giving seasons.

While a $5.69 bottle of canola oil might not meet Canadians’ criteria for a “great” gift, I believe that the concept and what it says about our definition of “gift” bears examining. A gift is also known as a contribution, a souvenir, a reward, a donation and/or an offering. I believe that any of the agricultural prod-ucts grown in this province would meet any of these definitions.

So, my challenge to these farmers, and to you, is to think about what you do, what you have and how that could be shared with others—whether it’s a skill like baking something made with barley flour for a community funeral, or supporting the local coffee shop by shar-ing your time with a neighbour to enjoy

each other and a cup of locally roasted coffee. Think about the goods and ser-vices provided by Canadians….

Buying local does not just apply to what can be purchased at the local market garden during the summer. It’s about being proud of what we produce in Canada, and being aware of all that is local—the barley, the wheat, oats, pulses, pork, beef, bison, and canola! It’s about the businesses who hire the trade personnel who bake our bread, cre-ate our restaurant meals, and develop these ingredients into world-class food products. And it’s about those who own businesses—the caterer, the chef, the dietitian, and the massage therapist, to name but a few.

So this year, make the proverbial goal list. But add a commitment to local. Re-flect on what you do, and how countries all over the world want some of what you produce. Speak with pride about be-ing a farmer. And challenge the TV per-sonalities, caterers, and recipe develop-ers—who speak “local” but focus their

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“ Buying local does not just apply to what can be purchased at the local market garden during the summer. It’s about being proud of what we produce in canada, and being aware of all that is local—the barley, the wheat, oats, pulses, pork, beef, bison, and canola! ”

- Simone Demers Collins

guesT coLuMn

Caps off to local!

“recipes” on quinoa, olive oil, and other main ingredients that are often not part of Canadian agriculture.

Look around your neighbourhood, and see how you could support what others in your community are creat-ing or doing. And set out to giving your own brand of agriculture: gifts that are local to support community economies; that are healthy—there’s good science behind all of Alberta’s ag products; that are versatile in their uses; and that are affordable. We have so many options for every budget!

n Simone Demers Collins is a professional home economist who works as a consultant with the Alberta Canola Producers Commission. Follow her on Twitter @learncanola and check out her monthly blog at www.homefamily.net/?p=518


By MAeve o’rourke

In light of changes to the grain mar-keting system in Western Canada, now is an opportune time to brush

up on your knowledge of markets. Knowing how futures, options and

basis operate—as well as understanding contracts and various grain marketing strategies—will be a valuable asset to farmers when it comes to selling wheat and barley. Those looking to learn more about grain marketing can take advan-tage of a series of courses that will be administered by the Alberta Canola Producers Commission (ACPC) over the coming months.

Farm Marketing Advisors Neil Blue and Lee Melvill will facilitate the grain marketing courses. Blue will facilitate four-day courses in Lloydminster and Leduc, while Melvill will offer a six-day course in Taber.

These basic-level classroom courses will use a computerized grain-marketing simulator as a learning tool. Participants will practice with basis, futures, options,

contracts, and strategies for grain mar-keting. Blue says the knowledge gained through the course will help producers understand pricing and delivery func-tions for grain and oilseed crops.

Through classroom discussions of marketing strategies, and by considering cost of production and cash flow re-quirements for each participant’s farm, Blue and Melvill will share knowledge that can be applied to any operation.

“Too often, the trigger for selling prod-uct is the need for cash to meet a finan-cial obligation rather than in response to a good marketing opportunity,” says Blue.

He emphasizes that pricing is always a challenge.

“Nobody knows when the price will peak—the market will do what it does, regardless of what a person thinks should happen,” says Blue. “That is why pricing a year’s production in stages tends to be the best approach over a number of years.”

According to Blue, farmers who in-crease their knowledge of markets and

Brushing up on the markets

grain and oilseed Marketing CoURsE: dATEs & TimEsTaber, AB (9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m): Jan. 31; Feb. 2, 7, 9, 14 & 16

Instructor: Lee Melvill, P.Ag., Farm Marketing Advisor

Lloydminster, AB (9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.): Feb. 13, 14, 15 & 16

Instructor: Neil Blue, P.Ag., Farm Marketing Advisor

Leduc, AB (9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.): Mar. 5, 6, 7 & 8

Instructor: Neil Blue, P.Ag., Farm Marketing Advisor

For more information, contact Neil Blue at (780) 853-6929.

marketing alternatives report greater confidence when making their market-ing decisions. He also says he is always available to help answer questions.

“Producers can contact me to gain information on the grain market and to discuss what they should consider in respect to market functions,” says Blue.

ACPC is offering the course at the low

cost of $500 per person. For more infor-mation on course registration and loca-tions, go to www.canola.ab.ca/events or call the ACPC office at (800) 551-6652.

Watch the canola website as other courses are added over winter 2012 in Forestburg and Manning.

nMaeve O’Rourke is a Calgary-based writer.

The Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act takes effect on August 1, 2012. This means barley and wheat producers will have a choice between selling their grain on the open market or through the Canadian Wheat Board.

To help you make a smooth transition, the Government of Alberta is hosting a series of information sessions. The sessions will help you understand what this change means to you, including:

• Canada’s position in the world markets• Pricing in the new system • Delivery and grading • Transportation and logistics • Research and development

CITY LOCATION DATELethbridge Coast Hotel January 31Grande Prairie Quality Inn January 31Medicine Hat Medicine Hat Lodge February 1Peace River Sawridge Inn February 1Three Hills Three Hills Community Centre February 2Vegreville Vegreville Social Centre February 6

All meetings are from 9:00 am - 3:40 pm. Lunch will be provided.

Please pre-register at least three days prior to the sessionby calling the Ag-Info Centre at 1-800-387-6030.

Grain marketingis changing.Are you ready?

“Under an open market system, I think producers will look at market prices, not only in Canada but in the United States, and if they see a good price they could lock in contracts one, two or even three years ahead,” says Cooper. “I think that kind of opportuni-ty will encourage the barley industry to get the production where it should be.”

He says, in recent years, Cana-dian wheat and malt barley has been shipped to processors in at least nine U.S. states. Although there is no reason those sales can’t or won’t continue under an open market, he believes there may be increased opportunity for Canadian farmers to deal more directly with these customers to establish rela-tionships, which could mean produc-tion contracts.

Lee Melvill, a long-time Alberta Agri-culture and Rural Development market-ing specialist, now a private marketing consultant with MNP, says that as the new marketing tools developed by ICE (Intercontinental Exchange) of Win-nipeg, MB, get rolling, they will provide producers with the opportunity to market spring wheat internationally through a Canadian futures market.

A futures market, as commonly used with canola, allows farmers to buy and sell commodity contracts for delivery on a specified future date. Along with the futures market comes a range of other risk management tools that in-clude hedging (taking equal and oppo-site positions in two different markets, such as cash and futures), and call and

put options, which allow producers to buy (call) or sell (put) positions as stock and commodity prices rise and fall.

“There are a number of marketing strategies that can be used to help farm-ers manage their risk,” says Melvill.

Market analysts say the key to the success of the ICE futures will be to get a sufficient volume of commodity trad-ing through futures to provide meaning-ful price discovery. Understanding the futures market and related marketing strategies will take some time.

“One of the first thing producers need to pay attention to under a new system is they will likely get some or all cash up front at the time of sale,” says Melvill. This is different than the former system of receiving an initial payment and then interim and/or final payments later.

“It is going to change their cash flow which also has tax implications,” explains Melvill. “The new system can provide a much better timed cash flow, but producers need to consider how that affects their tax situation.”

Richard Phillips, executive director of the Grain Growers of Canada, says in an open market he would encourage pro-ducers to begin making contacts now.

“With malt barley, for example, pro-ducers should be talking to malt compa-nies and grain buyers about what they produce and find out what their needs are,” he says. “Producers need to reach out and establish those contacts.”

n Lee Hart is a long-time agricultural writer based in Calgary, AB.

“Exploring options in a new marketing era,” cont’d from page 1


Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Evan Berger is also MLA for Livingstone–Macleod in Southern Alberta.

PHOTO COuRTESy: ALBERTA AgRiCuLTuRE AnD RuRAL DEvELOPMEnT

“ i will do everything i can to further the cause of agriculture to help it become a rival to oil and gas as our province’s biggest industry sector. ”

- Evan Berger

Ag Minister Evan Berger talks growth

By Anne-MArie BruzgA LuchAk

“Agriculture today is probably the most exciting it has been in the last 40 years,” says Evan Berger,

Alberta’s new Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Berger says now is the time to capital-ize on new growth opportunities. He has a keen interest in developing Alberta’s terminal at Prince Rupert, drawing more youth into agriculture, and finding a way to meet the needs of Alberta’s diverse agriculture sector. His belief in Alberta’s agricultural viability comes from first-hand experience.

A third-generation farmer, Berger has a mixed farm and ranching operation southwest of Nanton. While he’s done a lot of custom work and rented land in the past, he has downsized since taking on the agriculture portfolio. Still, he maintains around 120 cows and—while he’s put a lot of the farmland back into hay—he still seeds around 400 acres to grains and oilseeds.

With his ag background, it is no sur-prise that Berger considers his recent appointment a great honour.

“We have some of the foremost pro-ducers in the world and I am very proud to have this opportunity,” says Berger. “I will do everything I can to further the cause of agriculture to help it become a rival to oil and gas as our province’s big-gest industry sector.”

Part of growing Alberta’s agriculture industry is helping farmers prepare for the Marketing Freedom for Grain Farm-ers Act, which goes into effect on Aug. 1, 2012. The province is currently hosting a series of grain marketing information sessions to update farmers.

Market access related to these chang-es is a specific concern the minister has heard about from producers in Northern Alberta.

“Really, the challenge up there is the short piece of railway that is missing from Grand Prairie straight over to Prince Rupert,” he says. “The opportu-nity to utilize the port at Prince Rupert more and offer a shorter transportation route to those in the north of the prov-ince is something we need to jump on.”

Berger explains that the Alberta-owned terminal at Prince Rupert is not only 35 hours closer to the Asian market than any other Western Canadian port, but can be used in a far greater capacity.

“That terminal is phenomenal,” says Berger. “It has the capacity to process 4,000 tonnes an hour of cleaning and

4,000 tonnes an hour of loading, and can store more ship loads than pretty much any other terminal in the country. I think there are plenty of opportunities there and we just need to be cautiously opti-mistic as we work through the logistics.”

