Gnn150310 by Farm Business Communications

Volume 41, Number 7 | MARCH 10, 2015

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PRACTICAL PRODUCTION TIPS FOR THE PRAIRIE FARMER

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RESISTING FUSARIUM HEAD BLIGHT By Lisa Guenther

here’s been a lot of effort put into breeding fusarium-resistant varieties, Dr. Anita Brûlé-Babel told CropSphere delegates in Saskatoon in January. But developing cereal varieties resistant to fusarium head blight (FHB) is more like a marathon than a sprint. “There’s been a lot of breeding challenges. And I know a lot of farmers have been very frustrated — especially in Manitoba — frustrated about the fact that it took us a long time to get anything better than what we have,” said Brûlé-Babel. Brûlé-Babel is a wheat breeder and researcher with the University of Manitoba, based out of Carman. She’s been working on FHB since 1999. Plant breeders are making progress, especially in the Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) wheat class. In Seed Manitoba 2014, more than 25 per cent of CWRS lines were rated moderately resistant. The Canada Prairie Spring Red and General Purpose classes have some improved varieties coming

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through as well, Brûlé-Babel said. But Hard Whites and durums have a long way to go, she added. Dr. Curtis Pozniak, a University of Saskatchewan researcher, is introducing resistant genes from other species into durum to boost resistance. “He’s made some good progress there, but we’re still quite a ways from actually having a variety,” she said.

Fortifying resistance Plant breeders have identified several types of FHB resistance, but they’re focusing on two, BrûléBabel told delegates. Type one is resistance to initial infection. Often it’s linked to differences in flowering type — for example, whether anthers push out. Type two is resistance to disease spread within the spike itself, Brûlé-Babel said. It’s one of the strongest types of resistance researchers have at their disposal, she added. Researchers have also pinpointed resistant genes. BrûléBabel said one gene, FHB 1, is particularly effective. “Because it’s got type two resistance, it also seems to have some

good DON resistance in it as well. It is our strongest source of resistance. And it is quite widely used,” she said. A second gene, FHB 2, also offers resistance. Plants with FHB 2 alone may have high disease levels. But plants with both genes have better FHB resistance, BrûléBabel said. While researchers can map markers linked to resistant genes in the lab, they still have to do field work to see how plants react to FHB infection. They prepare an inoculum in the lab to infect the plants. When the plants flower, researchers spray them with the inoculum. Three days later, researchers inoculate plants again. And researchers mist-irrigate the plants to create the humidity FHB thrives on. “We’re creating a perfect storm for this disease,” said Brûlé-Babel. Without these measures, it would be more difficult to get FHB infections every year, she said. Researchers then look at the plants’ responses to the infection. They measure the percentage of infected spikes, and the percentage of infected spikelets on the spike. These numbers are used to rate the disease resistance.

Disease ratings reflect a range of resistance rather than a single set percentage. For example, a variety could have 30 per cent infected spikes, with 30 per cent of the spikelets affected. Another variety could have 40 per cent infected spikes, with 50 per cent of the spikelets affected. Both varieties would be rated moderately resistant.

The challenges Plant breeders face many hurdles in the race to FHB resistance. There isn’t a single gene that guarantees resistance. Fusarium resistance comes from “many, many genes,” each with a small effect, that create resistance when combined, Brûlé-Babel explained. The very nature of fusarium presents a challenge. The pathogen is a necotroph, meaning it kills the plant and feeds off dead tissue. “It’s not like a rust, where a rust needs a living plant to survive on. This pathogen will continue to grow quite happily on the crop residues and it doesn’t need the plant to be alive to do that.” Abundant inoculum in fields causes problems for farmers, of

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Plant breeders are making progress in developing wheat varieties that are resistant, but it’s a marathon, not a sprint course. For researchers, it means “plant defence responses are really complex,” says Brûlé-Babel. Another stumbling block is the lack of understanding of the way plants and fusarium interact. Brûlé-Babel says they’ve done many studies looking at how plants respond to infection. “And a whole slew of things happen all at once. And yet we still are trying to figure out what are the key things we need to work on.” There are also several different fusarium types. Luckily for plant breeders, the same resistance genes seem to work across the board, Brûlé-Babel said. This means plant breeders don’t need a specific program for each fusarium type. Linkage drag is another obstacle. When plant breeders introduce new genes to wheat, undesirable genes tag along, BrûléBabel explained. She said it takes a lot of time to break those linkages, although researchers have managed to cut many of them. Measuring disease and setting resistance levels are also challenges, she added.

» continued on page 4

Wheat & Chaff .................. 2 Features . ........................... 5 Crop Advisor’s Casebook . 8 Columns ............................ 17 Machinery & Shop............. 24 Cattleman’s Corner .......... 31

AGCO’s pre-owned program SCOTT GARVEY page 24

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scott garvey page 26

FarmLife ............................ 35

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Wheat & Chaff STAMPEDE BY JERRY PALEN Leeann Minogue

“It’s why they call it ‘team-roping’ Flo! We’re supposed to be a team!”

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f you’re a subscriber, I’m sure you’ve noticed your mailbox has been a little more full than usual over the past couple of months. We publish Grainews 18 times per year, but our schedule is a little erratic — we mail out six of these 18 issues in February and March. You’ll see one more issue this month, then after that, we’ll be back to something closer to monthly for the rest of the year. This is intentional, not some sort of tax scam. It’s our understanding that this is the season when farmers have the most time to read, go to conferences and make their plans for the upcoming year. That is mainly the case on our farm, although my husband also runs a seed cleaning plant, so he’s been working steadily with that since he put the combine in the shed after harvest. And, of course, I’ve been busy working as part of the team that puts together all these extra winter issues of Grainews. But if my Facebook account is anything to go by, many of you have also been taking extra time to lounge on beaches from Mexico to Maui. Welcome home.

Transportation and basis update With the falling Canadian dollar, the not-a-record 2014 crop and the (until recently) relatively nice winter we’ve been having, it seems like the past few months should have been a good time for us to put extra cash into our bank accounts. But in a report written for the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission (SWDC), ag economist Richard Gray points out that farmers aren’t the only ones thinking that. Let’s start with some background. Back in December, the SWDC worked with Sask Pulse, the Saskatchewan Barley Development Commission and the Agriculture Producers Association of Saskatchewan to make a joint submission to the Canadian Transportation Agency review panel that was looking at our problems moving grain. One piece of that submission was Richard Gray’s report: “The Economic Impacts of Elevated Export Basis Levels on Western Canadian Grain Producers.” Gray was commissioned to take a look at the export basis — the difference between the price of grain at the export terminal, and the price you’re getting at the elevator. That “export basis” includes railway movement costs, country grain handing costs, demurrage and the grain company’s profit margin. On average, Gray found,

from 2002-03 to 2012-13, the export basis was $72.50/mt. Even the removal of the CWB monopoly in 2012-13 didn’t cause a huge increase in the long-term average. But anyone selling wheat last winter noticed that the 201314 basis was wider than usual. In fact, Gray’s report said “In February 2014 the difference between the f.o.b. West Coast price and the primary elevator cash price reached $208/metric tonne.” This extreme was the high point (or perhaps I should say low point for farmers), and not the average. In October, 2014, Gray calculated the export basis at $112.98/ mt. Last month, Richard Gray wrote an update to his original report (“Update on 201415 Export Basis Levels to February 2015”). The SWDC released it on Feb. 16. And here’s the concern. Rather than seeing lower rail and elevation charges, Gray said “the export basis between the f.o.b. Vancouver export price and the Saskatchewan elevator price has increased from $112.98/ mt to $134.76/mt since Oct. 2014.” That’s right — our costs to get our wheat to a boat at the Vancouver port increased over the past few months. In the report, after some notes about data sources, Gray writes “Of interest, however, is that while the export price for Canadian wheat f.o.b. Vancouver has remained relatively constant to slightly higher between Oct. 2014 and Feb. 2015, the primary elevator price to producers in Saskatchewan has declined from $219/mt to 199.7/mt — a decline of 19.30/mt.” (That last part is highlighted in the report.) In the initial report presented to the CTA review, the SWDC and its collaborators began with, “Western grain producers lost an estimated $3.1 billion in 2013-14 and could lose an additional $2 billion in 201415 because of failures in the transportation and handling system.” Now, Richard Gray is rethinking that number. “Calculations of the aggregate losses for producers over the course of the 2014-15 crop year will have to be re-evaluated as the year progresses, as the previous November, 2014 estimate of $2 billion could prove to be a very significant underestimate.” It’s a good thing you’ve already taken that winter holiday.

Cereals Canada While we’re on the topic of the SWDC, the fact that it hasn’t joined the new national wheat organization, Cereals Canada, is still on the agenda for some. (Although the SWDC is not a member, Saskatchewan wheat growers are still represented at the Cereals Canada table by Radisson, Sask., farmer Joan Heath, who was appointed by the Saskatchewan government.)

A few issues ago, I quoted from a press release issued by the Canadian Wheat Board Alliance. I got this email from Greg Porozni, farmer, Alberta Wheat Commission director and chair of Cereals Canada. “I am sending this email to clarify a quote you printed from Kyle Korneychuk from the February 10 edition of ‘Grainews.’ The quote from Kyle states that ‘Cereals Canada cannot reflect the interests of farmers. It has only three western farmers on a Board largely composed of representatives of multinational grain and agrochemical companies.’ “This is completely false. Cereals Canada’s board of directors consists of six farmers three from Alta., one from Sask., one from Man. and one from Ont. Cereals Canada’s vision statement is: ‘A dynamic, responsive Canadian cereals industry that brings sustainable profitability to the entire value chain.’ “In order to meet our vision’s goals, all sectors must be profitable and the board of directors work together as a team to achieve success.” I talked to Greg Porozni in late February. He had recently returned from what he says was a “very successful trade mission to Southeast Asia. (Alta. farmer and Grainews columnist Sarah Weighum was part of this mission. The second part of her two-part report is on Page 23 of this issue.) “We took the lead on that,” Poronzi said, referring to Cereals Canada, “working of course with Cigi and the Canadian Grain Commission.” The fact that the SWDC is not contributing to Cereals Canada is a sore point for Porozni. “It’s a little frustrating for me, working in Alberta and doing a lot of good things,” he said. “Saskatchewan produces 45 per cent of the wheat production in Western Canada,” but isn’t helping to fund these trade missions. “They’re basically getting a free ride right now.” Another project Cereals Canada is working on is a market research development study, in conjunction with Cigi, working to make sure Canada can maintain or grow its share of the world wheat market. “I think our market share is slowly, steadily rising, by small increments, but at least we’re going in the right direction,” he told me. In the absence of the CWB monopoly, he said, “I think we’ve filled the gaps.” “We’ve done so much with Cereals Canada in one year, and we’re just getting going.” Porozni hopes Saskatchewan farmers will pressure the SWDC to join Cereals Canada. “The Saskatchewan wheat producers have to start asking the tough questions to the board of directors,” he said. “If I was a grower in Saskatchewan right now, I’d be asking those questions.” † Leeann

MARCH 10, 2015 grainews.ca /

Wheat & Chaff Farm safety

Assessing capabilities for farm safety

ssessing risk on the farm doesn’t just stop at machinery, livestock, buildings or agricultural chemicals. It also means assessing the capabilities of all those working on the farm. Injuries can and do occur when a person isn’t physical or mentally able to competently perform a farming task. Training, maturity, physical limitations and mental alertness are all factors that can mean the difference between effective and efficient use of time or an injury. Children and the elderly on farms are particularly at risk. Children aren’t miniature adults. Tasks that may seem simple to an adult can often prove to be complicated and dangerous for a child. It’s important to assess a child’s capabilities in an unbiased way. Many parents over-estimate their child’s maturity and their child’s understanding of risk. Children are often eager to help and may try to complete tasks that they don’t have a clear understanding of. Every child grows, learns to think and develops emotionally differently. It is also natural for farmers to want to include their children in farm activities. Introducing children at a young age to farm activities can help build many varied skills. However, there is sometimes a fail-

ure to appreciate that children are more at risk to farm hazards than mature adults. Young people may feel under pressure to complete tasks for which they are not qualified or do not understand, or may not be physically able to do, sometimes with fatal consequences. An excellent resource to determine appropriate tasks for children on farm is the North American Guidelines for Children’s Agricultural Tasks (NAGCAT). The NAGCAT is a collection of guidelines designed to assist parents and others in assigning age-appropriate tasks for children. The guidelines are based on an understanding of childhood growth and development, agricultural practices, principles of childhood injury and agricultural and occupational safety. To find our more, please visit nagcat.org Older farmers are also at risk on Canadian farms. Farming-related fatal injury statistics show this. According to Canadian Agricultural Injury Reporting (CAIR) data, the age group with the highest fatality rate between 1990-2008 were those 80 years and older. The overall fatality rate was 12.9 deaths per 100,000; but in farmers over age 80, the rate was 79.7 deaths per 100,000. This is significantly

higher than the average. The realities of aging mean that eyesight, reaction time, hearing, and strength deteriorate, making some farming tasks more dangerous. Getting older doesn’t mean giving up farming all together, rather it means taking realistic assessments of your capabilities. Everyone ages and adjusting for this reality can keep older farmers safe. It is possible to somewhat compensate for the loss of abilities that comes with aging. Regular check-ups, exercising extra caution, maintaining good hydration levels, staying rested, and asking for help are all a part of aging gracefully and safely. It’s also important to understand how chronic conditions such as arthritis and medications to treat diseases may affect reaction times and mental alertness. Adjusting tasks, changing roles and asking for help can all prevent injuries in older farmers. If you are working with an older farmer, speak up if you notice dangerous farming practices. Older farmers might not want to admit that they need help with farming duties. Talking about limitations may save a life. Older farmers do have an edge on their younger counterparts: wisdom. Using that wisdom to understand their

You might be from the Prairies if... By Carson Demmans and Jason Sylvestre

o matter what you’re planning to grow this season — be it soybeans, canola or pulses — protecting that crop from Rhizoctonia and ensuring a good, strong stand establishment should be your first priority. I’ve seen many situations where Rhizoctonia infections in fields have caused seed rot and decay, pre and post emergence damping off, and even seedling blight after the crop has come out of the ground. That’s why I say it all comes back to getting a good stand establishment so you can set the stage for yields in the fall. Seed treatments are an important tool for optimizing that stand establishment and protecting plants from soil borne diseases and early season insect pests. If you can protect that seedling early in the season, you’re also supporting the growth of properly developed roots that anchor the plant in the soil, take up nutrients more efficiently and help your crop out-compete nearby weeds. Your fertility program and weed management program will also be based around that stand and what yield potentials you can expect to get in that year. And the better the crop potential you have, the more you are going to want to keep that investment going and maximize your returns. † This agronomy tip is brought to you by Ted Labun, western seedcare technical lead, Syngenta Canada Inc.

Canadian Agricultural Safety Association — www. casa-acsa.ca

Weather Lore

Agronomy tips… from the field

Take a stand against Rhizoctonia

limitations will create a safer environment and let them enjoy their golden years without threat of a farm injury. Children and older farmers aren’t the only ones at risk on the farm. Farmers between the ages of 18-79 are also at risk. A good self-assessment of your physical well-being, mental health and knowledge are all a part of injury prevention. It’s ok not to understand how to operate a piece of equipment, ask for training from the dealer. It’s ok not to feel well, seek medical advice from your doctor. It’s ok to be tired, get rest and eat a well-balanced diet. Assess your own capabilities fairly. Human error accounts for the majority of near-misses, injuries and fatalities. Understanding and accepting limitations are the first step — only then can solutions be sought to fix the problem. Remember: no one should be permitted to carry out any work activity unless their capabilities have been assessed to do the job. Canadian Agricultural Safety Week is March 15-21, 2015. For more information about how you can “Be the Difference,” please visit agsafetyweek.ca. †

Crazy cat behaviour .. When the cat stands on its brain, Look for thunder ...lightning ...rain!

lthough this rhyme describes a summer storm, crazy cat behaviour can forecast a change in the weather any time of the year. We’ll probably notice it more in winter because they’re more likely to be indoors with us. Winter (and summer) storms are usually preceded by a drop in barometric pressure. This can cause twinges in old injuries, upset tummies and even itchiness in our furry, feline friends. This accounts for the bizarre behaviour they tend to exhibit prior to a storm. No, they don’t actually stand on their brains but they do achieve some amazing acrobatics as they race through the house, scattering furniture, rugs and occasionally their people in their wake. †

You have gone to a wedding and been related to both sides.

Photo contest

GIVE US YOUR BEST SHOT Laura Elias of Stuartburn, Man., sent in this photo. Laura said, “Our border collie dog loves riding in our farm truck. Here, she’s very pleased to be able to go along with my brother Jason to the other farm.” Thanks for sharing this, Laura! We’ll send 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 writeup 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. Leeann

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.

/ grainews.ca MARCH 10, 2015

Cover Stories Farm awards

Manitoba crop advisor wins international award By Julienne Isaacs

PUBLI SH ER

anitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (MAFRD) has an internationally recognized certified crop advisor on staff. John Heard, a soil fertility specialist with MAFRD based in Carman, Man., recently traveled to Long Beach, Califoria, to collect this year’s International Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) award from the American Society of Agronomy at its annual meeting. This award recognizes certified crop advisors who deliver exceptional customer service, are innovative, are leaders in their fields, and have contributed to the transfer of agronomic knowledge. Day to day, Heard focuses his work on co-ordinating and providing technical training for certified crop advisors and other crop consultants or agricultural retailers through conferences, the Manitoba Crop Diagnostic School and winter workshops. “My crop advising to Manitoba farmers is usually done through contacts initiated by other advisors — either in the extension service or the ag retail business,” Heard says. “Much of my field work involves establishing onfarm demonstrations or research on current problems, for example, rescue nitrogen applications when soybean inoculation fails.” Heard believes the most important aspect of his work is communication with agronomists and farmers. He directs his energies at educating and training crop advisors. “Agronomists, especially certified crop advisors, can make more impact dealing one on one with farmers than I can ever reach,” he says. “That’s why training and working with them is so important.” A graduate of University

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John Heard believes the most important aspect of his work is communication with agronomists and farmers. of Guelph (crop science) and Purdue University (conservation tillage), Heard worked for the extension service in Ontario as an assistant ag rep in Huron County, a soil and crop specialist in Perth/Huron Counties, and a crop research coordinator in northern Ontario with New Liskeard college. Since 1996, he has worked in Manitoba as a soil fertility extension specialist. Currently, Heard’s extension efforts are focused on economic nitrogen rates when crop prices slip but fertilizer costs remain high. A new challenge is producing marketable protein levels in high yielding wheat varieties grown by Manitoba farmers, as well as promoting recent phosphorus guidelines to account for the soil test depletion experienced with high yielding crops, while recognizing the water quality concerns of losses in surface water. “I’m proud of the Manitoba soil fertility extension and research team I am a part of and the

guidelines we’re providing for Manitoba farmers,” says Heard.

Advancing extension Heard has found many ways to advance soil fertility extension. He chairs the Manitoba Soil Fertility Advisory Committee, which comprises agricultural researchers, business and extension specialists, and reviews soil fertility research to develop recommendations for Manitoba farmers. “The recent retirement of worldrenowned soil fertility researcher Dr. Cindy Grant from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will make this job tougher,” Heard says. He’s also a director with Nutrients For Life Canada, which produces and delivers science-based soil training to supplement Canada’s high school curriculum. And, he works on the editorial board of the CCA magazine “Crops and Soils”. Outside of work, he serves as treasurer at his church and as a scout leader.

When Heard travels for conferences and industry events, he has a chance to indulge in his passion, “soil hunting” — collecting soil samples. “It is a hobby I fell into after crusading with others in Manitoba to have the Newdale clay loam officially proclaimed as the official provincial soil here,” he says. “Then I decided to make the collection and photographing of other provincial or state soils part of our trip-taking.” Collecting soil is more than just an extension effort for Heard. It epitomizes the work he is recognized for internationally and the work he loves to do — meeting people and sharing information for everyone’s benefit. “Soil hunting gets us off the Interstate and into fields, and meeting great folks, often farmers, university or state agronomists that normally you would never meet,” he says. † Julienne Isaacs is a Winnipeg-based freelance writer and editor. Contact her at julienne.isaacs@gmail.com.

