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Volume 41, Number 4 | FEBRUARY 10, 2015

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PRACTICAL PRODUCTION TIPS FOR THE PRAIRIE FARMER

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Reviewing the CTA photo: lisa guenther

The Canada Transportation Act is under review. Prairie farm associations are sending their views about grain transportation to the review panel

By Lisa Guenther

T

he Canada Transportation Act (CTA) Review “is a critical moment in time,” Robynne Anderson told delegates at Saskatoon’s CropSphere in mid-January. Anderson was speaking for the Prairie Oat Growers Association (POGA).

It’s also a chance to create a more fair, equitable and transparent system, said Anderson, founder of Emerging Ag, an issues management and communications company. “And that will take a lot of political will because the CTA is a very large act.”

Last year’s logistics woes triggered

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the CTA Review. The review panel is looking at whether the transportation system is responding effectively to domestic and international market needs and conditions. It’s focusing specifically on grain transportation by rail, although some provisions may apply to other commodities. The review is now taking submissions from stakeholders, including farm groups. Some have submitted reports, while others are still finalizing their submissions.

Grainews pulled information from Anderson’s presentation and POGA’s recommendations. We also talked to Blair Rutter, executive director of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association (WCWGA).

And finally, we went through a submission filed jointly by the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission, the Saskatchewan Barley Development Commission, the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers and the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan.

Following is each group’s position on five issues related to grain transportation.

More information POGA, WCWGA and the Saskatchewan coalition all agree on the need for more information on rail movement.

Anderson told delegates the

playing field is not level. “If you’re in a situation where you’re looking at arbitration or you’re looking at service level agreements, railways have 100 per cent of the information. The handlers themselves have a portion of the information… And farmers are lucky if they get one-tenth of that information six months later.”

POGA wants better information on cars shipped into the U.S., Anderson told delegates. Right now cars are only tracked to the border rather than to delivery points in the U.S. POGA also wants to see information on movement by commodity.

Rutter said he’d like to see weekly

In This Issue

reporting on how much grain was loaded, where it went, and market information that helps people plan. For example, if the railways are getting behind, people will know not to put sales on the books, he said. “That kind of information allows for better decision-making on the part of everyone.”

The Saskatchewan coalition wants information such as weekly port unloads, vessel lineups, outstanding orders of producer cars, car movement by corridor, forward sales by commodity, export price quotes by port and grade and more.

» continued on page 4

Wheat & Chaff .................. 2 Features . ........................... 5 Crop Advisor’s Casebook . 8 Columns ............................ 17 Machinery & Shop............. 26 Cattleman’s Corner .......... 31

Manage your grain bags

stephanie grace page 10

Skid steer special

FarmLife ............................ 36

scott garvey page 27

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Working Hard to Earn Your Trust

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/ grainews.ca FEBRUARY 10, 2015

Wheat & Chaff STAMPEDE BY JERRY PALEN

Leeann Minogue

I

’ve been using this space to write about the farm organizations we’re funding. In this issue: wheat.

I’ve already written about the Western Grains Research Foundation, which uses a checkoff of $0.30 per tonne on wheat to fund wheat research. But there are also six new wheatrelated groups that have sprung up across the Prairies since the end of the Canadian Wheat Board monopoly.

Alberta

“Ruling out the obvious, I just thought I’d better add some money to my chequing account.”

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Since August 2012, the Alberta Wheat Commission has been collecting a refundable checkoff of $0.70 per tonne from Alberta wheat growers. This is in addition to the $0.48 transitional checkoff (the Wheat and Barley Checkoff) that all Prairie wheat growers pay to the WGRF and Cigi, for a total of $1.18 per tonne.

The AWC’s mandate is to increase profitability for Alberta wheat growers “through funding innovative research, market development and promotional activities, producer education programs and policy development.”

There are 11 farmers on the AWC’s board — two elected from each of five regions, and one member-at-large. Kent Erickson, the current chair, was previously involved with the Alberta Winter Wheat Producers. Tom Steve, the general manger, is the head of a total office staff of 10, not including two that are currently on leave.

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan farmers fund the new Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission through a checkoff of $0.52 cents per tonne. This, plus the transitional checkoff of $0.48 results in a total checkoff of $1.00 per tonne.

Farmers were first elected to run this commission last January. It’s governed by seven farmers, with Bill Gehl as chair.

Bill came to the SWDC from the Canadian Wheat Board Alliance and a role at the Saskatchewan National Farmers Union.

I spoke to the Commission’s general manager Harvey Brooks about the SWDC’s priorities.

One important thing the SWDC is doing is examining how farmers can be involved in varietal development.

Harvey is very passionate about farmer-driven ag research.

“The WGRF has a research report that shows, on average, every dollar invested in producerfunded varietal research returns $20.40 in value to the producer, and even larger returns to the Canadian economy,” he said.

“Producers, generally, are very supportive of research,” Harvey told me. “The question is whether or not we have enough

capacity in all areas of research of interest to producers.”

What else will the SWCD be working on? “The agronomic side is a real concern,” Harvey said.

The SWDC and the Saskatchewan Barley Development Commission were initially set up under joint management in one office. Then they had an amicable divorce. Now the two commissions collaborate, as you’ve already noticed if you’ve read the cover of this issue, they’re both part of a coalition on grain transportation. They had a joint booth at the Crop Production Show in January, Harvey said, and “we’ve talked about other collaborative efforts.”

Manitoba Instead of a “commission,” Manitoba has a new Manitoba Wheat and Barley Growers Association. Farmers pay a checkoff of $0.52 per tonne of wheat ($0.50 per tonne for barley). This makes the total bill for Manitoba wheat growers $1 per tonne, including the transitional checkoff.

Chair Don Dewar, told me “We are the youngest kid on the block, and the smallest.” (By the time you read this, there will be a new chair — Don planned to step down at the February meeting.)

In Manitoba, rather than forming two separate groups to manage wheat and barley research, they’ve gone with one. In Manitoba ag research, “we have an awful lot of CEOs,” Don told me. “We’re spending over half a million dollars (annually) in Manitoba. Can we do a better job?

I don’t know what the answer is.”

This new Association won’t be tackling ag policy. Don is a former chair of the Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP), which is already representing farmers’ policy views. And other Association members, Don points out, are members of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers or the NFU.

B.C. It’s so much simpler in B.C. B.C. wheat growers pay the $0.48 per tonne transitional checkoff, and also pay one-third of one per cent of their gross wheat sales to the B.C. Peace River Grain Industry Development Council that’s been in place since 1990.

Cereals Canada Cereals Canada is a new national group. If you’re growing wheat in Manitoba, Alberta or B.C., some of your checkoff dollars are forwarded on to Cereals Canada’s head office in Winnipeg. They have other members too: crop development companies, seed companies and grain handlers.

General manager Cam Dahl, refers to this as the “three membership pillars.” Crop development and seed companies make up 25 per cent of the board.

Grain companies and exporters have another 37.5 per cent of board positions, and farmers get

37.5 per cent of the seats on the board. “That’s the same split as the budget,” Cam said.

Cereals Canada’s priorities are market development, support and innovation. “And then there’s just basic industry leadership,” Cam said. “Ensuring that the industry can speak to our customers and governments with one voice.”

The SWDC is not a member.

Cam said that, as a temporary measure, “We have requested that the Saskatchewan government nominate a Saskatchewan producer to represent Saskatchewan producers on our board.”

Harvey Brooks said the SWDC board “has decided to defer a decision on the national grower organizations for the time being.”

The SWCD will be under pressure to make a decision. On Jan. 27, the Wheat Board Alliance sent out a press release urging the SWCD not to join Cereals Canada, and berated Saskatchewan agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart for suggesting that they should. In the release, Alliance spokesperson Kyle Korneychuk said: Cereals Canada “cannot reflect the interests of farmers. It has only three western farmers on a Board largely composed of representatives of multinational grain and agro-chemical companies.”

Clarifications and corrections When I write about farm organizations rather than what’s happening on our farm, I get fewer complaints from my husband but more suggestions from readers.

Angela Ebsworth, senior communications adviser with the Canadian Transportation Agency, pointed out a mistake in a previous column about how the decision was made to transfer railway overcharges to a fund within the WGRF. I wrote that the CTA made that decision in 2000. Actually, Angela wrote, “that decision was made by Transport Canada in consultation with Agriculture Canada.”

Don Dewar called about my summary of farm checkoff history. I wrote that the new transitional were previously collected by the CWB. The truth is more interesting. The portion of the transitional checkoff that goes to the WGRF used to be deducted from farmers’ final payments on wheat and barley. “This caused the organization problems in the years there was no final payment,” Don said.”

As for Cigi and the Canadian Malt Barley Technical Centre, Don pointed out that these organizations were not funded through checkoffs, but “funded directly by the CWB and thus were directed by the CWB. The funding was an expense of the CWB doing business, and farmers who sold wheat or barley through the CWB had no say, or opportunity to ask for a refund.”

Unless we know our history, we’ll never understand where we are. Thank you, Angela and Don. † Leeann

FEBRUARY 10, 2015 grainews.ca /

Wheat & Chaff Photo contest

Farm safety

GIVE US YOUR BEST SHOT This picture came from Suzanne Paddock, from Baldur, Manitoba.

Suzanne says, “This is our donkey, Ivan, who enjoys taking my hat off my head every chance he gets, then drops it and runs! He is holding it here like he wants me to come and get it.”

