The Western Producer’s reporter/analyst Sean Pratt attended the Canadian Special Crops Association (CSCA) Pulse and Special Crop Meeting in Calgary June 21-23, 2015. Here is his coverage of the event:
Industry prepares for year of pulses
The pulse industry is gearing up for a year of partying.
The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization has declared 2016 the International Year of Pulses, but the festivities will begin long before that.
“We’re going to kick off first with a major event in New York,” said Robynne Anderson, president of Emerging Agriculture.
EPA’s lawsuit settlementmay affect glyphosate use
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency quietly announced a new policy on glyphosate last week that could alter the future of the herbicide.
After years of legal manoeuvres, the EPA settled a lawsuit with the Center for Biological Diversity, an American environmental group.
Transportation input centres around performance
Some themes have emerged from the hundreds of submissions received by the Canada Transportation Act review.
The six-person panel received more than 200 written submissions and conducted hundreds of additional in-person meetings during the one-year consultation period that ended June 30.
Exporters uneasy after Turkey rejects lentils
Canada’s top lentil buyer has rejected a shipment of bulk red lentils for containing a genetically modified crop.
Turkish regulators rejected the shipment earlier this year, but it was recently brought back into compliance through re-cleaning
New brand designed to put pulses on global map
The pulse industry has created a new global brand and is launching a major social media marketing campaign in North America.
“It is time. It is absolutely time to reintroduce the world to pulse crops,” said Tim McGreevy, chief executive officer of the USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council.
Canada to unveil new GM tolerance policy
Canada is putting the finishing touches on its low level presence policy, which will then be showcased around the world.
Gord Kurbis, director of market access and trade policy with Pulse Canada, hopes other countries will follow Canada’s lead so the grain industry can avoid incidents such as one that occurred in Turkey earlier this year.
Voracious Indian demand great for pulse prices
India will import a lot more pulses in 2015-16 than many analysts are anticipating, says an Indian pulse trader.
Sanjay Jain, chief executive officer of Jawaharlal & Sons and Prakash Overseas, a pulse crop trading and milling company from Indore, India, expects a significant gap between supply and demand.
Dry soil conditions are hammering special crops and flax
Expect below average yields for Canada’s flax, canaryseed and mustard crops, says an industry analyst.
Chuck Penner, analyst with LeftField Commodity Research, said production of all three crops is concentrated in the driest areas of the Prairies.
U.S. consumers eager to start spending
A turnaround in the U.S. economy is giving the global economy the wings it needs to finally rise above the lingering recession.
“The world economy is getting back on its feet again and is actually ready to fly,” said Peter Hall, chief economist with Export Development Canada.
Soup maker serious about using more plant-based ingredients
One of the world’s largest soup companies is embracing pulses in a big way.
“We’re definitely excited about the promise pulses have,” said John Lillard, senior technologist with Campbell Co. of Canada.
“I’m a big proponent of it, and I’m going to continue promoting it at Campbell’s.”
Gord Bacon, CEO of Pulse Canada chats with Ag minister Gerry Ritz at the pulse convention #csca15 #westcdnag pic.twitter.com/RNXf9kehtL
— Sean Pratt (@sean_pratt) June 22, 2015
EDC chief economist says CDN $ will be $0.82 against USD for rest of this year and $0.84 next year. #csca15 #westcdnag
— Sean Pratt (@sean_pratt) June 22, 2015
Alberta Crop Industry Development Fund donates $875,000 to International Year of Pulses. #csca15 #westcdnag
— Sean Pratt (@sean_pratt) June 22, 2015
Over 100 events already planned for International Year of Pulses in 2016. #csca15 #westcdnag
— Sean Pratt (@sean_pratt) June 22, 2015
Pulse Canada and international allies launch global pulse brand. #csca15 #westcdnag pic.twitter.com/Jjnh6rWn0u
— Sean Pratt (@sean_pratt) June 22, 2015
Pulse sector targeting 91 million North American millennials (age 18 – 34) in new $8 million consumer campaign. #csca15 #westcdnag
— Sean Pratt (@sean_pratt) June 22, 2015
Export Development Canada chief economist optimistic about global economy. #csca15 #westcdnag
— Sean Pratt (@sean_pratt) June 22, 2015
World Food Program wants to buy more Canadian pulses. Currently buying 46,000 tonnes. #csca15 #westcdnag
— Sean Pratt (@sean_pratt) June 22, 2015
Comments must be submitted to CTA review panel before June 30, so don’t delay, says Murad Al-Katib. #csca15 #westcdnag
— Sean Pratt (@sean_pratt) June 23, 2015
Gord Kurbis of Pulse Canada says trace levels of a GM crop found in bulk shipment of lentils to Turkey in 2015. #csca15 #westcdnag
— Sean Pratt (@sean_pratt) June 23, 2015
Chuck Penner sees more upside with coloured beans than black beans. #csca2015 #westcdnag
— Sean Pratt (@sean_pratt) June 23, 2015
Chuck Penner estimates CDN growers planted 125,000 to 150,000 acres of fababeans, unfortunately the market is softening #csca2015 #westcdnag
— Sean Pratt (@sean_pratt) June 23, 2015
Canadian canaryseed and mustard yields seriously threatened this year, says Chuck Penner. Expect price increases. #csca2015 #westcdnag
— Sean Pratt (@sean_pratt) June 23, 2015
U.S. growers planted more oilseed sunflowers and less confectionary type, says Chuck Penner. #csca2015 #westcdnag
— Sean Pratt (@sean_pratt) June 23, 2015
Chuck Penner has dropped his CDN flax production number to 800,000 tonnes from 950,000 due to poor conditions. #csca2015 #westcdnag
— Sean Pratt (@sean_pratt) June 23, 2015
Turkey will import 150,000 tonnes of CDN lentils in 2015-16, half of last year’s volumes, says Turkish pulse exporter. #csca2015 #westcdnag
— Sean Pratt (@sean_pratt) June 23, 2015
U.S. pulse exporter says U.S. lentil acres up 35% and expects average yields. #csca2015 #westcdnag
— Sean Pratt (@sean_pratt) June 23, 2015
Latin Americans are consuming fewer pulses and more meat and pasta as incomes rise. #csca2015 #westcdnag
— Sean Pratt (@sean_pratt) June 23, 2015
Latin Americans are balking at high lentil prices, will consume more beans instead, says Globeways Canada. #csca2015 #westcdnag
— Sean Pratt (@sean_pratt) June 23, 2015
India will import 5 to 6 million tonnes of pulses in 2015-16, up from 4.6 million tonnes this year, says Indian miller. #csca2015 #westcdnag
— Sean Pratt (@sean_pratt) June 23, 2015
Viterra’s Quinton Stewart expects 1.55 million tonnes of CDN red lentil production, although could be as low as 1.15 MT #csca2015 #westcdnag
— Sean Pratt (@sean_pratt) June 23, 2015
Quinton Stewart expects 3.3 million tonnes of CDN yellow pea production. #csca2015 #westcdnag
— Sean Pratt (@sean_pratt) June 23, 2015
If Canada planted 3.6 million acres of lentils breakdown would be 2.6 MA reds, 0.7 large green, 0.2 small greens. #csca2015 #westcdnag
— Sean Pratt (@sean_pratt) June 23, 2015