Berger adds that the majority of grain farmers he’s spoken with are enthusi-astic about the new marketing system. Likewise, he believes it’s going to open up many opportunities. If these changes result in greater profitability, he also be-lieves there could be the added benefit of attracting youth back into agriculture.

“The average age of an Alberta farmer is 51 years old,” he says. “We need to get youth back into agriculture. It has to be

attractive, it has to be profitable, and there have to be new changes and ideas.”

Part of making the industry more profitable involves securing trade op-portunities. Berger sees farmers as hav-ing a large role to play in trade by being advocates for their products. He believes it’s time to more actively promote Alberta’s agriculture industry.

“We in Alberta—in Canada—don’t blow our own horn enough,” says Berger. “We have safe, high-quality products. We have a very good reputation in the world. We need to make sure we don’t shy away from letting people know that.”

Berger also believes the numbers back up this positive messaging

“Profitability is moving in our direc-tion,” says Berger. “As we move forward to 2050, there will be nine billion people and only about six countries in the world that will be able to produce more than they consume. That is looking good for agriculture. Now, how do we make sure we position ourselves as not just a global supplier, but the preferred global supplier.”

Part of ensuring farmers will have the infrastructure to meet this new global reality means that all of rural Alberta has internet access. Currently, 30 per cent of rural Alberta has no internet service because of sparse population or topography challenges. In conjunction with Service Alberta Minister Manmeet Bhullar, Berger is working toward get-ting these unserved areas—typically those that are unprofitable for private industry—served.

“It is imperative that our rural chil-dren, and rural ag producers, have access,” says Berger. “We do not want to compete with the private sector whatsoever, but we do want to enable everyone to get online. And for agricul-tural producers—it’s a huge part of their business opportunity now.”

The grain terminal at Prince Rupert has a loading rate of 4,000 tonnes per hour and is 35 hours closer to the Asian market.

PHOTO COuRTesy: PRinCe RuPeRT PORT AuTHORiTy

Berger was also involved in the Prop-erty Rights Taskforce, which travelled around the province listening to the diverse viewpoints on what constitutes property and how to balance property rights with maintaining stewardship of the land. During the process, he was asked to define a property right.

“I thought about that long and hard,” he says. “The ultimate property right is something that one produces—whether it be intellectual or physical, it’s your product. You have your crop of wheat, you sell it … that is your property right. Actual land outlives all of us. It’s fixed in place and we can’t take it with us.

“We have to be forward looking into the fact that in the last 40 years in Canada, we have lost 50 per cent of our arable land per capita,” says Berger. “The planning aspect and the property rights issues have to be dealt with and we have to deal with them in a calm, rational way to guarantee that agriculture has a future in Alberta.”

Looking forward, the minister says he will continue to meet with major external commodity boards and mem-bers of the agriculture sector, allowing the industry to drive his priorities. He will also find new ways to engage youth in agriculture, such as holding a youth summit to capitalize on these exciting changes in the ag industry.

“I think that we are on the cusp of seeing a whole different mindset for ag-riculture and I’m looking forward to it,” says Berger. “And I think we have plenty of opportunity going forward. We have the third highest amount of arable land per capita in the world. We follow only Australia—with no water—and Kazakh-stan—with no transportation. Opportu-nities abound.”

n Anne-Marie Bruzga Luchak is the editor of Barley country.


2 TALking TrADe: Kathleen Sullivan, executive director of the

Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance (CAFTA). Sullivan gives an illuminating speech on how her organization addresses trade barriers in order to open new global agriculture markets. Sullivan tells the crowd 90 per cent of Canadian farms are dependent on trade, and globally 10 per cent of trade is carried out in the agricultural sector. She sheds light on several current target markets, including South Korea, Japan, and India.

“It’s the biggest exposure to the trade talks I’ve had,” says Region Four

Surrounded by the picturesque Rocky Mountains, the Alberta Barley Commission (ABC) hosted

its 20th annual general meeting (AGM) from Dec. 7–8, 2011 in Banff.

The meeting kicked off with a director and delegate session on Dec. 7, where the Commission’s elected representa-tives reviewed priorities for the coming year. This session was followed by the much-anticipated Liquid Achieve Brew Tour, sponsored by Dow AgroSciences. At this buzz-worthy event, participants mixed and mingled at local pubs, where they were able to sample local food and local beer.

The Commission attended to official AGM business on the morning of Dec. 8, followed by industry presentations. A banquet that evening featured a captivating speech by the well-known

futurist Dr. Lowell Catlett, capping off a successful event.

“I think the AGM was pretty well received,” says Region Four Director Bernie Klammer. “There is a whole new optimism and positive feeling moving forward with our organization.”

The AGM was followed by a feed sum-mit co-hosted by the Commission and industry partners on Dec. 9. (See Feed Summit story on page 11.)

The Commission received generous support from the following industry sponsors: Dow AgroSciences (platinum sponsor); ATB Financial (gold spon-sor); Syngenta (gold sponsor); Viterra (bronze sponsor); and Rahr Malting Canada Ltd. (bronze sponsor).

In addition to the presentations highlighted in the photo essay on these two pages, the Commission would like to

Highlights from the fall meetings ceLeBrATing 20 yeArs of BArLey

2 5

3 4

1 2012 BoArD of DirecTors: The Alberta Barley Commission’s

directors take a quick photo before heading into the 2011 AGM banquet dinner: (back row, left to right) Region Five Director-at-Large Richard Mueller; Region Four Director Bernie Klammer; Vice-Chairman and Region Three Director Trevor Petersen; Region Five Director Albert Wagner; Region Three Director-at-Large Mike Ammeter; (front row, left to right) Region One Director-at-Large Glenn Logan; Region Six Director Ron Heck; Chairman and Region Two Director Matt Sawyer; and Region One Director Greg Stamp.

Director Bernie Klammer. “Learning about how long it takes to negotiate trade agreements, the relationships that have to be developed, and all the work that goes into establishing them was really informative.”

Klammer says that exposure to new information like this helps raise awareness about a side of agricultural lobbying to which producers are not normally privy.

3 A privATe secTor vieW of MArkeTing chAnge: Against

the backdrop of the changing Western Canadian agricultural marketing legislation, Brant Randles, president

and CEO of Louis Dreyfus Canada Ltd., gives a timely presentation on myth busting and the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB). One of the myths Randles addresses, is that Canadian agriculture would lose its identity without the CWB. Randle’s unique perspective on the legacy and operations of the CWB gives his audience food for thought.

4 chAirMAn’s ADDress: In his opening remarks on Dec. 8,

Chairman and Region Two Director Matt Sawyer spoke to the challenges facing the industry: “With every change comes great opportunity,” says Sawyer. “I challenge all of you to become more

1

thank all speakers and participants for taking the time to help shape the future of Alberta’s barley industry.

Research and reporting at the regionals

The Alberta Barley Commission held its annual regional meetings in late November and early December 2011. The meetings brought together direc-tors, delegates, and barley growers with researchers, government agents, and industry representatives.

This year, the Commission partnered with the Alberta Pulse Growers and the Alberta Canola Producers Commission for the majority of the regional meet-ings.

Working together, producer groups created a notable collection of speak-ers for each meeting in order to boost

meeting appeal and offer more valuable information.

2011 AGm resolutionsBesides being informative, regional

meetings allow members to bring forward resolutions for discussion and debate. Once passed at a regional meet-ing, the resolutions are reviewed by the resolutions committee before being brought forward at the AGM.

The two resolutions brought forward this year are reviewed in the box on the adjacent page.

“All resolutions are important whether or not they are carried or defeated, because it brings about discussion,” says Ron Heck, region six director and resolu-tions committee chair.

n Compiled by Kailen Renelle Krawec


Resolution 1 – submitted by Region oneWhereas: The per diems for the Alberta Barley Commission Chair, Directors and Delegates are below industry standard;

And Whereas: The Alberta Barley Commission Chair, Directors and Delegates are important to the Commission;

And Whereas: The Chair, Directors and Delegates may have to hire staff to deal with the workload at home while attending to Commission Business.

Therefore be it resolved: That the Alberta Barley Commission raise the Chair’s, Directors’ and Delegates’ per diems to be in line with the indus-try average, such that the Chair’s per diem is raised to $300.00 for a full day, ($150.00 for a half day), the Directors’ per diem is raised to $250.00 for a full day ($125.00 for a ½ day) and Delegates’ per diem is raised to $200.00 for a full day, ($100.00 for a ½ day). This would be retroactive to August 1, 2011.

Resolution moved by region one and carried at the AGM.

Resolution 2 – submitted by Region FiveWhereas:

Alberta Soft White Wheat Commission and Alberta Winter Wheat Commission have had difficulty operating because administrative costs have taken a large percentage of their check-offs;

And Whereas: Oats needs progressive research and development to meet our markets and agronomy here in Alberta, as well as Rye and Triticale.

Therefore be it resolved: That the Alberta Barley Commission work actively to form an All Cereals Commission here in Alberta to best and profitably serve Alberta Grain Producers.

Resolution moved by region five and defeated at the AGM.

6

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7

trends in agriculture by looking at current innovations and taking them to the next level.

Ron Heck, region six director from Fairview, got a real charge out of the guest speaker.

“He was down to earth, he shot from the hip, and his presentation was meaningful,” says Heck. “He was entertaining and he made people think.”

Catlett’s catch phase, “No, mom, I don’t want the farm!” became the event’s most-remembered punch line. This refers to Catlett’s lament about not having the foresight to see potential opportunities with his family’s farm, which was later sold by his mother and turned into a privately owned wind farm.

in touch with their maltsters for up-to-date information on standards and regulations. He forecasts that the Canadian malting industry has a bright future ahead.

8 inDusTry invoLveMenT: Bill Chapman, development officer

with the crop business development branch of Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, takes the opportunity to pose a question to Kathleen Sullivan, executive director of CAFTA.

9 LoW Tech poWerpoinT: Dr. Lowell Catlett’s dynamic and highly

animated presentation generates huge laughs and wild delight from a highly-entertained crowd at the banquet on Dec. 8. Catlett, a noted futurist from New Mexico State University’s agricultural college, speaks about predicting future

involved in our industry so that we can make the most of the future.” After the AGM, both Sawyer and Vice-Chairman Trevor Petersen were re-elected to their positions for another year.

