Gnn140429 by Farm Business Communications

Volume 40, Number 10 | APRIL 29, 2014

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PRACTICAL PRODUCTION TIPS FOR THE PRAIRIE FARMER

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Watch for sunflower diseases Farmers interested in planting sunflowers in 2014 should be ready to protect them from sclerotinia head rot and sunflower rust

BY ANDREA HILDERMAN

unflowers are generating a great deal of interest for 2014 planting. “Interest in sunflowers is very high this winter,” says Anastasia Kubinec, oilseeds business development specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development. “It’s price driven and contracts are being scooped up very quickly.” About 90 per cent of Canada’s sunflower acres are in Manitoba, but more and more growers are experimenting with them in southern Alberta, southeastern Saskatchewan and southern Ontario. Sunflowers are grown for two markets. Confection types are grown for roasted snack foods in the shell or dehulled for the baking industry. These make up about 65 per cent of sunflowers grown. The rest are grown for oil. There are two diseases of particular concern for sunflower

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growers: sclerotinia head rot and sunflower rust. There are others, but of lesser significance when it comes to yield and quality losses and control options.

a suitable environment for the spores) flowering. The spores land on the sunflower head and grow amid dead florets and pollen. After several weeks, disease symptoms become visible on the head.

SCLEROTINIA HEAD ROT This is considered the most important disease of sunflowers and causes both yield and quality losses. Not unlike sclerotinia diseases in other crops like canola, dry beans or peas, sclerotinia head rot is dependent on environmental conditions during the flowering to harvesting period. Airborne spores cause the disease. If conditions are conducive, sclerotia in the soil germinate to produce apothecia or fruiting bodies, exactly as with other crops. The apothecia release spores which will infect the head. Infection is favoured by rainfall before (to encourage the sclerotia to germinate) and after (to provide

It can destroy the entire head The first symptoms appear as water-soaked spots or bleached spots on the back of the head, which is fleshy and moist, providing a perfect medium for the disease to flourish. If the disease progresses, it can destroy the entire head causing the seed layer to fall away altogether. If the seeds are not lost entirely, seeds from infected heads will be lighter,

there will be fewer seeds and oil content is reduced. Shattering is also greater during harvest, causing further yield losses. There are fungicides registered for use in sunflowers to prevent sclerotinia head rot, but they won’t offer complete control. The key to controlling this disease is to follow a crop rotation that reduces the incidence of sclerotia in the field. There should be at least five years between susceptible crops. Additionally, sunflowers should not be planted near fields where sclerotinia was a problem in the prior year — infection occurs from spores that are easily carried on the wind. Finally, planting the field to maximize air circulation is helpful in not providing an environment conducive for the disease to establish.

SUNFLOWER RUST Sunflower rust is a devastating disease capable of up to 50 per

In This Issue

cent yield losses. Severe infections can lead to smaller heads and reduced seed size, oil content and yield. Sunflower rust comes in cycles. The last cycle in Manitoba ran from 2007 to 2009. It has not been an issue since then. Sunflower rust is caused by Puccinia helianthi, which is constantly changing races over time. Rust inoculum builds up on infested stubble from previous years. Given the right susceptible volunteer plants in and around the previous crop, infection can continue, with spore production and infection repeating continuously as long as conditions are suitable. If conditions continue to be ideal with short, light rainfall events and warm temperatures, infections can become severe. Some years, rust will also blow in from the south.

» CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

Wheat & Chaff ..................

Features ............................

Crop Advisor’s Casebook

Columns ........................... 13 Machinery & Shop ............ 21 Cattleman’s Corner .......... 27

Protect your weapons in the fight against blackleg KARI BELANGER PAGE 5

Vermeer introduces mower conditioner line SCOTT GARVEY PAGE 21

FarmLife ............................ 31

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APRIL 29, 2014

Wheat & Chaff STAMPEDE

BY JERRY PALEN

AND ONE MORE THING LEEANN MINOGUE

“I got a good feeling about this bunch of calves. If I feed ’em right and the lottery is with us might some money!”

Write, Email or Fax SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES: Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (CST) 1-800-665-0502

U.S. subscribers call 1-204-944-5568 or email: subscription@fbcpublishing.com If you have story ideas, call us. You can write the article and we’d pay you, or we can write it. Phone Leeann Minogue at 306-861-2678 Fax to 204-944-5416 Email leeann.minogue@fbcpublishing.com Write to Grainews, 1666 Dublin Ave., Winnipeg, Man. R3H 0H1

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rain transportation debates continue. On April 9, Canadian National Railway’s president and CEO Claude Mongeau, gave a presentation about grain transportation to the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce. I watched his speech online, from my office in the basement at our farm. Mr. Mongeau expressed his dismay about the federal government’s plans to use regulations to address grain transportation issues, rather than allowing the market to sort itself out. “Regulation is not the right solution,” he said. He talked about how he’d been giving presentations throughout the winter on this very topic, and said he had hoped Canadian policy makers would come to the right decision. “I feel like a general that lost the battle,” he told the Winnipeg businesspeople. I like to cheer for the underdog, and I was starting to feel sorry for Mr. Mongeau, who clearly felt he’d been treated unfairly and was generally misunderstood. Then I did a quick online search and found out that Claude Mongeau earned $7.9 million in 2012. One more quick search and I found out that, in the Canadian army, the maximum daily pay for a lieutenant-general is $588.74. Losing the battle or winning, one of our top-paid army generals would have to put in more than 13,000 days to earn Mr. Mongeau’s annual salary. But, in the spirit of supporting underdogs, it is still okay for us to feel sorry for CN’s CEO. An article in Canadian Business magazine this January reported that Mr. Mongeau’s colleague Hunter Harrison, CEO of Canadian Pacific Railway, was Canada’s highest-paid CEO last year with total annual compensation of $49.1 million. Yes, that’s million. (Canadian Business also pointed out that last year, at his compensation level, Mr. Harrison had earned the equivalent of the average Canadian’s annual salary in just under two hours on the job). Clearly, Claude Mongeau has some justifiable complaints.

Mongeau titled his presentation to the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, “Perspective on a 100-year crop.” During his presentation, he talked a lot about how the crop grown across the Prairies last summer was the biggest in 100 years. Nobody would dispute that. (Although, unfortunately, it wasn’t the case on our farm, where we had a 100-year hailstorm instead of a record production year in 2013.) His numbers are correct. In fact, the 2013 crop was the biggest crop grown on the Prairies in 500 years. Or 1,000 years, if you like. However, I’m concerned about CN’s focus on this crop as a rare event. When people refer to a “100year storm,” they’re talking about an extreme storm, a storm so big that forecasters believe it would only happen once every hundred years. On average, in a thousand years, you’d expect to have about 10 of these storms. While there is no doubt that 2013’s crop was the biggest crop Prairie farmers have ever grown, and it’s the biggest crop produced between 1913 and 2013, I don’t think anyone expects that this is the only time in this century that we’re going to grow a crop this big. Prairie crop production has been increasing more or less steadily since farmers started growing wheat here. Some years we have setbacks, some harvests are bigger than others, but overall, through growing new varieties, adapting machinery to better suit the climate and applying more and better fertilizer to our soils, we’ve been gradually increasing production over time. Are we likely to harvest a crop bigger than the 2013 crop this year? Probably not. Our soils might be a bit depleted, we aren’t likely to have such perfect weather (for some, anyway) and, well, the odds are just against it. But, are we likely to harvest a crop bigger than the 1925 crop this year? Definitely yes. And, are we likely to harvest a crop bigger than the 2013 crop sometime in the near future? Again, definitely yes. And likely more times than just once in the next 100 years. The chart on this page shows

average annual Prairie spring wheat yields (these numbers came from the Statistics Canada website). Yes, there is a huge jump in average wheat yields between 2012 and 2013. But it’s not much bigger than the jump in yields between 1961 and 1962, or the jump between 1940 and 1941. Prairie crop production is a trend, increasing over time. This isn’t a “100-year crop.” For the time being, this is the new “high-normal.” As long as we keep investing in breeding programs, chemicals and agronomic research, everyone involved in the business of agriculture and food needs to be prepared for this trend to keep increasing in the future. If you’re still in the mood for more discussion on grain transportation policies, Lisa Guenther has an excellent report on the Grain Handling and Transportation Summit that was recently held in Saskatoon. Find Lisa’s article on page 8 of this issue.

SPRING SEASON Finally, there is hope that spring may come this year, after all. (Although I don’t think we’re going to take the winter tires off of our SUV until at least May, just in case.) My husband is getting ready to get ready to get to the field. He reminds me a bit of a runner, waiting at the track for the gun to go off. A little nervous, but pretty convinced that this time he’s going to win the race. My husband has good reason to be nervous this year. Our Winnipeg office is cooking up a project where I will set a camera up in one of our fields, and upload photos to the Grainews site a couple of times of week. You’ll be able to watch one of our canola crops all the way through to the end. This year, let’s hope “the end” is a trip through the combine — not a cruel crushing under an oversized hailstone. (We’ll run more information about this in the next few issues of Grainews.) For now (touch wood), we aren’t flooded, and it isn’t too dry. As every farmer has always said at seeding time, every year since the beginning of time, “this year is going to be our year.” Leeann

Average spring wheat yields for the Prairie provinces, bushels per acre

Grainews has a Facebook page. Find, read and comment on blog posts easily and with a thumbs up!

Find us on Twitter: Leeann Minogue is @grainmuse Lisa Guenther is @LtoG Lee Hart is @hartattacks Scott Garvey is @machineryeditor Data source: Statistics Canada, CANSIM, Table 001-0017, www.statcan.gc.ca

APRIL 29, 2014

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Wheat & Chaff FARM SAFETY

Ready, set, safety

ollowing a brutal winter and a tardy spring across much of the country, it may feel like the race is on to get onto the fields and prepare for planting while the window is open. But take the time to prep your fields, your machinery, your workers, and yourself for a safe and productive spring. Inspect your land, yard and fields for any surprises left behind by the snowmelt. Identify and remove any debris that might interfere with machinery operation. Water and runoff may have created unstable ground on your fields. Note any dangerous washouts and correct them before operating machinery in the area. If the snowmelt has created any new unstable areas that can’t be corrected, fence or mark them off permanently to prevent unintentionally walking or driving over the area. After six months of winter, your equipment may need some TLC to get field-ready.

If certain equipment hasn’t been maintained throughout the winter, make sure everything is in working order. If you are cleaning machinery or cleaning out a machinery shed, make sure to wear appropriate respirators. Dust may contain respiratory irritants or biohazards. Sometimes rodents over-winter in machinery, leaving behind their contaminated nesting materials and droppings. Hantavirus can be spread this way, and while the risk of coming into contact with the virus is low, according the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, the disease is fatal 50 to 60 per cent of the time. As you begin to plan for the next season, think about new developments on your farm. Do you have any new equipment? New powerlines, buildings or other physical features that weren’t present during last season? What about new processes or tasks? Review these new items and determine if there are any risks or hazards associated with them that need to

be identified and controlled. For example, new equipment may have higher height or clearance requirements. A new task might require you or one of your workers to work alone or off-site, which creates new risks. Plan out all the steps required to safety use a certain piece of machinery or undertake a certain task safely and write them down in standard operating procedures. Then communicate and review these requirements with any impacted workers so you can help keep everyone working and operating safely. If you have any new or returning workers, make sure they have the proper orientation, training and supervision to work safely. Once you have inspected and cleared your fields, maintained your equipment, reviewed, updated and communicated your standard operating procedures, and oriented and trained any new or returning workers, you are ready for field prep. But don’t forget wellness in the spring rush. Fatigue can be fatal. Spring days are short, and you and your workers could be spending long hours in the tractor, hoping to finish a field before the sun sets. But don’t skip meals or breaks.

WEATHER LORE

Before you know it you could be suffering from fatigue, wondering why your head is pounding and you feel so tired and irritable. This is when reaction time slows down, leaving you less able respond to an emergency and more tempted to take a dangerous shortcut. Bring water into the field, and make sure to implement and enforce regular breaks. For example, make sure that everyone knows and understands that they must take a 15 minute break every three hours to stretch and regroup. Make sure lunch breaks are long enough to accommodate a hearty, nutritious meal that will help fuel you and your workers. Lastly, if anyone is working alone in the fields and begins to feel tired and sleepy, make it a policy that they stop, turn off the machinery, and take a quick cat nap for 15 to 20 minutes. Spring is an exciting and busy time. But it can also be stressful. Take the time to prep your fields, your machinery, your workers, and yourself, so that everyone gets through this busy season in one piece. † Canadian Agriculture Safety Association — www.casaacsa.ca.

PHOTO CONTEST

The power of days

You might be from the Prairies if...

By Carson Demmans and Jason Sylvestre

Paul M. Wipf sent us this photo. He says, “These three little pigs were so friendly and seemed to have a happy life contrary to the fable of the other ‘Three Little Pigs.’” Paul is the farm steward of Viking Colony, northeast of Viking, Alta. Thanks for sharing this photo, Paul! We’ll be sending you a cheque for $25. Send your best shot to leeann.minogue@fbcpublishing.com. Please send only one or two photos at a time and include your name and address, the names of anyone in the photo, where the photo was taken and a bit about what was going on that day. A little write-up about your farm is welcome, too. Please ensure that images are of high resolution (1 MB is preferred), and if the image includes a person, we need to be able to see their face clearly.

If the sun sets clear on Friday It will blow before Sunday night. If it storms on the first Sunday of the month, It will storm every Sunday. eather proverbs such as these that give weatherpredicting ability to the days of the week may have evolved because, for most people in the time these proverbs were being created, Sunday was their one day off work and was often spent outdoors so they had more time to notice the weather. Or might it be that there is a connection and we just haven’t figured it out yet?. †

Shirley Byers’ book, Never Sell Your Hen on a Rainy Day explores over 100 weather rhymes and sayings. It is available from McNally Robinson at: www. mcnallyrobinson.com.

GIVE US YOUR BEST SHOT

Leeann

You have ever taken a family vacation to see a statue of a giant grasshopper.

AGRONOMY TIPS… FROM THE FIELD

Know when to apply fungicide

he fungicides that assist in defending yield-robbing diseases like Sclerotinia in canola are only beneficial if they are applied before the symptoms appear. So how do you choose to spray or not? If you have the following three conditions, a foliar fungicide application is a smart choice. • A strong and potentially highyielding stand. A good-looking canola crop is probably worth protecting by any account. The fact that healthy stands provide the best conditions for Sclerotinia outbreaks

further increases the importance of a fungicide treatment. • Abundant moisture. If the canola field has high soil moisture, visible leaf moisture, high relative humidity in the crop canopy and/or the forecast calls for rain around the bloom stage, the scales are tipped in favour of a Sclerotinia infection. • A tight rotation. With today’s tight canola rotations, there’s a high likelihood that Sclerotonia already resides in the soil or in neighbouring fields. Pulse crops and certain

weeds (such as chickweed, stinkweed and thistles) are also host plants for the disease. If not properly managed over time, Sclerotinia can build up in the field, putting your canola crop at risk. The optimum timing for a foliar fungicide application is when the canola crop is between 20 and 50 per cent bloom. This is a tight spraying window, so be prepared to spray on short notice. † This agronomy tip is brought to you by David Forster, agronomic service representative for Syngenta Canada Inc.

Avadex® is a registered trademark used under license by Gowan Company, L.L.C. PMRA Reg. No. is 25112. Always read and follow label directions. 12002 09.12

Un-sow your

Wild Oats

For more information call: Cory Bourdeaud’hui 1.204.390.2340 Javan Davis 1.306.590.8600 Jim Vancha 1.306.951.7008 UAP at 1.800.561.5444 www.gowanco.com

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APRIL 29, 2014

Cover Stories Crop disease

Alternaria dust no cause for concern

1 6 6 6 D u b l i n Av e n u e , W i n n i p e g , MB R 3 H 0 H 1 w w w. g r a i n e w s . c a

Colonizing alternaria fungi can turn canola swaths black, but rarely lower yields with today’s napus varieties

PUBLI SH ER

By Kari Belanger

John Morriss

hile swathing napus canola last year, some Prairie farmers reported an odd phenomenon: blackishgreen dust was covering their swathers. The cause, says Clint Jurke, a Canola Council of Canada agronomy specialist, was more than likely alternaria black spot, and more of a curiosity than cause for concern. “The windows of their swathers were turning blackishgreen. As far as I know, it didn’t cause any significant yield loss in those situations. (Alternaria black spot) comes in after the yield has already been set,” says Jurke. “It’s typically not a disease we’re all that concerned about anymore.” This was not the case two decades ago in Western Canada when Brassica rapa species (Polish canola) made up roughly half the canola acreage and B. napus (Argentine canola) the other half. The thick, waxy coating covering the leaves and stems of B. napus varieties protects plants from alternaria spores penetrating their tissues. This waxy layer is much thinner on B. rapa and B. juncea species, which presently make up less than one per cent of the total canola acreage in the West, increasing their susceptibility to the disease.

If the disease sets in early enough, significant yield loss of rapa and juncea varieties is possible. For napus varieties, alternaria black spot — which is caused by the fungi Alternaria brassicae, A. alternate and A. raphani — usually moves into a crop after the waxy layer starts to wear off near the end of the season as plants are maturing, drying down and filling the seed. The pathogen can then colonize the plant tissue. Colonizing fungi can turn swaths black and sooty-looking under humid conditions, but they still aren’t going to cause much of a yield loss, says Jurke. “For most canola acres, alternaria is not much of a production risk,” he says.

Controlling alternaria However, if the canola lies in the swath for a long period of time, alternaria can weaken the pods’ ability to stay together. Strong winds, heavy rains or hail may shatter pods even further. “If a grower has a huge canola acreage and he knows his canola is going to lay in the swath for six weeks or so, in circumstances like that there’s more opportunity for shatter to start occurring. Then you might want to think about taking additional action on controlling alternaria in those fields,” says Jurke.

Under most conditions, when growing napus canola applying crop protection products to control alternaria doesn’t add up. “It’s such a random event that it’s pretty hard to plan around, and to spend money on a fungicide to control the disease… you’re looking at $25 to $28 per acre for something that’s very unlikely to cause yield loss. The likelihood of getting a positive return on it is pretty small,” he says. Early onset of alternaria black spot has occurred in napus canola under exceptional conditions. Removal of the waxy layer on the leaves and stems as a result of hail or sand blasting can result in increased levels of alternaria early in the season. “In those cases, it might be better to leave your canola standing so it’s not laying in swath and shattering out more in the swath. When the plants stand they can remain a little bit drier and hopefully can be straight cut at the right time,” says Jurke. “Or if a grower swaths it, then combine it first and do not wait.” While alternaria black spot may be one less thing napus canola growers have to worry about, the disease does remain a real threat to juncea growers in southern Saskatchewan and southern Alberta and rapa growers in Alberta’s foothills and Peace River region. Control of

the disease through fungicide application or four-year rotations is more of a priority for these growers in order to reduce the amount of alternaria in the field. “It’s sort of like blackleg — it comes from old canola residue. As long as that residue persists, there’s always alternaria around,” says Jurke. He suggests growers spraying for sclerotinia also control alternaria with a second application of fungicide, especially in years of increased precipitation. “The wetter the year, the greater the chance of alternaria infection in those juncea and rapa crops,” he says. Infection occurs around flowering, halting the processes that produce yield and interfering with photosynthesis, nutrient flow and pod and seed filling, says Jurke. “If you don’t control the disease at the appropriate time for those two species, then they’re going to lose yield.” Although it’s impossible to tell this early in the season if conditions will favour alternaria infection and spread in napus canola crops at swathing, blackish-green dust covering farmers’ swathers this fall should be less a concern and more of a conversation piece. † Kari Belanger is a Winnipeg-based writer and editor.

» CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Head rot treatments for sunflowers

Important sunflower diseases

Andrea Hilderman has her master’s degree in weed science and is a member of the Manitoba Institute of Agrologists. She writes from Winnipeg, Man.

Associate Publisher/ Editorial director

Edi tor

Leeann Minogue fiel d Ed ito r

Lisa Guenther Cattleman’s Corner Editor

Lee Hart Farm life Edito r

Sue Armstrong Machinery EDITOR

Scott Garvey Pro duction Di recto r

Shawna Gibson Des igne r

Steven Cote MARKETING/CI RCUL ATION Dir ector

Lynda Tityk

Circul at ion manag er

Heather Anderson president

Glacier farmmedia

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Crop production

Early symptoms of sunflower rust appear as small, orange-tobrown spots on the upper surfaces of leaves, followed by spots on the lower surfaces of leaves. If the infection is severe enough, the entire leaf dies. Later in the season rust spots can be found on stems, petioles, bracts and the back of the heads. When the spots present as dark-brown dusty pustules, this is the most damaging stage of the infections. By the end of the season black pustules containing over-wintering spores will be found on all plant parts. The long-term goal is to breed in resistance into sunflowers to protect against rust. Some commercial varieties currently have good-to-excellent resistance to some races, but not all. There are no fungicides registered to control rust in sunflower in Canada. Other control measures include keeping sunflowers removed from previously infected fields and keeping volunteers under control in fields and ditches. †

Lynda Tityk

T photos: mafrd

This photo shows sunflower rust symptoms on the back of a leaf. If the symptoms are severe enough, the leaf will die.

