Gnn140304

Volume 40, Number 6 | MARCH 4, 2014

$4.25

PRACTICAL PRODUCTION TIPS FOR THE PRAIRIE FARMER

www.grainews.ca

Delays caused by harsh winter Prairie farmers are left frustrated by slowed grain movement. Railway officials say weather and a large crop are the culprits

PHOTO: LISA GUENTHER

BY LISA GUENTHER

M

ost years Jay Millard trucks about 10 loads of grain a month. But between September and mid-January this year, he’d only hauled six loads of wheat and five of canola.

“There’s just no movement. I don’t have an empty bin in the yard, and there’s still grain on the ground,” said Millard, who runs a mixed farm and trucking business near Livelong, in northwestern Saskatchewan.

Millard says this is the worst he’s seen it in the 20 years he’s been trucking. “There was always a trickle going all the time.

There’s nothing (this year).”

Millard’s had phone calls about hauling to the U.S. “But it’s just not viable. Not from here, anyway.”

The lack of movement has Millard thinking about summerfallowing some of his acres in 2014. “What’s the point of growing it if you can’t ship it and don’t get paid for it?”

The problem, in Millard’s opinion, is the railroads. “You’ve got no competition and no accountability so why bother hauling grain?”

Publications Mail Agreement Number 40069240

RAILWAYS SAY WEATHER AND CROP VOLUMES CHALLENGING Ed Greenberg, Canadian Pacific (CP) spokesperson, wrote via email that as grain is CP’s largest commodity, it’s very important to the railway. “The fact is this crop year is at extraordinary levels,” he wrote.

CP has also been dealing with extreme weather, Greenberg wrote.

But CP’s grain products volumes from September through January were 17 per cent above the five year average, he added.

CN spokesman Mark Hallman said CN is not flat-lining service for grain shippers. After harvest, grain hopper placements in Western Canada were 12 per cent higher than the five year average, he said.

But the polar vortex, which first hammered North America in early December, “has temporarily curtailed throughput capabilities for all the commodities we move, not just grain. CN is suffering as much as grain producers, if not more,” Hallman wrote in an email.

Asked how CN is suffering, given their 2013 fourth quarter revenues were up for grain and fertilizer markets, Hallman stated, “When I say CN is suffering, it’s that the harsh winter conditions

are increasing costs of rail operations, not revenues. Revenues minus costs equal income.”

A media release posted to CN’s website six days prior to the email exchange provided more details. At $2,612 million, overall net income for 2013 was slightly lower than 2012, which hit $2,680 million.

But CN booked $635 million of net income in the fourth quarter of 2013, compared to $610 million for the fourth quarter of 2012.

The January 30 release attributes CN’s revenue increases to higher freight volumes due to strong energy markets, market share gains, a growing North America economy, a weaker Canadian dollar, freight rate increases, and a higher fuel surcharge.

Canadian Pacific released its 2013 financials on January 29. Last year the railway reported $82 million in net income for the fourth quarter, a significant lift over $15 million in 2012’s fourth quarter.

Adjusted net income for the last quarter of 2013 was $338 million, which was a 49 per cent boost over the same quarter in 2012.

Full media releases on each railway’s financials are available on their websites, under news or media.

O n F e b r u a r y 1 0 t h , Wa d e Sobkowich, executive director

of the Western Grain Elevators Association, told the House of Commons agriculture committee the railways are only providing between 3,000 to 4,000 cars a week right now.

Asked whether CN will add more grain cars to the system to deal with the current backlog, Hallman wrote that “putting too many grain hoppers in the system will create inefficiencies, like putting more cars on a freeway at rush hour — it will ultimately slow down the system.”

Last fall’s bumper crop “generated a significant increase in grain car orders, and CN performed well until recent weather challenges took a toll,” Hallman said.

TRANSPORTATION CONSULTANT SKEPTICAL Terry Whiteside, a Montanabased transportation and marketing consultant, was skeptical about the assertion that 2013’s bin buster was responsible for this year’s transportation woes. “Look, we’ve been growing wheat and grains on the Prairies, for what, 150 years? The railroads have been hauling it for 100. It comes by every year about the same time.”

“The problem is that they’re

In This Issue

already at capacity with all these other commodities, and then grain came on top of it,” Whiteside told reporters at CropSphere in Saskatoon in January. “But grain should not have to pay for that.

Because think about grain. Grain is the lifeblood of the Prairies. It’s the lifeblood of Canada. It’s the balance of payments.”

Although it’s likely cold comfort, U.S. farmers have faced many of the same transportation issues as their Canadian cousins.

Montana terminals are paying premiums of up to $3,000 per car, said Whiteside.

One elevator ordered trains last summer when it cost $700 to $900 per car. “Now they can sell them for $3,000 a car. So they got into the car-brokering business, the train-brokering business, and they’re still piling grain on the ground in Montana right now, this week,” said Whiteside.

“Now that’s nuts. We’ve never had a situation like that before.”

Four railways control 95 per cent of the business in the United States, Whiteside said. He characterizes railways on both sides of the border as “duopolies.”

Duopolies price the same way,

» CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

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

2

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

5

Crop Advisor’s Casebook

7

Columns ........................... 20 Machinery & Shop ............ 32 Cattleman’s Corner .......... 37

Everything you forgot about growing flax

SARAH WEIGUM PAGE 20

The super-sized rotary pull-type combine that never was SCOTT GARVEY PAGE 32

FarmLife ............................ 41

2

/ grainews.ca

MARCH 4, 2014

Wheat & Chaff STAMPEDE

BY JERRY PALEN

LISA GUENTHER

Editor’s note: I am still the editor of Grainews, but I’ve given this page over to our field editor Lisa Guenther for this issue. As you saw on our cover, Lisa’s been looking into the transportation fiasco. She has some well-researched, timely opinions that I wanted to highlight at the very front. — Leeann Minogue

I

“Stop complaing. It’s your doctor who told you to get outside and get some sun.”

CONTACT US

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

U.S. subscribers call 1-204-944-5568 or email: subscription@fbcpublishing.com If you have story ideas, call us. You can write the article and we’d pay you, or we can write it.

Phone Leeann Minogue at 306-861-2678 Fax to 204-944-5416 Email leeann.minogue@fbcpublishing.com Write to Grainews, 1666 Dublin Ave., Winnipeg, Man. R3H 0H1

HEARTS

Ask for hearts When you renew your subscription to Grainews, be sure to ask for six Please Be Careful, We Love You hearts. Then stick them onto equipment that you, your loved ones and your employees operate. That important message could save an arm, a leg or a life.

Like us on Facebook!

Grainews has a Facebook page.

Find, read and comment on blog posts easily and with a thumbs up!

Find us on Twitter: Leeann Minogue is @grainmuse Lisa Guenther is @LtoG Lee Hart is @hartattacks Scott Garvey is @machineryeditor

f anyone should be outraged by the railways’ poor service, it’s Gerry Ritz.

The federal agriculture minister has diligently worked on market access for Canadian agricultural products. And, in November 2011 Ritz told a legislative committee that the single desk’s end would mean better rail service “because we won’t be dragging our sales out at the rate of one-twelfth every month, as the wheat board does now.”

“There will be a lot more moving off the combine and a lot more going to market positions earlier, getting us away from starting our trucks and our augers at -40 C in January,” Ritz said.

Well, that obviously hasn’t happened. Last year’s bin buster has exposed the holes in our grain transportation system. And it’s costing the ag industry big time in demurrage charges, lost customers and lost income for farmers.

Ritz ought to be worried about the railways unravelling his work securing foreign markets. And you’d think he’d be furious on behalf of farmers, grain elevators and the rest of the industry.

There’s little doubt that CN and CP should shoulder most of the responsibility. After all, western Canadian shipments are 51,000 cars behind, Greg Cherewyk of Pulse Canada told the House agriculture committee Feb. 10.

And the railways don’t seem inclined to bump up car shipments.

They’re only providing between 3,000 and 4,000 cars per week right now, Wade Sobkowich, executive director of the Western Grain Elevators Association, told the committee.

For some historical perspective, in late 1983-84, in one week Thunder Bay unloaded over 9,500 grain cars and Vancouver handled over 3,000.

Why, exactly, are the railways stiffing the agriculture industry on hoppers these days? Mark Hallman, CN’s spokesperson, told me the polar vortex was slowing service, and Ed Greenberg of CP cited extreme weather as a challenge, too (see the cover story).

But this excuse wears thin. Winter rolls in every year. It’s often miserable on the Prairies. How many

Tundra

more winters do the railways need to experience before they adapt?

Ritz has made some positive announcements in the last few weeks. He’s called for more frequent reporting of grain movement. And the federal government is kicking in $1.5 million for a fiveyear study, led by Pulse Canada, to examine the grain transportation and logistics system.

But Ritz was singing a different tune last fall. In November, he told reporters in Winnipeg that although he wasn’t a railway apologist, “I do agree with (CN). Putting more cars on the freeway at rush hour doesn’t make it more efficient.”

And when asked about rail service issues last December in Edmonton, Ritz told reporters “I think those who are complaining should look in the mirror and realize that there are efficiencies that they can do themselves.”

While grain companies don’t do a perfect job, one imagines they’re highly motivated to avoid demurrage and fill contracts. And efficiency will only get them so far when they’re getting fewer than 4,000 cars a week.

Ritz’s solution last fall was to chop the revenue cap. In Winnipeg last November, he said, “in a market-driven economy, that needs to be looked at.”

Ritz seems to be confused about the difference between a “marketdriven economy” and a “monopoly” or “duopoly.” This is perplexing, given his work dismantling the Canadian Wheat Board’s single desk.

Ritz should know that a duopoly exists when two companies own the entire market for a service or product. The railways are, at best, duopolies. And since most grain elevators only have access to one railway, the ag industry is basically dealing with separate monopolies.

I’m no economist, but that doesn’t sound like a market-driven economy to me. Removing the revenue cap seems like a good way to further beef up the railways’ bottom lines at the agriculture industry’s expense.

Not everyone is surprised by this year’s grain transportation gong show, by the way. Richard Phillips, who is part of the Canada Grains Council and the National Rail Shipper’s Coalition, told me shippers predicted the system would melt down once we had a huge harvest.

The railways are not being competitive, and so the government needs to give them a nudge, Phillips said. “With the understanding that if you don’t like this nudge, then there will be something more than a nudge. Next time it will be a push.”

Last year Ritz and his colleagues pushed through legislation meant to bind railways to service agreements with shippers, if the shippers request them. The Fair Rail

Freight Service Act would slap railways with penalties if they refuse to meet agreements, or, as Ritz told Country Guide’s Maggie Van Camp, “make the railways play nice in the sandbox.”

But the grain companies have not negotiated service agreements.

Phillips told me the regulations have no teeth.

And what shippers would want to go up against a railway, which they depend completely on to move their products, when all they have are toothless regulations?

After all, the railways don’t seem like the type to play nice in the sandbox, despite Ritz’s lukewarm efforts to referee. They seem more likely to kick in your sandcastle and blame it on someone or something else (polar vortexes, disorganized grain companies, rail operation costs). And then complain about the sand between their toes.

“People do perceive that if they speak out too strongly their service may suffer,” Phillips told me. He stressed that he doesn’t know whether railways will actually cut service in retribution for complaining.

But, in a way, it doesn’t matter, does it? A perceived threat is a great way to silence squeaky wheels.

Minister of Transport Lisa Raitt should be the one to nudge CN and CP back on track. But we’re not likely to see much positive action from her department. The Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada, which tracks meetings between paid lobbyists and government, reported 39 meetings between Transport Canada officials, including Raitt, and CN lobbyists last year.

CP met with Transport Canada officials 12 times in 2013. The Railway Association of Canada, which counts CP and CN as members, also met with Transport Canada 12 times.

But railway lobbyists had few meetings with Agriculture and AgriFood Canada officials — in fact CN only met with federal agriculture officials twice last year and CP and the Railway Association didn’t meet with Agriculture Canada once. The database doesn’t include 2014 numbers yet, but there are no records of the railways’ lobbyists meeting with Ritz since May 2012.

Although Ritz has been slow to champion the agriculture industry in this whole mess, he is still our best hope. He’s a free market disciple and it seems the railways haven’t been whispering in his ear.

So come on, Minister Ritz. It’s time to put on your ostrich cowboy boots, march into the sandbox, and give the railways a hard nudge. The rest of the agriculture industry will be right behind you.

Lisa Guenther With files from Allan Dawson, AgCanada.com, Country Guide, iPOLITICS, Reuters, and The Canadian Press

MARCH 4, 2014

grainews.ca /

Wheat & Chaff Farm safety

Building your farm safety team

I

t’s no secret that a serious farm injury or fatality can be devastating emotionally and financially to a farm operation and farm family. But it’s never going to happen to you.

Right? Well, according to Canadian Agricultural Injury Reporting statistics, an average of 104 people die in agriculture-related incidents in Canada every year. Almost half of all agricultural fatalities in Canada involve farm owners and operators.

That means a little more than half happen to other people working, living, or visiting the farm.

So what can you do to prevent these injuries?

Nothing’s for sure but if you build a culture of safety on your farm and encourage your family and farm employees to get involved, you can help reduce the risk of injury while growing your business and engaging your workforce.

Make sure to start out on the right safety foot with new employees. Before they set foot on your operation, make certain they understand that health and safety is your priority.

Communicate safety policies and standard operating procedures. Before your new employees begin work, review job descriptions to ensure they have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities when it comes to work and safety.

Determine what training each employee requires based on their specific job duties and ensure they receive that training. Monitor their performance and provide feedback and coaching in a positive way until you are sure they are able to do their work safely. If in spite of multiple corrective actions, an employee continues to engage in risky behaviour, don’t be afraid to let them go.

Ultimately you need to protect your other workers, and yourself.

If an employee doesn’t feel comfortable bringing up a safety issue, you might not know there is a

problem until it is too late. Get employees involved in safety by conducting regular safety meetings.

Encourage feedback by implementing clear hazard reporting procedures. Let employees know about any changes on your farm so they are not caught off guard and can prepare for new situations that could pose risks or hazards on the farm.

Lastly, stay positive. If you care about your employees and demonstrate that by expressing concern for their well-being, they will respect you as an employer and strive to work safely. Lead by example and try to make safety fun, with lots of opportunities to get involved and ask questions. If you treat safety like a chore, they might lose interest and disengage.

While every farm is different, the need for a safe work environment is universal, so cultivate an open, positive working relationship with your employees based on communication and trust and you will be well on your way to building a successful farm safety team.

For more information on building a farm safety team, visit agsafetyweek.ca/producer-tools and browse through over 20 free resources designed to help producers make their farms safer.

This article was produced in support of the Canadian Agricultural Safety Week 2014 Let’s Talk About It! campaign, which encourages farmers to engage in conversations about safety. CASW is brought to you by the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association and the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, with support from the Government of Canada through Growing Forward 2, long-time corporate sponsor Farm Credit Canada, Ag for Life, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, CHS, Imperial Oil and Pioneer Hi-Bred Limited.

Glen Blahey, Canadian Agricultural Safety Association, www. casa-acsa.ca.

Weather Lore

Photo contest

The hills are alive...

You might be from the Prairies if...

T

This photo came from Marcel Hounjet. Marcel wrote, “As I was going through the mail, my daughter Natalie was clearly interested in the Grainews paper, so I passed it on to her to have a look. She was thrilled!”

Marcel runs a grain farm at Prud’homme, Sask., with his wife Jenn and their two daughers, Isabelle and Natalie.

Thanks so much for sending this in, Marcel! We’ll mail you a cheque for $25.

Send your best shot to leeann.minogue@fbcpublishing. com. Please send only one or two photos at a time and include your name and address, the names of anyone in the photo, where the photo was taken and a bit about what was going on that day. A little write-up about your farm is welcome, too. Please ensure that images are of high resolution (1 MB is preferred), and if the image includes a person, we need to be able to see their face clearly.

he farm I grew up on was just a few miles from the beautiful Pasquia Hills in northeast Saskatchewan. From our farm the hills were a soft blue-grey in colour. When they were a darker blue and seemed closer, someone might remark that rain was coming. And they were usually right.

When hills put on a coat of deepest blue And move across the fields to you, Expect rain.

This phenomenon occurs when a southeast wind brings in moisture. The warm air at ground level rises, creating a mirage. The hills (or any stationary object) appear to be closer and the moist air often produces rain. †

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.

Leeann

You have gone to the Maritimes and needed a translator.

Agronomy tips… from the field

Getting the most from your nozzles

H

ere’s a question I hear often: “What are the best nozzles I can buy for my sprayer?” There isn’t a simple answer to this question. Growers need to consider a number of factors, with pressure and water volume being amongst the most important.

Pressure: You need to know the pressure range of your sprayer and the pressure you need to use for optimal application. From there, select a nozzle that will deliver the required spray volume at a pressure that is

GIVE US YOUR BEST SHOT

midway on the nozzle’s rating chart, so you have leeway to alter the pressure during spraying. If you’re considering an Air Induction (AI) nozzle, remember that it requires high pressures to form a proper pattern.

Water Volume: You need to match the spray quality to the crop canopy and target weeds. During pre-seed burnoff, the target weeds are very small. Hitting such small targets requires small droplets.

Later in the season, when penetrating the canopy and reducing drift are more important, a coarser spray

will be more effective, but you’ll likely need to increase the water volume to get proper coverage.

These rules can also answer the question “How do I get better results from my current nozzles?” Learning how to properly use your nozzles will help you get better performance out of your spraying operation. † This agronomy tip is brought to you by Christine Spasoff, Agronomic Service Representative for Syngenta Canada Inc. Christine holds a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture degree from the University of Saskatchewan. She’s worked in the crop protection industry for 21 years, including 19 with Syngenta.

3

4

/ grainews.ca

MARCH 4, 2014

Cover Stories Crop nutrition » CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Delays caused by harsh winter said Whiteside. Where they have a captive market, “they sock it to ’em.”

Where they don’t have captivity, they compete because of regulatory oversight, said Whiteside.

Along with inadequate railway capacity, the other basic problem with grain transportation is that railways don’t see farmers as freight bearers, Whiteside said.

Because grain elevators directly pay railroads, the railways don’t recognize farmers as freight bearers, even though farmers ultimately pony up for freight. But farmers need standing as freight payers or railways will argue they shouldn’t be heard in cases, Whiteside said.

Whiteside said it took four years to get one U.S. railroad to recognize farmers as the ultimate freight bearers. “Once we did that, then we had standing to talk to them about real issues that were affecting us. That’s what’s got to happen up here.”

The Washington, D.C.-based Alliance for Rail Competition, a group representing grain growers, along with other shippers and trade associations, is making progress, Whiteside told delegates.

Whiteside chairs the alliance and represents several barley and wheat commissions in transportation issues, along with other shippers. He said the United States currently has the best regulatory oversight they’ve ever had.

“I think we’re getting some place.

I’m really excited about it,” said Whiteside.

Whiteside said they started plucking the low-hanging fruit, looking for issues they knew they could get agreement on. He suggested Canadians do the same.

“The problem the railroads have if they don’t work with you is they’ve got to work with Ottawa. And even with all their hundreds of lobbyists, they can still get consumer stuff through, especially for ag,” he said.

“The railroads may not want to talk at first, but they will.”

And now is the time to act, Whiteside said.

“In the next few years, coal and oil are going to sap up capacity. Big time,” said Whiteside. “We’ve got to get ahead of that. And we’ve got to get the government to recognize that there’s a public service component here that the railroads need to work with us on.”

Hallman wrote there is no merit to the idea that crude oil is displac-

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 PUBLI SH ER

Lynda Tityk Associate Publisher/ Editorial director

John Morriss

Edi tor

Leeann Minogue fiel d Ed ito r

Lisa Guenther Cattleman’s Corner Editor

Lee Hart Farm life Edito r

Sue Armstrong Machinery EDITOR

Scott Garvey Pro duction Di recto r

Shawna Gibson Des igne r

Steven Cote photo: wanda millard

Jay Millard and his son, Conner, shovel snow from the 13,000 bushel pile of wheat on the Millard farm near Livelong, Sask. ing grain on CN’s tracks, as crude oil accounted for under two per cent of CN’s freight in 2013.

National Rail Shipper’s Coalition

lower cost commodity, leading into debates over the rail cap. “But the railways make a lot of money hauling grain,” Phillips said.

The railways aren’t working with the coalition at this point, Phillips said, but the coalition is working on its next move. Phillips and Chantelle Donahue, chair of the Canada Grains Council, were also meeting with Transport Minister Lisa Raitt at press time to discuss issues specific to the ag industry.

P h i l l i p s s a w R i t z ’s r e c e n t announcement to increase the frequency of railway reporting as a step in the right direction. More reporting will reveal whether the railways and grain companies are doing their jobs, Phillips said. “Sometimes it’s not 100 per cent the railways fault.”

But, in the immediate short term, “We simply have to have more crews. And they have to have more locomotives,” said Phillips.

Phillips said allowing CN and CP to make profits without enough regulation is “going to drag down the entire economy overall. And the losses to Canada are far greater than whatever income tax is going to be paid by those two companies on their earnings.”

“And so I think that’s more a moral issue,” said Phillips. “And if it becomes uncompetitive behaviour, which a lot of shippers would say it is, then the government does have a role to step in in an uncompetitive environment and play a role. They can’t stand back and wash their hands of this.”

With files from iPOLITICS †

T

C

Lisa Guenther

Lisa Guenther

Bizarre Merchandise Roundup he U.S. railways are not pleased with U.S. transportation consultant Terry Whiteside — they’ve stopped sending him free merchandise.

“They will send anybody calendars, but they don’t send me calendars,” he told CropSphere delegates in Saskatoon.

Whiteside might not get free calendars anymore, but he could still order one for $11.95 (USD) from the Union Pacific website. Or, if he’s thrifty, a 2013 calendar for $2 (USD). Union Pacific also sells everything from fishing lures to baby onesies.

Dealing with winter

Whiteside also brought Union Pacific-opoly, a board game similar to Monopoly, to CropSphere.

The cards say “if you own the Denver Rio Grande and the Western Pacific, you can charge 10 times the rate,” Whiteside said.

Union Pacific no longer sells the game from its website. A customer service rep with the railway thought it had been discontinued. But railway lovers could still purchase it at Amazon. ca for anywhere from $65.90 to $102.45, as of February 4th.†

Lisa Guenther is a field editor for Grainews.

Contact her at Lisa.Guenther@fbcpublishing.com.

Lynda Tityk

Circul at ion manag er

Heather Anderson

old weather cuts air pressure in brake lines, which means shorter trains.

Canada Grains Council president Richard Phillips would like the railways to look into measures to counteract the cold, such as research into heat tapes running through the lines. “Rather than just saying, ‘That’s the way it is,’ is there any innovation that can be done?”

Asked whether CN was looking at heat tapes going through the lines, CN’s Mark Hallman replied the suggestion was impractical.

If such innovations aren’t possible, the question is “how do we get more crews and engines running in the winter,” Phillips said.

CN invested an extra $100 million to boost network capacity in the Prairies last year, Hallman wrote. This included double track and siding extensions on the mainline between Winnipeg and Edmonton, the line between Saskatoon and Wainwright, and Winnipeg and Saskatoon’s yards. CN also bought locomotives and grain hoppers, and trained management employees as conductors and engineers so they could relieve regular crews, he added.

CP put $1.2 billion into their rail network in 2013, Greenberg wrote. For example, the company upgraded the north main line through Saskatchewan.

A media release on CN’s website states that CN plans to invest $2.1 billion on capital programs, including $1.2 billion in track infrastructure, in 2014. CP intends to invest $1.2 to $1.3 billion in capital expenditures next year, according to a release on their website. †

Canadian shippers have also realized there is strength in numbers.

Richard Phillips, president of the Canada Grains Council, is part of Canada’s National Rail Shipper’s Coalition. The coalition is made up of shippers representing about 90 per cent of the annual freight revenue of CN and CP. Along with other representatives from the agriculture industry, it includes members of the steel, mining, fertilizer, chemistry, car shippers, and forestry industries.

When the coalition first formed, the agriculture members thought their shipping stories would shock the other industry reps. But everyone has major issues, Phillips said.

“It’s been really, really good to share what the challenges are because sometimes it helps put your stuff in perspective,” said Phillips.

“It also helps put in perspective that clearly, if 90 per cent of your customers aren’t happy, then maybe you are the problem.”

Philips said convincing the railways that farmers are the freight bearers is a tough sell because the grain companies sign handling agreements. “I think the grain elevators are a fairly effective lobby, but they’re actually more effective if we go in together with farmers.”

Shippers don’t share specific freight rates because of competiveness issues, but they do share ranges, Phillips said. Grain is a

MARKETING/CI RCUL ATION Dir ector

At Farm Business Communications we have a firm commitment to protecting your privacy and security as our customer. Farm Business Communications will only collect personal information if it is required for the proper functioning of our business. As part of our commitment to enhance customer service, we may share this personal information with other strategic business partners. For more information regarding our Customer Information Privacy Policy, write to: Information Protection Officer, Farm Business Communications, 1666 Dublin Ave., Winnipeg, MB R3H 0H1 Occasionally we make our list of subscribers available to other reputable firms whose products and services might be of interest to you. If you would prefer not to receive such offers, please contact us at the address in the preceding paragraph, or call 1-800-665-0502.

president

Glacier farmmedia

Bob Willcox H e ad O f f i c e 1666 Dublin Avenue, Winnipeg, Man. R3H 0H1 Phone: (204) 944-5568 Fax: (204) 944-5562 Ad ve rtis ing Sa le s

Andrew Winkels Phone: (204) 954-1414 Fax: (204) 944-5562 Email: andrew.winkels@fbcpublishing.com Ad ve rtis ing Ser vice s Co-o rdin ato r

Arlene Bomback Phone: (204) 944-5765 Fax: (204) 944-5562 Email: ads@fbcpublishing.com Printed in Canada by Transcontinental LGM-Coronet Winnipeg, Man. Grainews is published by Farm Business Communications, 1666 Dublin Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3H 0H1.

Publications Mail Agreement No. 40069240.

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage.

Subscription prices: For Canadian farmers, $52.00 per year or $83.00 for 2 years (includes GST) or $104.00 for 3 years (includes GST). Man. residents add 8% PST to above prices.

U.S: $43.00 per year (U.S. Funds).

Outside Canada & U.S.: $79 per year.

ISSN 0229-8090.

Call 1-800-665-0502 for subscriptions.

Fax (204) 954-1422 Canadian Postmaster: Send address changes and undeliverable copies (covers only) to PO Box 9800, Winnipeg, Man. R3C 3K7 U.S. Postmaster: Send address changes and undeliverable copies (covers only) to 1666 Dublin Avenue, Winnipeg, Man. R3H 0H1 Grainews is printed on recyclable paper with linseed oil-based inks.

Published 18 times a year.

Subscription inquiries: Ca l l t o l l f r e e 1-800-665-0502 U.S. subscribers call 1-204-944-5568 o r email: subscription@fbcpublishing.com

Your next issue!

You can expect your next issue in your mailbox about March 11, 2014

The editors and journalists who write, contribute and provide opinions to Grainews and Farm Business Communications attempt to provide accurate and useful opinions, information and analysis. However, the editors, journalists and Grainews and Farm Business Communications, cannot and do not guarantee the accuracy of the information contained in this publication and the editors as well as Grainews and Farm Business Communications assume no responsibility for any actions or decisions taken by any reader for this publication based on any and all information provided.

MARCH 4, 2014

grainews.ca /

5

Features Crop varieties

Selection Scrutiny Don’t just base your canola variety selections on last year’s results. Get more information

By Kari Belanger

W

hen evaluating canola varieties for your farm in 2014, take a long, hard look at as many sources of information you can lay your hands on, says one industry expert.