5 feDerAL coMMiTMenT To chAnge: In a presentation

addressing the progress of the Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act, Greg Meredith, assistant deputy minister in the strategic policy branch of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, swiftly addresses the Dec. 8 federal court ruling.

While the ruling states that the government acted illegally in denying prairie farmers a vote on the existence of the CWB, Meredith confirms that the government will pursue its course, despite the ruling. He explains that they

will remain on track to push forward the passage of Bill C-18 and meet the Aug. 1, 2012 deadline to dismantle the single-desk system. The Act later received royal assent on Dec. 15, 2011.

6 DeLegATe Discussion: Region two delegates Bernie McWilliam,

Doug Miller and Jamie Christie, enjoy a discussion during the morning program break at the AGM.

7 MALT BARLEY TIPS: In his presentation focusing on the

malting industry, Bob Sutton, vice-president of logistics and sales at Rahr Malting, touches on a variety of malting tips and the benefits of malting contracts. Sutton speaks about the newly announced expansion at Rahr’s malting facility in Alix. He also encourages malt barley growers to stay


NAME POSITION ciTy PHONE EMAIL

REGion 1Greg Stamp Director Enchant 403-634-1586 [email protected]

Glenn Logan Director-at-Large Lomond 403-792-3696 [email protected]

Brad Berger Delegate Nanton 403-888-5563 [email protected]

Brian Otto Delegate Warner 403-642-2134 [email protected]

Bernie Wickenheiser Delegate Hays 403-725-2388 [email protected]

ken coles Delegate Lethbridge 403-329-8263 [email protected]

Terry unruh Delegate Hays 403-725-2290 [email protected]

REGion 2Matt Sawyer Chairman Acme 403-369-5071 [email protected]

David eaton Delegate Oyen 403-676-2020 [email protected]

Wade christie Delegate Trochu 403-442-2698 [email protected]

Bernie McWilliam Delegate Blackie 403-684-3476 [email protected]

doug Miller Delegate Acme 403-546-2472 [email protected]

doug Robertson Delegate Carstairs 403-337-2077 [email protected]

don Mueller Delegate Three Hills 403-823-3177 [email protected]

Lee Markert Delegate Vulcan 403-485-6708 [email protected]

Jamie christie Delegate Trochu 403-588-9212 [email protected]

Shawn Gorr Delegate Linden 403-546-2426 [email protected]

REGion 3Trevor petersen Director, Vice-Chairman Penhold 403-886-4717 [email protected]

Mike Ammeter Director-at-Large Sylvan Lake 403-887-5491 [email protected]

kevin Bender Delegate Bentley 403-887-5795 [email protected]

Jason Lenz Delegate Bentley 403-748-4964 [email protected]

Terry Young Delegate Lacombe 403-347-7664 [email protected]

Harold Haugen Delegate Lougheed 780-386-3932 [email protected]

REGion 4Bernie klammer Director Vegreville 780-688-2348 [email protected]

charlie Leskiw Delegate St. Paul 780-636-2486 [email protected]

John Wozniak Jr. Delegate St. Paul 780-645-6955 [email protected]

Brian McGonigal Delegate St. Paul 780-210-0597 [email protected]

Dave solverson Delegate Camrose 780-679-9625 [email protected]

Terry James Delegate Vegreville 780-632-3871 [email protected]

REGion 5Albert Wagner Director Stony Plain 780-963-7753 [email protected]

Richard Mueller Director-at-Large Barrhead 780-674-2595 Fax: 780-674-5959

Bryan Adam Delegate Stony Plain 780-963-4952 [email protected]

darrel Henning Delegate Stony Plain 780-963-6691 [email protected]

Peter Smerychynski Delegate Westlock 780-349-4566 [email protected]

REGion 6Ron Heck Director Fairview 780-835-4431 [email protected]

dan Ropchan Delegate Grimshaw 780-332-1075 [email protected]

Mike Rudakewich Delegate Fairview 780-835-2650 [email protected]

charles Turcotte Delegate Donnelly 780-925-3777 [email protected]

Directors and delegates contact list 2012


BY MAdELEINE BAERG

More than 60 people from across the feed grain value chain sat down Dec. 9, 2011 to brain-

storm and commit to actions that will improve profitability for both feed grow-ers and feed buyers.

Taking place in Banff the day after the Alberta Barley Commission’s annual general meeting, the 2011 Feed Grain Summit may not have solved all of the industry’s problems in a day, but it was a major step in a necessary and collabora-tive direction, agree participants.

“These kinds of talks are never easy,” says Bryan Walton, chief executive of-ficer of the Alberta Cattle Feeders’ Association. “But, in the end, everyone was pleased with the outcome.”

At issue is the fact that the Canadian livestock feeding industry has been faltering under growing costs, increas-ing demand challenges, and—in the case of pork—low prices. Concerned about the decline in capacity and growth of its largest customer, the Alberta Barley Commission coordinated the event with industry stakeholders in an effort to work towards solutions that benefit the entire livestock feeding chain.

“The Commission wants to take steps to make livestock feeding more attrac-tive and profitable, which will improve our marketplace as feed grain produc-ers,” explains Albert Wagner, region five director for the Commission.

Participants spent the first hours of the summit discussing the many chal-lenges facing livestock feeding: from decreasing domestic demand, to lack of customer knowledge, to government

programs that can distort the industry, to the need for better yields.

“There was a growing realization, by people from many different perspec-tives, of how complex the issues are and of how they span sectorial lines,” says Don Macyk, the Summit chair. “This is not a cyclical downturn; rather, it is a capacity and competitiveness challenge that requires the combined effort of the grain and livestock industry, govern-ments, and the science and innovation sector. We have to ask: how can I help make you more profitable in order to make me more profitable?”

While previous summits focused on planning and analyzing, this year’s event

2011 Feed Grain Summit: A step in the right direction

FEED SUMMIT ROUNDTABLE: Darcy Kirtzinger, policy & research coordinator for the Alberta Barley Commission, captures a discussion amongst a group of summit attendees.

PHOTO CREDIT: MICHAEl InTERIsAnO

successfully met its action-focused “Get ’R Done!” theme. Participants identified four key industry priorities: increas-ing industry cost efficiency; increasing industry revenue; creating strategy, structure and mechanisms for indus-try collaboration; and collaborating to leverage and drive research and innova-tion capacity.

They also built accountable cross-in-dustry teams to champion action in each of those areas. Each team developed an action plan, and is tasked with reporting on progress to the rest of the partici-pants during the first quarter of 2012.

“We came to a real understanding that we need to put some effort into all the

parts: governance, price discovery, risk management, research ideas, nutri-tion requirements, what varieties are available, all of it,” says Darcy Fitzgerald, executive director of Alberta Pork. “We got enough people to say, ‘I’ll work on my little part of this and then blend it with your part, and together we’ll create something bigger.’ Before, it was just too daunting a task. Now we’re at the start-ing stage of talking about commerce.”

“The extent to which those commit-ments will be fulfilled will be the real test,” says Macyk. “It’s a step at a time.”

nMadeleine Baerg is a born and raised farm girl now based out of Calgary.

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BY LEE HART

AC Metcalfe isn’t the only malting barley variety available to Alber-ta growers, but it is certainly one

of the most favoured, say maltsters and grain marketers. Some other varieties may have a fit in some niche markets, but regardless of how good a variety sounds from an agronomic standpoint, the primary rule is to grow what the customer wants.

Malting companies and brewers are always interested in what’s new in the barley breeding pipeline, but ultimately it is the varieties that consistently pro-duce the quality and taste preferred in well-branded beverages that are in the greatest demand.

a slow process. It may take three to five years of testing a variety to determine if it has fit. In the initial test stages in micro malting and brewing, we may only need 50 pounds of grain. If that proves favourable, the next year they will test a larger batch, but it can be years before there is a wide scale demand for a new variety.”

For example, AC Metcalfe, a two-row malt barley, was registered 14 years ago in 1997. It eventually made its way into the Canadian market, replacing the long-standing Harrington, which was devel-oped at the University of Saskatchewan in 1981. Harrington was an excellent malting barley variety, but it just didn’t hold up as plant breeders produced higher yielding varieties with improved disease resistance.

Sich says he understands the appeal of new malting barley varieties. Farmers are interested in varieties with higher yield and improved agronomic pack-ages—that’s always a draw. But the bot-tom line is to produce what the market wants.

At Airdrie’s Central Ag Marketing Ltd., long-time grain marketing specialist Rod Green says AC Metcalfe is still the leading favourite among his grain buy-ers. CDC Copeland is gaining a bit more demand, and CDC Meredith, registered in 2009, is showing promise.

AC Metcalfe still king in malt circles Malt barley production tips

By Lee Hart

Farmers aiming to produce barley that meets standards for

malting quality need to follow basic, good agronomic practices,

says a malting company grain buyer.

According to Kevin Sich, grain procurement manager with Rahr

Malting, proper production begins with good quality, high

germinating, certified seed.

“Selecting the proper variety is perhaps the first thing, using

good quality seed, and soil testing to get a good handle on

fertility requirements,” says Sich.

He also has three production tips that can impact barley quality.

1. Seed early: While usually grains are left to later in the seeding

season after canola and peas, for example, Sich recommends

seeding at least a portion of the malt barley crop early. “As a good

rule of thumb, any barley harvested in August usually makes malt

quality,” he says. Seeds are plump, and usually a crop seeded

early flowers before being damaged by the high temperatures in

July and is harvested before some of the early frosts.

2. keep the seeding rate up: While an old guideline was to seed

barley at one to one-and-a-half bushels of seed per acre (about

60 pounds per acre), the more recent recommendation is to aim

for a plant stand density of 24 plants per square foot. Depending

on the weight of seed, it works out to roughly two to 2.5 bushels

per acre (about 100 to 120 pounds of seed per acre). At the higher

seeding rate, plants tiller less, and it is seed produced on the

secondary heads that usually has lower quality.

3. use proper fertility: There isn’t a single rate that applies to

every farm, but 60 pounds of nitrogen per acre is a good starting

point. The crop needs sufficient nitrogen to achieve optimum

yield, but it shouldn’t be too high of fertility, which can affect

protein levels. Find a proper fertility balance for your farm.