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Seed varieties » CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Resisting fusarium head blight

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Unlocking AC Emerson’s resistance AC Emerson is a relatively new winter wheat, and the first of any class rated resistant to FHB. Asked by a delegate whether researchers have been able to identify which genes are resistant, Brûlé-Babel said they haven’t yet. She suspects it’s a type one resistance, based on what she’s seen in other winter wheat. A graduate student will try to map the resistant genes this summer, she said. Brûlé-Babel said that when they first registered AC Emerson, she was worried the resistance might not hold up. “But it seems to be holding up quite well,” she said. † Lisa Guenther is field editor for Grainews based at Livelong, Sask. Contact her at Lisa.Guenther@ fbcpublishing.com or on Twitter @LtoG.

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

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These are actual fusarium spores, F. avenaceum, under the microscope. There are several different fusarium types.

Fusarium symptoms: The seed on the top is healthy; the seed in the bottom photo is infected with the fungal disease.

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MARCH 10, 2015 grainews.ca /

Features Seeding

Up seed rate to add pea yeild Prairie researchers looks at the costs and benefits of combinations of four pea input treatments. Try their results on your farm By Melanie Epp

hile individual aspects of field pea production have been researched, combined agronomic factors have not been evaluated simultaneously before. Led by Laryssa Grenkow, research manager at Western Applied Research Corporation, a team of researchers, including Eric Johnson, Anne Kirk, Stewart Brandt, Sherrilyn Phelps, Chris Holzapfel and Bryan Nybo, determined which agronomic practices contribute most to field pea seed yield. They also looked at combinations of agronomic practices to see which would produce the highest pea yield and the best economic return. “It is not only the impact of individual inputs that we wanted to look at, but also the inputs in combination to see if by combining certain inputs there could be further increases in yield,” says Sherilyn Phelps, agronomy and seed program manager for Saskatchewan Pulse Growers. Deciding which inputs to test was a challenge, Phelps says, since they wanted to include everything that producers have to decide on each growing season. The inputs that were evaluated included seeding rate (60 versus 120 seeds per square metre), fungicide applications (no application versus two applications), type of inoculant used (liquid versus granular), seed treatments (none versus seed treatment), and starter nitrogen (none versus 30 pounds per acre). The researchers started with what they called an “empty package,” which included a seeding rate of 60 seeds/m2, liquid inoculant, no seed treatment, no starter nitrogen and no fungicide treatments. They then added the inputs individually and in combinations of two, three and even four. The final treatment — the “full package” — included a higher seeding rate (120 seeds/ m2), granular inoculant, seed treatment, starter nitrogen and fungicide applications.

ally recommended plant density,” says Phelps, “so it is difficult to assess if our current recommendations provide the crop with plant density high enough to maximize yield potential. The best return on investment was at the higher rate due to significant yield increase.” Growers should be cautioned, though, that there was a general trend for higher disease ratings as seeding rates increased.

Consistent yields With regards to input combinations, only some consistently resulted in higher yields.

“Consistency is important,” says Phelps. “Increased consistency in response also means decreased variability. The inputs that increase yield also resulted in lower variability.” “As we combined these inputs the variability decreased even further with still some yield benefits,” Phelps says. “The highest yields were obtained when all three inputs were combined at the high yielding sites.” The lower yielding sites were less consistent, but it’s important to note that they did have other yield-limiting factors, such as environment. At the low yielding sites, using a higher

seeding rate was the highest yielding input. What’s the return on investment? Economic benefits were highest when the combination of seeding rate, fungicide and granular inoculant were used in the high yielding sites with seeding rate being a component of the top four economic returns, says Phelps. At the low yielding sites, seeding rate provided the highest economic return. “Fungicide application on its own was one of the lower returns due to the cost,” Phelps says. In a recent report, Laryssa Grenkow wrote that although the combination of granular inoculant, high seeding rate and foliar fungi-

cide did, on average, result in the highest yields and the highest net returns, applying only the high seeding rate to the empty input package also saw significant yield increase, on average. In fact, it had the second highest net return. Grenkow and Phelps suspect an intermediate seeding rate may provide yield improvements and be more economical when combined with other inputs. “Growers should focus on seeding rate, granular inoculant and fungicide in order to maximize yield potential and economic return,” concludes Grenkow. † Melanie Epp is a freelance farm writer based in Guelph, Ont.

What’s better than maximizing yield potential and quality? ( A really nice place to brag about it.)

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The results In the high yielding sites, yield increases were seen where higher seeding rates, a fungicide application and granular inoculant were applied alone. When applied in combination, further yield increases occurred. The high yielding sites, located in Scott and Melfort, Sask., and Minto, Man, were those sites where yields were consistently over 45 bu./acre. Two sites, Indian Head and Swift Current, Sask., saw lower yields due to environmental limitations, including excess moisture and root rot. At these sites in particular, the biggest yield gains were seen where seeding rates were increased. While the researchers only used two seeding rates in their experiment — 60 and 120 seeds/m2 — current recommendations suggest that growers should target plant densities of around 80 plants/m2. “The populations in this experiment are outside the tradition-

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NEWS

110201534_Twinline-Caramba_SnapOn_Ad_GN_v3.indd 1

Client: BASF

2015-01-21 2:28 PM

Publication: Grain News

Desiree

/ grainews.ca MARCH 10, 2015

Features Soil management

Controlled traffic farming CTF enthusiasts are drawing lots of interest, and starting to collect long-term data. For some, the benefits will outweigh the costs By Lisa Guenther

Chatting with reporters after his presentation, Gamache said hen you think farmers are showing lots of interabout compaction, est in the system, but it’s still you might think an early days. He estimated that ounce of preven- about 15 Alberta farmers have tion is better than a pound of converted to controlled traffic, cure. Controlled traffic farming is at least in part. Producers “have a system that may be both cure lots of healthy scepticism” about and prevention. whether it will make sense on Controlled traffic farming sepa- their farms, he added. rates crop from traffic zones. “Wheel Controlled traffic is more widely tracks are confined to specific lanes used in Australia, but Gamache or tramlines,” Peter Gamache told told reporters Australians have delegates at Crop Production Week been at it for 20 years. “I think the biggest thing is in Saskatoon in January. Gamache heads Controlled Traffic Farming Australia has had their backs the wall because of climatic Alberta (CTF Alberta), 1an on-farm FBC-JuniorAds.pdf 09/02/2015 12:44:44against PM conditions,” he said. Much of the research organization.

CMY

adoption in Australia took place during a prolonged drought, he said, and controlled traffic farming performs well during droughts. So how well does controlled traffic farming work in Alberta? And what are the pros and cons of the system? More work needs to be done, but CTF Alberta is starting to yield answers.

The research so far CTF Alberta completed a project between 2011 and 2013, and is now into its second three-year project. The project collects data from five co-operating farmers located in various parts of Alberta.

During the first project, farmers implemented controlled traffic on plots ranging from 140 acres to 480 acres. A plot with regular random traffic served as a check. Gamache said they’re now using replicated plots to gather statistically-valid data. The co-operators have also switched most of their acres to controlled traffic in the last few years, although some may still be changing pieces of the system, Gamache said. Farmers switching to controlled traffic don’t need to stick to small equipment. They can scale up by using ratios. For example, Craig Shaw of Lacombe used a 30-foot combine header, 30-foot

seeders and a 120-foot sprayer, according to a CTF Alberta report. Gamache said co-operators’ seed drills range from 30 feet to 80 feet. One benefit they’ve seen is risk management. Controlled traffic farming systems work well during droughts and excess moisture situations, Gamache said. And controlled traffic systems give farmers an edge when it comes to completing field operations in a timely manner. Most of the Alberta co-operators said they were able to spray on their tramlines a little earlier than their neighbours, Gamache said. “The tramlines are packed. They’re hard. They hold traffic.” Gamache added that if they can stay on tramlines, farmers can harvest in “horrendous” conditions, if need be. Controlled traffic farming is also a good platform for on-farm research. “Pass-to-pass accuracy is phenomenal. The elimination of errors and odd-ball things” such as random field traffic creates better, more reliable data, Gamache said. The system also makes it easier to do inter-row seeding, Gamache said. Co-operating farmers can then leave taller stubble. By leaving cereal stubble at 16 or 18 inches, Morrin-area farmer Steve Larocque was able to boost harvest speeds from two to 4.2 mph, according to the CTF Alberta report. That stubble also makes the following year’s pea crop easier to harvest, even if it gets nailed by hail.

Soils take time to repair Farmers have also seen better water infiltration and more even crop maturity, Gamache told delegates. University of Alberta researchers will be looking at rooting depth, root size, pore space and biological activity in the soil. “All those we would expect to improve,” Gamache said. Asked whether controlled traffic fields were less likely to develop ruts, Gamache said there probably was a gain in that area with controlled traffic. “But we need to probably have some more variety in weather, too,” he said. Gamache said most tramlines have held up well, but are now at the stage where they need a tune-up. The tramlines tend to dish and rise in the centre, he explained. How often ruts will need to be fixed will depend on weather, he added.

Drawbacks and unknowns Australian researchers have noted yield gains in controlled traffic systems. But so far Alberta yields are “kind of flat,” said Gamache. So far they haven’t seen a consistent,

MARCH 10, 2015 grainews.ca /

Features 1

photos: ctf alberta

photo: roger andreiuk

1. CTF allows farmers to leave taller stubble. 2. With CTF, wheel tracks are confined to specific lanes, or tramlines, like these tramlines in winter wheat. 3. In this photo, researchers are measuring tramline depth after four years of traffic. 4. The CTF system makes it easier to do inter-row seeding. real difference between controlled traffic and random traffic plots, he explained. Gamache hopes that will change. “We do think that soils take time to repair and some soils may not repair very quickly just by nature of their texture and those kinds of things,” he told reporters. Some soils, such as cracking clay, seem to respond quicker, he added. In England, farmers are routinely told to do some deep working of their soils while they’re establishing tramlines, Gamache said. He added the Alberta group hasn’t tried it yet, but has talked about it. The layout of a controlled traffic system would lend itself to such an on-farm experiment, he added. Controlled traffic farming is also a rigid system, Gamache said. Farmers can’t buy machinery without making sure it’s the right size, he said. Sometimes a machine’s working width is less than the manufacturer’s specs, so farmers need to measure. And for controlled traffic farming to work, farmers can’t deviate from the tramlines. “If you have a lot of custom guys, you’re not likely set up to do this,” said Gamache. Fields dotted with sloughs, bluffs or other obstacles aren’t ideal, either. “Long straight runs are helpful,” said Gamache. Gamache said controlled traffic farming has a big learning curve. Co-operating farmers have been doing it for a few years but are still refining their systems, he said. Weed control on bare tramlines has been a problem in Australia. Alberta farmers are seeing more weeds on their tramlines, too. “There’s less competition. That’s also where we get good seed to soil contact,” Gamache said. There are also capital investments. Most farmers upgrade to RTK, which is a more precise guidance system than GPS. Farmers might also need to modify existing equipment. For more information, visit controlledtrafficfarming.org. The report referenced in this article is titled ONTRACK booklet on the 2011-2013 project and is found on the “About” page. † Lisa Guenther is field editor for Grainews based at Livelong, Sask. Contact her at Lisa.Guenther@ fbcpublishing.com or on Twitter @LtoG.

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/ grainews.ca MARCH 10, 2015

Features Crop Advisor’s casebook

Mystery of the ailing soybeans By Russell Thompson

t was the first week in July when I got a call from Aaron, who grows wheat, canola, barley and soybeans at his farm northeast of Dauphin, Man. Soybeans account for 1,000 acres of Aaron’s 3,300-acre operation, but plants in two of his soybean fields were really struggling. “The crop isn’t doing so well in those fields, compared to the rest,” he said. “The plants are stunted, and their leaves are yellowing and dropping off.” I paid Aaron a visit to have a look at his soybean crop. I could clearly see that the affected fields were not as green and lush as the nearby soybean fields. I also observed that while plant populations were appropriate in the affected fields, individual plants in them were smaller and weren’t as bushy as those in the healthy fields. A closer look revealed the affected plants had unifoliate and first trifoliate leaves that were not only yellow and but also covered with small brown spots. Soybeans’ cotyledon leave emerge out of the ground first. Then the unifoliate leaf, followed by the first trifoliate leaf. The lowest leaves were sloughing off, and most of the cotyledons had already dropped off too, much earlier than they usually do. We dug up plants to check the condition of the roots, but they were well nodulated and there was no evidence of root disease. It had been a late spring with cold, wet weather, but the affected fields, which were on light soils, were quite dry. I asked Aaron about the history of those fields and was told this was the second consecutive year he’d planted soybeans on them and that no fertilizer had been applied. Aaron thought some kind of leaf disease might be to blame for the crop’s poor condition, but I wasn’t so sure. I arranged to have plant tissue samples sent to Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development’s Crop Diagnostic Lab as well as another agriculture

Russell Thompson is a sales agronomist with Richardson Pioneer Ltd. in Dauphin, Man.

The soybean plants were stunted. Their leaves Plant populations were fine, but individual plants were were yellowing and dropping off. smaller and not as bushy as in healthy fields.

Casebook winner

andon Olsen is the Casebook winner for this issue. Landon is a sales rep for Cervus Equipment (a John Deere dealership) in Drumheller, Alberta. He also works with this wife Kim, son Weston and parents Roger and Janice on his family grain and hay farm, Mile West Farms, near Cereal, Alta. Landon says, “We mainly plant hard red spring wheat and alfalfa/grass mix.” Landon is a fourth generation farmer. Thanks for reading, and thanks for entering Landon. We’re renewing your Grainews subscription for a year and sending you a Grainews cap. † Leeann Minogue

testing service to help shed some light on the issue. Do you think you know what’s ailing Aaron’s soybean crop? 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. The best suggestions will be pooled and one winner will be drawn. The answer will appear in the next Crop Advisor’s Solution File. † Russell Thompson is a sales agronomist with Richardson Pioneer Ltd. in Dauphin, Man.

The lowest leaves were sloughing off.

Crop advisor’s solution

Common root rot and loose smut hurt durum By Ashley Kelly

erry, a farmer with 3,500 acres of durum wheat, canola, flax and peas about 100 kilometres south of Regina, Sask., called in late July to tell me about a big problem with one of his crops. His durum was looking very unhealthy, with thin crop stands and large swaths of small, sickly looking plants scattered throughout the fields. When I arrived at an affected field to have a look, I noted numerous symptoms. In addition to stunting, the affected plants had small heads (some of which were black and sooty), brownish stained lower stems and bottom leaves that were completely yellow. In addition, the plants could be pulled out of the ground very easily and they contained virtually no root mass. Terry informed me the same symptoms could be found in all his durum fields, and asked if weather could be a factor because

of all the rain he’d seen so far that year. While the environmental stress of too much moisture might have played a role in making the symptoms look worse, I knew it couldn’t be the main factor because there were numerous durum fields at nearby farms that looked completely healthy. There were no red flags when Terry told me about his crop protection program and no issues with crop fertility either. Like every year, Terry had applied the necessary amount of nutrients that his agronomist recommended. Drill issues were also ruled out since this would have caused discernable damage patterns in the durum fields and none were evident, and there hadn’t been any plugging or rate monitor problems. I had spotted a large amount of tan spot on some affected plants during my inspection but I knew there was much more at work here than simply leaf disease. I suspected that at the heart of the

problem was poor seed. When I asked Terry if his seed had been tested or if he had treated his seed to protect it against seed and soil-borne diseases prior to sowing, he confirmed he hadn’t done either one. Clearly, Terry’s durum seed had been poor quality and the lack of seed treatment had compounded the problem. The reason the crop looked so sickly was that it was suffering from a severe case of common root rot and loose smut. Common root rot is carried on or in the seed and infecting spores may also be present in the top few centimetres of the soil. They can remain dormant for several years until they are triggered to germinate by host plants. Infections can be prevented through a systemic seed treatment as well as seed testing for the presence of seedling diseases like common root rot. If high enough levels of disease are detected, new seed sources may be warranted.

Loose smut can occur wherever durum is grown. Because spores of loose smut are usually dispersed before crops mature, the disease typically doesn’t affect grain quality or yield. Loose smut is easily prevented with a systemic seed treatment. Sadly for Terry, there wasn’t anything he could do bring the crop back at this late stage of plant development. The damage was already done and the plants were reaching maturity. The yields in the affected durum fields ended up being 40 to 50 per cent less than the previous yields for Terry’s durum crops. Going forward, I recommended that Terry have his seed source tested yearly. I also urged him to always treat his seed to protect it against seed and soil-borne diseases like common root rot and loose smut, which if left unchecked, can have devastating consequences for a crop. † Ashley Kelly is a sales agronomist with Richardson Pioneer Ltd. in Corinne, Sask.

MARCH 10, 2015 grainews.ca /

Features Seeding

Price impacts soy seeding rates Researchers say growers should evaluate input costs, plant survival rate By Julienne Isaacs

some much-needed data for mak- seeding rates and plant populaing seeding decisions. tions that will be concluded in According to Karpinchick, the 2017,” he says. seed is the most expensive input But seeding decisions should for farmers growing Roundup- always be made on a case-by-case Ready soybeans, so determining basis, regardless of the data. the most economical seeding rate “There are many factors such as is an imperative. germination, cracked seed, weed He says that, based on the data management, insects, pathogens, collected for this study in east- and seed varieties etc. that can ern Manitoba, in conjunction with affect seed survivability throughout other soybean population research, the growing season,” Karpinchick the MPGA is working on building says. “Thus, each grower has their an app that will allow growers own target seeding rate depending to input costs, plant population on these factors.” counts, and soybean price/bushel Growers interested in particito help determine if they have pating in future field-scale trials achieved maximum profitability. are invited to contact Tone Ag And data collection will con- Consulting. † tinue. “We are currently working Julienne Isaacs is a Winnipeg-based freelance on a similar project in western writer and editor. Contact her at julienne. isaacs@gmail.com. T:8.125” Manitoba on determining optimal

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ccording to a recently completed three-year study into the effects of lower seeding rates on soybean yields, growers must pay attention to both the cost of seed and individual plant survival rates when making seeding rate decisions. This is one of the conclusions in a study by Ron Tone, Jordan Karpinchick and Elizabeth Karpinchick of Tone Ag Consulting, a St. Pierre Jolys, Man.-based independent agricultural consulting. The results of the study were included in a paper submitted to the Manitoba Agronomists’ Conference at the University of Manitoba in December, 2014. The study, funded by the Manitoba Pulse Growers Association, took into account 26 on-farm population trials involving soybean growers in eastern Manitoba. Each trial included six strips planted with a higher seeding rate, alternating with six strips planted with a lower seeding rate. “The higher seeding rate represented the farmer’s normal seeding rate and we compared it with a reduced seeding rate of 30,000 seeds per acre less than their normal rate,” says Jordan Karpinchick. For the 2014 trials, three air seeders and seven planters were used. Fields were on average half a mile long, and the strips varied in width between 40 and 80 feet, depending on the participating farmers’ ability to take a “pure” combine swath. Trials were scouted during each growing stage to monitor plant maturity and population, row closure and ground cover, and incidence of disease and insects, as well as rainfall. In all three years, soybean yields appeared to have little relationship with rainfall. “Out of the 10 trials conducted in 2014, four of them showed an economic advantage for the high seeding rate at a soybean price of $10/bushel,” he says. “This shows that the most profitable seeding rate changes as the price of soybeans change.” Data from the trial shows a 1.3 bushel/acre yield advantage to the fields seeded with a higher rate in 2014, but with the current prices at $10/bushel and the cost of 30,000 seeds at $13/acre, Karpinchick says there is no economic advantage for either the higher or the lower seeding rate averages in 2014. “Looking at the plant populations we counted over the threeyear study, the farmer needs to have between 120,000 to 140,000 plants per acre at first trifoliate and between 100,000 and 120,000 plants per acre at preharvest to achieve the maximum economic yield,” he explains. “When prices for soybeans start to drop, a reduction in seeding rates may be needed in order to maintain a profit.” On the other hand, when prices rise above $11/bushel, the data from Karpinchick’s study illustrates that for planters, the higher seeding rate average of 173,000 seeds/acre was more profitable than the lower seeding rate average of 143,000 seeds/acre.