Thanks for the photo Suzanne. We’ll send you a cheque for $25. We think you should use the cash to buy Ivan his own hat.

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.

Leeann

Safeguards on the farm

P

hysical safeguards on the farm are one of the most effective injury prevention tools. Restricting access to danger-zones, machine guards and personal protective equipment are all ways to prevent injuries on the farm. Oftentimes these simple solutions are overlooked, but it’s worth revisiting these safeguards to reduce risk on your farming operation.

One of the most incredibly effective ways to prevent injuries is to restrict access to danger zones. It’s common sense to keep poison out of the hands of children and we have to think that same way about other areas where unauthorized people could get hurt or injured on the farm.

Making farm work areas no-go-zones for children is a simple and effective barrier to injuries. Moving machines, chemical storage areas, lagoons and dugouts, livestock pens, and grain storage areas are all places where children and others can become injured. Creating both physical boundaries (like a fence) and policies (rules about where children can and cannot go) go a long way in preventing accidental deaths or injuries. These restricted access policies just don’t apply to children; they also apply to visitors or others on the farm who don’t understand the hazards and risks associated with a farming operation.

Machine guards on farm equipment like tractors, mowers and combines are important to reducing the risk of injury. A guard is a physical barrier that prevents access to a danger zone that is created by the motion of the machine components. There are a multitude of hazard points on farm equipment.

Areas like chain drives can be pinch points. A pinch point can easily sever fingers or hands. Wrap points exist wherever there is an exposed, rotating shaft.

These shafts can wrap clothing, hair or even jewelry causing entanglement injuries. Shear points exist where the edges of two components move across each other in a scissor-like motion, an example of this would be the point where the auger flighting enters the tube. Crush points are created when two components move toward each other or one object moves toward a stationary object like hydraulic components or jacked up equipment. Farm machinery can also create thrown objects, a prime example of this is debris propelled by mowers. Lastly, freewheeling parts like fans or cutter heads create a hazard as even after shutting down, they will continue to rotate, creating a hazard if people are too close or attempt to stop the motion.

First and most importantly, good safety habits will go a long way in preventing injury. Disengage the power, shut off the engine and remove the key before performing any maintenance. This

F

You might be from the Prairies if...

By Carson Demmans and Jason Sylvestre

Northern lights When winter nights are cold, northern lights are bold.

or most growers, canola yield pays the bills. So it’s important to get things right and look beyond last year’s yield data to get a complete picture of a variety. Here are the top three factors I look for when reading my provincial canola guide.

First is yield stability. It’s an indication of how well a hybrid is likely to perform in good and bad years. You want a hybrid that produces good yields under high-stress growing conditions, not just under ideal conditions. So when you read provincial trial results, look at several years of yield data and see if the results swing dramatically.

Look for a consistent performer.

Second is disease resistance. You can manage most blackleg and clubroot with the right varieties, especially important with today’s tight rotations. Remember that blackleg is more problematic to control now, so consider varieties with multiple blackleg-resistance genes (or a fungicide application to support the genetics if your field has a history of blackleg).

Last is standability. It can be an indication of how easy and efficient your harvest will be. Plus it can be a broad but indirect reflection of the variety’s ability to withstand yield robbing stresses, like wind, and stem and root diseases. †

Michael Hutton, product evaluation scientist, oilseeds for Syngenta Canada Inc.

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

Weather Lore

Agronomy tips… from the field

Choose the right canola

step is incredibly simple and sometimes overlooked. However, not all farm work is performed inside the cab of a tractor or combine. This is where adequate guarding becomes important. If shields or guards are removed to perform maintenance, take the time to replace them. Perform assessments on the farm equipment, identify any missing or damaged shields and guards and replace them. Proper guarding on farm equipment can prove to be life-saving.

Lastly, Personal protective equipment (PPE) is easily one of the best and most cost-effective ways to prevent illnesses and injuries on the farm. PPE is not limited to apparel worn when using crop-protection products like pesticides, but also refers to other equipment like fall protection, respirators, safety boots, googles, ear plugs, hard hats and gloves.

Sharp edges, falling objects, flying debris, noise, chemicals and many other potential hazards exist on almost every farm. Controlling hazards are the best way to protect workers on the farm. However eliminating the hazard isn’t always possible and that’s where PPE comes in as the last line of defense.

PPE is used to reduce or prevent exposure to health and safety hazards when other controls can’t. Understanding what hazards exist and what kind of PPE should be used is integral to the effectiveness of this injury prevention tool. Not all farming operations are the same and therefore not all PPE applies to each farm setting. (For example, lifejackets and personal floatation devices are important to cranberry farmers, but not so much to cattle ranchers.) But there are some basic guidelines that are applicable to all farming operations when it comes to hazards and PPE. These guidelines are: • Identify the hazard, • Identify and purchase the appropriate PPE for the hazard, • Train workers on the use and care of the PPE • Maintain and replace any damaged PPE • Evaluate and update the effectiveness of the PPE The best way to prevent injuries is first of all restrict access, maintain safeguards (like equipment shields) and use personal protective equipment. Continually revisiting and evaluating the safeguards you have in place on your farming operation will lessen the risk and create a more productive work environment.

Canadian Agricultural Safety Week is March 15-21, 2015. For more information about how you can “Be the Difference,” please visit agsafetyweek.ca. †

A

n old weather belief that the northern lights or aurora borealis are an illustrator or forecaster of cold weather is not quite true.

The aurora occurs when gaseous particles in the Earth’s atmosphere collide with charged particles released from the sun’s atmosphere.

This can happen at any time but is easier to see in a cloudless sky; cloudless winter skies go with colder temperatures.

The most common aurora colour, a pale yellowish-green, is produced by oxygen molecules located about 60 miles above the earth.

All-red auroras are produced by high-altitude oxygen, at heights of up to 200 miles. Nitrogen produces blue or purplish-red aurora.

For more information, try www.northernlightscentre.ca.

I couldn’t find a verse expressing this adage so I wrote this one myself. † You have three different versions of the “Last Saskatchewan Pirate” on your iPod.

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.

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/ grainews.ca FEBRUARY 10, 2015

Cover Stories Grain transportation » CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Reviewing the Canadian Transportation Act Service level agreements In a 2009 survey of 262 shippers, 62 per cent of shippers reported financial consequences because of poor performance

by Canadian National (CN) and Canadian Pacific (CP). POGA cited the report, conducted by Transport Canada, as evidence of the need for service level agreements. Shippers need to be able to seek arbitration and be on equal footing, POGA’s submission states.

The Saskatchewan coalition wants a dispute resolution process to “resolve rate and service issues quickly and efficiently.”

Rutter said it’s vital for shippers to be able to get service agreements with performance clauses, standards and penalties built in.

“That’s something we pushed for in the last go-around, and we’re pushing for now, is to make sure that penalty provisions are subject to arbitration,” he said.

Maximum revenue entitlement All three groups want a review of the costs built in to the maximum revenue entitlement.

The revenue entitlement is a formula that determines how much CP and CN can earn hauling regulated grain. The formula takes into account cost inflation, average haul length, and how much grain each railway moves. It only applies to grain sent to West Coast ports, Thunder Bay, or Armstrong.

Armstrong is north of Thunder Bay. The Saskatchewan coalition notes there are fewer shipping points and more elevators that can handle unit trains.

Because of that efficiency, “we expect dramatically improved railway profitability from statutory grain movement and hence the rationale for lower producer rates,” the Saskatchewan coalition’s report states.

Rutter agreed the review should look into efficiencies the railways have gained. “Now as part of that review, I think what we should also do is compare the returns on grain to other commodities so that we know where we stack up,” he added.

Both the Saskatchewan coalition and POGA want to keep the revenue entitlement. The coalition notes eliminating the entitlement would allow railways to charge “monopoly rent” to move grain.

The WCWGA also wants the revenue entitlement to stay put, at least for now. In the long term, the WCWGA wants more processing facilities and livestock on the Prairies so grain farmers don’t rely on rail as much. In that scenario, rate regulations could be relaxed, Rutter explained.

But for the next decade or so, “some form of rate regulation will be required,” Rutter said.

Both WCWGA and POGA recommend creating a financial incentive for railways to move more grain when demand is greatest after harvest.

“They have a built-in incentive to have an equal amount of grain shipped every month. And all we’re saying is, let’s give them a greater incentive to add capacity during the peak shipping season,” said Rutter.

POGA recommends setting grain movement targets based on crop production forecasts and expected rail car demand and capacity. CN and CP would collect a bonus if they exceeded targets by 30 per cent. And if grain movement fell 10 per cent or more below targets, set car allocation models or arbitration would kick in, depending on the shortfall’s severity.

Mandatory movement levels would kick in only if grain movement plunged 30 per cent below the baseline. Anderson said it would be “an extraordinary measure in a scenario where we had extraordinary failure of the system.”

WCWGA proposes a threshold based on normal shipment levels during the peak shipping period for grain. This threshold might be

based on historical averages, and might be raised as grain production or rail shipments increase.

If railways move five per cent or more grain cars than the baseline, the revenue entitlement would be increased by increments.

WCWGA doesn’t recommend adding performance penalties to the revenue entitlement. Instead, performance issues should instead be dealt with through service level agreements, the group believes.