“Don’t plant for last year,” says Shawn Senko, an agronomy specialist with the Canola Council of Canada. He suggests evaluating varieties based on last year’s results may not be the best strategy. “If you tried a new variety last year and it did well, (keep in mind) most areas experienced an exceptional year with excellent growing conditions,” he says. “You don’t know how that variety will perform under some stress. It could be completely different conditions (next year).”

Senko recommends examining past data to determine how the variety that performed so well in 2013 may have fared in years with poorer growing conditions. “Maybe it is the variety for you to plant this year… but look at the data available from a number of sites with different growing conditions and from multiple years,” he says.

When it comes to evaluating varieties, the more sources of information, the better. “Take a look at multiple sources and multiple years,” says Senko. For example, the Canola Performance Trials, crop insurance data, company strip trials, and Western Canada Canola/Rapeseed Recommending Committee data are a few sources producers can turn to for information to base selections on.

When data conflicts, farmers can contact the source of information for more details — perhaps extenuating circumstances, such as extreme environmental conditions, caused the discrepancy — or they can disregard anomalous results. “If you’ve got two good sources and they’re saying one thing and the third is saying something completely different, you probably wouldn’t use the third in your selection criteria,” says Senko.

When it comes to variety selection, Senko warns although yield is an important characteristic, consideration of other factors may be just as essential and should be taken into account at the beginning of the selection process. “Look first at other important agronomics of a variety and then narrow (your choice) down by performance data,” he says.

For example, if clubroot is of concern in a region, begin by choosing clubroot-resistant varieties and then compare performance data for narrowing the selection. In another scenario, matching a herbicide-tolerant variety to the particular weed spectrum in a field should be the primary consideration for a farming operation, says Senko.

Canola performance trials One tool helping western Canadian producers evaluate canola varieties has undergone some significant changes from its previous incarnations, says Senko.

Having just completed its third

year, the Canola Performance Trials program is built on past variety trial systems, such as the Prairie Canola Variety Trials, but addresses concerns the industry was voicing about the previous structure.

“Some participants felt (the PCVT) didn’t accurately reflect what was happening in the field at that point for varieties,” says Senko. The revamped system aims to provide growers with more relevant, unbiased and timely performance data that reflects actual production practices and to provide comparative data on leading and newly-introduced varieties.

“The biggest change in procedure is the old system treated all varieties

the same. The new system breaks into herbicide-tolerant groups and with their appropriate herbicides,” says Senko. Although results are also still organized by short-, mediumand long-season zones.

Another major change is the large, field-scale trials that are being seeded, sprayed and harvested by producers across the Prairies, says Senko. The purpose of these comparisons is to add perspective when assessing consistency in variety performance.

Other major points of the fieldscale program include: • Although the question of yield monitors is addressed every year, weigh wagons are used because

“we still feel [they] are most accurate,” says Senko.

• Varieties must already be included in the small-plot program in order to participate in the field-scale trials.

• All field-scale sites must be declared at the beginning of the season so they are included in the audit process.

• Each site has a common check — 73-75 RR. • Two or more varieties are compared at each site.

CPT results for 2013 are based on 20 small-plot trials and 108 fieldscale trials. According to the 2013 trial summary, the small-plot system ensures all varieties are treated with the appropriate commerciallyassociated herbicides and seed treatments, trials are inspected by an independent third-party representative and varieties are in blocks based on maturity.

The program is managed and funded by the Alberta Canola Producers’ Commission, the Saskatchewan Canola Development

Commission and the Manitoba Canola Growers’ Association. The B.C. Grain Producers’ Association also participates via trials conducted in the Peace River region. The CCC delivers the program. A summary booklet and online database is available at canolacouncil.org.

This decision-making tool also includes interactive maps, an economic calculator and the ability to refine searches by season zone, herbicide-tolerance type, yield, days to maturity, lodging and height. Users can also compare results from 2011 through 2013.

Although the weather is beyond control, careful scrutiny of all data from multiple sources over multiple years when selecting varieties will increase the likelihood of a successful harvest in 2014. “Don’t just go by last year’s results on your farm, look at other environments and see how the variety you’re selecting performed on conditions you could have next year,” says Senko. † Kari Belanger is a freelance writer writing from Winnipeg, Man.

We know the value of cold weather germination.

We have to. It’s Canada.

Creating a seed treatment that can withstand this country’s unpredictable elements was no accident. Like you and your operation, Insure™ Cereal was built in Canada. Of course increased emergence in cool germination conditions is just one of this innovative seed treatment’s advantages. It also delivers more emerged seedlings, a more consistent plant stand, increased root biomass and larger shoot systems. They’re all part of the unique benefits* we call AgCelence®. And Insure Cereal is the only cereal seed treatment that has them.

For details, visit agsolutions.ca/insure or call AgSolutions® Customer Care at 1-877-371-BASF (2273).

*AgCelence benefits refer to products that contain the active ingredient pyraclostrobin.

Always read and follow label directions.

AgSolutions is a registered trade-mark of BASF Corporation; AgCelence is a registered trade-mark, and INSURE is a trade-mark of BASF SE, all used with permission by BASF Canada Inc. INSURE CEREAL should be used in a preventative disease control program. © 2014 BASF Canada Inc.

Client:BASFCAN

Publication: Grain News

6

/ grainews.ca

MARCH 4, 2014

Features Crop production

Crop Advisor’s casebook

YELLOW DURUM MAKES FOR CHALLENGING PUZZLE

Left: Steve Leavitt is a regional sales agronomist with Richardson Pioneer Ltd. at Stirling, Alta. Right: The plants were turning yellow in this Alberta durum field.

By Steve Leavitt

Pencil it out – any way you want – the profit flows with Nexera canola. And for even healthier profits, EclipseTM III delivers the best broad-spectrum weed control for your high-yielding Roundup Ready® canola hybrids. Get bonus flexibility and value at your Nexera crusher or retailer. Or visit healthierprofits.ca.

Nexera RR Hybrids rank HIGHEST in grower satisfaction†.

MAKE IT NEXERATM

AND MAKE MORE.

I

n June of 2013 I received a call from Gord, a farmer near Stirling, Alta., with 15,000 acres of durum wheat, peas, barley and canola. Gord told me he was seeing a poor plant stand and plants turning yellow in one of his durum fields, which was currently in the four- to six-leaf stage. Gord thought one of the herbicides he was using might be causing the problem, but he wasn’t certain.

I paid Gord a visit and he took me out into his 320-acre durum wheat field. Sure enough, I could see the crop was plagued by a poor stand, with some plants dying off and others exhibiting yellow streaks and blotches.

I inquired about Gord’s fertility program for the crop, and his mix of 80 pounds of nitrogen and 30 pounds of phosphorus per acre sounded fine. I then asked him about his crop protection program, and whether he’d noticed any issues with the herbicides used in any of his other durum wheat fields.

I could see a couple of things that made this unlikely to be a herbicide problem. Those areas

Casebook winner

D

ara Calon is the Casebook winner for this issue. Dara is an assistant agricultural fieldman for Starland County, Alberta. Thanks for entering, Dara! We’ll send you a cap, and renew your Grainews subscription for a year. †

Leeann Minogue

By Dan Piraro

Bizarro

According to Canola Evaluation and Intentions, Canada, 2012, Stratus Agri-Marketing, Inc.

†

TM Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or an affiliated company of Dow. ® All other products are trademarks of their respective companies.

0114-36473_36511 GN

MARCH 4, 2014

grainews.ca /

7

Features Crop production

Crop Advisor’s Solution

By Audrey Bamber

L

ast July I received a call from John, a wheat farmer located near Medicine Hat, Alta. His wheat crop had recently headed out, and John had noticed wild oats mixed throughout it despite his use of an in-crop herbicide.

I went out to John’s farm and when he took me out into the affected field to have a look, I could see exactly what he meant — large patches of very healthy wild oats grew among his wheat. They appeared totally unaffected by the herbicide application from a month earlier, so I asked John what product he had used and how it had been applied.

What he’d used was clodin-

afop, a very efficient Group 1 herbicide for the post-emergence control of grasses in wheat. John assured me that the herbicide had been applied the right rate, time and conditions.

John also didn’t believe the crop had been under any stress, like drought, heat or flooding, so he was stumped as to why the herbicide hadn’t worked.

He had been using it for years on the wheat crops on his land, and this particular field had been in a long-term fallow wheat rotation.

What, then, could be the source of the problem? I immediately researched clodinafop.

The label states that under stressful growing conditions, weed regrowth can occur. This may have happened in John’s

HERBICIDE RESISTANCE SOLUTION TO WILD OATS MYSTERY field, but it is difficult to prove unless the stressful conditions were obvious.

That left Group 1 herbicide resistance as the probable cause.

Herbicide-resistant weeds have been on the increase. In a 2007 Alberta provincial weed survey, 39 per cent of fields tested had Group 1-resistant wild oats.

University of Alberta professor Hugh Beckie predicts that if a single herbicide is used every year for five straight years, 30 per cent of the weeds in that field will be resistant to it.

Unfortunately, it was too late to make a second herbicide application in John’s field.

Cutting the crop for silage to remove the wild oat seeds was considered.

I encouraged John to take a

multifaceted approach to weed control. This would include switching to other herbicide groups for weed control and avoiding Group 1 herbicides on this field as well as others with a similar cropping/herbicideuse history.

“As much as possible, you should prevent any wild oats from setting seed, to lower the buildup of herbicide-resistant seeds,” I said. I also recommended that John clean his equipment between fields and keep ongoing field records of crops, herbicides and weed populations.

John could also increase the competitive ability of his crops by using measures such as using treated seed and planting it at a higher seeding rate and at an optimum seeding depth

T:8.125”

(not too deep). In addition, I recommended that he consider using tank mixes when possible, as research has shown that tank mixes of products with different modes of action can delay the advent of herbicide resistance.

John’s wild oat problem illustrated the need for herbicide group rotation and crop rotation, as well as the importance of an integrated weed management system. Rotating herbicide groups, rotating crops, and diligent weed scouting to watch for weed escapes and possible resistance are the best weapons in John’s arsenal to ward against more wild oat outbreaks in the future. † Audrey Bamber is a sales agronomist with Richardson Pioneer Ltd. at Dunmore, Alta.

T:10”

most affected were in the lowerlying areas of the field. If the damage was caused one of the applied herbicides, I would have expected to see the poor stand and yellowing plants throughout the field, rather than mostly in one area.

Also, this particular field of durum wheat was the only one affected — Gord’s other 2,500 acres of durum wheat had the same fertility package and herbicides applied, and they were not exhibiting any symptoms, even in the lower-lying areas of those other fields.

I asked Gord to tell me about the history of this particular field that was afflicted with yellowing durum. “Well, last season I grew Roundup Ready canola,” he said, “and the year prior to that I had planted winter wheat.”

Gord said there had been some heavy rains in the spring, which could possibly explain why the problem was most severe in low-lying areas of the field.

But why weren’t the rest of his durum fields affected? They too had also received the heavy rains.

Something didn’t add up.

If you think you know what’s behind Gord’s yellowing durum problem, send your diagnosis to Grainews, Box 9800, Winnipeg, Man., R3C 3K7; email leeann. minogue@fbcpublishing.com or fax 204-944-95416 c/o Crop Advisor’s Casebook. Best suggestions will be pooled and one winner will be drawn for a chance to win a Grainews cap and a one-year subscription to the magazine. The answer, along with reasoning that solved the mystery, will appear in the next Crop Advisor’s Solution File. † Steve Leavitt is a regional sales agronomist with Richardson Pioneer Ltd. at Stirling, Alta.

By Dan Piraro

Bizarro The complete solution. Grassy and broadleaf weed control for wheat and barley, no tank mixing.

For more information, please visit BayerCropScience.ca/Tundra

BayerCropScience.ca/Tundra or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative.

Always read and follow label directions. Tundra® is a registered trademark of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.

C-59-01/14-10182733-E

8

/ grainews.ca

MARCH 4, 2014

EXTENDED OUTLOOK FOR THE PRAIRIES Weather Forecast for the period of March 2 to March 29, 2014

Southern Alberta

Peace River Region

Saskatchewan

March 2 - 8 Seasonal to cold and fair overall, but snow falls on a couple of occasions, possibly heavy in a few areas.

Windy at times with drifting.

March 2 - 8 Seasonal to cold and fair overall, but snow falls on a couple of occasions, possibly heavy in a few areas.

Chance of rain. Windy with drifting.

March 9 - 15 Changeable weather as gusty winds bring mild and cold days.

Occasional rain or snow in the south, changing to heavier snow in the north.

March 2 - 8 Sunny weather interchanges with unsettled, windy, cold conditions.

Snow mixed with rain on a couple of days. Chance of heavy precipitation.

March 9 - 15 Changeable weather and temperatures as gusty winds bring mild and cold days. Occasional rain or snow.

March 9 - 15 Temperatures oscillate through the thaw/freeze cycle. Sunny skies on many days apart from occasional snow or rain in the south.

March 16 - 22 Unsettled on a few days as disturbances move through.

Thaw/freeze cycle with intermittent snow or rain, chance heavy in places.

March 16 - 22 Seasonal to cold temperatures and often pleasant, in spite of 2 or 3 days of unsettled, blustery conditions with heavier snow mixed with rain.

March 16 - 22 Unsettled on a few days as disturbances move through.

Thaw/freeze cycle with intermittent snow or rain, chance heavy in places. Often snowy, cold.

-12 / 0 Grande Prairie 18.6 mms

Precipitation Forecast -11 / 0 Edmonton 17.0 mms

-9 / 4 Jasper

15.7 mms

NEAR NORMAL

-8 / 4

21.5 mms

Banff

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

-8 / 3 Calgary

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

14.7 mms

-7 / 5 Medicine Hat 19mms cms Lethbridge 16.0 26.0 mms 26 cms -7 / 5

March 2 - 8 Windy on several days with variable temperatures from cold to mild.

Sunny skies interchange with some snow, with a chance of rain in the south.

March 9 - 15 Temperatures are on the cold side but mild, windy days boost temperatures well above zero in the south and central areas on 2 to 3 days. Risk of rain.

March 16 - 22 Seasonal to cold although thawing occurs on a few days under fair skies.

Scattered snow or rain south changes to occasional heavy snow north.

March 23 - 29 Changeable temperatures and blustery with intermittent rain/snow in the south, and heavier snow in the north.

March 23 - 29 Unsettled, blustery at times with occasional rain/snow south, heavy snow north. Changeable from mild to cold.

March 23 - 29 Unsettled, blustery at times with occasional rain/snow south, heavy snow north. Changeable from mild to cold.

Manitoba

-15 / -2 Prince Albert 18.2 mms

March 23 - 29 Weather conditions and temperatures vary. Often windy. Intermittent rain/snow in the south with heavier snow at times in the north.

NEAR NORMAL

-16 / -4 The Pas

Precipitation Outlook For March

23.6 mms

17.3 mms

-12 / -2 Saskatoon 16.0 mms

-14 / -3 Yorkton

-13 / -2 24.6 mms Regina

-11 / 0 -11 / -1 Moose Jaw 16.5 mms Swift 18.1 mms Current -11 / -1 19.5 mms Weyburn BELOW NORMAL 16.0 mms -11 / -1 Estevan T:10.25”

19.9 mms

Much Above Normal Below Much above normal normal below normal normal

-14 / -2 Dauphin

25.7 mms

-16 / -3 Gimli

22.6 mms

-12 / -1 Portage

-13 / -2 -12 / -2 Brandon 26.3 mms Winnipeg 20.5 mms

Melita -14 / -1

25.0 mms

23.1 mms

Temperatures are normals for March 15th averaged over 30 years.

Precipitation (water equivalent) normals for March in mms. ©2014 WeatherTec Services www.weathertec.mb.ca

Breakthrough in plant health.

This NEW formulation combines the power of three different fungicide actives, including NEW prothioconazole, for complete systemic and contact protection from the most serious seed- and soil-borne diseases like fusarium graminearum, true loose smut and pythium.

Don’t limit the potential of your crop – use the toughest thing in pink.

To learn more about Raxil PRO Shield, visit BayerCropScience.ca/Raxil

BayerCropScience.ca/Raxil or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative.

Always read and follow the label directions. Raxil® and Stress Shield® are registered trademarks of the Bayer Group.

Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.

C-55-12/13-10150465-E

T:7.75”

The Stress Shield® component of Raxil® PRO Shield provides superior emergence, increased vigour and a healthier plant that’s better able to withstand unforeseen seasonal stresses. This includes things like drought, disease, nutrient loss, frost as well as wireworms.

MARCH 4, 2014

grainews.ca /

9

Features Crop production

Getting optimum canola emergence Canola seed is expensive. Better seeding practices can lead to a 70 or 80 per cent emergence rate

By Melanie Epp

O

n average, only 50 per cent of all canola planted makes it to harvest. A number of factors contribute to canola’s survivability, says Autumn Barnes, an Agronomy Specialist with the Canola Council of Canada.

Better understanding them could increase those rates.

Understanding these factors and the best combination to use on a given farm is the first step to increasing that emergence rate. In fact, Barnes says that better seeding practices can lead to a 70 or 80 per cent emergence rate. Don’t expect much higher than that, though.

“It’s really rare to get 90 or 100 per cent emergence,” she says.

The second factor, one that’s often overlooked, has to do with fertilizer placement. It’s important not to place too much fertilizer with the seed, says Barnes. She suggests that producers stop frequently while seeding to make sure that there’s adequate separation between the fertilizer and the seed.

“The faster you go, depending on what your seeding implement is, you likely aren’t going to be getting as good a separation between your seed and your fertilizer, so you could be risking some burn from that,” says Barnes.

Check for emergence After seeding, Barnes suggests checking your fields for emergence. To do this, simply bend

a piece of PVC pipe into a hulahoop. To make a two square foot hoop, cut a 60-inch length of three-eights NH3 hose and loop the ends together.

“You basically go out into the field and throw it into a few spots randomly and count the number of plants that come up,” says Barnes.

The calculation is pretty simple: count the number of plants in the hoop, then divide by two (assuming you have a two square foot hoop).

Barnes uses a square-meter calculation, rather than a hoop.

“You could use anything that would measure a square meter, and take a few measurements from different spots across the field and then record them,” she says.

Finally, Barnes suggests keeping clear and complete planting records.

In fact, the importance of record keeping can’t be understated, she says.

“If we get better at recording our data then we can look at our practices and figure out where we can make improvements on our farm. Every farm is different, and many fields are different. As long as we’re keeping an eye on those differences and figuring out how we can be more efficient with the situation that we’re in.”

So what should producers be recording? Barnes says there isn’t a set list, but if there was it would include the following: • Soil temperature

• Surface residue management • Seeding rate • Planter speed • 1000 seed weight • Fertilizer — blend and rate • Date/time of day • Herbicides • Pre-seed burn down “I’d say the most important ones would be your seeding rate, and your thousand-seed weight,” she says. “I wish I could say that a lot of people use it, but they don’t. A lot of people still seed at the standard five pounds per acre with canola, regardless of what their thousand-seed weight is.” † Melanie Epp is a freelance writer who specializes in writing web copy for small businesses. She is based in Guelph, Ont., and can be found online at melanierepp.com.

Increase your survivability There are two key seeding practices that affect seed survivability.

The first is well known, but important, so it bears repeating.

Slow down, says Barnes, and really keep an eye on seeding depth.

“Because the quicker you go, the less uniform your seeding depth is. Canola seeds are pretty small.

If you bury them really deep, they have to work pretty hard to get out of the ground.”

Calculating seeding rate

T

he formula for calculating a seeding rate based on seed size, provided by the Canola Council of Canada, is as follows: Seeding rate (lb./ac.) = [9.6 x desired plant density (plants/ ft2) x TKW (in grams)] ÷ estimated seed survival.

In this formula, TKW is the thousand kernel weight of your seed. Estimated seed survival will be a percentage, expressed as a whole number for the calculation.

Because canola yields aren’t highly correlated with established plant densities, seeding rates may not need to be precise to the decimal point. Be sure to follow up 10 to 14 days after planting, doing plant counts to determine what population was actually achieved. †

Melanie Epp

By Dan Piraro

Bizarro

Just Try Me.

Defend against tough-to-control weeds with confidence.

BASF and Monsanto have once again partnered to optimize weed control through the use of multiple modes of action and are offering growers a $0.50 /acre discount on select Roundup® agricultural herbicides when purchased with matching acres of HEAT® and/or DISTINCT® herbicides.* For complete details see your retailer or visit JustTryMe.ca *The Roundup Transorb® HC, Roundup Ultra2®, HEAT and DISTINCT offer off-invoice discount acres will be calculated using the following label rates: One case of HEAT = 640 acres (one jug of HEAT = 80 acres), one case of DISTINCT = 80 acres (one jug of DISTINCT = 40 acres), Roundup Transorb HC 0.67L = 1 acre (10L = 15 acres, 115L = 172 acres, 450L = 675 acres, 800L = 1,200 acres), Roundup Ultra2 0.67L = 1 acre (10L = 15 acres, 115L = 172 acres, 450L = 675 acres, 800L = 1,200 acres). Predetermine the compatibility of tank mixtures by mixing small proportional quantities in advance.

ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Tank mixtures: The applicable labelling for each product must be in the possession of the user at the time of application. Follow applicable use instructions, including application rates, precautions and restrictions of each product used in the tank mixture. Monsanto has not tested all tank mix product formulations for compatibility or performance other than specifically listed by brand name. Always predetermine the compatibility of tank mixtures by mixing small proportional quantities in advance. Roundup®, Roundup Transorb® and Roundup Ultra2® are registered trade-marks of Monsanto Technology LLC, Monsanto Canada, Inc. licensee. AgSolutions® and DISTINCT are registered trade-marks of BASF Corporation; and HEAT and KIXOR® are registered trade-marks of BASF SE; all used with permission by BASF Canada Inc. MERGE® is a registered trade-mark of BASF Canada Inc. © 2013 Monsanto Canada, Inc. and BASF Canada Inc.

10

/ grainews.ca

MARCH 4, 2014

Features Crop disease

Alberta’s fusarium management plan

Not all agronomists believe Alberta Fusarium graminearum management plan is a net benefit for farmers

By Andrea Hilderman

F

usarium graminearum is listed as a pest under the Alberta Agricultural Pests Act. To control the disease and keep it from lowering grain yield and quality, the province of Alberta has an extensive management plan in place. But some believe the Fusarium Management Plan is be too restrictive.

Alberta’s Fuarium Management Plan was developed to limit mycotoxin production and subsequent grain contamination, prevent the spread of Fusarium graminearum is list into Alberta or from infected areas to non-infected areas of the province; and to reduce the economic impact of the disease on Alberta farmers.

“At first glance, the Alberta Fusarium Management Plan may seem like a good idea,” says Todd Hyra, Western Canada business manager with SeCan. “And it probably was, but not anymore. It’s now becoming a burden for Alberta’s seed growers and it’s responsible for Alberta farmers having delayed access to new genetics.”

One example Hyra highlighted was with the general purpose wheat variety Pasteur. Pasteur is a very high-yielding, very late-maturing variety that SeCan had targeted originally to the eastern Prairies.

During 2010 and 2011 a great deal of interest for the variety started to come from Alberta. “We were unable to move seed into Alberta because it contained low levels of F. graminearum is list,” explains Hyra. “We had to start the multiplication process from scratch and Pasteur launched two years later in Alberta.”

When a variety is registered and

Fusarium in Alberta

F

. graminearum is one of a number of species of fusarium, a common and serious fungal disease of wheat, barley, oats and corn. Causing problems for cereal farmers for over 100 years, fusarium negatively impacts grain yield and quality, as well as having the potential to produce toxins such as vomitoxin, also known as DON or deoxynivalenol.

F. graminearum is considered to be the most threatening fusarium species in Canada at this time. First identified in Manitoba in 1923, it didn’t cause farmers any major problems until 1984, when the first serious outbreak was reported.

Since then, the frequency and severity of outbreaks has increased. The disease itself has spread west across the Prairies and is now detectable in northern British Columbia.

In Alberta, F. graminearum has been present at very low levels since it was identified in 1989. It increased over time to 2010 and 2011, when it resulted in grade losses in the south of the province. †

CROP DISTRICTS

FUSARIUM DAMAGE IN ALBERTA CWAD

Crop District 1 2 3

Year Incidence (%) Severity (%) Incidence (%) Severity (%) Incidence (%) Severity (%)

2013 31.4 1.08 38.9 0.88 38.5 0.43

2012 11.1 0.91 16.1 1.19 0.0 0.00

2011 1.8 0.87 2.9 2.44 0.0 0.00

2010 19.6 1.77 11.3 1.81 0.0 0.00

2009 7.7 1.65 17.6 2.10 0.0 0.00

2008 0.0 0.00 2.5 1.55 0.0 0.00

2007 1.5 0.90 0.0 0.00 0.0 0.00

2006 0.0 0.00 1.9 1.20 0.0 0.00

2005 1.6 1.50 0.7 2.00 0.0 0.00

2004 0.8 0.55 1.0 1.60 0.0 0.00

2003 4.2 0.06 11.5 0.05 3.4 0.03

Source: Canadian Grain Commission Harvest Sample Program.

Fusarium damage observed in Canada Western Amber Durum (CWAD) wheat grown in Alberta crop districts from 2003 through 2013. Incidence (%) represents the mean percentage of samples containing fusarium damaged kernels (FDK). Severity (%) represents the mean percentage (mass basis) of FDK in samples containing damaged kernels. the seed multiplication process commences, breeder seed is usually only available in very small quantities. “We will often have to heattreat the seed lot for it to test negative for F. graminearum is list and then we typically would seed it in

an area of central Alberta where we would not expect to encounter the disease,” explains Hyra. “But we are losing seed lots regularly now as F. graminearum is list is present into central Alberta, and this slows the multiplication process. Even if

F. graminearum is list is detectable only at very, very low levels, we cannot use a seed lot in Alberta. It has to be discarded or moved out of Alberta and losing stock seed in this way is very tough for Alberta seed growers.”

Crop districts of Alberta

WHAT MATTERS MOST?

Farming is not just putting seed in the ground. Everything before and after, from new technology to timing, is crucial to a successful crop. And my Syngenta Reps give me the advice I need every step of the way.

Clayton Gellner, 3rd generation farmer and Syngenta seed grower near Southey, SK

Visit SyngentaFarm.ca or contact our Customer Resource Centre at 1-87-SYNGENTA (1-877-964-3682).

Always read and follow label directions.

The Syngenta logo is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. © 2014 Syngenta.

Andrea Hilderman

6306-1F_SYT_ROI_ad_CG_GrainNews.indd All Pages

MARCH 4, 2014

grainews.ca /

11

Features FUSARIUM IN ALBERTA CWRS

Crop District 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Year

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

Incidence (%)

23.6

7.5

2.2

3.8

9.6

0.0

0.0

0.0

1.3

0.8

1.0

Severity (%)

0.47

0.55

0.18

1.50

1.67

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.98

1.20

0.02

Incidence (%)

25.8

18.6

10.2

7.6

10.8

0.4

0.3

0.6

0.0

0.5

0.3

Severity (%)

0.48

0.70

1.06

1.50

1.10

0.95

0.40

0.78

0.00

0.80

0.06

Incidence (%)

21.7

5.0

6.1

0.0

1.9

2.1

0.0

0.0

1.0

1.0

0.7

Severity (%)

0.31

0.37

0.83

0.00

0.62

0.88

0.00

0.00

0.90

0.50

0.02

Incidence (%)

14.1

12.9

4.8

4.3

0.7

0.0

0.0

0.0

2.3

1.2

1.4

Severity (%)

0.37

0.64

0.64

1.65

0.47

0.00

0.00

0.00

1.34

0.37

0.05

Incidence (%)

29.2

19.4

3.5

6.4

0.0

1.6

0.0

0.0

2.5

2.3

2.9

Severity (%)

0.57

0.65

0.73

2.51

0.00

0.70

0.00

0.00

0.70

0.30

0.15

Incidence (%)

25.7

8.8

5.9

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

5.3

Severity (%)

0.37

0.86

0.48

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.02

Incidence (%)

9.0

1.9

2.3

0.8

0.0

0.4

0.4

0.0

0.3

2.0

2.1

Severity (%)

0.17

0.12

1.09

1.35

0.00

0.50

0.50

0.00

0.00

1.18

0.14

Source: Canadian Grain Commission Harvest Sample Program.