This photo shows sunflower head rot at an advanced stage, in a case of complete loss. Head rot causes both yield and quality loss.

hree products are registered in Western Canada for the control of head rot on sunflowers. All three will provide suppression only, and won’t completely eliminate the disease. • Contans (UAP): This product is a biological control that contains living fungi. It’s applied to the soil pre-seeding and post harvest. The fungi infect the sclerotia of Sclerotinia sclerotiorium and S. minor in the soil. It’s recommended that farmers use other management practices along with Contans for better control. UAP says using Contans as part of a long-term strategy will help improve disease control. • Lance (BASF): Lance is a Group 7 foliar fungicide with medium resistance risk. Its active ingredient is boscalid, a carboxamide. This product can be applied to sunflowers once per season. • Vertisan (DuPont): Vertisan is a Group 7 foliar fungicide with medium resistance risk. Its active ingredient is penthiopyrad, a carboxamide. Vertisan should not be applied more than twice in a row before switching to a different mode of action. †

Leeann Minogue

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Your next issue! You can expect your next issue in your mailbox about May 20, 2014 The editors and journalists who write, contribute and provide opinions to Grainews and Farm Business Communications attempt to provide accurate and useful opinions, information and analysis. However, the editors, journalists and Grainews and Farm Business Communications, cannot and do not guarantee the accuracy of the information contained in this publication and the editors as well as Grainews and Farm Business Communications assume no responsibility for any actions or decisions taken by any reader for this publication based on any and all information provided.

APRIL 29, 2014

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Features CROP PROTECTION

Protect your weapons in the fight against blackleg New information and tools are in the works to help growers protect the durability of current resistant canola varieties BY KARI BELANGER

ast year’s record canola harvest of nearly 18 million tonnes was a significant achievement for Canadian producers and industry stakeholders, far surpassing the goal set by the sector of 15 million tonnes by 2015. On the heels of this accomplishment, canola disease experts warn blackleg could take a large bite out of future production if the durability of current resistant varieties isn’t protected. Before blackleg-resistant varieties entered the market in the mid-90s, farmers reported canola yield losses of up to 50 per cent. Since then, largely due to resistant varieties, blackleg has been kept to trace levels. However, over the past few years, survey results indicate an increase in disease incidence. This rising trend is a result of improvements to disease detection, changes in the pathogen itself and existing management practices, says Clint Jurke, an agronomy specialist with the Canola Council of Canada. Increased levels of blackleg in fields negatively affect yield and quality of crops, but they also hinder access to international markets. Unless measures are taken to protect current commercial resistant varieties, producers could lose the one tool that has kept the disease at bay. Genetic resistance can be overcome by new virulent races of the blackleg pathogen. “This is a pathogen with high evolutionary potential that can overcome resistance fairly quickly,” says Jurke. “Unfortunately, when we’re dealing with blackleg, we’re dealing with the worst-case scenario — it’s a pathogen that has high gene flow and high pathogen diversity. In order to best manage blackleg resistance so that it is durable into the future, you need to have a fairly complicated strategy in place using major resistance genes, stacking that with quantitative resistance and deploying that on some type of regional basis. We’re not doing that right now in canola. We are doing a fairly good job at having some major resistance genes and quantitative resistance, but I think there is a need for more work to ensure resistance is durable in the long term.”

UNCOVERING THE GENES Uncovering the specific genes in a variety providing resistance to blackleg is an important step toward managing the disease and prolonging that resistance. According to Jurke, work of this nature in Canada is presently being led by Dilantha Fernando, a professor of plant pathology at the University of Manitoba. Researchers are determining and characterizing the blackleg resistance genes of commercial canola varieties. “There are quite a few varieties

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF THE CANOLA COUNCIL OF CANADA

Stem cankers caused by blackleg disease. Experts warn that blackleg could take a large bite out of future canola production. that contain multiple types of resistance and some only contain one resistance gene,” says Jurke. “Half of all the canola varieties have a single resistance gene called Rlm3 as well as some undetermined background resistance… There is potentially a concern for the industry that we are relying for the most part on one type of resistance.” In order to protect that resistance, says Jurke, the resistance genes must be stacked in different ways. “Currently, that’s not the way our industry is working,” he says. Characterizing quantitative resistance — which is expressed in plants at the adult stage as reduced development of necrotic tissue at the stem base compared with susceptible varieties — is another priority area for researchers at the U. of M., who are trying to determine how much quantitative resistance is present in current Canadian commercial varieties. “They found of all the varieties, 21 per cent would be considered to be resistant, so they have a high level of quantitative resistance and another quarter have a moderately resistant level. So half of those varieties have poor or low levels of quantitative resistance — again this is a potential concern for the industry,” says Jurke.

HIGH LEVELS OF INFECTION Reports of high levels of blackleg infection in fields planted with R-rated varieties are also of utmost concern to the industry. The CCC and the research community are examining factors and collecting data and information about the circumstances surrounding incidences of resistance breakdown in the field. Not surprisingly, rotation plays a large role. Although in its early stages, a recent study indicates that of the data collected from one-third of the fields surveyed, approximately half are in a canola-on-canola rotation and the

“Do we need something different?” — Clint Jurke

other half are in a two-year canola rotation, says Jurke. Another factor considered in this survey of fields with high levels of blackleg planted with an R-rated variety is the previous canola variety planted in the field. So far, results indicate the majority of fields surveyed — 90 per cent — were not planted on the same variety, says Jurke. Although information and data being collected in Canada will be used to help farmers make more informed decisions to manage blackleg, industry stakeholders are also considering systems being employed in other countries to fight the disease. For example, of the top 25 selling varieties this past year in Canada, 22 fall into the resistant category and three in the moderately resistant. Jurke points out most varieties have similar labels and do not provide enough differentiation to enable producers to make informed decisions about the types of resistance that would be best applied to their farming circumstances. “Is this adequate information for the Canadian situation or do we need something different?” he asks.

AUSTRALIAN MODEL Australia may prove to be a good role model for a new way of managing blackleg. High levels of disease and yield losses prompted the country to create a unique system whereby resistance is grouped into categories (A, B, C, D, E, etc.). Canola

These leaf lesions were caused by blackleg disease. varieties are assigned labels indicating the types of resistance genes they contain. “Last year there was some indication that Group D-type of resistance was going to fail in an area of southern Australia. They put out a warning asking growers not to use this type of resistance in this geography and, essentially, what they predicted came to pass. The growers using Group E-type of resistance were fine — or A, B, or C — but when they used type D resistance they had epidemics in those fields,” says Jurke. Presently, Ralph Lange, a researcher with Alberta Innovates Technology Futures, is assessing a similar protocol for Canada. In addition, these results support the validity of rotating types of resistance to stay ahead of blackleg disease. Heading into the next growing season, there are a number of ways producers can help protect the resistant varieties currently available. A grower’s assessment of the risk potential for the development of blackleg in the field is an important step in the decision-making process, says Jurke. The CCC has devised a matrix to aid growers in the assessment

of their blackleg infection risk in their fields and outlines the actions necessary to lessen that risk, says Jurke. For example, when using the risk assessment tool, if growers determine they are in a high risk situation they can add diversity to their farming operations by extending crop rotations or rotating varieties, in addition to rotating fungicides if they are also in heavy use. “If growers determine they have some high risk practices they have the opportunity to modify those practices or choose others that will help reduce that risk,” he says. Keeping growers in the loop on new tools, information and developments on the blackleg front is also key to managing the disease and conserving existing varieties. “We are working with the canola industry about what our next steps forward should be in identifying and describing blackleg resistance. If there are ways to provide more useful information to growers, hopefully we can develop a system that will provide meaningful labels for them,” says Jurke. Kari Belanger is a freelance writer writing from Winnipeg, Man.

/ grainews.ca

APRIL 29, 2014

Features CROP PRODUCTION

PULSE CROP KILLER STRIKES AGAIN

CROP ADVISOR’S CASEBOOK BY ANGIE BERNER

ate last June I received a call from Eric, a farmer in the Assiniboia, Sask., region with 4,800 acres of durum wheat, canola, lentils and peas. He said his lentils and peas were affected by the same problem that had been plagued both pulse crops during the previous two growing seasons. “I’m not sure what’s going on,” he said “I have those patches of dead and sick plants everywhere again. But the patches are larger and seem to be spreading outward in some places.” I was already acquainted with Eric — he had called me about the problem in years past, but it was always right before he went to harvest, and too late for me to take plant samples or draw any conclusions about what was going on. This time, he had provided me with an ideal opportunity to investigate the problem. I paid him a visit, and when Eric took me out into the affected fields it was obvious what he was concerned about: stunted plants with few to no flowers. In highly affected areas, entire plants were dying. The damaged plants were located in random areas throughout the lentil and pea fields, with no distinct pattern. Affected areas seemed to spread with moisture events, Eric said, adding that the symptoms had first appeared in mid-June. What caught my eye was that in the sloped areas in the affected fields, it looked as though the damaged plant area was spreading downhill and in a fingering-out pattern. Compacted areas, such as wheel tracks, appeared to be severely affected and the problem

was spreading to neighbouring rows. Affected plants were wilted, stunted and had yellowing of foliage, very few flowering parts and premature ripening. Lesions were present on the stem base and on the roots, which were brown in colour and beginning to decay. I started asking Eric questions in an effort to rule out possible causes. Eric informed me that recent soil tests indicated the fertility was fine, and that no residual chemicals had been used, either that year or in the year prior to seeding. He said there hadn’t been any real environmental stresses up to this point in the season. In fact, there had been above-average rainfall in the area for the last three growing seasons, but this didn’t look like it was caused by excess soil moisture. No pests such as aphids or grasshoppers were present at the time of my field visit, which ruled out insect damage. I asked Eric about the history of the affected fields, specifically whether or not he had been rotating his crops. Eric said he had been — his rotation had been durum, lentils, canola and peas. Something was affecting Eric’s pulse crops, but what? If you think you know the answer, send your diagnosis to Grainews, Box 9800, Winnipeg, Man., R3C 3K7; email leeann.minogue@fbcpub lishing.com or fax 204-944-5416 c/o Crop Advisor’s Casebook. Best suggestions will be pooled and one winner will be drawn for a chance to win a Grainews cap and a one-year subscription to the magazine. The answer, along with reasoning that solved the mystery, will appear in the next Crop Advisor’s Solution File. † Angie Berner is a crop input manager with Richardson Pioneer Ltd. at Assiniboia, Sask.

Angie Berner, Assiniboia, Sask.

There were patches of dead and sick plants everywhere.

In the sloped areas in affected fields, it looked as though the damaged plant area was spreading downhill.

CROP ADVISOR’S SOLUTION PHOSPHORUS DEFICIENCY STUNTS SOYBEANS

t was early July when Ricky, a soybean farmer located near Headingley in Manitoba’s Red River Valley, called about the sorry state of one of his soybean fields. The crop was stunted, and Ricky was concerned a bad batch of seed was responsible. “I must have received some poor seed with low germination percentage when I was planting,” he said. “It’s the only thing I think of to explain such a short plant stand such as this.” When I arrived at Ricky’s farm, he took me to the affected soybean field to have a look. I could see the older plants in the field had blue-coloured leaves, and that there were many short, spindly plants with necrotic spots on the leaves. The crop appeared to have the appropriate plant density, but was generally shorter

than other nearby fields that had been planted with the same soybean variety. Symptoms also included some patchiness across the field. Soil conditions had been cool and wet when the field was seeded in mid-May, Ricky said, adding that no fertilizer had been applied at planting. He’d used dual inoculants and a seed treatment at seeding to enhance nitrogen fixation and control diseases and insects. No residual chemical had been used on the oat crop planted in that field the previous year. Ricky said he’d gone back and double-checked his planting records, just to make sure he hadn’t misapplied any chemical products. Everything was fine, which was why he thought bad seed was to blame for the stunted soybean crop. To me, the bluish colour of

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the leaves on older plants in the affected crop was a vital clue — a clear indication of a symptom unique to a phosphorus deficiency. To be sure, I had soil and tissue tests performed and the results were conclusive. The tests showed there was very low soil phosphorus — only three parts per million — available for plant uptake, confirming phosphorus deficiency as the cause of the stunted soybeans. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much Ricky could do to salvage this field’s crop, which ended up with a lower yield than his other soybean fields. However, I assured Ricky there were positive steps he could take to build up the amount of phosphorus in the soil to medium or high levels, which would result in more consistent yields and healthier plants over time.

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I urged Ricky to consider preloading his field for a higher phosphorus amount the year before planting soybeans, which are higher phosphorus users. Applying phosphorus to the field just prior to planting would also build up levels of this nutrient level in the soil. I also recommended Ricky use a phosphorus-enhancing soybean inoculant at seeding. One more step Ricky could take in the future would be to sample the soil in each of his fields regularly to track phosphate levels, and apply the appropriate fertilizer for the crop planted there. By incorporating this and other soil management measures into his farming practices, Ricky stands to have better luck with his soybeans next year. †

CASEBOOK WINNER

his issue’s winner is Curtis de Gooijer. Curtis is an agronomist with Bourgault Industries Ltd., at Melfort, Sask. He comes from a cattle/ grain farm near Kelliher, and is currently renting land and growing wheat, canola and oats there. It’s a good thing Curtis won — he’s been reading his father’s copy of Grainews. With this win, we’ll set Curtis up with his own subscription for one year, and we’ll also send him a hat. †

Leeann Minogue

Dan Friesen is a sales agronomist with Richardson Pioneer Ltd. at Starbuck, Man.

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APRIL 29, 2014

Features GRAIN TRANSPORTATION

Perverse incentives in the system Speakers at the Grain Handling and Transportation Summit discussed incentives, regulations and grain transportation system bottlenecks BY LISA GUENTHER

“

erverse incentives” within the transportation system make solutions unlikely under current regulations, a farmer told industry at a recent grain transportation summit. Currently there’s no one with an interest in collective service issues that affect farmers, Ian McCreary told delegates at Saskatoon’s Grain Handling and Transportation Summit in March. McCreary farms near Bladworth, Sask., and was a farmer-elected director of the Canadian Wheat Board. “All the regulations in the Canadian Transportation Agency are geared to the shipper,” said McCreary. So although farmers ultimately pay freight bills, they don’t have standing with the agency because they aren’t shippers, he added. “The current order-in-council is a bit of a draconian instrument. It’s probably better than nothing,” said McCreary. McCreary also listed inadequate capacity, no planning to maximize West Coast movement, and no marketing channel for the balance of grain as issues in the logistics system.

“DON’T TOSS REVENUE CAP,” PANELISTS SAY “I don’t see any benefit in getting rid of (the revenue cap),”

Derek Tallon told delegates at the University of Saskatchewansponsored summit. Tallon is a grain farmer from Lafleche, Sask., and former chair of the province’s youth advisory committee. McCreary said the revenue cap is based on the single car rate that was adjusted for productivity. When the rate was set, railways serviced over 1,000 elevators. Now they’re servicing just under 400 elevators. “And all of the cost reductions that happened as a result (of cutting the stops) were captured by the railways.” Richard Gray, an ag economist with the University of Saskatchewan, also told delegates the revenue cap should stay put. CN gets $6.33 for every tonne of grain they load, plus 2.8 cents per tonne mile that it moves. CP gets $8.10 per tonne, plus 2.8 cents per tonne mile, he said. The revenue cap is fully indexed for inflation, Gray said. “The railways get well paid for doing what they’re doing.” But, the revenue cap doesn’t reflect higher winter operation costs in the winter, Gray said. “And if you think about a company that can choose when to move grain — and they’re a monopoly, they can choose — then, if they’re not regulated, they’re going to want to avoid those winter months,” said Gray. “How do you get them to not

want to avoid the winter months? Give them a bigger allowance during those winter months.” Tallon said incentive-based revenue caps would encourage competition. The metrics would have to be worked out, he said, but would probably include the percentage of orders that they filled, the cars hauled, the tonne kilometres or average distance of haul. “But at the same time they can’t be penalized for years of poor crop production or years where no one wants to sell grain because prices are low and there aren’t enough orders,” said Tallon.

Incentive-based revenue caps would encourage competition SOLUTIONS McCreary said there was a need for a middle-man to book rail cars for grain companies, as the Grain Transportation Agency (GTA) once did. The GTA was initially formed to ensure fair car allotment for grains not shipped through the Canadian Wheat Board. McCreary said that although industry players grum-

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bled about the number of cars they got, the GTA provided transparency and allowed players to get involved in logistics planning. More transparency in the grain handling process, along with price transparency in the markets, is key to making things work better, McCreary said. “I would say that information, in and of itself, will be part of the solution, because all of the players will make better decisions with better information,” he added. Any regulation needs to include solutions for single-point shippers, short lines and small elevators, McCreary added. “Right now we have two railways and if we don’t find a way to solve the problems of single-point exporters, we’re going to have three grain companies. And by and large, they will not be in the same locations, and we’ll have that market-structure issue.” McCreary added that the goal wouldn’t be to decide which companies succeed but making sure “that their success is dependent on the service they provide to farmers, not whether or not they’re the big bully in the negotiation with the railways.” Harvey McEwen is a farmer based near Francis, Sask., and former Weyburn Inland Terminal (WIT) director. McEwen told delegates the Weyburn Inland Terminal could load three unit trains a week without breaking a sweat. But CP told WIT it allocated cars to the terminal based on the other two local companies’ needs because CP didn’t want to tick off other customers, McEwen said. “And as a single point shipper, we were dead in the water,” he said. McCreary said running rights could potentially increase capacity. He said unidirectional movement, which is when there is oneway movement on each railway for a block of time, would have the same effect as double-tracking and boost capacity. “I suspect that has to be encouraged by a regulator rather than relying on the market to make that happen,” said McCreary. Gray said he had no trouble with “joint running rights, multiple running rights, open running rights, separation of track and rail. All those things are practical solutions in terms of economics.” Tallon said expanded interswitching was a good idea, but pointed out that as the railways compete to fill orders for shippers within the interswitching regions, elevators outside that bubble “could see some severe neglect.” “At the end of the day, the open running rights would be the goal,” said Tallon. The industry also needs large car-spotting incentives to reflect actual costs, Tallon said. Railways offer multi-car incentives to large grain companies when they order 100 or 112 car trains. Charging an arbitrary rate for smaller trains creates “incentives for the grain companies to consolidate way beyond what’s probably socially (or) economically viable,” Tallon said, adding that trucking and road maintenance costs far outweigh savings netted by the railways.

LOOKING BEYOND RAILWAYS McCreary said the logistics mess “is not a rail-only problem.” When the federal Liberals killed the GTA in the 1995 budget and told the industry to handle planning and rail car allocation, in 1996-97 “we had the worst transportation wreck in history,” McCreary said. He compared it to 2011 when “we threw the current planning process out the window. And now we had a big wreck.” “We need to figure out how we can have those planning functions,” McCreary said. Tallon said he’d like to see grain companies pay storage costs and interest for past-due contracts to incent them to push back railways to deliver cars. Gray said that if the industry resolves railway issues, West Coast terminal capacity will be the bottleneck. The West Coast hasn’t handled more than 22 million tonnes of grain, Gray said. “If we’re going to export 36 or 40 million tonnes, we’re not going to move it west at this point,” Gray said. Grain sourced from any point west of Brandon, Man., is cheaper to rail west, whether it’s bound for Europe or Asia, said Gray. And even grain sourced from Winnipeg is best sent west if it’s destined for Asia. “If we can’t move it out the West Coast, it’s got to a long way to salt water. And those are costs coming off the cheque going to farmers,” Gray told delegates. More West Coast ports would add up to more savings, Gray said, estimating $800 million in transportation savings and perhaps $3 billion in basis savings. Lower basis would boost productivity and economic growth in Western Canada, Gray said. “Without that, farmers are going to actually face high basis whenever they increase production. That’s going to keep prices down and reduce the incentives to actually grow that.” Gray told delegates that the costs of building new capacity shouldn’t be a deterrent. “The benefits are huge and the costs of not building that capacity are huge as well.” Given the wide basis being captured by the big grain companies, McCreary questioned whether they will “have an incentive to restructure and rebuild the West Coast capacity.” McEwen questioned who in the industry would drive the long-term change needed. Academics don’t drive policy, he said, and politicians won’t set the agenda. “The grain companies aren’t real happy right now,” said McEwen. “But do you hear any of the companies say anything bad? You won’t even hear any of the independents say anything about the rail companies because they can’t afford to.” † Lisa Guenther is a field editor for Grainews based at Livelong, Sask. Contact her at Lisa. Guenther@fbcpublishing.com.

APRIL 29, 2014

grainews.ca /

Features Crop protection

Cleaning to prevent clubroot Clubroot can spread from farm to farm, or come in from other sources By Lisa Guenther

ometimes energy companies are prime suspects when it comes to clubroot contamination in western Canadian farmland. But Encana has developed strict cleaning procedures to minimize that risk, one company leader told FarmTech delegates in Edmonton. Many of Encana’s Alberta sites tap into farmland in south central Alberta. These coalbed methane wells produce sweet gas and are about one kilometre deep. Encana has 11,000 km of pipeline, plus 13,000 natural gas wells in Alberta. The wells sit on 25 per cent of the land growing canola in the country, Andrea Bullinger said. “Do we bear some risk? You bet we bear some risk,” Bullinger said. She is a soil chemist and heads up Encana’s soils, vegetation, and spills management group in Canada. The energy company puts in minimal disturbance sites, meaning they don’t build roads and drill on top of topsoil. The well sites are usually about 4 x 8 metres. When they install pipelines, they use a Cat to strip topsoil and plow into sub-soil, Bullinger said. The faster Encana gets wells up and running, the more profit, which is vital with lower natural gas prices, Bullinger pointed out. But she added Encana doesn’t want the liability of contaminating farmland with clubroot or any other pests. Encana was doing lots of drilling in Alberta between 2006 and 2008, Bullinger said. There were no regulatory requirements on biosecurity for energy companies. But there was a groundswell of concern among farmers as clubroot became a growing problem.