By following good agronomic practices, farmers can hopefully

harvest a barley crop with the following malting barley

characteristics:

• a pure, clean stand

• high per cent germination (95 per cent or better)

• fully mature and free from disease

• free from frost damage

• not weathered or deeply stained

• less than five per cent peeled or broken kernels

• free from heat damage

• not artificially dried

• no desiccants

• free of insects and disease

• plump kernels of uniform size

• low protein content ranging between 10.5 to 13 per

cent dry basis

“ We have some market for cDc copeland as well, but Metcalfe still seems to be the universal favourite—the go anywhere barley variety. ”

- Kevin Sich

“ If the market was there, we could probably switch half of the production to Meredith overnight. ”

- Rod Green

“AC Metcalfe is still our leading vari-ety,” says Kevin Sich, grain procurement manager with Rahr Malting, based in the Central Alberta community of Alix. “We have some market for CDC Copeland as well, but Metcalfe still seems to be the universal favourite—the go anywhere barley variety.”

Sich says it is important that farmers looking to produce and market malting quality barley grow the varieties malt-ing and grain companies want. Malting companies are really the middle-men in the malting barley business—it is the brewers who ultimately call the shots on what varieties to grow.

“The brewers have specific products and they want a malt that will consis-tently produce a beer that consumers recognize by colour and taste,” says Sich. “It has to be consistent. It is not even a matter of bringing them something we think is better. If it is going to affect the colour or taste of a particular brand, they aren’t interested because ultimately it could affect consumer preference for their product.”

While brewers have their favourites, that doesn’t mean malt barley is a static business, says Sich.

“There is always something going on,” he says. “We and brewers are always in-terested in testing new varieties, but it is

“CDC Meredith is just a great variety,” says Green. “If the market was there, we could probably switch half of the production to Meredith overnight. It has good malting quality and it yields 10 to 15 per cent higher than Metcalfe. Farm-ers want to grow it, but I tell them they have to wait for the market.”

And in Southern Alberta, Dave Seifridt, marketing specialist with Market Master, has only three words for producers won-dering what malt barley variety to grow:

“‘Metcalfe, Metcalfe, Metcalfe,’ is what I tell farmers,” says Seidfridt. “There are other good varieties available, but Metcalfe appears to be what the industry wants. It is important for growers to talk to a buyer about their specific needs, but for now Metcalfe is the standby variety for anyone wanting to sell malt barley.”


By cAiTLin crAWshAW

For generations, farmers have under-stood the importance of nitrogen to the growth of their crops and have struggled to boost nitrogen levels in the soil. Conventional fertilizer can only do this to a small extent, since the bulk of it is destroyed by water or wind before being used by plants.

“For every $100 a farmer puts into the ground, only $30 gets used by the crop—the rest is lost,” explains Dr. Carlos Monreal, research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and adjunct professor at Carleton University.

But a new technology being developed by Monreal and his colleagues at the University of Alberta and Carleton could solve this perennial problem.

“We’re trying to develop a new gen-eration of fertilizers that will increase this efficiency from 30 per cent to up-wards of 80 per cent,” he says. “The idea is to develop a product that will release nitrogen only when the plant needs it and in the amount the plant needs.”

The key to this is nanotechnology. Monreal is developing a fertilizer made of nano-sized nitrogen molecules coated in a polymer that protects the fertilizer from the elements. This coating contains nano-sized “biosensors”—made up of a very specific chemical compound that allow the fertilizer to be released into the soil when the plant needs it.

These biosensors know when to release nitrogen because they can detect chemical signals being transmitted from

the roots of the plant to the soil.“It’s like a chemical signal that the

plant uses to communicate with its sur-roundings,” says Monreal.

A plant losing water or nutrients to weeds might send out chemicals to harm its competitor, for instance. In some cases, a plant under attack by insects or soil pathogens triggers defence mecha-nisms that synthesize alkaloids or anti-biotics emitted into the surrounding soil to defend itself. Monreal explains that, at certain points in a plant’s lifecycle, its roots send out signals that ask microbes to transform nitrogen in the soil into a chemical form the plant can use.

By eavesdropping on this chemical “conversation,” these biosensors can detect when a plant requires more ni-trogen and allow microbes access to the fertilizer-nitrogen inside the polymer-protected particle.

Each plant species sends its own vari-ety of chemical signals, which means an intelligent nano-fertilizer product could be tailored to respond differently to the different needs of crops. So far, Monre-al’s team has explored how this fertilizer might work for wheat and canola, but they also want to study barley.

Much of the work has focused on the biochemical and molecular questions at the heart of this puzzle, but Monreal stresses that there’s an important indus-trial component, too.

“Part of the research is to develop the mechanical tools, the engineering, to be able to make the 3-D polymer coating less than 100 nanometres thick,” he says,

Intelligent nano-fertilizers herald the future

adding that the coating must also be bio-degradable to prevent any environmen-tal impacts. To that end, the research team is collaborating with fertilizer company Agrium and nanotechnology firm NanoGrande.

But as high-tech as the research is,

By DArcy kirTzinger

The Alberta Barley Commission has invested grower check-off contributions in research projects

for 20 years, but one way the Commis-sion gets the most bang for the produc-er’s buck is through participating in the Agriculture Funding Consortium.

Founded in 2001, the Consortium is a group of funding agencies and producer organizations that jointly operate a one-window grant application process and fund projects of mutual importance. This single application saves research-ers the effort of applying to a number of different agencies. In turn, each member reviews proposals based on their orga-nizational priorities and the members often collaborate to jointly fund projects.

The Alberta Crop Industry Develop-ment Fund (ACIDF) was instrumental in forming the group and remains an advocate for crop industry research at the Consortium to this day. Since joining in 2005, the Commission has collaborat-ed with ACIDF on a number of projects, including Dr. Lingyun Chen’s work on improving oral bioavailability of bioac-tive compounds from barley-derivatives.

letters of intent (LOI) in the fall. In 2011, 160 different LOIs were submitted for review. The 14 Consortium members then reviewed the LOIs and requested that specific researchers provide full proposals for consideration.

Once submitted, the full proposals are critiqued by independent scientific re-viewers who judge their merit, request clarification, and suggest alternative strategies. In Feb. 2012, Consortium members will meet again to determine which projects will receive funding.

es and provide opportunities for barley. This “industry cash” investment has been critical in moving many projects forward.

The Commission is currently investing in a number of Consortium-derived proj-ects, including two from the University of Alberta: Superheated Steam Drying Barley Grains/Fractions to Improve Beta Glucan Quality led by Dr. Thava Vasan-than and Natural Nanofibers Based on Crop Resources for New Generation of Bio-products led by Dr. Lingyun Chen (another ABC–ACIDF collaboration). Both investigate barley fractions for value-added processing opportunities.

The Consortium remains an effective mechanism for reviewing large numbers of project applications and collaborating on funding. For more information, go to www.fundingconsortium.ca.

n Darcy Kirtzinger is the policy and research coordinator for the Alberta Barley Commission.

it still stems from basic science and an understanding of natural processes.

“Nature is complex, but very wise,” says Monreal.

n Caitlin Crawshaw is an Edmonton-based writer.

Dr. Carlos Monreal is working to create intelligent nano-fertilizers.PHOTO COurTesy: Dr. CarlOs MOnreal

reseArch noTes

Funding Consortium provides real value

The application processEach year, a call for proposals is sent

to researchers asking them to submit

The Commission’s picksThe Commission has a four-member

research committee that reviews each proposal based on the Commission’s research priorities, as well as those of the Barley Development Council.

The Commission commits part of its research budget to funding these proj-ects and works with the other funding agencies at the Consortium to ensure that research projects address challeng-


Masters of malt: Elite Barley recognizes excellenceBy kAiLen reneLLe krAWec

Producing malt-quality barley is a proud achievement for many bar-ley growers. Each year, the Elite

Barley: Canadian Malting Barley Grower Recognition Program celebrates produc-ers who meet numerous production challenges—from weather to harvest to storage—in order to produce the best malt barley in Canada.

An industry-led program, exceptional producers of malt barley are nomi-nated by participating grain and malt-ing companies from across Western Canada. With a total of 15 nominations, this year’s special report featured four Alberta farmers:

Frank Hamel of Olds (and also Out-look, Sask.), nominated by Canada Malting Co. Ltd.; Gerard Neill of Mor-rin, nominated by Canada Malting Co. Ltd.; Chris and Robert Izyk of Blackie, nominated by Rahr Malting Canada Ltd.; and Mike Vavrek of Sexsmith, nominated by Viterra.

“The area we’re in is a good location to achieve malt quality barley,” explains Chris Izyk. “Taking advantage of the conditions and the lower input cost with malt, I feel that there is a bit of a premium to be had that makes the risks worthwhile.”

“These elite growers take great care in pre-seeding planning and in the growing, harvesting, and storage management of their malting barley to the needs and specifications of their customers,” explains program Co-chair Michael Brophy, president and CEO of the Brewing and Malting Barley Re-search Institute (BMBRI). “They treat their malting barley as a specialty crop.”

This year’s nominees shared best management practices, including variety selections, crop rotation, seed rate and date, crop protection, harvest methods, and storage practices. Seeding early was key for all the nominees. Some tips, however, were location specific, includ-ing fertility planning and seeding upon particular types of crop stubble. Elite growers also bought certified seed and performed soil tests; however, a signifi-cant number only did this once every two or three years.

The Izyks have kept up-to-date with certified seed and approved varieties over the years; prior to growing AC Met-calfe, they grew Harrington.

“We’re optimistic about some of the new varieties,” explains Izyk. “The new varieties have better agronomic pack-ages, so if a person ended up on the feed side of the market, at least there is a decent amount of volume there. The new yields are more comparable to the feed varieties.”

In terms of harvest and storage, straight cutting between 13.5–16.5 per

cent moisture, followed by bin aeration, was viewed as the lowest risk harvest method. Adjusting machinery settings according to the crop and weather conditions also aided in maintaining the high quality kernel condition needed for malting.

As one of the founding partners and a current program sponsor, the Alberta Barley Commission sees value in pro-moting the expansion of barley acres in Canada.

“Sharing effective production tips is the key to encouraging producers to try

growing malt,” says Commission Chair-man Matt Sawyer. “There is a big benefit to learning the tips of successful grow-ers in your area. Meeting the standards for malt barley is almost an art form.”