Fusarium damage observed in Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) wheat grown in Alberta crop districts from 2003 through 2013. Incidence (%) represents the mean percentage of samples containing fusarium damaged kernels (FDK). Severity (%) represents the mean percentage (mass basis) of FDK in samples containing damaged kernels.

Other provinces Saskatchewan and Manitoba do not have the same regulations for F. graminearum is list on seed.

“Although seed growers test their seed for F. graminearum is list, it is not a requirement of the Seeds Act,” says Hyra. “Seed growers are conscientious about maintaining their reputations as reputable and trustworthy suppliers in their local communities, so often, they have selfimposed restrictions on the levels of F. graminearum is list on their seed.

Add to that the fact that growers in Saskatchewan and Manitoba will use the latest technologies in seed treatments to control the disease.”

Hyra fears that Alberta’s zerotolerance on F. graminearum is list hurts pedigreed seed growers, and their customers, unfairly. “It’s not that growers using farm saved seed have an unfair advantage,” he explains. “It that it’s encouraging these growers to ignore the problem and that will lead to a disaster.”

For over 20 years, Manitoba grow-

ers have been using all the technologies and management strategies to control F. graminearum is list and reduce inoculum loads. They grow cereals very successfully, only having bad F. graminearum is list years on occasion. Hyra feels that loosening up the zero-tolerance regulations in Alberta will encourage farmers to test seed more, embrace the available technologies and management strategies that have been learned elsewhere and help Alberta keep a lid on F. graminearum.

Tom Gräfenhan, research scientist at the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC), reviews the CGC harvest samples for fusarium damaged kernels. Since 2009, when fusarium incidence in hard red spring wheat first measured over the one per cent level, incidence levels have been climbing.

Looking at Canada Western Red Spring wheat in Alberta Crop Districts 1 and 2 in southern Alberta from 2009 to 2013 inci-

» continued on page 12

Alberta’s Fusarium Management Plan

T

he objectives of the Management Plans are to prevent the introduction, escalation and spread of F. graminearum.

These are the guidelines: • Always use healthy seed with no detectable levels of F. graminearum.

• Treat all cereal and corn intended to be used as seed with a registered fungicide that includes the genus fusarium as one of the fungi it controls.

• Ensure at least two years between host crops of F. graminearum (all small grains, corn).

• Avoid corn in rotation with corn.

• Avoid planting small grains or corn adjacent to fields where elevated levels of F. graminearum are known or suspected to occur.

• Increase seeding rates to promote more uniform stands, reduce tillering and shortening the flowering period of the crop. The crop is infected during flowering and this practise may reduce the risk of infection, as well as ensuring if an in-crop fungicide is necessary, staging is more precise and uniform.

• Stagger small grains and corn planting dates on the farm to stagger flowering dates.

• Manage irrigation as the JOB ID: 6306 1D crop enters the flowering stage thus DATE: preventing the humidity FEB 4, 2014 levels the disease favours.

CLIENT: SYNGENTA CANADA informed about fusar• Be ium infection PROJECT: ROIrisk AD –in CG the area and applying a fungicide if PUBLICATION: GRAIN NEWS necessary. harvest, ifANTON the crop is • At DESIGNER: JEFF infected with fusarium, set the ( ) MECHANICAL ( ) PDF/X combine to blow out fusariumdamaged kernels and FINAL SIZE: 17.4" X (FDK) 10" chaff to improve grades and 240% reduceUCR: the risk of mycotoxin production in stored grain CLIENT SERVICE • Remove loose crop residues PROOFREADING from equipment moving from fields with fusarium ART DIRECTION infected crops PRODUCTION grassy • Control weeds and volunteer cereals on infested lands, including headlands. †

Andrea Hilderman

14-02-05 12:33 PM

12

/ grainews.ca

MARCH 4, 2014

Features Crop varieties

Harvest: the F150 of wheat varieties With an all around package, Harvest has had a long run

By Andrea Hilderman

E

very year, farmers get the opportunity to grow new and improved varieties of wheat. Wheat breeders are continuously raising the bar by adding disease or insect resistance, additional agronomic benefits or earlier maturity. But every so often, a variety comes along that just seems to have a consistency and reliability that gives it incredible longevity in the field.

The Canada Western Red Spring wheat variety Harvest seems to be just that variety. Harvest was bred by Fred Townley-Smith, at the Cereal Research Centre in Winnipeg. It was registered in 2001 and Farm Pure Seeds acquired the distribution rights. “It was slow to take off,” says Ron Weik, portfolio

manager at FP Genetics. “It wasn’t until about 2005-06 that it started to ramp up acres in a big way.”

FP Genetics is the company that was formed when Farm Pure Seeds went out of business in 2007-08, and it acquired most of the variety licenses Farm Pure Seeds had at the time.

This past year, Harvest was the second to only Stettler in Alberta by a small margin, followed by CDC Go, Lillian and CDC Abound.

In Manitoba, Harvest was third, at 14 per cent, behind Carberry at 32 per cent and Glenn at 17 per cent. When the CWB conducted the variety survey, Harvest was in the top three CWRS varieties on the Prairies for three years in a row 2008 to 2011, or until those surveys came to an end due to the changes to the CWB monopoly.

What’s the secret?

What is it about Harvest that has given it the longevity it has displayed for the past 10 or more years?

“There’s no one reason to grow Harvest,” says Randy Court of Court Seeds at Plumas, Manitoba, “but there are lots of little reasons to grow it.” Court goes on to say that it’s the particular combination of good yield, early maturity and kernel quality that makes Harvest so attractive for a farmer. “Add to that good straw strength that is suitable for straight cutting and kernel quality as good as anything out there, and Harvest is often the first one in the bin. Early harvest really helps when it comes to quality.”

Another seed grower who has now retired from the seed business,

Warren Kaeding, of Churchbridge, Saskatchewan, is also a big fan of Harvest wheat. “I liken it to a Ford F150,” he explains. “It’s not maybe the best in any particular category, but as an overall package it’s hard to beat. It’s the same with an F150.

You just get such consistency with it year after year and that was its best-selling feature.” While Ford F-series trucks have been the bestselling trucks in North America for over 30 years, Harvest is unlikely to last that long.

If Harvest has an Achilles heel, it’s fusarium resistance, which is rated as very poor. On the plus side, it has good, consistent yield, excellent harvesting benefits like strong straw, resisting shattering and sprouting as well as retaining its color and holding grade if harvest conditions are not ideal. Because it is an older

variety now, certified seed sales are not reflective of its dominance in acres. “Certified seed sales are tailing off now,” says Kaeding.

“I put in quite a few acres of Harvest last year,” says Court.

“Based on my experience and how well this variety performs, I still see substantial acres going in for 2014.”

It’s very likely that Harvest will lose acres as new varieties are registered that deal with pests like midge and sawfly, or improved disease resistance. However, both Court and Kaeding believe that none of the new varieties have come to market with the same comprehensive, all-around package that Harvest did. † 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.

Always read and follow label directions. FMC and Authority are trademarks and Investing in farming’s future is a service mark of FMC Corporation. ©2014 FMC Corporation. All rights reserved. F101-032481 1/14 Kochia image by Howard F. Schwartz, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org

» CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

Alberta’s fusarium management plan dence levels have gone from about 10 per cent, in what was admittedly a bad year, to 25 per cent this past year, and in Canada Western Amber Durum, it’s even higher.

“Incidence is a measure of how widespread the disease is,” explains Grafenhan. “Severity, on the other hand, is based on the percentage of fusarium damaged kernels (% FDK) in affected samples. As one of several grading factors, the CGC uses tolerances for per cent FDK to determine grades of cereal grains.

In 2013, affected samples were generally less than 0.5 per cent infected which is considered low.

The problem with these high incidence levels is that if conditions are supportive of fungal growth, and Alberta gets rain and warmer temperatures around cereal flowering time, then this disease can have a devastating effect on the crop,” warns Gräfenhan.

As a comparison, incidence levels in harvest samples of hard red wheat in Manitoba run around 45 per cent. Gräfenhan does not see these incidence levels declining, rather, the likelihood is that Alberta will mirror what happened on the eastern Prairies 10 to 20 years ago.

“In many ways, zero-tolerance for F. graminearum on seed creates a false sense of security,” says Gräfenhan. “Growers might be better served through education and adoption of the strategies farmers on the eastern Prairies already practise as standard operating procedures for growing crops that are susceptible toFusarium graminearum is list” The Fusarium Action Committee undertook a science-based review of the Management Plan. Possible changes should be announced soon. “Knowing that the Fusarium Action Committee is actively working on options is something that will be well received by everyone from industry through to farmers,” says Hyra. “Alberta needs to be focussed on good, sound fusarium management practises and technologies to keep the disease in check.” †

www.fmccrop.ca

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. F101-032481-01_AuthorityAd_Obit_Grainnews.indd 1

F101-032481-01_AuthorityAd_Obit_Grainnews

12/19/13 4:58 PM

MARCH 4, 2014

grainews.ca /

13

Features CROP PRODUCTION

Farming your marginal land Pulling marginal acres into production may look like an attractive proposition.

But there are strings attached

BY LISA GUENTHER

P

ushing marginal land into grain production may add up to shortterm gains when grain prices crest. But it comes with risks, too.

“I would have some grave concerns about the notion of bringing marginal land back into annual grain production,” says Dr. Reynald Lemke, research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Lemke examines how farming systems affect soil quality and greenhouse gas emissions.

“My presumption is that it is marginal and now maintained under a grass cover or some sort of permanent cover for a reason.”

So before breaking that land and seeding canola or wheat, it’s worth considering how well those risks can be managed.

WHY IS IT MARGINAL? Farmers may eye land under forage or grass cover as potential grain acres. But pulling this land into annual production will degrade soil somewhat, even if farmers do the best job possible.

“I think it’s just the nature of the beast that you are going to pay some price in terms of soil carbon balance. And, of course, with that some fertility and so forth.”

“Marginal can be considered marginal for many reasons. The reason that it’s classed as that will have a large impact on whether or not it’s all feasible to bring it into annual grain production,” says Lemke.

Sandy soils are more likely to leach nutrients such as soil organic nitrogen. Sandy soils and sloping land are also “particularly fragile in terms of soil structure and erosion risks and so on,” Lemke adds.

Steep land and sandy soils are drought-prone. Native prairie in southwestern Saskatchewan also has moisture limitations. Most farmers have seen adequate, or more than adequate, rainfall in the last few years. But it’s impossible to know how long this rain cycle is going to last.

“And if we move into more marginal areas, and then we

run into a drier spell, that could really cause some issues here,” says Lemke.

Other marginal land might have specific problems such as very acidic soil, or shallow soil, Lemke adds. Sometimes farmers can do precise things to offset issues such as acidity. Such problems have to be addressed on a case-by-case basis, he says.

THREE WAYS TO BEEF UP MANAGEMENT Lemke says recommendations for managing marginal land are often the same for other fields, but the risk is much higher.

Farmers will need to pay attention to all management aspects to optimize production and maintain biomass, he says.

“Does that balance out or not?”

— Reynald Lemke

The three main things to do are minimize tillage, exclude fallow and maintain the best cover possible.

Zero tillage is best, and sum-

mer fallow is a no-go on marginal land.

“So if you’re in an area where there’s moisture limitations, even chem fallow still increases your risk beyond say, continuous crop.”

Marginal land is generally more vulnerable to water or wind erosion. A permanent cover, such as grass or forage, does the best job of holding soil in place, building soil organic carbon and maintaining structure. But farmers can help maintain cover by extending the rotation or otherwise tweaking the rotation.

“You might consider pulling it into canola production, for

example, then back into forage for a few years,” says Lemke.

He adds this may not work in all situations, especially in areas short on moisture.

Farmers also need to manage fertility more carefully on marginal land than other acres, he says.

Once the management plan is in place, it’s worth penciling out the economics again.

“If you need to take these extra measures to try and do the best job you can of protecting the soil, does that balance out or not?” † Lisa Guenther is a field editor with Grainews.

Contact her at Lisa.Guenther@fbcpublishing.com.

Bred in Canada to feed the world.

Cereal seed from Syngenta helps you harvest opportunities wherever they are. We’ve been breeding wheat in Canada for four decades, setting unprecedented standards for yield, quality and sustainability. The world depends on Canadian grain, and Canadian growers count on Syngenta.

BY DAN PIRARO

Bizarro

Visit SyngentaFarm.ca or contact our Customer Resource Centre at 1-87-SYNGENTA (1-877-964-3682).

Always read and follow label directions. The Alliance Frame, the Purpose Icon and the Syngenta logo are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. CASE IH is a registered trademark of CNH America LLC. © 2013 Syngenta.

5906-1I-Syngenta-CerealSeedAd-SPS-Grainews.indd 1

13-09-27 9:08 AM

14

/ grainews.ca

MARCH 4, 2014

Features Farm management

Farmers and the law Know your legal rights and make sure you have the documentation to back up your claims if things go wrong

By Julienne Isaacs

I

n today’s increasingly litigious business landscape, it makes sense for farmers to be aware of their legal rights and take every action possible to protect themselves against lawsuits — or prepare to bring claims themselves when necessary. Increasingly, farmers are bringing claims of defective seed or herbicides against seed and chemical companies.

According to Terry Zakreski, a partner at Saskatoon, Sask.-based Stevenson Hood Thornton Beaubier, LLP, well-

prepared farmers can minimize litigation risks.

In a paper presented at a recent Law Society seminar on agriculture, Zakreski argued that seed or chemicals that do not live up to their promised benefits can be grounds for successful litigation. “Whether such claims make it to harvest, are wiped out by killing frost in the form of skilled defence counsel, or wither on the vine, hinges on being able to marshal solid evidence linking the chemical or seed to the loss,” wrote Zakreski in the paper, entitled “Seeds, Chemicals and Spray Drift.”

Defective seed Canada’s Seeds Act and Seeds Regulations require a baseline level of germination to be present in all certified seed. Farmers should reasonably expect that level of quality in any certified seed they purchase.

While cases involving defective seed are less common than herbicide cases, there is still legal precedent for farmers who have experienced crop losses as a result of defective seed.

However, to make a successful case, the farmer must be able to prove that the crop losses occurred as a result of the seed,

not poor management or negative environmental conditions or any other reason. Zakreski says if a farmer suspects they have purchased defective seed, they must act fast.

First, germination tests are crucial. “If seed does not meet its required germination for its grade under the Seeds Act, the seed company has potential liability,” says Zakreski. “Farmers should always keep the seed tags for the seeds they are planting (as these contain a great deal of information) as well as retain samples for testing if defective seed is suspected.”

INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR PRE-SEED CEREALS

Herbicide claims Herbicide claims are more common than claims of defective seed, according to Zakreski.

But as with defective seed claims, the onus is on the farmer to prove that crop losses occurred as a direct result of the herbicide in question.

There are several steps a farmer can take if they suspect a particular herbicide has caused crop damage or losses, says Zakreski.

First, the farmer should notify the seed retailer or a manufacturer’s representative, so that they can make an effort to correct the problem. “The herbicide company will also complain bitterly if it was not notified early on in the process and provided such an opportunity,” adds Zakreski.

The farmer should also involve a professional agrologist or crop investigator early in the process to evaluate the crop, assess whether it exhibits any herbicide injury symptoms and rule out other causes. Plant and tissue samples can also be sent to a lab for analysis.

While consulting professionals will document the claim, the farmer should also record the damage, and a good way to do this, says Zakreski, is to take photographs at varying stages of crop development. “Pictures showing stark differences between spray misses and the rest of the crop can be compelling. Getting a GPS spray map from the sprayer can also be a useful source of information,” he says.

Lastly, at harvest, the farmer should evaluate the yield differences between the crop supposed to be damaged by the herbicide, and undamaged crops.

“If a farmer is able to show that he used a product in accordance with label directions and heeded all label warnings but nevertheless sustained crop damage, he or she should be able to recover against the chemical manufacturer,” argues Zakreski in “Seeds.”

Whether facing an immediate threat of litigation, or considering starting the litigation process based on crop damage or losses, Zakreski says a farmer’s best recourse is to consult a lawyer as soon as possible. †

Wipe out weeds with the best burndown.

Bar none.

Give your cereals every chance to thrive with a pre-seed burndown from Nufarm.

BlackHawk™ delivers faster, more complete weed control in a

cereal pre-seed burndown than glyphosate or Group 2 herbicides.

Two active ingredients and two modes of action deliver superior resistance management.

Take the BlackHawk pre-seed challenge

However, if farmers wish to make claims based on poor vigour, this is much more difficult, as there are no industry-wide standards on seedling vigour.

Zakreski says that patented crops must be treated like business software — in other words, they must have all appropriate licenses and respect the intellectual property of the companies whose technologies they are using. “Having solid records of the seed that was purchased and planted is probably the most important thing that a farmer can do to protect himself from such claims,” he says.

“Unfortunately, this favours farmers who purchase certified seed and causes hardship to seed savers who might not. Seed saving is difficult to sustain with the proliferation of patented varieties.”

If a farmer has inadvertently planted a patented variety, or is accused of violating the IP agreement for a particular variety, their best immediate recourse is to consult a lawyer.

Satisfaction guaranteed or your in-crop herbicide is free.

Visit nufarm.ca for full details.

If you’re dealing with dandelions too, clean up with KoAct™. An innovative new tank-mix option, KoAct controls perennial dandelions and glyphosate-tolerant volunteers at their most vulnerable stage with spring or fall burndown.

Contact your local retailer for more information.

Innovative solutions. Business made easy.

1.800.868.5444 Nufarm.ca Always read and follow label directions.

BlackHawk™ and KoAct™ are trademarks of Nufarm Agriculture Inc. 35628-0114

Julienne Isaacs is a Winnipeg-based freelance writer and editor.

35628 NFC_PreseedCerealsAd_8.125x10_Rev.indd 1

1/31/14 12:00 PM

“Too many things slow me down.

I need to cover

more acres.”

We hear you.

Visit GoTechTour.ca to see how we’re redefining herbicide performance.

Growers in Western Canada asked us to “make spraying less complicated.”

So, our R&D teams are focused on finding solutions. Enter to WIN an LED Sprayer Nozzle Light Kit at GoTechTour.ca.

Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or an affiliated company of Dow. 0114-22297-B_35734-B GN

® TM

16

/ grainews.ca

MARCH 4, 2014

Features CROP PRODUCTION

Critters in the soil We don’t pay much attention to fungi and nematodes. But they’re making a big difference

BY LISA GUENTHER

S

oil organisms go unnoticed on farms most of the time.

But when it comes to crop production and international trade, these tiny creatures punch above their weight.

Some soil organisms benefit crop production. For example, micorrhiza fungi, or AM fungi, colonize crop roots such as flax and wheat. Beneficial species extend crop roots, scavenging nutrients and sharing with the plant.

AM fungi can also help prevent pathogens from infecting plant roots. Many pathogens recognize plant roots by CO2 concentrations. AM fungi are also a source

of respiration, which confuses the pathogens. “(The pathogens) will germinate sometimes too far from the roots.

And they will just exhaust their resources and die,” says Dr. Chantal Hamel, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research scientist.

Micorrhizal fungi can also trigger the plants to shut down root access before pathogens arrive. And plants may produce more pathogen-killing compounds if AM fungi have latched onto the roots

NEMATODES ABOUND Fungi aren’t the only soil critters that influence western Canadian crop growth.

“Nematodes are the most abundant animal in the world. There are a gazillion nematodes in Western Canada,” says Dr. Mario Tenuta.

Tenuta is a Canada Research Chair in Applied Soil Ecology at the University of Manitoba.

Nematodes are worms, and they inhabit everything from soil to animals’ intestines. Agricultural soil in the Prairies will see from 30 to 70 nematode species, says Tenuta. Nematode species number about 150 in native prairie soils.

Most soil nematodes are beneficial. They help out with mineralization and prey on fungi and bacteria. They’re also like a fingerprint for soil health, Tenuta adds.

“There are some nematodes that

are very sensitive to tillage and to fertilizers and pesticide. And they’ll die in response to those stresses.”

These larger nematodes reproduce slowly, and so it takes them a while to rebuild their numbers.

“But if they’re stressed again by tillage or fertilizers or pesticide, then they’ll die out and you’ll never see them rebound,” says Tenuta.

Meanwhile, some bacteria and fungi grow rapidly after fertilizer application and tillage. Smaller nematodes eat the bacteria and fungi, and so their numbers balloon.

Farming practices affect AM fungi, too.

Between 2009 and 2011, Hamel and her colleagues collected samples from over 300 sites on about 30 farms, plus ditches. They focused on seed growers and organic producers who were growing wheat.

Roadsides had the most diverse, robust microbe populations by far.

Researchers also found differences between organic and conventional farmland.

VT530 G PROVEN

®

More

BUSHELS

More EFFICIENCY Top yielding and easy to grow.

Proven VT 530 G, the new high performance, Genuity ® Roundup Ready ® canola hybrid. With resistance to Fusarium Wilt, medium maturity, and excellent standability, you’ll swath faster and combine more efficiently, while putting more bushels in your bin.

Contact your local CPS retail location and get the power to grow with Proven VT 530 G and the entire Proven Seed portfolio.

Monsanto Company is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship® (ETS). Monsanto products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance with Monsanto’s Policy for Commercialization of BiotechnologyDerived Plant Products in Commodity Crops. This product has been approved for import into key export markets with functioning regulatory systems. Any crop or material produced from this product can only be exported to, or used, processed or sold in countries where all necessary regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Growers should talk to their grain handler or product purchaser to confirm their buying position for this product. Excellence Through Stewardship® is a registered trademark of Excellence Through Stewardship. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Roundup Ready® crops contain genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides. Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. Genuity and Design®, Genuity®, Roundup Ready® and Roundup® are registered trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC, Monsanto Canada, Inc. licensee. ©2014 Monsanto Canada Inc. Proven® Seed is a registered trademark of Crop Production Services (Canada) Inc. CPS CROP PRODUCTION SERVICES and Design is a registered trademark of Crop Production Services, Inc.

10776B-CPS-Print Ads-VT530G-JRPage-MBCoop.indd 1

2/18/14 10:45 AM

“There are different community structures. Some fungi are more abundant in organic. And overall they are more abundant than in conventional systems,” says Hamel.

Hamel attributes the differences to lower nutrient levels in organic soils. Fewer nutrients encourage plants to work with AM fungi to scavenge nutrients. “The more phosphorus we have in the soil, the less micorrhizal fungi work for us.”

Researchers found that populations were similar on agricultural land in Nova Scotia and the Prairies. But roadside populations in Nova Scotia and the Prairies were different.

“So that tells us that when we cultivate the land, we are selecting for some species,” Hamel says.

Hamel says researchers are close to understanding how to encourage beneficial microbes, such as AM fungi, in the field. “We’re still missing tools for management in the field, but we’re getting there.

It’s just a question of cost and who will give the service.”

It’s worth knowing if beneficial AM fungi are in the soil as farmers wouldn’t need as much fertilizer for crops such as wheat and flax. “And if you don’t put on as much fertilizer, then these fungi will work better for you.”

Hamel notes not all AM fungi bonds with plant roots. Farmers can’t rely on these micorrhizae to help plants scavenge nutrients, and so they’ll need to apply more fertilizer.

TRADE BARRIERS Parasitic nematodes not only damage crops, but can prompt trading partners to slam borders.

Several years ago the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) reported finding potato cyst nematode in a U.S.-bound shipment originating from an Alberta farm.

CFIA notified the U.S., halting imports of Canadian seed potatoes.

“It’s a devastating nematode for the potato industry, so they want to keep it out,” says Tenuta.

Other areas of Canada and the U.S. have reported the potato cyst nematode. But CFIA didn’t find any more nematodes on the Alberta farm despite repeated tests.

Eventually Canada and the U.S. hammered out an agreement, giving Canadian producers market access as long as CFIA tests seed potato soil.

Seed potato producers aren’t the only ones with trade woes caused by nematodes. For the last several years, India-bound yellow peas have been tested for stem nematodes. CFIA collects samples in Canada, but the ship is en route by the time results are in.

Stem nematodes are rare, but they are a hassle. Ships with the nematode are re-routed to Indonesia, where they’re fumigated. This delays the shipment, which importers leverage to try to negotiate cheaper prices. Costs pile up for the industry and are passed on to growers.

But Tenuta and his colleagues have been working on a stem nematode project funded by Alberta Innovates Bio Solutions and the Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba Pulse Growers. At first there didn’t seem to be much rhyme or reason to where the rarely-seen nematode was found.

“But we found that the nematode was associated with weeds seeds, particularly weed seeds of Canada thistle.”

Researchers confirmed the nem-

MARCH 4, 2014

grainews.ca /

17

Features atode parasitizes Canada thistle, not yellow peas. A genetic analysis shows the Canadian nematode isn’t the same species on quarantine lists.

More research needs to be done ensure this nematode doesn’t parasitize other pulses. But Tenuta says they are working with CFIA and India.

Stem nematode from thistle

A

DETECTING PARASITIC NEMATODES Researchers are surveying soybean fields in Manitoba for the soybean cyst nematode. The nematode hasn’t been found in Manitoba yet. But it’s knocking on the door, having been found in Minnesota and North Dakota. “It seems to be going up the Red River Valley,” says Tenuta.

Potato and soybean growers should keep parasitic plant nematodes in mind. Parasitic nematode populations build because no one recognizes the signs, Tenuta says.

Agronomists and extension people need to keep in mind that what looks like a root problem may be nematodes. “Often times it looks like poor crop performance because of water logging, or lack of iron.”

Commercial labs will test for nematodes. But results might not be specific enough to differentiate between parasitic and beneficial nematodes.

Tenuta is working on a commercial test for soybean cyst nematodes. He encourages Manitoba farmers to forward him soil samples through their provincial specialists. He’s especially interested in samples from soybean growers who can’t troubleshoot problem areas. If farmers in Saskatchewan or Alberta have soil test results showing nematodes, he’s willing to help them as well.

Root lesion nematodes aggravate Potato Early Dying disease.

Crops such as wheat, canola, chickpeas and mustard are also known to be susceptible to the nematode in Australia. Tenuta is interested in whether root lesion nematodes affect Western Canadian canola yield.

Tenuta and his colleagues have also come up with an economical way to kill root lesion nematodes in low pH soils. Farmers can apply about 7,000 gallons per acre of liquid hog manure. The hog manure secretes a vinegar-like compound, which is activated by acid soils.

The vinegar basically disinfects the soil and kills root lesion nematodes. Bacteria and fungi clean up the vinegar within a couple days.

Farmers can add lime to liquid hog manure if their soil has a pH of eight or more. Ammonium in the manure will change to ammonia when it contacts basic soil.

Root lesion nematodes die, but the ammonia doesn’t kill everything else in the soil, Tenuta says.

Farmers can also control many nematodes through rotations.

This is a key strategy for the sugar beet cyst nematode in Alberta, for example.

Hamel’s team is now working with plant breeders to develop wheat varieties that will connect with good micorrhizal fungi in the soil. They think they’ve found the trait to target.