Farmer concern By the end of 2007, 50 per cent of landowners were asking Encana about their clubroot mitigation plan and up to 25 per cent demanded the company clean and disinfect its equipment before setting foot their farms. “One of the engineers described it as like being the bride the night before the wedding and hearing that you can’t go,” said Bullinger. “Because when we took a look at that meant for us — washing and disinfecting before we entered the site — it was a show-stopper.” Washing and disinfecting the equipment used to construct one coalbed methane well would cost Encana about $43,000 and use 112,000 litres of water, Bullinger said. The company planned to drill 300 wells in the central Alberta in 2008. Disinfecting equipment would have cost $12 million and use 33 million litres of water. Bullinger told delegates Encana’s engineers initially handed her numbers double those costs, but she cut them in half because she thought “they were a little hysterical,” and not accounting for increased efficiency over time. Encana had better data for pipelines, Bullinger said. Cleaning the gear used to put in 443 miles of pipeline would ring up $7 million and use 26 million litres of water. “Those are kind of scary numbers for us,” Bullinger said. But because Encana’s wells rest C

CMY

on a quarter of Canada’s canolaproducing land, Bullinger calculated they could impact over $1 billion in canola production, if canola was selling at $14 per bushel. Those are the types of numbers that make sense to engineers, Bullinger said. “A billion dollars is material, even to them.” Bullinger and her colleagues began working with the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers and Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development to cut their risk of spreading clubroot and other pests.

means a higher contamination risk, so they don’t inspect wells as frequently in the summer. But regulations still require inspectors to check on wells monthly. Before staff and contractors enter a new field, Encana requires them to hand clean equipment. Contractors and employees also have to wash vehicles as part of regular maintenance. “Vehicles or equipment that arrive dirty on our site will be sent back at the contractor’s cost. That only has to happen once or twice before they start bringing in clean equipment,” said Bullinger. Clubroot mitigation Encana also complies with Encana employees and consult- county bylaws, Bullinger added. Sign-off at Encana sites differs a ants try to enter the field when it’s dry and cold, Bullinger said, to little with each group. But they do ABIC2014_Grainews-Junior.pdf 1 25/02/2014 4:04:55 PM reduce contamination risk. Summer take pictures of equipment when it

arrives on site. Employees or inspectors sign or stamp a document confirming the equipment arrived clean, Bullinger said. Farmers aren’t obligated to tell Encana about soil or pest issues, but Encana will change its practices to avoid knowingly spreading contaminated soil. “If we know you have clubroot, we’re not going to tell the ag fieldman,” Bullinger said. Asked whether Encana would consider constructing roads into well sites, Bullinger said minimal disturbance sites made more economic sense with low natural gas prices. “For us it’s a bit of a show-stopper.” Many farmers prefer minimal disturbance sites, as they can farm around them, Bullinger added.

Encana is hesitant to make exceptions — concessions made to one landowner must be offered to all. Encana is looking at putting four wells on one site, slanting them into the field, to further shrink the well site footprint. Bullinger speaks only for Encana. Farmers dealing with other companies could look to Alberta’s Clubroot Management Plan for guidelines. Farmers can find the plan by visiting agriculture.alberta.ca and searching “clubroot management plan.” The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers has also published best practices to help the energy industry deal with clubroot. They can be found by searching “clubroot” at www.capp.ca. † Lisa Guenther is a field editor for Grainews. Contact her at Lisa.Guenther@fbcpublishing.com.

/ grainews.ca

APRIL 29, 2014

Features CROP PRODUCTION

Cover crop buffet feeds microbes Peace farmer Bill Gaugler is adding a cover crop to his farm’s rotation, in hopes of increasing yields with less fertilizer BY LEE HART

ill Gaugler hopes including a multi-species plant cover crop year in his rotation will improve soil health on his Alberta Peace River region farm. That could lead to several benefits — Gaugler hopes it could help improve his overall crop yields, or allow him to maintain yields with less or even no fertilizer. It isn’t a far-fetched plan. Some producers in North America have reported great success with cover crop rotations. But Gaugler, who farms near Manning in the north central Peace region admits it took time to get his head around the notion that seeding a cocktail blend of annual grasses and legumes one year can have longer term crop production value. “I have probably been thinking about this and doing some research over the past seven or eight years,” says Gaugler, who produces wheat, peas, canola, and oats at Hotchkiss, just north of Manning, Alta. “In 2012 I actually tried a 15 acre plot of just peas and oats cover crop, and in 2013 there was a 30 bushel yield increase in wheat just over that plot compared to the rest of the field. That told me something was working.” Gaugler plans to expand that to about an 80-acre trial in 2014.

COVER CROP BLEND That 2012 experience was followed by a workshop late last year organized by the North Peace Applied Research Association (NPARA), which featured speaker Gabe Brown of Bismarck, North Dakota. Brown, who has spoken several times in Canada, has long included a cover crop on his mixed farming operation. Including a blend of at least 10 cool and warm season crops in a cover crop-year has dramatically improved over all soil health, he says. Brown

has not only been able to reduce fertilizer for crops, but most years is able to eliminate added fertilizer completely — the soil has become that productive. The cover crop Gaugler is talking about is different than a traditional cover crop concept such as seeding a new forage crop, for example, but including oats or barley at the same time so you can harvest something in the year the forage is getting established. Gaugler’s plan for a cover cropyear is sometimes described as a green manure year. But often a conventional green manure crop is some type of straight legume. Based on Gaugler’s own research and Gabe Brown’s experience, this newer cover crop idea involves a wide-ranging blend of warm and cool season grasses and broadleaf crops. Brown advocates having at least 10 different crops in the blend to provide a “cap” — a crop biomass that protects the soil, while the diversity of crop roots provide a food source for an enormous number of micro-organisms in the soil. Using this wide blend of crops makes sense to Newton Lupwayi, an Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research scientist in Lethbridge, Alta. “The more diversity of the cover crop, the better it is for soil microorganisms,” says Lupwayi. “A standard grain and oilseed rotation is good, but it is like giving the soil micro-organisms a meat and potatoes diet. If you increase the crop biodiversity it is like giving them a seven- or eight-course meal.” And there are a lot of mouths there for crop roots to feed. Lupwayi says there are more micro-organisms in a tablespoon of soil than there are humans on the planet. While improving yield is important and perhaps the ultimate goal, he says cover crops and green manure improve soil organic matter, can add nitrogen to the soil, help con-

serve soil and moisture and can also improve weed control. These can all contribute to higher yields and improved profitability. And it is all in the diversity of plants, says Jill Clapperton, a former Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researcher who now runs Earthspirit Consulting service in Montana. A diversity of roots in the soil can stimulate and accumulate different nutrients, which in turn supports different micro-organisms in the soil. When those plants die, the roots break down providing more plant available (organic form) nutrients for the subsequent crops. Buckwheat, for example, accumulates calcium and magnesium, lupines affect phosphorus and pulse crops can contribute to nitrogen. “It is what is known as the rhizophere process,” says Clapperton, the rhizophere being the narrow region of the soil directly influence by root secretions and soil micro-organisms. “Depending on the mix of the cover crop species we observed at studies done at Lethbridge, crops grown after the cover crops had more nutrient dense grain — wheat for example would have more phosphorous, more nitrogen, more iron or more of some other micronutrients and it all related to the diversity of the preceding cover crops.” The process, she says, makes more and different nutrients available to the crop, it changes the physical structure of the soil, improves the aggregate stability of the soil, opens the soil deeper allowing plant roots to capture nutrients further down in the soil profile. “Farmers think about an above ground crop canopy, well this is thinking about a below ground canopy,” says Clapperton. “With a diverse cover crop all roots are crossing over below the soil surface touching each other and they are sharing things. If the crop combination is compatible they are

sharing nutrients and water. That is probably why a mixed species stand survives and does so much better than a single species stand.” She says a cover crop should contain at least three different plant species — more is better. If in field history, plant stands have been heavy to grasses, then add broadleaf species, and if it has been heavy to broadleaf crop, then add grasses. Clapperton says it isn’t unreasonable to expect as cover crops become common in rotations, to reach a point where little or no added fertilizer is needed.

WHAT TO GROW? Back on Bill Gaugler’s farm, he’s thinking about what crops to include in the cover crop mix, and about managing residue the following seeding season. Gaugler, who is current president of the NPARA, takes comfort he is not alone in this learning process. About 10 other Peace Region farmers are also interested in adding cover crops to their rotations. “We’re an informal group but we’re all starting at about the same point,” he says. “Most are mixedfarming operations, so the cover crop-year may be valuable as pasture for livestock as well. The nice thing about it is that we can learn what’s working from one another, and perhaps more importantly learn from each other’s mistakes.” Gaugler sees the cover crop as being Year 1 in his rotation. He’ll probably follow the cover crop with canola, which has high nutrient requirements and then move into a spring wheat, or perhaps winter wheat, then peas the fourth year and then back into the cover crop-year. The recommendation is for a cover crop mix of warm and cool season grasses and broadleaf crops. Among the options for warm season grasses are crops such as sorghum, millet and corn. Warm sea-

Bill Gaugler hopes including a multi-species plant cover cropyear in his rotation will improve soil health on his Alberta Peace River region farm. son broadleaf crops could include soybeans, cowpeas and annual alfalfa. On the cool season side, grasses could include traditional crops such as oats, barley or wheat. Broadleaf crops could include peas, faba beans, chickling vetch and hairy vetch. These are some of the options. “It would be nice if we can get 10 different crops that all work in this area,” says Gaugler. “But if we only get six that is still better than just one or two.” Gaugler’s other challenge is to find a seeding system that can work through the cover crop residue the following spring. A longtime direct seeding farmer, he wants something that will cause little soil disturbance. While he is using a hoe-type air seeding system now, he is looking at moving to a coulter style vertical tillage tool. While it’s not the only option, he is looking at modifying a Salford vertical tillage tool equipped to either broadcast apply seed ahead of the coulters or place seed in the opening just behind the coulters. “We’ll start out on a trial basis with about 80 acres this coming year,” he says. “It is not like we can jump in and do the whole farm all at once because you still have to be producing a crop. But, we’ll start with some cover crop blends and see what works.” † Lee Hart is a field editor for Grainews in Calgary. Contact him at 403-592-1964 or by email at lee@fbcpublishing.com.

SPRAYING OFF LABEL

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ALWAYS FOLLOW GRAIN MARKETING AND ALL OTHER STEWARDSHIP AND PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Details of these requirements can be found in the Trait Stewardship Responsibilities Notice to Farmers printed in this publication. Monsanto and Vine Design® is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC, Monsanto Canada Inc. licensee. ©2013 Monsanto Canada Inc.

APRIL 29, 2014

grainews.ca /

Features Crop production

Cover crops increase profitability Panelists shared cover crop success stories at the Commodity Classic conference in San Antonio By Lisa Guenther

over crops not only improve soil health and bump yields, but also increase profitability, a U.S. farmer told farm show delegates in San Antonio. Jamie Scott was part of a panel at the Commodity Classic this past February. Scott uses cover crops on his Indiana farm and coordinates the seeding of cover crops on another 100,000 acres. Scott presented yield data from nine side-by-side trials conducted in 2012. The farmers involved had been growing cover crops for more than a year and had a good handle on the management, he said. Other than half the corn field being under a cover crop, everything else in the side-by-sides was the same, Scott said. “We gained 19.8 bushel per acre average over those trials,” said Scott. Based on that year’s corn prices, the yield increase added up to about $100 per acre. Scott isn’t the only one who’s seen yield jump with cover crops. Rob Myers, University of Missouri agronomist and regional director of extension with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, worked with about 750 farmers in the 2012 crop year. Myers and his colleagues did side-by-side comparisons of fields with cover crops and bare fields. Myers told delegates that in 2012 corn grown with cover crops averaged about 11 bushels more than nude corn crops. Soybeans saw a five-bushel bonus with cover crops. Two years of national surveys of hundreds of farmers also revealed cover crops raised corn and soybean yields by five to 10 per cent on average, Myers added. Myers cautioned that some farmers lost yield or maintained status quo with cover crops. “It kind of depended how long they’d been doing it, the approach they took to cover crops.” Although yield alone often seems to pay for cover crops, Myers said “grazing is the single best way to make them pay for themselves right away. It’s a really good economic return from the studies I’ve seen.” Winter cereals, such as cereal rye, are the most popular cover crops in the U.S., Myers said. Legumes are also a popular choice. Brassicas such as radish and turnips are becoming more popular, Myers added. “And the longer farmers used cover crops, the more they tend to move towards mixes of cover crops, because of the benefits there,” Myers added. About half of the farmers surveyed drilled cover crops to establish good stands by the fall, Myers said, but many are broadcasting to establish the crop early. About 14 per cent of surveyed farmers used a plane to seed. Three per cent used corn and soybean planters to precision seed and Myers said that number was likely to rise. Seeding the cover crop early was Scott’s priority, either with a plane or a high-boy sprayer, he said. He added there was a benefit to establishing the cover crop “before the crop comes off, to increase organic matter scavenging, more nutrients and have some footing to work off of in harvest.”

Agronomic benefits Panelists cited agronomic benefits such as more organic matter and better water infiltration and retention. Scott said even with continuous no-till “we were struggling to get our organic matter levels up where we wanted them. When we add cover crops, we do that extremely fast.” Mike Plumer, a conservation agriculture consultant based in Illinois, has been working with cover crops since 1980. In Plumer’s neck of the woods, mare’s tail is resistant to glyphosate, 2,4-D and all ALS herbicides. For the last seven or eight years, Plumer’s been looking at using cover crops to control the herbicide-resistant weed. Cereal

rye can “completely control the resistant mare’s tail or horse weed to the point where we get 100 per cent control without a herbicide at all,” he said. Plumer said cover crops can also control nematodes and disease in soybeans. Research at Purdue University found annual ryegrass can drop soybean cyst nematode populations as well as weeds that host the pest, such as purple deadnettle. And a three-year study funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture found cereal rye had the most potential to suppress sudden death syndrome and rhizoctonia root rot in soybeans. Scott encouraged farmers to use cover crops as a safety net when applying nitrogen. “If we overapplied (nitrogen) in the year of

the drought, we didn’t use it all. Instead of losing it, we kept it on our farm,” said Scott. Scott also discussed a watershed study in his area that soil tested in the field, and measured nutrients in the main flow of the ditch and tile lines. “Time and time again, the no-till cover crop field has a higher nutrient level in the field, but it is not coming out in the tile,” he said.

benefits during droughts While some people assume cover crops hurt cash crops in dry years because they transpire water from the soil, the opposite seems to be true. Deeper-rooting cover crops can lead to deeper-rooting cash crops.

“So if you can get an extra foot of rooting depth on corn or beans, think of all the extra moisture it can access through a dry year,” said Myers. Some cover crops also blanket the soil in residue, cutting evaporation, he added. Just as with any other new practice, there will be times when farmers aren’t happy. For example, in the dry spring of 2012, Scott initially thought the cover crop was pulling moisture from the cash crop. “I told people at one point in time the only way I thought I was going to have income was if I put up a toll booth at the end of our road and charged people to look at the disaster,” he said. “But because of the soil health, because of the rooting depth that we had, that plant got down to moisture, got down to nutrients.” † Lisa Guenther is a field editor with Grainews based at Livelong, Sask. Contact her at Lisa. Guenther@fbcpublishing.com.

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APRIL 29, 2014

Features Crop disease

Lentils with blight can be misdiagnosed Stemphylium blight is turning up in more and more seed lab tests, but is often misdiagnosed when it’s found out in the field By Julienne Isaacs

temphylium blight, caused by the fungal pathogen Stemphylium botryosum, is a lentil disease that has only been identified as a problem in recent years. But according to Sabine Banniza, a researcher at the University of Saskatchewan, this may be due to misdiagnosis in the past. “There isn’t really very solid data out there, partly because lentil surveys aren’t done every year, and partly because not everybody involved in the industry finds it easy to recognize stemphylium blight. Symptoms look similar to other, more well-known, lentil pathogens,” she explains. “This is likely why it hasn’t received much attention — because it has been misdiagnosed.” Banniza and her team are embarking on the fourth year of a five-year study of stemphylium blight in lentils. The study began, in part, because commercial seed testing labs began frequently identifying the pathogen in seed samples.

Stemphylium problems According to Faye DokkenBouchard, a provincial plant disease specialist in Saskatchewan, stemphylium blight has been identified as a problem in the province, but infection isn’t consistent year to year. “In 2010, the disease was observed in over 80 per cent of the lentil crops surveyed in Saskatchewan, but the levels remained around 35 per cent in 2011, 2012, and 2013,” she says, citing data from small-scale surveys conducted by the provincial government. In lentils, the symptoms of stemphylium blight appear very similar to those of sclerotinia and botrytis. Dokken-Bouchard says that stemphylium blight initially appears as small, light beige lesions on leaves and leaflets, both above and under the canopy. “Prolonged moist periods promote further infections and give the upper canopy a grey-brown appearance,” she explains. “As is common in other lentil diseases, infected leaflets fall to the ground, serving as a source of spores for future infections of a wide range of plants.” Unlike sclerotinia, no white fluffy mould or black sclerotia are visible to the naked eye, says Dokken-Bouchard, and unlike botrytis, no grey fuzzy mould is visible under a magnifying glass or microscope. Banniza explains that stemphylium blight differs in another way from other common lentil diseases. As opposed to diseases such as anthracnose or ascochyta blight, which spread in wet conditions when spores are splashed, the stemphylium blight pathogen has airborne spores. This means spores can spread on windy days even in dry conditions, and affect not just lentil but other crops as well. However, moisture is still necessary for the disease to flourish. “Moisture is a big aspect of stemphylium’s epidemiology, for infection but not for the spread of the disease,” explains Banniza.

“Because of that, we see this disease more when the canopy has developed, because that’s when the plants retain moisture for longer periods, compared to seedlings, which dry up relatively quickly even after rain.”

Yield impact It isn’t fully clear yet how much stemphylium blight impacts lentil yields. Anecdotal evidence from farmers suggests that the disease can have a significant impact on yield, but this has yet to be confirmed with research data. Banniza and her team are midway into field tests investigating the point at which stemphylium

blight causes yield loss, but because the fungus is an airborne pathogen it’s difficult to do that research — for example, knowing when to time the infection can be tricky. Initial findings suggest that the disease may impact yield most when infection occurs at early flowering. If the infection takes root toward harvest, however, it may potentially serve as a natural desiccant, says Banniza. However, if the spores spread early in the season, growers may have a problem on their hands. “We’ve done one year of field tests, so this is very preliminary, but it looks like early flowering is a critical point,” says Banniza.

“So if you get infection in early to mid-flowering you will see a direct impact on yield.” However, infection can also cause seed staining, so even if there is no reduction in the quantity of seeds, seed staining can impact growers’ return if their crop is downgraded. And seed staining could result from infection even after early to mid-flowering. “That may mean that even at a somewhat later stage, the fungus can cause economic damage,” says Banniza. She says that it’s too soon to make recommendations for stemphylium blight management, but concerned growers can employ the same manage-

ment strategies they’d use for related diseases. “The positive aspect of this is that the fungicides used for ascochyta blight or anthracnose are also effective against stemphylium blight, so it’s a question of ensuring the appropriate timing,” she says. While Banniza emphasizes that the project is still in its early stages, answers are not far out of reach. “Hopefully by next year we’ll have a better idea of what critical points are in the lentil crop where you want to prevent infection by this pathogen to prevent yield loss,” she says. † Julienne Isaacs is a Winnipeg-based freelance writer and editor. Contact her at julienne.isaacs@gmail.com.

WHAT MATTERS MOST?

Farming is not just putting seed in the ground. Everything before and after, from new technology to timing, is crucial to a successful crop. And my Syngenta Reps give me the advice I need every step of the way. Clayton Gellner, 3rd generation farmer and Syngenta seed grower near Southey, SK

Visit SyngentaFarm.ca or contact our Customer Resource Centre at 1-87-SYNGENTA (1-877-964-3682). Always read and follow label directions. The Syngenta logo is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. © 2014 Syngenta.

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APRIL 29, 2014

grainews.ca /

Columns UNDERSTANDING MARKET BULLS AND BEARS

Producer cars to lower risk Producer cars are an alternative to help Prairie farmers manage the uncertainty of basis and delivery opportunities BRIAN WITTAL

fter seeing how the past winter evolved in regards to extremely high basis levels and limited delivery access because of the bumper crop, I have been looking at available options to help farmers better manage these risks. Today I want to take a look at producer cars and how they can help manage basis fluctuations and establish delivery opportuni-

ties. We will review the risks and rewards to help you better understand how and if producer cars can fit into your marketing plan. Before we get too deep into the details of using producer cars the first step is to see if there is a producer car loading site on a rail siding near you. The best tool I’ve found for that is on the CWB website (www.cwb.ca), which shows producer car loading sites across Western Canada. For a complete updated listing you are best to go to CN and CP’s websites and query producer car sites, as they decommissioned a number of loading sites earlier this year.

If one of the loading sites is within reasonable distance to your farm, you need to find out if the site is a public site where you can load on your own cars or if it is a privately owned short line railroad. If the site is on a private rail line there is likely a loading facility or two that you may be able to access, but it will be for a fee — that’s their business, and they need to make money moving grain. To ship a producer car your grain must be contracted and sold through a company that has access to a port facility or end user so that the car can be unloaded when it arrives. The CWB is one

such company. Most other major grain companies do not offer the option of producer car loading as they would prefer you deliver to their facilities, enabling them to capture handling fees. Some short line railroad companies and producer car loading facilities that are privately or cooperatively owned act as agents for different grain companies and can help you understand who you need to deal with and sell your grain to in order to be able to ship producer cars from their locations. Some companies also sell and ship grain directly to U.S. mills. You need to know the buyer and

their grade expectations before selling your grain or committing to loading a producer car. The risks and discounts associated with shipping out of spec grain can be steep. Your ability to challenge a grade unload is limited when shipping into the U.S. There is an application that you must fill out for requesting a producer car(s) and there are fees attached to that. You can either self-administer the car or have the grain company you are dealing with do the administration for you (they will charge a fee for this service). If you self-administer you are responsible to ensure all paper work is completed and sent to the appropriate agencies, all fees are paid and that the cars are released promptly to the railway when the car is loaded. You will want to track the car and make sure the unload information gets back to the company you contracted with, so they can make final settlement for you, or you can have your handling company act as your agent and do all that for you.