Producer car orders Both POGA and the Saskatchewan coalition want provisions for producer cars.

Anderson said there was a huge increase in producer car requests for oats last year. “We know that producers were looking for any way that they could get their oats down to the United States.

And producer cars are part of that mix.”

POGA recommends special treatment for producer car orders of 10 or more, to boost efficiency.

The group’s report notes producer cars are vital for small shippers, such as oat growers.

The Saskatchewan coalition wants the CTA review panel to make sure producer cars and short line requirements are recognized in legislation. The group worries that main line railways and grain companies “will reduce their access to the infrastructure and remove this competitive tool for producers.”

The coalition suggests establishing an oversight or planning group to determine producer car demand and make sure short lines receive adequate service.

Rutter said the WCWGA board hasn’t yet discussed producer car access. He noted that 100-car shippers are rewarded with a rate break, while single-car shippers pay higher rates. All shippers, including producer cars, suffered during last year’s lengthy delays, he said.

“It is a good question — to what degree should they get access to cars on the same basis as other shippers?” he said.

Rail line abandonment The WCWGA isn’t seeking changes to the rail line abandonment provisions, Rutter said.

“There are provisions where the province and municipalities have an opportunity to acquire lines if the railways wish to abandon it.”

The Saskatchewan coalition would like to see the Canadian Transportation Agency investigate and rule on a railway’s operational interested in unused or underserviced lines that other groups have shown interest in buying.

If the agency rules the main line companies don’t have an operational interest, the line should be decommissioned and sold. Lines should be transferred before they deteriorate or shippers make other long-term plans, the coalition’s report states.

POGA believes rail line discontinuance requirements are too weak. The group notes that railways control traffic on lines and can create conditions needed to close them. The economic impact on nearby communities should be considered before lines are closed, POGA’s submission states.

The CTA Review Panel will review submissions and submit a report to the minister of transport

by December 24, 2015. Transport Canada ultimately decides which recommendations to act on.

Rutter said he’s very optimistic.

“I think we’re going to get to a better place. Will we get to where we need to be? Probably not. But it’s all about making progress and improving our system and getting greater competition. Getting better service, better capacity.”

For more information on the Prairie Oat Growers Association’s submission, visit www.poga.ca. The Saskatchewan coalition’s report can be found at saskwheatcommission. com. The Transport Canada report is online at www.tc.gc.ca, or can be easily found by Googling “Rail Freight Service Review.” † Lisa Guenther is field editor for Grainews based at Livelong, Sask. Contact her at Lisa.Guenther@ fbcpublishing.com or on Twitter @LtoG.

Tip of the issue

Certified seed saves harvest headaches

By Dave Harwood

C

anada’s certified seed system has a hard-won reputation for being among the safest in the world. Our growers have a long history of demonstrating a strong system that has become an integral part of our brand as a trusted major exporter of grain.

But with that power comes the responsibility of keeping it clean, for Canada’s reputation and grower protection. Here’s a look at why certified seed is the best option.

Genetic gain is important Canadian seed companies are in the business of creating “genetic

gain.” They invest millions of dollars each year in producing better varieties. They make it their business to produce higher-value material: with higher productivity, improved stability and quality. When growers buy certified seed, they’re buying a truly better, more advanced product.

Export Shipments are tested There is always the potential for an importing country to examine grain for residues, transgenic traits and deregistered varieties. Mandatory seed certification does not exist in all countries. It is important to Canada’s entire system that our shipments maintain the integrity importing

countries have come to expect from Canadian product.

Deregistration happens As seed companies develop new technology, they deregister old ones. Varieties can be deregistered at any time, and some export markets are pickier than others about what they will accept. For example, some canola end-users are gravely concerned about blackleg presence. If a shipment gets turned around, growers are on the hook for significant fines — something nobody wants to risk.

If you’re not sure if the seed you have is registered, find the listing available from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

The fastest way to find it is to use

Google. Search for: CFIA registered varieties.

In the case of canola, using common seed that lacks a blue certified tag risks that by the time grain is delivered, the variety from which it originated will no longer be registered. Look for the blue government label on the bag.

Certified seed provides peace of mind that once your crop is harvested at the end of another growing season, it has a viable market waiting to do business. The Canola Council of Canada has a good fact sheet that describes the importance of assuring your crop is “Export Ready.” www.can olacouncil.org/crop-production/ keep-it-clean/. † Dave Harwood is technical services manager at DuPont Pioneer.

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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.

FEBRUARY 10, 2015 grainews.ca /

5

Features Farm management

Terminating your forage crops There are many reasons to take forage crops out of production, and also many ways to do it

By Leeann Minogue

B

rian Nybo is a researcher with the Wheatland conservation area in Swift Current, Sask., and also a farmer. He’s been researching the best ways to take forage crops out of production, and has set up a demonstration at the research station near Swift Current.

“It can be fairly difficult,” he told farmers at the Agri-ARM research update at the Crop Production Show in Saskatoon in January. “There are some challenges involved.”

“A lot of producers are taking forages out of production for a number of different reasons.” This includes switching to annual crops, taking out forage as part of a rotation, or wanting to establish a more productive forage in that field.

There are three main ways to terminate a forage crop.

If you’re choosing to terminate your forage stand in the spring with a chemical application, Nybo said, “You have to wait until those plants are actively growing before the chemical will be effective.” This will delay seeding.

“The spring time termination isn’t really recommended,” Nybo said.

If you terminate your stand in the summer, the best timing will depend on which method you choose. With tillage, “you want to terminate them when the plant energy status is relatively low.” Again, he said, “multiple passes are required.”

If you’re using chemicals to terminate your stand in the summer, you should wait until the plants’ energy is high, and they’re start-

ing to store energy in the roots.

You could do this pre-harvest, before your final cut, “and then harvest your crop after the chemical’s got down into the roots,” he said, “or you could do it post-harvest.” This might require a followup application for volunteers.

With fall termination, “we’re taking advantage of not losing a year of production.” You’ll be able to take a second cut of your forages without worrying about winter kill, since you’re going to terminate the stand anyway.

If you’re using full tillage, multiple passes are required. “You’ll probably need one or two or three applications in the fall,” Nybo said, “followed by one or two applications in the spring.”

If you’re using chemicals, don’t wait too long. You’ll need to apply the chemicals before the temperature falls below 15 C. If you get a frost, he said, “you’ll want to wait at least three days for that plant to start growing again.” You may need follow-up applications in the spring.

If you’re using a mixed strategy, Nybo suggests a post-harvest application of glyphosate, followed up by tillage, or perhaps multiple tillage applications.

Costs of termination Nybo cited data from the Saskatchewan Agriculture website. “I think these are kind of minimum costs,” he said. For

2012, the estimated cost of four tillage operations and one harrowing operation was $25.19 per acre. You might require more operations, Nybo said.

For chemical termination, Saskatchewan Agriculture’s estimated cost was $25.29 per acre, based on three applications.

The cost of a mixed strategy was estimated at $31.76 per acre. This included pre-harvest glyphosate, two tillage operations, and a pre-seed glyphosate burnoff.

Costs will be different on each farm. “These will change, with fuel prices changing and chemical prices changing,” Nybo said. † Leeann Minogue is the editor of Grainews.

What’s better than maximizing yield potential and quality?

1. Full mechanical tillage “This method works good for levelling and drying the seed bed,” Nybo said. It will also help control volunteers. “However, it does require five or six tillage operations.”

So, Nybo says, it will take “quite a bit of horsepower, quite a bit of fuel, and lots of manpower.”

There are other concerns: intensive tillage can destroy the root channels that the plants have built and dry out the soil. “If you’re in a dryer area like Swift Current, this can be quite an issue,” Nybo said.

Salinity can also be a problem.

“There’s a lot of soil salinity in the province,” Nybo said — about 11 per cent of Saskatchewan soil.

“And it’s not all white land, either.”

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2. Chemical termination Forages can be terminated chemically with no soil disturbance. The root channels are left intact, and the moisture is conserved. “There’s a lot of roots that go deep down into the subsurface of the soil,” Nybo said.

“Regrowth might be an issue.

You might need a second chemical application.”

As well, Nybo said, when you’re seeding, “You will need a narrow knife opener.”

3. Minimum tillage combination strategy “Is this the best of both worlds or is it the worst of both worlds?”

Nybo asked. In this mixed approach, he said, “we’re replacing one or more tillage operations with a herbicide application.”

Getting the timing right No matter which method you choose, it’s best done in the summer or the fall before seeding the spring crop.

If you decide to terminate your forage stand in the spring, you’re going to have to go over it many times, in a short time frame. And, it’s going to be tough to break up the lumps to get a smooth seed bed.

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Features Grain contracts

Know your grain contracts Cheryl Mayer explains 10 steps to better understanding and profiting from your grain contracts

By Leeann Minogue

I

n a 2013 study, Jared Carlberg, a professor at the University of Manitoba, found that only 17 per cent of farmers read their entire grain contracts.

This matters. How can we know whether or not we’re getting a good deal if we don’t know the details in the documents we’re signing?

At a session at CropSphere in Saskatoon in January, the Canadian Canola Growers Association’s director of policy development, Cheryl Mayer, gave a presentation about understanding contracts.