“The good genotypes are the ones that have high leaf nitrogen and potassium,” says Hamel.

AM fungi-friendly wheat varieties are a ways off. “It takes about 12 years to produce a genotype.

But it’s in the pipeline.” † Lisa Guenther is a field editor for Grainews.

Contact her at Lisa.Guenther@fbcpublishing.com.

B

C

D

PHOTO: DR. MEHRDAD MADANI, RESEARCH ASSOCIATE, U. OF M.

Stem nematode from garlic PHOTO: DR. MEHRDAD MADANI, RESEARCH ASSOCIATE, U. OF M.

PHOTO: AAFC

Left: These are stem and bulb nematodes from Canada thistle. Top right: Cyst Nematode studies in Manitoba. A: The extraction of nematode cysts from soybean field soils. B: Nematode cyst. C: Nematode juvenile. D: Head section of the cyst nematode. Bottom right: AM fungi associated with an alfalfa root in soil — extending the root system’s ability to capture nutrients.

PROTECT ThE

flag

wiTh BumPER OR BlankET

Choose your best defense Over 50 percent of the yield in cereal crops is determined by the health of the flag and upper leaves.

Early or late, MANA Canada has the fungicide protection you need. Protect the flag with Bumper®, containing propiconazole, or Blanket AP™, containing azoxystrobin and propiconazole.

Support choice – ask for Bumper or Blanket AP by name.

Bumper

®

Propiconazole

Fungicide

418 EC

SAme ACtive AS tilt®

SAme ACtiveS AS Quilt®

manainc.ca ®Bumper is a registered trademark and ™Blanket AP is a trademark of Makhteshim Agan of North America, Inc. All others are registered trademarks of their respective companies.

Always read and follow label directions. 13046.12.13

18

/ grainews.ca

MARCH 4, 2014

Features CROP PRODUCTION

Lower seed costs with planters Switching to planters can save costs through lower seeding rates, but there is more to consider

BY MELANIE EPP

T

here is great interest in using planters instead of air drills to seed canola.

Farmers are especially curious about the planter’s accuracy, and the possibility of saving on seed costs. Switching planting techniques isn’t as simple as buying new machinery, though.

There’s more to it.

Dwayne Kirchner, owner of Kirchner Machine Limited in Lethbridge, Alta., says there aren’t a lot of products on the market that offer the same accuracy as a rowcrop planter. Yields from planters are about the same as they are from air drills, he says, although less seed is needed. While air drills need about five pounds of canola seed per acre, Kirchner says a planter can get away with just two pounds per acre.

While this is a significant cost saving, there are other factors to consider, such as the cost of the planter, and the extra time needed to apply fertilizer. In a notill situation, farmers using planters need a way to manage residue from previous crops in the fields.

“We’ve worked out a few of the kinks.”

— Neil Harker

“A lot of planters aren’t equipped with the type of system for putting all your fertilizer product on at the same time,” says Kirchner. “It may mean having to do another pass. That’s kind of the issue for trying to sell planters for commercial canola production because guys are used to using one big air seeder and going out and seeding everything and putting all of their fertilizer and everything in and not having to do any prep work to their fields.”

Neil Harker, a research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has conducted two years of research using a Monosem precision planter out of Kansas.

Although the planter proved to seed more uniformly, there were other problems. The first prototype had no residue clearance, which made for extra work.

In its second year, after modi-

fications were made to address the residue clearance issue, the planter had unfortunate hydraulic issues. The research will continue in 2014, with no new modifications being made to the planter.

“We think we can get a good assessment in 2014, now that we’ve worked out a few of the kinks,” says Harker.

In the end, Harker syas the benefits may not outweigh the additional time and the costs of the planter.

“The benefit would have to be fairly substantial, and I’m not sure that we’re going to get that benefit. But it’s too early to tell without real production scale models around.”

Harker has been working closely with Craig Shaw, a Lacombe-area

canola grower. He says that the downside of planters is that you have to put fertilizer down ahead of seeding. The further north you move, says, the fewer crops you can seed with a planter.

“Most guys will still have their air seeding system to do their other crops and they’ll use the planter specifically for canola, but then you get into the issue of if I put a fertilizing system on my planter, then I add substantially more cost,” says Shaw. “So you have to weigh those types of things in there.”

SEEDING RATES Autumn Barnes, agronomy specialist with the Canola Council of Canada, says that lower seeding rates might lead to higher

emergence, but you still might not be getting enough plants per square foot for adequate plant density. This can especially be a problem if the crop is hit with frost or other issues, like cutworm or wireworm.

“It really depends on the year,” Barnes says. “Because if you get all of the right growing conditions and you only have five plants per square foot, you could hit your yield potential — if you have perfect conditions.”

“But if you have less than five plants per square foot and maybe flea beetles come in and take out a few plants, or maybe you have a really hard frost that comes in and takes out a few plants, those are chipping away at your yield potential,” she continues”

Barnes says that it’s important to know that all the Canola Council of Canada’s insect thresholds are based on optimum plant stands, seven to 10 plants per square foot.

“Once we get below that mark, if you have insects come in, you can’t accurately make a spray decision because the economic thresholds that have been developed are not suitable for your plant stands. It makes management a lot tougher.” However, Barnes does acknowledge that there is some promise when it comes to planter technology for canola. † Melanie Epp is a freelance writer who specializes in writing web copy for small businesses. She is based in Guelph, Ont., and can be found online at melanierepp.com.

WHAT MATTERS MOST?

Our team farmed 14,000 acres of crops and surpassed one million bushels last year. Teamwork is the key to everything.

And Syngenta is part of our team.

Ed Waldner, farm boss, Wild Rose Hutterite Colony near Vulcan, AB

BY DAN PIRARO

Bizarro Visit SyngentaFarm.ca or contact our Customer Resource Centre at 1-87-SYNGENTA (1-877-964-3682).

Always read and follow label directions.

The Syngenta logo is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. © 2014 Syngenta.

6306-1H_SYT_ROI_ad_EW_GrainNews.indd All Pages

MARCH 4, 2014

grainews.ca /

19

Features CROP NUTRITION

Self-fertilizing crops around the corner When a U.K. researcher found bacteria supplying nitrogen to Brazilian sugar cane plants, he began research that may change the future

BY REBECA KUROPATWA

D

r. Edward Cocking, director of the University of Nottingham’s Centre for Crop Nitrogen Fixation, may have just discovered something that could one day change the industry.

Alberta Agriculture’s Murray Hartman, provincial oilseed specialist, first learned of Cocking’s research results about six or seven years ago.

C o c k i n g ’s i n i t i a l r e s e a rc h involved bacteria living in conjunction with the roots of sugar cane plants in Brazia. The bacteria were supplying the sugar cane plants with about 60 per cent of their nitrogen.

Hartman said, “Sugar cane is not a legume (like alfalfa or peas) that would get an actual nodule that, with the help of rhizobia bacteria, would be able to fixate nitrogen from the air.”

The naturally occurring bacteria were taking up nitrogen from the air.

THE RESEARCH Cocking wanted to see if he could get this process to work with other types of plant roots.

He succeeded in doing this in a greenhouse with wheat and canola, to the point of getting some colonization of the bacteria. The

signals potential to do the same with other crops.

“Even if we don’t get to the same level as the sugar cane, we can get a significant level of nitrogen fixation for the crop.

That would cut back on fertilizer costs and help with the environment,” said Hartman.

Cocking published and patented his findings. Then he licensed them to the U.K.-based company Azotic Technologies.

Azoticis working on the concept of using a coating to inoculate the seed with the bacteria. They call the product N-Fix.” N-Fix is currently at the field testing stage. In October, 2013, trials done by Azotic and the University of Nottingham found that the bacteria successfully colonized the roots of the field crops (wheat, canola and pasture grasses).

These bacteria allowed the plants to receive between a quarter to a half the recommended rates of nitrogen from the bacteria. That is not as high as the 60 per cent of

supply seen with sugar cane, but it is significant. Using the technology on the Prairies could mean big savings for farmers.

ON THE MARKET “Next, they’ll be looking to begin field trials on canola in Western Canada,” said Hartman.

“Being at the field trial stage, we’re past proof of concept and past the last stage, getting closer to commercialization.”

Once data is collected from Western Canada field trials, Hartman expects N-Fix to be made available in the form of a fertilizer/ supplement, which would be fairly simple registration in Canada. It could conceivably be on the shelf in five years.

“We’ve had experiences with other biologicals — like some on the market now to help with phosphorus utilization — shown to be beneficial in greenhouses and field trials,” said Hartman. “But one of the problems with biologicals is they don’t always respond well in field environments, where it’s maybe too dry or too cold.

“Biologicals aren’t as consistent as fertilizer and I’d expect similar problems with N-Fix.” Hartman is eager to see the field trial data, to see if the results are consistent.

N-Fix is currently at the field testing stage Looking ahead, five or 10 years down the road, Hartman anticipates that farmers may be able to cut back almost half of their applied nitrogen fertilizer, and researchers can begin to look at other possibilities, such as putting fertilizer close to the seed after biological fixation, matching the right seed treatments with inoculations and breeding to select varieties more conducive to colonization.

“There is certainly potential to improve on how much nitrogen can be fixed and how consistently,” said Hartman.

There may also be a local bacteria that can fix nitrogen. Hartman referred to a project funded by the Saskatchewan Canola Development Commission in the late ’90s. “Researchers went through the fields and found there was about per cent of the bacteria in the field that fixed nitrogen.” A couple of these bacteria, he said, JOB ID: 6306 1H had “fairly high potential.” † DATE: FEB 2014 Rebeca Kuropatwa is a4,professional writer in Winnipeg, Man. CLIENT: SYNGENTA CANADA PROJECT: ROI AD – EW

BY DAN PIRARO

Bizarro

PUBLICATION: GRAIN NEWS DESIGNER: JEFF ANTON (

) MECHANICAL (

FINAL SIZE: 17.4" X 10" UCR: 240% CLIENT SERVICE PROOFREADING ART DIRECTION PRODUCTION

14-02-05 12:30 PM

) PDF/X

20

/ grainews.ca

MARCH 4, 2014

Columns OPEN FIELD

Everything you forgot about growing flax With many farmers growing flax for 2014, Sarah Weigum’s been researching the latest agronomy info SARAH WEIGUM

thought I’d do some research and report my findings.

UPDATED AGRONOMY WITH A TWIST

W

ith prices for wheat and canola depressed and not looking to perk up any time soon, many farmers are looking for alternative crops to plant in spring 2014. One garnering a lot of attention is flax. As recently as early February, one Alberta buyer still had new crop flax contracts (with an act of God clause) available for $11.25 per bushel. At my seed farm we’ve nearly sold out of CDC Glas, a newer flax variety. Many of my customers haven’t grown flax for over a decade, if ever. As a result, I’ve fielded many agronomy questions from customers, some of which I couldn’t answer, so I

PHOTO: JAN SLASKI AND ALBERTA INNOVATES

-

TECHNOLOGY FUTURES

These plots were grown at Vegreville, Alta. There will be an Alberta Innovates field day at Vegreville on July 29.

One of the biggest proponents for growing flax that I talked to is Jan Slaski, senior researcher at Alberta Innovates — Technology Futures (AITF). Slaski is part of the multi-year Northern Adapted Flax Variety Development Program (NAFVDP) in collaboration with the Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission, Viterra and the B.C. Grain Producers Association.

“Five years ago SaskFlax identified the need to move flax beyond areas the crop is presently grown,” said Slaski, adding that existing flax breeding programs suited the needs of farmers in the south.

Viterra’s contribution comes from flax breeder Michelle Beaith who focuses on developing new varie-

ties suited to cooler climates, while Slaski runs agronomic trials at AITF’s site in Vegreville.

“You need eggs and bacon for a good breakfast,” he said. “It’s the same with breeding and agronomy.

We’re offering to producers a complete package.” Since 2010, Slaski and team have trialled a variety of management practices on three flax varieties commonly grown in the south — Prairie Grande, Bethune and NuLin 50. While Vegreville may not be considered “northern” by some, it is certainly outside the traditional flax growing areas.

One of the surprising results of Slaski’s study (and one that’s hard to take for a seed grower) is that higher flax seeding rates don’t seem to have an economic benefit.

Slaski seeded flax at 30, 40 and

60 pounds per acre and found no yield gains going from low to high rates. (Standard bushel weight for flax is 56 pounds).

“Flax plants seeded at lower rates, even if they’re affected by disease, have this great ability to compensate production by secondary, seed bearing branches,” explained Slaski. Elmer Kaskiw, farm production adviser with Manitoba Agriculture, also recommends a moderate seeding rate of 40 to 45 pounds per acre.

“If we seeded 60 pounds per acre in Manitoba the crop would go flat,” said Kaskiw. “In a wet year, often the crop will take off and look great but it will become rank and any kind of a heavy rain will put it down flat. Once the crop lodges you really cut into your yields.”

Seeding date is another important consideration for growers. Because flax is tolerant to fall frosts, it is often seeded quite late, but both Slaski and Kaskiw caution against waiting too long.

Slaski found the optimum seeding date to be between May 16 and 19.

While there was a yield penalty for seeding too early, he said that the bigger penalty comes when seeding flax at the end of May or later.

“Flax seeded late tends to grow taller plants which are more susceptible to lodging, which can contribute to a problematic harvest,” said Slaski. In western Manitoba, where Kaskiw advises farmers, ideal seeding date is in the first 12 days of May. Under the right conditions, flax can take up to 100 days to mature and early seeding usually

PRIMERS / STARTERS / FOLIARS

the

Proofis in the Roots OMEX PRIMERS have been specifically formulated and tested to meet the unique nutritional needs of germinating seed.

PRIMING your seed prior to planting improves access to the key nutritional elements needed for germination, strong root growth, vigorous emergence and early-season plant health.

PRIMER CANOLA / PRIMER CU / PRIMER MN PRIMER SOYBEAN / PRIMER ZN / PULSE PRIMER

Speak to an Omex Plant Health Professional today at

1-866-860-9660 or visit omexcanada.com.

Omex Agriculture Inc. is a market leader in the research, development and manufacturing of the most innovative line of plant nutrition products for the agriculture and horticulture sectors. Find out more at omexcanada.com. Always read and follow label directions. The First 30 Days® is a trademark of Omex Agriculture Inc.

Omex Primers are a key component of The First 30 Days® Nutrient Management Program from Omex.

MARCH 4, 2014

21

grainews.ca /

Columns means a longer flowering period which leads to higher yields.

“The key is to get it flowering under cooler conditions, around the July long weekend,” said Kaskiw.

Slaski tested seeding depth and found 1.5 inches was better than shallow seeding, even in cooler climates. Flax yields better on cereal stubble than on canola stubble.

He compared seed bed preparation practices and found that direct seeding flax into a zero-till seed bed yielded the best as the crop made better use of available soil moisture.

Flax seeded into minimum tillage or tilled ground often did not germinate until a rainfall and the tillage before seeding led to increased weed competition which impacted yield.

Weeds are always a main concern when growing flax, as it’s not a very competitive crop. (In fact, we take advantage of flax’s non-competitive spirit and use it as a cover crop when establishing a perennial grass stand for seed production in subsequent years).

Typical in-crop weed control is graminicide for grassy weeds and Buctril M, FlaxMax, Curtail M, or Lontrel for broadleaf weeds.

In 2014 we are considering using Authority from Nufarm as part of our spring burn-off where we’re seeding flax. This Group 14 chemistry can be mixed with glyphosate and applied either before or just after seeding and will provide up to 60 days of flushing control on cleavers, kochia, lamb’s quarter and wild buckwheat. Authority is designed for use on soils with 1.5 to 6 per cent organic matter.

Another surprising result from

Slaski’s trial was the benefit of using a fungicide on the crop.

Pasmo is a common disease and can be controlled with Headline, but Slaski was so skeptical of the need for fungicide that he didn’t even include it in his original trials. However, enough flax producers championed its value that he later included it and found it to be the single most profound, yield-increasing factor, even when symptoms of pasmo were nonexistent or very mild.

“Farmers were right,” said Slaski, adding that in some years he saw a 30 per cent increase in yield from a dual application of Headline. “It means there is something more than controlling pasmo in the fungicide. When we looked at this product it contains not only fungus control agents, but perhaps includes some plant promoting agents too.”

Future trials at Slaski’s site will delve deeper into the reason behind the yield boost from fungicide. While the label recommends an application of Headline at early flowering and again at the end of flowering, some producers make one application at mid-flowering.

Flax may not yield like canola — Kaskiw said most producers in his area can budget on a 30 to 35 bushel crop with upside yields in the 45 to 60 bushel range — but it is a decidedly lower input crop. Kaskiw recommends 65 to 75 pounds of nitrogen per acre, depending on soil tests. An average flax crop is profitable and the residual benefits of adding variety to the rotation, while difficult to measure, can not be discounted.

FLAX VS. CANOLA ECONOMICS 2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

CANOLA Input cost ($/ac) Price/MT Revenue ($/ac)

162 332 66

169 254 -25

193 261 -4

244 369 -6

209 500 215

228 400 127

213 412 87

244 532 100

240 582 114

257 547 276

FLAX Input cost ($/ac) Price/MT Revenue ($/ac)

110 372 86

117 391 57

126 226 -7

121 344 59

157 584 197

145 376 98

120 417 82

144 535 94

156 534 75

167 571 253

Source: Anastasia Kubinec, MAFRD

This chart was developed by Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development. Input costs are based on Manitoba figures.

(See charts for flax versus canola economics, courtesy of Anastasia Kubinec at Manitoba Agriculture)

NORTHERN ADVANTAGE, NORTHERN CHALLENGE One reason for expanding the flax growing region is the “northern advantage” for flax production. According to Slaski, there is evidence that the cooler nights of the north produce flax with more oil and higher Omega-3 content. Longer daylight hours in the north also promote rapid growth of flax stems and increased fibre yield as a result. While many producers see flax straw as a nuisance, work is afoot at Alberta Agriculture to develop a market for the sturdy bast fibres that compose flax and hemp straw.

I hadn’t heard of the Alberta Biomaterials Development Centre (ABDC) until recently, but it is a B:10.25” engineers and team of scientists, T:10.25” who help the business professionals

industry develop products made of agriculture and forestry fibres. LoriJo Graham, client manager at ABDC told me about recent trips her team made to Grande Prairie and LaCrete, Alta where they met with farmers and agribusiness owners who have an interest in processing flax and hemp fibre into a variety of industrial products. Flax fibres can be used to make woven mats, erosion control products, paper, green building and packaging materials, biocomposite automotive parts and biofuels. Flaxseed oil has industrial uses, but is also popular in the health food market.

Processors can take advantage of the ABDC research facility at Vegreville, where a one metric tonne per hour processing plant can test and fine tune biomaterial products. Graham says there is strong interest from both the producer and processor side of the equation, although there are always some stops and starts along the way to developing a new market.

“If we could have both a market for the grain and the straw, then the farmer would have the dual income stream. It would be good to manage their risks,” said Graham.

Earlier this year I talked to a grower in Fairview who said that he would grow flax if it wasn’t so difficult to get grain movement.

Because so few farmers grow flax, he would basically have to move it in railcar-sized lots and elevators are reluctant to handle such a meagre amount. No farmer likes to see low grain prices for their traditional crops, but perhaps this bearish wheat and canola market bodes well for flax development.

With attention directed towards agronomy and variety development and a focus on local processing for what was once considered a by-product, more producers may be inclined to add flax to their rotation. † Sarah Weigum grows pedigreed seed and writes at Three Hills, Alta. Follow her on Twitter: @sweigum.

S:10.25”

One of a kind broadleaf weed control.

BayerCropScience.ca/Infinity or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative.

Always read and follow label directions. Infinity® is a registered trademark of the Bayer Group. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.

C-52-02/14-10168059-E

B:7.75”

For more information, please visit BayerCropScience.ca/Infinity

T:7.75”

Infinity – truly in a class of its own.

S:7.75”

As the only Group 27 and the first new mode of action in cereals for over 25 years, powerful, one of a kind Infinity® herbicide controls the toughest broadleaf weeds from across the Canadian prairies, even if they are resistant to other herbicide classes.

® The Cargill logo and FIELDSENSE are registered trade-marks of Cargill, Incorporated, used under licence. © 2014, Cargill Limited. All Rights Reserved.

“ Once the soybean crop has emerged, there are no weed control options. You must get control of these resistant weeds before the crop emerges.”

Drawing a Line in the Soil: Options to control glyphosate-resistant Canada fleabane in soybeans Many Ontario producers and agronomists have noticed a considerable amount of Canada fleabane in the fields this year, and no wonder. Not only does fleabane spread quickly over great distances, but glyphosate-resistant biotypes are also being confirmed in more counties across southwestern Ontario each year. And it continues to spread.

In terms of weed resistance, glyphosateresistant Canada fleabane is potentially the biggest threat to eastern Canadian growers, and it is particularly problematic for soybean growers due to limited control options in-crop. However, there are several ways to manage glyphosate-resistant fleabane in your fields.

Distance is no defence. If glyphosateresistant fleabane has been identified two counties over, it could be on your farm by next year, or it may be there already.

Depending on its size, one fleabane plant can produce tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of seeds.

To compound the problem, some glyphosate-resistant fleabane biotypes are also resistant to Group 2 herbicides. Once the soybean crop has emerged, there are no weed control options. You must get control of these resistant weeds before the crop emerges.

Your best option to manage fleabane in soybeans is tillage. But if you’re counting on tillage to take out those weeds, the plants must be completely uprooted or buried.

The next best option is using a herbicide containing the active ingredient saflufenacil, such as Eragon or Optill, with your pre-plant burndown. Another pre-plant option is 2,4-D Ester, but you must wait seven days after application before planting soybeans.

A diverse crop rotation will also help prevent or manage the spread of glyphosate-resistant fleabane. However, by treating all fleabane on your farm as if it is glyphosate resistant, you’re already managing it. To read the complete story, visit asktheexpertnetwork.ca.

Leanne Freitag, Regional Agronomy Manager

24

/ grainews.ca

MARCH 4, 2014

Columns FARM TALK

Branding principles — on your farm You might not think of your farm as a company with a brand, but Kim Althouse thinks you should

BY KIM ALTHOUSE

F

or about 150 years ranchers have been branding their cattle. First, to distinguish them from other ranchers’ cattle and second, to establish and identify a quality product. Modern corporations are also identified by a brand that says to their customers that they offer the quality their customers have come to expect.

Many brands can command a premium price because the quality is assured and consistent.

This is evident in corporations from premium food suppliers like Kraft to fast food suppliers like McDonald’s, Pizza Hut or Burger

King, or other product suppliers like Coors or Budweiser and, okay, Molson’s. As individuals we may prefer one brand to another but generally we are assured that the quality of the brand will be consistent.

A very significant issue for grain buyers is quality. Not only are there price differentials in quality it also has an effect on the way grain handles manage their facilities and sell to their buyers. Their businesses are based on throughput — a delivery that does not meet their shipping needs can tie up space or place the company at considerable risk of a missed-shipment or having discounts applied to the whole shipment.

However, not all end users want or need top quality. They may have built their own operations around lower quality feed stocks, and built a particular brand that is accepted by the shoppers that eventually consume their products. Other end users have built their brand and processes around top quality feed stocks. These users can command a premium price for their brand and are willing to pay a premium to suppliers who consistently and uniformly supply a premium feed stock. Both processors supply a demand. Though they’re on different ends of the spectrum, it is quality that establishes demand for each brand.

Good business people know that whether they are supplying a product or service or both, they must differentiate themselves from their competition.

Their brand may be a level of service, their product quality or their business knowledge, but somehow they have branded themselves; they survive or prosper because their brand is in demand.

Now, let’s apply these principle to your farm. Is your brand in demand by your consumers — the buyers of your production? If not, why not?

Is it because you accidently or intentionally misrepresent the quality of your product? Do you

Buying inputs?

Now’s the time Manage your cash flow with FCC financing. Purchase all your fertilizer, seed, fuel and crop protection products – and you don’t pay until February 2015.

Call now to get approval.

1-888-522-2555 fcc.ca/CropInputs

consistently fail to deliver within the terms of the agreement? Do you treat your customer with disdain and disrespect? Have your previous dealings fostered an atmosphere of distrust? Do you consistently feel you are getting less for your product than you deserve? Are you selling into the right market? In other words, does your product match your customers’ demands?

If you have answered (now be honest) yes to one or more of the questions in the previous paragraph your brand is probably not in high demand and you’re sitting on your production waiting for a better grade, or warmer weather, or you have other things more important than providing quality assurance and service to your customer.

“My customer?” Yes, your customer. Over the past, elevator companies and grain buyers have claimed you as a customer.

They’ve bought you hats, taken you out for lunch and bent over backwards to retain your business. Have you noticed a change?

The post-CWB grain trade is not as it was, and it never will be again. Grain companies can no longer charge a guaranteed fee to the Canadian Wheat Board for every tonne of grain they handle. While they may still refer to elevation as a line item charge, it should more accurately be referred to as profit margin.

No longer can you expect a quota or contract call to be announced, assuring you of a delivery opportunity. As Dorothy once said “You’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto” Actually, that is exactly where you are. With the exception of being considerably colder, we have the Kansas model. The grain trade has adopted the U.S. grain trade practices, and why not? With a few exceptions the companies are all U.S. based.

Cargill, ADM, Bunge, Louis Dreyfus or owned by other off shore corporations as in, Viterra. The two most prominent Canadian companies are family owned. As farmer-owned terminals are sold off, it is very difficult to even own shares in one of our grain handlers.

Back to branding. You are a farmer, a family business or corporation whose business is to supply agricultural production to consumers. Families who sit down to breakfasts of cheerios or puffed wheat or corn flakes, or cook french fries with canola oil in their deep fryers. Your production is found in breads and baking worldwide, but to get it there you need the services of one of our Prairie grain handlers who clean and blend to provide a consistent product demanded by consumers. These guys, my friends, are really your customers.

If your brand is to be accepted and demanded you may want to re-think your relationships.

What is your brand? Is it in demand? Why or why not?

Think it over. † Kim Althouse is a market coach with AgriTrend at Tisdale, Saskatchewan. He is also the president of www.eGrainCanada.com.

MARCH 4, 2014

grainews.ca /

25

Columns

Reader response

K

im Alhouse’s last column generated comments from readers. This response came from Horst Schrieber, and has been edited for length.

I take exception to the article by Kim Althouse in the Feb.4 issue.

His points regarding the grain handling and transportation issue are valid.

We have talked about Common Running Rights for years, but the folks with influence make it hard to make any changes.

What really stuck in my craw was the idea that farmers need to learn more about marketing because we have been lulled to sleep by the Canadian Wheat Board.

The main problem is not farmers unable to sell their produce, it is the concentration in the grain industry which is mostly giving farmers the choice of “take it or leave it,” since the grain companies are all very similar in their pricing. They are also not above taking advantage of a situation.

I would like to remind Mr. Althouse that the CWB used to give advice, coordinate shipping, organize marketing with overseas offices and advertise a great brand for around $0.08 cents per bushel.

That included looking after bonding of vessels and financing for purchasers. I suspect Mr. Alhouse’s company charges close to that just for giving advice.

The market as Mr. Althouse presents it would be excellent if everyone along the way was honest, had integrity and passed profits along because they certainly pass on losses. Who does Mr. Althouse think is paying the demurrage on the 30-some vessels waiting for grain in Vancouver?

I agree something has to be done about transportation and should have been, but gutless politicians and well-paid lobbyists make sure the right people make money. Don’t deflect from the issue by blaming farmers — they have done more than their share to try to make grain handling more efficient. Let’s not forget, it was mostly farmers’ money that built the terminals and tore down the old, wooden, structures and it was farmers who took no patronage allocations to finance the modernization of the Port Terminals. Farmers should have gotten a medal for their efforts, instead we get criticism and lectures.