While malt is a valued crop, overall production in Canada is declining. Ac-cording to the Canadian Grain Com-mission’s Quality of Western Canadian Malting Barley 2011 Report, total barley production was 22 per cent lower than the 10-year average at an estimated 7.4 million tonnes. With close to 45 per cent

of total barley production currently in non-malting varieties, this requires a higher selection rate of malting varieties to achieve a 2.5-million-tonne malting barley market requirement.

“The ultimate goal of the program is to encourage the expansion of malting barley production and selection rates in the future,” says Brophy.

Elite Barley nominees will be rec-ognized in front of industry represen-tatives and fellow producers at the Western Barley Growers Association’s (WBGA’s) 35th annual convention, which runs Feb. 15–17, 2012 in Calgary.

Program sponsors include: the Alberta Barley Commission; the Brewers Asso-ciation of Canada; the Brewing and Malt-ing Barley Research Institute; SeCan; Syngenta; and the WBGA.

The program also enjoys support from these key industry partners: Canada Malting Co. Ltd.; Canadian Grain Com-mission; Canadian Wheat Board; Can-terra Seeds; Malteurop North America Inc.; Prairie Malt Limited; Rahr Malting Canada Ltd.; Richardson Pioneer; Sierra Nevada Brewing Company; Sleeman Breweries Ltd.; and Viterra.

Background information on the Elite Barley program, production tips from past nominees, and other resource infor-mation is available in this special report and at www.elitebarley.com.

and demand, while continuing to look for new, improved varieties. Regardless of the varietal choice, it was always crucial to be well organized and plan crop rotations and field selection in advance.

Buying certified seed and soil testing was common among elite growers, al-though some producers only used these management techniques once every two or three years. Seed treatment was also noted as important by producer nomi-nees.

Growers who have implemented envi-ronmental farm plans continue to reap the benefits from these plans. Malt barley was successfully seeded into canola stubble, summer fallow, pea and lentil stubble (minding the soil nitrogen level), and even flax, depending on the region.

It was common for elite growers to use glyphosate or another chemical as pre-seed weed control, although one farmer preferred to use cultivation to accomplish this objective.

Working closely with their local eleva-tors/malting companies helped growers choose an in-demand variety, analyze market signals, and set up production contracts with the use of Cash Plus or other pricing mechanisms.

“ These elite growers take great care in pre-seeding planning and in the growing, harvesting, and storage management of their malting barley to the needs and specifications of their customers. ”

- Michael Brophy

The Elite Barley: Canadian Malting Barley Grower Recognition Program celebrates the best in Western Canadian malt barley production.

PHOTO CREDIT: DEB MaRCHanD

production analysisThe following production analysis

appears courtesy of the Elite Barley program.

Pre-seeding planElite growers often maintained pro-

duction of the variety that proved to be superior in agronomics, yield potential

Crop management Elite growers agreed that the seeding

date should be “the earlier, the better.” This improved the crop’s chance of suc-cess at reaching maturity and devel-oping throughout preferred weather conditions (avoiding summer heat too early in crop development), as well as an early harvest.

A variety of tillage methods are still used, from deep tillage in black soil


sUmmARizEd PRodUCTion TiPsThe following summarized production tips appear courtesy of the

Elite Barley program:

• Elite barley growers understand the benefits of certified

seed and most of them use it every other year, but some

use it every third year.

• Growers seed their malt barley most often into canola

stubble.

• They strive for an early seeding date (early May) to allow

for early harvest and, thus, reduce concerns with drying

the grain.

• seeding rates vary considerably, from as low as 60 lbs/

acre to as high as 135 lbs/acre.

• Rates depended on location on the prairies and

anticipated water supply during the growing season, with

higher seeding rates in areas with adequate moisture.

• Most elite growers in 2011 seeded established varieties

(Ac Metcalfe and cDc copeland), but there was increased

interest in Newdale.

• growers were almost split evenly in their preference for

swathing versus straight cutting.

• Those who favour swathing waited for the grain to reach

16 per cent moisture and then swathed when there was a

five-day window—they liked to combine within five days

of swathing.

• Growers who prefer straight combining generally waited

for grain to reach less than 14 per cent moisture before

cutting, especially if they had no access to aeration.

• The majority of growers did aerate, even when straight

combining, to dry and cool down their barley.

• Many of the growers commented on the need to

continually adjust combine settings as the harvest day

progressed in order to reduce peeling and breakage of the

harvested grain.

• Auger speeds were also closely monitored to reduce

peeling and breakage.

zones to minimum and zero tillage in brown or grey soil zones. A wide range of seeding rates was reported, from 60 to 135 lbs/ac (approximately 1.25 to 2.81 bu/ac), generally with increased tillage at higher seeding rates. Some producers even experimented with dif-ferent seeding rates from year to year. The seeding depth varied from 0.75 to 1.25 inches.

Disease management was not nearly as prevalent as weed management, which almost always required a chemi-cal application, sprayed at the recom-mended stage (as a result of regular crop monitoring). Some farmers have opted for a half rate of fungicide as a precaution against diseases.

Fertility plans for most top producers incorporated spring applied fertilizer, including nitrogen (from 34 to 80 lbs), phosphorus (10 to 40 lbs), and some-times potassium and sulfur.

Fertility plans for individual growers are a function of soil type, topography, soil tests, and weather conditions in each producer’s area.

cording to the barley crop and weather conditions is critical. This included slowing the rotor down, opening up the concave and setting the wind to 900 rpm to aid in the maintenance of high-quality malt barley. Careful inspection of barley samples coming off the combine by the producer was another safeguard against incorrect combine settings.

Malting barley being examined upon initial delivery to a lab at Rahr Malting Ltd.

PHOTO CREDIT: DEb MaRCHanD

Germinating malt is tested to ensure quality.PHOTO CREDIT: DEb MaRCHanD

harvest management Straight cutting between 13.5–16.5

per cent moisture, followed by bin aeration, was still viewed as the lowest risk harvest method. However, a sur-prising number of nominees advocated swathing, followed by combining four to seven days later, which allowed them to practice selective swathing if needed, hastening and homogenizing the matu-rity of the crop.

Elite growers agreed that adjusting swathing and combining settings ac-

Post-harvest managementWhile it was essential for elite grow-

ers without aerated bins to take the crop off dry, some growers with aeration did the same, preferring to haul their barley to malting company elevators directly after harvest. Others stored it in clean, odour-free, flat-bottom or hopper bins with aeration to drop the moisture down. This was carried out with large-diametre augers set to low speeds to reduce peeled and broken kernels. Once in the bin, regular monitoring and nec-essary turning was found to maintain top quality until delivery.

Proper sampling and labelling meth-ods, including preparing a composite from samples taken off each load of barley hauled, were considered essen-tial. Regardless of a production contract, promptly bringing accurate samples in to the elevator was useful for delivery and acceptance opportunities.

The fall season was used by many top producers to soil sample, harrow straw into the field, or manage weed problems, either by cultivation or post-harvest spraying.

n Kailen Renelle Krawec is a Calgary-based writer.


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By heLen McMenAMin

AFusarium Head Blight (FHB) survey of over 900 cereal and corn fields in Alberta in 2010

showed the disease is spreading beyond irrigated areas. Research indicates it is a disease well-worth fighting before you see it.

FHB, also called scab or tombstone, is caused by several species of the fungus Fusarium, of which the most significant

is F. graminearum. Farmers in Manitoba, eastern Saskatchewan, and irrigated areas of Southern Alberta have to battle it every year.

“We’ve been most concerned about wheat, especially durum, because it’s the most affected by the fungus,” says Ron Howard, Alberta Agriculture plant pathologist. “But barley, corn, oats, rye, and grasses can also be attacked.”

Fusarium fungi can overwinter in the soil, on infected cereal and corn resi-

dues, and on seed. Overwintering fungal fruiting bodies on crop residues release spores in the spring and summer, which can spread to cereal and grass heads and corn ears when they are in flower. Spores that reach a cereal flower can infect the developing kernel. Infected heads may exhibit white or pinkish fun-gal growth that produces more infective spores. Spores are carried on air cur-rents to other plants and adjacent fields.

Like most fungal diseases, Fusarium thrives in cool, moist weather, but it doesn’t need a lot of moisture—a shower is enough to spread the disease and create conditions that favour head infection. Soil-borne Fusarium inoculum can infect plants at different stages of growth and cause seedling blight and crown and root rot in cereals, as well as stalk and ear rot in corn.

FHB cuts yields of barley and other cereals, but the biggest loss is from my-cotoxins produced by Fusarium species in affected grain. F. graminearum typi-cally produces more mycotoxin than the other Fusarium species that cause FHB.The main toxin is deoxynivalenol (DON) and grain buyers specify a maximum level of DON for their purchases. Agri-culture and Agri-Food Canada advises a maximum of one part per million DON for pigs, dairy cattle, and horses; and five parts per million for poultry, beef cattle, and sheep. Maltsters have zero tolerance for DON—it leads to beer that gushes when it’s opened.

“Even tiny amounts of F. graminearum in a malthouse are a serious issue,” says Pat Juskiw, barley breeder at the La-combe Field Crop Development Centre. “The fungus can grow and produce DON on grain in the warm, humid environ-ment of the malthouse.”

Combatting Fusarium before it’s visible

the Agricultural Pests Act in 1999 and has developed a set of best management practices to control it. These practices are described in the Alberta Fusarium graminearum Management Plan (www.agric.gov.ab.ca). Under the plan, all grain trucks must be securely covered and any cereal seed intended for planting—even bin run—must be accompanied by a lab-oratory certificate showing it has been tested and no detectable F. graminearum has been found. Cereal grains grown out-of-province and destined for use as seed in Alberta must be free of detect-able F. graminearum as determined by a lab test, and also must be treated with a fungicide seed treatment effective against seed-borne Fusarium.

Fusarium graminearum can be present before you see visible signs. PHOTO CREDIT: DR. KElly TuRKIngTOn

Fusarium thrives in cool, moist weather.PHOTO CREDIT: AlbERTA bARlEy COmmIssIOn ARCHIvEs

Fusarium graminearum management plan

Because FHB is so destructive and easily spread, Alberta designated F. graminearum as a “declared pest” under

survey resultsHoward has run FHB surveys across

Alberta in the last two years. His coop-erators, including agriculture service boards and applied research associa-tions, sampled cereal and corn residues and grain heads, which he then had lab tested. A few other fungal diseases can look similar to FHB and produce “Fusarium-damaged kernels” (FDKs), so a lab test helps to determine the exact cause of these symptoms.

