ANDREW, Alta. – Tests say all Canada western extra strong wheats are the same, but customers say differently, said a Canadian Wheat Board spokesperson.
“Our customers tell us there is a difference,” said Earl Geddes, program manager with market development in the wheat board’s sales and market development division.
“Our customers are telling us Bluesky and Wildcat are getting different flour milling results than with Glenlea wheat,” he said.
In hopes of cashing in on the demand for Glenlea, the wheat board is offering a production and delivery program specifically for the variety for the 1996-97 crop year. Glenlea will be stored and shipped separately to preserve its identity.
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If customers are willing to pay more for it, growers who bring in the top grade Glenlea with a protein content of 12.5 percent or higher could be paid more than those who grow one of the other extra strong wheats, said Brian Stacey of the wheat board.
Farmers in the program must indicate before seeding how much Glenlea they will plant to help ensure the wheat board has a reliable supply.
This summer, the wheat board plans more tests to check for a physiological difference between the wheat varieties.
Extra strong wheat is often blended with other wheats in bread making because of its strong gluten properties.
Farmers have concerns
Some farmers at the wheat board’s recent grain day meeting here expressed worries that with a special Glenlea program, Wildcat and Bluesky will become second choices for customers.
Wildcat and Bluesky are important varieties to farmers in the northern prairies with a shorter growing season. Glenlea is grown mainly in the southern prairies.
Geddes said the board has no problem selling all the extra strong wheat Canadian farmers can grow.
In 1993-94, the board exported 94,000 tonnes of extra strong wheat and in the 1994-95 crop year it exported 290,000 tonnes.
Canada western extra strong wheat became a separate class about two years ago. Glenlea was originally released in 1972 as a feed wheat, before its good milling qualities were known and it was boosted into the special class. Wildcat and Bluesky were licensed in 1987.