To make sure they knew exactly what farmers are dealing with, Mayer and other CCGA staff collected copies of actual contracts SEC_KIND14_T_GN.qxd 1/22/15 from major grain buyers across

the Prairies. Her presentation was a summary of what they found when they read these sample contracts, and how farmers can be better prepared to do business with grain buyers

1. Read the whole thing Mayer stressed that it’s important for farmers to read the whole contract. This is going to take a while — there will be a lot of fine print and legal jargon.

Here’s why it’s important: there is no one standard grain contract.

The terms and conditions at the end of each contract vary substantially from buyer to buyer. “It’s the small print that we’re talking about here,” Mayer said. “There’s some common elements, but the way they say thingsPM is very different.”

1:25 Page 1 Another reason to read your con-

tracts regularly and be familiar with the terms they include is that the contract terms can change without notice, and it’s quite possible that no one at the company will tell you. “If you’re reading them from year to year, you’re going to notice,” Mayer said. Knowing about the changes will give you a chance to ask your buyer about the changes. “They are not going to point it out to you.”

A final good reason to read the whole thing is that usually, when you sign your name, you’re signing a statement that says you’ve read and understood the contract.

If there’s something in there that you don’t understand, Mayer said, “it’s not a negative thing to have to ask questions.”

Don’t forget: once you’ve signed a contract, the conditions are legally binding.

2. Get it in writing “It’s really risky to have a verbal commitment,” Mayer said, even though she knows that many farmers often do business that way.

If there is something that you and your grain buyer have agreed to, “what you can do is ask that that is written into your contract.”

There is often a “special remarks” section or other blank space in a contract where this can be done.

If you have a specific verbal agreement with you buyer that’s not written into the contract, and something goes wrong, the head office does not usually have to uphold that agreement. Typically, the contract will include language saying that the entire agreement is laid out in the contract.

(Something like, “This contract includes the entire agreement between the parties…”)

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3. Get the whole thing Many companies do business using two-part contracts. The front part will usually contain the key sale points, like the date, the price, the amount and the delivery location. The “terms and conditions” section usually includes the other details.

Sometimes, the grain company will only fax you the front section.

Mayer has seen examples where the “terms and conditions” section of the contract is only available at farmers’ request.

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Although you sign a contract to deliver a specific grade, some contracts have a clause that lays out what will happen if you deliver grain that is below the quality specified in the contract. Sometimes, this “schedule of discounts” is not included in the contract.

Mayer suggested that you also may want to specify what will happen if you deliver grain that is a higher quality than you’ve specified in the contract.

Mayer also suggested that farmers get familiar with the Canadian Grain Commission’s grading guide. “Having a sense of how your grain is graded can be really beneficial, because you should be observing your grain being graded.

That is your right.”

If you are in a situation where you don’t agree with your buyer about the grade, under the Canada Grain Act, “you can request that a sample be sent to the Canadian Grain Commission for a grade

and docking decision.” The CGC’s decision will be binding.

For now, this right to a CGC binding grade is only available when you deal with a primary elevators. “So, for canola producers, this means it’s not available at process or crush plants,” Mayer said. If it’s passed by the federal government, Bill C-48 would extend this right to farmers delivering to process elevators, crush plants, container loading sites and grain dealers.

5. Be clear about the delivery terms After reviewing several grain contracts, “the one thing that we did notice is that the delivery terms vary widely,” Mayer said.

Mayer found that some contracts allow grain companies to change the delivery location. While some of the sample contracts she read included a clause that would require the buyer to give 24 hours notice and provide the grower with compensation for delivering to a different location, not all contracts were as helpful. One contract allowed the company to “change the delivery location from the delivery location set out in the contract, by notice to the customer…”

6. Understand the delivery period Since August 1, 2014, as required in the Fair Rail for Grain Farmers Act, grain companies are required to include a clause laying out compensation rights for farmers when grain is not called in before the end of the delivery period.

“Everyone should be aware of this and should be checking their contracts for these clauses,” Mayer said.

However, the delivery period may be longer than you think it is.

Most companies’ contracts include a clause extending the delivery contract beyond the delivery month. This is usually called the “extended delivery period.” Mayer has seen contracts allowing for an extended delivery period of anywhere from 30 to 180 days.

Generally, grain companies have written the compensation provision so that it doesn’t apply until the end of the extended delivery period. For example, if you had contracted to deliver your grain by the end of November, and the company has a 90-day extended delivery period, compensation for late delivery wouldn’t apply until after the end of February.

“The provision the government has provided for is really broad,” Mayer said. She’s seen several different clauses included to cover this requirement. One example called for a payment to the farmer of $2/Mt/month after the end of the extended delivery period. In that case, the contract specified a 180-day extended delivery period.

So, with a 100 tonnes contracted, a farmer holding this contract would receive an extra payment of $200 if the grain was called in four months after the end of the delivery month.

Another contract Mayer reviewed allowed for $0.05/Mt/ day plus interest, after the end of the extended delivery period.

FEBRUARY 10, 2015 grainews.ca /

Features One sample contract Mayer cited required the grain company to pay the farmer a one-time lump sum payment of $10 if the grain was not called in before the end of the extended delivery period. “That’s not overly generous,” Mayer said, “but they have fulfilled the provision that is required.”

Mayer suggests reading this clause carefully, and negotiating with your buyer if something is important to you. For example, if you’re paying interest on inputs bought from that same company, you might try to get them to insert a clause saying that you won’t have to pay interest on your inputs if the company hasn’t called in the grain for delivery by a certain date.

7. Understand the default risk Most contracts include clauses outlining “liquidated damages” — how damages will be calculated if you default on your contract.

These clauses vary widely from company to company. “Typically it’s an administration fee plus the difference in the price at that time,” Mayer said.

If you find yourself short on a contract, “it’s important that you talk to your grain buyer right away,” Mayer said. In fact, some contracts specify that you must notify the company as soon as possible.

There’s another benefit to getting in early: if you’ve had a production problem, chances are that some of your neighbours have too.

“You’re going to want to the first or second one in there talking to your grain buyer about what the solutions might be, as opposed to the 50th one.”

Get the book

T

he Canadian Canola Growers Association has prepared a brochure to help farmers through the quagmire of contracts. It’s called A Practical Guide to Navigate Grain Contracts.

To put the book together, the CCGA collected contracts from major grain buyers across the Prairies. They read through these contracts, and summarized what they found.

To get your copy, download it from the CCGA website (www.ccga.ca) or phone them at 1-866-745-2256. †

Knowing what’s in your grain contract is just as important as knowing what’s not in your grain contract.

a practical guide to

navigate Grain contracts

Leeann Minogue

400-1661 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3J 3T7 Phone: (204) 788-0090 Toll-free: 1-866-745-2256

www.ccga.ca

8. Be aware of set-offs Set-offs are common in grain contracts. In these clauses, you’re agreeing that the company can assign money from your grain sale to take money that you owe to the seller, or to an affiliated business.

For example, companies may take money from your grain sale to pay for your crop inputs.

9. Read about the Acts of God “These contracts typically do contain Act of God clauses, but they’re not there in favour of the farmer. They’re there in favour of the buyer,” Mayer said.

Generally, these contracts excuse the buyer from their contractual obligations. “It’s extremely rare,” she said, for these Act of God clauses to be extended to problems at the farmers’ end. If the Act of God is intended to protect farmers, it may be offered at a premium, or there may be other requirements. Read carefully.

10. Hope for transparency According to Jared Carlberg, only 12 per cent of farmers agreed that their rights are protected when using contracts. “We hope to see that statistic change over time,” Mayer said.

The CCGA would like to see more transparency in grain contracts. “It would be great to see companies have their terms and conditions on their websites.”

There was one company that did this last year, she said, “But they don’t anymore.” † Leeann Minogue is the editor of Grainews.

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/ grainews.ca FEBRUARY 10, 2015

Features Crop Advisor’s casebook

Inconsistent wheat development

By Raeanne Denomie

Casebook winner

D

uring the last week of August, I was crop scouting for Gerald, who farms 6,000 acres of wheat, barley, oats and canola just north of Wadena, Sask. I was recording the severity of fusarium head blight in one of Gerald’s wheat fields when I noticed something unusual.

It was well into the growing season and shortly before harvest, but the field had an uneven heading or maturation look to it. Some plants appeared to be further along than others, but they were contained within strips that ran in straight lines down the entire length of the field rather than in random patches.

In spite of the fact that Gerald had sprayed a fungicide for fusarium head blight earlier in the season, the disease was heavily present in some of these strips, while in other strips it was hardly noticeable.

D

avid Heinrichs is the Casebook winner for this issue. David is the market and channel development officer for Agriculture Financial Service Corporation at Red Deer, Alta. Thanks for reading, and thanks for entering! We’ll renew your Grainews subscription for a year and send you a Grainews cap. †

Raeanne Denomie is a sales agronomist with Richardson Pioneer Ltd. at Wadena, Sask.

Some plants appeared to be further along than others, but these plants were contained within strips that ran in straight lines down the entire length of the field rather than in random patches.

When I called Gerald to point out the problem, he wasn’t quite sure what to think of the situation.

“Your guess is as good as mine,” he said.

I assessed possible causes such as nutrient imbalance, poor seed quality, and environmental damage, but they were all ruled out — if any of these were to blame,

a patchy pattern would have been the result, not the straight lines I saw in Gerald’s wheat field.

Herbicide burn was also disregarded, due to the fact that the leaves of the plants throughout the crop appeared to be in good shape aside from some leaf disease development.

