Of all the countries that import barley, China and Saudi Arabia are usually the top two in the world. Canada is moving large volumes of barley into China, but the other major market could be closed to Canadian barley for the rest of 2018 and possibly in 2019. A highly publicized diplomatic battle between Canada […] Read more
Barley
Saudi barley ban signals loss of high-value market
Researchers try to crack barley’s beer code
Scientists want to know what aspects of barley makes beer tasty, which could help them create better malt varieties
LACOMBE, Alta. — Researchers are hoping to better understand what aspects of barley make beer taste good or bad, using flavour information to potentially create new varieties that make both farmers and brewers happy. Alberta Agriculture and other research groups have partnered with the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre (CMBTC) to extrapolate barley’s flavour profile. […] Read moreFarm groups balk at CGC’s plan to spend surplus
The Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association wants the surplus returned to farmers, calling it an illegal tax
The Canadian Grain Commission has come up with a plan on how to manage a $130 million surplus accumulated through the collection of excessive user fees from the Canadian grain industry. However, the CGC plan has fallen flat with some western Canadian agriculture groups, including one outraged organization that says the commission surplus is equivalent […] Read moreTwo new barley varieties to outperform in forage yield
LACOMBE, Alta. — Researchers and seed production representatives are hoping the introduction of two new barley varieties will be game changers when they soon enter the market. The AB Cattlelac and SR16511 varieties should be available in 2020 and 2021, respectively. The six-row varieties are expected to have better forage yield, as well as improved […] Read more
No easy answers to CGC’s systemic issues
What to do with the big surplus accumulated by the Canadian Grain Commission has polarized producer opinion more starkly than any debate since the end of the Canadian Wheat Board monopoly. When the CGC announced that it would provide enhanced services to producers to whittle away $90 million of its surplus, a flurry of news […] Read more
Cargill juggles deliveries to manage soy protein
There were about 1.6 million acres of soybeans in Western Canada in 2015, and probably half of them were grown east of Portage la Prairie, Man. Back then, companies such as Cargill didn’t have to worry about the protein content in soybeans because there were sufficient supplies of high protein beans from Manitoba’s Red River […] Read more
Dry weather not a problem for malt barley crop
The prairie malting barley crop is faring reasonable well in the hot, dry weather, but crop watchers will have a better idea of protein content in a couple weeks. “We’ve yet to see what this crop is. I think we’re a little early yet. Indications are that it could be a little higher protein, but […] Read more
Early harvest pressures Prairie barley prices
Barley prices in Western Canada are falling as an early harvest is weighing on values. “Prices have moderated here,” said Allen Pirness of Market Place Commodities Ltd. Lethbridge, Alta. The surprise rally from last week ended as quickly as it began. Prices which started last week at about C$250 per tonne were down into the […] Read more
Saudi agency stops buying Canadian wheat, barley
HAMBURG, Germany (Reuters) — Saudi Arabia’s main state wheat buying agency has told grains exporters it will no longer buy Canadian wheat and barley in its international tenders, European traders said yesterday as a diplomatic dispute between the two countries escalates. Traders said they had received an official notice from the Saudi Grains Organization (SAGO) […] Read more
Dry weather not a problem for malt barley crop, so far
Winnipeg — The prairie malting barley crop is faring reasonable well in the hot, dry weather, but crop watchers will have a better idea of protein content in a couple weeks. “We’ve yet to see what this crop is. I think we’re a little early yet. Indications are that it could be a little higher […] Read more