Case by case Karpinchick says it’s up to growers to be aware both of the current survival rate of individual plants and of the price of seed in order to make informed seeding rate decisions for soybeans. “It is important for growers to understand their input costs to determine their most profitable seeding rate based on the average seed mortality rates that we found in the three-year study,” he says. Historically, Manitoba has seen a wide disparity in soybean seeding rates, and Manitoba agronomists and consultants have traditionally based their recommendations on Ontario and North Dakota guidelines. The study’s results offer Manitoba growers

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/ grainews.ca MARCH 10, 2015

Features Crop production

Fertilizer needs in canola Without enough nutrients, canola yields suffer. Try these tips for nutrition By Melanie Epp

anola production relies heavily on access to adequate plant nutrients, including nitrogen, phosphorus, sulphur and potassium. Since the nutritional level of an individual plant will affect its response to stress factors (including adverse weather and disease pressure), poor nutrition could mean the difference between profit and loss. It’s not just about profit, though. A good fertilizer management program also helps to maintain the productivity of the soil in the long term as well. It goes without saying, then that adequate plant nutrition requires good soil fertility management. Here’s what you need to know.

results. “Due to highly variable sulphur levels within fields, composite soil tests may show sufficient levels even though large parts of the field are deficient,” says the site, which recommends using ammonium sulphate to address sulphur needs in the year of application. Remember, elemental sulphur cannot usually be converted into available sulphate in time for adequate crop uptake in the year of application, at least not in sufficient quantities. The Canola Council of Canada recommends that ammonium sulphate (AS) be placed away from the seed row. “Save the seed-row location for phosphorus fertilizer, as it provides a known early sea-

son benefit to stand establishment,” they suggest. “Adding AS to the seed row in addition to ammonium phosphate pushes the nitrogen levels too high for seedling safety in many cases.” Finally, if the crop shows signs of deficiency, an in-crop application of sulphate fertilizer could effectively rescue most of the crop’s yield potential, but only if fertilizer is applied early enough to allow sufficient uptake by early flowering at the latest.

4. Account for phosphorus and potassium needs Unlike nitrogen, soil test values for phosphorus and potassium are not the forms or

amounts taken up by plant, says Heard, so they cannot be simply mathematically subtracted from the amounts required for certain yield levels. “They are an index of the soil supply and their ranges (very low, low, medium, high, etc.) indicate whether there is a high or low probability of yield response to applied nutrient,” Heard says. “So farmers and crop advisors generally use soil lab values as a starting place in deciding on rate.” Knowing crop removal amounts can still be useful to growers, though, particularly those who are producing yields that are higher than what the original research achieved. In

cases where crop removal is higher, soil depletion can occur. “In order to maintain soil productivity, some accounting of this extra removal is required,” says Heard. “Some soil test recommendations take this into account, others do not.” “We observe this most commonly for phosphorus in Manitoba soils where crop yields are high and farmers’ placement and timing choices may limit their applications for crops such as canola,” Heard continues. “Under such situations we are seeing soil depletion and recognize that increased fertility input is required to maintain soil fertility levels.” † Melanie Epp is a freelance farm writer based in Guelph, Ont.

1. Test the soil Knowing what your crop needs can mostly be determined by evaluating the results of a recent soil test. In particular, look at nutrient levels for nitrogen, phosphorus, sulphur and potassium — as well as macronutrients (see sidebar). “The soil is a great supplier of most of these nutrients,” says John Heard, crop nutrition specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives. “Hence, the need for a soil test.”

Use soil lab values as a starting point 2. Calculate nitrogen needs “The standard soil test for nitrogen measures a form of nitrogen that can be taken up directly by the plant (nitrate-N), so we can sometimes do simple arithmetic to decide how much more nitrogen needs to be supplied for a certain yield level,” says Heard. “This would be a starting place for a fertility recommendation… the determining rate.” Other management aspects may also have great impact on nutrient levels, though, he says, mentioning timing, placement and the source of nitrogen itself. “These should be formulated individually or with the help of a crop adviser,” he says. “Further sophistication means tailoring nitrogen rates by the cost of the fertilizer and the value of the crop. Manitoba provides an N-rate calculator for such purposes.” To use the calculator, visit: www.mb.ca, and type “nitrogen calculator” in the search box.

3. Remember sulphur needs Sulphur is very important for meeting yield expectations, says the Canola Council of Canada website. Typically, experts recommend 10 to 20 punds of sulphur per acre, regardless of soil test

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MARCH 10, 2015 grainews.ca /

Features Ag researcH

Finding the ideal plot size What happens in a small-scale trial doesn’t always work in the field. Researcher Bill May is trying to find the most practial research plot size By Andrea Hilderman

research allows a team to investigate numerous treatments in one season at multiple locations. After harvest, statistical analyses are conducted to examine the differences and further, determine which of those differences are “real.” Usually, these studies will be repeated over a number of years to ensure that the environment in a particular year is not causing the differences.

photo: leeann minogue

These are examples of small-sized research plots used to investigate new chemical applications in 2014 at the IHARF research farm.

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gricultural researchers and farmers are engaged in an ongoing quest to learn how to grow crops better or more successfully. They are also engaged in a battle against legions of changing and new pests and diseases, as well as always looking to find ways to diversify the farm business. Research to answer some of these questions has to be conducted on a smaller scale than the farm for many reasons, not least of which are cost and manpower. Small plot, replicated

Size does matter Plot size is important. A plant breeder dealing with tens of thousands of varietal lines generally uses a small plot about three

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meters by one meter. A research agronomist might use 1,000 foot or longer strips in a field to investigate fertilizer treatments. While the plot size might seem subjective, there are equipment considerations that can make certain sizes easier than others to work with. One of the considerations William (Bill) May, crop management agronomist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Indian Head Research Farm at Indian Head, has had to make is finding a plot size in which he can observe the biological effect of fungicide efficacy in canaryseed to control septoria leaf disease. “Our research in canaryseed has required us to rethink the ideal plot size in this case,” explains May. ”We were getting a response in the field to fungicide applications, but we were not seeing it in the 13 by 35 foot small plots we used.” This led May and his take a look at the ideal plot size they would need to use to effectively evaluate the fungicide treatments they were investigating in canaryseed. They used two different lengths, 35 and 70 feet and three different widths, 13, 26 and 36 feet. The team wrapped up Year 2 in 2014 and while 2014 results are not yet compiled, 2013 data showed that the most consistent results were obtained when the plot width was increased from 13 to at least 26 feet or the plot length was increased from 35 to 70 feet.

Working with ideal plot size is important “Part of the issue we have to account for are the 50 foot pathways we are required to leave for our seeder and sprayer,” says May. “There are ramifications for onset and progress of a disease like septoria when these pathways offering more airflow and drying and less ideal disease promoting conditions, the so-called border effect.” Working with the ideal plot size is important in terms of ensuring the plot represents what is happening in field scale, but also from the perspective of land and resource management. Additionally, if plots are too big, they may become less uniform; in that case, accurate assessments are not possible. Analysis of the data this year and over the next few years will provide the answers May is looking for. For farmers, this will mean researchers will be better able to provide the advice they need when it comes to controlling diseases and other pests in their crops. † Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or an affiliated company of Dow. 0814-38747-01r GN

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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.

/ grainews.ca MARCH 10, 2015

Features Farm management

Be a great board member Lot of farm associations need farmers to serve as board members. Here are 12 tips to getting on board and becoming a good one yourself By Patty Milligan

e rely on boards to ensure that organizations all around us run smoothly and effectively: the gas co-op, school district, agricultural society, seedcleaning co-op, or producer association, just to name a few. Throughout a farmer’s career, he or she may be asked to serve on any number of boards. Being a board member can have its share of difficulties — think endless meetings, awkward conference calls and roaring personality conflicts. In that case, serving on a board can be irritating at best or extremely stressful at worst. On the other hand, Dave Akister, the executive director of the Saskatchewan Seed Growers Association, observes that new board members on the SSGA board quickly realize how rewarding the experience is going to be. When they finish their term, they leave with a sense of pride and accomplishment. They have contributed to the community and they have developed transferrable professional skills. Make that experience positive both for yourself, the board and your industry or community by keeping these pointers in mind.

1. Take a small step first. Lisa Skierka, Manager at Alberta Barley, encourages growers to

choose any level of involvement they wish. It can be as simple as attending a fall meeting in your area. Greater involvement can come gradually. Many of Alberta Barley’s board members come up through a delegate system so by the time they reach the board, their interest in and understanding of the provincial board is clear.

2. Know why you want to serve Does your purpose match up that of the organization? People join boards for different reasons. Skierka believes the best board members are interested and passionate about the industry. They want to contribute.

3. Understand you have something to give Bill Ross, executive manager of the Manitoba Canola Growers, says board members all come with different skills: “Some are financial or marketing wizards. Some are good organizers. Some know how to work with people.” Akister tells new board members, “Be yourself. You were elected to the board because of the qualities you have.” A young farmer may feel too inexperienced to sit on a board, but Akister disagrees: “The way the seed industry is moving to computerization, we need the young people — the ones who don’t know what life is like without technology.”

Transferring the knowledge of running a farm operation — which requires many different skill sets — to a board of directors is, Skierka says, “the lifeblood of the system.”

4. Talk When it comes to being a board member, you need to be “more than a warm body,” says Cindy Bishop, organization development specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. Participation is key and that means expressing an opinion. A diversity of opinion is good for a healthy board. On the MCGA board, Ross wants “people to challenge other people.” Akister agrees: “The last thing I ever want to see is a collection of yes people.” The decision that a board reaches is often secondary to the discussion itself. Skierka believes “how the decision was made is what’s important.”

5. Don’t talk too much Ward Middleton, president of the board of Organic Alberta feels a good board member should be willing to express opinions “without being domineering.” Participating on a board also means listening. Akister emphasizes that for a meeting to be effective, there should be no sidebar conversations.

6. Learn

8. Wear the right hat

Organizations take different approaches to getting their board members up to speed. For their part, board members should soak up all the learning they can, whether it’s through a board package, delegate handbook, orientation, mentorship, or professional development seminars. Akister believes, “It’s my job to teach them the skills, whether it’s mic presence, or reading a financial statement.” Not all boards have the resources or the drive to educate their board members. If so, you can always educate yourself. Many organizations have excellent online or hard copy resources (see sidebar).

Board members may have competing interests. They run their own farm plus they may serve on several boards. Akister urges board members to know what hat they’re wearing when they come to the table, otherwise “the board will get dragged into everybody else’s issue.” Board members need to ask themselves, “Does this fit with OUR mandate?”

7. Understand you’re part of the whole Skierka points out, “On your farm, you’re the boss. On a board of directors you’re one of the bosses.” When a board starts fighting each other, Ross says, “you have to get back in the right direction otherwise you don’t get things done.” He also cautions, “Even when you’re on the losing side of the vote, you have to still take that same message.” A board speaks with one voice. As a board member, you’re an ambassador to the organization, supporting the board, the president, and the staff.

Learning about the job

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There are lots of excellent resources for anyone who wants to learn more about being an effective board member. All of these organizations have helpful information. • Alberta Culture and Tourism: At www.culture. alberta.ca, choose “programs and services,” then “board development.” • Saskatchewan Culture: Under “programs”, choose “Organizational Resources,” then “Good Governance” to find several documents that will be helpful for board members. • Volunteer Manitoba: At volunteerManitob.ca, choose “Training and Development” to find helpful information. • Strive.com: Look for Jim Brown’s useful book The Imperfect Board Member. If your education is entirely in your own hands, at minimum, you’ll want a copy of the bylaws, the board’s strategic plan, and a copy of “Robert’s Rules of Order.” You can buy a copy of this as a book (there are several book versions, even a Robert’s Rules for Dummies version), or visit www.robertsrules.org for a free copy of the 1915 version of the book. † Patty Milligan

9. Be clear about your role The best board members understand their roles and responsibilities and, Akister says, “Where they start and end. You can’t be the quarterback and the receiver at the same time.” Board members responsibilities always include avoiding conflict of interest and maintaining confidentiality.

10. Stay out of the weeds Strong boards have clear missions. But staying focused can be a challenge. Bishop finds they often want to “go into the weeds. Down to the operational level. The smallest details.” Boards must work to bring the conversation back up: “What is most relevant here? How can we step back and do some really productive strategic thinking?” Boards struggle to keep the bigger picture in mind because they are constantly challenged with crises and the operational everyday details. A strong strategic plan and a good set of bylaws are tools that anchor board members and employees, according to Ross. “Without these, you just wander around. With them, even if a board struggles, still goes forward.”

11. Pay attention to financials Money plays a large role in the operation of any board so board members have to understand it and feel comfortable talking about it. Their job is to ask questions about money coming in and money going out. If you feel insecure, learning how to read financial statements is a good first step.

12. Cultivate good relations with staff. Make sure you have a great staff that is reviewed honestly and regularly. Their job is to move the organization forward as per purpose and bylaws. As Middleton says, “While the board provides strategic direction, they are the ones who actually have their hands in the dirt.” Good board members help build an effective organization that can exert influence and create change. And that’s the point, says Middleton: “There are enough challenges in our industry — we don’t need more challenges on the board.” † Patty Milligan is a freelance writer based at Bon Accord, Alta.

MARCH 10, 2015 grainews.ca /

Features Farm products

Prairie-made combine parts Harvest Services Limited offers a made-in-Saskatchewan solution By Michael Flood

f there was ever a contest held for the device that had saved mankind the most hours of labour and effort, what machine would come out on top? The boat, which made it possible to cross vast oceans to trade? The automobile or airplane which reduced the distance between cities and peoples to hours rather than weeks or months? You might nominate the digital computer which handle so many tasks in our modern world. Those gadgets are all helpful but for true labour saving, consider the humble farm combine. As the cornerstone of farm mechanization they’ve shrunk the need for manual labour. Nothing comes without a cost though — like all other pieces of technology the convenience and labour saving of a combine depend on the smooth functioning of a range of specialized parts, all of them needing regular maintenance and eventual replacement. Finding new parts is easier if you have one of the newest combine models, but eventually, every machine is going to need parts. Some enterprising and mechanically inclined farmers have machine shops on their land that they use to make their own replacement parts. One firm in Craig, Saskatchewan, Harvest Services Limited, has made it into their main lines of business, selling refurbished and newly manufactured parts for a range of combine makes and models. Amber Vibert, the company’s sales specialist, explained their operation. The firm has had a complex history. Originally a division of Wilfong, it was bought by its employees in the 1960s. In the 1990s those employees were bought out by one of their number, Carol Vibert, who ran it with her family until the firm became a division of Ralph McKay. The company manufactures combine parts for a wide range of makes and models, including John Deere and Massey Ferguson. The dozen employees, operating out of six vast buildings in Craik, create all their parts on site — from rotary concaves and adjustable sieves to air foil chaffers and feeder chains. For small orders they can often ship from their present stocks, but they’re prepared to fill orders of any size with newly manufactured pieces. They sell to thousands of farmers across North America both directly and through a number of dealers across the Canadian and American Midwest. As an additional helpful service for farmers their website (www. harvestservices.ca) offers Service Bulletins for many of the parts they manufacture. These provide troubleshooting guides for common problems like grain bunching on chaffers and improperly fitted cover plates, with diagrams as well as suggested fixes you can perform yourself. In addition, the company is happy to take calls or e-mails from their users. This can be especially helpful if you’ve got a tricky problem

you’re pretty sure you can fix but aren’t quite sure how. Next year they on adding a wider range of parts for their current lines as well as expanding the range of makes they cover to include John Deere, Case IH, New Holland, Massey Fergusson, White, and Gleaner. A new combine is a huge investment even for a large, prosperous farm. Before you call the bank about extending your credit to replace your old combine you may want to see if a secondary manufacturer like Harvest Services can get you the parts you need. They just might save you a bundle. † Michael Flood (www.michael-flood.com) is a business writer and columnist. You can reach him at michael@michael-flood.com.

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Features Farm innovations

Integrity Post Structures These new Perma-Columns raised the roof at the Agri-Trade Equipment Expo By Michael Flood

very year the Agri-Trade Equipment Expo holds an exhibition of new and innovative ideas in farm equipment and supplies. They also recognize key innovators in the field with their Ag Innovations Awards, selected by a committee of independent local producers. Among this years’ winners was Okotoks, Alberta’s own Integrity Post Structures, in recognition for their new product, Perma-Columns.

photo: integrity post structures

Perma-columns are crafted from precast concrete. They keep the wooden frame out of contact with the ground, protecting the frame from rot and adding years of useful life to the structure.

Integrity post structures Incorporated in 2008, Integrity Post Structures specializes in the building of post-frame buildings

for the agricultural and commercial market. A post-frame building, as its name implies, is built using wooden posts as a frame unlike the more common post-and-beam structures. Using pre-fabricated wooden posts allows for a diversity of layouts, energy efficiency, and rapid construction times, all important to agricultural producers in need of structures to house livestock, store grain, or keep farm machinery out of the weather. They can also build very large structures without the need for poured concrete foundations. Their services are in high demand. Al Williams, co-founder of Integrity along with Jerry Myers, says they build between 300 and

400 buildings a year. “We manage 17 crews here,” Williams says. Part of the speed and economy Integrity offers is due to the simplicity: “Our buildings are very, very simple,” Williams says, “we try to stick with basic structures. We just focus on building the buildings, not getting sidetracked into floors or electrical or plumbing.” In Integrity’s experience most farmers are able to handle those features themselves or find local contractors to do the work. “A lot of times their struggle is with building the building itself,” Williams says. Those buildings can be very large — up to 22 feet high with the larger 290 pound columns — but few customers require roofs that high. One obstacle farmers often have is a lack of construction services. Concrete foundation contractors are sparse out in rural areas, and even when contractors can be found the foundations can be prohibitively expensive. This is where Integrity’s Perma-Columns give them a major lead over other contractors.

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Integrity is the licensed Canadian manufacturer of PermaColumns. Crafted from precast concrete, they keep the wooden frame out of contact with the ground. This protects the frame from rot and adds years of useful life to the structure, without greatly increasing cost or sacrificing the speed of building. It’s a solid concrete foundation for the building’s posts without the need for a full poured one. “Once we saw the product,” Williams says, “we knew there was great potential for it in Canada.” To every project Integrity brings a wealth of industry knowledge about the latest manufacturing and building techniques. Because of this they start each project by asking customers to talk to them about their needs rather than their wants. In one instance a farmer wanted a lean-to built onto an existing structure but Integrity was able to demonstrate that a whole new building would be less expensive than an expansion. “No two buildings are exactly the same,” says Williams, “they can be customized to suit individual needs. We’ve done this enough times that we have good solutions for a wide range of issues facing farmers.” Of particular interest to grain farmers is Integrity Post Structure’s grain storage buildings. Built with their Perma-Column, the buildings can be assembled quickly and at low cost. They also come in a wide range of sizes and options, with insulated and uninsulated doors of various sizes, perfect for housing farm equipment likes tractors and combines. Perma-Columns combines the economy of wooden post-frame construction with the versatility of a concrete foundation. Facing high demand for their services, Integrity is working on training new construction crews to continue delivering prompt, high-quality service to their customers. † Michael Flood (www.michael-flood.com) is a business writer and columnist. You can reach him at michael@michael-flood.com.

MARCH 10, 2015 grainews.ca /

Features Ag research

Researching our daily bread U.K. researchers are working to increase our global wheat yield and nutrition By Lilian Schaer

heat provides one fifth of human calories, but its yield growth has been on the decline since the 1980s. Researchers in the United Kingdom are trying to solve some of the world’s food security challenges by improving wheat productivity. Their goal, says Dr. Malcolm Hawkesford of leading British institute Rothamsted Research, is to increase wheat yield potential to 20 tonnes per hectare in 20 years — the equivalent of approximately 486 bushels per acre. The record wheat yield for the U.K. sits at 14.3 tonnes per hectare, set in 2013, and the world record of 15.6 tonnes per hectare was set by a New Zealand farmer in 2010. “The current average farm yield for wheat in the U.K. is approximately 8.4 tonnes per hectare,” said Dr. Hawkesford in a presentation at the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists’ congress held in the U.K. in September. “Obviously our project has a U.K. focus, but the outputs will be available widely. World wheat production is only about three tonnes per hectare.” To meet demands presented by a burgeoning world population expected to hit nine billion by 2050, the average annual increase in global wheat yields must almost double from its current level of one per cent to 1.7 per cent. Hawkesford stressed that his team aren’t plant breeders or focused on agronomy, but rather are working on producing knowledge and tools, such as delivering genetic markers for the improvement of wheat performance. A key initiative is the 20:20 Wheat project, which is funded through the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and includes four research clusters. Cluster 1 is focused on maximizing yield through genetic improvements, such as increasing the crop’s photosynthesis capabilities and making it more efficient at how it uses nutrients. Cluster 2 is working to maintain wheat’s yield potential by protecting it against pests and diseases like fusarium, septoria leaf blotch and “take-all”, three leading pathogens affecting wheat yield in the U.K. and elsewhere. Conquering them could boost average yields by five to 10 per cent, estimate Rothamsted researchers. Cluster 3 is determining how the soil and plant roots interact and how that interaction affects how the crop takes up the water and essential nutrients its needs to grow. This could increase yield potentials by 10 to 18 per cent. In the fourth cluster, researchers will be using crop models to study complex wheat traits, such as resource use efficiency, and explore how wheat types may perform under different climate change scenarios. A separate cluster of research at Rothamsted is focused on working to optimise the nutrient values of wheat and brassica (crops like broccoli, cabbage, kale, turnip, Brussels sprout and mustard) seeds.