Not all of the Fusarium species as-sociated with FHB or FDKs are capable of producing mycotoxins, but F. gra-minearum typically produces the most DON in infected seed.

“In 2010, we found F. graminearum in crop residues from 5.9 per cent of wheat, 13 per cent of durum, six per cent of barley, zero per cent of oats, and 42.2 per cent of the corn fields sampled,” says Howard.

Among the cereal grain samples collected in the provincial FHB survey, the proportion that tested positive for F. graminearum was: 13.5 per cent of wheat; 40 per cent of durum; 3.3 per cent of barley; and zero per cent of oats.

continued on page 18


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By kAiLen reneLLe krAWec

Understanding your soil is a big part of farming and—for Gerald Finster of Valleyview—spending

a little time figuring it out has made a huge impact on his farm.

With a 7,500-acre operation, Finster appreciates the edge that knowing his soil provides. In 2010, Smoky Applied Research and Demonstration Associa-tion (SARDA) did extensive test plots

on his land followed by additional tests in 2011. Finster has found the SARDA research findings to be applicable and useful.

“They do some really good work. They’re local, and they have some really interesting experiments,” he says. “I like to do some of my own experiments, too. When I soil test, I often like to interpret on my own farm what that means.”

In 2011, Finster did a few tests with phosphorus and the results showed strong evidence that phosphate fertilizer would shorten the number of days to maturity.

“It was interesting, because some-times you wonder about putting the

fertilizer in,” he explains. “Now I see why I spend money on phosphorus and I feel a lot better.”

Last spring, Finster seeded 40 per cent canola and 35 per cent wheat, with the remainder split between barley, peas and oats. He considers himself some-what of a barley rookie.

“In the mid-1980s, I had a barley crop on solonetzic soil—grey wooded—and it was just a disaster. I remembered swear-ing that I wasn’t growing barley again,” he says. “And I didn’t, until a few years ago. We started getting into some more sandy loam and better soils, and it has actually found a really good fit there.”

Finster also grows canola on sandy loam, but he prefers to grow wheat, peas and oats on grey wooded soil.

This year, he seeded the Lacombe feed variety along with some Champion, a new two-row feed variety. He’s hoping to expand his barley acreage in 2012.

“I just grow what makes sense,” he says, explaining that it’s important not to chase markets and to grow what per-forms best on your land.

Finster started farming in 1983. He and his wife Ester have four children: Kyle (26), Crystal (23), Kevin (22) and Josh (18), and the boys have shown an interest in staying on the farm. Eldest son Kyle joined the family business last year, while Kevin is currently finishing his diploma at Olds College.

“I’m excited about the transition of the boys coming on stream to the farm. We have expanded recently in light of that—two sons, potentially three,” says Finster. “There’s something about family working toward a common goal that

Gerald Finster of Valleyview recently created a long-term yield map that lets him micromanage his fertilizer applications.

PHOTO CREDIT: KaIlEn REnEllE KRawEC

proDucer profiLe

Benefits of knowing your soil

draws you together.” When looking at new farm technolo-

gies, Finster is the first to joke about how the family cell phone plan and his iPhone have been revolutionary. A recent investment in a new grain tank for his air drill that has variable rate technology is a new opportunity for the farm. He created a long-term yield map to make use of the new equipment.

“It gives you the information to tailor the fertilizer in order to micro-manage different areas in your fields as opposed to a blanket prescription,” explains Fin-ster, who hopes to learn two things from

this process: “Number one: to make more profit by cutting fertilizer where it may be in excess. And number two: add-ing more where it makes sense.”

Apart from farming, Finster likes to spend time hunting and is a self-proclaimed “goose and moose” man. He snowmobiles on local terrain with fam-ily and finds time to play recreational hockey. The Finsters also enjoy traveling and have visited Cuba, Haiti, and South Africa.

“It’s interesting when I travel. I can’t help but study local agriculture,” he says. “It’s really neat to see what they do.”

“ There’s something about family working toward a common goal that draws you together. ”

- Gerald Finster

“Most of the FHB-infected fields were in irrigated areas of Southern Alberta, but samples from four cereal fields in Central Alberta also tested positive,” says Howard. “The infection level was extremely low, but it shows farmers need to be vigilant and follow the man-agement guidelines.”

In 2011, Howard intensified sampling in counties that were missed in the 2010 survey, had low infection rates, or bordered areas of heavier infection. Lab testing of these samples should be completed soon.

So far, 20/20 Seed Labs has seen low-er levels of F. graminearum in 2011 than in 2010—8.5 per cent of barley samples tested positive in 2011 compared to 14 per cent in 2010. Levels of infection are lower, too, averaging 2.1 to 5.5 per cent in 2011, compared to six to 30 per cent in 2010.

BioVision Seed Labs has seen similar trends. Terry McIntee, the company’s

Edmonton lab manager, has seen a return to “normal” levels after very high levels in 2010.

“Fusarium graminearum is endemic in Manitoba,” he says. “About 90 per cent of seed lots from there tested positive for the disease in one to two per cent or more of seeds. Across the rest of the prairies, disease incidence was patchy in 2011.”

McIntee says that FHB follows weath-er patterns and is much more common in a wet year. He noted that, although FHB was comparatively higher in the areas of Saskatchewan that flooded, it was much lower in areas with good weather and no rain during cereal flow-ering.

“About 25 per cent of seed lots sent to us from Alberta and Saskatchewan have one or two per cent of Fusarium-infected seed,” says McIntee. “In the past, it’s usu-ally been 10 to 20 per cent.”

McIntee pointed out that most of Al-

berta’s Fusarium-infected grain is from irrigated areas.

two-row varieties,” says Howard.Heavier seeding rates reduce tiller-

ing and shorten the time when flowers are open and susceptible to infection. Fungicide application at flowering protects against infection, but a second application may be needed if flowering is prolonged. Under irrigation, Howard advises filling the soil profile just before flowering to avoid watering during flow-ering to minimize infection risk.

If you see FHB in the field, you may be able to reduce the number of FDKs that could end up in the harvested grain by increasing fan speed to blow the lighter, damaged kernels out of the combine. Unfortunately, this has the drawback of increasing the inoculum in the field, potentially causing problems the follow-ing year.

n Helen McMenamin is a freelance writer from Lethbridge and a new contributor to Barley country.

“Combatting Fusarium,” cont’d from page 16

managementHoward advises farmers not to seed

cereals into corn stubble or any fields af-fected by the disease the previous year.

“Fusarium is very common in corn, where it causes a stalk rot and occa-sionally ear rot, so we advise seeding non-cereal crops, for example peas or canola, into corn stubble to help break the disease cycle,” he says.

Planting Fusarium-resistant cereal varieties would be the best strategy against FHB; however, none of the cur-rently registered varieties have strong resistance, although some are less susceptible than others. Consult Al-berta’s Seed Guide at www.seed.ab.ca for information on the relative susceptibility of cereal varieties to FHB.

“Six-row barley varieties are generally more susceptible to the disease than


By cAiTLin crAWshAW

While animals like chickens and pigs seem to be blessed with an iron gut, cattle—with their complicated digestive system—have a sensitive constitution.

This can make grain feeding a tricky affair for farmers and feedlot operators. Barley’s thick outer husk makes it indi-gestible to cattle without cracking. But if cracked too much, fine particles can wreak havoc in the animal’s gut.

“That’s why we can’t use a ham-mer mill, like we can for monogastric animals, because that makes the grain too fine,” says Tim McAllister, a research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) in Lethbridge. “Then, we get too much acid in the rumen be-cause microbes digest the particles too quickly.”

Unfortunately, because of the variation in kernel size, traditional rolling tech-niques used to crack the barley don’t crack every kernel and less than 20 per cent of the nutrients in whole grains will be digested. This means a poor return on investment for cattle farmers and feedlot operators.

To solve this problem, McAllister and his colleagues have been looking at ways to segregate barley kernels by size, in

order to roll similar-sized grains at the same time and reduce the number of uncracked grains.

For almost a year, McAllister and his team have been trying different sieving techniques to segregate barley kernels.

“We use normal screens from a seed-cleaning plant that are used to separate wheat seeds from other grains,” he says. “It’s standard equipment, although it’s normally not used for this.”

The work was a collaboration between Dr. Masahito Oba’s team at the Universi-ty of Alberta research farm in Edmonton,

Researchers crack long-time feed problemBArLey segregATion couLD MAke roLLing More efficienT

as well as the AAFC Lethbridge Research Centre. Thus far, the strategy seems to be working and McAllister’s team has reduced the variability in kernel size by 25 per cent.

This work is part of a larger $75,000 project funded by the Alberta Crop In-dustry Development Fund (ACIDF). The next leg of the research will examine how improved feed efficiency contrib-utes to animal performance. McAllis-ter is optimistic that this could be an inexpensive fix to a long-time industry problem.

“It’s something we should have been doing for a long time,” he says. “A few producers have undertaken the practice, but our work shows that the practice pays.”

That’s because barley prices have traditionally been quite low, so feed ef-ficiency hasn’t been as much of an issue. But barley prices have increased over the last couple of years and seem to be holding steady.

“The price of barley is far from static—barley prices have gone up and are now around $210 per tonne. I think producers are realizing it’s not going down anytime soon,” he says. “Producers want to get more value out of their feed and this is definitely one way to do it.”

Feed segregation could lead to increased profitability.

PHOTO CREDIT: DEb MaRCHanD

Proposed wheat commission gains momentum By Terry BuLLick

Alberta wheat producers are overwhelmingly in favour of an all-wheat commission for the

province.“To date, producer support for form-

ing the proposed Alberta Wheat Com-mission is at more than 80 per cent,” says Kent Erickson, co-chair of the group’s steering committee.

Committee members have been criss-crossing the province to discuss their plans for the commission with wheat producers. They’ve attended a number of regional and annual general meet-ings for producer groups, including the Alberta Barley Commission (ABC), the Alberta Canola Producers Commission (ACPC), and Alberta Pulse Growers (APG). The committee will also be at FarmTech 2012.