It was only when I inquired into

Gerald’s seeding methods that spring that I began to zero in on the root of the problem.

If you think you know what’s going on with Gerald’s wheat crop, send your diagnosis to Grainews, Box 9800, Winnipeg, Man. R3C 3K7; email leeann.minogue@ fbcpublishing.com or fax 204-9445416 c/o Crop Advisor’s Casebook.

Leeann Minogue

The 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 the reasoning that solved the mystery, will appear in the next Crop Advisor’s Solution File. † Raeanne Denomie is a sales agronomist with Richardson Pioneer Ltd. at Wadena, Sask.

Crop advisor’s solution

Tan spot causes sickly looking wheat

By Jeneen Burnett

I

t was mid-June when I received a distress call from John, who grows wheat, canola, flax, peas and lentils on his 5,000-acre grain farm just west of Swift Current, Sask. He’d been out spraying peas when he spotted trouble in his wheat field just across the road — the plants were brown and appeared to be dying.

When I arrived at John’s wheat field to have a look, I could see the plants were stunted and yellow-green in colour, with older leaves that were brown and starting to die off and newer growth beginning to show the same symptoms. A closer inspec-

tion of a damaged plant revealed small, dark lesions with tan-coloured halos that appeared to be growing in size.

Initially, I suspected that tan spot was to blame; however, I hadn’t seen any signs of this fungal disease when John and I had scouted the same field just a week previously, and I didn’t know what could be causing this kind of damage to happen so fast.

I found my answer when I came across a 20-acre patch in the middle of the field, where the plants were dark green and much healthier looking. This was where a fire the previous fall had burned 20 acres of stubble just after harvest.

This indicated tan spot had been present in the field in plant residue, possibly from the last time he’d planted wheat there, with the exception of the area where the stubble had been burned away. Recent warm, wet weather, coupled with the wheat plants being injured from a wind whipping they sustained the week before, had contributed to the aggressive outbreak of the disease.

Fortunately for John, there was enough time left in the season to combat the tan spot problem. I recommended that he add a fungicide to his in-crop herbicide application to help get the disease under control.

The field started coming back and, follow-

ing a second fungicide application at the flag leaf stage, the wheat crop rebounded to the point where there was no loss of yield.

While John didn’t lose his wheat crop, he did gain a valuable lesson about the importance of scouting and keeping vigilant. Fungal diseases like tan spot can proliferate very quickly if the conditions are right, so it’s important to keep an eye on crops throughout the season. In John’s case, he’d be wise to also pay close attention to crop rotations and field history so that the proper precautions for disease prevention can be carried out. † Jeneen Burnett is a Regional Sales Agronomist with Richardson Pioneer in Reed Lake, Sask.

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9

Features Farm management

High land prices hurt new farmers Price increases may be slowing, but it’s a tough time for farmers to buy land

By Julienne Isaacs

W

estern Canadian farmland has never been more expensive. According to J.P. Gervais, the chief economist for Farm Credit Canada (FCC), which provides data at the national level for Statistics Canada, farmland values continued to increase throughout 2014.

“In a few months the report will be released, but we know that farmland values have continued to increase throughout 2014. The extent of the increase is unsure, but I would suggest that we’ll see something lower than what we saw last year, because last year was a record year,” says Gervais.

Gervais says local factors have an impact on farmland prices, and at the provincial or national level, two things matter: crop prices and interest rates. “With grains and oilseeds coming down, especially in the last six months, we expect farmland values to go up at a lower pace than we saw last year. That would be a good thing,” he says. “The worst case scenario would be to see the drop in grains and oilseeds that we’ve seen as well as interest rates going up.”

Last year, values went up across Western Canada, but the increase was greatest in Saskatchewan, which was still catching up to the increase in Alberta. Manitoba, he says, is partly influenced by trends in Ontario as well as those in Alberta and Saskatchewan, and as a result has shown rapid increase in the last couple of years.

By historical standards, farmland is priced at the highest level it has ever been. Gervais says that farmland values on average are not unreasonable if you look at crop receipts and low interest rates over the last couple of years.

“The farms that have old generational equity, because they’ve gained that equity over two generations, they can pool enough money and expand and buy more land,” he says. “I think it’s just about impossible for new farmers to get into the business now.”

A Saskatchewan view Franck Groeneweg grows spring wheat, Durham wheat, canola, flax, peas and favabeans half an hour northeast of Regina. He started his operation 12 years ago, when fairly, good quality land was selling for between $35,000 and $75,000 per quarter section, or $500 per acre.

Lower quality land sold at the time for roughly $300 per acre.

Now, he says, the lower quality land is about $1,500 per acre, and higher quality land is between $2,000 and $2,500 per acre — about four or five times more than in 2003.

He says a number of factors have contributed to the increase.

In the 1990s and early 2000s, farmers had poor commodity prices influenced by the U.S. Farm Bill, overproduction of commodities and poor optimism.

Additionally, in Saskatchewan, land ownership was restricted to Saskatchewan residents.

“Coming into the late 1990s and early 2000s, the U.S. Farm Bill changed and put more emphasis on subsidies to ethanol, and this created an inter-

national demand for grain,” says Groeneweg. Other factors also contributed to this, he says, including increased commodity prices, and the relaxation of land ownership regulations in Saskatchewan to make it available to Canadian citizens regardless of residency. And demand went up.

“All of this generated some decent revenues for farmers, and then once that happened, there was renewed interest from the younger generation,” Groeneweg says. “In the mid-2000s young people came back to the farm. So instead of farms for sale we had farms that were looking for land to buy.”

This means it is much tougher

now for young farmers to get started, he says.

The situation in Canada is arguably better than that in the U.S., particularly in the Corn Belt, where land can cost between $15,000 and $20,000 per acre and gross revenue at the farm gate is approximately 10 per cent or less of the highest land costs.

But Groeneweg says the U.S. has much deeper pockets in terms of farm support.

“If we get into a bind, which looks likely, growers in the U.S. will have the ear of their legislatures, but we won’t here in Canada,” he says. † Julienne Isaacs is a Winnipeg-based freelance writer and editor. Contact her at julienne. isaacs@gmail.com.

Potato farming gets expensive According to Gord Visser, a potato grower near Edmonton, Alta., prices of good potato farmland have skyrocketed over the last several years, to the point where farming is becoming unsustainable for farmers and prohibitive for young farmers hoping to get into the business.

“When I started in 1987 I bought some land for $900 per acre. My best land, where my farm is situated, was $820 per acre. That land is now worth over $25,000 per acre,” he says.

“I can only speak for land in the greater Edmonton area, where there’s a large potato-growing area,” he says. “A lot of the really good agricultural land, especially for potatoes, happens to be located around civic centres like Edmonton, and so with that land there’s a lot of pressure just from growth.”

Visser, a third-generation farmer, says he’s accumulated acres over the years, all of which are paid for, but if his operation were to buy another quarter section, they wouldn’t be able to make that land work for him with regard to capital costs.

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/ grainews.ca FEBRUARY 10, 2015

Features Crop protection

Keep wildlife away from bags As grain bags become more popular and are in use for more time, farmers are looking for new ways to keep wildlife away from their grain

By Stephanie Grace

T photo: bailey enns

Because bags are most likely to be damaged at the ends, one farmer suggests, contrary to manufacturer’s directions, placing the middle of the bag at the crown of a hill, to reduce the risk of water running in and along the entire bag.

he amount of grain being stored in bags has increased greatly in recent years. This winter, producers are faced with the task of preventing damage to the 2014 crop still stored in bags. Many producers are asking what the most effective, simplest and economical means of reducing damage are because, as one farmer said, “It’s not just the upfront cost of spoiled and downgraded grain; there are a lot of hidden costs in moving grain from the field, repairing bags, fencing and so on.” While each

farm faces unique challenges, some methods do seem especially effective. The key, some say, is to start early and train the wildlife through consistent maintenance and monitoring.

One Peace Country farmer said his management practices were copied from a fellow producer who has a great deal of experience raising wild game such as bison, elk and deer. He said his method is to, “Put up fences immediately after each bag is full to provide the best training before the cold and snow reduces the effectiveness of electric fencers.”

Wildlife are much more eas-

ily trained to avoid fences when alternative feed sources are readily available during the time between the end of harvest and the beginning of winter. Keeping any holes patched and spills cleaned up also helps to avoid attracting animals to bags. The fences he uses consist of a single fence with three strands of electric wire (powered by a high-voltage, solar fencer) placed about a foot away from the bag. These temporary fences are fast and easy to build and successfully train deer and bears to avoid fences when they try to reach through. Deer will not jump these relatively short fences (approximately four to five feet), as they would land on the bag.

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Electric fences work well for deer and bears, but farmers say these measures are less effective for elk and obviously don’t work at all for ravens. Bird-scare cannons seem to be an effective means to deter herds of elk, but ravens require a different approach. Rumour has it that a practical alternative to reduce raven damage is to hang a dead one from the surrounding fence or cover the tops of bags with net wrap.

Start early and train the wildlife For those who need to store grain for longer periods of time, an effective and largely maintenance-free option is using bale fences to surround areas. Bale fences have the added advantage of deterring ravens, possibly because they cannot view approaching predators, but it is still advisable to check these fences periodically as deer seem to be especially notorious for squeezing through tight spaces to access feed as winter drags on.