Rothamsted researchers and scientists from other institutions to find new genetic variations by performing experimental crosses of wheat “parents,” such as wild wheat, landraces and other grasses. They will use the results to create new types of bread wheat with better resistance against diseases and pests, more drought, salt and heat tolerance, and higher yields. The resulting resources will be made available to plant breeders and farmers worldwide. Canada’s contribution to the wheat genome sequencing work is an $8.5 million project called Canadian Triticum Advancement through Genomics, which is aimed

at developing genomic tools and increasing genomic capacity in wheat breeding programs. In 2011, agriculture ministers from the G20 countries, including the U.K. and Canada, committed to establishing an international initiative to co-ordinate worldwide research efforts in wheat genetics, genomics, physiology, breeding and agronomy. The Wheat Initiative currently includes public research and funding organizations from 12 countries, as well as two international research centres and seven private global wheat breeding companies. † Lilian Schaer is a profeesional farm and food writer based in Guelph, Ontario. Follow her blog at foodandfarmingcanada.com.

The campus at Rothamsted Research outside of London.

photo: lilian schaer

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/ grainews.ca MARCH 10, 2015

Features Farm management

Lease financing: the facts Finance specialist Cameron Charlton lays out the pros and cons of leasing By Rebecca Hannam

ease financing is a popular way to pay for farm purchases. But there are many tax and financial implications. Cameron Charlton, equipment finance specialist with RBC, answered questions about lease financing. Here’s what he had to say. What financing options are available when purchasing equipment? The traditional train of thought is that when buying equipment, you can either pay cash or utilize loan financing. But farm business owners often have the additional option to lease equipment and can experience significant longterm benefits by doing so. The key to choosing the right option is to separate the purchase choice from the finance decision. By first deciding what pieces of equipment you need and where you can get them at the best prices, you can then involve your financial consultants to determine the best financing approach and make this an independent second decision. What does it mean to lease? A lease is a written agreement where a lessor or owner allows a lessee to use their property for a specific period of time and rent. There are two types of leases — capital and operating. Capital leases are based over the expected life of the equipment and include a buy-back agreement where the item can be purchased when the terms expire. The purchase option is an estimate of what the fair market value of the equipment will be at the option date. Operating leases provide financing for less than the expected useful life and at expiry, the equipment can be returned without further obligation. It is important to remember that equipment lessees have the same rights and obligations as owners. If you lease a new combine, you manage, maintain and insure it. In most cases, you will own it when the rental payment schedule has been completed. What are the benefits of leasing farm assets? One of the most important benefits of leasing is the opportunity to free up cash flow. Lease terms can be very flexible and payment schedules can be matched directly to your income. Lease payments can include a purchase option at the end of the term which translates into lower regular payments than what a term loan would require. The collateral security needed for a lease is typically only the piece of equipment being leased. This means that other assets such as other equipment and farmland are not pledged as security and are available for other financing opportunities. Leasing can also maximize your ability to finance. For many pieces of farm equipment, buyers can usually lease up to 100 per cent of the purchase price.

The tax implications If I decide to lease, what could the tax implications be? Lease payments are usually 100 per cent tax deductible which

means you can deduct the full payments (both principal and interest) as a business expense. This differs from purchase financing where you can only deduct the interest portion of the payments and an annual depreciation charge called capital cost allowance (CCA). While I am not an accountant, my experience with CCA categories and guidelines has shown that leasing can mean a faster write-off of equipment compared to paying cash or using other financing. As an example, these four numbers demonstrate some key differences between traditional term, mortgage or cash financing and leasing when purchasing a grain bin. • 6: CCA class 6 is the category where you will find grain bins on your balance sheet. Class 6 has a CCA rate of 10 per cent but given the half-year rule, you only have a five per cent write-off in year one. • 23: 23+ is the number of years that you will be writing off the

Two crops, two paths

ill Greuel, executive director of Saskatchewan Agriculture’s crops and irrigation branch, spoke about diversification at CropSphere in Saskatoon in January. Greuel told an interesting story about two “new” crops that took two very different paths. Basic agronomy for lentils, he said, was first developed in the early 1970s. By 1986, Saskatchewan farmers were growing 250,000 acres of lentils. In 2014, there were more than two million acres of lentils grown in the province. In contrast, the history of growing camelina in Saskatchewan also starts in the early 1970s. Unlike lentils, however, there was “not a lot of good push and involvement by a strong producer association,” Greuel said. Most years, few or no acres of camelina were grown at all until 2007, when Great Plains Sustainable Oils contracted acreage, and wanted to expand its business to one million acres in five years. That didn’t work out, leaving many producers disappointed. Now, Agriculture and AgriFood Canada and a company called Linnaeus are looking at camelina breeding opportunities. Another group of farmers are growing small amounts of camelina for sale as a gourmet cooking oil under the brand Three Farmers. The developments of lentils and camelina have taken very different paths. “New crop development is driven by grower innovation and industry,” Greuel said. †

Leeann Minogue

bin when using traditional financing or paying cash. If minimizing income tax is a motivation for you, this is not an efficient tax write-off strategy.

Lease terms can be very flexible • 66: 66 months is a common lease structure for grain bins. This lease term would be 60 months to 10 per cent. Looking at a $200,000 grain bin project, and using a 15.5 per cent corporate tax rate brings us to the next number. • 16,000: This figure represents how many dollars will stay in your pocket by year five if the bin is leased. $16,000 for simply changing the way you purchased this bin. It really can pay off to engage financial and tax advisers before making a purchase.

Credit crunch If you are a farmer who typically does not need to finance equipment purchases, consider the financial crisis in 2008 where 79 per cent of credit vanished from the U.S. market in one year. There was a lot of uncertainty on both sides of the border and this demonstrates why you should consider holding your cash and financing long-term assets. The opportunity to shorten financing terms to reduce interest and other costs is always available. I recommended that you contact your accountant or tax adviser to review your individual situation. Farming is constantly changing and there are many intangibles and other soft costs that may be required on your part — a down payment on additional acres, the hiring and training of new employees, trips overseas to make contacts and close contracts, etc. It makes sense to keep cash available

to take advantage of these opportunities and remain competitive in your market. We are experiencing 25-year historical lows when it comes to rates of borrowing so financing your hard assets in a tax effective way such as leasing can really be the way to go. Ultimately, investing in new or newer equipment can be a great move for your farm’s productivity. But keep in mind that easy does not always mean better. By writing a cheque or choosing the first financing offer you come across, you could be leaving money and other valuable cash flow and tax benefits on the table. Taking the time to research the options and consider leasing can have a significant impact on your bottom line. This article is reprinted from “Ontario Grain Farmer,” August, 2014, with the permission of Grain Farmers of Ontario. † Rebecca Hannam is a freelance agricultural writer based in Fergus, Ont. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccahannam.

MARCH 10, 2015 grainews.ca /

Columns Financial markets: the basics

Reliable tools for investing In this second in a series on the basics of financial investing, Andrew Allentuck looks at different investment theories used by the pros By Andrew Allentuck

hat works? In the armory of investment theories, almost everything has predictive value, but reliable tools are hard to find If you read the daily press, especially the investment pages, you’ll find “experts” predicting that, for example, major U.S. markets must go down because they have been up for each of the last seven years and none have gone eight years without a big crash. Alternatively, there are gurus saying that with a U.S. presidential election in the offing in 2016, 2015 will be a nice run-up year with U.S. energy costs falling and consumer spending rising. Who is right? Both are. Who is wrong? Both are. How can this be? It’s all in the way measurement and predictions are done. There are said to be 100,000

index numbers published every day. You can find an index of tallow and hides and map it against the S&P 500 Composite or some other index. It is guaranteed that on any given day, week or year or even five-year period, some of those 100,000 index numbers will go the same way. But correlation is not causation. And that is where intelligent judgment comes in.

which may be true — so every up and down should have meaning. But which up and down? Would you want to find market or stock direction in the minute-by-minute moves of stock prices? That is madness, for most of the minute-

Get reports on a company’s bonds

Schools of analysis The process of predicting asset prices, that is, what a stock or bond, commodity or even option to buy or sell some asset has produced two broad schools of analysis. So-called technical analysis looks at the wiggles of stock prices on graph paper and seeks to determine what past wiggles mean for the future. This school asserts that all information is priced into stocks when they are traded —

by-minute or second-by-second trading and pricing is statistical noise, sometimes computer-driven trading of hundreds of thousands of shares a second. This is meaningless. How about hour-by-hour? That is not much better. Day-byday or week-by-week? It gets more meaningful.

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But if we extend the measuring period to 10 or 20 years and use a moving average, every week bumping up the 520 or 1,040 weeks by one week, patterns disappear and there is not much to talk about. In the end, technical analysis, though occasionally useful in visualizing the tracks of stocks or other assets rocketing up or collapsing, is arbitrary. You see the patterns you want to see. Economists prefer to study markets on their fundamentals: corporate earnings, consumer debt levels, currency flows, corporate balance sheets, interest rate trends, product cycles and much more. You would think that these basic forces would reflect corporate performance and therefore stock prices. But it is not necessarily so. As Aswath Damodaran, a highly respected professor of finance at New York University notes, Investment Philosophies: Successful Strategies and the Investors Who Made Them Work, published in 2003 and still a fundamental examination of predictive devices, one can separate corporate CEOs into one group of tall people and another of short people and then connect the profit trends or stock prices to the two subsets. There may well be a difference in outcomes, but so what? “If the average return on companies headed by tall CEOs is higher, should we rush out to buy stock in those companies? Not quite yet, because the differences often arise purely from chance.” That is not the only problem. Most market prediction theories work nicely when markets are rising. If the theory does not work when markets are weak and contracting, it is not helpful. The upmarket bias is crucial, for a rising market conceals risk. There are market gurus who advocate buying stocks that have been beaten down, perhaps for good reason, or buying bonds of companies that have defaulted on payments. Sometimes these disasters turn around and the stocks or bonds rise by a hundred per cent or more. But the gurus who advocate these theories neglect the risk and, moreover, the psychological problem of holding stocks that everyone else is selling. You could put this in terms of tomatoes. When they go on sale at 30 or 50 per cent off, they may be a bargain. At 90 By jonny hawkins

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per cent off, you are right to suspect they are rotten. But squeezing tomatoes is a lot easier than distilling financial data.

Down to fundamentals Let’s get down to fundamentals. There are relatively few. First, there is earnings per share. If a company reports rising earnings per share over a period of a few years or a reversal in which a string of quarters or years of declining earnings or stagnant earnings is broken and earnings per share start to rise, investors will pile in and the stock price will rise. Investors tend to pay less for cyclical stocks, for their earnings rise and fall with the business cycle or other variables. And some investors are leery of just trading on earnings trends. Many firms buy back their outstanding shares, thus spreading corporate earnings over fewer shares and — presto! — making earnings per share rise. So if you want to trade on earnings, check outstanding shares in any major database or the company’s own website and see what the effect of buybacks, if any, are having. What are earnings worth? There is a scale of values which must be understood. The market often expresses earnings as a ratio. Thus stocks are priced at X times current or next year’s expected earnings. Stocks priced below 10 times earnings are seen as losers, though they may turn around. Cyclical mines are in this category. Stocks priced at 10 to 20 times earnings are often solid bets, such as chartered banks. Over 20 to 30 shows investor confidence; today it’s retailers on a roll. Over 30 and up to 80 show immense confidence. Stocks priced over 100 times earnings may have an expected turnaround or just be momentum plays destined for collapse. After all, given that earnings are expressed by the year, how many years worth of earnings would you pay for its stock? For me, it is no much more than 12 or 15. I can’t see the future, after all. Next test: dividends. If a company has a history of raising dividends and has paid dividends steadily over periods or ten or twenty or more years, that’s a sign of good management and — this is vital — a floor of expected income under the share price. You can check the dividend history at the company’s own website or at www.sedar.com, which has the financial reports for all Canadian public companies, or at sec.gov/ edgar.shtml for U.S. stocks. My own simple tests are to get reports on a company’s bonds. Bond rating agency DBRS publishes these online at dbrs.com. If the bonds have an investment grade rating of B+ or better, if the company’s earnings are rising, dividends stable or rising over time, and if the company’s ratio of share price to earnings is 20 or less, I may be interested. There are other tests, of course, but these simple ones will eliminate the hopeless or the overpriced. That’s a lot of grief avoided. † Andrew Allentuck is author of “When Can I Retire? Planning Your Financial Future After Work,” (Penguin, 2011).

/ grainews.ca MARCH 10, 2015

Columns Off-farm investing

Buy right, sell right Andy Sirski’s five-legged stool plan and portfolio update ANDY SIRSKI

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s I write on February 18, there’s a lot going on in the world. Greece had a major turnover in its election at the end of January and now the new government is finding that making promises is a lot easier than keeping them. Especially when lenders are asked to forgive loans so the government can keep its promises. Not so easy. Still, day-by-day it sounds like Greece will bend and make a deal to keep money coming. Also, the peace accord between Russia and Ukraine and most of the rest of the world is only a few days old and we don’t really know if it will hold or not. Closer to home, a lot of people have lost their jobs because oil companies have cut their budgets since the price of oil dropped in half from its recent highs. To me it shows the importance of having a few financial legs on one’s over all financial plan. I call that plan my five-legged stool. It’s has been working for many readers for years. Good times often lead people to forget that they really should have a back up skill and plan in case the good times end. They usually do. Finally, big time investor Warren Buffet, in his Berkshire fund, sold 41 million shares of Exxon late in 2014 and then sold his shares of Conoco Phillips. Berkshire owns Burlington Rail which moves a lot of oil from Canada to refineries in southern U S.

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Breakouts

Re-fracking is where oil drillers go back to existing wells and refresh the innards of the well so it brings up more oil or natural gas. This drops the cost of oil to about 25 per cent of the cost from drilling a new well. Many expect this strategy to kick in if the price of oil stays down, but I wonder why would drillers not go back to existing wells as an overall strategy. The talking heads keep talking the price of oil and some research shows very few oil fields around the world would lose money at $40 oil. If re-fracking drops the cost by 75 per cent then there would be all kinds of incentives to keep pumping oil.

Years ago I attended a seminar where the guy was offering to sell me a package that identified stocks that were breaking out of their base. He was asking $3,000 a year for the package. Now we can get that information for free on Stockcharts.com. Go to Stockcharts, click on free charts, go to the right hand side of the screen and find the words “predefined scans”. Click on there and look around. Towards the bottom of the screen you will find the words “point and figure.” You will find at least three groups of stocks that have broken out. I look at those quite often. If I see a stock I know and like or would like to get to know I follow up with some research on charts, websites and Yahoo. I also look for stocks that have weekly calls because the premiums pay us about 40 per cent of the monthly premium in one week. Three recent breakout stocks include DOW Chemical Company (DOW), Rona (RON.TO) and Canadian Oil Sands (COS). DOW is getting the benefit of cheap oil. COS had a good dividend, cut it and the stock went up partly from the cut and partly from oil prices leveling off and Rona has been restructuring its business for the past year or so. I figured COS must have been a pretty good stock to pay the dividend it was paying so I bought 1,000 shares and sold a monthly call below the price of the day to give me some downside protection. I sort of hope the shares get exercised so I keep the $500 premium I collected. It might be a little early to own oil stocks. I could sell a call at $10 to give me more downside protection. We don’t own shares in DOW or Rona.

Five-legged stool

Portfolio update

The five legs can be six or seven but likely should not be less than five. The five legs are: your main job or business. I call it the backbone. The next three, in no particular order, is the proper insurance coverage for one’s time in life, a second skill and an

Since January 1, 2015 I have done 18 trades. Fifteen made money and three lost some. †

Oil and re-fracking

WATER MOVES IN THROUGH THE COATING

RESP for the kids, and RRSP/TFSA. Finally, learn how to make money with stocks. That should include learning how to buy stocks right and even more important learning how to sell stocks right. Sadly there is very little education on selling right so over time a lot of would be investors give back their profits and or lose money and stocks get blamed, not the lack of selling skills. In any business it’s easy to blame losing money on the weather, the wrong crop, a bad bull and so on. With stocks, making money and keeping it rests on our shoulders and our shoulders alone.

Andy is mostly retired. Besides playing with grandchildren, traveling a bit with his wife, he runs a tax business and publishes an electronic newsletter called StocksTalk. You can subscribe free of charge for a month by sending an email to sirski@mts.net.

MARCH 10, 2015 grainews.ca /

Columns Soils and crops

The value of wheat straw It can be tempting to burn wheat straw, but that nitrogen is valuable les henry

ith five irrigation years in a row and with current adequate nitrogen and other fertilizer nutrients we have grown some big wheat crops with big straw left over. In 2014 some folks had problems with proper canola seed placement through the straw load on the surface. We might even hear the odd whisper about looking for a match. In the early days of continuous cropping the physical aspects of dealing with the straw of crops like wheat was the issue. The old straw choppers of the day did not do the job. Tillage was excessive in those days but without proper combine choppers even tillage was a challenge after a big crop. Modern combines mostly make “dust” of the straw on a dry day. The other issue with incorporating large amounts of straw was the “immobilization” of the available nitrogen in the soil.

Wheat straw is generally quoted as having 0.5 per cent nitrogen or less. As soil organisms break down the straw they use the soil nitrogen as the source to allow decomposition to proceed. Nothing new here. Soil test benchmarks for nitrogen were based on field experiments that included straw incorporation. But when big crops came along adjustments were made for the extra straw. The “Rule of Thumb” on Page 39 of Henry’s Handbook concludes that we should add an additional 20 pounds of nitrogen per acre for each additional ton of wheat straw. But we now leave the straw on the surface so immobilization is not the issue it once was.

The current situation I reviewed data from our irrigation experiments with wheat and large nitrogen rates. In wet years, as grain yield goes up, the straw produced goes up even more. We can easily be dealing with a few tonnes per acre of straw and instead of 0.5 per cent nitrogen it can have as much as one per cent nitrogen, and occasionally even higher.

photo: les henry

Deep brown colored wheat straw like this can have as much as one per cent nitrogen and a total of 25 to 50 pounds of nitrogen per acre. Deep brown colored wheat straw like the straw shown in the picture can have as much as one per cent nitrogen and a total of 25 to 50 pounds of nitrogen per acre present in that straw. This straw was in a slightly lodged area — leaning but not down. It was only a small part of the field. The combine was able to get all the heads but left a lot of straw. It was passed through a gyro mower prior to anhydrous ammonia application. Then a regular tine harrow at seven mph on a very hot

day and it is ready for canola seed, I hope! In the early days of soil fertility work in England they had a recipe for procuring a field suitable to compare nitrogen fertilizers: “take two white straw crops and the field is sure to be nitrogen deficient.” White straw means low nitrogen in the straw. It is an occupational hazard — I still listen to reports that prove nothing because the soil does not need what is being studied. That straw sitting on the surface with a high nitrogen con-

tent means that nitrogen tie up (immobilization) by the straw is a thing of the past. That nitrogen will, over time, become useful for future crops. So, if in a weak moment we think about using the match we might as well burn a $50 bill for every couple of acres that we burn. There is a good correlation between wheat grain protein and straw nitrogen content. For CWRS wheat a low protein of 10 per cent likely means a low straw nitrogen of 0.25 per cent — that is, a white straw crop. A straw nitrogen of 0.5 per cent and higher likely means a grain protein of 14 per cent or higher. Many with good black soils and a long history of high nitrogen use could well have high yield and high protein at the same time. If so, the straw nitrogen will be high and the rewards will be reaped in future years. † 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. 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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/ grainews.ca MARCH 10, 2015

Columns Can’t take the farm from the boy

Not quite ready for coffee row Toban Dyck is learning more about life on the farm and taking on new challenges Toban Dyck

hey meet every morning at the same coffee shop at, say, between 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. They discuss life, farming, the weather, sometimes veer off to other, less farm-related topics. But it’s all important. And, still, after two and a bit years back on the farm, this meeting intimidates me. I don’t know enough to engage, I fear. I feel I can be honest with you, and have tried my best to be so since this column began its run. It’s challenging to be a professional in one field while starting from near scratch in another. I can appreciate that the best farmers would maintain one never reaches comfortable levels of expertise; that there’s always more to learn. I get that. I’d say the same thing about writing. Levels of expertise do exist, though. I’ve got a long ways to go, but I’m reasonably confident as a writer. I bend, sometimes break, rules. Some of you have called me on it. Great. I like that. I’m comfortable with the rules I break, and I love that you respect the language and its usage, enough to let it bother you. This is what I’m shooting for in farming. This is the level of expertise I’m after.

ally nice people — but I’d feel like one. Everyone should now know what futures are, what a basis is, and the full name — numbers and all — of the seed they are growing and have grown. They should have a basic understanding of implement and tractor names and their respective numbers and horsepowers. I don’t understand futures or basis well enough to converse and I couldn’t talk for more than a minute or two about seed varieties and implements. But I’d like to, and need to; I’m renting land this year, remember.