RISK MANAGEMENT You can use producer cars to help manage the risk of wide fluctuations in basis levels like we have seen the past four months. If you contract your grain through one of the CWB pool accounts and ship it by producer car, you’re letting CWB manage the basis for you. The basis you will receive will be a pooled average basis from all sales included in that pool. If you use the futures or basis first contract that CWB offers, the basis you can lock in would be a pooled average of actual sales values made by CWB. By using one of these pricing choices you know that the basis you are going to get reflects actual sales values (plus an administration fee). If you contract grain with CWB a Force Majeure clause in the contract offers you protection if you should experience a production loss during the growing season. There are a number of risks involved with producer cars: • You get a very small time JOB ID: 6306 1D window to load the cars before can be charged a DATE:you FEB 4, 2014 demurrage fee. CLIENT: SYNGENTA CANADA • If you file your papers late you will beROI charged PROJECT: AD – CG a fee. • If you overload a car the PUBLICATION: GRAIN NEWS penalties are very steep. • If your grainJEFF is down-graded DESIGNER: ANTON your only choice is to appeal ( ) PDF/X to (the) MECHANICAL Canadian Grain Commission. You cannot take FINAL SIZE: 17.4" X 10" the grain back to blend it. UCR: 240% Producer cars provide flexibility and options but there are risks CLIENT SERVICE attached. You are the only one PROOFREADING who can decide if they will benefit your farming operation. ART DIRECTION For more details on producer cars goPRODUCTION to the CGC website www. grainscanada.gc.ca. † Brian Wittal has 30 years of grain industry experience, and currently offers market planning and marketing advice to farmers through his company Pro Com Marketing Ltd. (www.procommarketingltd.com).

14-02-05 12:33 PM

/ grainews.ca

APRIL 29, 2014

Columns OPEN FIELD

Filling a niche of our own Our grain industry is evolving into a collection of small buyers, each looking for a specific product that will meet their specialized needs SARAH WEIGUM

e grow fall rye on our farm, which is not a common crop in our area. To make things even more interesting, we grow older varieties that are long-legged and prone to lodging and probably aren’t as high yielding as the newer semi-dwarf varieties. Are we ill-informed? Stuck in our ways? Suckers for punishment? Hopefully not, but we do have a buyer with very specific crop and variety requirements. We export certified rye seed for cover crops in South Korea. The customer does not want “semi-dwarf” varieties, as they want as much vegetative growth as possible. There are very few Canadian rye varieties registered in Korea, and to meet their import requirements we have to supply one of the varieties already on an approved list. Despite the fact that rye isn’t typically a high-grossing crop and we’re choosing varieties with agronomic challenges, this has been a profitable crop because we sell at a premium price into a market that is demanding that specific product. Our rye business is just one example of farmers growing a specialised crop for a niche market. There are those who think that the Canadian grain industry should begin looking at the world as a collection of niche markets rather than a generic catch-all for our grain.

GETTING PREMIUM PRICES Greg Porozni farms at Mundare and is a director on the Alberta Wheat Commission (AWC) and the chairman of Cereals Canada, a new organization with representation from across the cereal grain supply chain. He believes farmers in Canada should work towards extracting premium prices from niche markets by providing highly specified products.

“Each customer might have different wants and needs and we need to grow exactly what they want and need.” On one end this would mean trade missions and discussions with end users about their needs; the other end of this process is developing grain varieties to meet those needs. The Canadian International Grains Institute (Cigi) has worked with international customers for 40 years. Cigi staff travel abroad to promote the value of Canadian grains, oilseeds and pulses and they also invite food processors from around the world to their Winnipeg food lab where they can use their customers recipes to demonstrate the capabilities of Canadian grains for making foods like steamed buns, noodles and bread. In late 2013, Cigi spearheaded several new crop trade missions around the world, with farmer directors from AWC joining the delegations. While Porozni didn’t travel with Cigi this year, he sees these missions as an opportunity to tell buyers about the specific quality characteristics of the current year’s crop and to gain information about the characteristics that are important to end-users. “We need to determine each individual country needs and then talk to our [plant] breeders and ask, ‘Can this be done?’ and then get on it,” said Porozni. “Even if I have to sacrifice some yield, I’d rather grow what the buyer demands.” Porozni’s words echo the sentiments I heard at some meetings I attended this winter. Terms like “market-driven variety development” are in vogue right now, especially in the post-single-desk era. Those who were none too sad to see the end of the Canadian Wheat Board monopoly days argue that all the CWB did was promote the development of high protein hard red spring varieties because that was the easiest class to market at a premium price. Now some industry players are encouraging diversification in wheat variety development, a loosening of the registration process to streamline commercialization of varieties and perhaps even

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variety development targeted towards specific end users.

MEETING MARKET NEEDS Talking with a plant breeder brings some nuance to the discussion. Dr. Robert Graf is a wheat breeder at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Lethbridge Research Centre. As he pointed out, variety development is a lengthy process that takes at least eight to 10 years from the time of making the cross to when a variety is put into the commercial farmers hands. A lot can happen during that time.

There may be room for a more “enlightened approach.” “We already have substantial product differentiation as represented by the various wheat classes. The difficulty with addressing specific niche markets is that they’re notoriously fickle,” said Graf. “They might be around for a number of years, and then disappear. Plant breeding takes time. Unless you can identify something that’s already in the pipeline, the time involved is prohibitive because the market will have found another supplier or the need may no longer exist.” Graf pointed out that market signals have always guided plant breeders and while the conduit for transmitting those signals is evolving post-CWB, so far there hasn’t been a dramatic change in messaging. “The market signals are really not any different than what they were before,” said Graf. “That tells us we’re on track.” While Canadian plant breeding programs may not be able to develop varieties for every need, there is certainly opportunity for plant breeders to get feedback on the needs of world customers and search among their existing genetic lines for potential lines that meet those needs.

Tundra

One example is Warburtons bakery in the U.K. which sources identity preserved varieties of CWRS wheat from Canadian farmers. As Graf explained, the company tests various lines during their development in Canada and chooses the ones that work best for its specific baking methodology. In some crops, Prairie farmers are used to picking varieties based on requirements from end users. In the malt industry, for example, a list of recommended varieties guides producers’ choices. I asked Graf if he thought someday farmers would choose which wheat varieties to grow based on a list of recommended varieties for various export markets. “The current class system and variety designations already acts as a recommending list,” said Graf. He pointed out that the Canadian Grain Commission’s variety designation lists for each class reflect the market signals that are received during the development and registration process; varieties that don’t meet the quality parameters of a given wheat class don’t make it through variety registration. “People have to remember that not every line entered into the registration system is going to be recommended for registration. You might have a line that’s great from an agronomic standpoint but doesn’t have the appropriate end-use quality, so it’s cut. Canada relies on export markets and so our reputation as a supplier of consistent quality is vital.” Gary Stanford, one of Porozni’s fellow AWC directors and the president of Grain Growers of Canada, returned from Asia late in 2013 touting the high quality of Canadian milling wheat as our main selling advantage. “The one thing I heard in all eight countries I went to was that Canada has to keep its quality up,” said Stanford. “I know that a lot of the farmers here who say we don’t get paid for quality but we really do.” Stanford said he talked to a miller in Jakata, Indonesia, who said he can get lower quality wheat delivered to his

mill for $250 per metric tonne from India, which he blends with higher quality Canadian wheat that costs $350 per metric tonne. “Part of that is freight,” Stanford said, “but you can see the difference in the price. If our grain was the same quality as India’s grain they would have no reason to buy Canadian grain.” He believes a strong registration system will maintain the highest quality export wheat. There are many questions being asked about the Canadian wheat variety development system (not least of which is how to pay for the darn thing). Should we have such a strict variety registration process? Should we loosen the quality parameters associated with the various wheat classes? Should we focus on less premium classes than gold standard CWRS? I certainly don’t have all the answers. I do think there is room in our system to look beyond what varieties yield the best or what are the easiest to grow and find some niche marketing opportunities. That being said, the fairly narrow quality tolerances in our main exporting classes of wheat protect both the farmer — by ensuring that there is a reliable demand from global buyers — and our customers — by ensuring that every load of CWRS, CPS or CWAD will function much like the one before it. But there may be room for a more “enlightened approach,” as Dr. Graf puts it, for commercializing a variety that perhaps doesn’t fit into any of the current classes, but still has market demand. He cautions, however, that starting breeding programs to address those needs must be done with a great deal of forethought. This is a multi-faceted discussion that involves all levels of the value chain, from farmers to exporters to plant breeders. It’s worth paying attention to these higher-level policy discussions as they may directly impact your variety selection choices in the years and decades to come. † Sarah Weigum grows pedigreed seed and writes at Three Hills, Alta. Follow her on Twitter: @sweigum.

APRIL 29, 2014

grainews.ca /

Columns SOILS AND CROPS

The Westco fertilizer story Years of data from soil fertility tests have been collected on the Prairies. Now it’s time for Westco to share its data with farmers LES HENRY

his column is an impassioned plea to the upper management of Agrium / Crop Production Services to preserve the many years of excellent soil fertility work done by Westco. Most graphs that show crop yields and fertilizer use in the modern era start at 1960. It was August 31, 1960 that I crawled off the Cockshutt 132 combine at Milden to attend the College of Agriculture at the University of Saskatchewan. It has been a great thrill to see and experience it all. Before the mid 1950s the fertilizer industry in Western Canada was the Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company (CM&S, later Cominco, now Agrium). At first CM&S made fertilizer as a byproduct of activities at Trail, B.C. Serious fertilizer use started in the 1960s. An early entrant in the business was Western Co-op Fertilizers Ltd. (later Westco) — originally owned by the three Prairie Pools and Federated Co-op. At first they bought fertilizer from Cominco but in 1965 built a plant in Calgary. Westco believed strongly in research and had $0.40 a ton placed in a research fund. Some of that was available for University research; over the years I received grants from Westco.

A wealth of information is gathering dust

THE PROJECTS Some specific projects I remember are: 1. A project on sustainable nitrogen fertilizer at the then

conditions and years involved, are through the Westco Farm Forum just not being done any more. column in farm papers and at 3. Micronutrients. There were farm and professional meetings. several studies dealing with various Rigas Karamanos has published micronutrients, particularly copper. numerous scientific papers in 4. Forage Fertilization. There Canadian journals of Soil and was a large database on forage Plant Science. fertilization and on the soil affects But a wealth of information is after the forage. Some forage crops gathering dust in file cabinets in can be pigs for nutrients, so soils Calgary. after forage can be very deficient It has been my opinion for years in some nutrients. that the data should be assembled, And on and on. Some of the interpreted and published in a conclusions I have been quoting book entitled The Westco Story. from memory could be suspect The information would be useand should be confirmed with the ful to all farmers and should actual data. be preserved. As John Harapiak John Harapiak communicated always said, “What is good for T:8.125” significant results of the work the farmer is good for Westco.”

Of course, in today’s world the book would also be available electronically. Any chance you get, please ask Agrium / Crop Production Services folks what they plan to do with those very precious filing cabinets. Please do not allow that valuable information to be relegated to a landfill or incinerator. † J.L.(Les) Henry is a former professor and extension specialist at the University of Saskatchewan. He farms at Dundurn, Sask. He recently finished a second printing of “Henry’s Handbook of Soil and Water,” a book that mixes the basics and practical aspects of soil, fertilizer and farming. Les will cover the shipping and GST for “Grainews” readers. Simply send a cheque for $50 to Henry Perspectives, 143 Tucker Cres, Saskatoon, Sask. S7H 3H7, and he will dispatch a signed book.

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C-50-03/14-10181841-E

T:10”

But, this story is really about the research that Westco did itself. The program was started by Ken Nielsen. In 1966 he hired John Harapiak who was soon in charge of the research program. John established an in-house research capability with equipment and staff to conduct uniform experiments across all of the prairie provinces. In later years Rigas Karamanos carried on the work until it was discontinued a few years ago. The research on fertilizer conducted by Westco was unique. It was better than we did at the University because they had permanent dedicated technical help. A project involved multiple experiments over multiple years and scattered over the three prairie provinces. It was better than Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research because much of that is conducted on research farms that were on the best soil to start with and had often been doused with liberal manure in the early years.

Saskatchewan Wheat Pool Research Farm at Watrous, Sask. It was essentially a rate experiment with nitrogen applied annual at rates of 100+ pounds per acre. It did not run for a very long time — researchers quickly learned that for a dark brown Elstow loam soil the high rates were too much. I do not remember if pH effects were measured. 2. Urea: Deep banded versus broadcast. Just this winter I am seeing examples where folks think that broadcast urea, with or without enhancers, is a good option. Access to that data from years ago would be very valuable. Studies like that, with the range of soil and climate

/ grainews.ca

APRIL 29, 2014

Columns MANAGEMENT MINUTE

Success or mess, part three In the third part of a series on succession planning, Management Minute focuses in on the family ANDREW DERUYCK

MARK SLOANE

n our introductory article to this series we looked back over our last 10 years identifying successes and messes we’ve seen in business transitions. We developed an extensive list of reasons why those transitions were successful or what caused them to go off the rails. We grouped this list into five key areas that captured our list. It was obvious to us that none of these areas operate independently within a successful business transition. We liken a successful business transition to an operating planetary gear. Our aim is to share the successful traits and habits in each of these components. In this column, we want to examine the second gear for any signs of wear. This is the “family” gear.

FAMILY Family is a topic that many people avoid like exercise and dieting. It doesn’t seem fun or interesting, and it appears that someone is either going to end up crying, shouting or worst of all not saying anything and walking out the door. Family is like that prize Purebred show bull, the potential is endless — he could change the genetic base of the farm forever. However, if that prize bull is not cared for, he could end up with foot rot or worse, rendering him useless. Family relationships need to be nurtured and cared for; everyone needs to realize from the onset of succession planning that they will be stressed and strained at one point, but that as long as there are more positive experiences than negative ones the relationship will survive. A positive family succession plan has clear business roles and clear family roles, neither overlapping. Messes occur when the culture of the kitchen table migrates into the business. This can occur in many ways. The most common is hurt feelings versus hurt businesses. Parents must be conscious of making a trade-off if they want all of their children to be part of the farm decision making process to keep the “family farm” culture. Generally one of two things happens. First, you have farming children with hurt feelings. They feel they’ve put time, effort, energy and money into the farm, only to have their opinions given equal weight to those of the nonfarming children. Second, you can get a hurt business if nonfarming children’s opinions are valued too highly and result in poor business decisions.

COMMUNICATION

PROFESSIONAL BUSINESS CULTURE A professional culture within the business ensures that the right people are basing their decisions on the right information at the right time. What does a professional culture look like? It looks like meetings, and lots of them. A professional culture does not look like Dad changing the oil, Mom working in the garden and the son or daughter yelling across the yard, “What are we going to seed next year?” Formality is important for a farm family to be successful at this. Meetings need to be scheduled, with agendas made and people bringing information to the table for discussion. If this cannot be accomplished your chances for success in bringing in that next generation are drastically reduced; everyone should realize the risk of failure. Your family does not necessarily have to agree on whether fungicides or antibiotics will be used on the farm. Your family should be able to agree on a process that will be used to make these types of decisions. A professional culture provides structure in which difficult conversations can take place and healthy criticism and coaching can occur while minimizing the risk to the family relationships.

Family should be able to agree on a process Once a professional culture has been established it is often helpful to have job descriptions to provide clarification around how certain tasks need to be done on the farm. This sets boundaries, helping everyone maintain a clear distinction between family and business. It helps to set expectations around the time and commitment that will be required from all family members. A job that does not get done on the farm generally has negative financial consequences to the business. When expectations are not met, there are consequences to the family; these consequences can be far greater. Without clear job descriptions everyone is guessing about the other family members’ expectations. Being proactive and keeping the family gear functioning well can pay big dividends in the future. Very few operations are willing to sacrifice family for succession at the onset of the process, however family issues can derail the process just as easily as any of the other planetary gears. † Andrew DeRuyck and Mark Sloane manage two farming operations in southern Manitoba and are partners in Right Choice Management Consulting. With over 25 years of cumulative experience, they offer support in farm management, financial management, strategic planning and mediation services. They can be reached at andrewd@goinet.ca and sloanefarms@hotmail.com or 204-8257392 and 204-825-8443.

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APRIL 29, 2014

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Columns FARM TALK

Rethink your selling position If you’re afraid to abandon your entrenched position, you could be missing on some profitable opportunities BY KIM ALTHOUSE

et me draw you an analogy. You’re are a private or corporal in an army. Your sergeant marches you out to a hill, where the intelligence guys summarize the enemy’s strength, what direction they’ll attack from and what weapons they’ll use. Your sergeant advises you to pick out a position based on this information and dig in. You pick the best spot you can. The attack begins with small arms fire — there’s no real threat as long as you keep your head down. Then, ominously, you hear the big guns firing. The barrage begins hitting the ground in front of you. You consider moving, but decide to hold your position. As the barrage creeps closer you realize if you don’t move to the rear you have a good chance of getting killed. You can’t remember hearing

anything about artillery in the intelligence briefing. That would have been useful information in establishing your initial position. But it’s too late now. There’s nowhere to go. Finally, you abandon your position for one to the rear. This continues as you take position after position, until you’re forced to surrender. The analogy? You’re a farmer. You’ve faced adversity and overcome. You’ve listened to analysts and marketing gurus explain what they thought the markets would do and you’ve taken a position. You decide you won’t surrender, as you think the market — like the enemy — can be beaten back. As your position begins to weaken you decide to hang on, hoping the barrage will pass. As your position becomes tenuous you give in and lower your position but never fast enough. Then you surrender. The

bins are full, the fuel bill unpaid, input bills still outstanding and land payments due. Your position, like our soldier friend’s foxhole, was $7.50 for wheat. You had sold a few loads at that price to empty a few bins before harvest, but you didn’t sell more because most of your wheat sold between $8 and $8.50 last year. You were offered $7.35 off the combine, but you were still safe. Then the barrage hit. Through the summer months, no one was predicting the above average yield that would be harvested. When discussions on canola yields hit predictions of 40 bushels per acre analysts said, “That can’t happen. That would be more than a 10 per cent increase in yield. Impossible.” Because we became entrenched in our positions we lost opportunities not only for better pricing but

for any deliveries at all in some cases. But, it must be the railroads’ fault, always is.

LESSONS TO LEARN There are two lessons to learn. First, because of the high yield, there was chance for profit even at the lower prices. Here’s how that works. There are two ways to calculate profits: production cost and per acre cost. You planned for a 40 bushel crop, with costs of $240 per acre or $6 per bushel. A 25 per cent return on your $240 per acre investment would require you to achieve a price of $7.50 which you had calculated as your position. You would gross $300 per acre (that is, 40 x $7.50). But when your yield turned into 60 bushels per acre, that reduced your unit cost to $4 per bushel, with no extra costs. If you’re still looking for a 25 per cent return on investment you could have made it at $5 per bushel, and still grossed $300 per acre. There were opportunities to sell at $6.50 and down but because you were focused or entrenched in your price the opportunity was missed. It is not always the price that matters, but your return on production costs. The second lesson was taught to me by my uncle Fritz, one of the

sharpest men I have ever met. The lesson was simple. “Kim,” he said, “you’ll never learn anything when your mouth is open.” I’m not sure I appreciated the short lesson but my dad reinforced it on a number of occasions with a quick knock on the noggin when my mouth remained open.

It’s not always that price that mattersa This should be a lesson for analysts who considered an increase of 10 per cent in canola yield to be ridiculous, when the actual production increase turned out to be 34 per cent. They never considered the information from the eyes on the ground who were saying from the end of July that this would be a huge crop. When they should have been listening they were talking. Mouth open, no learning. In another story I will tell you about my Dad’s lesson on smoking in the fort I had built in straw bale stack. Not for the faint of heart. † Kim Althouse is a market coach with AgriTrend at Tisdale, Saskatchewan. He is also the president of www.eGrainCanada.com.

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ecording your payables and receivables is an important key to keeping track of your day-to-day business operations. Farm Credit Canada’s AgExpert Analyst accounting software will track the money you owe to your suppliers for products or services purchased on credit as well as money owed to you by your customers for products or services provided on credit. AgExpert also provides you with the ability to invoice customers and produce statements. I encourage all my clients to start working with payables and receivables. A great example is your local co-op bill. The easiest way to enter your information and keep track of your account is by entering each individual invoice as a payable. At the end of the month,

make sure the payable amount matches up to the total on your co-op statement. If you’re doing this throughout the month, if you were to produce a net worth report for your banker, those payables would be accounted for. When you make a payment on your account, enter the amount you paid against the open invoices. You can quickly and easily enter a full or partial payment against the bill, and always know the totals of your payables and receivables. AgExpert stores both cash and accrual information in a single database, allowing you to generate both cash and accrual reports. So even though you have entered your payables and receivables, you can still produce a cash-based income and expense report for your accountant at tax time and a net worth report for your banker that includes your payable and receivables. † Kelly Airey is a farmer and ag consultant in Western Manitoba. If you’re interested in purchasing AgExpert software, she can help you receive $25 off your purchase. Contact Kelly at kelly.agconsulting@gmail. com or (204) 365-2442.