A check on the number of lobbyists in Ottawa might show who has more influence and (hint) it is not farmers. †

Hortst Schrieber is a farmer at Ohaton, Alberta.

Farm financial planner

Income from farm assets Preparing for life in town, a Manitoba farm couple prepares to pull an income out of their farm corporation assets

By Andrew Allentuck

C

entral Manitoba grain farmers we’ll call Mel and Judy, 56 and 53, are in the process of selling their farm and migrating to town.

They are making what you could call a pre-emptive move, for they have two children with off-farm jobs. Neither of the children has an interest in keeping the farm going.

Mel and Judy have 640 acres of farmland they own personally.

They have already sold off the only assets in their farming corporation, machinery and various bits of equipment. The remaining parcel of land is rented to a local farmer for $36,000 per year.

Judy has a professional career position with a $65,000 annual salary — which will produce a pension — from a large industrial corporation. She intends to take early retirement at 55. Her pension will be $1,000 per month before tax at 55. Were she to stay at work to 65, it would be $1,500 per month. If Judy were to retire before 55, she could take her job pension and convert it to a Locked In Retirement Account. It’s a tough choice, for the company pension plan is underfunded and employees are being asked to contribute an extra one per cent of salary to make up some of its deficit. The LIRA would be hers, subject to tax on payouts. She would carry

the investment risk and could give money to her heirs, charities or in trust to a pet if she wishes.

The defined benefit pension shifts investment risk to an insurance company but can pay income to her for as long as she lives. She might appoint Mel as a survivor beneficiary, but cats and dogs don’t usually qualify as contingent beneficiaries. The choice is hers.

Mel has stopped actively farming. Health issues complicate his outlook, but he still does seasonal work for neighbours in the spring and fall. That produces a $10,000 annual salary. He figures he can do this seasonal work for another three years until he retires.

What’s left now is $800,000 in a corporate account. They have lifestyle expenses of $36,000 per year and do not expect to spend a lot on travel. They plan to live frugally during their retirement.

For the moment, the problem is what to do with the $800,000. It is in a corporate bank account earning about one per cent interest.

The book value of the farm assets in the corporation is $200,000, including all contributions to AgriInvest, the federal farm support program which matches investments dollar for dollar on eligible sales of commodities. Thus they have $600,000 of

» continued on next page

Let your flag leaf fly.

Stand up for healthy yields with Quilt ®. By applying Quilt fungicide at the flag-leaf stage, you protect your cereal crop from leaf diseases that reduce your yield and quality. Cereal crops treated with Quilt are protected against rusts, tan spot, powdery mildew and Septoria.

Registered on all wheat, barley and oats, Quilt safeguards your investment and your profitability.

Visit SyngentaFarm.ca or contact our Customer Resource Centre at 1-87-SYNGENTA (1-877-964-3682).

Always read and follow label directions. Quilt®, the Alliance Frame, the Purpose Icon and the Syngenta logo are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. © 2014 Syngenta.

6504_1G_SP-Quilt on Cereals Ad Update_Grainews.indd 1

2/5/14 12:04 PM

26

/ grainews.ca

MARCH 4, 2014

Columns » CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE retained earnings that are vulnerable to being taxed as ineligible dividends — at a high tax rate of nearly 40 per cent when taken out of the corporation.

THE RECOMMENDATION Farm Financial Planner asked Carberry, Manitoba-based Don and Erik Forbes of Don Forbes Associates/Armstrong & Quaile Associates Inc. to work with Mel and Judy. His advice: leave the balance inside the corporation and invest it. They have ceased active farming but intend to continue the corporation in order to shelter their retained earnings.

The corporation is no longer eligible for the small business tax rate of 11 per cent, so it will have to be converted to an investment holding company in which all interest and taxable investment income will be taxed at the highest personal rate, 49 per cent.

The first step in avoiding this prohibitive tax rate is to have the farm’s accountant pay out all investment income each year to be taxed at lower personal rates.

They can then invest in Canadian blue chip corporations. Their dividends will be eligible for the dividend tax credit and, with some combination of good portfolio management and luck, they will be able to generate capital gains, Don Forbes suggests.

The proposed stream of dividends will have been taxed at a higher rate in the hands of the issuing corporations, so it flows through to the investor with income tax partially paid. This structure will give the couple higher net after-tax retirement income and some future market appreciation than just leaving the money idle in a farming corporation account earning almost nothing and taxable to boot.

The total of the $200,000 personally owned and $600,000

in the corporate account asset base, if invested to produce three per cent per year, will generate $24,000 of pre-tax income and potential capital gains. The dividend tax credit on the dividend income alone will be about 28 per cent, making it equivalent to about $31,000 of ordinary interest income.

This is a modest plan Mel and Judy should continue to make full use of their Registered Retirement Savings Plans and Tax-Free Savings Accounts for the tax shelter they provide. Money held in TFSAs is regarded as tax-paid and can be distributed with no tax liabilities. RRSP contributions are taxable, but they provide immediate tax shelter. The couple’s

income will rise in the next few years, so deferral for 2013 and the next few years until complete retirement will provide effective tax relief.

MANAGING INVESTMENT The couple has a substantial body of financial capital, but they should not start off as do-it-yourself investors, Don Forbes warns.

They can hire an independent financial advisor for one to 1-1/2 per cent of assets to be managed.

The fee is deductible from tax.

Some advisors use managed funds with concessionary management fees reduced from the customary 2-1/2 per cent on managed stock portfolios to just a fifth of that. On an $800,000 portfolio, the two per cent saving, $16,000, would more than pay for management fees of $8,000 to $12,000.

The couple’s future income will be the investment cash flow, $24,000 per year less tax cushioned by deduction of man-

Wondering about the weather?

All the weather tools you’ll need

Ask

 OVER 1,100 REPORTING STATIONS

More stations, more data, more forecast tools for farmers Weatherfarm gives you the tools to stay constantly informed about the weather on your farm – and in your region.

WeatherFarm is supplied by a growing dedicated network of more than 1,100 professionally maintained monitoring stations, most owned by farmers, with current conditions updated throughout the day.

WeatherFarm gives you a full set of accurate weather-monitoring tools that show you detailed forecasts, current conditions and historical comparisons.

Detailed local weather maps can show accumulated rain, maximum temperature and minimum temperature for a specific day, week or month.

WeatherFarm’s exclusive Analyze Weather function allows you to view a growing set of data points over a wider area to see where the most rain fell, where it’s the hottest and more.

WeatherFarm is dedicated to the Canadian farming community. Our focus is on growing and improving our weather services based on the feedback we get from our network of farmers who own stations... and from you.

For more information on WeatherFarm or purchasing a weather station contact:

1-855-999-8858 The fArMer’S foreCAST Toolbox

info@weatherfarm.ca

weatherfarm.com

An extensive, live-updating network that gives you current and 7 day forecasted weather data for your farm or surrounding area  ANALYZE WEATHER FEATURE

Analyze weather feature allows you to compare temperature, wind speed, precipitation, humidity, pressure and dew point from nearby stations or across a region  RADAR & SATELLITE

View current radar & satellite images showing precipitation, rain accumulation and more  HISTORICAL DATA

Available to the public for five days, and for weather station owners, up to one year  MAPS

Available by province across Western Canada, showing recent and historical data on maximum temperature, minimum temperature and rainfall  PHOTO COMMUNITY

Submit your weather photos to be included in our Photo of the Week feature. Visit our website for details.

agement fees, say $15,000 net plus Judy’s $65,000 salary, Mel’s $10,000 farming wages and other investment income which will push pre-tax income to $116,000.

That income can rise with investment returns until the time Judy retires, say in 2016, when their pre-tax income would fall to $74,000 per year and hold fairly steadily until Mel draws CPP at age 61 at a reduced amount of $4,469 per year and he can begin Old Age Security at 65 and, later, Judy’s at 67.

When both are retired, their continuous income from all investment sources, that is, Judy’s company pension, Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security, would be about $130,000 before tax. Allowing for splitting of pension income, such as Registered Retirement Income Fund payouts and Judy’s company pension, pension income credits, and personal tax credits, they would have $97,500 per year after average 25 per cent income tax. That works out to $8,125 per month, more than enough to sustain a modest way of life which consumes only $6,500 per month now and which, might decline a little if Judy no longer has to use her car and gas to commute to her town job and Mel quits driving around the countryside for his seasonal work.

“This is a model case for what successful farming combined with a reasonable lifestyle can produce,” Erik Forbes explains.

“This couple ran a second generation family farm. Now, with no one to take it over, he is acting when he has choice and options.

He can monetize assets by sale, boost returns and make them fairly secure by picking the right financial assets and generate what may be hefty capital gains down the road with an advisor paid up front rather than through the back door of commissions and fees on stock trades he recommends or products he sells.

The excess income the couple will generate in their 70s when all their savings and government and job pensions are flowing can go to their adult children and perhaps grandchildren to help them later in life. By selling assets now, they can ensure there won’t be a lot of loose ends. Moreover, by bringing an adviser into the picture, when there is a generational transition of assets and control, there won’t have to be a lot of hunting for stocks and deeds.

This is a modest plan, but it will work, Don Forbes says. † Andrew Allentuck’s latest book, When Can I Retire? Planning Your Financial Life After Work, was published in 2011 by Penguin Canada.

BY DAN PIRARO

Bizarro

MARCH 4, 2014

grainews.ca /

27

Columns UNDERSTANDING MARKET BULLS AND BEARS

Understanding market bulls and bears In this column Brian Wittal talks about market access problems, including transportation

I

n my last column I began a discussion about world demand issues. The first issue was affordability.

The next issue is increased world production and access to markets.

Over the past eight years over 125M additional acres of production have come online worldwide. Land clearing, rejuvenation of abandoned acres and set aside acres coming back into production are all part of this. Most of this increased production comes from emerging nations, which has a double whammy effect on western Canadian producers.

First, farmers in emerging nations produce grain more cheaply, either because they are partially subsidized or because they can grow two crops in one year. And, they are consuming it locally or nearby, which reduces freight and handling costs.

World demand for grains is going to continue to grow and the major players in that grain game have been positioning themselves very strategically over the past several years. They are investing billions in infrastructure to handle and ship grains around the world.

Issue No. 3 is concern about the long-term competitiveness of western Canadian grains.

With limited to no subsidies for western Canadian producers, production costs that are comparatively higher than emerging nations and a transportation system that cannot move the increased production in a timely manner to meet buyers’ needs, can western Canadian producers remain profitably competitive in the world markets? This is going to be a very big challenge.

What needs to change?

In the new global marketplace western Canadian producers are going to have to continue to try to produce more through improved genetics and agronomic practices in order to keep their cost of production down to be competitive with emerging nations. Producers have continually proven that they can do this. If we leave this part of the problem to our farmers, I’m quite sure they are more than capable of doing what they need to be remain competitive.

That leaves us with a bigger problem of transportation and logistics bottlenecks. More tracks, more engines or more cars? What really is the problem, how long is it going to take to fix it, who is going to do it and who is going to pay for it?

TRANSPORTATION THOUGHTS The railroads own the tracks so it would stand to reason that they would be the ones to upgrade and build new tracks. The question is, is the problem really the tracks through the mountains or is it something else? If it is the tracks through the mountains why can’t they build a second track? It should be a lot easier with today’s technology compared to 100 years ago when the last one was built.

Hey, it’s only money and they can make that back easily by raising freight rates, right?

2013, a 68 per cent increase over 2012. By 2015, CP is aiming to more than double this figure to as much as 210,000 carloads.

According to the article CP moved around the same number of grain cars in 2013 as it did in 2012. The problem is we had a bigger crop in 2013 than we did in 2012; how is maintaining status quo helping grain producers?

Power or car shortages can’t be the problem if CP is reducing its engine and car fleet.

That would leave me to surmise that the problem lies with the tracks and not being able to get any more trains on them.

What type of cars were pulled out of service?

If the number of oil cars has gone up continuously the last two

years, has that impeded the ability of grain volumes to increase?

Our country and economy depend on exporting resources and importing consumable goods. This is not going to decrease. How will we ensure continued economic growth across Canada? Where is the Federal Government with a National Transportation Strategy?

What is the plan for future rail transportation growth in Canada?

The way I see it, moving grain is always going to take a back seat to other commodities because of the revenue cap and the reality that the railways have the right to maximize profits.

Where is the incentive for the railways to want to do a better job moving grain?

Until grains pay the same freight as other commodities, rail-

ways will not look for options or solutions to improve and increase shipment volumes.

Maybe it would be better to take the revenue cap off so that the railways will take this problem seriously and include grains in their strategic growth strategy going forward.

Then, to show continued support for grain producers the federal government could pay a direct freight rebate or allow for a freight tax credit for all producers who ship their grains by rail, as an offset for removing the revenue cap.

Would that not be a possible solution? † 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).

YOUR CROPS. YOUR CHOICE. MANA Canada Herbicides

Same active as

Arrow

Select and Centurion

Ladder®

Horizon®

Bison®

Liquid Achieve®

Bengal® WB

Puma® Super

Phantom™

Pursuit®

®

(Clethodim) (Clodinafop-propargyl) (Tralkoxydim) NE W !

BRIAN WITTAL

Is the problem a shortage of power (engines) to pull the trains?

Are the railroads running at maximum capacity on the lines? If not, why not? If that is the problem get more engines, fast!

Are we short of cars to carry the product to market? If that is the problem get more cars!

Have the railroads displaced grain shipments with other commodities? If so, why? And how can that be rectified?

The Globe and Mail ran an article Jan 29, 2014 titled, “How CP engineered a smart turnaround.”

Here are some of the numbers from that article.

Since mid-2012 Canadian Pacific has cut its staff by 4,550, and pulled 400 locomotives and 11,000 rail cars off the tracks. CP moved 90,000 cars of crude oil in

(Fenoxaprop-p-ethyl) (Imazethapyr)

Priority®

®

®

PrePass™

(Florasulam)

(when mixed with glyphosate)

Rush 24™

OcTTain™ XL

TopLine™

Frontline™

Badge®II

Buctril® M

Bromotril®II

Pardner®

Thrasher®II

Thumper®

MANA Canada Insecticides

Same active as

Silencer

Matador®

Pyrinex®

Lorsban®

Alias®

Admire® and Stress Shield®

(Fluroxypyr & 2,4-D Ester) (Florasulam & MCPA Ester) (Bromoxynil & MCPA Ester)

(Bromoxynil)

(Bromoxynil & 2,4-D Ester)

®

(Lambda-cyhalothrin) (Chlorpyrifos) (Imidacloprid)

MANA Canada Fungicides

Same active as

Bumper

Tilt®

Blanket AP™

Quilt®

Overall™

Rovral®

®

(Propiconazole) (Azoxystrobin & Propiconazole) (Iprodione)

Because Choice Matters.

At MANA Canada we believe that growers and retailers deserve choice in crop protection products. Our growing portfolio of strategic active ingredients is used in over 20 MANA Canada branded herbicides, fungicides and insecticides manufactured to the highest standards.

For the best return on investment, choose the MANA Canada advantage.

manainc.ca

® Alias, Arrow, Badge, Bengal, Bison, Bromotril, Bumper, Ladder, Priority, Pyrinex, Silencer and Thrasher are registered trademarks and ™ Blanket AP, Overall, Phantom, Rush 24 and TopLine are trademarks of Makhteshim Agan of North America, Inc. All others are trademarks of their respective companies.

Always read and follow label directions. 13037.01.14

28

/ grainews.ca

MARCH 4, 2014

Columns SOILS AND CROPS

Agronomic field experiments Before you take the advice of experts giving presentations at conferences, make sure you understand their data sources LES HENRY

I

’ve taken several runs at this topic in this column, but the message is not getting through.

Attendance at recent seminars has prompted me to try again.

PROBLEM NO. 1 A single experiment.

As farmers listen to speakers at winter conferences they might hear something like this: In this four-times-replicated Randomized Complete Block experiment we compared a control (no fertilizer) to 80 pounds of nitrogen per acre of fertilizers A, B and C for canola production. We will assume all three fertilizers cost the same per pound of nitrogen.

The experiment was on a grey soil with two per cent organic matter.

Low soil test nitrogen and other nutrients were applied to insure no other deficiency.

Results: • Control: 25 bu./ac. of canola • Fertilizer A: 44 bu./ac.

• Fertilizer B: 40 bu./ac.

• Fertilizer C: 46 bu./ac.

Statistical analysis of the replicated plot data was conducted and the following conclusions drawn: 1. All three fertilizers yielded significantly more than the control.

2. There was no significant difference among the yield for any of the three nitrogen fertilizers.

But, the presenter goes on to do an economic analysis of the data.

If we take canola at $10/bu. (does anyone remember the good old days last year of $15/bu.?): • Fertilizer A: gross = $440/ac.

• Fertilizer B: gross = $400/ac.

• Fertilizer C: gross = $480/ac.

That is where the trouble begins.

The $80/ac. difference in gross profit between B and C is very definitely significant to the producer. So where does this gal/guy get off saying that difference is not significant?

The problem is in using the term significant. It is a dumb term and should be completely thrown out of statistical analysis of data.

The terms that should be used are real (to replace significant) or due to chance (to replace not significant).

So, the difference between the control and all three fertilizers is real but the difference among the three fertilizers is due to chance.

It is completely inappropriate to do any kind of economic analysis of differences that are due to chance.

If an experiment is replicated and the statistics calculated then the statistics should be believed and used. To do economic analysis on

the data in this example is to disregard the experiment.

What the results really mean is that the experiment was not sufficiently precise to be able to distinguish between the three fertilizers.

This happens far too frequently in research. Folks will say they cannot afford the additional replication to get a more precise answer. If that is the case, then do not to the experiment in the first place.

PROBLEM NO 2 A precise single experiment does not an answer make.

Most agronomic questions need an answer that is applicable across a range of soils and climates. Even the very best single experiment will not do much for the agriculture of the whole Prairie region or even an entire province like Saskatchewan.

So what does it take to get a credible answer to a significant question?

Example: Nitrogen soil test correlation in Saskatchewan.

When a nitrogen soil test correlation in Saskatchewan was conducted in the 1960s and 70s Don Rennie and Ed Halstead were the main drivers. The program involved: Field half-mile strip tests with nitrogen rates at 0, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 pounds of nitrogen/

acre. For each rate, 10 subsamples were taken for yield at each strip of each site.

There were five sites in each of the dark brown, black/thick black and grey soil zones. The study was repeated for five consecutive years.

Additional experiments were conducted at the federal research stations at Swift Current, Indian Head, Scott and Melfort — many of those included trials at sub stations. All that data was pooled to come up with the early nitrogen fertilizer recommendations.

So, even a very well designed, executed and interpreted field experiment in one year at one location proves very little. A coordinated program across many conditions is needed.

In its day the former Westco Fertilizers Company conducted some of the best field fertilizer experiments, and they included all three Prairie provinces. John Harapiak and Rigas Karamanos were the operatives that made it happen. It is still my wish that the Westco data be compiled in to a book as reference for Western Canadian farmers.

FAST FORWARD TO 2014 We have a great array of new and wonderful products that promise to keep the trucker very busy in fall. Be very wary of “data” that “proves” the money it will put in your pocket.

On the other hand there could be experiments that show no real difference from using the new

product but the experiment is not precise enough to measure a difference that would be significant to a farmers bottom line.

Great advances in GPS and yield mapping have opened up new possibilities for field experiments.

Current technology has the potential to deliver on farm experiments much better than garden patch experiments done by conventional research.

But, it will take a determined effort to design the experiments to get valid data.

Many individual consultants and companies have evolved good ways of making valid comparisons. But a simple comparison of side-by-side strips may prove nothing.

At a recent conference I heard results of yield on strips across a full quarter section. Many strips recorded quite different yields — and all had been treated the same.

Conclusion: field strips in that quarter cannot be used to compare A to B. In other situations replicated side-by-side comparisons could provide valid results.

Precision agriculture is still far from mainstream and there are still many false starts. In a future column I will take another run at that topic. † J.L.(Les) Henry is a former professor and extension specialist at the University of Saskatchewan. He farms at Dundurn, Sask. He recently finished a second printing of “Henry’s Handbook of Soil and Water,” a book that mixes the basics and practical aspects of soil, fertilizer and farming. Les will cover the shipping and GST for “Grainews” readers. Simply send a cheque for $50 to Henry Perspectives, 143 Tucker Cres, Saskatoon, Sask., S7H 3H7, and he will dispatch a signed book.

If only you could bottle conf idence.

Done.

Roundup.ca ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Roundup Transorb® is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC, Monsanto Canada, Inc. licensee. ©2014 Monsanto Canada Inc.

MARCH 4, 2014

grainews.ca /

29

Columns OFF-FARM INCOME

Weekly calls boost cash flow Last week, Andy Sirksi more than met his income goal by selling covered calls on shares he owns ANDY SIRSKI

I

have juggled my portfolio a bit since my last column. I sold my 3,000 shares of Ford (F) in late January for a small loss. It seemed that every time some news came out the shares dropped in price. I replaced them with 3,000 shares of Barrick Gold (ABX) and have sold weekly calls on them twice.

I don’t know if the price of gold and silver has bottomed. It looks like it, but over the last 35 to 40 years the price of silver and gold has dropped going into June.

In any case I have been selling weekly calls on ABX a bit below the price of the day but I still manage to pick up some good cash — well over $1,000 for the week.

I had 2,000 shares of Corning (GLW) in one account. The shares moved up enough to convince me to buy the calls back and sell the shares for a nice profit. By then, Ford shares had dropped to under $15 and came back up so I used the money from GLW to buy 2,000 shares of Ford and sold a call with a Feb. 14 strike price of $15 for $0.17 per share or $340. That already put me over my goal of $1,000 a week but I did not stop there.

The price of GLW dropped, so I bought 2,700 shares and sold calls with a strike price of $18.50 for Feb 14 and collected $490 for the week. That almost doubled my weekly goal.

I did five sets of bull puts for Feb. 14 and collected $1,285 for the week. As I write on February 12 it looks like all those options will expire worthless and I will keep the $1,285. I did bull put spreads on Apple (AAPI), Green Mountain (GMCR) and Tesla (TSLA); I do not own those shares.

Some of the shares I sold calls on might get exercised (sold), but it sometimes doesn’t pay to buy the calls back and sell more calls or buy the shares so I let will someone buy the shares. There are so many stocks now with weekly calls that if one stock goes there is always another.

As I have written before, ABX now has weekly calls on the U.S. side, and January, 2014, Silver Wheaton (SLW) has weekly calls on the U.S. side. So now there is a gold and a silver stock that has weekly calls.

If the price of gold and silver drop going into June, selling weekly calls can help me prevent losses unless I decide to just sell the shares. But if/when the normal recovery starts after the downturn, I now know enough and have had enough practice that I should be able to milk ABX and SLW in various ways. I can buy some shares and not sell calls or sell calls well above the price of the day. I can buy options which can go up much faster than the shares and I can do bull puts.

I normally don’t buy calls — I’d rather collect cash than pay it out. I did buy calls on Bank of America (BAC) for strike price

$15 for January 2015. They cost me $2.34, and they now trade for $2.78. BAC has a book value of $20.50. If the shares get anywhere near the book my option will be worth a lot more than it is now.

Buying calls is not for everyone since their value can go to zero.

I often refer to my shares as my “cows.” But I don’t have to put up hay or silage. I don’t have to put anything into the front end of my “cows” and there is nothing to clean up at the back end. So in cow-calf talk, by selling weekly calls my “cows” can have 40 to 50 calves a year.

Many investors don’t understand much of this stuff so they call selling options risky. Shows how little they know. A good

professional investor will say that selling covered calls is one of the most conservative strategies around.

WILL THE MARKET CRASH? Research shows that stocks drop three to five per cent at least three times a year. If they miss one drop stocks usually catch up with an extra drop. From January to February the overall market dropped about 6-1/2 per cent and then has had a nice recovery.

I don’t know if the doom and gloom guys will be correct when they predict markets will crash. I do know that I have proven over and over again that if we sell our stocks when the daily price crosses

the 10-day moving average going down that we can preserve our portfolio and our attitude.

During most bear markets about 80 per cent of stocks drop but 20 per cent go up. Money has to go somewhere. So if the market does drop in 2014, I would expect 20 per cent of stocks could easily run against the overall falling market. I can’t say for sure, but I expect that gold and silver will be the winners during the next bear market.

We can buy puts on the overall market or on individual stocks.

Puts go up in value as the market drops. We can also do bear calls where we sell calls at market and buy them for a lot less as the stock drops. This is not for everybody, but it is a learnable skill.

During the last bear market I sold calls on my stocks. Each time the shares dropped I bought them back for pennies and sold another call below the price of the day. By the end of the 2008 I was down one per cent while the market kept on dropping 50 per cent or more.

That bear market was the bear of the century. I would not expect to see another like that in my lifetime. But I try not to take chances; if a stock starts to drop I can sell calls below the price of the day but it is a lot easier on the brain to just go to more cash. † Andy Sirski is mostly retired. Between naps, travelling, playing with granddaughters and gardening, he also publishes and electronic newsletter called StocksTalk. Read it free for a month by sending an email to sirski@mts.net.

Always read and follow label directions. INFERNO and the INFERNO DUO logo are trademarks of Arysta LifeScience North America, LLC. Arysta LifeScience and the Arysta LifeScience logo are registered trademarks of Arysta LifeScience Corporation. All other products mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective companies. ©2014 Arysta LifeScience North America, LLC. INF-020

Tough broadleaves and flushing grassy weeds have met their match. No burndown product is more ruthless against problem weeds in spring wheat than new INFERNO™ DUO. Two active ingredients working together with glyphosate get hard-to-kill weeds like dandelion, hawk’s beard, foxtail barley and Roundup Ready® canola, while giving you longer lasting residual control of grassy weeds like green foxtail and up to two weeks for wild oats. INFERNO DUO. It takes burndown to the next level.

BRING THIS AD TO LIFE! HOLD YOUR TABLET / MOBILE DEVICE OVER THIS AD AND WATCH INFERNO DUO DESTROY WEEDS LIVE! DOWNLOAD THE APP AT infernoduoalive.ca

30

/ grainews.ca

MARCH 4, 2014

Columns CAN’T TAKE THE FARM FROM THE BOY

The upside of taking a life Toban Dyck goes hunting, and uses the Internet to learn how to butcher and make sausage TOBAN DYCK

T

aking a life. It seems morbid, grave, wrong to even mention. But in some ways, and for reasons tied to country living, it felt justified.

I have always been a pretty good shot. Rifle Club is to blame for this. I made my way to the second floor of the arena to shoot targets with a .22 every week for a couple years. Then, to summarize a story you’ve all read a few times over, I moved to the city leaving those

skills to tire and never see the light of day. Until I returned to the farm, to country life, to a way of life I once abandoned, and shot a deer. I’m a little soft. This was not easy.

Commodity prices are plummeting, and that trajectory seems near permanent when headlines still read congestion, congestion, congestion. When I first moved back to the farm, many asked if I did so because the prices were high and the consensus was that it’s good to be a farmer, now and for the foreseeable future. I was blissfully unaware of the good prices, and chose to return for the lifestyle and the opportunity to run a farm that has been in my family for over 100 years.

It was a clean, direct shot through the heart. I felt bad, immediately.

“What had I done?” It was living two seconds ago, and now at my hand it is dead. I got over it. I knew I had to; I had a lot of work to do yet. Gross work. Work I’d never done before.

I watched YouTube videos on field dressing deer before the hunt.

The two ladies who walked me through where to cut and how to do it were fresh on my mind.

“This is where meat comes from, and this process is no more or less grotesque than what is done to every animal before it gets to my plate,” I told myself as I broke through this newly-killed animal’s skin for the first time. And again while I gutted it.