Buying crop insurance Crop insurance and putting together a detailed budget top my

current list of things to do and learn about. Futures, basis, and the other deficits I mentioned will have to wait. I’m 35 now, and there’s a finite and depleting amount of space in my brain. I expected the conversation to go something like this: “ Hi there. I would like crop insurance. How do I get it?” “ Hi. Here’s a pamphlet outlining the process.” “Thanks!” “ You’re welcome. Have a great day.” “You, too” It didn’t happen this way. It’s not at all similar to getting insurance for my car, it turns out. No, I spent about an hour in the Manitoba Agricultural Services

Corporation office in Carman, Manitoba chatting about the crop insurance application process. It was a great, eye-opening chat. But quite scary, at the same time. I’m not guaranteed to get crop insurance, and the amount of forms and information they need from me, as a first-timer, is intimidating. I will need to put together a budget for the year. I was going to, regardless, but I guess now’s the time. They want to see this. I will also need to submit a signed land-rental agreement, an equipment-rental agreement, a storage-rental agreement, and a detailed cost of production outlook. I can talk around taking that

first step as a farmer for years, apparently. But now, I need to do it. If you sense fear in my voice, great, ’cause there’s a ton. I’ll make it to the coffee shop this year, summoning all that’s available to me in order to be confident in what I do and do not yet know. And, hopefully, next time we talk, I’ll have crop insurance. Author’s note: I’d like to thank all you “Grainews” readers who have taken the time to send me farming tips, helpful documents, and general encouragement. I don’t take such things lightly. I feel well supported, and that is largely thanks to you. † 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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I’ll make it to the coffee shop this year There are always rules — you name the topic or discipline — and becoming comfortable taking them at face value and implementing them without question is important. But the real fun begins when you don’t have to; when you finally understand the rules for what they are, what they’re getting at, and where they came from, and you start bending them, balancing personal experience with a solid understanding of the things/natural laws you can’t control to create new ways of doing things. I’m a few levels and worlds away from rescuing the princess, and I need to remember this. I learn something, and want that thing so desperately to be the tidbit that will tip my farming scales to expert that I lose perspective and fail to see and appreciate the slow, uphill journey becoming a good, solid farming is. This will all take time. There are stages in the learning-to-farm process that I have skipped, deep down believing myself incapable of fully grasping them but on the surface compensating for this insecurity by pretending they don’t matter. “Fake it ’till you make it” works, kind of, but such a foundation is difficult to build on. They wouldn’t call me a charlatan — because the farmers that meet there each morning are actu-

Alw

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MARCH 10, 2015 grainews.ca /

Columns Understanding market bulls and bears

Feeding the world’s masses With a growing population, the world, and China, will need more food Brian wittal

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an we feed nine billion people in the next 50 years? This was the question posed by Dr. Lutz Goedde at FarmTech in Edmonton in January. Some of the statistics Geodde presented to explain his answer were interesting to say the least. In the next 50 years, the world is going to have to cumulatively produce as much grain (volume-wise) as we have in the past 10,000 years put together.

The amount of arable farmland has increased dramatically over the past 15 years with the majority of the new land being in South America through deforestation. The level of deforestation has dropped dramatically the past couple of years due to cheap grain values brought on by export restrictions and tariffs that governments have put in place in those regions. The past two years of bumper world production have sent grain prices to five-year lows, which will not encourage the cleaning of any new land. So how will we produce enough grain to feed nine billion people in the next 50 years if we don’t have more land? The first place to look at is

waste in our current food chain worldwide. Across the globe, we waste approximately 30 per cent of our available food stuffs every year. In developed nations, we waste the food at the consumptive end of the food chain —throwing away spoiled food, ordering too much food at a restaurant and buying bulk amounts that spoil before we can consume them. In developing nations the waste happens much earlier in the food chain, at the production and food storage points in the process. Countries in Eurasia and African struggle with grain harvest and storage due to inefficient harvest practices, poor storage and their hot, humid climate.

China’s involvement After absorbing Goeddes’ comments and having read other relevant articles these are my thoughts on what this could mean for world grain markets. China has for many years been trying to become self-sufficient in grain production but they have been losing that battle — population growth is outpacing grain production growth. To increase grain production the Chinese government adopted policies such as paying highly subsidized prices to farmers to encourage more production to meet self-sufficiency targets. The stocks the government buys are stored in massive facilities and later sold to domestic mills and

processors or strategically sold into export markets. Some grain is held to feed the people or to buffer them from years of poor production. Millions of tonnes of grain are stored for long periods of time, which only increases the risk of loss from spoilage. Sinograin, the state stockpiler, purchased a record 125 million tonnes of domestic grain in 2014. With the recent drop in world prices Chinese mills and processors have been able to import grains cheaper than they could buy them from the government. Stockpiles are now at record levels and facilities are full —they have no room to buy or store new crop grains. I believe these factors have helped lead to this recent announcement out of China. On February 3, Reuters reported that China would be giving the market a bigger role in setting prices and moving away from a “controversial state stockpiling policy that has led to bulging grain inventories and a surge of cheap imports.” The Chinese appear headed towards changing their grain security strategy from one of storing and hoarding massive inventories to a more strategic plan of managing production on lands they control. Apparently the Chinese have figured out that it will be cheaper to buy grain from the markets than to pay subsidized prices, store massive amounts and lose a big portion to spoilage and theft every year. Just the elimination of waste in storage could equate to hundreds of millions of dollars in savings.

Could this keep world prices under pressure? T:10”

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The Chinese do not want to be at the mercy of the world grain markets in a year when stocks are tight and prices soar, which as I see it is the main reason why over the past several years they have been investing heavily in agriculture lands around the world. They want surety of supply at stable prices and there is no better way to get that than to grow more of their own grain to avoid having to buy in volatile markets. How much grain the Chinese have in storage has always been a mystery to the outside world and no doubt they will always keep some in storage as protection against the unknown. This brings me to ask some questions: How long will it take them to reduce those inventories? Could this keep world prices under pressure? For how long? Will China’s becoming a more hand-to-mouth buyer add volatility to world markets? Do any of you have any answers The best I can come up with is “it depends.” To be continued. † 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).

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/ grainews.ca MARCH 10, 2015

Columns Reporter’s Notebook

Raising kids down on the farm It’s not all one long Disney movie, but there are also many lifestyle benefits By Lisa Guenther

t’s a cliché, but it’s a cliché because there’s some truth to it. Farms are great places for kids to build character. I asked farmers on Twitter what they thought about raising kids on farms. Work ethic kept coming up. Terry James, an Alberta farmer, said some employers value former farm kids for their work ethic and machinery know-how. This is why I think many farm kids develop a good work ethic: Children see their parents working hard, and learn that hard work can be enjoyable and yield benefits. Whether or not they actually become farmers them-

selves, kids can carry this attitude into future careers. Easing kids into appropriate chores also teaches them to take pride in their work and themselves. And as they grow older and more independent, they can take on more complex tasks that test their abilities. Perhaps satellite TV, Internet and video games have pulled some farm kids indoors more than in the past. But I suspect many farm kids still spend a lot of time outdoors. I got my first horse, a Shetland pony named Babe, when I was five, and I never looked back. When I was 16, I rode from Eastend, Sask. to somewhere west of Manyberries, Alta., on an organized trail ride.

Spending a lot of time outside gives kids a front-row seat to both spectacular and sublime moments in nature. The smell of grass and trees after a thunderstorm and glimpses of everything from black bears to song birds fall into the sublime. But it’s not all a Disney movie. Kids also see nature’s harsh side. For example, did you know frogs shriek while being eaten by garter snakes? There’s a good chance your kids have seen this first-hand if they’re interested in frogs or snakes. Farm kids have to wrap their heads around this type of duality a lot. The 4-H steer your kid cared for all winter and halter broke is not a pet — he’s tomorrow’s sirloin. When I was a kid, I learned that

even my favourite cow (Angel) would eventually be culled, which meant death. I learned that one week I might be feeding chickens, the next week helping butcher them and the week after eating them. Some people see this as callous or inhumane. But it’s about learning to respect and care for all animals, even the ones that eventually land on our plates. Ashley Glover, a southern Alberta agronomist, said that farm kids are given the freedom to fail. They get to see the trial and error of raising livestock and growing crops, she said, and learn to try again. Learning to try things, even though they might not work out perfectly, is a big part of growing up. I think urban parents have to

Work ethic kept coming up.

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push a little harder to give their kids the space they need to learn on their own. For example, a couple in Maryland were recently investigated by social services for letting their two children walk alone from the park home. The walk was a mile. The kids were aged six and 10. Yes, I’m rolling my eyes, too. In my rural community, I still see kids wheeling around on bikes all summer. Kids regularly play unsupervised in the playground. And I bet many kids are capable of walking a mile or so without an adult. None of this is to say that all farm kids grow up to be independent, hardworking citizens with a deep respect for the environment. But rural landscapes do offer opportunities that urban centres don’t. Of course, raising kids on farms and in rural areas has its drawbacks, too. Martine Piebiak, who I used to work with at Alberta Agriculture, now farms near Eaglesham, Alta. On Twitter, she noted some benefits to rural life, but childcare options are limited, she said. Saskatchewan farmer Rob Stone said the farming lifestyle’s great, but it can be tough to find family time during seeding and harvest. Many farmers on Twitter brought up farm safety as a concern for kids. Jay Schulz, an Alberta farmer, said it’s great to share everything about farming with kids. But making sure kids are safe around machinery is front of mind, he said. There’s good reason to be cautious. On average, 13 children die on the farm each year, according to a 20-year study by Canadian Agricultural Injury Reporting (CAIR). Over 80 per cent of those children were boys. In most cases, those kids weren’t doing the work, but were killed by someone else working. Over 60 per cent of these fatalities were machinery related. There are some practical ways to handle this. Carlton Fensky, who farms near Pigeon Lake, said that his parents outfitted the kids in red ball caps so they were visible. He was also warned to stand well back from machinery, he said. Alberta Agriculture has a farm safety kids’ club for children between four and 10 years old. Twice a year they send out newsletters with safety tips, quizzes and jokes that, frankly, are funnier than most jokes adults tell. Raelyn Peterson, farm safety coordinator, sent me a recent edition. It covered dog safety, including family pets, strange dogs and livestock guardians. Alberta Agriculture also has a Safety Wranglers club that sends out newsletters geared towards older kids — the winter edition talked about reflective clothing and visibility. To sign your kids up for either group, email Raelyn raelyn.d.peterson@ gov.ab.ca. There’s plenty more farm safety online at agriculture.alberta. ca/farmsafety. Both the country and the city offer opportunities, hazards and drawbacks. The trick is to take advantage of those opportunities and manage the risk, no matter which environment you’re in. † Lisa Guenther is field editor for Grainews based at Livelong, Sask. Contact her at Lisa.Guenther@ fbcpublishing.com or on Twitter @LtoG.

MARCH 10, 2015 grainews.ca /

Columns Open field

Farmers in Asia, Part 2 In Seoul, on the 2nd leg of her trade and export mission sarah weigum

n my last column I covered the Japan leg of a 10-day trade mission in Asia. After tasting the best ramen and okonomoyaki (a cabbage pancake topped with meat) that Osaka had to offer, we flew to Seoul, South Korea. We attended a briefing at the Canadian embassy where we learned that Koreans tend to be brand conscious and price sensitive buyers. The embassy staff were excited about the imminent ratification of the Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement. The agreement eliminated 82 per cent of tariffs immediately and 98 per cent of tariffs will be reduced over time. We learned some interesting facts about Korean demographics lifestyle. Twenty-five per cent of Korean households have only one person and by 2020, 16 per cent of Koreans will be over 65 years old. (In Canada’s 2011 Census, 14.8 per cent of the population was found to be 65 or older.) According to the embassy staff,

there is one restaurant in Seoul for every 100 people. By comparison, in North America, there is about one restaurant for every 300 people. We ate at just a handful of these many restaurants during our time in Seoul. Some of them only seat half a dozen people and sometimes there are four in a row that look like they’re serving the exact same thing. It makes you wonder how customers choose one over the other and how any of them make money. The second day in Seoul was our trade show. As in Japan, the Alberta government provided interpreters for each exporter. Our interpreter that day was Sunny, but before long, we were calling in embassy staff to assist, as there were so many interested buyers at our booth. In Japan, buyers would study our booth from a reserved distance before they came up and talked to us. In Korea, if the interpreter and I were talking to one buyer, that wouldn’t stop another party from coming up immediately initiating a conversation with Curtis. Grain traders, feed buyers and food processors expressed interest in flax (fortunately Korea doesn’t have the same kind of

import restrictions as in Japan), feed grains, oats, barley for tea and pulses (apparently a Korean pop-star recently blogged about having lentils for breakfast).

Korean buyers Throughout the years that our company has exported rye seed to Korea, we have received several visits to our farm and seed plant from the Korean buyers. They are deeply interested not only in seeing our rye crops and the facility where the seed is cleaned, treated and bagged, but in all of our crops and in the various machines we use to plant and harvest it. Several buyers at the Korean trade show also expressed interest in visiting our farm. One buyer said he was looking to secure 50,000 metric tonnes of feed barley, but he wanted “to meet the farmer who grew it.” When I said he might have to meet a dozen farmers to supply that kind of demand, he said yes, “I will come to your farm and you can organize the meeting.” The “farm to fork” movement is certainly alive and well in South Korea. Since returning home I have been engaged in a number of email

In Korea, grain traders, feed buyers and food processors expressed interest in flax, feed grains, oats, barley for tea and pulses. conversations with buyers I met at the trade show and some people who received my contact information from the embassy. I have a lot to learn as our previous export business and freight forwarding was handled by our broker. If we make a deal, our grain would be travelaling by shipping container. Freight is relatively cheap for containers going from North America to Asia, since many containers travel here from Asia full of goods and have to return empty. The expensive part is actually the land transportation of the container. It costs about $30 per tonne to have a 40-foot container make the 260 kilometre round trip from Calgary to our loading facility and back to the rail yard. For a small shipper like ourselves, it then costs about $140 per tonne to have that container

transported 8,600 kilometres from Calgary to Busan, Korea. Economies of scale are the backbone of global shipping and I’m sure my rate from the steamship company would be much more favourable if I was shipping hundreds or thousands of containers a month. And, price is not the only factor. Availability is also integral. A steamship company might provide a good rate, but if they seldom spot containers in our area, we may be stymied. At this point in the process, shipping grain overseas seems risky, confusing and a long way from reality. I know it won’t happen overnight and it may require some more overseas travel, but I am enjoying the challenge. † Sarah Weigum grows pedigreed seed and writes at Three Hills, Alta. Follow her on Twitter: @sweigum.

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/ grainews.ca MARCH 10, 2015

Machinery & Shop National Farm Machinery Show coverage

AGCO’s new pre-owned program AGCO offers a warranty on selected used equipment from participating dealers By Scott Garvey

ith a large volume of late-model, used equipment on the Canadian and U.S. market right now, some manufacturers have begun backing incentive programs to help dealers sell machines before they grow roots in dealership lots. AGCO has just announced it has taken its limited Certified Pre-owned Program to a national level, as well as expanding it to cover a broader range of equipment across most of the company’s brands. The program provides a one-year limited warranty on qualifying machines. “We started back in 2013,” explains Eric Lescourret, AGCO’s North American director of commercial strategic initiatives, during a conversation at the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, Kentucky. “We were looking at what tools can we put in place to do a better job and help our dealers manage their used inventory.” The Certified Pre-owned Program began as an initiative to help AGCO dealers grow their market share and was based on research the company did to find out what’s important to dealers and used-equipment customers. “We interviewed a lot of our used customers, about 200, and we wanted to have an understanding of what’s important when they go out and buy a used machine,” adds Lescourret. “We found there was a trend. They were looking for peace of mind when buying a piece of

In February AGCO announced the national roll out of its Certified Pre-owned program, warrantying used equipment from select dealers. used equipment. So there was a need for it (the program), based on what we learned, even though there was nothing like it (at the time) in the marketplace.” Now, the AGCO program covers combines, balers and windrowers up to three years old, along with sprayers up to four years old and tractors up to five years. For any machine in those categories that qualifies, AGCO will throw its weight behind a oneyear warranty to help give buyers that peace of mind Lescourret mentioned. But don’t expect to have to pay a fee for an extended warranty the way you might at a car dealership. Participating dealers may ask a higher purchase price for a qualifying machine because of the hours spent by the service department inspecting and refreshing it, but the Certified Pre-

owned Program comes without a specific cost. “For the dealer, he doesn’t necessarily make more money, but because there are more options, he can turn his inventory faster,” Lescourret explains. “Typically about two to four per cent of the book value (is spent by the dealer) in reconditioning costs. The customer will see the value in that. Right now we have some dealers using that to really differentiate themselves in the market.” And AGCO makes dealers qualify before they can participate in the warranty program. Only those who have proven they have an up-to-date service department and can do the kind of inspection and reconditioning work required get the brand’s backing. “We have a very robust process our dealers have to go through,”

Lescourret adds. “On tractors we have a 120-point inspection. Tractors that would qualify for this are up to five years or 3,000 hours. So it’s giving us a lot of options.” Brand executives believe taking the risk out of used equipment purchases will give participating dealers an edge in the marketplace, and create happy customers. “From a customer’s perspective, it’s giving them an option they didn’t have before at that price point,” he says. “They (customers) said we’d like to see a check list of what you’ve done to that piece of equipment and know the history of it and have a good warranty on it, something backed by the manufacturer. The salesman now is able to is able to tell a story.” † Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews. Contact him at Scott.Garvey@fbcpublishing.com.

photo: agco

photo: scott garvey

Eric Lescourret explained the program details during the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, Kentucky.