“In Southern Alberta, we have about 99 per cent acceptance,” says steering committee co-chair Lynn Jacobson of Enchant. “People are very interested in how we’ll leverage our check-off dollars in research and development.”

Current forecasts for the proposed commission estimate annual revenue of $3.5 million, mainly from a refund-

able check-off rate of $0.70/tonne, with about $3 million a year going to research and market development priorities.

This could result in up to $12 million or more in research projects when used with funding from organizations such as the Western Grains Research Foun-dation and the Alberta Crop Industry Development Fund.

Wheat producers are impressed, Jacobson says, that the Alberta Winter Wheat Producers Commission and the Alberta Soft White Wheat Producers Commission are leading the efforts to form the new commission. In addition to co-chairing the steering committee for the new group, Erickson is the chair of the winter wheat producers and Jacobson is the chair of the soft white wheat producers. ABC and ACPC have also extended support to the proposed commission.

“This shows the commission is not government driven,” Jacobson says. “It’s producer driven and supporters are saying the time has come for this type of organization.”

The steering committee hopes to receive government approval for the proposed commission this spring for an Aug. 1, 2012 startup.

WhAT PRodUCERs ARE sAYinG ABoUT the alberta Wheat coMMission:• “A wheat commission would be an effective way to

leverage research and development dollars.”

• “i have seen what the Alberta canola producers

commission and the canola council of canada have done

for canola over the past few years and if we can get the

same motivation and innovation that those organizations

have, wheat will become an exciting crop to grow, not

just a rotational crop.”

• “A commission is vital to ensuring continuity of wheat as

a competitive commodity.”

Add your opinion to the survey posted at www.albertawheat.

com. You could win a $500-draw on March 15, 2012.

To learn more about the proposed all-wheat commission, visit www.alber-tawheat.com.

nCommunications consultant Terry Bullick is a member of the secretariat for an all-wheat commission in Alberta.

“ unfortunately, because of the variation in kernel size, traditional rolling techniques used to crack the barley don’t crack every kernel and less than 20 per cent of the nutrients in whole grains will be digested. ”

- Tim McAllister


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By TAryn Dickson

Collaboration was a key element of the Grain Growers of Canada’s (GGC’s) November annual general

meeting (AGM). By promoting a collab-orative approach, members were able to focus on finding solutions to the evolv-ing challenges in Canadian agriculture.

Held in Winnipeg on Nov. 28, 2011, the AGM addressed important issues facing Canadian farmers.

“These meetings are a great place to get like-minded stakeholders and producers from all across Canada to-gether,” says Alberta Barley Commission Chairman Matt Sawyer, who also sits on the GGC. “By encouraging everyone to contribute opinions, the GGC can inves-tigate issues—such as research funding models—from all angles, while also considering all commodities.”

The GGC is made up of representa-tives from Atlantic Canada, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia. These members span the industry and include canola, cere-als, corn, and pulse grower groups and commissions.

“Alberta produces more barley than any other province in Canada,” says Richard Phillips, the executive director of the GGC and newly elected president of the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alli-ance (CAFTA). “It was really important that the Commission be there to talk

research funding, including investigat-ing funding models to improve cereal research programs and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) challenges.

These focus areas were addressed throughout the AGM. AAFC highlighted Growing Forward 2, changes to the Ca-nadian Grains Act, and the Rail Service Review as their main issues. The Cana-dian Grain Commission (CGC) discussed grain safety, grain grading, inward and outward inspection, and an insurance model to provide producer security.

“We are very influential in agricultural policy and trade policy in Canada, but we also have a strong impact abroad,” explains Phillips.

From the World Trade Organization to the Canadian International Devel-opment Agency to CAFTA, the GGC continues to push for the adoption of a low level presence policy. This would reduce the possibility of trade being disrupted when low levels of a geneti-cally modified (GM) product—which is approved in at least one country but not the importing country—are potentially detected in grain shipments.

“As science has advanced,” explains Phillips, “you can seemingly find trace amounts of anything anywhere. Regula-tory authorities need to concentrate on genuine health and safety risks rather than GM witch hunts.”

Grain Growers AGM focuses on meeting the upcoming changes in Canadian agriculture

The Crop Logistics Working Group was formed to discuss how to improve transportation in the new market system. Matt Sawyer, chairman of the Alberta Barley Commission, and Richard Phillips, executive director of the Grain Growers of Canada, both sit on the group.

Credit Line: © 2007, Her Majesty tHe Queen in rigHt of Canada, as represented by tHe Minister of agriCuLture and agri-food

The GGC also addresses supply management issues with international markets and works to expand market access with potential clients in India, Morocco, and South Korea. The organi-zation also participates in ongoing trade negotiations with the European Union and Japan.

Phillips believes the GGC is both ef-fective and significant. AGM attendance included company presidents, CEOs, and

table,” he says. “Partnership and col-laboration are integral to address global challenges, such as food security for all.”

Van Lengerich gave a thorough ex-planation of the global community, as well as the strengths and weaknesses each grower region faces. Bayer Crop-Science—along with other agricultural companies represented at the meet-ing—is looking for grains research and development opportunities in the Cana-dian private sector, including possible improvements to AAFC-produced grain varieties.

“An advantage Canada has in agricul-ture is that the growers are very trustful and honest in their buying and behav-iour, as well as in their usage of technol-ogies,” says van Lengerich. “Technology development is a very long journey and Canada has a very good track record of being a leader in applying new technolo-gies.”

The AGM ended with a short presenta-tion from the Canada Foodgrains Bank, which the GGC is partnering with in 2012. (For more information, please see the Grain Growers of Canada column on page 22.)

n Taryn Dickson’s position as Project Coordinator is divided between the Alberta Barley Commission and the Brewing and Malting Barley Research Institute. She is a new contributor to Barley country.

“ It was really important that the commission be there to talk about what the marketing is going to look like—post-single desk—but also to get their impression of how we get more research into barley. ”

- Richard Phillips

“ Partnership and collaboration are integral to address global challenges, such as food security for all. ”

- Harmut van Lengerich

about what the marketing is going to look like—post-single desk—but also to get their impression of how we get more research into barley.”

Transportation is another key policy area for the GGC, which is involved in the Crop Logistics Working Group (CLWG). Both Sawyer and Phillips are members of the CLWG. This group provides members with the opportunity to voice concerns and suggestions in re-sponse to railway transportation issues in Canada.

Other than transportation, the GGC—through its sub-committees—focuses on

top-level representatives from Mon-santo, Dow AgroSciences, Bayer Crop-Science, and Syngenta.

Hartmut van Lengerich, head of cereals and fungicides for Bayer Crop-Science, made the trip from Germany to speak at the meeting.

“I find it very important to interact and talk to stakeholders like the GGC, with all their members around the


By richArD phiLLips

The Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) were recently asked to testify before the Standing Committee

on Agriculture and Agri-Food regarding competitiveness as a pillar of Growing Forward 2 (GF2). Trevor Petersen, vice-chairman of the Alberta Barley Commis-sion, appeared with Richard Phillips, where he highlighted barley-specific issues affecting our competitiveness in the global market. (To receive the full Committee Hansard of the presentation, please call the Grain Growers of Canada at (613) 233-9954.)

Grain Growers of Canada update

People in Northern Kenya, who have been affected by drought, receive food from a Foodgrains Bank-supported food distribution site.

PHOTO CREDIT: BaRB SummERS/PRESByTERIan WORlD SERvICE & DEvElOPmEnT

CanadianFoodgrainsBank

A Christian Response to Hunger

summary of Trevor Petersen’s testimony

“With the coming changes to our bar-ley marketing system, one of our most important needs is a commitment from government to help us develop new markets for our barley.

“In the past, we as farmers have either sold our feed barley to local mills or feed lots. Our malt barley has gone to malting plants via the Canadian Wheat Board, or has been part of larger Wheat Board sales overseas.

“Looking forward, we are excited about the many new opportunities in front of us. For example, in human health: barley lowers cholesterol and with further research we could docu-ment other health benefits, such as

lowering glycemic indexes, which would be of benefit to people with diabetes. Another opportunity is in the Japanese market, where our barley is starting to be used to make a popular beverage called Shochu.

“In the malt industry, my local malt-ing plant is doubling their storage and increasing their capacity. I know other new companies are now looking to invest in Western Canada to take ad-vantage of the growing, global demand in beer consumption. This value adding means more jobs in our communities.

“The other major area of opportunity for barley is in the feed industry. One re-cent success story was the development of low-phytate barley. In today’s world, there is a lot of concern about safe ground water and farm practices. When fed to livestock, this low-phytate barley reduces the amount of phosphorus in the manure. This helps show consum-ers that we are stewards of the land and protecting our environment.”

ResearchAt Committee, GGC put forward a new

funding proposal for public research.In the absence of increased direct fed-

eral contributions, the federal govern-ment should commit to the current Ag-riculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) research budget and adjust for inflation. Secondly, the GGC propose that the gov-ernment allow all royalty streams gener-

ated by AAFC discoveries to be added on top of the research budget.

Under this proposal, even with no new government cash, the AAFC research budget would grow by five or six million dollars next year. This would increase as scientists see that their programs can grow when they develop products that farmers want and need. It would be a win-win.

AAFC’s top three listAt our recent fall meeting, AAFC offi-

cials spoke to the GGC board of directors about the three top issues that farmers need to focus on in coming months: 1. Growing Forward 2 (GF2): AAFC will be coming out for a round of consul-tations in early 2012 with some “straw man” ideas on where Business Risk Management and other pillars of GF2 might land for the new “five-year plan.” 2. Rail service Review: There has been a Crop Logistics Working Group (CLWG) formed by the minister and the GGC, along with Canola, Pulse and a few others. Members, including the Alberta Barley Commission, were appointed to ensure producer interests are being rep-resented as we work through the Rail Service Review.3. Canada Grain Commission (CGC): The CGC is moving to full cost recov-ery and is doing an internal review of what it should look like going forward. However, as in many bureaucracies, it is

farmers who will actually have to pay for all of this and farmer input hasn’t been actively sought.

Therefore, the Grain Growers sent in a position paper to CGC and the Minister of Agriculture in early January outlining what we feel the value to farmers is for their various services, as well as iden-tifying what areas the general public should contribute to with the CGC.

It is clear that the western standards committee and variety recommending processes need to be reviewed going forward, as well. Although things may stay the same, given the changes coming in wheat and barley marketing, now is the time to challenge ourselves on whether or not the current organiza-tion’s structure is appropriate.