/ grainews.ca

APRIL 29, 2014

Columns Farm financial planner

Young farmer looks ahead It’s unusual, but rewarding for young farmers to plan for wealth in retirement By Andrew Allentuck

ou have to give a young farmer we’ll call George, 27, a lot of credit for being forward looking. He runs a 2,000 acre beef and grain operation with his parents, farms another 160 acres on the side with grains and oilseeds. He backs that up with a job as a contract employee with a local government. Concerned that he could work for three more decades without a plan for his farm or retirement, George went to Don Forbes Associates/Armstrong & Quaile in Carberry, Manitoba, for advice. Don Forbes and Erik Forbes worked on the file. At present, George makes $60,300 from his job and the farm. It’s variable, of course, but his living expenses are modest. He is able to save $7,800 per year, $5,500 of which can go to his Tax-Free Savings Account. He has $8,425 in his Registered Retirement Savings Plan, but, in George’s tax bracket, it’s not efficient to use this tax-deferral mechanism. There is a good chance that in three decades, George could be in a higher tax bracket than he is now, says Erik Forbes. Best move: don’t squander RRSP space. Save it for use in future when George is in a higher tax bracket, Erik Forbes suggests. His present RRSP balance, $8,425, will grow at three per cent per year after inflation to $27,500 in 40 years when he is 67. If paid out to exhaust the account in the following 28 years while the capital continues to earn three per cent per year, he could draw $1,425 per year from it for his retirement. The Tax-Free Savings Account is a better savings mechanism. If George can put away $5,500 per year for the next 40 years to his age 67 and get a three per cent return after inflation, the TFSA account, with a present balance of $9,480, would have a $458,000 balance. If paid out for the next 28 years to his age 95 at the same rate of growth, he would have TFSA annuitized income of $23,700. Add what could be full Canada Pension Plan income of $12,400 in 2014 dollars and full Old Age Security income of $6,618 on the same basis and the $1,425 RRSP income and he would have a total retirement income of $44,143 per year. TFSA cash payouts would not count as income, so with pension credits and personal exemptions, his tax rate would be negligible. That’s the theoretical retirement income, but a lot of things can happen in four decades to change this forecast. George owes $131,148 on his $173,000 home and $300,000 for his farm. Backing up the loans, he has $400,000 of whole life policies — one for $100,000 and one for $300,000. He could add a $500,000 term insurance rider onto the $100,000 policy at a cost of just $20 per month. He could then cancel the $300,000 policy, save its $173 per month premium and come away with net savings

of $153 per month. That’s $1,836 that he can use to finance his TFSA contributions.

Next steps George’s next move: shelter farm income in a corporation. He will have to pay just 11 per cent tax on his corporate income. The savings can expand his farm, allow him to average out his sole proprietorship income and keep retained earnings at use on the farm. His off-farm job and diligent TFSA savings will help George build a significant estate. At present, he uses low interest bank accounts to hold his money. We have projected a three per cent rate of return after

tax, but George can actually do a lot better while still controlling his risk of loss. Over a 40-year period, he could use an exchange traded fund with management fees as low as 20 basis points or 1/5 of one per cent of net asset value to grow his assets. ETFs with growth mandates which hold companies with rapidly growing earnings and valueoriented EFTs that seek out attractive companies with low valuations could add two per cent to the 33 per cent forecast and thus make his TFSA have a balance of $764,350. Paid out over 28 years, it would generate a $48,860 income, essentially doubling his investment income. Adding a

broadly based bond ETF to the TFSA for perhaps 10 per cent of its rising capital and adjusting the mix each year to maintain this ratio would cut growth slightly but reduce the ups and downs in the value of the total TFSA portfolio, says Don Forbes. There is a good deal more that George can do to build his farm and his wealth. He should discuss his parents’ testamentary plans with them — farm succession is a common worry for farm families. He can work with his parents to gain a share of the equity in their farming corporation, perhaps by way of an estate freeze that would leave the parents with a fixed income through use of preferred

shares and George with variable income through ownership of common shares. George also has a fundamental decision to make. Will he be a farmer with a town job or an urban dweller with a farm to run on the side? If he chooses to be a farmer, his work will build wealth in the soil and in his equipment. As a town dweller, his wealth will tend to flow more to financial assets. On the assumption that George keeps his town job and maintains his own farm, he should be able to grow his present income from $60,300 this year before tax to $81,000 at his age 38, then

» continued on page 19

WHAT MATTERS MOST?

A strong farming business is always growing and as a young farm manager, so am I. I’ve participated in Syngenta workshops and I’m always impressed. Putting time, money and effort into things other than selling products proves that Syngenta sincerely wants to help farmers. And that’s refreshing. Erica Sage, 4th generation farmer and farm manager, Sage Farms, Hussar, AB

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APRIL 29, 2014

grainews.ca /

Columns OFF-FARM INVESTING

Be careful ahead of summer

As the summer weather starts to heat up, your stock portfolio may begin to cool down ANDY SIRSKI

any investors don’t want to learn how to sell their shares, then blame the stock market when they lose money. I think there are several good times to sell a stock. Of course, if you’re a long term buy and hold investor, maybe selling isn’t part of your strategy. Here’s why I like to sell shares now and then. Big money likes to buy low and sell high and many have it down to a science. They know good companies and they slowly buy shares when they

are cheap and when trading volume is low. Then they watch and wait until they have made a good return and slowly start to sell. Buying and selling slowly doesn’t attract attention. As they raise money by selling one stock often these big buyers will start to buy another cheap stock. This is called rotation, rotation, rotation.

SEASONALITY These days we have decent statistics on how money buys and sells shares according to the season. Take beer, soft drinks and potato chips. As barbecue season, camping and long summer evenings come around, many people drink more, barbecue more and eat more chips than they nor-

mally do in the winter. Suppliers of these products usually see business improve and earnings go up during those quarters. Car companies seem to sell more cars from March on, especially if a harsh winter keeps people cooped up. Fertilizer companies sell a lot of product late in the fall after farmers know how much money they will make that year. Farmers also understand that the price of fertilizer goes up in the spring so they like to buy in the fall if they have the money or the financing. And of course as spring approaches the sales people know that farmers will need fertilizer soon and will pay what the market will bear. Once a price starts to drop

two more things happen. One is that would-be sellers start to say “sell at market” or put in a sell order below the last sale price. Speculators often get into the market and sell shares short, adding to the supply and helping to drive the price down. Many investors will go to more cash than less as summer comes, when they would rather travel, play golf, go fishing or paint the house than look at their stocks. This yearly habit is what causes some to issue that old saying: “Sell in May and go away.” Or, “buy when it snows and sell when it goes.” This year we have one more reason stocks might drop. The U.S. is holding midterm elections in 2014. Statistics show that during these midterm election years,

stocks often drop during the second quarter instead of having a normal gain. This midterm election seems to amplify selling which can start with the sell in May and go away that starts in early May. If you own stocks you trust maybe all of this doesn’t matter to you. If you own momentum stocks, weak stocks or stocks that have gone up a lot then the sell in May could start a sell off and get amplified by the mid-term election draw down. † Andy is mostly retired. He keeps busy playing with grandchildren, gardening, doing taxes and managing his investments. Andy also published an electronic newsletter titled StocksTalk where he tells what he does and how his investments worked out. If you want to read StocksTalk free for one month send an email to sirski@mts.net.

» CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18

YOUNG FARMER TAKES A LONG LOOK AHEAD to $108,900 at 48 on the same basis. This is a 30 per cent rate of increase in income per decade. It is, in fact, quite modest — inflation at three per cent per year would leave his real income at the present level. To do more than just keep up with inflation, George will need to get his money out of his bank’s interest bearing accounts. He can continue to use a financial planner to advise him how to buy feeefficient mutual funds and ETFs on his own. He could also study capital markets in order to buy stocks once his financial assets reach six figures and enable him to buy diversified lots of 100 or more shares. Below $100,000, the diversification provided by investment funds is essential. If George chooses to take charge of his own portfolio, he can migrate from broad market equity exchange traded funds or mutual funds with good records and reasonable fees, say of one per cent of net asset value or less, to focused equity funds in sectors such as financials, then to carefully selected fixed income funds — perhaps investment grade corporate bonds, and then to funds of U.S. and global stocks. The process would be a learning curve. With study and careful, JOB ID: 6306 1J small steps into financial markets, he could DATE: enhance his MARCH 18 savings and retirement income. CLIENT: SYNGENTA CANADA George’s four decade planning period isPROJECT: unusual. Most ROI AD – ES young farmers and workers tend to GRAINEWS postponePUBLICATION: estate building until they haveDESIGNER: paid off their JEFF ANTONhomes. George’s foresight suggests that ( ) MECHANICAL ( ) PDF/X if he makes a plan and sticks to it, he can retire in X substantial FINAL SIZE: 17.4" 10" comfort, help his parents work 240%succession plan, out theirUCR: own and be anCLIENT example of what active SERVICE planning rather than just pasPROOFREADING sive reaction can do for personal wealth. Money is not the most ART DIRECTION important goal of life, but when one can PRODUCTION have a sense of what fortune holds, there is time for a great deal more productive and valuable work. † Andrew Allentuck’s book, “When Can I Retire? Planning Your Financial Life After Work,” was published last year by Penguin Canada.

2014-03-26 11:27 AM

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APRIL 29, 2014

Columns CAN’T TAKE THE FARM FROM THE BOY

Winter research for summer crops Toban Dyck had good intentions of taking advantage of the long Manitoba winter to study up and be ready for the summer growing season TOBAN DYCK

orcery. It must be. That’s the best explanation I can muster for how a crop grows. How a seed senses moisture, germinates, takes what it needs from the earth surrounding it, and knows which direction it needs to grow is more complicated (or magical) a process than most brains can fully comprehend. An amusing admittance, I’m sure, but one meant to illustrate the many things farmers take as given. That a plant grows is one of those. And how it does so is another. We assume the lessons we learned in school apply without exception: that adding nitrogen and other fertilizers to the soil will always do what the textbooks say. This level of understanding works. It’s functional. But it’s not exceptional. There’s always room to delve deeper. Ask a few questions of a process or machine and you’re into the

details, the meat, the heart, the stuff that keeps PhD candidates up at night. At some point you’ll ask enough questions the answer will be, “We don’t know yet; it just works,” or some variant of that. Getting there is the goal. This column is as much a personal rebuke as it is anything else. I had the best of intentions this winter. I was going to study agriculture, read some machinery manuals, and brainstorm ideas for the farm. Winter was too cold for much more than television and clearing snow. And now it’s over. But there’s still time before seeding and certainly after to hit the books. Get lost in the stuff of farming for a while. Dive in. The next cash crop is only a synapse away. And there are many things about plants and machines and simply being a farmer that should be explored.

KNOW YOUR MACHINERY Settings. Our combines have them. The combinations of rotor speed to fan speed to driving speed to sieve setting to things I don’t even know about yet seem

infinite. Doubtful that’s the case. The manual is a tome of what I can only assume is compelling literature. I was going to dive in. I was going to learn this thing over winter. I didn’t, but it’s not too late for us to learn our combines, mitigating loss and frustration. “If you get too aggressive with your threshing settings you can actually not carry as many bushels back up into the grain tank,” Mark Hanna, a U.S.-based agricultural engineer, told The Crop Site. “You are beating it up enough that you are blowing some of it out of the combine, not just as whole grain but foreign material and dust.” Hanna recommends reading grain-loss monitors with healthy scepticism. Trust your instincts. Sensors report on the efficiency of the combine’s sieves and back cleaning shoe, but most loss occurs in the header, at least for corn and soybeans, he said. Blind trust in a combine’s instrumentation is not the answer, if the goal is to understand the machine. Watch what’s going in, and keep an eye B:10.25” out the back. on what’s shooting

But settings are still important. Kevin Neufeld runs a six-combine, 15-person crew, harvesting acres in four U.S. states. “If the combine is throwing excessive grain out the back, first slow the ground speed,” he told Farm Industry News. “If running too fast, the combine will try to send too much crop through the machine.” If this doesn’t work, resume speed and throttle back the cleaning fan. Next, return all changed settings and speeds, open the sieve and slow the rotor. This is not the final word on settings. And there’s time for further research before our harvesters need to perform. But whatever the fears, insecurities surrounding your ability to handle and control the behemoth charged with bringing in your crop, remember Neufeld’s one setting change at a time approach, and Hanna’s trust your instincts confidence booster. I will feel more comfortable on our Case this fall, that’s for sure. These attitudes and approaches apply to most machinery and implements. Change, tinker, calibrate, and trust your instincts.

Soil science and the basic process of plant growth are intriguing. Here in the Red River Valley we have good soil, for the most part, easily managed with simple fertilization and drainage practices. There’s a patch of lawn on our yard, about 20 feet by 30 feet, where the grass barely gets long enough to mow. This is frustrating, as it’s never fun to mow short lawn. But it’s also frustrating because there is no obvious reason for why this is happening. For a seasoned farmer, like those I’m surrounded by out here, such conundrum is hardly that. Ph tests would reveal what I need to know. But why that isolated section in the middle of a large yard? It’s not sorcery. None of these things are. But getting immersed in the stuff of farming is no different than many other disciplines: The more you learn, the deeper your understanding, the sooner you’ll get to those fundamental questions that make natural processes look an awful lot like magic. † Toban Dyck is a freelance writer and a new farmer on an old farm. Follow him on Twitter @tobandyck or email tobandyck@gmail.com.

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APRIL 29, 2014

grainews.ca /

Machinery & Shop Haying equipment

Vermeer introduces a mower-conditioner line The company is making a move to be a stronger player in the forage and biomass equipment marketplace

ermeer, one of the earliest companies to be involved with round baler technology, has announced it intends to increase its presence in the global forage and biomass equipment market. The company wants to introduce new products related to “The collection, transportation, handling and processing of various biomass materials for power generation and/or production of second generation biofuels,” it said in a press release. One of the first new machines the company has introduced for that market is a new, threemodel line of mower-conditioners. “At the heart of these mower-conditioners is the new Q3 Cutter Bar, and we’re excited about the capabilities this cutter bar offers to operators — including lower horsepower requirements, shear protection and more,” says Phil Egging, Vermeer product manager. The modular, shaft-driven Q3 cutter bar design is a little less power hungry, because it uses fewer gear-to-gear interfaces, which the company says makes them more fuel efficient to operate than gear-bed style cutter bars. Other innovations include the Quick Clip blade retention system and Quick Change shear ring, which make changing blades and repairing sheared components quicker and easier. “The Quick Clip blade retention system is something that’s been around on our cutter bars for some time, and it’s all about ease of maintenance,” adds Egging. “Combine that with the shear protection of the Quick Change shear ring, the quick oil check on top of each disc module and the ability to easily access the cutter bar with the lightweight, spring-loaded hood, and these mower conditioners offer ultimate convenience when it comes to maintenance and repair.” The new mower-conditioners are equipped with a nitrogencharged accumulator suspension system to provide a consistent weight on the cutter bar throughout the full range of motion. Operators can customize suspension settings for their specific field conditions by moving a lever, resulting in less cutter bar weight on the ground and less stress on the header and framework when compared to traditional mechanical spring systems. “This line also offers the unique Vermeer-designed suspension system, giving operators the opportunity to experience this proven technology from our trailed mower line with a conditioner option,” added Egging. All models offer a choice of either a steel roller or v-tine conditioner. In addition, multiple swath adjustments allow for added control over windrow formation. The three-model line offers cutting widths of 9.1 feet (2.8 metres) on the MC2800, 10.5 feet (3.3 metres) on the MC3300, and 12 feet (3.7 metres) on the MC3700. †

photos: vermeer

1: Vermeer has just introduced a new three-model line of mower-conditioners. These machines are part of the company’s plan to grow its presence in the forage and biomass market. 2: The Vermeer mower conditioner line boasts of convenient cutter bar access. 3: With the Quick-Clip blade retention system, replacing blades is easy. Using the provided tool, pop the clip loose, knock out the pin, replace or reverse the blade and tap it back in place. Always read and follow label directions. FMC and Authority are trademarks and Investing in farming’s future is a service mark of FMC Corporation. ©2014 FMC Corporation. All rights reserved. F101-032481 1/14 Kochia image by Howard F. Schwartz, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org

By Scott Garvey

www.fmccrop.ca

Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews. Contact him at Scott.Garvey@fbcpublishing.com. F101-032481-01_AuthorityAd_Obit_Grainnews.indd 1

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12/19/13 4:58 PM

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APRIL 29, 2014

Machinery & Shop SPECIAL EDITION TRACTORS

New Holland unveils “Golden Jubilee” T6 and T7 tractors To celebrate the 50th anniversary of one of its tractor assembly plants, the company released special edition models BY SCOTT GARVEY

0 years ago, on May 15, 1964, Ford’s farm equipment division opened a tractor assembly plant in Basildon, England. Since then, that facility has been in continuous operation churning out tractors. However, ownership of the company gradually changed, evolving into the current New Holland. To mark the Basildon factory’s golden anniversary, NH recently unveiled the limited edition “Golden Jubilee” versions of its T6.160 and T7.270 Auto Command tractors at the World Ag Expo in Tulare, California. They will be available to customers in North America and Europe through 2014. The T6 and T7 lines are the models currently being built in Basildon. “The New Holland plant at Basildon has been at the centre of our tractor operations for 50 years,” says Carlo Lambro, brand president of New Holland Agriculture. “Today it produces tractors in the 120 to 270 hp range... These exclusive Golden Jubilee editions celebrate the unparalleled success of both the T7.270 Auto Command and the T6.160 Auto Command.” Rather than NH’s standard blue, both Golden Jubilee models will wear metallic Profondo Blue paint, which is a lot like the Maserati Blue the company has used on

special edition models in the past. (NH’s parent company also owns Maserati.) The Golden Jubilee tractors also get a little bling to go with their new paint, specifically gold-coloured grilles, exhaust guards and model identification badges. Add to that a luxurious cab interior boasting an optional full leather seat and leather-wrapped steering wheel. The cab floors get a thick pile carpet, although I’m not sure how that will stand up to muddy or manure-covered boots when the tractors go to work on farms. Today, the Basildon plant that turns out the T6 and T7 models covers about 40 hectares, and it has seen about 1.6 million tractors roll off its two assembly lines in the last half century, along with 3.1 million engines. The Ford “Pre-Force” 1000 Series models, which were among the first tractors to be built there, now seem pretty low tech when compared to the T6 and T7s. But the Golden Jubilee tractors won’t be the first commemorative models to be built in Basildon. In 1989, to celebrate completion of the two millionth engine and 25 years of production, the Ford 7810 Silver Jubilee tractor — also a limited edition model that wore a special silver paint scheme — was built in Basildon in relatively small numbers. † Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews. Contact him at Scott.Garvey@fbcpublishing.com.

New Holland releases two “Golden Jubilee” tractor models to commemorate 50 years of production at the Basildon U.K. plant where T6 and T7 models are built.

Ford “Pre-Force” 1000 Series tractors roll down the Basildon assembly line in 1967.

Tracing the timeline

hile production at New Holland’s Basildon U.K. factory has been uninterrupted for the past 50 years, it has been affected by some major corporate changes. Here’s a look at some of the milestones. 1962 Ford begins construction on the Basildon factory 1964 On May 15 the Basildon factory opens its doors the same year Sperry New Holland buys a major interest in European manufacturer Claeys, giving it a combine 1986 Ford buys Sperry New Holland and forms Ford New Holland Inc. 1989 Basildon plant builds limitededition 7810 “Silver Jubilee” Ford tractors 1991 Fiat purchases 80 per cent interest in Ford New Holland Inc. First 40 Series tractors built at Basildon 2000 Production at Basildon changes to the TM Series tractors 1999 New Holland merges with Case Corporation to form CNH Global under Fiat ownership 2011 As a result of a “de-merger” Fiat splits into two groups: Fiat SpA and Fiat Industrial SpA. CNH Global (and therefore New Holland) fall under Fiat Industrial Group’s ownership 2013 CNH Global NV and Fiat Industrial SpA merge to form CNH Industrial Scott Garvey

The Basildon assembly plant in 1967.

Elevate your uptime

You can rest assured that when you run a reliable, all-crop, all-condition John Deere baler, that you’ll keep baling long after other balers have called it quits. How do we do it? The 9 Series feature roller shafts that are a 1/4 inch larger and bearings that are 1 1/2 inches larger than those found on the 8 Series. With an increased shaft size the baler can now handle even heavier loads in the toughest conditions. And the bigger bearings run cooler, last longer, and are more reliable. Everything about a John Deere 9 Series Round Baler has been designed to raise performance to all new levels, while greatly reducing the chances of downtime. That’s why more and more hay producers run John Deere Round Balers than any other color baler. And should your baler ever need service, it’s good to know that there’s a local John Deere dealer standing behind you who will get you back up and running. See your John Deere dealer today about a new 9 Series Baler – and elevate your uptime.