Deere adds sprayers to its Certified Pre-owned Equipment Program

ast August John Deere announced its Certified Pre-owned Equipment Program, which offered a manufacturer-backed warranty for 8 and 9 Series tractors along with combines. In February, it added used sprayers. John Deere self-propelled sprayers up to two years old with 1,000 engine hours or less, are now included in the program. Eligible models include the 4630, 4730, 4830, 4940, R4030, R4038, and R4045. These sprayers will go through an inspection program and fluid scan analysis before being approved for warranty. Buyers will also receive a one year subscription to the brand’s telematics system JDLink. Equipment in the Certified Pre-Owned Program is covered by Deere’s PowerGard Protection Plan. All main components are warrantied, including engine, transmission, final drives, hubs, steering components, electronics, hydraulics, cab, and air conditioning. † Scott Garvey

John Deere is adding sprayers to its Certified Pre-owned Equipment Program.

photo: john deere

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MARCH 10, 2015 grainews.ca /

Machinery & Shop New seed

National Farm Machinery Show coverage

John Deere upgrades its digital product offerings

Seed of the year

The brand’s online Operations Centre gets enhancements to expand functions and make it more user friendly By Scott Garvey

n February John Deere announced some improvements to its suite of digital products. Among those were a software update for GreenStar 3 2630 monitors that provides a 20 per cent boost in processing speed. And the Machine Sync application gets expanded functionality, allowing two machines working in the same field to better share prescription map information. Deere’s online cloud-based Operations Center, which was introduced last fall and accessed through MyJohnDeere.com, sees some changes as well. “This year we’ve added a lot of (Operations Center) functionality that’s going to help users analyze their data in a more user-friendly experience,” explained John Deere’s Laura Donaldson during an interview at the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, Kentucky, in February. “We’ve really thought about what is the most intuitive way to find information about your field. So we’ve done some user interface enhancements.” The MyJohnDeere operations centre is an online portal that allows customers to store and access both their machine and agronomic information in one place. Producers can use the centre to keep track of their fleet through features like location history as well as see some machine diagnostic information. “The operations centre takes all those files, processes them and puts them into the boundaries on a screen so they (farmers) can see yield information, see a weather overlay, and analyze that yield information,” Donaldson continued. “The same goes for planting information. They can see their asapplied rates and use that information to make actionable decisions.” If you use the operations centre to co-ordinate and store your data, you can now share that information with your agronomist, who doesn’t need to be a John Deere customer to access the centre. He or she can set up an account at the operations centre and look at any data you allow them to.

photo: scott garvey

Laura Donaldson, product specialist at John Deere, explained some of the recently announced updates to the MyJohnDeere Operations Center. “You can also partner share,” Donaldson said. “Let’s say you have an ag service provider you want to partner with, or your John Deere dealership, you can partner with them on the operations centre and create that virtual relationship so you can file share without having to run USB drives across the county.” To get information uploaded to the operations centre, farmers have a couple of choices. “You could use wireless data transfer,” said Donaldson. “You could upload through a USB drive or through the MyJohnDeere data management tool.” Using the operations centre is currently free; however, if producers want to transfer information wirelessly from a machine through JDLink Connect, there is a subscription fee for that. “The MyJohnDeere operations centre is currently free of charge, there is a subscription cost for JDLink Connect, but you don’t need JDLink to utilize the operations centre,” Donaldson said. “It just brings that data into the operations center wirelessly.” † Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews. Contact him at Scott.Garvey@fbcpublishing.com.

photo: john deere

John Deere has announced several upgrades to its digital products for 2015.

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ou’ve been waiting. Now it’s official. AC Andrew has been declared the “Seed of the Year West.” AC Andrew was developed by Dr. Sadash Sadasivaiah at Agriculture and AgriFood Canada’s Lethbridge Research Centre and was supported for registration in 2000. “AC Andrew was a major breakthrough in terms of grain yield in the soft white spring wheat,” said Dr. Harpinder S. Randhawa in a press release. Randhawa is a soft white breeder at AAFC Lethbridge and the nominator of AC Andrew. AC Andrew has a reputation for high yield in both high and low-input cropping systems — in 2006 it became the key variety for ethanol feedstock. It can offer as much as 20 per cent higher yield and greater ethanol yield per volume of grain compared to other wheat varieties. This “seed of the year” is not just a flash in the pan variety. The press release says the award “is designed to provide recognition to publicly-developed varieties that have made a significant contribution to the economy, agriculture, and the Canadian public in general. Although the name, Seed of the Year, indicates the contribution in a particular year, the program is much broader reaching and considers total lifetime achievement and contribution. Seed of the Year believes it is important to recognize the value of our public plant breeding programs, as well as encourage the entry of new plant breeders to the industry.” Seed of the Year West’s sponsors are: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Alberta Barley Commission, Canterra Seeds, Cargill, Canadian Seed Growers Association, FP Genetics, CPS Canada, Richardson International, SeCan and Western Grains Research Foundation. †

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/ grainews.ca MARCH 10, 2015

Machinery & Shop National Farm Machinery Show coverage

Case IH updates the Maxxum and Farmall 100A Series tractors Appealing to livestock producers, these two tractor lines in the 110 to 145 horsepower class are designed to work well with loaders By Scott Garvey

ith livestock producers now enjoying the kind of commodity price surge grain and oilseed growers experienced from 2008 to 2013 (although BSE once again looms as a threat to that for Canadian cattlemen), itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no surprise the major brands are ramping up the profile of tractors and equipment that are best suited to stock farms to take advantage of that market potential. Case IH marketing staff were eager to show off their updated Maxxum and Farmall 100A Series models at the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, Kentucky in mid February. This was one of the first public appearances for these tractors since they were introduced about a week prior to the event. Both lines occupy the high end of the utility horsepower segment, spanning nearly identical power ranges. The Maxxum line includes five models from 115 to 145 engine horsepower.

Updated versions of Case IH Farmall 100A Series tractors with engine horsepower ratings from 110 to 140 debuted in February.

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Machinery & Shop “The line-up consists of four, four-cylinder models, a 115, 125, 135 and a 145,” says Dave Bogan, marketing manager for the Maxxum line. “And we will have one six-cylinder model within the family that is also at 145 rated engine horsepower, but we’re calling it the 150, because we’re going to give you those two extra cylinders.” Instead of the two different chassis with different wheelbases that carried the previous Maxxum models, all the tractors in the line now get the same wheelbase, along with engines that meet Tier 4B emissions regulations. “(The new wheelbase) is one inch longer than the (longest) wheelbase from the Tier 4A models,” Bogan adds. “We also have a better turning radius.” And these tractors are also the first in the brand to get some subtle body style changes that will eventually sweep across all Case IH tractor lines. “There’s dramatic new styling,” he adds. “A bold new look with a new hood design.” To put behind the Tier 4B engines, buyers can choose one of two transmission options in the four-cylinder models, a CVT or semi-powershift. In the sixcylinder 150 model, the semipowershift is your only alternative. These tractors can be ordered with an auto-guidanceready package and a Pro 700 monitor. Up front, a new heavier axle is available to make the Maxxums more durable when fitted with a loader. “We realized we were pushing the axles to the limit, so we we needed to upgrade the type of steel that we put in these hubs to avoid any major failures,” adds Bogan. The tractors can be ordered with a “CLR” (Complete Loader Ready) package. Adding a loader is then just a matter of making the final connections.

photo: case ih

photo: scott garvey

Left: Engineers relocated the first two hydraulic remotes to the left side of the Maxxum tractors for convenient access when exiting the cab. Top Right: The “economy” Farmall 100A tractors get a completely updated cab that now includes a buddy seat option. Bottom Right: Maxxum tractors get a subtle body style change, which will eventually be included on all Case IH tractors.

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Farmall 100A series The new Farmall 100A Series includes four models from 110 to 140 engine horsepower, offering the same muscle as the Maxxums, but at a budget price and with some lower-spec tractor features. “Going back to Tier 3 (versions), we had a value (Maxxum) model. We dropped that. That’s where the Farmall 100A fits in the product offering,” Bogan explains. “We offer this as an economy level tractor, it’s a basic workhorse, whereas the Maxxum is more of a premium-level tractor,” adds Dennis Stroo, marketing manager for the Farmall line. “Depending on your application, basically how many hours a day you’re spending inside that cab and what price you want to be at, we can offer two levels of tractors.” The Farmall 100As get the same new hood styling as the Maxxums and a redesigned cab. “The controls are nicely laid out,” says Stroo. “We have a couple of new options our customers really like, one being the highvisibility roof panel. It makes it really easy to look at, say, a round bale on the loader at the highest lift point.” For a video look, go to grainews. ca and click on the e-quipTV listings under the “videos” link. † Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews. Contact him at Scott.Garvey@fbcpublishing.com.

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/ grainews.ca MARCH 10, 2015

Machinery & Shop National Farm Machinery Show coverage

AGCO wins award for Gleaner design The new cascade cleaning pan design built into 2015 model year Gleaner combines recently netted the company an engineering award By Scott Garvey

S photo: agco

Crop falls onto the front of the new, larger and redesigned shoe through forced air, which helps prevent bridging and losses, particularly in highmoisture crop conditions.

tanding at the centre of AGCO’s display at the National Farm Machinery Show in aLouisville, Kentucky, in February, Kevin Bien, Gleaner marketing manager, was passionate as he described the redesigned, perforated cascade pan that engineers have placed at the front of the cleaning shoe on Gleaner Super 8 Series combines. But, of course, every time I’ve spoken with Kevin about Gleaner combines, he’s been enthusiastic about the brand he’s been with for over three decades. This time he was able to point to an ASABE 50 engineering award the company had just won the previous day for that cleaning shoe. ASABE (The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers) selects up to 50 new engineering designs each year for recognition. “Cleaning is everything to a combine,” Bien said. “It’s all about putting the best grain sample (in the tank) and handling the higher (crop) yields.” The new perforated cascade pan at the front of the cleaning shoe is slanted at a six-degree angle, and the shoe has an additional 992 square inches of pneumatic cleaning area. The company claims this provides 10 per cent additional cleaning capacity in tough conditions, because it allows highmoisture crops to fall through sooner after coming through the

Kevin Bien, marketing manager for the Gleaner brand, accepted an AE50 award for the new cleaning shoe design during an event in Louisville in February. accelerator rolls, reaching the sieve and clean-grain cross auger much faster. “That gives us the capability to avoid that bridging that normally occurs in high-moisture crops (in all combine brands),” Bien said. “You get so much build up it wants to walk itself right out the back of the combine, because it can’t get through the chaffer and sieve area and into the cross auger.” To further improve cleaning, the forced air duct was moved forward 1-1/2 inches, redirecting air flow. The entire cleaning shoe area is now pneumatic, and

the additional 12.8 per cent size increase brings the Gleaners’ total cleaning area to 8,721 square inches. This applies to all three models, which span the Class 6 through 8 range. “For the very first time, in 2015, Gleaner is totally pneumatic on our cleaning shoe,” Bien added. “That means we don’t have any area of our shoe that isn’t functional as far as giving us more capacity and more cleaning capability. This means a lot in highmoisture corn and high-density crops, because it gives us the capability to get more air to the crop. This cleaning shoe right now is about as large as some Class 9 cleaning shoes on the market with some competitors out there.” AGCO claims this cleaning shoe design also lowers losses during side-hill operation. Said Bien, “We’re really trying to figure out how we can give greater capacity to combines without adding weight to the machine and sacrificing some of the things that are most important to farmers, and that’s reduced compaction and increased fuel economy, and, more importantly, efficiency of the overall machine.” For a video look at the new cleaning shoe and interview with Kevin Bien go online to grainews. ca and watch the e-QuipTV episode under the “videos” link. † Scott.Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews. Contact him at Scott.Garvey@fbcpublishing.com.

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MARCH 10, 2015 grainews.ca /

Machinery & Shop National Farm Machinery Show coverage

John Deere’s “nimble” sprayer A new, smaller model joins the green brand’s 4 Series sprayer family By Scott Garvey

roducers have become pretty used to seeing ag equipment brands introduce consistently larger machines over the past few years. In February, however, John Deere announced a new, smaller and “nimble” self-propelled sprayer. The new R4023 fits in at the low end of the brand’s redesigned 4 Series models, and it replaces the older 4623. This little brother to the other existing models in the line gets a 4.5 litre, 173 horsepower diesel engine that meets Tier 4 Final emissions standards. “It has a boost of 180 horsepower,” says Dave Mulder, product line manager at John Deere. “It’ll get you through those tough, challenging conditions, but it’s also very economical.” The R4023 carries a 600-gallon poly tank and applies product out of an 80-foot boom that can be folded down to a reduced working width of 60 feet, making it suitable for lower-acreage farms or custom operators looking for a machine to handle smaller jobs. Up front, Mulder says Deere hasn’t scrimped on operator comfort, making some high-end interior cab options available. “We also have a premium cab option, with features such as leather,” Mulder adds. “The armrest has been laid out a little differently. We also have a new corner post display unit; you can monitor all your critical functions such as speed and RPM at a quick glance.” And in keeping with Deere’s focus on technology, the R4023 can be fitted out with any of the brand’s digital products. It is also compatible with the JDLink telematics system that enables remote display and wireless data transfer. “It’s packed with our full integrated technology,” Mulder confirms. “With this machine you can get autosteer, John Deere Section Control. You can also get automated boom height with our BoomTrac Pro option.” For more on the R4023 go online to grainews.ca and watch the e-QuipTV episode under the “videos” link. †

photos: john deere

The new R4023, which offers a smaller, 600 gallon tank, joins Deere’s 4 Series line of sprayers.

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/ grainews.ca MARCH 10, 2015

Machinery & Shop Shop class

How to identify blade fuses Blade-type automotive fuses have been an industry standard since 1981. We take a look at the different types and how to identify the one you need By Scott Garvey

ou’ll have to look pretty hard to find a new vehicle or farm machine that still uses glass-tube electrical fuses, although there are still many older working machines equipped with them; and some other electrical gadgets still use them. New vehicles and farm machines now almost exclusively use blade style, also known as plug-in, fuses. Many people are used to looking for the Amp rating stamped into the nickel-plated ends of glass-tube fuses. On blade fuses, the Amp rating is shown on the top of the plastic body. Depending on the manufacturer, that rating may be embossed into the plastic or only printed on. And if it’s just printed, the number can wear off over time, which can leave you wondering what rating a blown blade fuse had when you need to replace it. Fortunately, blade fuses are also colour coded. So even if the Amp rating number is illegible, you can still deter-

mine the fuse rating by its standardized body color (see the chart). There are three common Blade fuse sizes: the small minis (ATM), mid-sized regular (ATC/ATO) and the large maxis (APX). There is also a low profile version of the mini, the APS, which uses the same universal Amp colour coding system. The regular-sized ATC fuse is more common than the ATO. The ATC has a fuse element that is closed (hence the “C” in the code) inside the plastic housing, sealing it from the environment to prevent corrosion from developing. The ATO fuse is open on the bottom, exposing the fuse element between the blades. ATC fuses are the best choice for use on machinery where they could be exposed to the weather. The high probability of corrosion build up could eventually interfere with current flow on an ATO type exposed to moisture. † Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews. Contact him at Scott.Garvey@ fbcpublishing.com.

COLOUR CODING CHART Colour

Amps

Mini

Reg

Maxi

Black

Gray

Violet

Pink

Tan

Brown

7.5

Red

Blue

Yellow

Clear

Gray

Green

BlueGreen

Brown

Orange

Red

Blue

Amber/Tan

Clear

Violet

100

Purple

120

This chart shows how colour coding relates to the Amp rating of each fuse. Cut this chart out and keep it handy in your workshop.

Modern blade fuses have replaced older glass-tube fuses on vehicles and machinery. Blade fuses come in three size: (left to right) low profile mini, mini, regular and maxi. Larger types have higher Amp ratings.

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Cattleman’s Corner LIVESTOCK MANAGEMENT

Assess herd in March for lice control needs Don’t mix treated and untreated cattle, and apply products at the proper dosage and at the proper timing heather smith thomas

ice are a common winter problem in cattle, especially in northern climates with cold weather and short winter days. Their life cycle speeds up and numbers increase dramatically when weather is cold and they have long winter hair to hide in. Doug Colwell, a livestock parasitologist with Agriculture Canada in Lethbridge, Alta., says sucking and chewing lice can both be a problem for cattle. “We ran a serological survey in Western Canada (southern Alberta, Saskatchewan and a few herds from Manitoba) for several years, checking for lice, and found 75 to 80 per cent of beef calves coming off range in the fall tested positive for sucking lice,” he says. “This is consistent with results we found a few years earlier, checking calves coming into a feedlot that time of year — prior to the time that they would be treated for lice.” Calves pick up lice from their mothers or herdmates, and most have lice by end of summer. Many cattle also have chewing/ biting lice, but it’s harder to test for these. “We don’t have a serological test for them,” says Colwell. Many cattle harbour both types. He did studies on lice populations, using a counting technique to determine typical numbers from January through May on untreated cows. “By May we couldn’t find lice on the animals using this method,” says Colwell. “There may be a few in areas on the animal where they can hide, such as between the hind legs, but otherwise the animal is relatively free of lice during summer. By mid-October we start seeing lice again.”

TREATMENT IS COMMON

TREATMENT OPTIONS

Most ranchers in northern climates treat for lice in late fall or early winter. “Our basic treatment program is to knock the top off the population growth curve so that by January we don’t have a massive outbreak,” says Colwell. Today, chewing lice may be more common than biting lice. “There is some indication the products we’re using are not as effective as they once were,” he says. “Also the macrocyclic lactones used as injectables only kill sucking lice.” The chewing lice aren’t sucking blood and therefore are not affected by a systemic product. The pour-ons have more effect on chewing lice, especially if the products get distributed fairly well over the body. For a while after treatment, this will reduce chewing lice population on the animal. “We don’t know how effectively these products spread over the body, or whether there may be locations the drug never reaches such as between the hind legs and up around the armpit area of the front legs. These may be areas lice can retreat into and survive,” Colwell explains. This residual population could proliferate and eventually cover the body again after the drug no longer has an effect. Many herds experience a resurgence in lice before spring — cattle start rubbing and itching again by February or March, and may need another treatment. “There are also some thought that drug resistance may have developed,” says Colwell. Effective lice control depends on timing. “If you treat too early in the fall, this gives hiding lice a chance to rebuild populations and come back in large numbers,” he says. “If you wait until early winter, there’s less opportunity for them to rebuild.”

The macrocyclic lactones (which include Ivomec, Dectomax, Cydectin and now the generics) do a good job when applied at the right time, Colwell says. October/November is a good period for treatment, if weather is already cold, but not any earlier. If ranchers are preg-checking and vaccinating in early fall they often apply a delousing product, especially if they won’t have the cattle in again until spring. Then they may have serious lice problems in February. Winter-long control can be obtained only if cattle are treated late in the season when lice are starting to build up. “When macrocyclic lactone products first came on the market, some drug companies gave a guarantee, saying one treatment would last through winter and if you found lice on any of your animals they would pay for retreatment,” says Colwell. “We learned that you can’t mix treated and untreated cattle, use improper dosage, or treat too early. “ It’s usually not necessary to re-treat for lice if a few show up in late March or early April, because lice populations won’t proliferate at that late date. “Lice don’t survive in heat,” says Colwell. “If the cow is standing in bright sunlight in summer, temperature on her skin may go up above the thermal tolerance of a louse or a louse egg. Adult lice are dying and not reproducing, so the population crashes when weather warms up.” Colwell says no matter what you are using, never underdose. Always treat at the maximum level. If you don’t kill all the lice on an animal, that animal serves as a source of lice to spread to the rest of the herd. Then you may see high levels of lice again before winter is over.

photo: heather smith thomas

Lynn Thomas treats cows in the alleyway with a pour-on insecticide

WORTH THE EXPENSE Colwell recommends retreating later in winter, like February and early March, if lice become a problem. It used to be relatively inexpensive to do this, using a topical oil-based pyrethroid such as Cylence or Boss. These products spread through the hair coat and have enough residual activity to last awhile and get through to spring. Unfortunately they are now more expensive than some of the generic macrocyclic lactones. “I still think they are the best type of follow-up treatment,” he says. Other methods are useful, such as insecticides on backrubbers that allow animals to self-treat. “Self-grooming — licking, rubbing and scratching — helps keep lice populations down,” says Colwell. “But long winter hair reduces effectiveness of the tongue to pull lice off. The tongue is a great grooming device, but with a thick hair coat it can’t get to the lice that are right down on the skin. Insecticide back-rubbers and other structures for cattle to scratch on can be a help.” This also minimizes damage to

facilities if cattle rub on these instead of fences. By March, days are getting longer with more intense sunlight, and most lice populations start dwindling — and retreat to cooler places on the animal. “Some animals act as carriers; lice don’t leave them during summer. The most effective lice control is culling the carriers. Any animal that is chronically infested will keep spreading lice to the others. There are a few animals in the herd that are highly susceptible to certain parasites. This may be due to ineffectiveness of their immune response, and their genetics. “You probably shouldn’t make your entire culling decision based on louse populations, but it should be a factor to consider,” says Colwell. Lack of immune response may be genetic. Some animals have stronger immune systems than others. Carriers usually have some deficiency in their immune system that makes them more susceptible to heavy lice infestation, since cattle normally develop some resistance to lice after exposure. † Heather Smith Thomas ranches with her husband Lynn near Salmon, Idaho. Contact her at 208-756-2841.