One drawback to this method is the mice that bales attract, especially if bags are left in the field until spring, the damage may be difficult to detect.

One final note that a Peace Country producer shared is that, “Bags are most likely to be damaged at the ends, so contrary to the bagger manufacturer’s directions, placing the middle of the bag at the crown of a hill reduces the risk of water running in and along the entire bag.” Grain bags are a great way to store grain without needing to build costly bins, but just like bin storage, bags do present some unique challenges.

If you have to store grain in bags, start training early to keep wildlife out before their regular feed sources become scarce. † Stephanie Grace is a writer and student from B.C.’s Peace River country. For more from Stephanie or to contact her, please visit her website at www.stephaniegrace.org.

FEBRUARY 10, 2015 grainews.ca /

11

Features Grain storage

Defend against deer with a 3-D fence When tried and true methods just don’t work, a 3-D fence can keep deer out

By Kevin Elmy

W

ith the increasing number of grain bags in the countryside, deer have learned that there is a feast waiting for them in grain bags. Once a bag is opened, other animals join the buffet. Never mind what gets eaten, but storage losses from moisture entering the bags, excreta, downgrading factors and foreign material add up in a hurry.

Scare crows, boom cannons, and other deterrents have been tried, but none seem to work effectively over time.

One option is to create a 3-D fence around the grain bags.

This will create a physical barrier around the bags to keep animals from sneaking through and starting to damage the bag.

Deer are excellent at seeing in two dimensions at long range.

At close range, their depth perception is diminished. The key is to set up two electric fence wires, one hot, one grounded or hot and then a separate hot wire about 30 to 36 feet (75 cm to 1 metre) outside of the

two wire fence. On the inside fence, the top hot wire should be about 24 to 30 feet (60 to 90 cm) off the ground, while the lower wire should be around 10 to 14 feet (25 to 35 cm) off the ground. The second fence, the wire should be between the other two wires for height, say 18 to 22 feet (45 to 55 cm) high.

Gallagher Fencing has two products, B10 and B11 Energizer that runs on six ‘D’ batteries, which lasts for three months, or a 12 V battery. It will energize just over a half mile (one km) of fence. The key is to have a good ground, so having a three foot galvanized ground rod into the ground before freeze up would be advantageous. Using fibreglass posts or rebar and screw-on rod insulators would give the most flexibility of creating the fence.

As the snow gets deeper, the insulators can be moved up the post to maintain proper ground clearance to keep the animals out.

The wire For the wire, there are options.

Wire is ugly to handle, but it transmits electricity the best. Wire

is usually used in more permanent situations.

Polywire can work well and is easy to work with. It can be ordered on a reel, so when you need it, unroll what you need, when you are done, wind it up.

The problem with it is, like wire, is hard to see so without extra flagging on it, someone might drive through it.

Tape is another option. It is visible and like polywire, rolls nicely. The issue is that when it flaps in the wind it may wear and short out.

Going to a rope type gives a longer life (about 25 years), still is nicer to handle than wire.

Visibility is still relatively low for vehicles so it should be flagged.

The other negative, it is bulkier than the tape or polywire so the reel will be larger for the rope.

Once it is up, as long as electricity is flowing through, it should keep animals out. If smaller animals are getting through and creating damage, add another hot or ground wire on the inside fence, giving you a least two hot wires.

Having something conductive flapping on the fence will bring in the curious animals to sniff

graphic: courtesy of gallagher power fencing systems inc.

The key is to set up two electric fence wires, one hot, one grounded or hot and then a separate hot wire about 30 to 36 feet (75 cm to 1 metre) outside of the two wire fence. it. Once the nose touches, their appetite disappears, and they have a good memory. As for ravens and other birds, there is netting used for berry farms, electrical poultry nets, all creating more work.

This is another way to try to protect your grain piles. It will work for other things that you

want to protect, like shelter belts, fruit trees, and hay bales. It is a cost effective and flexible system to control animals. † Kevin Elmy operates Friendly Acres Seed Farm, along with his wife, Christina, and parents, Robert and Verene, near Saltcoats, Sask. Contact him at 306-744-2779 or visit www.friendlyacres.sk.ca

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Features Grain storage

Made-in-Sask. grain bag roller Grain bags are a great affordable, temporary solution to your grain storage problems. Until it’s time to get rid of them. Here’s a new solution

By Andrea Hilderman

G

rain bags have increased in popularity over the last few years.

Grain bags are a relatively inexpensive temporary storage option that offer a number of benefits. One downside, however, is what to do with the bag once it is unloaded. There’s almost 300 pound of agricultural plastic film in one bag. Add to that some grain left behind and each bag adds up to a lot of waste.

This problem was not lost on the Brown brothers, Jason, Jeff, Mike and Brady. They farm grain, pulses and oilseeds

with their father at Milestone, Saskatchewan. “We had the same problem as every farmer using grain bags — how do we dispose of them?” says Brady Brown.

“They blow around if you don’t get them gathered up. Burning them is not a good idea at all. So we started looking for another way to deal with them.”

The Brown brothers also have a winter business in Brown Bros.

Welding and Fabrication. So, they took their problem with grain bag disposal into the shop in the winter. “We found an irrigation plastic roller, a lighter, smallish roller and used that as a guide to design and fabricate what eventually became

our grain bag roller.” The Brown brothers knew they needed a sturdy roller that could stand up to the work of rolling grain bags. They also incorporated a tying mechanism using baler twine so the operation to roll and tie the used bags was completed in one operation.

“We mounted the grain bag roller on a trailer,” says Brown.

“We haul it to where we are unloading bags and roll them right away. The bags are hauled in right on the trailer and we take care of disposal when we have time. A 250 to 400 pound plastic bale is not going to blow away anywhere until we decide to move it.”

The Brown brothers posted a video on Youtube.com showing the grain bag roller in operation, and their website, www.brownbroswelding.com, has pictures of the roller, and you can see the skid steer mounted option for the grain bag roller. “There is the option to mount the roller for operation from a skid steer,” says Brown.

“However, our own experience is that most guys favour the trailermounted option as it makes transporting the rolled bags easier.”

The Brown brothers are selling grain bag rollers in all three Prairie provinces. They have also found a market in the oil industry, rolling frack pond liners. Frack pond lin-

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ers are about three times the thickness of grain bags so the Brown brothers built an even heavier duty roller for that application.

Disposing of grain bags Where do farmers dispose of used grain bags? They could be hauled to the landfill but that is becoming more difficult. They could be buried on the farm. Burning is illegal. Highly toxic and carcinogenic chemicals are released into the environment when plastics are burned at low temperatures such as seen in a burn barrel. A better solution was needed.

The Provincial Council of Agriculture, Development and Diversification Boards in Saskatchewan, now known as SimplyAg Solutions Inc., is a nonprofit whose mandate is to provide education, programming and information to the Saskatchewan agriculture industry. They have numerous partners, including government.

Grain bag recycling in the province is one of their projects.

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“We piloted the project in 2011,” says Travis Quirk, ag plastics co-ordinator at SimplyAg Solutions Inc. “Six grain bag rollers were purchased from Brown Bros. Welding and Fabrication and set up at six locations to compact the grain bags and provide a point from which to collect bags and bring them to a recycling depot. We also collected twine at this locations.”

The project has grown in scope and volume since the 2011 pilot.

Now, silage plastic and net wrap have been added for recycling.

“From the start of the pilot up until the end of March 2014 we collected 0.5 million pounds of plastic grain bags,” says Quick.

“From April 2014 to date, we have collected two million pounds.

Not only are more people participating in the program, those farmers have more to recycle.”

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FEBRUARY 10, 2015 grainews.ca /

13

Features

photos: brown bros. welding and fabrication

There’s almost 300 pounds of agricultural plastic film in one grain bag. The Brown brothers knew they needed a sturdy roller that could stand up to the work of rolling them, so they took the problem out to their shop. To make their roller work, they incorporated a tying mechanism using baler twine so the operation to roll and tie the used bags was completed in one operation. a very versatile plastic. “A low density polyethylene plastic that is relatively clean is pretty desirable,” says Quick. “It’s recycled into things like household garbage bags and plastic lumber.”

The recycled market is not yet enough to sustain the program although the demand is there, so it still receives funding from various sources including Growing Forward. For more information on the recycling program and to sign up for various events go to www.simplyag.ca or contact Travis Quirk at 1-866-298-7222.

Grain bag recycling programs are available in Alberta administered by counties. In Manitoba, cleanFARMS, another nonprofit industry stewardship organization, is conducting recycling pilots. “We are receiving funding from Green Manitoba,” says Shane Hedderson, project manager at cleanFarms. “They are a special operating agency of the government in Manitoba and their mandate is to provide programs to reduce waste. The work we are doing will reduce plastic waste on farm.” Information on programming for 2015 will be available on cleanFarm’s website in the New Year. “We are planning to have two blitz-style collections in spring and fall,” says Hedderson. “There will be six sites across the province.

From these pilot programs we hope to iron out the logistics of getting the plastics from the farm to the collection point and shipped on into the recycling market.” †

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Features Farm management

Knowing production costs is important Calculating your costs to produce grain is an important part of marketing your production Lee Hart

H

aving a good handle on the production and marketing side of their south Saskatchewan farm is obviously important, but Jake Leguee says one of the most useful tools in overall management is knowing their breakeven point.