And now, a year and a bit in, uncertainty and fear dominate conversations about farming. But I don’t buy it.

Farmers, you have an uncanny and infectious ability to get things done. I want in. I’ve wanted in since we moved here. That pioneer spirit is very attractive. My wife embraced it by preserving on a large scale last summer, and now it was my turn.

The coursework required to get one to this point is merely a step, as is waiting for the right season.

These hoops make it legal, but do little if anything to prepare you for the moments before you hit pull the trigger, and even less to prepare you for what you need to do next.

Changing Weather is Changing Farming.

Better Get Ready.

The growing season of 2013 was one for the record books. We had it all: too wet, too dry, too cold, too hot.

Although variability in the weather cannot be changed, we can learn to better manage under these conditions.

Conservation of water and soil is vital to your success in all kinds of weather.

The 6th World Congress on Conservation Agriculture in Winnipeg, Manitoba, will present new ideas on all these topics and more. Be there June 22-25, 2014, for innovative solutions for challenges facing today’s agriculture.

Weatherproofing agriculture is one of three major themes for the conference, along with Growing More with Less and Sharing Innovation Success Stories.

I surprised myself and did it, cleanly and without puncturing the organs that shouldn’t spill onto the meat.

The next video on my playlist was what to do next. Hang the carcass, allowing the meat to tenderize. I did this. And I waited.

It still has eyes, hooves, and skin at this point, bearing an eerie resemblance to a living deer. But it was time. I had to sharpen the knives and butcher this animal. I don’t think it’s yet possible, even among the best writers, to explain to you how distant such a procedure is from what I know and am comfortable with.

What is the difference between what I am doing here in this garage, and something terrible?

Lots, I hope. But that distinction was too weak for comfort when I had a bone saw in my hand.

To leave the process at this stage would, however, be criminal. I shot the deer to learn and harvest the meat, and that is what I am going to do.

I did it. I butchered it, again having learned from a YouTube video.

Sausage has always been a favourite of mine, and one that we usually spend a bit, perhaps too much, money on. I found two great recipes online, one for hot Italian and the other for fennel sausage.

I don’t need to tell you how I learned to make the sausage. This video was the shortest of them all, and finally I had an excuse to buy a sausage stuffer.

For weeks, I didn’t want to look at it. People were impressed, but when they asked how the sausage turned out, I couldn’t tell them. This was scary. I wanted to keep the whole process in pristine condition: I had shot, gutted, hung, butchered, and made into sausage a deer. Like a pioneer. The only thing that could ruin it was if the links tasted gamey.

They didn’t.

My wife took the first bite, smiled, and said, “This tastes exactly like hot Italian sausage.”

Apologies to my vegetarian friends, but this was a deeply rewarding experience. I am inching closer to a farmer/countrydweller who gets things done, and is not afraid of new challenges. † Toban Dyck is a freelance writer and a new farmer on an old farm. Follow him on Twitter @tobandyck or email tobandyck@gmail.com.

BY DAN PIRARO

Bizarro June 22-25, 2014 •

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

Winnipeg Convention Centre Winnipeg, Manitoba •

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

WCCa6.org Register today at www.wcca6.org.

•

•

•

RELENTLESS ON WEEDS. SAFE ON WHEAT. ™ FLUSHAFTERFLUSH CONTROL.

It’s rare to find a herbicide you can count on for long-lasting stopping power that’s also safe on wheat. The advanced safener technology in EVEREST® 2.0 makes it super selective for best-in-class crop safety. Safe on wheat, it’s also relentless on weeds, giving you Flush-after-flush™ control of green foxtail, wild oats and other resistant weeds. And a wide window for application means you can apply at your earliest convenience. It’s time you upgraded your weed control program to the next generation: EVEREST 2.0. To learn more, visit everest2-0.ca.

SAFE ON WHEAT

RELENTLESS ON WEEDS

FLUSH-AFTER-FLUSH CONTROL

CONTROLS HARD-TOKILL GRASS WEEDS

INCREASED YIELD POTENTIAL

Always read and follow label directions. EVEREST and the EVEREST 2.0 logo are registered trademarks of Arysta LifeScience North America, LLC. “Flush-afterflush” is a trademark of Arysta LifeScience North America, LLC. Arysta LifeScience and the Arysta LifeScience logo are registered trademarks of Arysta LifeScience Corporation. ©2013 Arysta LifeScience North America, LLC. ESTC-232

ESTC-256_Evolution Print Ad_GrainNews_10.25x15.5.indd 1

13-12-12 3:12 PM

32

/ grainews.ca

MARCH 4, 2014

Machinery & Shop MACHINERY HISTORY

The combine that never was, Part 1 In the 1980s, engineers were working on a super-sized rotary pull type at White Farm Equipment’s facility in Brantford, Ontario. This giant never did see production

BY SCOTT GARVEY

M

ore than 25 years after he helped design and create the model 9550 pulltype combine prototype, Murray Mills, a former engineer with White Farm Equipment, stopped into a rural farmyard in Southern Ontario because he caught sight of what was left of the one-off machine. It was just rusting away in a patch of weeds along with some other old machines.

“It was just two or three miles south of Brantford,” says Mills.

“I happened to see it there, and one day we decided to go out and look at it.”

In the 1980s, White Farm Equipment’s engineering office and combine assembly plant were located in Brantford, Ontario. And Mills was involved in creating all of White’s line of axial rotary combines. The 9550 was to be the company’s first pull-type offering to the market with rotary technology.

“The White rotary, pull-type program was proposed to provide a machine to compete with the IHC 1482 PTO rotary and the Versatile Trans-axial PTO machines, primarily in the western Canadian market,” recalls Mills.

But when that development program began, in the early 1980s, times were tough for farm equipment manufacturers. Some

machinery brands were severely haemorrhaging red ink due to declining sales. Nowhere was that more true than at White. The company had sought bankruptcy protection in 1980 and emerged from it ready to try again in 1981.

Soon after that, White’s engineering staff were set to forge ahead with an ambitious five-year plan to create a full line of rotary combines. The new White combine line was intended to compliment the 9700, the first of the brand’s new generation of rotary machines, which debuted in 1980.

All White’s other available models at the time were conventionals, and they, along with conventionals at all the brands, were losing market share to the rotaries ever since New Holland introduced its TR70 in 1975.

“The earlier production White conventional pull-type combine was the model 8650, with many parts common to the production 8600 self-propelled combine,” Mills explains. “It was a 45-inch, 5-straw walker machine with 150 bushel grain tank.”

When it came to pull-types, International Harvester’s axial rotaries practically owned that segment of the combine market in North America in the early 1980s.

If White was going to continue to be a player there, it needed a new and strong competitor.

“The IHC rotary pull type was

dominating the market,” he continues. “And the companies with conventional PT combines were having a difficult time competing. The rotary machines were doing a superior job in crops such as barley.”

But investing the necessary resources into pull-type combine development was risky. There was only a small market to fight over.

There was only a small market to fight over “The profitability aspect of producing a pull-type combine of any kind was always a question mark due to the regional market, mainly Western Canada, and the number of players in the game,” says Mills.

“It was, however, deemed to be a requirement so that the western Canadian dealers could compete.

As I recall there were six manufacturers chasing a annual volume of about a thousand PT combines.

When the subject of developing a White rotary PT machine was discussed, the sales people were able to convince management that they could capture sufficient market share to make the project profitable, so the necessary engi-

neering resources were allocated to begin the ground work.”

Documents outlining White’s five-year engineering plan, which was launched in 1983, reveals the company intended to have four rotary combines in the marketplace by 1986 in order to keep pace with market demand. There would be three self-propelled models and one pull type. The pull type was to get the model designation 9550 and it would be built to the same specifications as the proposed mid-sized, self-propelled 9520. Management wanted the 9550 ready to land on dealers’ lots by mid 1985.

On schedule, engineering started work on a test bed for the pull-type combine in May of 1983. But that wasn’t really the beginning of the project.

“It actually started in ’82,” says Dave Houston, who was project engineer for the 9550. “There was some preliminary benchmarking, basically theoretical work to see what kind of (a machine) might this be.”

Total development cost for the new line of combines was expected to be just over $11.1 million, with the Government of Canada kicking in $1.9 million through the Enterprise Development and Industrial Research Assistance programs. The pull-type 9550 would eat up about $661,000 of that on its own.

“The White rotary PTO machine was planned to have the equivalent capacity and make use of many of the parts and systems used on the proposed mid-sized, self propelled rotary combine,” remembers Mills. “And it would be code named the 9550 to indicate the similarity in capacity to the 9520 SP machine.”

That would make it a Class V combine, using a 27.5-inch rotor that was 168 inches long. The threshing and separating area was 3,617 square inches, and the cleaning area was given 6,426 square inches, which included a 125 square inch pneumatic area.

It would also get a 225 bushel grain tank.

Those specifications one-upped IHC’s 1482 in nearly every category and would give the 9550 a capacity of about 900 bushels per hour in wheat. But that capacity in a pull type would come at a price. Farmers would need to put a pretty sturdy tractor in front of it if they expected to work it to capacity.

But listing specifications on paper and creating a working machine are two different things. Next time we take a look at what it took to move the 9550 from pencil drawings to real prototype. † Scott Garvey is machinery editor with Grainews.

Contact him at Scott.Garvey@fbcpublishing.com.

PHOTOS: RAY BIANCHI, CLASSIC FARM PHOTOS

Left: Decades after it was built, Murray Mills, one of the engineers who worked on the 9550 project, found the remains of the prototype in a farmyard near the plant where it was assembled. Top right: Pictured outside the company’s Brantford offices in 1984, the 9550 prototype was ready to start field trials. Bottom right: SIN number plate: The serial number includes an “X,” indicating the experimental status of the combine.

We just couldn’t leave well enough alone.

6M SerieS TracTorS - iT waSn’T eaSy iMproving perfecT.

item/model may not be exactly as shown.

If you owned a John Deere 6030 or 7030 Series Tractor, you know why they were so popular. Some owners even called them “perfect.” But we just couldn’t leave well enough alone—not with the ever-changing demands of today’s agriculture.

We engineered the 6M Series Tractors in response to those demands.

Six models are offered from 105 to 170 horsepower.* Refned John Deere PowerTech™ engines offer more performance from every drop of diesel.

(And yes, diesel is the only fuel you need.) We increased the hydraulic performance up to 45 percent. Hitch capacity went up. Loader cycle times went down. There are now a variety of transmission choices for fast loader work, and fast transport. And optional, PowerFill™ Brakes give you better stopping with less effort.

See what else we did to make great tractors even better.

Visit your John Deere dealer to learn more.

*Manufacturer’s estimate of power (ISO) per 97/68/ED.

57712-2_10.125x15.5.indd 1

JohnDeere.ca

2/7/14 8:20 PM

34

/ grainews.ca

MARCH 4, 2014

Machinery & Shop Project CJ3A

How to fabricate steel brake lines Our project Jeep needs a complete brake overhaul, that means making our own replacement steel brake lines

By Scott Garvey

T

he brakes on our ongoing Jeep restoration, Project CJ3A, were a complete disaster. Virtually every part in the system needed replacement, including the steel lines. We could have purchased those lines already preformed, but the cost would have been much higher than buying the basic materials and fabricating our own. So, we spent extra time in the shop and saved a few dollars. Here’s what’s involved in making them.

The Jeep needs 3/16-inch mild steel brake lines, so we stopped at an auto parts store and picked up a full 25-foot roll along with the correct number of fittings. The total cost was about $50.

The tools To turn that role of steel tubing into formed lines, we need to cut and bend the pieces into the correct shape. Then, a 45° double flare has to be put on each end.

Doing that requires a few special tools. In true Grainews style, we’re going to stick with the basic, low-

cost types for this job. We want to use tools anyone can justify adding to their roller chest.

This project calls for a special tubing bender, which costs about $15. Aside from that we needed a basic flaring tool kit that typically retails for $40 to $50. Other than that, only ordinary hand tools are required.

Cutting and bending When doing a project like this, keep the original lines — or what’s left of them — to use as patterns to fab up new ones. Measure the overall length of the originals and unroll that length of tubing from the roll. Cut it with the tubing cutter that comes with the flaring kit.

After cutting the pieces to length, ream out the resulting minor deformity on the ends. We used an ordinary step-style drill bit for that. Next, file a bevel onto the outside edge with a hand file. After that step it’s possible to get right to flaring the ends on the shorter pieces. But a couple of sections for the Jeep were too long to lock into the vice without standing on a step ladder to reach the end. With

1

those, we went ahead and bent them to shape first, which made it easier to fit them into the vice.

The tubing bender came in handy, but it can only make bends with one radius. In some places we wanted tighter curves, that meant improvising by locking two 3/8 bolts into the jaws of a bench vice.

Sockets from a 3/8 drive could be slipped over one bolt to give us the radius we wanted. The other bolt acted as an anchor to force the bend.

We mostly used a socket for a 5/8 nut, which gave us a tight bend, but not so tight we risked kinking the line.

Flaring the ends To put the 45° flare on each end, the first step is to make sure the cut ends are perfectly square. One easy way to do that is to put each end into the flaring vice upside down.

When the tubing is locked into the flaring vice and protruding just slightly from the bottom, a hand file can be used to file it flush with the surface.

Then flip the vice over and insert the tubing into it the cor-

rect way. Let the tubing stick out exactly the same height as the shoulder on the appropriate flaring die. That ensures exactly the correct length of tubing will be bent over to form the double flare.

Forming the double flare is a two-stage process. First, the die is placed in the end of the tubing.

It is forced down by the hand tool. Twist the tool until the die bottoms out on the vice. Then remove the die and twist the point of the hand tool down onto the tubing end. This folds over the single flare left by the die and creates the double flare. Don’t over torque the hand tool or it could compress the flare too much.

This sounds like a simple process, but with the kind of flaring kit we used, it can be challenging to get the flares correctly shaped. Both halves of the flaring vice need to be perfectly even. If they aren’t, the flare won’t be formed at 90° to the tube, and it might not seat properly. That means it will be a leaky line. It’s easier than you’d think to end up with a useless flare. Getting everything lined up correctly can sometimes be a slow, frustrating process.

Take your time at this stage or you’ll find yourself starting all over again.

If you forgot to slide both fittings onto the line before flaring both ends, you’ll be left with a useless piece of tubing and have no choice but to cut off a flare you just made. You can’t get them on if both ends are flared. And if you are putting small radius curves in the line, make sure the fittings are where they’re supposed to be or you won’t be able to slide them into place over a tight bend.

Before installing the line, use compressed air to blow out any metal filings from the cut that might contaminate the brake system.

Getting the fittings on the line to thread into place usually means tweaking the angle of the tubing a bit. Lubricate the fittings with a little brake fluid before threading them in. Never use any other type of lubricant, that could contaminate the brake fluid.

With the brake job out of the way and the Jeep now capable of stopping, the next thing we have to do is make it go. † Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews.

Contact him at Scott.Garvey@fbcpublishing.com.

2

3

4

5

7

6

photos: scott garvey

1: Overhauling the brakes on our Jeep restoration project meant replacing all the steel brake lines. We fabricated replacements in the farm shop. 2: The basic components.

This is the roll of tubing, fittings and bender we used. 3: Using the bottom of the flaring vice, leave the end of the line very slightly proud and file it level with the vice surface.

That will ensure the cut end of the line is perfectly square. 4: To correctly place the tubing in the vice for flaring, let it stick out above the top of the vice the same height as the shoulder of the forming die. 5: The double flare is formed in two stages. First insert the die into the end of the line and screw the tool down on it until the die bottoms out on the vice. Next, remove the die and use just the pointed end of the tool to bend the flare over on itself, creating the double flare. 6: When the double flare is formed, the fitting will compress it into place sealing the line from leaks. 7: To bend the tubing into shape, a cheap and easy way is to lock two bolts in a bench vice with a socket over one that matches the radius of the bend you want to make. Hold the tube close to the socket and bend it. Go slow and be careful not to kink it.

MARCH 4, 2014

grainews.ca /

35

Machinery & Shop Machinery restoration

Keeping busy restoring the past Gunnar Nordal has fully restored eight vintage tractors

By Andrea Hilderman

G

unnar Nordal and his wife Helen live just outside Moosomin, Saskatchewan. Fully retired for five years, Nordal spent his whole life farming, mostly in the Foam Lake area, but when he and Helen retired from farming in the ’90s, they operated boarding stables for 10 years near Regina.

Retired, but busy, Nordal describes himself. He spends a lot of his time restoring old tractors, mostly from just before or after the war years.

“I like a challenge,” Nordal says.

“I’m a farmer by trade and I did have my welding ticket back in the ’50s, so I’m able to do most of these restorations by myself.” He’s completely restored eight tractors now, and others are in the works, including a 1928 John Deere.

“I have a John Deere M, an AR and a John Deere A, a Case 300, a Cockshutt 80, a Massey-Harris 44 Special and an Allis-Chalmers that’s in the shop right now.” All of the tractors in the collection are gas engines except for the AllisChalmers, which is the only diesel.

“International had diesels in the ’40s,” says Nordal. “They sold terrifically well, but they’re very rare now. Most went for scrap during the war years. I don’t have an International yet, and I would like to add one to my collection. I’ll have to keep looking.”

The 1956 Case 300 is the most rare tractor in the collection.

“These tractors were only made for a couple of years in ’55 and ’56 and there are very few left now,” says Nordal. “I personally don’t know of any others around or restored.”

He purchased the Case 300 at an auction at Punnichy, Sask. “I don’t know how well advertised that auction was but I got it for $100, really cheap,” says Nordal. It appeared as if no one really knew about the tractor and how rare it was, obviously thinking it was another heap of scrap metal. “After getting it home, I had it running within a day,” explains Nordal. “There were valve problems though and I had to take the head off, and it needed new tires. I fabricated the body from pictures.”

The Case 300 was a utility-type tractor that was quite low-set. It was too expensive and farmers didn’t buy many of them. They were soon dropped by Case, who then came out with a 310 (a diesel), then a 311 model before dropping the line altogether.

Cockshutt 80 The oldest tractor Nordal has restored is the Cockshutt 80 from 1939-40. “These were manufactured during the ’30s,” says Nordal. “However, they never sold because there was no rubber — that all was going into the war effort at the time.”

It was after the war when soldiers came home that the Cockshutt 80 came into wider use. Land and loan programs were initiated to help demobbed soldiers get into farming, and the Cockshutt 80 was a typical tractor of that time.

“The only other Cockshutt 80 I know of that is restored is at the

museum in Yorkton. I got mine at another auction in Churchbridge,” explains Nordal. “It had sat in a shed for 40 years, but it was still loose. The motor didn’t need much work, although the radiator and water pump did.” Finding parts for this tractor was hard and what he couldn’t find he had to improvise a fix for instead.

Nordal doesn’t display his tractors, however, he would like to show his collection at the Farm Progress Show in Regina or in Manitoba.

He’s just too busy in his shop to do it. “The most I do is run one of my tractors in the Moosomin parade,” he laughs. † 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.

photos: courtesy of gunnar nordal

Top: These are five of the eight tractors Gunnar Nordal has completely restored. Right: The 1956 Case 300 is the most rare tractor in the collection.

36

/ grainews.ca

MARCH 4, 2014

Machinery & Shop 2014 MODEL INTRODUCTIONS

New Holland upgrades combine features for 2014 A larger hopper, faster unloading rate capacity boost are among the improvements

BY SCOTT GARVEY

W

“

e were the first company to commercially design, introduce and build a rotary combine back in 1975,” said Igor Kuzmenko, combine and header marketing manager for New Holland North America, as he stood beside a combine in an Iowa field during a brand field day. “Since then we’ve had many other firsts. So with the model year 2014, we’re continuing that tradition.”

Among those firsts for the current model year is what Kuzmenko claims is the largest grain tank in the industry. At 410 bushels it’s a big jump up from a previous maximum of 355 bushels on NH Class 8 and 9 machines. “It’s standard with extensions, on our large-frame models, the CR8090 and CR9090,” he explained. “Next year we’re going to introduce the electronic, in-cab folding extensions option.”

To help support the extra weight from larger loads in the hopper, NH combines will be available with wider 900/75R32 tire options to minimize soil compaction.

The entire range is also compatible with 900/60/R38 Michelin Cerexbib specialist combine tires.

According to the company, testing has shown in-field compaction rates can be reduced by up to 35 per cent with the Cerexbibs when compared with standard tires.

And to get that grain out of the tank, unloading speeds have been boosted to four bushels per second, so emptying the hopper now takes only about 100 seconds.

“We’ve also increased the capacity of our machines up to 15 per cent to match customer requirements for more capable heads,” Kuzmenko added. To accomplish that, the Dynamic Feed Roll option, part of the Dynamic Stone Protection system, will also be available on the smaller CR6090 and CR7090. It’s a beater located between the feeder house and the rotors that accelerates and evens out the material flow. According to the company, Dynamic Feed Roll boosts feeder house performance by up to 10 per cent and overall combine capacity by 15 per cent.

“That improves the grain quality even further,” added Kuzmenko.

“It minimizes the affect of slugs that come into the machine and keeps the rotors feeding at maximum capacity. It positively feeds the rotors. For example, our largeframe combines with 22-inch

rotors can harvest and unload on the go with heads up to 45 foot.”

The cleaning shoe on CR8090 and CR9090 models now features a larger diameter clean grain cross auger to speed the flow of grain into the elevator, which improves air distribution across the cleaning shoe and leads to an increase in capacity of up to eight per cent in high yielding corn.

Up front, there is a new header option for 2014. An integrated slow-speed transport feature is available on the brand’s draper head. A combine operator can hydraulically deploy wheels mounted permanently on the header to immediately get it ready for road travel.

“Today, New Holland offers the widest selection of heads among mainline manufacturers,” says Kuzmenko. “We offer rigid auger heads, flex auger heads, high-capacity heads, varifeed heads, and draper heads (both flex and rigid).”

Operators will find their working environment a little nicer as well. “We’ve also improved (what already is) the best cab in the industry,” adds Kuzmenko. “We’ve improved the comfort, which is important.” †

PHOTOS: SCOTT GARVEY

A New Holland combine on display at a field day in northern Iowa in September. The Brand’s 2014 combine lineup gets a variety of improvements and a capacity boost of up to 15 per cent on some models.

Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews.

Contact him at fbc.publishing.com.

The low-speed, self-transport option on this draper header is new for 2014. It has wheels that fold into place hydraulically before the header is detached from the combine, leaving it immediately ready for road travel.

Igor Kuzmenko is combine and header marketing manager for New Holland North America.

MARCH 4, 2014

grainews.ca /

37

Cattleman’s Corner RISK MANAGEMENT

The basics of feeder cattle insurance

BY GERALD KLASSEN

F

eeder cattle prices have been trading near historical highs and we all know how the market dynamics can change within a short period. Earlier in February, Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz announced all four western provinces will be able to participated in the Western Livestock Price Insurance Program (WLPIP).

This program was started by the Alberta government in 2009 and the program will still be administered by Alberta’s Agriculture Financial Services Corporation.

Each province will be in charge of relaying information to their producers.

As I look at this program, I note I have been explaining put options to producers for many years and there always seems to be some confusion. I always say the best way to “learn is by doing” and producers will have to be prepared to spend some money, even if it involves a governmentadministered program.

Producers have to pay a premium to protect against a drop in price of the feeder cattle. The WLPIP is available for cow-calf producers selling 550- to 650pound calves in the fall and for backgrounding operators selling 750- to 950-pound feeder cattle.

The program is also available for fed cattle but I’m not going to discuss this category in the article.

The insurance program uses the Chicago Mercantile Exchange feeder cattle futures to calculate a forward price, which is the expected price when the feeder cattle will be sold. Looking at the appropriate futures month, the forward currency is used to convert the price into Canadian dollars and then the basis is subtracted from this forward price. The basis is made up of projected currency swings, current market conditions,

PHOTO: FILE PHOTO

The new Western Livestock Price Insurance Program can protect cow-calf producers and backgrounding operations from a downturn in cattle prices. the three-year average basis for the selected timeframe, along with a forecast of the current basis.

After calculating the forward price, the program administration comes up with the premiums for the appropriate amount of insurance starting at 95 per cent of the forecasted price. The administration has an index based on the market for each region of Western Canada on which the settlements will be made.

The premiums or the cost of the insurance is similar to buying insurance for any other program. If you require 95 per cent coverage, then of course this will cost more than if you only require 75 per cent coverage.

Also, the program offers coverage in four-week increments from 12 to 36 weeks. If you want a longer period, the premium will be more than for a shorter period of insurance.

Finally, the volatility in the market also comes into the equation. When the market is more

volatile, such as a $20/cwt jump within four weeks, the premium will more expensive.

EXAMPLE Here’s a basic example of how the program works. In April, a cow-calf producer plans to sell 600pound calves in the September.

The forward expected price, calculated by the administration taking into account all the factors above, is $1.88 per lb. This producer wants to ensure a selling price for 95 per cent of the forward expected price, which would be $1.78 per lb. The premium for this price level is $0.03 per lb. If the producer has 100 calves expected to weigh 600 pounds each, the total premium cost would be $1,800.

In September, the feeder cattle index for the region for the 550- to 650-weight category falls to $1.68 per lb. The producer would receive $0.10 per lb. or $6,000. If the price is higher than $1.78, then the producer receives no payout.

I encourage producers to look at the information available from each of the provincial agriculture offices. The program is fairly straightforward and simple to understand and the forms are easy to fill out. One major benefit of the program is the forecasted price is determined for your specific region in Western Canada. We all know that the market can be quite variable from Manitoba to southern Alberta. Cattle producers have a local price to compare to as well as local basis information to help forecast their insurance requirements.

OPTIONS Of course, many producers are familiar with futures and options markets. The WLPIP is basically the same as buying put options on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange feeder cattle futures. However, this program offers a price in Canadian dollars and also provides a basis for the local region.

The federal and provincial governments have tried to make a program easy to understand and easy to use for large and small producers. However, producers still have to do their part and do a bit of homework by knowing their costs and knowing how much coverage they need. Of course, there is a also a cost, which is the premium paid. If the market does not drop below this coverage level, then there is no payout and the premium is used up.

For producers who are a bit more sophisticated, an outright short futures position may be more advantage because this provides more of a correlated hedge for 100 per cent coverage. However, with the WLPIP, there are no margin calls after paying the initial premium. When a producer has a short position on a futures contract, there will be margin calls if the market continues to go up.

Another strategy for experienced marketers is to buy put options on the feeder cattle and sell out of the money call options.

This is essentially equivalent to a short position on the futures market but the margin calls are only necessary if the futures move above the strike price of the out of the money call option.

In many cases, futures and options brokers don’t have time to explain futures and options strategies so there are courses available to learn on your own.

Producers familiar with futures and options, who have excellent market analysis can probably manage the price and exchange risk themselves through a futures and options broker.

In any case, with the market at historical highs, it is prudent to have some type insurance. † Gerald Klassen analyzes cattle and hog markets in Winnipeg and also maintains an interest in the family feedlot in southern Alberta. For comments or speaking engagements, he can be reached at gklassen7@hotmail.com or call 204 899 8268.

BETTER BUNKS AND PASTURES

Zilmax has its own hooves trimmed without explanation PETER VITTI

L

ast summer, Tyson Foods announced it would no longer accept Zilmaxfed feedlot cattle at their slaughter facilities due to a small number of animals showing up with sloughed-off hooves during a particular stretch of hot weather.

Cargill plants followed suit and it wasn’t long before Merck Animal Health, the manufacturer of Zilmax (Zilpaterol hydrochloride) pulled this popular beef feed additive off the market.

A couple of months into 2014 have passed and there is no significant explanation or any effective solution to the whole affair.