FEED MANAGEMENT

N.A.G. Bags limit feed waste Netted material comes in a range of sizes to hold enough feed for just a few hours or even to a large round bale BY LISA GUENTHER

n Edmonton area-based company is marketing a netted bag system for limit feeding horses and other types of livestock. The N.A.G. Bags which can be stuffed with hay, or stretched over a full round bale of hay are marketed by Alex Von Hauff of Strathcona Ventures in Sherwood Park, Alta., which carries a wide range of feeders and other livestock products. Von Hauff, a long-timer in the shavings and bedding business, became an entrepreneur when he decided to sell good-quality shav-

ings for animal bedding at a cheap rate, with the goal of knocking other shaving companies off kilter. He says shavings had become so expensive he couldn’t afford to bed his own animals. Von Hauff also sells N.A.G. Bags, which were created by his in-laws in Armstrong, B.C. The bags can’t be used alone for shod horses, so Von Hauff also offers a poly ring feeder. The largest ring, which is seven feet, only weights 77 lbs. Von Hauff says the ring can be flipped up and over the bale. The plastic for the ring was tested in Yellowknife with draft horses, says Von Hauff. “Once we

were sufficiently happy that the plastic would hold up to Canadian winters, we brought it to market.” Strathcona Ventures and N.A.G Bags have sold between 700 and 800 feeders, Von Hauff says, with no returns or complaints. N.A.G. bags are netted material made from UV-treated polypropylene. The netted bags come in a range of sizes, from hanging bags, to horse trailer bags, to day bags that can lay on the ground, to bags that fit small square bales and bags that fit over a large round bale. They are available with a choice

photos courtesy n.a.g. bag

» continued on page 32

This is the larger N.A.G. bag that fits over a large round bale of hay, while smaller bags are available to hold enough hay for a day or two.

/ grainews.ca MARCH 10, 2015

Cattleman’s Corner

If there’s a fire

Anyone Can Start Farming

Pay attention to the risk of barn fires A few simple precautions and change in practices can help prevent a disaster Debbie Chikousky

arn fires are to be respected. The financial, emotional and physical damage that barn fires cause is massive. According to the National Fire Prevention Association (their standards have been adopted in Ontario), defective or improperly used heating equipment is the No. 1 cause of barn and stable fires. During cold winter months, livestock producers may rely on any number of space heaters, heated buckets, portable water heaters, and other similar devices. And any one of these heaters, if defective or improperly used, can present an increased fire risk. A fellow goat breeder in Ontario just suffered one of these devastating fires. It was caused by defrosting water pipes with a hair dryer. The heat ignited some older straw bales in the loft area, and the fire quickly spread, causing the loss of the whole barn. Thankfully they didn’t lose all their livestock or get injured themselves but now they have to face the future. Thankfully they were able to take immediate action to remove their 100 angora goats from harm along with most of the rest of their other livestock. This tragedy started some research for our farm to learn how we could work to avoid this kind of tragedy at home. For starters we will be much more careful about where combustible objects are in relation to the heat source when our water lines freeze.

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N.A.G. bags limit feed waste of one-inch, inch-and-a-half, and two-inch openings in the nets. Von Hauff says the nets hold up as long as the horses have a bit of loose feed available when they’re introduced to the bag. Horse owners should also make sure equines have some loose feed nearby when putting out a new bale. “An analogy I always use is a situation where you’ve gone out yourself to bale hay,” says Von Hauff. “You haven’t had breakfast. You haven’t had lunch. You haven’t had supper. You get home and somebody put a net over your fridge. You’re just going to cut it open.” It’s a similar principle with hungry horses. Make sure they have easy access to a bit of loose hay first and then they will find their way to the net-wrapped hay. He’s been using the poly ring feeder with a N.A.G. bag for four years, and has only had one small hole in the netting, he says.

Heat lamps, generally defined, are portable hanging fixtures with bulbs in them (usually 150-250 watts). The volunteer firemen in our area have fought many fires caused by these lamps. Research shows that the brooders for chicks are less often the cause of barn fires because their usage is planned. Most producers have time to safely install and prepare for brooder usage unlike other situations when they suddenly find themselves trying to quickly supply heat to a cold animal. Heat lamps are always dangerous but when they are used in emergency situations things are usually worse. This is when fire safety is overlooked. With freezing temperatures and a newborn lamb or kid to protect, the heat lamps are quickly set up dangling by extension cords and baling twine, over a stall full of fresh bedding. In other cases they are needed to warm a calf with pneumonia or some other recumbent animal that needs a bit of tender loving care. This is when we run a risk of having a fire.

USE COATS INSTEAD In another situation a cattle producer with no calf-warming box uses a heat lamp for a surprise calf that is nearly hypothermic. The calf needs to be separated from its mother. The cow bashes through a panel to get to her calf and knocks the heat lamp into the bedding. We had friends that nearly lost their barn this way. Instead of using heat lamps/ bulbs we have adopted the use of coats for our animals that

photos: debbie chikousky

The top photo shows how the sleeve of an old sweat shirt can be marked up for cutting and then used as a coat for a lamb. Bottom Photo shows how two-week old Cecelia is quite comfortable in her coat, without the need for a heat lamp. are chilled. We have used calf ear warmers too but took the advice of wise Grainews readers and moved our calving date to when it is warmer outside. The only time now these warmers are required is when an animal is sick. It is simply amazing how much cold a 10-pound lamb with a belly full of milk can cheerfully live in. There has

also been occasion when we had a two-pound baby goat in June that just couldn’t regulate its temperature and needed a coat for quite some time. We have also used this idea on adult goats that have been ill. † Debbie Chikousky farms with her family at Narcisse, Manitoba. Visitors are always welcome. Contact Debbie at debbie@ chikouskyfarms.co.

Among his other agricultural products, Von Hauff also sells an environmentally-friendly dustcontrol product for arenas, developed by the University of Alberta and an Alberta research company. And he also sells Aegis, a spray that kills microbes by piercing their membranes. The product can be used to disinfect a wide range of surfaces around the farm including stalls, stall mats and stall mattress systems, isles, washracks, tie stalls, tack, saddles, pads, bits, leather, cloth, boots, clothing, buckets, feed bins, troughs, auto waters, and trucks and trailers. The Dow Corning product keeps surfaces free from bacteria, viruses, mould and yeast for a year after application, he says. “Our key clients for that product include swine and cattle haulers,” he says. For more information on products carried by Strathcona Ventures visit their website at www.strathconaanimalbedding.ca. or call (780) 464-0485 or (780) 221-1625. †

photos courtesy n.a.g. bag

Lisa Guenther is a Grainews field editor based in Saskatchewan. She can be reached at lisa. guenther@fbcpublishing.com.

This horse is feeding from what is called a “day bag.” It can be stuffed with hay and hung up, placed in a tub or left on the ground allowing the horse to pick away at feed during the day.

ther preventative measures include keeping all smoking away from barns, ensuring all feed is dry when stored, being aware that grain dust is extremely combustible (another reason to keep heat lamps out of barns) and keeping flammable liquids out of the barn. But sadly, no matter how careful a farmer is fires do happen. When they do the fire departments safety protocol is as follows: • Immediately call 911 or your local emergency services. • Do not enter the barn if it is already engulfed in flames. • If it is safe for you to enter the barn, evacuate animals one at a time, starting with the most accessible ones. • Never let animals loose in an area where they are able to return to the barn. • Put a halter and lead rope on each animal if possible and lead them away from the area. Be aware that animals tend to run back into burning barns out of fear and confusion. • Blindfold only if absolutely necessary. Many animals will balk at a blindfold, making evacuation more difficult and time consuming. • Move them to paddocks close enough to reach quickly but far enough from the barn that they won’t be affected by the fire and smoke. • Be sure to have all livestock checked by a veterinarian after the fire. Smoke inhalation can cause serious lung damage and respiratory complications. Our hope is that no one has to experience the loss of a barn. Our friends in Ontario are slowly rebuilding their lives with the outpouring of generosity from neighbours and friends. Be safe. †

How to make a no-sew lamb/kid coat Supplies: Ruler, Scissors, old sweatshirt or other item of warm clothing

easure the animal from the middle of the neck to where the tail meets the body, add one inch for growth. For smaller animals, the sleeve of the garment can be made into a coat. Starting where the cuff meets the sleeve cut the sleeve the length measured along the back of the animal. The cuff can then be folded like a turtleneck for added warmth. To make the holes for the front legs we measure about one-hand length from the cuff and while folded made a one inch cut through all the layers. To accommodate for the navel/penis area open up the sleeve from the tail to where the rib cage ends. It is best to cut a “U” shaped piece out so the jacket keeps as dry as possible. Once the coat gets wet it needs to be changed or it only serves to make the patient colder.

FOR LARGER ANIMALS A sweatshirt without the sleeves works best for calves or adult goats. They also do well when dressed in a child’s winter coat with the sleeves and belts removed. We found the sleeves and belts just got tangled up and caused distress for the animal. †

BUILDING TRUST IN CANADIAN BEEF

The hidden profit in beef biosecurity Why it pays to keep disease off the farm Biosecurity. It’s a term beef producers hear a lot more of these days, but not associated with more profit. Saskatchewan producer Les Johnston has a lifetime of experience in the beef industry. He is also a trained presenter, with many hours of experience running producer workshops across his province, some on biosecurity. Ask cow-calf producers about biosecurity and you get familiar responses, he says. They’ll tell you biosecurity is important in intensive livestock production such as poultry or pork. They may say it’s expensive or cumbersome to implement. Or they’ll ask how they get paid for their efforts. Johnston understands and respects all of those questions. His answer is essentially the same. Biosecurity is one of the simplest ways to boost the profitability of any cattle operation. What is biosecurity?

“We are sort of spoiled in Canada because we market our wide-open spaces, clean air and water and that gets ingrained in our thinking,” says Johnston. Canada’s beef health status isn’t something to be taken for granted. It is earned and the first step in that process is to have an understanding of what is meant by biosecurity. “I have a layman’s interpretation,” he says. “Biosecurity is a process or procedure that does three things. It keeps disease or other health problems out of your herd. It prevents disease from cross-contaminating your herd if it’s introduced. And, if disease does get into your herd, it prevents infection of other herds and potentially destroying your industry.” What it means for profits

Producers understand the role of biosecurity with major disease outbreaks such as hoofand-mouth or BSE. What they don’t understand is that often the things that are costing

Les Johnston of Fillmore, Sask. says producers need to think about potential disease transfer before letting visitors into cattle pens. are diseases such as scours, IBR BVD, PI3 or cryptosporidia. “Low levels of disease in your herd can be the cause of all those little management things that drive you nuts. Scours, unthrifty calves, poor rate of gain.” Healthy cattle pay big dividends in rate of gain, feed efficiency and especially in carcass quality. A sick steer may not eat for several days and feeders tell us it may take up to 30 days for them to fully get back on track. “We have tracked our steers through to carcass quality since the mid-’90s and we know that sick animals often won’t grade as well as their healthy penmates. That’s a huge endorsement for herd health and proper vaccinations. I believe as ability to track animals increases, buyers will start looking for these healthy cattle.”

Find the risk

Many producers feel if they aren’t getting foreign visitors they don’t need to worry. But the biggest problems come from trusted sources — cattle buyer, veterinarian, trucker, brand inspector or neighbour. “You can walk through any high-traffic livestock area or places such as community pastures where cattle commingle and bring back on your boots diseases such as scours or IBR BVD that could decimate your herd.” Biosecurity can be as simple as cutting the side out of a couple of plastic jugs, and filling with a bleach solution as a footwear scrub. Or being diligent about farm traffic. “When I have people come to my place at calving, I meet them at the gate. When I go to the vet clinic, I wear different boots than what I wear to the barn.”

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/ grainews.ca MARCH 10, 2015

Cattleman’s Corner REPORT FROM DOWN UNDER

Australian cow-calf producers enjoying a market frenzy BY KIM NIELSEN

photo: kim nielsen

Kim Nielsen found a good price when he bought these heifers for $.65 per pound. Now he has to consider his marketing options.

aving returned last fall to the spring season in the Western District of Victoria, it was astonishing and perplexing to see such a great disparity in cattle prices between Canada and Australia, considering our exports go to the same markets. A 550lb. weaned steer sold in Alberta fetched roughly $3 per lb. whereas a similar steer here at the same time would give smiles to farmers bringing just $0.86 per lb. (Australian and Canadian dollars are currently about equal). The old adage of supply and

demand holds true after some further scrutiny. Demand is very strong on the heels of Australia just signing off on the third significant free trade agreement in the last 12 months, this time with China, following earlier agreements with Japan and South Korea. However other factors have robbed producers of extra dollars from trickle-down effect. There is a significant livestock industry here in Victoria and cattle have recently gained at the expense of the historic sheep production. The cattle enterprise is primarily cow-calf relying on grass or feedlot finishing elsewhere, typically in the northern states of New South Wales and Queensland

IT PAYS TO LISTEN FOR BLOCKAGE. The Wireless Blockage and Flow Monitor from Intelligent Ag uses patent-pending acoustic sensors to instantly detect blockages or reduced flow, anywhere in your air seeder, fertilizer applicator or box drill. Easy to install and simple to use, this system utilizes Wi-Fi technology and robust rubber tubing to take wire problems out of play, and your iPad functions as its versatile in-cab monitor. Keep your ears open, and never turn a blind eye to a blocked implement. You’ll put more in the ground, and get more profit out of it.

DROUGHT IS OVER N e w S o u t h Wa l e s a n d Queensland farmers have finally broken a three-year drought that crippled many cattle operations, resulting in dramatic destocking. This resulted in an oversupply of cattle, holding prices much below what they in reality should have brought, with the packing industry left to profit. A good example can be seen in the Meat and Livestock Australia’s figures of the 2014 export of Australian beef to China coming in at 154,000 tonnes, up from only 12,000 tonnes in 2011. On our own place here in Dunkeld we are in the process of converting from grain to livestock and seeded a small piece to perennial pasture in April of 2014, just before winter. This pasture was ready for grazing last fall as I returned from 4-Clover Ranch up in West Central Alberta. It gave us our first experience buying stockers or “store cattle” as they are called here. Some Angus heifers caught our eye at the Hamilton Livestock Market in early November as they were heavily discounted over steers. One of the driest springs in the Western District in over 100 years, combined with the ongoing drought up north saw some very low prices, which we of course didn’t mind. The heifers weighed 660 lbs. and we got them for $0.65 per lb. Steers selling in October for $0.86/lb., early in 2015 were bringing $1.10 — farmers are happy.

MARKETING OPTIONS Our heifers are gaining well considering initially the new seeding they are on was parched from the dry spring and hot Australian summer. It is not often that heavier calves sell at a price increase per pound further complementing the bottom line from the weight gains. At the moment we are seeing heifers selling for $0.90/lb. We are considering our options — sell in April into the grass-fed finished beef market or further feedlot fattening, or breed the heifers and delay sale until July. The latter would allow us to add value a bit more from an increase in demand for bred heifers — at the moment bringing $1,250. It is a darn attractive picture considering the initial outlay of $429 per heifer when we bought them in October. Whether $3 or $1.10 per pound, the disparity boils down to the reality of net return. My Danish roots remind me of Hjalmar Havelund, a well known humourist and author, who in his usual strong Funen dialect said: “I don’t so much care about the gross return; I just as soon have a bit of profit”. The Victorian cow-calf producers are rejoicing at the moment. †

To find a dealer near you, visit IntelligentAg.com or call: 306-978-0872 (N. SK, AB, BC) 306-546-2497 (S. SK, MB, ON)

Grainews_022515.indd 1

or in the higher-rainfall areas of Gippsland in eastern Victoria.

Kim Juul Nielsen, retired manager of agricultural service, Clearwater County, Alta. is a summertime resident of Alcheringa, Dunkeld, Victoria, Australia and is Canadian summertime grazier of 4-Clover Ranch, Rocky Mountain House, Alta. 2/25/15 8:38 AM

MARCH 10, 2015 grainews.ca /

Home Quarter Farm Life SEEDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT

A warning to the over-80 farmer Time to shift your mindset from controlling the farm to creating a harmonious legacy ample personal wealth to live out their days on this earth with style and dignity. They are happy to shift ownership of the business with a warm hand, not a cold one. These folks grew up in times of the Depression and great financial strife, but they are not going to let their “money scripts” tie up the growth and passions of their grandchildren. They also will not be bullied into helping keep all of their own children economically equal because they know that is a foolish approach to fairness. The plan also involves finances for assisted living or long-term care, should the over-80 parents need that kind of care. Wills are updated, enduring powers of attorney in place, and a healthcare directive is signed and ready to go. The next piece of the plan is for the “sandwiched” late-50, early-60 couple. For 25 to 30 years now they have scrimped and deferred gratification in order to grow equity outside the grasp of Grandpa. They have also created, and expanded Granddad’s wealth by farming his assets, and providing him a handsome income. Only trouble is, they are tired, want a new chapter of life, and are in a quandary as to how to help set up the next generation when

Elaine Froese

s the farming population of boomers ages, so does the over-80 crowd. These aging patriarchs and matriarchs are still ruling farms, some with a heavy hand. This is not a happy situation for the 20-something grandchildren who are dreaming of establishing their farming careers after college. It is also the cause of many sleepless nights and marital strife for the couple caught in the middle between a stubborn farming father, and growing adult children who want to know what “THE PLAN” is. Let’s define “the plan.” It is knowing when Granddad is going to transfer ownership of assets. The lawyers may have cautioned him about not “ruling from the grave,” but he is keen on tying up his assets for as long as possible and not transferring title to land or moving shares. Is this due to fear of loss of wealth, avoidance of conflict, or just stubborness to keep a tight fist of control till death? Gracious grandparents have

they are still stuck with debt and not enough assets they can call their own. Oh, and sometimes there is an unresolved divorce at this age that is causing huge uncertainty. The 50s/60s couple needs a personal financial snapshot. If they are going to stay in their current housing they just saved $400K that is not needed for a new home in town. If they continue to travel for short periods and live simply enjoying grandchildren, things look pretty sweet. The part of the certainty of the plan that escapes them is the date that they will inherit the grandparents’ assets, and how much of those assets will be going to non-farm siblings. Ouch. Wouldn’t it be nice if the assets were all transferred before death, so that each person could get on with their business growth? Or a least have a greater share of the farm’s net income going to the folks who are slaving away in the fields and the barn? Then the plan extends to the grandchildren who are the fresh new labour and energy of the farm. They are future business heirs and partners. They will work much harder when they actually own something and have what is called “skin in the game.” Debt servicing has a way of making the youngest

generation pay attention to costs, market returns, and cash flow. They learn to crunch numbers and work smarter, not just harder. They are also marrying at this stage and having babies, which calls for family time. All work and no play is the perfect setup for early divorce and grumpy people. So what is my warning? Stop the procrastination on your farm now. Have a joint meeting with your key advisers and the 80-year-olds on your farm. You can no longer be a slave to a system that is not fair. Accountants can plan for tax efficiency. Lawyers can draw up new share agreements, wills, and powers of attorney. Financial planners can give the 80-year-olds financial certainty and security with their pensions and personal wealth kept for their needs. Coaches can facilitate the courageous conversations where each generation talks about needs, wants, and the timeline to get things done. Counsellors can deal with grief, loss and divorce healing. Aging parents may suffer from unwise decision-making when their minds start to fail and dementia becomes a reality. Boomers die from heart and stroke disease, cancer, and accidents, which can leave the

remaining spouse in a difficult situation if there is no contingency plan to follow except fighting with the in-laws for control of business assets. The young farmers can’t stand the “pain of not knowing the plan” and being in limbo. They are wired to have action, and to have results. Wise farm families are always talking, listening, and making adjustment as necessary to the business plan, succession timeline, and the estate concerns. This is not a one-time event, but a journey. Unfortunately, this winter I have encountered far too many over-80 men and women who are wielding undeserved control over the future of the farm. Please embrace change as a good process, and ask for help in making the changes needed to preserve a happy farm family legacy, not a war of words and battle for power and control. Act your age. It is time to shift your mindset from control of the business, to creating a harmonious legacy. Life is short. Death is certain. Make a new plan now! † Elaine Froese, CAFA, CHICoach, CSP, respects seniors, so don’t send nasty letters. Please do send news that you have acted and have a PLAN in place. Visit www. elainefroese.com. Call 1-866-848-8311 to order her books in CDN dollars.

EXTENDED OUTLOOK FOR THE PRAIRIES Weather Forecast for the period of March 8 to April 4, 2015

Southern Alberta

Peace River Region March 8 - 14 Look for changeable conditions this week as sunny, pleasant days alternate with occasional rain or snow. Chance of heavy precipitation. Seasonal to mild.

