Flax council ON ITS WAY To Europe Hoping to soon close the book on CDC Triffid » PaGe 9
“One big mark of our arrogance is our belief in our ability to predict the future.” Author and jornalist Stephen Dubner » PaGe 13
SERVING MANITOBA FARMERS SINCE 1925 | Vol. 70, No. 13 | $1.75 March 29, 2012 manitobacooperator.ca
Richardson International’s rise to share top grain spot Founded 155 years ago, Richardson International, has outlasted the Pools, UGG and the wheat board By Allan Dawson co-operator staff
T
he pending multibillion-dollar sale of Viterra demonstrates the value of patient capital and private ownership, says Richardson International president Curt Vossen. Last week publicly traded Viterra, Canada’s largest grain company, announced it was selling to the world’s No. 1 diversified commodities trader, Swiss-based Glencore, for $16.1 billion. But in a move believed aimed at getting government approval, Glencore will sell some of Viterra’s assets to Winnipeg-based Richardson and fertilizer giant Agrium, headquartered in Calgary. Richardson’s market share will jump to 34 per cent from around 24 currently. Richardson will buy 19 Viterra elevators, 13 attached retail farm input outlets, Viterra’s smaller 231,000-tonne-capacity “C” terminal at Thunder Bay, one-quarter of Viterra’s 282,830-tonne Cascadia terminal at Vancouver and Can-Oat milling, which includes a wheat mill in Texas and an oat plant in Nebraska. Calgary-based Agrium will buy 90 per cent of Viterra’s 258 input stores in Canada and all 17 in Australia, along with 34 per cent of Canadian Fertilizers Ltd. for $1.15 billion. Viterra traces its roots back to the defunct farmerowned Prairie Pools and United Grain Growers, which once dominated Western Canada’s grain See RICHARDSON on page 6 »
Pioneer Grain, a division of Richardson International, believes it is well-positioned to make the long haul. Photo: Kathlyn Hossack
It’s early, but a good time to fertilize KAP wants a blanket exemption allowing manure spreading before April 10 By Allan Dawson
Publication Mail Agreement 40069240
co-operator staff
Field work was underway in some parts of Manitoba late last week as farmers began applying fertilizer applications during one of the earliest springs people can remember. But while extension officials urged farmers to take full advantage of the province’s exemption to rules limiting fertilizer applications until after April 10, they cautioned against putting seed in the ground just yet. Fertilizing winter wheat and forages now makes sense, but seeding not so much, say agrolo-
gists with Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives (MAFRI). “Why? Because it’s March,” MAFRI’s cereals specialist Pam de Rocquigny said in an interview March 23. There’s still a strong possibility of getting extremely cold temperatures, she said. Earlier planting usually results in higher yields, but bets are off when seeding in March. In most years, it’s physically impossible to seed before late April because fields are either snow covered, frozen or too wet. “If the weather stays good and we flip the calendar into April it
will probably be harder for guys to resist the temptation to go out and seed,” de Rocquigny said. In 2010, 58 per cent of Manitoba’s cereal crops were seeded in April, however, torrential rains at the end of May drowned many crops, some of which were never reseeded because fields stayed wet. On average, 68 per cent of the province’s cereal crops are planted in May. Cereal crops will germinate when soil temperatures are 2 to 3 C and will grow well when the soil is 5 C. Cereal crops can tolerate air temperatures of -5 to -8 C for a
time because the growing point is below the surface. But if extreme cold doesn’t kill a young crop outright, cooler temperatures can delay emergence and plant growth making the crop vulnerable to disease. An early-seeded crop may end up being no more advanced than one seeded later under warmer conditions. Now is the best time to apply fertilizer to winter wheat and forages, John Heard, MAFRI’s fertility specialist said. “Early nitrogen is important to help it recover from winter injury and promote tillering,” he said. “I See FERTILIZE on page 7 »