Grain Growers of Canada and Canadian Foodgrains Bank to partner in 2012

Many communities in Alberta are part of a new community growing proj-ect in conjunction with the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. In this project, every-one works together on a dedicated piece of land to produce a crop that is donated to the Foodgrains Bank. In turn, the crop is used in international food relief and agricultural development, often follow-ing major disasters or droughts.

Since not every community has a dedi-cated project, the Foodgrains Bank and the Grain Growers partnered to create a “virtual farm” on-line.

Our goal is to have individual farm-ers pledge a couple acres of production on-line at the virtual farm. For more information, go to www.growingproject.ca and then pledge your acres by email-ing: [email protected].

The Grain Growers will track the acres pledged and keep you in the loop. Even though you may not farm side-by-side in the field, along with farmers from across Canada, you can be part of the virtual Grain Growers’ farm.

At harvest time when you deliver grain, just tell the elevator manager to set aside the couple tonnes of grain for the Foodgrains Bank dedicated to the “Grain Growers” growing project. Tax receipts are issued by the Foodgrains Bank for the value of the grain donated on the day of delivery.

n Richard Phillips is the executive director of the Grain Growers of Canada.


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Key contacts

WWW.ALBerTABArLey.coM

alberta governMent Marketing inFoRmATion sEssions

Jan. 31–Feb. 6, 2012The Government of Alberta is pleased to present a series of information sessions on changes to the barley and wheat marketing system. Topics covered include: barley and wheat markets; Canada’s position in world markets; pricing in the new system; transportation and logistics; and what it all means to you from an on-farm perspective. Sessions will take place in the following areas: Lethbridge (Coast Hotel) on Jan. 31; Grande Prairie (Quality Inn) on Jan. 31; Medicine Hat (Medicine Hat Lodge) on Feb. 1; Peace River (Sawridge Inn) on Feb. 1; Three Hills (Community Centre) on Feb. 2; and Vegreville (Social Centre) on Feb. 6.

All meetings are from 9:00 a.m.–3:40 p.m. Lunch will be provided. Please pre-register at least three days prior to your event by calling the Ag-Info Centre at (800) 387-6030.

AGChoiCEs

Feb. 7, 2012AgChoices will be held at the Holiday Inn in Red Deer. This one-day conference will connect the agriculture industry with innovative ideas and information on changing markets and consumer demands. For more information and registration, visit www.agriculture.alberta.ca/agchoices or call the Ag-Info Centre at (800) 387-6030

alberta beeF industry ConFEREnCE

Feb. 15–17, 2012Located at the Capri Hotel and Conference Centre in Red Deer, this event will showcase key suppliers from the beef industry and feature a diverse line-up speakers. This year, the conference’s theme is: “Lead, Grow, Prosper—think outside the bunk.” For more information and registration, go to www.abiconference.ca/home/index/aspx.

Western barley groWers AssoCiATion 35Th ConvEnTion

Feb. 15–17, 2012This year’s WBGA conference will be held jointly with the Master Brewers Association of the Americas (MBAA) at the Deerfoot Inn and Casino in Calgary. The WBGA and the MBAA have put together a prestigious event featuring world-class speakers and an exciting, timely agenda focused on the theme “Embracing the Future.” For more information and registration, go to www.wbga.org.

alberta soFt Wheat producers Commission AGm

Feb. 16, 2012The Alberta Soft Wheat Producers Commission AGM will begin at 9:00 a.m. at the Vauxhall Legion. For more information or to register, please contact Elizabeth Tokariuk at (403) 345-6550 or email [email protected].

aard allergic and gluten-Free living Workshop

Feb. 21, 2012Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development presents a workshop on market opportunities

Events listingALBerTA BArLey coMMission#200, 3601A – 21 Street N.E. Calgary, AB T2E 6T5 Phone: (403) 291-9111 or (800) 265-9111 Email: [email protected] Web: www.albertabarley.com

chAirMAn & DirecTorMatt sawyer, region 2 Acme, AB Phone: (403) 369-5071 Email: [email protected]

vice-chAirMAn & DirecTortrevor petersen, region 3 Penhold, AB Phone: (403) 886-4717 Email: [email protected]

DirecTors-AT-LArgeglenn logan, region 1 Lomond, AB Phone: (403) 792-3696 Email: [email protected]

Mike ammeter, region 3 Sylvan Lake, AB Phone: (403) 887-5491 Email: [email protected]

richard Mueller, region 5 Barrhead, AB Phone: (780) 674-2595 Fax: (780) 674-5959

DirecTorsgreg stamp, region 1 Enchant, AB Phone: (403) 634-1586 Email: [email protected]

bernie klammer, region 4 Vegreville, AB Phone: (780) 688-2348 Email: [email protected]

albert Wagner, region 5 Stony Plain, AB Phone: (780) 963-7753 Email: [email protected]

ron heck, region 6 Fairview, AB Phone: (780) 835-4431 Email: [email protected]

AdMINISTRATIONlisa skierka General Manager (403) 219-6262

syeda kurram Accounting Manager (403) 219-6264

mike Watson Accounting Assistant (403) 219-6263

anne-Marie bruzga luchak Communications Manager (403) 219-6260

linda Whitworth Marketing & Events Manager (403) 219-6261

darcy kirtzinger Policy & Research Coordinator (403) 219-6265 or (780) 878-3237

Ellen Bryan Stakeholder Relations Coordinator (403) 219-6267

Tania Galanis Office Coordinator (403) 291-9111

Taryn dickson Project Coordinator (204) 927-1400

Story ideas? Email Anne-Marie at [email protected].

for producers and processors in the rapidly growing “free-from” (gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free) sector of food products. The workshop will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. at Ernest’s Restaurant on the NAIT campus in Edmonton. The cost of the workshop is $30. Contact Annette Anderwald at [email protected] or (780) 644-2404 for more information. Call (800) 387-6030 to register.

PRECision AG 2.0: ThE nExT GEnERATion

Feb. 22–23, 2012

The Agricultural and Research Extension Council of Alberta (ARECA) is hosting the “Precision Ag 2.0: The Next Generation” conference at the Deerfoot Inn and Casino in Calgary. As GPS and GIS is now everywhere, the next level is to understand how we can use this and other technologies to make a profit and grow the industry. Topics covered include increased profitability, land stewardship, protecting the environment, optimizing agricultural inputs, data management, on-farm research and more. The conference features over 30 speakers, current information on practices and technologies being adopted by farmers in Western Canada and abroad, 35 tradeshow booths, and will cover topics for all skill levels and experience. For more information and registration, call ARECA at (780) 416-6046 or visit www.precision-ag.ca.

AG ExPo

Feb. 29–Mar. 2, 2012Ag Expo is one of Western Canada’s premier agricultural shows and is held at Exhibition Park in Lethbridge. Visitors will find exhibitors featuring innovative products that improve agricultural production, showcasing the latest farm equipment, livestock supplies, chemicals, seeds, and irrigation. In addition, guests can meet with exhibitors who offer new technology, brokerage services, communications, banking, and other essential “tools of the trade.” Ag Expo is also host to the North American Seed Fair—one of the oldest seed fairs in Western Canada. For more information, visit www.exhibitionpark.ca.

alberta FarM Fresh Food short CoURsE

Mar. 1–2, 2012The Alberta Farm Fresh Producers Association and Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development will be hosting the Alberta Farm Fresh Food Short Course at the Black Knight Inn in Red Deer. Learn how to create a successful direct marketing farm business. There will be sessions for new or potential producers, as well as established producers. For more information and registration fees, please contact Krista at (800) 661-2642 or [email protected].

27th peace country classic agri-shoW

Mar. 8–10, 2012The Peace Country Classic Agri-Show will be held at Evergreen Park in Grande Prairie. It is the Peace Country’s largest agricultural show and will feature the latest innovations in agricultural technology. Look for the new exhibit area “Elevator Row” located in the Grand Hallway, featuring all the leading grain and crop input companies from the area. Also

new this year is the “Peace Country Classic Artcetera,” which will feature works of art with a rural or western theme. For more information, visit www.evergreenpark.ca/peace-country-classic-agri-show.

Water Well Workshop

Wed., Mar. 21, 2012The Chinook Applied Research Association (CARA) is presenting a water well workshop at the Consort Sportex Hall from 12:30–5:00 p.m. Discover how groundwater works, while also learning more about your well and how to best maintain it. An invaluable resource if you are drilling a new well in the area. The workshop is hosted by CARA and presented by the Working Well Program, with technical expertise provided by Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, Alberta Environment, and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. To register, contact CARA at (403) 664-3777. Please pre-register as soon as possible so the drilling report for your well can be obtained.

alberta pork congress

Mar. 28–29, 2012Alberta Pork Congress invites you to participate in the premiere Western Canadian Pork trade show at Westerner Park in Red Deer. Attend the 38th annual tradeshow and social events to learn more about the latest products and services and connect with suppliers. The event features over 120 exhibitors in more than 200 booths. For more information, go to www.albertaporkcongress.com.

FARm And RAnCh shoW

Feb. 29–Mar. 2, 2012The Northlands Farm and Ranch show returns to the Edmonton Expo Centre this year. This event provides attendees with the opportunity to comparison shop, as well as to listen to innovative information sessions and witness fascinating demonstrations presented by Alberta agriculture industry experts. Enjoy the Canadian National College Finals Rodeo at the same time. For more information, visit www.farmandranchshow.com.

groWing rural tourisM ConFEREnCE

apr. 2–4, 2012Held at the Camrose Regional Exhibition Building, the Growing Rural Tourism Conference features experts from a wide range of fields. The conference brings together groups who have embraced innovative tourism strategies and partnerships, and those looking at how they might bring new sources of revenue and employment to their own communities.

Participants from a wide range of fields will share successes, challenges, and ideas for future growth. For more information and registration, go to www.growingruraltourism.ca.

if you’d like to have your event included in our listing, please email [email protected].

MINISTER BERGER HIGHLIGHTS FROM FALL page 7 MEETINGS … · 18 PRodUCER PRoFiE 22 GRAin GRoWERs...

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Transcript of MINISTER BERGER HIGHLIGHTS FROM FALL page 7 MEETINGS … · 18 PRodUCER PRoFiE 22 GRAin GRoWERs...