March 8 - 14 Look for changeable conditions this week as sunny, pleasant days alternate with occasional rain or snow. Chance of heavy precipitation. Seasonal to mild.

March 15 - 21 Mild to cool temperatures with several windy days. Sunshine mixes with occasional heavy snow and rain.

March 22 - 28 Temperatures vary through the thaw/freeze cycle. Fair apart from rain or snow on 2 or 3 days, chance of heavy in places.

March 29 - April 4 Generally sunny and seasonal to cool. Expect a few days with a mix of sun and cloud or overcast skies, along with snowy conditions.

March 29 - April 4 Sunny and seasonal to mild, but on cooler, windy days expect rain or locally heavy snow.

-12 / 0 Grande Prairie 18.6 mms

March 15 - 21 Seasonal to cold with thawing in the south and west. Sunny on many days, but expect some heavier snow. Risk of rain in south. Windy.

-11 / 0 Edmonton 17.0 mms

15.7 mms

-8 / 4

21.5 mms

March 8 - 14 Temperatures lean toward the cold side, but some melting in southern areas. Sunny days alternate with periodic snow, and possible rain in the south. March 15 - 21 Temperatures vary from thawing to sub zero lows. Windy. Sunshine alternates with heavier snow or rain in south. Snow and cold north.

March 22 - 28 Fair with thawing, but a couple of cooler, frosty, windy days bring rain or heavy snow.

March 22 - 28 Mild, blustery, thawing. Some rain or snow on 2 or 3 days. A weather system threatens heavy precipitation.

March 29 - April 4 Unsettled on a few days as sunshine alternates with rain or snow. Variable temperatures. At times windy.

March 29 - April 4 Thaw/freeze cycle and often windy. Fair, but expect rain or heavier snow on a couple of days this week.

-12 / -2 North Battleford -11 / 1 Red Deer 16.5 mms

-15 / -2 Prince Albert 18.2 mms

17.3 mms

-12 / -2 Saskatoon 16.0 mms

-16 / -4 The Pas

23.6 mms NEAR NORMAL

-14 / -2 -14 / -3 Yorkton Dauphin

-16 / -3 -13 / -2 25.6 mms 25.7 mms -11 / 0 Gimli Regina -8 / 3 22.6 mms -11 / -1 Moose Jaw 16.5 mms Calgary Swift 18.1 mms -12 / -1 14.7 mms -13 / -2 Portage -12 / -2 -7 / 5 Current -11 / -1 Medicine Hat Brandon 26.3 mms Winnipeg 19.5 mms Weyburn 19mms cms 20.5 mms Lethbridge 16.0 23.1 mms NEAR 16.8 mms -11 / -1 26.0 mms -14 / -1 26 cms Melita -7 / 5 NORMAL Estevan

Banff

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

March 8 - 14 Temperatures vary with some highs well above zero in the south but with sub zero lows. Sunshine interchanges with heavy snow. Risk of rain in south. Windy. Cold in east and north.

Manitoba

Precipitation Forecast

NEAR NORMAL

-7 / 4 Jasper

Saskatchewan

19.9 mms

25.0 mms

Precipitation Outlook For March Much Above Normal Below Much above normal normal below normal normal

/ grainews.ca MARCH 10, 2015

Home Quarter Farm Life

Providing a local shopping opportunity With everything from basics to home décor, store has something for everyone BY CHRISTALEE FROESE

hen Christine FitzGerald started a department store in her hometown, it wasn’t strictly about making money, it was about providing local people with shopping opportunities. “You couldn’t even buy a pair of socks or a pair of underwear here,” said FitzGerald. The 40-year-old former petroleum land administrator didn’t have any retail experience when she started CR Trenz in Grenfell, Sask., but what she did have was enthusiasm. “It was a spontaneous thing when I saw that there was an empty building sitting there. I just thought, ‘Why don’t we open a store?… It can’t be that hard,” laughs FitzGerald. Buying the former Thomlinson’s Clothing Store building in downtown Grenfell in 2013, FitzGerald then took several months to renovate and stock it. With the retail world being new to her, the fledgling entrepreneur came home from her first buying show in Winnipeg, Man. with enough stock to fill a building twice the size. “When I realized how much stock I had ordered, I started to cry and I had a bit of a breakdown because we only had 4,000 square feet and I ordered for a building that was more like 8,000 square feet,” FitzGerald said. Fortunately, the community response to the store was very positive so the excess stock moved quickly. Since the store opened in September 2013, FitzGerald said she has a better

handle on how much to buy and what to order. CR Trenz has clothing for all ages and desires, from swimsuits and coveralls to neckties and snowsuits. With lines like Alia, Bench and Silver Jeans, the store truly caters to the whole family. While FitzGerald knew she wanted to carry clothing of every kind, including undergarments and footwear, her interest in home decorating has resulted in a large selection of artwork, pillows, dishes, kitchen accessories, towels, curtains, comforters and giftware. “I try to stay away from what our local stores already have so I try to bring in unique stuff so people can get everything they want in Grenfell without having to drive.” To that end, CR Trenz sells everything from soup to nuts (literally), to stationery, fabric, yarn, work gloves, designer boots, tea towels and pencil crayons. While FitzGerald has met her goal of offering a little bit of everything in her store, she said her ultimate goal is to offer a place that people from both Grenfell and outlying communities are comfortable in. Having lost her husband five years ago, FitzGerald said her attitude has turned toward having fun and doing what she enjoys rather than to making her life all about money. “It really changes your perspective. The best days for me now are when people are coming in for some fun. I don’t care if they buy, I want them to buy, but it’s when they’re in little groups and they’re just here to enjoy themselves.” Shirley Theisen is a Grenfell resi-

photos: christalee froese

Christine FitzGerald in her store. dent who can’t say enough about what CR Trenz has meant to the community. “It means the world to us, personally, and for the town it’s just so great. I can’t even let my husband go in there by himself because he comes home with all of this stuff.” Theisen said the store has been embraced by members of the community who no longer have to travel to Regina for what they need and also by those who just want something trendy and modern to take home. “We like her stuff because she has such good taste in things,” said Theisen. For more information on CR Trendz, visit www.crtrenz.ca. † Christalee Froese writes from Montmartre, Sask.

The store is stocked with a wide variety of goods.

Prairie heritage in miniature Woman recreates some Sask. homesteads and hamlets in stoneware BY EDNA MANNING

reserving our Prairie heritage has been Myrna Gehl’s primary motivation in recreating some of Saskatchewan’s homesteads and hamlets in stoneware miniatures. She also captures the beauty of the Prairies and the special moments in the lives of families in porcelain art. “Prairie has always been home to me. There is beauty everywhere. I wish I could paint every day! To keep those freshly fallen snowflakes; that exquisite sunset; a baby’s smile; the green, yellow, blue and gold of the fields; the fledglings being fed on a branch. Everything!” Growing up in a large family in southern Saskatchewan, Gehl and her siblings learned to appreciate the wide-open spaces, the freedom to explore, and the

opportunity to work and enjoy their accomplishments. After graduation she attended the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon for one year, followed by a year at the training school in Moose Jaw as a student psychiatric nurse. In 1958 Myrna married Walt Gehl, and farming and family became the top priorities. Gehl and her sister enrolled in their first ceramics class in Gravelbourg in 1977. “We became addicted and went on to earn our Instructor’s Certificates. Over the years I’ve taken additional workshops and seminars, and also attended painting and sketching sessions. I taught ceramics classes in my basement studio for about seven years until the children graduated. Farming, weddings, and grandchildren kept us busy for another couple of decades,” she says.

Myrna Gehl with her replica of the town of Bateman. When her brother Alan passed away, Gehl attempted to make a clay model of him in a flatbottomed boat he had built as a youngster, but it was her father’s struggle with Alzheimer’s that prompted her to start constructing the miniature stoneware homesteads and hamlets. “Dad and I often drove to Bateman, the small town where he had gone to school. I decided to build Bateman for him with the garages, rink, church, theatre, a millinery, and all the buildings he was so familiar

with and which held so many wonderful memories for him.” The replica Gehl created was a great success not only for her parents but others from the area and inspired her to continue building. A great deal of research, time, careful work, and patience goes into making the clay miniatures. Something like a heritage barn, that will be about 5x3-1/2x2-1/2 inches high, will take about three days to create, followed by a week of detailing, cleaning and drying before the

photo: courtesy myrna gehl

day of firing. Painting can be completed in a day. Her family’s support has been invaluable in many ways. “Because they like what I do, I like it more. Because they are interested to see my pieces displayed at an art show, I have become more comfortable in that venue. Because they help when needed, I am very grateful.” For more information, visit Myrna Gehl’s website at www. clayinwithmemories.com. † Edna Manning writes from Saskatoon, Sask.

MARCH 10, 2015 grainews.ca /

Home Quarter Farm Life POSTCARDS FROM THE PRAIRIES

If you could make one wish for your children, what would it be? Janita VAN DE VELDE

ell friends, this is it for me. This is my last article, and I promise never to bother you ever again. (And by ever I mean until next time I feel the urge to share something and shamelessly beg the editors at Grainews to print it.) But as for a regular column, this is it. Everything in life has a season — an ending and a beginning — and the time has come for me to move on. I leave you with this legend of Pandora’s Box as I recall it. A young girl was given a gift from her brother — a beautiful box she was told never to open, for its contents were a secret. But who gave it to you, and where did it come from? she asked him. That’s a secret too, he said. Let’s forget about it, and go outside and play. In their world, everyone was a child. No

one needed parents to take care of them because everyone had exactly what they needed. No one ever quarrelled, there was no greed, jealousy or fits of rage, no danger or sorrow — nothing but pure joy. One morning when her brother had stepped outside, Pandora turned towards the box yet again. She had been thinking about it incessantly, wondering what lay inside and curious of that which lay beyond her reach. When one has been given everything, one expects nothing to be held back. So she opened it, even though she was told never to do such a thing. As Pandora raised the lid, a swarm of winged creatures brushed past her, taking flight out of the box. She let out a scream and dropped the lid. In that very moment, all at once, she felt all troubles of the world descend upon her — sorrow, disease, hunger and pain. She ached with it; it was almost unbearable, also because it was the first real pain she had ever felt. She lay there sobbing, unable to see through the darkness. Then she heard a tap, and a sweet little voice. Open the

box again, said the voice, and let me out. Go away, said Pandora, enough bad has happened. The sweet voice came again. You had better let me out, it said. The world needs me. So with her brother’s help, she pushed open the lid, for this time the weight of it was more than she could bear. And out flew a creature so beautiful and shiny and bright that it cast a light wherever it went. My name is Hope, it said. I was packed into that box to make up for everything else. Will you stay with us forever and ever? asked the girl. As long as you need me, said Hope. I promise to never ever leave you. There may be times now and then when you will think that I have vanished. But I promise you this, when your dreams no longer include me, and you can no longer feel that I am there, that’s when you shall see the glimmer of my wings and know that I am with you. Why am I sharing this? This past November, I had the privilege of going back to El Salvador for the second year in a row, on another Habitat for Humanity

build. The images that will forever be seared upon my soul are those of the families we were helping — the joy in their smiles, that light in their eyes — and yes, I do believe that light was the glimmer of hope. They radiated from knowing that someone didn’t think they were worthless, that someone felt they were worthy of help. Hope is a powerful thing, and something that no one wants to let go of. I like to think that it’s hope that carries us through our darkest hours — the burning light of faith, and the belief that you’ll get through whatever has been thrown your way. It’s always looking for — and finding — the good, and knowing that kindness and compassion will always make your heart feel full. And when you’re called upon to be that hope for others, there’s a certain dignity that comes when you strip yourself of all possessions and break down all the walls you’ve built around your heart. It’s a return to innocence, and it’s there that we learn how to walk again. For it’s easy to sit with the great, but it’s

how we walk with the broken that matters. In my last question I posed to you, I asked: If you could make just one wish for your children, what would it be? You wished them happiness, health, good fortune, and love. I couldn’t agree more. And above all else, I wish them hope. I imagine the world of Pandora’s Box, where everyone lived in perfect harmony because they had everything they needed — there was no suffering, fighting, hunger or grief. That’s the world I wish for my children — and what a world it would be. Until then, I wish them hope. † 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.

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Home Quarter Farm Life SINGING GARDENER

Info on savory and thyme Plus, celebrate the year of soil and also, fight pests with homemade oil spray ted meseyton

avory is herb of the year for 2015. This is also international year of the soil, and mulching with untreated wood chips is what I have in mind to try. Plus let’s whip up a batch of dormant oil formula to spray on fruit trees before blossoms and leaves burst forth. There’s a brand of coffee boasting it’s good to the last drop. Well this is Ted the Singing Gardener’s brand of reading that’s good to the last word. You know a tip of my hat always means welcome.

and edging, but also has multiple medicinal and culinary uses. The twigs of green or dried Summer Savory are useful against a number of health problems. A tablespoon of the herb steeped as tea in a cup of hot water for 10 minutes relieves indigestion, intestinal cramps, gastric disorders and promotes an appetite. Strong Summer Savory tea is also useful as an antiseptic for gargling and relieves throat irritation. In some cultures, both savories are useful as traditional sex medications. Summer Savory is taken as an aphrodisiac to enhance sperm mobility and improve the outcome for couples desiring a family. Winter Savory is said to be the opposite (anaphrodisia). It lessens desire and decreases sexual performance and outcome.

GOOD MEDICINE

SAVOUR THE MOMENT WITH SAVORY This year let’s grow Summer Savory, a semi-hardy annual and also get to know its cousin Winter Savory (Satureja montana) a tender perennial. Each possesses distinct qualities and both have a long history of usage. Mild and delicately flavoured Summer Savory is the ideal and preferred choice for culinary purposes. A few fresh harvested leaves and young shoots make a splendid addition to any salad; full of fibre and loaded with antioxidant properties. This easy-to-grow garden herb is known for its ability to reduce stomach gas and combines well with other herbs such as thyme, marjoram and basil. Winter Savory possesses a stronger, more potent flavour and is preferred for decorative growing as a mini shrub in borders

Isn’t it time we recognized that every garden is a medicine chest filled with health-promoting goodies? Savory has long been noted as a longevity tonic that contributes to well-being. In generations past, savory tea has treated many common ailments such as headaches, coughs and disorders affecting the urinary system. A poultice made with savory leaves often brings quick relief from insect bites and stings. An ailing person suffering from the flu can help fight it off by drinking a tea combining savory and black currant. Most health food stores sell black currant tea bags, or buy black currant concentrated juice with no sugar added and stir in a bit. According to a longtime practising herbalist, “persons who drink this combo of savory and black currant tea will notice their coughing subside sooner, rather than later.” Here are further reasons to partner with savory. Leaves possess antibacterial properties that help fight fungal infections. If that weren’t enough, savory may also improve the ability to think and

assist handling stress better. For breathing problems, herbalists recommend taking a savory bath to help open up the airways.

THYME IS VERSATILE From an air freshener to repelling insects is just the tip of it all. Thyme is one plant with ancient and envious culinary, medicinal and health-boosting history. Various forms of thyme have been around for thousands of years. There are hundreds of related members in this family of edible and ornamental species ranging from the common garden variety and citrus groups to spicy and wild thymes. English Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) is an indispensable and popular variety widely used in cooking. There’s almost no stew, soup, stuffing, fish, meat dish, baked or sautéed vegetable and casserole dish that won’t benefit from adding thyme whether fresh minced or dried. In my “Weather Song” mosquitoes are mentioned during the lyrics, resulting in my great appreciation for thyme. Some varieties are known as a mosquito repellent, disinfectant and air freshener. Most any kind of thyme can be planted in pots and placed near doorways and on the patio or close to the barbecuing area to help shoo away mosquitoes. As well, rub thyme leaves between your hands and fingers, plus on the skin. You may notice a decline of mosquitoes hanging around your face, neck and arms. Dried thyme leaves can also be used in potpourris and moth-repelling sachets to place in chest drawers and closets. Buy a bottle of thyme essential oil at your health food store. Mix a few drops with some olive or coconut oil and gently apply on the skin to keep ‘skeeters’ at bay. Thyme plants are tender perennials and related to the mint family. Some will overwinter and other varieties may not, so they’re often grown as annuals in Prairie gardens. Thyme also makes a great

companion plant when grown in short rows near potatoes, cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli to help deter potato and flea beetles and other pests. Compact thyme is small in stature making it ideally suited to crevices, rock gardens and containers.

OTHER ATTRIBUTES OF THYME … include antibacterial elements capable of helping clear up acne and other skin problems by adding some thyme tea to bathwater and applying poultices. What with so many flu cases this past winter, gardeners need a strong immune system. That’s where thyme tea comes in handy to ward off an oncoming cold, suppress coughing and ease bronchial chest symptoms. Immuneboosting elements packed in thyme include vitamins A and C plus trace minerals such as manganese, copper and iron. The tea has a warm tangy flavour, somewhat like camphor and can be sipped throughout the day. Try misting a fine spray of thyme tea throughout the house. This acts as an air freshener and mild disinfectant. Combine thyme tea with rose petal water made from homegrown roses. A few dabs on a handkerchief or a mist into the air imparts a sweet-smelling aroma that helps reverse melancholy. In medieval times, thyme was regarded as a plant that bestowed courage and vigour. Dried thyme leaves can be ground into a fine powder and used as a salt substitute to help lower high blood pressure.

THIS IS INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF THE SOIL As we garden in 2015, let us be conscious that we should strive to leave the soil in better health and condition than when we started. Across Canada and worldwide, more and more of our fresh produce is grown in home backyards and small farms. As gardeners, we have a duty

photo: courtesy www.westcoastseeds.com photo: courtesy www.dominion-seed-house.com

Summer Savory (Satureja hortensis) is known as the bean herb. It’s often ignored yet has a long history of usage both as a spice and medicine. Does anyone out there burp or belch a lot? Summer Savory has ability to reduce flatulence, wind or gas originating in the stomach and exiting by way of the mouth.

Creeping Thyme (Thymus serphyllum) is really attractive when in flower and a great bee plant that’s well loved by honeybees and pollinating insects. It’s among the most fragrant and pleasant of any greenery. This mat-forming ornamental that blooms May through August is ideally suited to outdoor crevices, rock gardens, as a ground cover and edgings. Check out West Coast Seeds website or phone 1-888-804-8820.

to learn, motivate, inspire, and encourage each other with such concepts as crop rotation, composting, cover cropping, companion planting, worthy foliar sprays and organic pest controls. To celebrate IYS, I’m experimenting with no tilling and no planting for a season in a section of the garden. Here’s how. The chosen soil site receives a four-inch application of natural untreated wood chips as a ground cover. Coarse-ground corncobs and cornstalks can be used as an alternate. The principal aim is to not disturb beneficial microbes and organisms in earth’s intestine that are beneath the wood chips blanket. The longer the covering remains and the more that’s applied; so proportionately richer and deeper does topsoil underneath it become. The following year (2016) or whenever, wood chips are raked off to the side in a pile. The enriched garden area is ready to be planted. Most any home gardener can do this.

HOMEMADE DORMANT OIL SPRAY Apply in early spring on apple and other fruit trees before buds swell and prior to sap flowing. It’s effective at disposing of overwintered pests including aphids, mites and scales and smothers most insect eggs so they don’t hatch. Select a warm day when the temperature remains above freezing (over 0 C) for 24 hours. Make sure that the trunk, limbs and branches are all completely covered. The simplest recipe is 2 tablespoons of light-grade vegetable oil such as canola or sunflower, 1 tablespoonful of baking soda, 1 tablespoonful of mild dish soap OR castile soap and 6 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide (H202). These ingredients can be premixed first and then stirred into 4 litres of water. Shrubs and rose canes that are still dormant may also be sprayed. Once buds begin swelling there could be some burn on emerging growth, but it’s less likely to happen if you make sure to use lightgrade vegetable or horticultural oil, as pointed out earlier. This spray helps control overwintering pests and reduces incidence of foliar diseases. Proper sanitation around fruit trees during growing season and into fall is also essential. †

This is Ted Meseyton the Singing Gardener and Grow-It Poet from Portage la Prairie, Man. Here’s a quote attributed to the founder of homeopathy. Samuel Hahnemann, who lived during the period from 1755 to 1844, is credited with saying: “The highest ideal of cure is the speedy, gentle, and enduring restoration of health by the most trustworthy and least harmful way.” My email address is singinggardener@mts.net.

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