JohnDeere.com/Hay

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APRIL 29, 2014

Machinery & Shop Agritechnica coverage

Robots take to the field A completely autonomous equipment fleet scouts out weeds, creates a work plan to control them and carries it out Scott Garvey

he RHEA (Robot Fleets for Highly Effective Agriculture and Forestry) display shared space with another organization in one of the smallest booths at Agritechnica last November. But the commercial possibilities in agriculture for its ground-breaking robotics project are enormous. “We have developed a fleet of robot tractors that work together in the field,” said Constantine Valero Ubierna, professor of engineering at the Polytechnic University of Madrid. That fleet of machines seeks out weeds in a field and gets rid of them, all on its own. The RHEA concept is a gigantic step into the future for automated farming. Creating the system took the combined efforts of a consortium of companies and funding assistance from the European Union. “First of all, we fly two drones, two aerial mobile units that go over the field and create a map of where the weeds are,” Valero Ubierna continued. “They create a working plan which is sent wirelessly to the tractors. Then the tractors go into the field by themselves and spray only where the weeds are.” “AirRobot is a part of the RHEA project from Europe,” said Yves Degroote, sales manager for AirRobot, a German company that builds UAVs (unmanned aerial

vehicles). “We are the partner that is developing the flying platforms,” “Our role is we fly over the areas to define (them),” he continued. “We divide it (the field) into areas and with the cameras, we see how many weeds there are. We have multi-spectrum cameras on board. (Using) those cameras hooked up to software is how we detect weeds.” “Although most of the (project) components are commercially available, we’ve had to modify the design or software of most of them to make them work (together)” added Valero Ubierna. “It was lots of hours of work.” At the start of the project, the challenge for AirRobot’s engineers was to scale up the lift capacity their relatively small UAVs. “Our platform needed to be able to carry a certain amount of weight,” Degroote explained. “This was the biggest challenge (for us). The first units we produced were small and carried only 200 grams. These need to carry a payload of one and one half to three kilos. So we needed bigger platforms. They’re much different than the smaller units we build.” Fitted with a GPS guidance system, the bigger UAVs fly a predetermined route to map a field. “The drone has GPS onboard and this is how we divide the whole field into sections,” he added. “It’s (flight) is pre-programmed on a map. With waypoint navigation it follows the track it’s programmed with. In this case it’s flying quite

photos: rhea

Aerial drones and driverless tractors team up to search for and destroy weeds in farm fields in the RHEA robotics prototype system. low, 30 to 40 metres. You can map multiple hectares in one flight.” The data collected by the UAVs is transferred to a mobile ground control station and fed into a server. Although all the data transfer and analysis takes place automatically, the ground station is designed to be staffed by a human to oversee the process. “That data (from the UAV) is then sent to a central server,” Degroote said. “In real time you have the data from the drone at the ground station. Then there is a plan made for the tractor.”

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Enabling the system to create that plan required the development of special software, which actually makes decisions about whether or not to attack weeds and how best to do it based on stored data. There is even more analysis done by computers onboard the modified, unmanned, 47 horsepower New Holland Boomer T3050 tractors before they carryout any actions. The decisions required there depend on the type of field and weed control work the tractor is equipped to do. Spray tractors in the program use GPS to respond to the correct location in wheat fields and then apply one of a number of onboard chemical options at the various locations. For work in corn fields, tractors are equipped with two cameras that further analyze weed clusters. Software then decides what type of eradication action is necessary to kill them: tillage for non-selective eradication or LPG burners for selective work. As the project nears the end of its four-year term, the RHEA team is getting ready to officially show its autonomous system to the world. It will hold a public field demonstration in May near Madrid to showcase the finished product. “It’s a four-year project and we are in the final year” explained Valero Ubierna. “Next May will be the final demo near the Robotic Centre in

Madrid. Everyone is invited to come and see the fleet working.” That will mark the end of the development phase. From then on, what happens to the system depends on whether or not a manufacturer is interested in commercializing the concept. “This is the first step in the development process with a lot of European partners,” said Degroote. “Now the next step is making it commercial.” “The objective on the project was to demonstrate it’s feasible” added Valero Ubierna. “Now we (need to) get the support of a manufacturer to do it in a commercial way.” Valero Ubierna thinks it’s viable for farmers or contractors to consider incorporating the finetuned autonomous system into their operation. “A medium or large-sized enterprise could do it,” he added. So when can farmers expect to turn drones loose in their fields? “I would say easily between five and 10 years,” said Degroote. And will the price tag be low enough to allow the average farmer to take advantage of the technology? “It’s quite difficult to say at this time,” he added. “But that’s what you’re aiming for at this time, that it’s affordable for all farmers.” † Scott Garvey is machinery editor at Grainews. Contact him at Scott.Garvey@fbcpublishing.com.

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farmerschoiceaward@fbcpublishing.com DEADLINE FOR NOMINATIONS IS APRIL 30th

Redesigned UAVs capable of carrying a payload of up to three kilograms fly predetermined routes and send field mapping data to a server in real time.

APRIL 29, 2014

grainews.ca /

Machinery & Shop MANITOBA AG DAYS COVERAGE

Specialty tools make tire repairs easy Impact-driven tire dismounting tools can make on-farm tire repairs quick and easy BY SCOTT GARVEY

ith dozens of tires in use on the average farm, fixing flats is likely the most common repair producers have to pay for. But with the cost of a commercial tire changer running into the thousands, its often more cost effective to take flats to a tire shop than make the necessary equipment investment for the farm workshop. It’s possible to get the job done without a tire changer, but it can involve a lot of sweat. Two specialty tools now being offered by Pneu-Tek Tire Tools offer a lower-cost alternative to that tire changer. They can make it possible to put the necessary tire repair equipment into the farm shop without breaking the bank, and they take the hard work out of the process. These simple and unique tools are capable of easily and quickly dismounting a wide variety of tires.

PHOTOS: SCOTT GARVEY

Tire dismounting tools from Pneu-Tek Tire Tools use an impact gun to do all the work, taking most of the elbow grease out of the process. The bead breaker on the left breaks the tire bead, and the Demounter (right) pulls the tire off the rim.

“They’re ideal for farm jobs.” Company reps demonstrated the tools at the Manitoba Ag Days show in Brandon, proving they can deal with anything from a 10-inch lawn tractor wheel to 24-inch Grader tires. So they’re ideal for farm jobs. Powered by an ordinary impact wrench, this pair of tools can break a tire bead free and then dismount it from the rim in about a minute, letting a normal air impact driver do all the hard work. The Bead Breaker simply clamps onto the rim, then a mechanism powered by the impact wrench pushes the tire away from the rim, breaking the bead. Using the Impact Demounter, the loose tire can then be pulled off the rim in only a few seconds, again using torque from the impact wrench. So there’s no more struggling with a pair of pry bars to get the job done. The Bead Breaker retails for US $525 and the Demounter costs US $625. The company is based in New Mexico, so if you order tools from their website, you’ll need to pay for shipping. But sales reps will be at most of the major Prairie farm shows this year with inventory, so you can pick up a tool there and save the shipping cost. Look for them at Canada’s Farm Progress Show in Regina, as well as the Lethbridge and Red Deer shows. To see how these tool work, go to the company’s website, www. pneu-tek-unlimited.com and watch the videos. † Scott Garvery is machinery editor for Grainews. Contact him at Scott.Garvey@fbcpublishing.com.

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 Hydraulic, ground-following openers  Variable rate capability for up to five that give me uniform seed and fertilizer products at one time. placement, excellent emergence,  A ruggedly reliable system that can strong growth and even maturity. seed thousands of acres with no  Stress-free, in-cab automatic calibration breakdowns and minimal maintenance. that’s based on actual product usage  A light-pulling drill with a lift-kit that thanks to weigh cells on each tank and seeds through muddy fields without a user-friendly monitor. getting stuck.

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APRIL 29, 2014

Machinery & Shop MACHINERY SALES

Prices continue to rise at auction sales BY GERALD PILGER

Used equipment usually sells for less at auction sales than on dealers’ lots, but price differences are decreasing.

hile most used equipment sold at auction sells for less than the price that same equipment is listed for on a dealer’s lot, the price differential continues to decrease. Simon Wallan, vice-president of the Canadian Agricultural Division of Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers says there are a number of reasons for the high equipment prices being recorded at auction sales. “Equipment prices at auction are as strong as or stronger than they have been for the last four or five years. Good used equipment is selling for a premium,” says Wallan. Wallan explained part of this is due to the strong commodity prices farmers have enjoyed for the past few years. “Commodity prices are good so farmers have

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good cash flow. Farmers have the money to upgrade equipment.” At the same time, new equipment has gone up substantially. As the price of new equipment goes up, Wallan says more and more farmers are looking at buying late model used equipment. As a result, used prices have followed new prices up. There have even been some instances where wellcared-for, old equipment, with low hours, have actually surpassed the price they originally sold for when new. Another reason for higher auction prices is increased attendance at auctions. Long gone are the days when a farm auction only attracted local buyers and neighbours. As has happened in all industries, auction companies have consolidated and grown larger. This has resulted in larger sales which attract more sellers and more buyers. Instead of just selling the equipment of a single farm at one sale, today we are seeing multi-day consignment sales with millions of dollars of equipment on the block. On August 7, 2013, at the Ritchie Bros sale in Saskatoon, 135 late model combines were sold for a total of $15.5 million. When there is this much equipment on the block, a lot of buyers attend and bid prices up According to Wallan, auction prices of large, late models tractors have appreciated the most. They have been the strongest seller for the last few years and he expects this trend to continue in 2014. He says there is still a great demand for good used tractors and this is reflected in the prices. “Combine pricing is more variable,” claims Wallan. He says prices fluctuate considerably based on the hours on the machine, the history and maintenance of it, and the condition. He points out there are many more farmers who buy a new combine each year than they do tractors so there are more low hour late model combines available which moderates the demand and prices. “Seeding equipment is the most volatile.” Wallan notes there are so many variables when it comes to seeding equipment. The tank size, width of the seeding tool, the type of opener, the technology all influence the amount a potential buyers are willing to bid. When asked to forecast equipment prices at auction sales in 2014, Wallan replied, “I see prices staying at current levels or possibly increasing a little more. “There used to be a pretty good correlation between what a piece of equipment sold for at an auction sale and suggested book value that a dealer would use to price that equipment on the lot. In the last four or five years that has gone out the window. We no longer rely on the published equipment pricing guide for knowing what equipment is worth but rather use our own historical sales values for pricing guidance. Besides, it is hard to compare auction prices with the ask price on a dealer lot because often equipment does not sell for the asking price. Trades are often involved at a dealer, and often there is some type of warranty included and maybe even dealer financing of the purchase. Whereas at an auction everything is sold as is, where is,” Wallan concluded. † Gerald Pilger farms near Ohaton, Alta.

APRIL 29, 2014

grainews.ca /

Cattleman’s Corner MARKETING

The era of Collaborative Competitors BY SEAN MCGRATH

he only new money that enters the beef production chain comes from the consumer. There are a couple of ways this can happen. The first, and I would propose the most positive way, is through product purchase. The second, and not quite as positive, is through tax dollars. Beef demand is based on price versus quantity. At any given quantity the price will be X. If the quantity drops the price goes up and vice versa. In Graph 1 we see that if beef demand is represented by line A and we have the quantity shown by the vertical red dashed line the price will be represented by the horizontal dashed line. An increase in beef demand is actually shown by line B where at the same quantity a consumer will pay more money. Over the last several decades we have seen a steady march from B to A demand lines, rather than the other way around, although that is changing. I recently saw a Canadian vision for “high-quality, safe, grain-finished product.” Let’s walk through this quickly using demand curve A. If we had one million head of grainfinished fed cattle and the price for high-quality grain-finished beef was $2,000 per head on our demand curve, we would generate $2 billion for the Canadian beef industry. This presents us with a thinking problem and the challenge of a narrow vision of beef demand. Let’s say along this line A (Graph 2) there is also a market for highquality grain-finished beef without implants. For easy math let’s say that it accounts for 25 per cent of the marketplace that will pay a 10 per cent premium. This is shown by the blue dashed line. We now have 750,000 head at $2,000 and 250,000 head at $2,200, for

total revenues of $2.050 billion — $50 million increase. In other words, the total revenue generated by the industry has increased 2.5 per cent, even though the demand curve has not shifted. If the production math works, it would make sense to pursue this market. If there is not enough beef to meet the demand the premium might actually be 20 per cent to attract enough product, generating even more income during the adjustment period. This adjustment period is one of the reasons why it is important to continually seek out new growing and differentiated markets. There are multiple price points along the demand curve that represent different markets. In other words, some people are willing to pay more if the value proposition is there. This is why not every box of beef that comes out of a packing plant has the same logo on it. In fact I would argue there are some products that may not even be on the same demand curve as our high quality grain finished curve A. Some products may lie along a completely different demand curve than this traditional demand we tend to think about.

COLLABORATIVE COMPETITIVENESS So what does this have to do with the term Collaborative Competitiveness (CC)? The word :competitive” has several definitions. Two I particularly like are “having a strong desire to compete or to succeed” (Webster’s College Dictionary) and “showing a fighting disposition” (Free Dictionary). If you look up “collaborative” you will find “to work together” as the key constituent of any definitions. I would argue the Canadian beef

Figure 1. industry in general may be neither competitive nor collaborative and much of our philosophy relies on targeting a single price point in the marketplace (red dashed line), which severely limits returns at the ground level. We often talk about our competitive advantages of safety and grain finished. Safety is something we expect out of products, it is not a market differentiator. To give it some perspective, it is pretty tough to buy lead-based paint anymore. Grain finishing is a potential advantage, but on its own it is fleeting for a couple of reasons. First, it is relatively easy to duplicate. Australians, South Americans, Americans, Europeans, Africans and Asians can all grow and feed grain to livestock (I have seen them do it). Second, failing to add value beyond this basic proposition leaves profitability of the industry strictly at the mercy of the commodity price of feed grains and leaves us at odds with our grainfarming friends and neighbours. It is extremely important we differentiate products from the cowcalf level forward so we can cover the entire demand curve and push it outward. This includes organic, grass finished, natural, traditional,

Figure 2. grain finished, exported and local beef production (and combinations thereof). To do this we need to be competitive according to the above definitions. It is a state of mind, rather than just an industry structure or cost-driven strategy.

WHY BEING COMPETITIVE MATTERS With the advent of trade agreements and market access we certainly are in a position where we need to compete for these new markets and have the potential to grow the industry. However we also need to keep in mind our market at home is a key target for others. By global standards the Canadian market is small, but we are also extremely wealthy in a global context. We are no longer secure in our own marketplace without consistently fulfilling specific consumer demands. In order to do this it is important to offer products that are difficult to replicate. This can include specific production attributes, or regional criteria (Ontario Corn-Fed Beef), breed characteristics, or other combinations. It is nearly impossible for someone to replicate “Joe Blow

North Saskatchewan Beef” if their name is not Joe Blow and they live in another country. These are the types of products that create consumer loyalty and sustained competitive advantage. They are also the reason we need collaboration. The average Canadian cow herd produces enough calves to keep a modern plant busy for between 10 to 15 minutes. We need to collaborate to provide enough niche products to actually pursue and capture some of these markets. Collaborative competitiveness is really about figuring out who we will work with to compete against others. There are some CC groups emerging in the industry, and I expect as we move forward there will be more. The ability to work with people towards a common goal is going to be a key to our future. Facilitating the growth of differences is a big challenge for industry groups, but I believe this is the only real ground for consensus in the industry and the likely path forward — and it is an exciting path. † Sean McGrath is a rancher and consultant from Vermilion, Alta. He can be reached at sean@ranchingsystems.com or (780)8539673. For additional information visit www. ranchingsystems.com.

THE MARKETS

Markets will soften heading into summer JERRY KLASSEN MARKET UPDATE

ed and feeder cattle prices have been percolating higher throughout the winter and early spring. Lower-than-anticipated beef production along with steady consumer demand drove fed cattle prices to record highs in Canada and the U.S. Alberta packers were buying fed cattle in the range of $145/cwt to $146/cwt in early spring, which is approximately $12/cwt above break-even pen closeout prices. Healthy feedlot margins and lower feed grain prices spilled over into the feeder cattle complex. It was not uncommon in early April for quality 700-pound steers in the Lethbridge region to trade near the magical $200/cwt level. It has been a rosy situation, but looking forward, it appears most of the factors that resulted in higher prices are starting to change. Fed and feeder cattle markets will soften into the summer period.

U.S feedlot inventories as of March 1, 2014 were basically the same as year-ago levels while placements during the first three months of 2014 were approximately 10 per cent higher in comparison to last year. I’m expecting the weekly slaughter pace to increase during the second quarter and beef production has potential to be the same as in 2013. While Canadian fed cattle prices held value into April, prices in the U.S. southern plains are starting to soften and wholesale beef prices also showed their first signs to breaking the upward trend.

ALL ABOUT PACKAGING Most farmers realize grocery stores sell packaging, not food. The costs included in packaging such as plastic or wrapping, labour and transportation are more valuable than the food product inside the package. For example, the price of mustard seed on farm could double and consumers wouldn’t notice a price increase for mustard products on the retail shelf. However, the economics differ for beef in that the actual product composes a larger portion of the

final cost. Therefore, as U.S. beef production increases in the second quarter, Canadian exports of processed beef to the U.S. will have to be priced competitively into the market. U.S. country-of-origin labelling has potential to have a larger effect on Canadian prices in a declining market and cattle producers could experience a wider basis on Canadian fed cattle prices. Cattle inventories in Alberta and Saskatchewan have been running 10 per cent above year-ago levels this spring. The function of the Canadian fed cattle market will be to encourage demand from current price levels. Restaurant spending tends to peak in late March and early April and then soften into the summer. Fed cattle prices generally follow this consumer spending pattern. U.S and Canadian economies have experienced a robust first quarter with solid growth. However, equity markets generally trend lower during May and June and this selling pressure spills over into the cattle and beef complex. At-home food spending and away-from-home food spending is projected to ease from April through July, which will result in softer beef prices.

Retail beef prices are now at record highs, which has tempered consumption, especially for higherend cuts. Therefore, as beef production increases in the second quarter, consumers spending will ease and the overall economics will result in softer prices for fed cattle. I’m not saying the market will fall out of bed, but I think the highs are in place and wouldn’t be surprised to see an $8/cwt drop in Alberta fed prices by late June.

BACK TO BREAK EVENS The recent rally in fed cattle prices has outpaced the feeder market. The breakeven values for the summer period are in the range of $131/cwt to $134/cwt. If the fed cattle market comes under pressure as expected, feeding margins will be hovering around breakeven. However, barley prices in southern Alberta were trading at $194/mt, which is up from the January lows of $155/mt. The USDA is forecasting a year-overyear decline in corn acres and in Western Canada, barley acres have potential to be down 10 per cent. Barley prices are expected to strengthen into the summer and

the feed grains complex will be extremely sensitive to weather. The corn market has potential to incorporate a risk premium due to the uncertainty in production during the pollination period, which will cause feed grain prices to be become very volatile. Softer fed cattle prices during the summer along with higher feed grain prices will weigh on feeder cattle values. Looking at past history, cow-calf producers need to experience one full year over record-high prices before the cattle herd moves into full-fledged expansion. I’m only expecting to see the beginning of heifer retention on a larger scale next fall. Also, the first quarter of 2015 will be the period that the feeder cattle market will actually adjust for lower supplies due to heifer retention. One caveat is if grain and oilseed prices move higher due to lower production this spring. Stronger feed grain prices and adverse pasture conditions tend to delay any expansion activity. † Gerald Klassen analyzes cattle and hog markets in Winnipeg and also maintains an interest in the family feedlot in southern Alberta. For comments or speaking engagements, he can be reached at gklassen7@hotmail.com or call 204 899 8268.

/ grainews.ca

APRIL 29, 2014

Cattleman’s Corner MARKET NETWORK

Network brings local products to the marketplace 1

LEE HART

R 3

PHOTOS: LEE HART

1: Corne Mans (l) and Rudy Knitel with some of the free-range Mans Eggs ready for delivery. 2: While most of the farm operates as an organic dairy farm, Josh Mans, 17, is an entrepreneur in his own right, raising hens with access to a yard to produce free-range eggs for Galimax Trading. 3: Saturday is a big day with up to 1,800dozen eggs graded at Galimax Trading in Nobleford, Alta. The company has three full-time and four part-time employees. 4: Some of the dairy cows at the organic Vital Green Dairy Farms, north of Lethbridge, owned by the Mans family, which markets products through Galimax.

Please join us on a 16 day agricultural tour to Australia’s national beef exposition. Beef Australia is one of the world’s great beef cattle events and is held just once every three years in Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia.

Departing Canada April 30th to May 16th 2015 5 nights Rockhampton - 5 nights Cairns - 4 nights Sydney For more tour information please visit Beef Australia webpage:

http://www.leadertours.ca/beefweek2015/

Space is limited please register your interest by contacting: Lawrence Rowley Phone: 403-270-7044 Email: lawrence@leadertours.ca Website: www.leadertours.ca

udy Knitel and Corne Mans need to make a living, but neither has expectations of becoming millionaires as they follow a philosophy of bringing quality, locally grown food products to consumers, while being fair to the farmers who produce it. Knitel, 73, has been building the Galimax Trading business out of Nobleford in southern Alberta for the past 10 years. About four years ago he brought in Corne Mans, 21, as a young partner, to help with the business. Knitel, who farmed in the Alberta Peace River region at one time, was also in the food import business before launching Galimax. Mans, was born and raised on a southern Alberta farm, obtained his business management diploma from Lethbridge College before joining the business. Galimax’s focus is to work with several local producers of fruit, vegetables, dairy products and eggs. Products are collected, processed and packaged as needed at their 4,800-square foot, Canadian Food Inspection Agency-approved plant in Nobleford, and then distributed weekly to mostly “high-end” restaurants in communities ranging from Okotoks, Calgary, Bragg Creek, Banff and Lake Louise. “For most of our suppliers they are either too small, or it becomes a lot of work for them to go out and develop this market on their own,” says Knitel. “It took a lot of door knocking and pavement pounding to connect with these restaurants, show them the quality product that we have, and also our ability to supply it as needed. In a lot of cases you may have to make five calls to a restaurant manager or chef before you land them as a client.” A wide range of locally grown fruit, vegetables, dairy products from a local organic dairy, and eggs are delivered by farmers to the Galimax plant weekly. They have cold storage available to keep everything fresh as it is being processed, orders assembled and then delivered in regular van runs to restaurants. Galimax doesn’t handle any meat products although through its network of producers and through its website it can connect customers to meat producers. Among the growers they deal with are Fairwinds Farm, Mans Organics, Red Hat Co-operatives, Leffers Brothers Organics, Kootenay Alpine Cheese, Sudo Farms, Sunrise Berry Farm, Vital Green Farms, Greidanus Honey, Phoenix Farms, Mountain V i e w F a r m i n g , Ta m m i n g a Farms, Halma’s Vegetable Farm, Canadian Fruitful Tree Company, Robertson Estate Wine Vinegar, a n d We b b e r s M o u n t a i n s i d e Cherries.