Despite a possible public relations and liability nightmare for Merck, six months have passed and two burning Zilmax-related questions have yet to be answered

— how widespread is this problem, and what is the verified scientific link between observed painful lameness and those affected cattle fed Zilmax?

The answer to the first question is straightforward despite limited available information. Of the 30 million cattle slaughtered each year in the United States, about 100 Zilmax-fed cattle were cited to have lost their hooves since FDA Zilmax approval in 2006-07. That is 0.0003 per cent affected animals of those nationally slaughtered. Of the approximate 3.7 million feedlot cattle slaughtered annually in Canada, no reports of Zilmax-fed lameness were reported. Such Zilmax “revealed” lameness pales in comparison to conducted U.S. national surveys that report an average incidence of about three per cent general/specific lameness among feedlot cattle.

In a similar fashion, the answer to the second question is that a scientific link between Zilmax and severe lameness in feedlot cattle

has yet to be proven. However, one plausible theory abound links that Zilmax-fed finishing cattle are put on a heightened plane of weight gain and feed efficiency performance that makes them significantly more susceptible to common feedlot ailments such as rumen acidosis-related hoof laminitis. Last summer’s mitigating factors such as heat stress only elevated this respective vulnerability and suffering.

APPROVED PRODUCT The performance part of such as a hypothesis has arguably some credibility in Canada, because Zilpaterol hydrochloride, the active ingredient of Zilmax, has been effectively tested by Merck and approved by strict Canadian government approval “for increased carcass leanness, increased dressing per cent, improved rate of body weight gain and improved feed efficiency

» CONTINUED ON PAGE 40

PHOTO: FILE PHOTO

Science isn’t behind the decision to pull Zilmax feed additive from the market.

38

/ grainews.ca

MARCH 4, 2014

Keepers & Culls Dairy family named Alberta OYF CONTACT US

LEE HART

Write, E-mail or Fax

I

f passion, enthusiasm, hard work, smart business thinking and a strong sense of family and community values count for anything, a young dairy farming couple from St. Paul, Alberta (northeast of Edmonton) are well on their way in life.

Richard and Nicole Brousseau, who run the 50-head Moo-Lait Family Farm were recently named Alberta’s Outstanding Young Farmers for 2014.

They are not the biggest dairy farmers in the country by any means, but they exemplify what this farming business is all about.

They are passionate and enthusiastic about what they do. As sometimes happens in life, they don’t have a lot of money, but they are hard workers and determined to build this family farm.

I was fortunate to be a judge again for the Alberta regional OYF competition. Joining me on the panel were Richard Mueller, a farmer and seed grower from the Barrhead, Alta. area (northwest of Edmonton) and Brittany Long, with ATB (Alberta Treasury Branch), a chief sponsor of the Alberta regional Outstanding Young Farmers program.

The Brousseaus, in their early 30s and their three children, Ethan, Cassie and Emery are working with Nicole’s parents, Bert and Yvonne Poulin, on the long-time dairy farm. Each couple owns their own cows and milk quotas but they farm together. Richard and

Alberta Treasury Branch representatives Brittany Long, left and Karen Hunter were on hand to present the Alberta regional Outstanding Young Farmer trophy to the Brousseau family of St. Paul, Alta. Family members include Nicole and Richard Brousseau and their three children Cassie, eight, Emery, six, and holding the trophy is Ethan, 10.

Nicole handle most of the day-today management, although the Poulins are still actively involved.

The Brousseaus met at Lakeland College in Vermillion. Richard comes from a nearby family farm that was involved in the hog business for many years. They both worked on the college-run farm, both did some instruction as well, but always had this desire to get back to farming. They decided to focus on the dairy farm and partnered with Nicole’s parents.

In 2006 they joined the 25-cow dairy farm — Richard also worked off farm for a while, but eventually they built the herd to about 50 milking cows. They were fulltime farmers by 2008. They initially worked with an older tie-stall milking system, but as this issue of Grainews comes off the press they should be nicely moved into a new loose housing barn with a double seven-herringbone milking parlor. They had maxxed out the old facilities, and the new barn gives them a new starting point to build their dairy farm.

Along with the milking herd, they crop about 945 acres of deeded and rented land, producing forage crops, grains and peas.

They run everything within their means. Richard notes their line of equipment is almost as old as he is, but it is affordable, it works, and serves the purpose until it needs to be replaced.

They focus on optimizing milk production. They work with a nutritionist to feed a properly balanced, high-forage ration. Except for the concentrate they produce all their own feed. The new loose housing barn is geared for cow comfort.

Their philosophy is that if cows are comfortable and fed a well-balanced ration that isn’t too “hot,” cows will not only milk, but will also have longevity. Their strategy is aimed at minimizing udder, leg and feet ailments which often send productive young cattle down the road.

They are actively involved in their children’s lives too — archery, Brownies and gymnastics — along with their community. Now that the dust is settled

Contact Cattleman’s Corner with comments, ideas or suggestions for and on stories by mail, e-mail, phone or fax.

Phone Lee Hart at 403-592-1964 Fax to 403-288-3162 Email lee@fbcpublishing.com Write to CATTLEMAN’S CORNER, PO Box 71141 Silver Springs RPO, Calgary, Alta. T3B 5K2 around new barn construction, they hope to get back to staging more on-farm community education programs, which involves hosting school groups to show kids and their parents where milk comes from. Nicole also likes to fill those spare hours by raising pasture poultry and a few pasturefinished hogs. The kids are keen to put their labour into pastureraised laying hens this year.

The Brousseaus are a young couple that gets excited when they talk about farming. Along with plans, they also have the skills to make this well-run dairy even better. Both say they don’t want to be rich, they just want to produce good quality food, provide proper care for their livestock, raise their family, and enjoy a sustainable farming operation. That’s a very simple, yet eloquent mission in life. Go for it.

LAZY S SALE RESULTS

H

ere are the results of the Lazy S Ranch Bull Power Sale Jan. 25, 2014, held at the ranch near Mayerthorpe, Alta. Auctioneer was Don J. Raffan.

• 204 bulls, average sale price of $4,732.

High-selling sale bull lot 84 Red Destiny 598A sold for $15,000.

• Black Simmental high sellers: Lot 5 GTA Black 203A sold for $7,800.

Lot 1 Lazy S Black Superior 207A sold for $7,500 Lot 3 GTA Black Superior 231A sold for $6,750.

• Red Simmental high sellers: Lot 71 Destiny 981A sold for $12,000.

Lot 87 Destiny 39A sold for $9,300.

Lot 88 Hustler 374A sold for $9,000.

• Black Angus high sellers: Lot 189 GTA Black Biz sold for $7,200.

Lot 190 GTA Black Up 82A sold for $7,200.

• Red Angus high seller: Lot 172 NLDA Lazy S 715A sold for $6,400.

• Black Beefmaker high sellers: Lot 120 (Simmental /Angus) sold for $7,400.

Lot 125 (7/8Simmental 1/8 Angus) sold for $7,400.

• Red Beefmaker high sellers: Lot 167 (Simmental/Angus) sold for $7,000.

THE MARKETS

Cattle prices reach record highs JERRY KLASSEN MARKET UPDATE

C

attle prices reached record highs in late January due to lower than expected production. Adverse weather across a large portion of the U.S. Southern Plains also contributed to erratic prices.

Packing plants were scrambling to source market-ready cattle and the weekly slaughter pace dropped sharply behind year-ago levels.

The beef pipeline became relatively thin and consumers were caught off guard by the sudden jump in retail prices. Usually, we see consumer spending drop sharply after the holiday season but this year, the economy appears to be more stable relative to past years.

The decline in “at home” and “away from home” food spending was not as severe after the holiday season resulting in strongerthan-expected beef consumption.

Moving forward, there are a number of risks in both the supply and

demand equation that will influence the price of fed cattle and spill over into the feeder complex.

Replacement cattle will also be vulnerable to the price of feed grains over the next few months and it looks like the downward trend in barley has come to an end.

LOWER SUPPLIES Fed cattle prices in the Nebraska reached up to $150/cwt in late January, but as of mid-February, the market was actively trading near $140/cwt. U.S. year-to-date beef production is running nine per cent behind last year but the industry was earlier projecting first-quarter beef production to be down only six per cent in comparison to the first three months of 2013. The market had to contend with lower-thanexpected supplies rather suddenly causing the volatile market.

Carcass weights are actually 14 pounds heavier than last year so we may see overall beef production catch up in upcoming weeks. Cattle on feed as of January 1, 2014 were down five per cent from last year.

Wintry conditions slowed feeder marketings in January and early February, therefore feedlot inven-

tories are projected to stay five to eight per cent below year-ago levels into spring.

Alberta fed cattle prices topped out at $148.50 and then softened to $140/cwt by mid February. In Western Canada, the year-to-date beef production for the week ending February 1 was down five per cent in comparison to last year.

Similar to the U.S., extremely cold temperatures across the Prairies slowed cattle marketings during the first five weeks of 2014. Cattle inventories are expected to drop below year-ago levels later in spring, which should keep feedlots current and support local basis levels.

The smaller-than-expected weekly slaughter in Canada and the U.S. caused wholesale beef prices to reach record highs.

Choice wholesale beef topped out near $240/cwt in January but is currently near $216/cwt. Unlike the old days, packers have shorter term contracts with grocers and restaurant chains thereby allowing the jump in wholesale prices to be passed on more quickly to the consumer.

It is interesting to note grocers were featuring beef for the Super Bowl weekend but grocery store val-

ues were actually a bit softer when wholesale beef was at record highs.

This suggests consumers were backing away at the higher price levels.

The average American consumer has not had an increase in the disposable income needed to sustain higher beef values. Colder temperatures across the Eastern Seaboard have also stemmed restaurant traffic in major urban centers.

SOFTENING TREND The weekly slaughter pace will improve through March and with moderate temperatures, the supply chain will be replenished and prices for fed cattle and wholesale beef will stabilize. There is usually an increase in consumer spending in March, which will keep prices well supported. Consumer spending generally eases in April and weekly beef production increases, which is expected to result in softer fed cattle prices.

As of mid-February, larger-frame medium-flesh exotic steers weighing just less than 850 pounds sold for $168/cwt landed in southern Alberta feedlots. The break-even price on this animal with barley trading at $155/mt is about $130/

cwt. It is important to realize the June live cattle futures are trading at a $9 discount to the April contract which suggests Alberta fed cattle prices during the summer will be in the range of $132. Feedlot operators have bid up the price of feeders so the margins are quite snug.

Futures markets tend to incorporate “constellation of prices” whereby the June contract trades in a similar pattern to the April contract (even though there is a discount between the two contracts). Price factors that influence the April contract such as adverse weather also pull up the June contract. Once the April contract expires, June becomes the main pricing month and trades on a totally different set of fundamentals.

Beef production will increase in the second quarter and there is usually a downward trend in fed cattle prices from April through June.

In talking with an “old-time” cattle feeder recently he mentioned replacements bought in February seldom make money. This is important to realize given the current price structure. Look for feeders to stay firm into March but then decline as fed cattle prices come under pressure. † Gerald Klassen analyzes cattle and hog markets in Winnipeg and also maintains an interest in the family feedlot in southern Alberta. For comments or speaking engagements, he can be reached at gklassen7@hotmail.com or call 204 899 8268.

MARCH 4, 2014

grainews.ca /

39

Cattleman’s Corner ANYONE CAN START FARMING

Learn from lambing season experience DEBBIE CHIKOUSKY

creep-fed pea screenings. The lambs receive their vitamins when processed at about 24-hours-old, while the dams are treated for parasites.

LARGE LAMB MYSTERY

T

hankfully the 2014 baby season got off to a slow start with the sheep. Due to our not removing the ram from the flock in August, ewes started lambing by the end of January. This wasn’t really a plan — we were engaged heavily at that time with a family health crisis, but as time is progressing it seems to be working okay.

We did lamb at the end of February last year so we knew with thick bedding in the three-sided calf shelters and an overnight temperature of no lower than -20 C when lambs were about a week old, it was safe to let the mom’s return to the great outdoors with their young.

This is only true though for the larger lambs. We have been blessed with singles weighing 15 to 20 pounds this year and they can handle more cold than a seven-pound lamb. It is also very important that the ewes are well fed. Our ewes are getting our best hay and 1-1/2 pounds of pea screenings per day.

We also find this is the best time of the year to supply lambs with

These large lambs are a mystery. We have the same ewes and ram as last year on the same rations, but lambs are certainly larger than last year. The lambs are robust and healthy but a bit larger than has been comfortable for our young ewes to deliver.

We also experienced this winter our first, and hopefully last, sheep caesarean section due to an overly large lamb. The plus side of the C-section visit was that it fulfilled our requirement to have a veterinarian on our property at least once a calendar year.

With lambing well on its way now it is time to start preparing our goat herd for kidding. So nutrition and animal care is a hot topic around the lunch table these days. It reminded us there is a free online course available, which our family has taken part of in the past and needs to be revisited.

The classes are offered by Langston University, Oklahoma and can be found at http://www2.lu.resext. edu/goats/training/qa.html.

While part of the program is

geared toward goats, with some adjusting much of this course can be used for any species of on-farm livestock. After completing the nutrition unit, for example, a producer should know the nutritional requirements of the goat and adjust the ration at specified times during the goat’s production cycle.

The producer should be able to recognize nutritional deficiencies or toxicity within the goat herd and make management decisions for correcting such deficiencies.

They should also be able to use the Langston Interactive Nutrient Calculator for specific goat rations.

NUTRITION CHANGES When evaluating livestock, remember that 70 per cent of fetal growth occurs during the last four to six weeks of pregnancy in goats and sheep, which have a 150-day gestation. In cattle, the calf weights about 15 pounds at the start of the last three months of gestation. These figures tell us the females need feed in order to ensure healthy viable young.

Most of udder development occurs at the same time. While this is happening, rumen capacity is decreasing. To meet the need for increased nutrition, a more nutrient-dense diet is required. This

PHOTO: DEBBIE CHIKOUSKY

With lambing season underway at the Chikousky farm in Manitoba, this lamb found sitting on top of its mother kept him high, dry and warm. is when the Langston Interactive Nutrient Calculator is genuinely useful because it takes the guesswork out of the decision.

During late gestation, energy is the nutrient most likely to be deficient. The level of nutrients required will depend upon the age and weight of the pregnant female and her expected level of production — is she carrying singles, twins, or triplets? For us, it is difficult to determine if a female is having one, two or three babies. Sometimes they are absolutely huge and have only one very large baby. Therefore we have tried to sort according to the female’s body condition or at least feed to the majority of the pen. If there is a dam that is markedly thin we will feed her separate. It has also been beneficial to ensure goats have no lice in the pen four weeks prior to kidding. Sheep don’t have lice and our flock has never had keds.

We’ve also found this year once the females are getting heavy with young they avoid pushing into the hay feeders. If they can’t or don’t

eat, this can result in health issues if not corrected quickly. Ruminants need roughage for their rumens to function correctly. We’ve had to increase space in our hay feeders by 50 per cent to accommodate the dams’ increased girths.

Another interesting tip is to move females into the lambing or kidding area about 14 days prior to the event. This will allow time for them to produce antibodies specific to the environment in which their offspring will be born. This is also why it is highly recommended to save excess colostrum for your own animals for use in emergencies.

As we progress through our baby season hopefully we’ll learn more to help us next year. One of the best parts of farming — that keeps us country people young — we never stop using our brains long enough for them to realize that we are getting old! † Debbie Chikousky farms with her family at Narcisse, Manitoba. Visitors are always welcome. Contact her at debbie@ chikouskyfarms.com.

RANCHER’S DIARY

Early calf saved from bitter cold HEATHER SMITH THOMAS

JANUARY 23 ast Wednesday Rusty Hamilton hauled us 20 big straw bales. Weather is cold; the cows are eating a lot of straw with their daily ration of alfalfa hay.

Emily turned 16 last week and Sam had her 11th birthday, and we had a combined birthday party. Em passed her driving tests and now has her driver’s licence. She can take the younger kids to the bus or to hockey practice when Andrea is busy.

Sunday we took off Breezy’s mask and gently washed her eye socket. That area is no longer so painful, but swollen again. The stitches are itchy; she’s been rubbing the side of her face. We are glad it’s covered and protected with the padded mask. It gives protection on that side, and keeps the shaved area warmer in the cold weather.

This evening Charlie had hockey practice so Lynn got the little girls from the bus and they ate supper with us. Dani made our calving calendar for this year — writing the names of the cows on the dates they’re due to calve.

L

ainjans.com FEBRUARY 2

finally published — The Real Wolf: The Science, Politics, and Economics of Co-existing with Wolves in Modern Times. Ted Lyon and Will Graves (who wrote Wolves in Russia) co-authored the book, with chapters by several others including Dr. Valerius Geist of Canada, a leading expert on wolf behaviour. I wrote the chapter discussing wolf impacts on livestock and ranchers. The book presents facts and dispels popular fictions about wolves in North America.

The wolf issue has become highly emotional; it’s time for a realistic look at wolves.

Wednesday it snowed, covering the icy spots, and Lynn fell down hard on his back when he went to do morning chores. His back and hip are sore, but no broken bones.

This weekend Emily had a hockey tournament here, and her team won some of their games.

Today Andrea went to her early game, then got home in time to help us bring the cows down from the field. Dani helped, too. We gave the cows their pre-calving vaccinations and deloused them.

s j n i n p la a

The new book on wolves was

FEBRUARY 12

We’ve had colder weather again, and wind; the cows are eating more straw. Last Wednesday Carolyn and Heather drove the truck up with straw, and chopped ice out of the waterholes in the creek. While they waited for Lynn to move the feeders to a different location with the tractor — out of the wind, along the brush — they looked at all the cows and noticed

Heather’s cow was getting more udder and relaxed muscles around the vulva. None of the cows are supposed to calve until late March at earliest (Michael’s herd isn’t due to start calving until mid-April), so this was a concern.

The next morning it was -25 F (-33 C), even colder with wind chill. Andrea kept the kids home from school; her car wouldn’t start. She helped me feed horses and break ice out of all the water tubs, then helped us feed cows and break ice on the creek.

We looked at Heather’s young cow and saw frozen blood down her tail and knew she’d calved in the night. We figured she aborted, but Andrea was determined to find where she calved, and hiked down through the fields, checking the brush, as Lynn and I drove home with the feed truck. As we pulled into the driveway we saw Andrea struggling across the field, with a calf! We drove up past the horse pens and through the field to help her.

Andrea had found a full-term calf, in a deep ditch in the brush along the fence. Its ears and feet were frozen but it was licked dry and alive. She had a hard time getting it up out of the ditch. She covered it with her coat and was bringing it across the field. We helped her load it into the pickup cab and hurried home.

We brought it into the house to warm. Dani, Carolyn and Heather came to help. We thawed out her ears, tail and feet with warm water, and discovered she still had circulation in her feet after we

800-235-6140

PHOTO: HEATHER SMITH THOMAS

Granddaughters Dani, left and Heather Jr. tend to calf being warmed in the house. warmed them. She won’t lose her feet but she will probably lose tips of ears and tail.

We fed the calf two quarts of colostrum by bottle. Then Dani babysat the napping calf by the stove while we drove the feed truck back to the field to bring the herd down so we could sort off the young cow that calved, and Buffalo Girl.

Emily’s pet cow, Buffalo Girl, is the one we always use to lead heifers into the barn to calve, or to stay in the barn to babysit a nervous heifer. Heather’s young cow had never been in a barn. They bought her as a pregnant heifer and she calved midsummer. So we used Buffalo Girl to lead her into the barn, and left her in the adjacent stall. The nervous mama was glad to be reunited with her baby.

We speculated about how the young cow became pregnant so early, since the bulls weren’t with the cows until early July. She was part of a group of pregnant cows

and heifers that Michael and Carolyn purchased the year before.

She calved mid summer as a firstcalver and didn’t breed back; she was open last year. There were several late-born calves in that group, including a bull calf that didn’t get branded or castrated. He was still with the herd the next spring for awhile, and apparently bred the open cow before he and several other late calves were weaned and removed from the group. † Heather Smith Thomas ranches with her husband Lynn near Salmon, Idaho. Contact her at 208-756-2841.

More on the web

those s” “famou

plainjans.com

Roper

620-872-5777

gloves m: p l a i nj a n s fro

40

/ grainews.ca

MARCH 4, 2014

Cattleman’s Corner ANIMAL HEALTH

Some great new farmer ideas ROY LEWIS ANIMAL HEALTH

B

eef producers are always a good source for “great ideas” that can be practically implemented, don’t cost any more money and yet can help to minimize time or labour, keep people safer or allow for proper handling of biologicals. Here are a few tips I have picked from producers during farm visits.

HANDLING VACCINES Many vaccines are now given in the fall and even winter at preg-checking time. In cold temperatures it is important to find a means to keep product from freezing. Warming product before it goes into the cow at 39 C is fine, but freezing vaccines is a definite no-no and absolutely must be avoided.

I think a producer in our area has solved the problem. To keep vaccines warm he’s hung a cord and light bulb (100-250 watt) in an old-style upright fridge.

With multiple shelves the products can be spread out and extra stored. The large handle on the door allows easy access and a fridge is very well insulated. It is also great for keeping product cooler in the summer months.

This producer experimented and found a heat lamp bulb too warm as it melted some of the plastic shelves. It might be best to experiment yourself with an ideal heat source. On warmer fall or winter days keep the product on lower shelves to avoid overheating. If you don’t have an expired fridge, all the dumps have many to choose from. It’s a great recycling exercise as well.

If away from permanent power use a power converter in the pickup truck to convert 12 volt to 120 power. I use a power converter to run my microscope during semen testing, or in emergencies my clip-

» CONTINUED FROM PAGE 37

ZILMAX HAS ITS OWN HOOVES TRIMMED WITHOUT EXPLANATION in beef cattle” (re: claim No. 1 of the medication ingredient brochure No. 83, Canadian Feeds Act). To date (2014), Zilmax is still a government-approved feed additive for feeding feedlot cattle in Canada (and in the U.S.).

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) dictates that Zilpaterol is to be fed at the rate of 8.3 mg/kg of the total diet (forage and grain, dmi basis) to finishing cattle greater than 450 kg body weight in the last 20 to 40 days on feed. Merck claims that Zilmax-fed cattle (in claim compliance) gain an extra 10 to 15 kg on high-grain diets compared to similarly fed control groups. Its’ nearest competitor, Optiflexx from Elanco (active ingredient — Ractopamine hydrochloride) reports about five to nine kg of respective weight gain, accordingly.

PHOTOS: ROY LEWIS

Above are two versions of homemade storage boxes used by ranchers to keep vaccines at proper temperature when they are being administered in cold weather. At left, a producer has converted an old refrigerator outfitted with a standard light bulb to keep product above freezing, and at right, another producer just built a plywood box with a heat lamp inside. pers to prepare for C-sections when no power is available.

With the power converter you are also prepared in case there is a power outage, but have a vehicle handy. The power converter can be used to run a safely positioned and fastened heat lamp inside your vehicle. This also keeps drugs warm and alleviates running a vehicle burning expensive gas.

BATTERY WARMER Another slick idea involved using an old wrap-around battery warmer to keep a work surface warm. When plugged in and laid flat, the warmer provides a warm surface where you can lay filled syringes and other materials on. If the warmer gets too hot, cover with a towel.

I always keep the disposable chemical hand warmers around and have had the person giving injections hold them around the filled syringes and needle to prevent freezing. If you freeze product it is useless so take the necessary steps to get this valuable management tool into your animals in good condition. Otherwise all the hard work is wasted.

To achieve such weight gains and increased feed efficiencies, the mechanism for Zilpaterol hydrochloride (as well as Ractopamine) is found within its origins of a new class of beef finishing growth promotants called beta-Agonists.

These are a group of non-hormone feed additives that have been developed in the last couple of decades. They work by taking dietary energy found predominantly in high-grain diets fed to finishing cattle and divert it into lean muscle tissue rather than fat deposition. As a result, they help feedlot animals produce more marketable meat. Critics of betaagonists point out that no additional marbling is produced and thus produce lower-quality meat of less tenderness and flavour.

Some recent university research supports their anti-Zilmax beliefs.

Regardless as to one’s tastes, no information is presented that Zilmax-fed animals are more predisposed to common feedlot nutri-

PAINTBALL ANYONE? Paintball guns are a fun toy but can also provide three practical uses on the farm. They can be used to mark animals to be pulled for treatment by others. Or, if working alone they can be used to spur on the stragglers. A shot from a paintball gun can also be directed at a charging cow or be used to break up fighting bulls. Shots can be fired in close succession, colours can be varied, and the dye is all water soluble. The pellets can leave welts on people, but my guess this would be minimal in cattle with their thick hides so bruising at slaughter would be minimal.

CARRYING TOOLS There are many commercially made soft toolboxes with side pockets, which are ideal for carrying medical supplies. That way you are never in need of a syringe needle thermometer or tagger, and can save time and steps.

HANDLING TIPS In spring, attach tie down rubber straps to your calf sled to keep slippery active calves secured for the trip to the barn or other pen. tional disorders such as rumen acidosis, which can lead to lameness in days prior to shipment to a packing plant. It is quite conceivable that Zilmax-fed feedlot animals can suffer from rumen acidosis at the same rate as nonZilmax-fed cattle given the right feedlot conditions.

LAMENESS IS COMMON Acidosis is a common nutritional rumen disorder among finishing feedlot cattle that are fed high-grain diets in a short period.

Under normal rumen conditions, large amounts of starch found in grains such as corn or barley are fermented and metabolized as a source of energy, which drives vital functions and growth performance in feedlot cattle.

During this process, lactic acid is also produced, but is normally buffered by bicarbonates found in the cattle saliva. Unfortunately, if too much lactic acid is produced, the buffering capacity of the ani-

Make sure the tow cord is long enough to keep you safely away from the overaggressive cow.

Caps with miner’s lights or strong LED lights attached make checking cattle easier at night and free up your hands for other things.

I use booster cable clamps attached to tarp rubber straps mounted on the maternity pen as a device to hold the tail out of the way while examining a calving cow. This is especially critical if you are alone at calving and helps keep the cow cleaner. I insist on using this method or having the tail tied out of the way for C-sections. But don’t forget to untie the tail or you may leave it on the fence. The beauty of the booster clamps is if you do inadvertently release the cow, only a few tail hairs are left behind.

PORTABLE WASHER Another useful piece of hardware to have handy around a chute is a portable sprayer you pressurize by hand with a plunger. The ones I am thinking of hold about two gallons of water are pumped to provide pressure and have an adjustable nozzle. If your chute is not close mal is often overwhelmed and as a result the pH of rumen fluid drops below a healthy threshold of 5.6, which leads to a higher incidence of unhealthy internal disorders such as rumenitis, internal gastrointestinal sloughing, liver abscesses and lameness.

Lameness or laminitis is a generic term that refers to inflammation of tissues located in the cattle hoof. Acute laminitis is the visible and most severe form of lameness that frequently seen as feedlot cattle limping to the feed bunk. One of the primary causes of laminitis is feeding finishing high-grain rations without enough effective fiber to combat the effects of rumen acidosis.

Under such rumen acidotic conditions, toxins are also absorbed in the bloodstream, which causes small blood clots to form. These particles disrupt peripheral blood flow in the hooves. This circulatory disturbance cause destruction of this tissue that leads to abnormal hoof horn growth

to a running water supply these are great for irrigating wounds or providing hydrotherapy to swollen areas such as swollen sheaths on bulls. The wand can be directed right into the problem area and if you need more water simply refill it.