The Leguees keep close tabs on their inputs and returns per acre for each crop. While they obviously target optimum yields and the best price opportunities, if crop quality takes a hit or a market weakens, knowing their breakeven point helps to still keep a profit in sight.

“We spend a lot of time planning to grow the most profitable crops where they are most productive,” says Leguee, who along

with his parents, Russ and Sharon, and older sister Sarah, operates a 12,000 acre, grain, oilseed and pulse crop farm between Filmore and Weyburn. “It is disappointing to have down graded wheat due to fusarium head blight, for example, but if you know your cost of production and breakeven point for that crop, then perhaps you can still find a market that is going to earn you a profit.”

Leguee and his wife Stephanie are third generation on the family farm. It was a mixed farming operation for many years, but the cattle were sold in 2009. Today the threefamily farm focuses on producing canola, durum wheat, peas, lentils, soybeans, flax and winter wheat.

The Leguees have paid particular attention to the cost and returns

per acre for the past five years. The first step in planning, along with keeping a proper rotation in mind, is to select crops with the most market potential. And the next is to plan that production on fields best suited to a particular crop.

For example, they’ve decided not to grow any spring wheat in 2015. Disease is an issue and the market just isn’t favouring wheat this year. They do have 2,000 acres of winter wheat in the ground.

It worked well for them during the 2013-14 growing season, so planted it again last fall. Red lentils can produce a good return, but with successive years of excess moisture during the growing season, Leguee is careful to select fields with higher ground, better suited to the crop.

They’ve just started to work with soybeans. It is a crop that can handle the moisture and with lower inputs “is one of the easiest crops to grow,” says Leguee, but at the same time yields haven’t been what they’ve expected. They’ll keep trying them, but Leguee is looking forward to the development of earlier maturing (lower heat unit) varieties.

The farm follows a direct seeding, minimum tillage approach to crop production. In areas with heavy cereal crop stubble they make one pass with a Salford vertical tillage tool in the fall, which does little soil disturbance, but does help to breakdown crop residue. In the spring they apply a pre-seeding glyphosate treatment,

and depending on the weed mix and the field it may be tank mixed with other herbicides for specific weed control.

With their fertility program they follow soil test recommendations to determine fertilizer rates. They are beginning to work with variable rate fertilizer technology (VRT) application in order to be more efficient with fertilizer inputs.

With both deeded and rented land, they so far have developed VRT for about 20 per cent of their own land.

“We have a lot of solenetzic soils which has a limit in yield potential,” says Leguee. “And generally there can be a lot of soil variability over the acres we farm.”

Variable rate technology Working with private agronomist Marilyn Kot of Green Acres Tech at Frances, Sask., they have developed VRT prescriptions. On selected fields, mapped out with up to five different production zones, they apply about 80 per cent of the recommended fertilizer rate at time of seeding. And then as the growing season progresses they use VRT to top up with liquid fertilizer.

“We have been working with this for a couple years and are still in the experimental stage,” says Leguee. “We may take it to the whole farm, but we want to evaluate it further. The whole idea is to try and optimize inputs and hopefully increase yields.”

Small-seeded crops such as canola and flax are seeded with a SeedMaster seeding system, while cereals and pulse crops are seeded with a John Deere hoe drill.

On-board monitors keep track of fertilizer and crop seeding rates and those figures are later compared with the amounts actually bought.

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“We maintain good records for the whole farm which gives us a very good picture of the actual input cost per acre for each crop seeded,” he says. At the end of the season they collect yield data from combine monitors and also compare that to the new crop inventory stored in grain bins or grain bags.

Reviewing their costs and yields per acre per crop along with market outlooks helps them determine their seeding plan for the coming year. “We spend a lot of time deciding which crops to grow on which fields for the best return,” says Leguee. “We identify those areas where crops will or won’t work and probably drop those crops that are the least profitable per acre.”

Crop planning also has to include good agronomic practices.

Particularly with increasing disease pressure often fostered by wet and humid growing season conditions, the plan has to consider proper crop rotation. Fusarium head blight in wheat, blackleg and sclerotinia in canola, sclerotinia in

FEBRUARY 10, 2015 grainews.ca /

15

Features

Young farmer connects to the world on social media

I

photo: lee hart

Jake Leguee, who along with his parents, Russ and Sharon, and older sister Sarah, operates a 12,000 acre grain, oilseed and pulse crop farm between Filmore and Weyburn, Sask. lentils and root rots in peas can all be a factor depending on growing season conditions. Fungicides are used as needed.

“We try to follow a proper crop rotation to reduce the risk of disease development,” says Leguee. “And we also work with an outside agronomist who helps us with fertilizer recommendations, field scouting and herbicide selection. Rotation and crop diversity is important to minimize disease risk. We aim to have a timely application of herbicides and follow a proper rotation with those products, and so far we have been able to avoid any herbicide resistance issues.

The plan ahead for the farm is just more fine-tuning, says Leguee.

“We have the land base to support three households, so we are not looking to grow more acres, but to grow production on the acres we have. We need to properly manage the agronomic side to optimize yields, and then make good marketing decisions, to maximize returns. We need to manage cash flow to make the farm business as financially solid as possible — it is about managing crops for more profitability.” † Lee Hart is a field editor for Grainews in Calgary, Contact him at 403-592-1964 or by email at lee@fbcpublishing.com.

f you want know how the farm year is progressing in the Filmore area of southern Saskatchewan, check out Jake Leguee’s blog at southsaskfarmer.com.

The young Saskatchewan farmer has been writing about farm life for the past couple years. It’s not a lot of drama or earth-shattering news, but just about the every day trials, tribulations and successes of being part of a 12,000-acre family farm on the Canadian prairies. His blog, “A year in the life of a farmer,” is aptly named.

“I write the blog mostly for myself,” says Leguee, 27.

“Personally it is just a good outlet for me to talk about what we do here every day, and also to share some thoughts on issues affecting the agriculture industry.” He has a new blog post once or twice a month.

“Part of it is also a way to connect with other farmers and to explain to people who don’t farm what agriculture is all about, “ says Leguee. “A lot of people think once the crop is in the bin in October that you are done for the year. But in reality this is not just a seaT:10.25” sonal industry as some people

photo: lee hart

This photo posted on Jake Leguee’s blog last fall shows part of the harvest crew. From left: Jake’s wife Stephanie, Jake, brother-in-law Erik, Leguee’s younger sister, Amber, his older sister Sarah, Jake’s parents Russ and Sharon Leguee, and Dominika and Honzik (a Czech Republic couple who worked on the farm last year). think. When you’re not growing a crop you’re busy trying to market one or planning to grow the next one. And it is important that anyone who doesn’t farm is aware of that. There are other farmers who read it, but is intended to explain to people who aren’t farming why we do what we do.”

The University of Saskatchewan graduate with a degree in agronomy, who also works as an agronomist for the local Top Notch Farm Supply in Fillmore, when

he’s not out in his own fields, says he finds value in the social media connections. Along with the blog, he also has a Twitter account, which helps him connect with a wide range of people all over the world.

“I actually get a lot of valuable information from Twitter,” he says. “I am connecting with quite a few other farmers and there is a back and forth flow of information.” Follow him on Twitter at: @legueefarms. † Lee Hart

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Features Farm management

Friendly Acres’ 2014 wrap up Regular Grainews contributor Kevin Elmy sums up 2014 at his east-central Saskatchewan farm

By Kevin Elmy

I

am tired of rubber boots. This was Year 5 of well-abovegrowing-season rainfall.

May started off with lots of water. The plan was to seed soybeans, grazing corn, a grain corn trial, brown mustard, spring triticale and cover crops. By the end of May, we had seeded 600 acres of soybeans, 1/3 of an acre of grain corn trial, and six acres of grazing corn (we’d intended 35). A field of alfalfa was to be taken out and into cover crop, and our sainfoin field was still producing.

On November 2013, we dormant-seeded 150 acres of alfalfa into canola stubble and cover crop. Canola has exited our crop-

ping plans. Just because we had made money in the past, the risk is not worth growing it.

From the last couple of years’ experience, we do not like or want to mud a crop in. If we mud it in, we are only two inches of rain away from having it drown out.

The next plan was to seed a cover crop into the unseeded acres, use moisture, create vertical drainage into the soil, recapture nutrients leached into the soil, or potentially off the field, and create stubble to seed winter triticale into.

June was a write off for trying to seed anything because of frequent rains. Then June 28 rolled around.

Seven inches of rain overnight.

Water stopped running across our fields by the middle of July. The one

dormant seeded alfalfa field was set back with the flooding, and foxtail barley took over so we worked it under. Two acres of our six acres of grazing corn flooded out.

Haying season resulted in getting stuck once, I got smart quick, but left some lower areas. The first year alfalfa looked like a field of sow thistle, but underneath we got a good catch of alfalfa. It didn’t get cut as early as I would have liked, but it got done.

We had 120 acres that we could not get to prior to the showers.

By the end of July it as overgrown with foxtail barley. The only option we saw was to disk it under with a 14-foot disk. It proved to be an adventure, like everything else — we got stuck numerous times.

With the drier conditions during end of July and early August, the soil dried out enough to allow us to seed cover crops.

We seeded 120 acres of straight tillage radish and 425 acres of a blend of tillage radish, red proso millet, sorghum sudangrass, crimson clover and sunflower the first 10 days of August.