YOUNG EGG ENTREPRENEURS One of their most ambitious projects has been to organize a network of young farmers to produce free-range eggs from small hen flocks. They work with 16 young farmers, ranging in age from 10 to 18 years of age, who raise small flocks of laying hens. The flocks average about 150 birds and can be no more than 300 birds, to avoid running into quota issues with the Alberta’s egg marketing board. “All these young producers are supervised by their parents,” says Mans. “They have to have proper facilities and provide proper care. We make regular, unannounced visits to the farms to ensure everything is running smoothly and meeting the standard we expect.” While the eggs — all brown shells as they have the most appeal among their customers — are produced by 16 different operations, they are all packaged and marketed under the Mans Egg label. Galimax has a CFIA-approved egg grading station inside their Nobleford plant. They process between 1,200 and 1,800 dozen eggs per week. Any surplus above restaurant orders is shipped to the Lethbridge Food Bank. The eggs are marketed as a natural, free-range product, raised without medication or feed additives.

FAIR PRICE It is the Galimax policy to pay producers as much as they can for their products. With the young egg producers, for example, they are paid $2.25 per dozen for their eggs. After costs they net about 58 cents per dozen, which depending on size of operation can net one of these young farmers about $400 per month. Galimax makes about 50 cents on each dozen eggs. “What we have is an excellent system that shows how hens can be raised in a healthy and humane environment and produce a good quality product,” says Mans. “We’re not interested in marketing 100,000 eggs per week, or anything like that. We just want to keep it small, keep it manageable and everyone can make a dollar in the process. The important thing is that you have to believe in what you do.” Knitel says there is room for similar food networks to help farmers market their products. “In Alberta there is probably room for three or four companies like Galimax that can work with local producers to bring goodquality, locally-grown products to market,” says Knitel. “We have developed a good market, and pay farmers as much as we can, but we also have to make a living. The key to this is to run a firstclass show — have good products, produced and processed in proper facilities, and then provide excellent customer service.” † Lee Hart is editor of Cattleman’s Corner based in Calgary. Contact him at 403-592-1964 or by email at lee@fbcpublishing.com.

APRIL 29, 2014

grainews.ca /

The Dairy Corner DAIRY CORNER

Proper diet minimizes risk of negative energy balance PETER VITTI

eeting the energy requirement of transition dairy cows is particularly important when fresh cows are coming into lactation and several weeks after calving. Unfortunately, not all energy requirements can be met only from feeding a well-balanced diet. Most cows at this time are drawn into a state of “negative energy balance” (NEB) for several weeks after calving. It is how well, we handle this natural situation that dictates the short- and longterm success of milk production, health and reproduction in the dairy barn. The magnitude of post-partum NEB is mainly a function of how much energy can be consumed by these high-milk producers. That’s because good dry matter intake, which is interchangeable with good energy intake, peaks a few weeks later than peak energy demands by early lactation. Because of this lag time between energy required and energy consumed by lactating dairy cows; most high-producing dairy cows are drawn into a period of NEB for about five to six weeks during early lactation. To bridge this energy gap, the cow will naturally mobilize and break down her own body fat, which can supply a substantial amount of energy to support high milk production. University of California (Davis) research shows a natural benchmark for bodyweight loss during early lactation is about 80 kg. Given a natural body loss of two kg per day for about six weeks will supply 400 Mcal of necessary net energy of lactation (Nel) which is enough to support 13 kg of milk production for this period. Once energy intake catches up (after peak milk production), feed energy intake match production requirements and the process slows enough to where the animal stops losing bodyweight altogether.

RISK OF KETOSIS For many reasons, some earlylactation cows do not meet universally accepted dry matter intake benchmarks (set forth by sound dairy trials). They have a rapid rate of fat mobilization that leads to the dire consequence of ketosis that often parallels the first six to eight weeks after calving. There can be clinical signs for advanced cases of ketosis, but most affected NEB cows are usually not detected because ketosis will show up in other subtle ways such as an increased incidence of displaced abomasums, retained placentas, mastitis, or a weakened immune system. It has also been linked to milk fever and unexplained reproduction problems. Cows with subclinical ketosis on average lose about 25 per cent of their potential milk production per lactation.

Ketosis usually relates to a complex chemical imbalance that occurs when dairy cows cannot get enough of a basic energy block called glucose. It is the simplest sugar in cattle metabolism, but it essentially drives all energy-requiring maintenance and production activities. When dietary carbohydrates (containing glucose) are in short supply, the dairy cow burns her own body fats to produce energy; yield non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs), which are reconfigured back into energy-rich glucose. The same serum (blood) concentrations of NEFAs and ketone bodies such as Beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) are used as current markers by many dairy specialists and veterinarians to measure the potential of ketosis (and associated severity of NEB) in early lactation cows. NEFA levels are thought to reflect the degree of body fat mobilization, while BHBA levels indicate completeness of oxidation of NEFA in the liver. The theory being that unhealthy and rapid breakdown of body fat in the early lactating cow increase the supply of NEFA from body fat and if it exceeds the liver’s capacity to turn it into available energy for the milking cow, the level of BHBA rises. Sound field research shows NEFA levels of 0.3 mEq/l or higher in close-up dry cows are two times more likely to suffer from a post-partum disorder (re: ketosis, displaced abomasum, retained placenta and metritis). Post-partum NEFA levels of 0.6 mEq/l were five times more likely to suffer from similar postpartum disorders. BHBA levels that is greater than 1400 umol/l warns of subclinical ketosis in post-calving dairy cows.

At calving and the weeks following are a critical time for managing proper nutrition in dairy cows. eat is always provided. A properly mixed ration should also be put in front of the cows, pushed up frequently and old feed removed, daily. It is a matter of implementing sound practices that will get dairy cows, before and after calving to eat an extra kilo of feed. That particular kilo feed might

just help many cows in their closeup and/or early stage of lactation maintain optimum dry matter intake and thus minimizes “negative energy balance” or NEB. Some fat mobilization is acceptable, but if left unchecked leads to dangerous ketosis. As recommended above, a good transition feeding

PHOTO: FILE PHOTO

program should be invested for every milk cow; to yield not only high milk production, but keep them healthy for the current and future lactations. † Peter Vitti is an independent livestock nutritionist and consultant based in Winnipeg. To reach him call 204-254-7497 or by email at vitti@mts.net

Farm living inspiration, ag business insight.

PREVENTION IS PREFERRED Nobody should disagree that preventing ketosis is a much better option than controlling it once identified. One should implement a proper transitionfeeding program (three weeks before cows calve and three weeks post-partum) in order to promote good dry matter intake and a body condition score of 3.0-3.5 early lactation dairy cows. Such close-up dry cow diets should ideally dovetail into early lactation rations; both diets formulated with the central idea of maintaining good rumen function (by providing adequate effective forage fiber) and yet carry enough availablae dietary energy to meet respective vital and production needs. Another goal is to maintain adequate DMI in dairy cows prior to calving (re: 12 kg, DM basis), while building feed intake in early lactation to about 3.5 to four per cent of their bodyweight at about nine to 10 weeks post-partum. When pre- and post-partum dairy diets are fed, good transition bunk management is also necessary to minimizing NEB. Common sense dictates enough bunk space and adequate time to

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APRIL 29, 2014

Cattleman’s Corner ranch management

Diamond 7 Ranch produces cattle with care and compassion This ranch builds its brand based on shared values that include animal care

asing the discomfort and stress on calves during annual processing is just one element in the overall strategy of producing high-quality premium beef under humane production practices at southern Alberta’s Diamond 7 Ranch. For the past four years at branding, calves have been administered an oral dose of meloxicam, a non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory to help reduce pain related to branding. And brand sites on the hide are also sprayed with a ranch-prepared lanolin and aloe vera lotion to further speed healing, says Laura Laing, Diamond 7 ranch president and CEO. “With cattle pasturing on an extensive summer grazing lease, branding remains a necessary part of our operation,” says Laing. “But at the same time we do everything possible to ease stress and discomfort and insure the well being of our cattle.” Treatment with the anti-inflammatory is just part of the overall animal welfare protocol followed at Diamond 7 under the advice of ranch veterinarian Craig Dorin, with AgriHealth Services, based in Airdrie, Alta.

REDUCING ANIMAL DISCOMFORT “We are a commercial ranching operation producing beef for a specific market,” says Laing. “So it is important not only to produce a quality product, but also because it is our philosophy and the philosophy of our customers to produce a natural, and healthy animal under humane production practices. Whether it

land, calves are weaned in the fall. They are finished in rather unique program by a feeder near Strathmore, Alta. “They are grass raised and do receive some grain as part of their finishing, but they aren’t pushed,” says Laing. “They are free-roaming on pasture and receive a grain supplement. It takes a bit longer to finish them, but again it is a much more natural system.”

BUILDING MARKET RELATIONSHIPS

photo: courtesy of meristem land and science

Diamond 7 Ranch follows practices to reduce discomfort and stress associated with branding. be a retailer or mixed quarter sales directly to customers, we have an intimate relationship with our customers, so it is important that we show them we are doing the best job possible.” With each dose of the antiinflammatory costing about $1 per head, Laing says it is an economical treatment that reduces discomfort in calves and minimizes setbacks in their growth. “There is no clear measurement, but with the combination of the anti-inflammatory and the lotion, calves appear to have much less discomfort after branding,” says Laing. “Calves are bright and they

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are up and going and show few signs of pain. They are back with their mothers and out to pasture with minimal stress.” The Diamond 7 Ranch, located just west of Cochrane, Alta. runs a 500 head commercial cow-calf herd. Predominantly Black Angus cows are bred to Black Angus bulls. The herd calves out in April and May. All calves are tagged within the first 24 hours, and then left with their mothers until branding at about five weeks of age. Calves are raised free of growth hormones and receive no antibiotics, unless they need to be treated for medical reasons. Any treated calves are pulled from the premium beef program.

LOW-STRESS MANAGEMENT “As part of our low-stress management we handle the cattle as little as possible,” says Laing. “All our herding and sorting is done traditionally on horseback, which is much quieter for and easier on the cattle.” Calves are only handled twice a year — at branding and again in the fall at weaning. The low-stress management applies in all areas of their livestock management. No prods are used when cattle are handled, and handling facilities and chutes are designed for easy movement of cattle. After grazing all summer on primarily native grass on lease

Most of their finished cattle are marketed to Thomsons Restaurant Hyatt at the Calgary Hyatt Regency hotel, although they do have some direct-to-customer mixed-quarter sales as well, and also supply premium ground beef to a city delicatessen. “We’ve had a very good working relationship with the Hyatt over the past few years,” says Laing. “They want high-quality, naturally raised beef, produced with good animal welfare practices. It is what the hotel management wants and it is what most of their clientele want. More people want to know where their food is raised and they want to know livestock are handled with proper and humane production practices. “Our level of handling and our production protocols are important to us and they have also allowed us to partner with clients that have the same values,” says Laing. “We want to be a trailblazer in the industry and produce animals with care and compassion. We live what we believe, so our customers know we mean it, when we say it.” † Article and photos courtesy of NewStream Farm Animal Care by Meristem anchored at www.meristem.com.

A compassionate trend

pplying pain-relief measures during livestock processing is a benefit for both man and beast, say two Alberta veterinarians. Anti-steroidal products can now be administered prior to processing that help reduce animal discomfort during procedures such as dehorning, branding and castration. “As more products become available and with on-going research we are going to see more of these pain relief measures used,” says Roy Lewis, a large-animal Alberta veterinarian. “Part of it has to do with just general awareness among producers and public perception of the livestock instruction,” says Lewis. “We now have at least three products that are relatively easy to administer, have reasonable withdrawal periods, and are relatively affordable.” Three anti-steroidal, anti-inflammatory products that are registered for use in cattle include: Meloxicam (Metacam), Flunixin (Banamine), and Ketoprofen (Anafen). “As research continues we are starting to see some connection between, if you take

away the pain, the animal does better,” says Lewis. “So along with being a humane practice, there may also be a cost benefit.” Craig Dorin, a veterinarian with AgriHealth Services, based in Airdrie, Alta. says he is seeing more clients, such as Diamond 7 Ranch near Cochrane use livestock pain management practices as part of an overall philosophy reflecting “responsible animal welfare practices, social responsibility, good overall stewardship of their land and livestock,” he says. “Diamond 7 Ranch is a commercial ranching operation and a strong advocate of these principles and it is reflected in their production practices.” Dorin says it isn’t always easy to show an economic return from improved humane animal welfare practices. While the public is becoming more interested and more aware of livestock production practices, he says more producers, ranch managers and their employees are also “tapping into their compassion. Some new management practices may not put more money in their pockets, but they see it as the right thing to do,” he says. †

APRIL 29, 2014

grainews.ca /

Home Quarter Farm Life SEEDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT

CHECKLIST

Preparing to be an executor Here’s some tools to help you to be organized and ready 1. PERSONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE DECEASED 1.1 Date of Birth 1.2 Date of Death 1.3 Address 1.4 SIN Number

ELAINE FROESE

INFORMATION CHECKLIST (Please bring this information to your lawyer) April is Wills Month re you prepared to be the executor of an estate? Use these tools to get yourself organized. Gather as much information as you can and keep in a binder in a safe place like a locked drawer or cabinet. Laura McDougald-Williams of Meighen Haddad LLP is a lawyer in Souris, Manitoba who compiles a great booklet for her clients to get ready for their roles as an executor. These tools in this column are just part of the package she provides to educate her clients, and keep the process as organized and timely as possible. McDougald-Williams is also a CAFA member, part of the Canadian Association of Farm Advisors (www. cafanet.com). Use the days ahead to get yourself organized. If you don’t have a will, get one! If you don’t want to be an executor, tell the person who assigned you, and resign from being the executor as it is a role you no longer want. Make the lawyer aware of your position. Each time I speak to a large audience of farmers, I am saddened to have them confirm that over 25 per cent of the audience is not prepared to finish life well, they don’t have a will. Get it done, and use these tools to help your executor prepare for their role. †

Elaine Froese, CAFA, CHICoach helps farm families face tough issues and take action. Her new book, Farming’s In-law Factor, will be out soon. Visit www.elainefroese.com. Book her for your fall ag association event. Let her know that you have updated your will, email elaine@ elainefroese.com.

2. FAMILY MEMBERS 2.1 Spouse/Partner: Address, Phone Number, Email Address 2.2 Children: Address, Phone Number, Email Address, Age of Minors 2.3 Beneficiaries: Address, Phone Number, Email Address, Age of Minors 2.4 Full names of any prior spouses or common-law partners 3. EXECUTORS 3.1 Address, Phone Number, Email Address 3.2 Occupation/Employer 4. EMPLOYMENT HISTORY OF DECEASED and EXECUTORS 4.1 Employed/Retired 4.2 Occupation 5. REAL ESTATE 5.1 Home 5.2 Farm 5.3 Cottage 5.4 Minerals 5.5 Title Documents 5.6 Investments 5.7 Property Taxes 5.8 Other 6. CHATTELS 6.1 Cars, Trucks, Recreational Vehicles 6.2 Equipment 6.3 Furniture 6.4 Other 7. BANK ACCOUNTS (Balances as of the Date of Death)

7.1

7.2

7.3 7.4

Chequing Account: Banking Institution, Location, Account Number Savings Account: Banking Institution, Location, Account Number Safety Deposit Box: List of Contents Other

8. SECURITIES (Balances as of the Date of Death) 8.1 Stocks 8.2 Bonds 8.3 Mutual Funds 8.4 G.I.C.s, RRSPs 8.5 Other 9. LIFE INSURANCE 9.1 Company, Policy Number

This is a checklist to help guide you in the conduct of acting as an estate administrator or executor, it may not include everything for your specific estate Send notice and close accounts with: Cable company

Manitoba Hydro/Centra Gas

Residential Internet

City or Town e.g. water accounts

Manitoba Telephone System

Canada Post

Newspaper provider

Home Insurance

IMMEDIATE DUTIES Redirect Mail

Club Memberships

Utilities — Hydro, Telephone

Home/Property Insurance

Newspapers

Motor Vehicle Insurance

Subscriptions

Driver’s Licence

FINANCIAL CONCERNS Determine estate assets and liabilities as of date of death: Banks — Account balances, Loans, Credit Cards/Bank Cards Insurance — Life Claim, Funeral Plan Insurance Benefits

10. PENSIONS 10.1 CPP 10.2 OAS 10.3 Annuities 10.4 Employment Pensions

Service Canada – cancel OAS, CPP, return/cancel, passport and SIN

11. RECORDS 11.1 Will 11.2 Death Certificate 11.3 Income Tax Return 11.4 Farm or Business Records

Manitoba Health Services Commission

12. OTHER ASSETS 12.1 Loans 12.2 Rental Income 12.3 Other 13. OTHER LIABILITIES 13.1 Bills 13.2 Credit Cards 13.3 Loans 13.4 Lines of Credit 13.5 Mortgages 13.6 Taxes 13.7 Leases 13.8 Other

CPP 1-800-277-9914 – apply for death benefit and/or survivor’s pension Canada Revenue – cancel GST credit?

1-800-392-1207 – any prescription refunds? Private Medical Insurance benefits payable? Superannuation Benefits (Federal Govt. Employees) 1-800-432-5134

Veterans Affairs

Debts of the Estate: — Advertise for creditors? Pay any outstanding accounts, cancel credit cards, Pay funeral ESTATE/LEGAL Secure Will

Executor responsibilities

Meet with Lawyer – estate settlement File Income Tax Forms (Revenue Canada) (within six months from date of death, and final estate return within one-year anniversary of death to avoid multiple filings), file request for clearance certificate

Cultivating little green thumbs School Green Team gets hands-on experience growing veggies BY EDNA MANNING

s part of her Grade 3 Green Team science project at Dundonald School in Saskatoon a couple of years ago, Dr. Debbie Miket helped her students plan and plant a small vegetable garden. “A friend told me she wouldn’t be using a portion of her garden plot, so I asked if our Green Team could grow a garden in her backyard. She agreed,” Miket said. The Green Team consists of several participants from each grade at the school. In May, they prepared the garden area during their lunch hour. The Grade 8 students dug up quack grass while Miket helped the younger students pull out the roots. She could only involve four at a time, but in total, about 25 students had a chance to take part in the project. Once the area was cleared of grass, the students could begin

to plan the layout. They planted spinach, lettuce, carrots, beets, potatoes, squash and pumpkins. Volunteer cantaloupe from the owner’s compost also germinated and grew. “We all had a wonderful time and the children were so enthusiastic and eager to help. One student told me he wanted to be a gardener and brought his own tools and seeds. We also had lots of parental support, sending seeds and offering transportation.” Students wrote about their gardening experiences, and Erica Deans said, “This garden had beautiful sunflowers in it. The garden was special to me because the plants and flowers made me happy. I liked picking pumpkins and potatoes. It was neat to see cantaloupe on a plant. My grandpapa is a farmer so I’m used to gardening and harvesting. That is special to me! I was so happy that I got picked to go to the garden!” Julius Newell-Silva wrote, “I

think it is important because it helps nature. It is good for the environment. It gives us food, makes us healthy and strong, and teaches us patience.” Children who learn to respect their environment and the earth when they’re young will likely have a deeper appreciation for the need for responsible stewardship as they get older. “I feel being part of a project like this in their formative years helps them in bonding with the earth, and they learn where their food comes from,” Miket said. There was less student involvement in the garden during the summer holidays, but in the fall the Green Team harvested the produce, prepared a luncheon and everyone enjoyed the fruits of their labour. “They were very excited at the results,” Miket said. Dr. Debbie Miket can be reached at deb.miket@sasktel.net. † Edna Manning writes from Saskatoon, Sask.

PHOTO: EDNA MANNING

Dr. Debbie Miket and some of her students get ready to plant.

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APRIL 29, 2014

Home Quarter Farm Life POSTCARDS FROM THE PRAIRIES

Life’s secrets, according to you… People of the world, tell me this — what’s one simple, magical thing that makes you smile every time you experience it? Dinner together as a family. JANITA VAN DE VELDE

Waking up and seeing my wife sleeping next to me. My kids laughing together.

t’s a wonder how much time and energy we spend chasing happiness when really, if we stood still for a moment and absorbed the ordinary, everyday moments, we’d realize that we already have it all. It reminds me of a quote from William Martin: “Do not ask your children to strive for extraordinary lives. Such striving may seem admirable, but it is the way of foolishness. Help them instead to find the wonder and the marvel of an ordinary life. Show them the joy of tasting tomatoes, apples and pears. Show them how to cry when pets and people die. Show them the infinite pleasure in the touch of a hand. And make the ordinary come alive for them. The extraordinary will take care of itself.” This is what I hope to teach my children.