With today’s ever-decreasing labour supply on the farm make use of pulley systems or ropes to control sorting gates. Some with hydraulic chutes have even built in extra valves with cylinders controlling these gates. Simple fixes like these save countless hours of labour and speed up processing. Many producers have utilized wooden alleys and constructed safe palpation cages by constructing sturdy doors with either rod or pipe slides which lock. These can be very safe and constructed with materials already on the farm. You don’t always need the commercially made palpation cage.

All the above “ideas” are not my own but garnered from producers looking to do a better job and minimize labour. Hopefully some of them may find a place on your farm. † Roy Lewis is a Westlock, Alberta-based veterinarian specializing in large-animal practice. He is also a part-time technical services vet for Merck Animal Health.

and if severe enough will cause the hard part of the hoof to be sloughed. Because this area is also rich in nerves and nerve endings, pressure from inflammation and dying tissue makes acute laminitis, a particularly painful problem for finishing beef cattle.

Everybody should agree that severely lame and suffering Zilmaxfed cattle that entered a Tyson Foods packing facility were justifiably euthanized last summer.

However, six months have passed and whether the incident was directly related to feeding Zilmax, a severe bout of heat stress-fuelled rumen acidosis, or a combination of both is really still anybody’s guess. On its own recognizance, Merck continues to suspend its public sale of Zilmax until more of these questions about the animal safety of Zilmax in cattle are explained with good answers. † Peter Vitti is an independent livestock nutritionist and consultant based in Winnipeg.

To reach him call 204-254-7497 or by email at vitti@mts.net.

MARCH 4, 2014

grainews.ca /

41

Home Quarter Farm Life POSTCARDS FROM THE PRAIRIES

Life’s secrets, according to you…

worst thing you will go through, and you will be stronger and smarter because of it.

People of the world, tell me this — if you could go back in time and tell a younger version of yourself just one thing, what would it be? Part One JANITA VAN DE VELDE

I

n our last article, we talked about the best pieces of financial advice ever received. What’s that, you say? Money doesn’t grow on trees? No, little grasshopper. Wealth must be earned, not plucked. The same can be said for wisdom. There are times when I wish I would have been a different me… the me who knows more now, not the me blinded by my insecurities, or the blitheness of youth. The me who would have done things differently and made better choices.

But hey, it wasn’t really my fault, was it? Parts of the brain don’t fully develop until your early 20s, especially that sneaky little thing called foresight. So I guess it’s sort of expected that we’ll all do stupid things in our lives, and wish we could go back and do things differently. And maybe, just maybe, looking back on parts of our life and wishing we would have done things differently, is a

prerequisite to wisdom. And that gift, little grasshopper, can’t be plucked from a shelf either. This one too, must be earned.

Here forthwith are your responses to what you would tell a younger version of yourself.

Part One Relax. In five years, this moment and these people won’t matter.

Everything will be all right.

Love yourself first, because you are worth it.

Listen to your parents when they tell you that you should date more people, rather than marrying the first person you date — so I got married because they told me I shouldn’t.

Confidence can be beautiful, and your opinion matters.

Wait. Be patient. Everything will be OK. Things do have a way of sorting themselves out. Just be patient and trust.

RELAX!

Don’t worry so much about finding the love of your life — it will happen when you least expect it, and with the absolutely most perfect person.

Don’t sweat the small stuff.

Real friends are worth waiting for.

Don’t buy into the expectations that everyone else has established for you — create your own.

You are worthy. Pass it on.

Finish your schooling. Your true love will wait if it was meant to be.

Always, always trust your instincts. Your subconscious exists for a reason, one that you may never know, but it will never do you wrong.

Don’t rush into marriage.

dren doing fun stuff — housework can wait, nor does the house have to be perfect.

Get a math tutor.

Stop worrying about everyone else thinks.

what

Don’t be so negative and judgmental about other people! Be gracious and forgiving and kind.

Just be you. Don’t listen to the losers and the naysayers — just be you. Follow those things that you love, regardless of who says you will fail. And for the love of God, don’t stop exercising!

Don’t take life so seriously because it will all work out.

It gets better.

Be nicer to your parents — they love you. That jerk guy doesn’t!

Be true to yourself. Don’t go for second best, be the best.

Relax and enjoy life more, don’t worry so much about all the little things, and most importantly be confident in yourself and your abilities.

You DO have talent. Your work is unique because you are the only one who can create it.

Spend more time with your chil-

Getting your heart broken is the

Don’t let “x” touch you that way.

My parents taught me that you can do it on your own, and that independence is important. I think that I may have taken that advice a bit too literally, and because of that, I feel that I may have missed out on some wonderful relationships. I held a lot in, and still do, because I feel that I don’t need anyone. I’m 38 years old and am now just learning to ask for help.

Believing in yourself and asking for something makes you stronger, not weaker. I wish I would have known this at a younger age.

Chill. Cut yourself some slack.

Stop overanalyzing. Stop taking things personally and only say things out loud that you would say if that person was in the room.

This is great advice that I try to follow. Unless I drink — then all bets are off on what comes out of my mouth. † 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.

Grow informed.

With the new web series: AGGronomyTV

AgCanada.com is proud to present this new informative web video series.

AGGronomyTV is a series of videos that covers today’s top issues related to soil management and crop production. Video topics include:  Managing Wild Oats

 4R Nutrient Stewardship

 Growing Carinata

 The Right Way to Grow Wheat

 Fighting Herbicide Resistant

Weeds in Field Peas

- 4R Nutrient Stewardship  Plus more…

Scan the code or visit the website for more information

www.agcanada.com/aggronomytv

Sponsored by

42

/ grainews.ca

MARCH 4, 2014

Home Quarter Farm Life FROM THE FARM

Protect your eyes

HUMAN EYE

Here’s an experience our family member had.

Fortunately it ended well DEBBIE CHIKOUSKY

C

orneal dystrophy is a genetic disorder that affects the cornea, the clear, dome-shaped surface that covers the front of the eye. In a corneal dystrophy eye one or more parts of the cornea lose their normal clarity due to a buildup of cloudy material. The condition allows fluid to build up between the layers of the cornea which leads to other problems. In a normal eye there is an easy flow between these layers.

Our adventure started last summer when the family member, after working under a vehicle, kept waking up in the middle of the night in severe pain. Then they would spend most of the day feeling like there was “something” in their eye. A similar thing had happened years ago when they got straw in their eye but it resolved on its own, but this time it wasn’t resolving and the pain was increasing along with an inability to sleep because of stabbing eye pains.

Due to the fact we no longer carry extended health benefits an eye doctor appointment had been avoided and medical doctors are not the right choice.

Then we found out that in Manitoba if a person needs to

seek medical attention for their eyes it is covered by Manitoba Medical. When the eye doctor was consulted it was discovered that the cornea had been torn and due to the dystrophy was not healing. The fluid was built up between the layers of the cornea so there were small bubbles on its surface, and when the person sleeps and the eye jumps around during REM sleep, the bubbles would stick to the inner surface of the eyelid and tear more, causing all the stabbing pains in the night. These tears are called corneal abrasions.

Corneal abrasions are generally a result of trauma to the surface of the eye. Common causes include jabbing a finger into an eye, walking into a tree branch, getting grit in the eye and then rubbing the eye or being hit with a piece of projectile metal. Being on a farm means that we could easily encounter at least one of these circumstances on a regular basis.

In reality walking across a grocery store parking lot in a wind storm could also expose a person to this. If a person has experienced any of these traumas and is having pain, light hurts their eyes, a foreign-body sensation, excessive squinting, and a constant tearing it is recommended that they have their eye checked. Again, in some provinces this is free because it is a medical reason.

When we did get a diagnosis as to why the cornea wasn’t healing

it was a relief. The layers of the cornea were not adhering to each other properly due to the corneal dystrophy inhibiting the flow of fluids etc. between the layers of the cornea. The first line of treatment was to use lubricating ointment at night so there would be no sticking. The eye doctor also recommended not covering the eye with a patch but did apply a contact lens (bandage lens) to protect the new growth. After several weeks the cornea still wasn’t healing so it was off to a cornea specialist. That was when the fun really started.

At this point the specialist chose “debridement of the epithelium and basement membrane,” which means he placed freezing drops in the eye then took a tool (which looks like a dental pick) and proceeded to remove the layers of the cornea that were affected by these erosions. Pain management after this procedure is difficult due to the fact that the cornea has little blood flow to it. The hope is that as the eye grows new corneal layers they will adhere to each other and the scarring will be minimal.

In our case it took months of checkups and a great amount of pain and stress but the eye doctor assures us that the acuity of the eye has remained undamaged. We are very thankful for this because there are very few options if it hadn’t adhered.

One option is to have the pro-

Royal Manitoba

WINTER FAIR MARCH 31ST - APRIL 5TH, 2014

FREE CHILDREN’S TICKETS: WWW.BRANDONFAIRS.COM DeEdSunday, March 30th, 2014 MprAuntil For children under 12, available toTdownload A B O v o I N p A A MSponsors: Proudly produced by: oyalty MajorR

COURTESY NATIONAL EYE INSTITUTE/NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH

Epithelium Bowman’s layer Posterior cornea

Descemet’s membrane Endothelium COURTESY OF AUSTRALIAN GOVT. FROM

WWW.BRANDONFAIRS.COM

“ENDOKERATOPLASTY

cedure redone which was terrifying. The pain level after the freezing left the eye was unimaginable for days. Living with it torn would mean one eye not functioning properly which in turn made the good eye not function as it should, leaving a patient disabled. Corneal transplants are an option but a last one as they usually don’t work.

The mission now is to keep the eyes healthy. It is disappointing that the condition was never disclosed. We were told that was because most people can live their lives with no problems but due to it being genetic we do encourage people to question their eye-care professionals especially if they experience blurry vision in the morning that sub-

AVAILABLE BACHELORETTES Looking for someone you cannot wait to see again!

Mary is 43 with one son Zack who is 12. He is the love of my life and we are very active. Mary is divorced, she is upbeat, positive, active with her son, outdoor activities, horse-riding, fishing, football, and movie nights.

I have a great desire to retire on a farm. I have a large family, we are all very successfully and have great careers. My mother instilled in me how important it was for me to have a career but I would have been happy to be farmer’s wife like my grandmother. I want to share that with a loving man who truly wants me in his life. I love knowing that I belong to a man who loves me as much as I love him.

She is 46 divorced with two children and is a dental hygienist. 5’5, 139lbs a non smoker, social drinker. Close to her family & children who want to see me happy in love again with wonderful man. My life is simple and I guess I am a homebody, my children are growing up fast and they have their friends, so its just me and the dog on the couch Saturday evenings.

Matchmakers Select

1-888-916-2824

www.selectintroductions.com

KEYSTONE CENTRE, BRANDON, MB

Anterior cornea

Stroma

Specialist in rural, farm, ranch, remote isolated communities. Thorough screening process, customized memberships, guaranteed service. Est 14 years face to face matchmaking, must be financially secure & seeking a permanent relationship.

FOR DECOMPENSATED CORNEAL ENDOTHELIUM”

sides as the day progresses. To diagnose corneal dystrophy the doctor only has to look into the eye, so it isn’t invasive.

Would knowing have made a difference? Yes. Had we known there was a problem that could cause a seemingly harmless event, getting dust in an eye, to escalate into months of pain and potential blindness an eye professional would have been consulted immediately. Our medical professional only knows about this condition in depth now, because of treating it. So, going to emergency to have a foreign object removed from one’s eye would not have resulted in proper treatment. This is what people usually do though. Many people we know weld, for example, and if they get metal shavings in their eyes they go to the local hospital emergency. Up until last summer no one had ever told us it was better to go to the eye doctor and there was no wait for an appointment. Emergency medical situations were treated with great respect.

Researching this condition it was discovered that there is a Facebook group for people who need support dealing with corneal dystrophy. There is a foundation dedicated to research of it and support of sufferers: http://www. cornealdystrophyfoundation. org/. There are differing opinions on whether or not diet or supplements can help. There are eye clinics in the United States and U.K. that recommend special eye drops while in Canada we couldn’t find anything.

Thankfully our journey seems to be coming to a positive conclusion.

There is no vision loss although there is some scarring but not in the line of vision. We have opted to use the special eye drops and adjusted diet even more to further reduce stress on the body. Our medical doctor has recommended major lifestyle changes because he believes this would have never gotten as bad as it has had we not been pushing so hard in different areas of our lives. For me, I believe that our bodies were created to heal. With the right tools all things are possible so we will definitely be careful, but we are very glad to know what we are dealing with now so we can be. † Debbie Chikousky farms at Narcisse, Manitoba.

MARCH 4, 2014

grainews.ca /

43

Home Quarter Farm Life

Going back to the country After pursuing many different careers, the time had come to purchase that piece of land

BY EDNA MANNING

P

urchasing land in the Hafford area of Saskatchewan was like a homecoming for Peter Zuck. His parents had been pioneer homesteaders in that region, but had moved to the United States when Peter was young. Although he spent the first 10 years of his life in Indianapolis, his family made regular trips back home to Saskatchewan. The young lad loved visiting the farm families living the old way the homesteaders had done for so many years.

As a teenager, Zuck spent summers helping his uncle on the farm near Hafford, operating equipment, driving the grain truck, and doing the necessary chores. The love of rural life was planted but would remain dormant for a number of years.

Zuck started his career as an auto body finisher, moving on to become a flooring mechanic, then a welder. In Vancouver he worked in a winery, followed by a long stint with the Canadian Pacific Railway, where he became a yard foreman and a conductor.

On returning to Saskatchewan in 1982, he pursued a career as a machinist for a number of years and went on to start several of his own businesses — a window glass shop, a beer-brewing supply outlet, a piano technician company and currently, a commercial fireworks display company, Pyroex.ca.

In 2009 Zuck located his dream homestead on the banks of Gordon Lake, north of Hafford The opportunity to experience country life occurred again when he was asked to look after an acreage near Spiritwood for the summer while the owners were away. It proved to be all he had envisioned — raising free-range chickens, planting a vegetable garden, and enjoying the peace and solitude of country living. The time had come for him to find his own plot of ground.

In 2009 Zuck located his dream homestead on the banks of Gordon Lake, north of Hafford. Renovating the house was the first priority, but he also soon began raising heritage breed chickens — blue laced red and black Wyandotte. He feels the eggs from chickens allowed to free range are healthier and tastier.

Zuck also acquired some honeybees and began a small-scale operation, Beeware.ca, producing natural skin-care products. He uses only the finest natural ingredients to make a range of products including Honeybee Lip Balm, Honeybee Skin Cream, Diaper Barrier Cream and Deet-Free Insect Repellant. Zuck currently has a wholesale distributor in Saskatoon, Terry Jacobson, who distributes his products through her company Sugar ’n Spice.

In 2011, Zuck met Jennifer

Brown, a research scientist who works at the Prairie Swine Centre in Saskatoon. Although she works full time, Jennifer spends weekends at the farm. “I’ve been interested in small farming for a long time, and had recently purchased an acreage near Aberdeen. Then I met Peter,” she laughs.

Together the couple grows vegetables, raises chickens for meat and eggs, and trades renovation jobs for beef and lamb. “We live an inexpensive life.

“Between us, we have the tools and know-how to do anything from tractor repair to making cheese or wine, home butchering and tanning. The work is all pleasant — putting in fences, cutting firewood, picking and canning veg-

etables. With Pyroex.ca I also put on between 10 and 15 commercial fireworks shows a year. That’s my income,” Zuck said.

Recently, Zuck and Brown have been contemplating running a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) operation that would offer a destination for people to come and visit the country, feed the various birds, gather eggs and perhaps pull a few weeds. They could also go on a hike to enjoy the surrounding countryside.

To learn more, contact Peter Zuck at 306-883-2221 or email peter@gordonlakehomestead.ca or visit www.beeware.ca, www. pyroex.ca and www.gordonlake homestead.ca. † Edna Manning writes from Saskatoon, Sask.

PHOTOS: EDNA MANNING

Top: Peter Zuck and Jennifer Brown picking cucumbers in the vegetable garden last year. Bottom: A family of Bantams enjoys free range.

It PAYS to Study Ag CABEF offers six $2,500 scholarships to Canadian students enrolling in agricultural or agri-business related programs.

Deadline for applications: March 1, 2014

Apply at cabef.org @CABEFoundation

CABEF is a registered charity (#828593731RR0001). For more information on all registered charities in Canada under the Income Tax Act, please visit: Canada Revenue Agency www.cra-arc.gc.ca/charities.

44

/ grainews.ca

MARCH 4, 2014

Home Quarter Farm Life SINGING GARDENER

All about tomatoes

Plus, send your tomato-growing tips and share what works for you TED MESEYTON

O

nce more it’s a tip of my hat and a big welcome to all gardeners wherever you might be. So get comfortable while I pose a question and let loose on my Singing Gardener page. Maybe you’ve heard this one before.

What’s the difference between knowledge and wisdom as it applies to a tomato? Regardless, for those who have not: Knowledge is knowing that tomato is a fruit and wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

FROM MY TOMATO SONG “Maybe strawberries and homegrown potatoes, but I still think it must be tomatoes.” Those are words I speak and sing directed to men and the women who love them. It promotes prostate awareness, health and wellness. Along with that it’s a tip of my hat to everyone and welcome to all my Grainews companions on the Singing Gardener page.

GREG AT MAPPLE FARM WRITES Hey Ted: Kudos to you and your publisher for getting word out to your readers on the wonders of Latah tomato last year. I want you to know that we’re making a difference. I’m getting lots of positive feedback from Prairie growers who, before Latah, struggled to get tomatoes to ripen in time. Now, I’ll let you in on another significant achievement. I can’t wait for you to read the forwarded message below. After asking Larry (the original sender) if I could share this with you, he replied, yes, no problem, tell others. Prepare to be amazed! I’ve attached for you the

SUE ARMSTRONG

LOVE HEARING FROM YOU Do you have a story about a farm or home-based business?

How about some household management tips? Does someone in the family have a special-diet need? Share some of your meal ideas.

Send them to FarmLife, 1666 Dublin Ave., Winnipeg, Man. R3H 0H1. Phone 1-800665-0502 or email susan@ fbcpublishing.com. Please remember we can no longer return photos or material. † Sue Armstrong

picture Larry emailed me of his speedy tomatoes. Again, he says you’re welcome to use it. Keep up the great work and best wishes for a healthy 2014, with thanks.

Greg Wingate 129 Beech Hill Rd. Weldon, N.B. E4H 4N5 mapplefarm.com

LARRY WRITES Hi Greg: Exciting news from our little greenhouse — we picked our first ripe Latah tomatoes today (March 14, 2013). They were small but delicious. I knew Latah was an early variety, but this is REALLY early. I planted the seeds on December 31. Counting the four or five days it took for the seeds to germinate, that translates into 73 days to maturity. Now we know that this variety can be grown successfully during winter in a greenhouse. Early ripening is its claim to fame.

Larry Herr Note from Ted: Greg has received a lot of feedback from Latah tomato growers. Here are two examples: I’ve tried growing tomatoes outdoors a few times without much success here so I was a bit skeptical. Latah grew beyond my wildest dreams. It produced about the first week of August. ((L.W. Labrador City, Labrador) and, “It’s my preference among other early types.” (C.C. Victoria, B.C.) You’ll notice those comments are from both ends of the country.

Maybe it’s appropriate to say something such as, “from Atlantic to Pacific, Latah is terrific,” especially for gardeners in regions of the country where the growing season is short, summers sometimes cool and early frosts possible.

OTHER TOMATOES Are you looking for a mainseason, low-acid, medium-size red tomato? Then Cougar Red might do you proud when neighbours come calling and asking about it. This sweet variety grows on compact, semi-determinate vines with meaty fruits that are ideal for home canning.

If you’re searching for appearance and flavour that are reminiscent of plums, look no further than Indigo Rose tomato.

This open-pollinated variety is the darkest of all tomatoes ever bred.

Fruits are bluish purple and loaded with antioxidants. Certified organic seeds for Cougar Red and Indigo Rose tomatoes plus numerous other varieties are available from West Coast Seeds, 3925-64th Street, Delta, B.C. V4K 3N2, phone 1-888-804-8820 or go to www. westcoastseeds.com.

Last year, I told you about hybrid Tasti-Lee tomato from Dominion Seed House. Generous-size fruits have deep-bright-red flesh, high sugar content and superior flavour. Extra firmness when ripe is a bonus. They hold well in transit adding to marketable qualities at vegetable stands and farmers’ markets. What I particularly appreciate is Tasti-Lee’s high lycopene content, a nutrient essential for prostate health in men. Lycopene is every bit as important for women’s health too.

PHOTO: COURTESY DOMINION SEED HOUSE

PHOTO: COURTESY LARRY HERR

Shown are three Latah tomatoes on the vine (each about two inches across) and Tasti-Lee tomato favoured for its slicing size, deep-red colour inside and out, high sugar content, eye appeal and wonderful true tomato taste both fresh and cooked. The Singing Gardener page is filled with good information and according to Ted it’s all about tomatoes and things Grandma used to say.

If you’re looking for a tomato that is strawberry sized and strawberry shaped, go for Tomatoberry.

Vines are loaded with firm, meatytextured, dark-red fruits with sweetas-a-strawberry taste. Seeds of both Tasti-Lee and Tomatoberry are available from Dominion Seed House, Georgetown, Ontario L7G 5L6; phone 1-800-784-3037; or go to www.dominion-seed-house.com.

While thumbing through the tomato section of seed catalogues you may occasionally see reference to the word “parthenocarpic.” It implies fruits set without pollination and usually will not develop seeds until the latter part of the season.

The old practice of doing preserves has been neglected somewhat in recent decades but now continues to rebound and shows no signs of stopping. Grandmas and mothers are teaching their daughters and grandchildren the importance of preserving their own fresh-from-the-garden produce. Even men are getting in on the revival of home canning.

I SHAKE MY TOMATOES … or call it a gentle form of spanking. Please don’t interpret this as plant abuse or keeping them disciplined, but think of it as an effort to help plants produce the biggest tomato crop ever. Shaking or spanking ’em creates a vibration that contributes to pollination by moving the pollen from the yellow stamen to the green pistil within individual flowers. Shaking each plant is especially critical when tomatoes are growing inside a greenhouse or there is little or no airflow outdoors. It also helps stimulate growth from roots and up the stem to the tips of top growth.

Here’s how to shake or spank your tomatoes. Take a newspaper of a dozen or more pages. Roll it up lengthwise several times. Start at the base of the plant just above ground level. Lightly and repetitively strike directly on the central stem or on the outside of any support such as stakes or tomato cages. Do it gently five or six times all the way to the top without hurting any leaves or flowers. Be very careful around the flowering areas. The trick is to dislodge the pollen without inflicting any damage. The goal is to shake each tomato plant and create good movement as though a breeze was blowing through it. Another

approach is to give tomato flowers a light misting of water, then firmly grasp the main central stem and give each plant a shake by hand to help dislodge the pollen.

Here’s a third thing you can do. Buy a battery-powered toothbrush and vibrate each individual flower or cluster of flowers for a few seconds as though it was the facsimile of a buzzing bee. Do this on the underside where tomato blossoms are attached to a stem and not on the blossoms themselves. Remember you’re trying to imitate what pollinating insects and the wind do.

Make sure no foliage ever touches the ground and prune off any that does with your thumb and forefinger. Matter of fact you might choose to prune away all foliage to just below the first set of flowers. Remember to also prune off all suckers growing in the joint between the main stem and side leaf branches.

This may come as a surprise but if your tomatoes are slow at setting fruit, try the following. Go to your store and buy a litre carton of pure unsweetened 100 per cent apple juice such as the SunRype brand. Pour some into a handheld sprayer and mist said apple juice directly onto tomato blossoms to hasten fruit set and even prevent blossom drop.

Each time you notice new tomato flowers, remember to give them an apple juice misting. Apple juice gives off methane and also acts as a ripening agent. Truly, tomatoes are wonderful. Next to root crop potatoes they are definitely fruit of Canada-land.

be your way and vice versa, but we definitely learn from one another, so send along your tomato-growing tips or anything else to the Singing Gardener and we’ll share with the whole, wide country.

CORRECT MULCHING TIME IS IMPORTANT Here’s a lesson. If mulch is applied before the soil is thoroughly warmed, it will delay the ripening of tomatoes. Apply only when the flowers are profuse or even wait a bit longer until fruits begin to set. That’s when mulch seals in the heat instead of repelling it out. Juicier and better-flavoured tomatoes are generally ripened on plants that are mulched.

Well this page is pretty well filled and it’s all about tomatoes.

Out in the garden they get along well growing next to asparagus, chives, carrots, marigolds, onions and parsley for companions but place tomatoes well away from potatoes and peppers. Remember to keep your rows wide for airborne circulation and avoid walking among or touching tomato plants during or after a rainfall until foliage has dried.

That’s it good people and thanks for coming by and hanging out with me. Glad to have you as part of my readership. We’ll never know it all when it comes to gardening and that includes yours truly. Each experience is a new tool. †

TOO MUCH NITROGEN … can lead to lush and excessive green growth and blossoms are apt to fall off. You’re not likely to encounter this problem if you feed your plants with plenty of well-aged compost and compost tea. If you’re a smoker of cigarettes, cigars or a pipe be certain to always wash your hands well each time before handling tomato plants. Burnt smoke from any of these can lead to a disease known as tobacco mosaic virus.

Lots of folks have challenges with peppers and you’ll do them a good turn by shaking or spanking them too. As with tomatoes, such action directs energy upwards into pepper plants. Each person has their own ideas of gardening. My way may not

This is Ted Meseyton the Singing Gardener and Grow-It Poet from Portage la Prairie, Man. Grandma spoke a lot of expressions from a bygone era that I don’t hear anymore. We never dined on french toast. At Grandma’s place we ate “fried bread” as she called it and cooked it in her “spider.” She parked the car in the “car building” rather than a garage. A field “all blowed out” with flowers meant they were in full bloom. Potatoes that had not been cooked sufficiently when tested with a fork were said to “still have a bone in ’em.” She referred to an exceptionally tall man as “a long drink of water” and get this — a fun-filled occasion was described as “a big-eyed time.” My email address is singinggardener@mts.net.

TOUGH WEEDS, MEET EXPRESS . ®

Crank up the rate all you want, glyphosate alone still misses a number of hard-to-kill weeds like narrow-leaved hawk’s-beard, flixweed, stinkweed, dandelion and volunteer canola. With hotter-than-hot systemic activity, DuPont™ Express® herbicides don’t just control weeds, they smoke them from the inside out, getting right to the root of your toughest weed challenges with performance that glyphosate alone can’t match. It’s no wonder Express® goes down with glyphosate more than any other brand in Western Canada!

Visit expressvideo.dupont.ca to see Express® in action – torching tough weeds like dandelion and volunteer canola right down to the roots, so they can’t grow back.

Express® brand herbicides. This is going to be hot.

Questions? Ask your retailer, call 1-800-667-3925 or visit express.dupont.ca

As with all crop protection products, read and follow label instructions carefully.

The DuPont Oval Logo, DuPont™, The miracles of science™ and Express® are registered trademarks or trademarks of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company. E. I. du Pont Canada Company is a licensee. All other products mentioned are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective companies. Member of CropLife Canada. ©Copyright 2014 E. I. du Pont Canada Company. All rights reserved.

B:10.25” T:10.25” S:9.25”

With three different modes of action in a single solution, Velocity m3 herbicide provides you with exceptional activity on over 29 different tough-tocontrol grassy and broadleaf weeds.

For more information, please visit BayerCropScience.ca/Velocity

BayerCropScience.ca/Velocity or 1 888-283-6847 or contact your Bayer CropScience representative.

Always read and follow label directions. Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.

C-60-01/14-10182726-E

B:15.5”

Get ready to engage and overpower the toughest weeds in your wheat field, whether they’re resistant to other herbicide groups or not.

T:15.5”

S:14.5”

More power to you.