The smell of fresh morning air. Watching someone trip and fall, slip on ice or miss a chair as they sit down. The sound of my grandson’s laughter. Watching my daughter discover something new for the first time. Her naiveté reminds me that we were all once so innocent and pure. Being at the family farm, staring out onto the prairie. Sometimes it’s nice to feel, see and experience the grandeur of the world. A hug or a kiss from my little people. Walking into Starbucks — the smell of a good, strong coffee! The sounds and the hilarious subject content of my young daughters being deep in conversation with each other.

Here forthwith are your responses to the simple, magical things that make you smile.

The random chatter of my three-year-old daughter and her lack of volume control.

A simple magical thing that makes me smile every day is the smell of the outdoors.

A dog running excitedly, as fast as he can to get to you. Newborn babies… human or animal. Life is magical. Unexpected kindness. Hearing my daughter sing… her voice brings on the happy tears. Hearing my husband laugh. The smell of freshly mowed grass, and watching and smelling a harvest scene. Old songs from the ’70s that remind me of being a child growing up and playing outside. Music was in my house ALL the time. While we played outside, my parents would play music in the house and it would flow out into the street. Paul McCartney and Wings fill a small void in my heart for warmth and comfort of what home feels like. I love that feeling! Jumping into a lake or pool. It’s like my problems disappear and nothing can get me. It just makes my whole entire body feel calm. If I could live under water, I would! Hugs and snuggles from my boys! I am ecstatic every year when I see my first perennial poking up through the dirt in the spring. New life… and it lived through our Prairie winter! Amazing.

Puppy cuddles.

This is really silly, but every time my beau calls me by my pet name it makes me smile. It’s a word that he made up, and when he says it in his French accent, I giggle every time.

When I think about our childhood trips to Disneyland.

A baby’s laughter. Music. Driving my scooter.

A cold beer after manual labour.

Well my first one would be seeing my kids’ eyes light up as they race to give me hugs when I pick them up from daycare. But another magical thing for me is waking up early on a warm summer day, and going out on the deck at the cottage… feeling the sun beat down and watching the hills and trees reflect off the calm and crystal-clear lake. We are so busy in life that these moments of just taking it all in are important to me. Hearing: “I yaaaa you, Mom!” Translation: “I love you, Mom!” Looking at my children while they’re sleeping. Hugs from my grandchildren. Hearing my dinner party guests chatter away and laugh a lot! Petrichor. This makes me smile, and so does having a word for it. I love those times when you wake up in the morning and as you’re getting your bearings straight, you realize that today is going to be great. You remember that you’re on vacation, or that you’re out at the lake and you can smell the fresh air (and likely see all the empty wine bottles littered nearby). I smile, involuntarily, once I get back up to speed after I’ve tightened my Rollerblades. No kidding. I also smile whenever I send an email. The smell of a horse. Pure, simple, natural. When my kids or spouse smile, it gets me every time.

EXTENDED OUTLOOK FOR THE PRAIRIES Weather Forecast for the period of May 4 to May 31, 2014

Southern Alberta

Peace River Region May 4 - 10 Highs often in the teens with frosty nights. Sunshine alternates with heavier showers or rain/snow. Windy at times. May 11 - 17 Seasonal to cool. Patchy frost. Sunshine interchanges with heavier showers or thundershowers. Chance of snow central/north.

May 4 - 10 Seasonal to cool with occasional frost. Sunny and often windy with scattered showers, chance of snow.

May 11 - 17 Seasonal to cool. Patchy frost. Sunshine interchanges with heavier showers or thundershowers. Chance of snow central/north.

May 11 - 17 Variable temperatures with frost pockets. Windy. Sunshine alternates with rain/showers.. Risk of snow mainly east and north.

May 4 - 10 Seasonal to cool. Windy at times. Sunny apart from rain on 2 or 3 occasions. Frosty nights. Chance of snow in a few areas. May 11 - 17 Sunny but shower activity on 2 or 3 days. Cool with lows near zero on a couple of nights. Blustery. Chance of snow in north. May 18 - 24 Cool overall with a risk of frost in a few areas. Otherwise, mainly sunny this week apart from scattered showers or thunderstorms.

May 25 - 31 Blustery and sunny most days but passing showers or heavy thunderstorms on 2 or 3 occasions. Seasonal to occasionally cool.

May 25 - 31 Blustery cool days alternate with sunny and warmer days. Sunny, but showers or heavier thunderstorms on a couple of occasions.

Precipitation Forecast 3 / 17 Edmonton 43.5 mms

2 / 15 Jasper

28.6 mms

2 / 14

57.5 mms

Banff

3 / 16 Calgary

Forecasts should be 80% accurate, but expect variations by a day or two because of changeable speed of weather systems.

Manitoba

May 18 - 24 Sunshine dominates but showers or heavier thunderstorms on a couple of days. Slight chance of frost/flurries in some areas.

May 25 - 31 Warmer and mostly sunny apart from showers or heavy thunderstorms on a couple of days this week. Blustery.

35.3 mms

May 4 - 10 Highs often in the teens with frosty nights. Sunshine alternates with heavier showers or rain/snow. Windy at times.

May 18 - 24 Sunny but shower or heavy thundershower activity occurs on 2 or 3 occasions. Risk of frost/snow in some localities.

4 / 17 Grande Prairie

Saskatchewan

52.9 mms

NEAR NORMAL

3 / 17 Red Deer 49.2 mms

6 / 19 Medicine Hat 19mms cms Lethbridge 42.3 51.4 mms 26 cms 4 / 18

5 / 18 North Battleford

2 / 15 The Pas

3 / 17 Prince Albert

37.0 mms

4 / 18 Saskatoon 44.2 mms

41.6 mms

ABOVE NORMAL

4 / 17 Yorkton

4 / 19 50.7 mms 5 / 18 Regina Moose Jaw 50.8 mms

4 / 17 Swift 47.7 mms Current 45.7 mms

Precipitation Outlook For May

37.3 mms

5 / 18 Weyburn 52.8 mms 5 / 19 Estevan 54.6 mms

3 / 18 Dauphin

52.7 mms

Much Above Normal Below Much above normal normal below normal normal

3 / 15 Gimli

57.4 mms

5 / 18 4 / 18 Portage 4 / 19 Brandon 56.8 mm Winnipeg 48.4 mms

Melita 3 / 19

52.4 mms

59.8 mms

The solitude of the forest. Hugs. From anyone. The world needs more hugs. Looking at the sky. Whether it’s a sunrise, sunset, storm clouds, rainbows, sun dogs, open blue skies or puffy clouds… the sky always amazes me. The sound of opening a beer can. The sounds of brothers and sisters laughing and being goofy… it reminds me of my own childhood. The smell of the soil the first time we tip it over in the spring. That is the essence of life. How excited our grandchildren are when they come up to our door. They are all still full of hugs and kisses, and are excited to see us. The little one is just squirming to get up the steps and into the house. Anyone of any age, laughing with their entire body and soul. The kind where they are out of control and are completely letting everything loose, including but not limited to bodily fluids, muscle control and anything else on their mind. That’s why we enjoy the sound of children laughing, because kids don’t hold themselves back — they don’t know how to pretend yet. If it’s funny, it’s funny. When I smile at someone and they smile back. When my favourite song is on the radio. Summer. It is a magical time when Mom doesn’t work, Dad takes four weeks off and we get out of town. No schedules or meetings or hockey practice. NO RUSHING! Smelling the salty air near the ocean. The ocean is my happy place. Butterflies in my stomach! After a few years of marriage (not that I think that’s long), I am still head over heels in love with my man. Watching my kids make snow angels. When I tell my son that one day he will be too big and he won’t want to give me hugs anymore, having him say that he will NEVER stop hugging me. Seeing a little kid’s face after they bite into a lemon slice. When a baby wraps their hand around your finger… that, and their amazing baby smell. † Janita Van de Velde grew up on a farm near Mariapolis, Man. She holds a bachelor of science degree in agricultural economics from the University of Manitoba, and has worked for a financial institution since graduating. She lives in Regina, Sask., with her husband Roddy and their children Jack, Isla and James. Her first novel, Postcards Never Written, was the recipient of the Saskatchewan Reader’s Choice Award and also listed by CBC as one of the top funny books in 2009. She donates a portion of proceeds from the sale of her book to World Vision to help those less fortunate. For more information, or to order her book, visit her website at www.janita.ca.

APRIL 29, 2014

grainews.ca /

Home Quarter Farm Life FROM THE FARM

Making use of herbs Whether homegrown or from the wild, these can be a healthy addition to your diet DEBBIE CHIKOUSKY

andy Marie, the author of Meeting Mother Nature, decided to write her book after witnessing people starving in the aftermath of a natural disaster. They were starving because they had no idea what to do with the food that was growing all around them. In her words, “They were starving in the shadow of abundance.” Our family was moved by this statement and we have been researching how we can utilize more what has been provided. This spring is going to mean more herbs to be used for teas, medicine and culinary purposes. Researching herbs it came to our attention that herbal teas are not all safe for pregnant women to consume. Herbs that may cause problems include anise, ginger, lime blossom, rosehip, catnip, chamomile, comfrey, European mistletoe, hibiscus, horehound, Labrador, lemongrass, licorice root, mugwort, pennyroyal, raspberry leaf, rosemary, sage, sassafras, stinging nettle leaf, vetiver, and yarrow. In fact, pennyroyal is so effective at stimulating uterine contractions that it is recommended that a pregnant woman should never handle it. Herbs such as rosemary, though, are quite safe to eat in food because they are not at the same high concentration as in a tea. When tea is steeped it accentuates the herbs. Herbs are quite flexible to grow. Remember to research your zone, http://www.planthardiness.gc.ca/, and keep in mind that herbs do well in container gardens which greatly open up opportunities for planting. An example of a fast-growing herb is mint. The common peppermint (Mentha x piperita) and less intense spearmint (Mentha spicata) spread by runners. Mint likes more moisture than most herbs so remember to water during hot, dry spells. Within a month of planting, you can pick five to 10 leaves to brew a cup of tea. We are planning on trying to use it to make mint condiments to serve with our lamb as well as for teas. It is fun to wild craft plants for teas too. Our favourites would be nettles and rosehips. Nettles have thin hairs which may irritate your skin if handled without gloves, but as soon as they are wilted or dried this is no longer a danger. They are excellent as a food as well as dried for a tea and grow abundantly on the Prairies, particularly where chicken manure has been. Nettles are a good source of vitamins and minerals which make them quite useful as a spring tonic. Rosehips are also abundant on the Prairies and are a fabulous source of vitamin C. These can be harvested in the fall and dried for winter usage. Pick only the ripe berries that are vivid red and slightly soft, and they have a much better flavour if picked

after the first frost. They can be harvested from your garden, but they’re more plentiful from old-time shrub varieties such as rugosas and bushes of wild roses. Rosehips are the fruit of the plant and are filled with tiny seeds and covered with silky hairs. The food value is found in their skin and their taste is similar to that of an apple. Once harvested sort out the imperfect ones and rinse the batch. Carefully pat dry. The rosehips can then be place in a single layer onto lined cookie sheets and placed in a well-ventilated dark place for a few weeks. They should be hard, wrinkly and dark in colour. A dehydrator can also be used or the oven at the lowest setting. If their main purpose is for teas they are fine

left whole. If they are to used for other purposes, it is very important to remove the hairs. To do this take dried hips and grind them a tiny bit in a food processor, then shake them through a fine-mesh sieve. The hairs will fall to the counter. After they have dried, stems and ends can be removed easily by plucking them off. For most other herbs it’s the leaves that are used for teas. For a cup of tea, gently bruise or crush two tablespoons of fresh leaves to help release flavour and aroma. Put the leaves (or, for chamomile tea, the flowers) in a china cup and add water that’s been heated to a boil. Steep for three to five minutes and then strain out the leaves. If making

a pot, rinse the pot thoroughly with boiling water. Then add the herbs, boiling water and steep 10 minutes. Culinary herbs such as basil are also used as teas in other cultures. We have had great success growing basil and it dries wonderfully. Personally, we prefer eating basil and using it as a dried herb in cheese making but some do enjoy it as a tea. Considering two teaspoons of basil contains 7.52 calories, vitamin K — 48.01 mcg, iron — 1.28 mg, calcium — 63.40 mg, vitamin A — 281.24 IU, dietary fibre — 1.20 g, manganese — 0.08 mg, magnesium — 12.68 mg, vitamin C — 1.84 mg, potassium — 103 mg, we are planning on integrating more into our diet for next winter.

The best time to harvest herbs is early in the morning after dew has dried, but before the sun is at its peak. The leaves can be harvested as soon as the plants are established. Dehydrated herbs store very well in a dry place in sealer jars. We use rubber rings or wire bale jars to ensure that the least amount of moisture can seep into them. Our teas are still flavourful that we dried last summer, but our stores of dried herbs are getting low so we are very ready for a melt in our area. Hopefully this year will be another one of learning how to utilize what has been provided for our health and well-being. It is proving to be a humbling journey. † Debbie Chikousky farms at Narcisse, Manitoba

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APRIL 29, 2014

Home Quarter Farm Life SINGING GARDENER

Spuds, roses, feet and hair Ted has info to share on all this plus more… TED MESEYTON

ell here I am tippin’ my Sunday meetin’ hat and extending the very best that this day can bring to each and every Grainews reader wherever you happen to be. How y’all doin’ anyhow? From Atlantic to Pacific and from Pelee Island to Old Crow, we live in a great nation. As I’ve said before — Canada is terrific. How well do you know your geography? Old Crow is a small, close-knit community of about 300 inhabitants north of the Arctic Circle in Yukon Territory.

Unless you’ve got a jarful of pennies stashed away somewhere, they’ve become as scarce as hens’ teeth. There’s an old expression that goes like this: “The penny will drop in a minute.” It means: Hope you appreciate a bit of humour via a short punchline. I once went to a novelty slang-talk class that left the entire group laughing in stitches. Here are very brief examples of what the presenter shared. Aerial: They’s got a radio and TV Errol; Celery: A green, stringy vegetable called salary; Flower: A rose is a purty flar; Fresh: Them aggs ain’t frash; Gassed: You gassed the answer; Green: She was grain with envee; Ironing: Ma’s tard of arnin’; Lemon: That laymon is sure a purdy yeller; Suspenders: Gramp’s spenders hold up his paints. Believe it or not I, Ted, have been wearing suspenders for years and love ’em. Now you know what holds up my pants (or is it paints)?

LOTS MORE TO TALK ABOUT Let’s take a peek now at an email from Signe Garden re: moles in the garden (March 18, 2014 Grainews).

I just read your article re: moles. I have a tried-and-true and cheap method for mole control. I got this from a Danish friend in Pilot Butte several years ago and it works. Take empty beer bottles and put them standing up around the garden. The moles don’t like or cannot stand the noise from the wind into the bottles. She told me the moles are so plentiful in Denmark people have the bottles around their whole garden. I had moles and found it works. I have not had any moles for a few years. I just pushed the bottles down into the loose dirt on the molehills. It can get very windy around here. We are just a few miles NE of Regina. My garden is fairly sheltered. I have only used the long-necked beer bottles. I love the farm and my garden and our cattle. We are seniors. I always read your page first and yes my full real name is Signe Garden, Pilot Butte, Sask. Note from Ted: Thank you Signe for your email. What a wonderful name you have. Your experience in dealing with moles using longnecked beer bottles is bound to help gardeners in similar situations.

NEXT A HANDWRITTEN LETTER … from Ruby Hirch at Bow Island, Alberta. Here’s a portion of what she writes. Dear Ted: Just read your page on dill. It was very interesting, especially the part about dill pickle juice and dill for leukemia. Have you ever had dill pickle soup? It is delicious! By the way, the dill pickle soup recipe is in Company’s Coming Soups cookbook, the newer version on page 93. All the best. Sincerely, Ruby Hirch According to yours truly, Ted, this may come as a surprise. There are almost as many dill pickle soup recipes as there are varieties of cucumbers. Names range from Creamy Canadian Dill Pickle Soup to Best Ever Dill Pickle Soup and Dill Pickle Soup with Hamburger and/or Potato. Polish Dill Pickle Soup is quite common and very popular in Eastern Europe. Perhaps someone will surprise me with their favourite dill pickle soup recipe. Aforesaid soups are not the same as cold cucumber soup that’s

normally made in summer when fresh cucumbers are in season.

BONE MEAL AND ROTENONE By the time you read this, most home spud growers on the Prairies will have their seed potato well sprouted and ready to plant. Depending on climatic conditions, some potatoes may already be planted. We all know what a challenge it is dealing with potato beetles. I’ve given suggestions in the past for controlling potato bugs, but here are a couple Ted Tips I’ve not mentioned previously. Go to the garden centre and buy some rotenone powder and/or ground-up steamed bone meal from hooves, horns and bones. The day before planting, mist your seed potatoes very lightly with water and then roll them in dry bone meal in a sturdy paper or plastic bag. Allow them to dry several hours or leave overnight before planting. Another approach is to mix together one cup rotenone powder, one cup whole wheat or white flour, one tablespoon salt and one tablespoonful baking powder. Blend these ingredients well (avoid breathing in the dust) and distribute this mixture over potato leaf foliage and/or also on broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, radish and turnip plants subject to attack. Mist the foliage first with plain water before application and it sticks better. Remember — these are trial-and-error methods that are kinder to the soil when dealing with garden pests. Results may vary to a degree from place to place. Here are six days for planting your spuds according to moon cycles. They are: May 15 through to May 20 with best days therein on May 17 and May 18, 2014.

GET TO KNOW THIS HARDY CLIMBING ROSE … that grows on its own roots. Felix Leclerc was introduced in 2007 by Agriculture Canada and designated rose of the year for 2009. Yet, so few Prairie rose growers are aware of this super-hardy climber rated for Zone 3. It takes only two or three seasons to become a well-established climber that pours out deep fuchsia-pink roses all season. Look for it at

SUE ARMSTRONG

LOVE HEARING FROM YOU Do you have a story about a farm or home-based business? How about some household management tips? Does someone in the family have a special-diet need? Share some of your meal ideas. Send them to FarmLife, 1666 Dublin Ave., Winnipeg, Man. R3H 0H1. Phone 1-800665-0502 or email susan@ fbcpublishing.com. Please remember we can no longer return photos or material. † Sue Armstrong

PHOTO: TED MESEYTON

Are you ready to plant your seed potatoes? You may want to roll them in dry steamed bone meal first and the Singing Gardener tells why. Ted also gives the best spud-planting days in May, according to the moon.

PHOTO: COURTESY CORN HILL NURSERY

Shown here is a gorgeous specimen of Felix Leclerc climbing rose from the Canadian Artists series of hardy roses. It’s growing on a trellis along an outer wall at Corn Hill Nursery’s office building. Sometimes it can be deceptively slow the first year or two, but then watch out. Felix Leclerc quickly attains growth spurts up to six feet high (1.8 metres) with a spread of four feet (1.25 metres). Additional attributes are disease and drought tolerance, heat resistance and Prairie hardiness rated for Zone 3. your garden centre this spring and see the picture on this page. This spectacular specimen grows on the outside wall of the office at Corn Hill Nursery in New Brunswick, courtesy of owner Bob Osborne. The nursery boasts an indoor café with a garden-like feel throughout the grounds and very little signage. People sense it as a welcoming and very relaxing place to be. Gardeners and folks in general are never pressured and are greeted and encouraged to hang around and browse as long as they choose to enjoy the gardens and sheer pleasure in being there. Folks can also sign up for learning seminars or workshops. Corn Hill Nursery is the largest producer of nursery stock east of Montreal and grew from a vegetable garden to 80 acres over a period of 30 years and now boasts nearly 1,000 varieties of fruit-bearing, shade and ornamental trees, various shrubs, fruiting and ornamental vines, perennials and numerous other plants.

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS There is such a song of that title but I often ask myself: How well do I take care of my feet? I suppose it also applies to a good bunch of us. With that in mind here’s one of my favourite energizing foot scrubs as I approach my closing tag. 1/2 cup whole oats (every gardener knows a grain farmer) 1/2 cup cornmeal 1/2 cup sea salt (preferably coarse) OR 1/2 cup kosher salt 1/2 cup light olive oil Mix all ingredients together until a thick, grainy mixture is achieved. Spoon this prepared blend into a clean, dry glass or other jar with a tight-fitting lid. Work about a tablespoonful of this scrub mix onto each foot and leave it on for five to 10 minutes and then rinse off each foot well in clear, cool or slightly warm water. The real treat is when you’re lucky enough to have someone in the family do it for you, but not everyone has quick access to a trained reflexologist, usually with a fee attached.

GETTING A HAIRCUT? Most everyone gets a haircut now and then. Depending on whether you want your hair to grow faster or slow down, the moon plays a part. For faster growth, get a haircut when the moon is increasing in light. To encourage your hair to grow thicker, get it cut when the moon is full. If you want your hair to grow less quickly, get it cut once the moon begins decreasing in light starting two or three days after full moon and continuing right through until a day before the following new moon. Basically, the same thing applies to cutting lawns. Mow the lawn during the waxing phase in the first and second quarters to hasten growth and lushness and during the third and fourth quarters when light is receding so it doesn’t grow so fast. End of the page is creeping up on me so I shall close with this brief weather phraseology that seems to bear some truth: When it snows three times once crows are back, Winter’s gone for good; spring’s right on track. †

This is Ted Meseyton the Singing Gardener and Grow-It Poet from Portage la Prairie, Man. What is a gentleman’s agreement? Some of you may recall the days when a gentleman’s agreement was a handshake confirming a verbal bond that sealed a deal without any written or signed document. Is this practice mostly long gone today, or are there still such handshake agreements in existence? Perhaps someone will let me know. I’ll be stepping out at times during personal appearances and hope you’ll step back this way next Grainews issue on May 20, 2014. My email address is singinggardener@mts.net.

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