Our initial goal was to get a cut of greenfeed off of the five-crop blend, but Mother Nature had other plans.

The straight tillage radish crop was seeded to see if it would smother out weeds.

Tillage radish is a crop unlike any other. If it grows for more than six weeks without a frost, clipping, mowing, or graze, it will bolt and want to flower. Cutting the plant

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resets its clock. If a frost occurs, the plant will stop trying to be a spring annual to become a winter annual.

As a spring annual, it will bolt, flower and try to produce seed. As a winter annual, it will produce a larger root and tuber to store nutrients and energy so the plant and try to overwinter. Three nights of -9 C kills the plant. If it has bolted, it will be harder to work with because the bolted plant will have more lignin in the stem.

The key is to seed tillage radish within six weeks of frost. At a six to eight pound seeding rate, it will cover the ground after three weeks, assuming there is moisture.

Until the snow got too deep too see the radish by the end of November, they were still green.

The tubers were from one to three inches in diameter, six to 12 inches long.

We got some Luoma winter triticale seeded into the cover crop land. Tillage radish got a little too leafy for my liking but made it work. Next year, I will include more sunflowers in a blend that we are using as a cover crop. We like how it gets quick height, has better salinity tolerance and is killed with the first frost.

Corn grazing did not last long.

20 animals cleaned up the four acres in 30 days. Corn does not like to be flooded. Since there was too much variability in production, this is the first year we will not generate any yield data off of our corn. Where it stayed out of the water, it did well.

Soybean harvest was delayed due to the late September rains, but went smoothly. Early optimism was dashed when we went from the higher land to the lower land. The higher land was yielding between 35 and 50 bushels per acre. Lower land that got extra water ran around 10. Overall we had a 28 bushel per acre average, 38 per cent protein and 19 per cent oil.

Next year, if Drew Lerner’s early 2015 prediction is correct, may get us back into our normal rotation. We will give Azuki beans one more chance and I am looking for some sesame to try. Canola still is not on my list of crops to grow.

Keeping on with soybeans, alfalfa, sainfoin, grazing corn, and winter triticale. † Kevin Elmy operates Friendly Acres Seed Farm, along with his wife, Christina, and parents, Robert and Verene, near Saltcoats, Sask. Contact him at 306-744-2779 or visit www.friendlyacres.sk.ca

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photo: kevin elmy

Kevin Elmy is tired of wearing rubber boots.

FEBRUARY 10, 2015 grainews.ca /

17

Columns App Quest

The iForeman grain cart scale app If you’re using the Avery Weigh-Tronix SmartLoad system, take advantage of this free app Jay Peterson

I

f you have read any of my previous articles you will know that I am a fan of consolidating data onto my smart devices. Avery Weigh-Tronix has a product to accomplish that task for grain carts with their iForeman application for Apple iOS supported devices.

This app lets you wirelessly track all your cart and trucking operations, and moving grain into the bin, from the comfort of your Apple devices while also eliminating the need for in-cab wires or a scale monitor/printer.

The first question that usually comes up when adding a wireless component to any piece of equipment is the “how.” Downloading and attaching apps to the equipment once it is set up is the easy part. This set up is about as plugand-play as you can get with a piece of farm machinery.

You need an i60 serial processor from Weigh-Tronix. This plugs into the junction box connected to the weigh bar and is mounted in your most convenient location on the cart. This takes the signal from the junction box and turns it into a Bluetooth signal that is wirelessly transmitted in a 400-foot radius around the i60 processor. Connect your smart product to this signal, fire up the app and you are on your way. One of the great benefits of the i60 is that you can connect to it from an unlimited number of device. This means that all the combine or truck operators can keep track of all this information.

It also allows things such as yield calibration in combines or just the general monitoring of load weights for the trucks.

C

M

Y

Using the app

CM

MY

The app has a very easy to use touch-and-go interface with a pleasant green background.

I suggest using a stand-alone smart product with this app like an iPad mini or just a regular iPad. That way, you can make sure all the information is properly recorded.

The main display acts just like a regular scale monitor — seamlessly showing what is in, added to or removed from the cart. Crop moisture, temperature and bushel weight are also inputs you can add to make your tracking operations more accurate. These inputs are located just above the task bar at the bottom of the task bar at the bottom of the display screen and can be changed simply by touching them and inputting a new value.

One thing this app tracks — unlike a conventional scale — is the field, truck and bin. Once these parameters are set up, the app will automatically record all the transactions for those parameters. When something changes, just select or add the new parameter and let the iForeman do the recording work for you. The field, truck and destination selections of this app can be changed by selecting the icon in the task bar.

These are definitely handy fea- voltage of the processor is also tures for tracking production for available in case trouble shooting either crop share rental purposes is needed in the occasion that the or crop insurance needs where the app, processor or scale is not workmore documentation you have the ing correctly.

The iForeman is a great addition better. The documentation that iForeman produces can also be eas- to any Avery Weigh-Tronix scale ily emailed out and then printed for package with its simple set up paper copies of your records as well. and easy to use interface. Anytime The iForeman also allows you you can gain this much informato work with the units you like tion digitally that automatically as well. In the settings menu you records you will never go wrong. can select from the most common With the iForeman you can give units for weight and temperature. an information edge to not only You can even change the year, to your cart, combine and truck opertrack-year-by-year weights coming ators but accurately track your off of the land and note where it production from the field, to the all was stored. iForeman also allows truck and into the bin.

Cost: Free. But this app is not the general cart calibrations and Android. 2:49 † PM zeroing we are all accustomed to available1 for2014-10-02 NSG CA Print Ad Moosomin 8.125x10.pdf in the device menu. The battery Jay Peterson farms near Frontier, Sask.

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/ grainews.ca FEBRUARY 10, 2015

Columns Farm financial planner

Bachelor farmer seeks retirement plan With no spouse and no children to take over the farm, this single farmer needs to decide when he can retire, then create his retirement and inheritance plan

By Andrew Allentuck

F

red, as we’ll call him, has farmed in central Manitoba for four decades, often adding to farm income by working for his neighbours. Over time, he has sold off parcels of his operation — once 480 acres — and is now down to 160 acres. He uses his land for producing hay, custom grazing and feeding his own herd of cows which varies from 50 to 200 head, depending on the price of calves and what he thinks he can get for cows in spring. Now age 61, he looks back at what he has built, what it will take to retire, and how to structure his business to make retirement feasible.

Fred’s operation has had a bumpy ride. In 2003, he was devastated by the BSE crisis. Feed was too expensive that winter, so he sold his entire herd at a $100,000 loss.

With fewer cows to feed, he decided to sell 320 acres of land in 2004. The decision was tough, for he could have sold his RRSPs to get cash to keep the herd going. Sale of RRSP assets would have attracted tax. Selling the cows at a loss was his best move at the time.

The present farm with 160 acres of land for hay and grazing now supports 50 cows. Fred adds 10 to 20 cows each season to increase the herd. That has allowed him to cut back the hours he works for his neighbours and to build up $75,000 equity, which he uses as working capital for the feeding business.

Fred went to see Don Forbes and Erik Forbes of Don Forbes Associates/Armstrong & Quaile Inc. in Carberry, Manitoba to determine when he might be able to retire with an assurance of being able to have $2,000 a month after tax.

Getting to retirement Fred’s largest asset at present is his $210,000 of mutual funds divvied up into technology and growth stocks and resource plays.

He pays more than average 2.6 per cent management fees for these funds which, because of their narrow focus on individual and currently declining sectors are more volatile than broad market funds.

His portfolio has produced a long term average return of 8.5 per cent for the last 10 years, but it’s been a roller coaster ride. First move, Don Forbes suggests, is to move money into broader funds with lower fees.

Many low cost managed funds with fees of no more than one per cent a year are available, Don notes. The selection includes large cap, dividend paying familiar names and investment grade bond funds. Investment grade bonds issued by the Government of Canada and provincial governments tend to rise in price when stocks fall, thus providing stability to the portfolio. The goal is to create a portfolio with acceptable risk. “While higher risk funds may produce the best overall rates of return, they can be less beneficial for income and,

when markets drop, frightened investors tend to sell, reducing their future returns,” Don Forbes explains. Diversification among asset classes tends to stabilize portfolios and to allow investors to ride out falling markets with a degree of peace of mind.

Fred could retire at 61. If his RRSP were converted to a RRIF, it would produce an average of $12,000 a year for the next three decades, Erik Forbes estimates, with actual payments climbing from 3.45 per cent of portfolio value at Fred’s age 61 to 20 per cent of portfolio value at age 94. Fred’s other source of income will be Canada Pension Plan benefits which will be $520 per month if he takes it at 61.

However, he can afford to wait to age 65. If he does that, he would have payments of 64 per cent of the present maximum of $1,065 a month or about $720 a month.

He can afford to wait and should do so, Don Forbes recommends.

Postponing application will work if Fred’s farm operation can make up the difference, that is, pay about as much as CPP at age 61.

Fred has $75,000 of equity tied up in his cattle feeding business.

He could liquidate and then put the total limit as of 2015, $36,500, into a Tax-Free Savings Account.

He has no TFSA at present. The remaining $33,500 could be invested in a taxable investment account or used to replace his old half-ton pickup.

There is a final question of Fred’s legacy. He has neither children nor spouse. His remaining 160 acres of farmland should be sold. It would bring about $288,000. He should qualify for the farmland capital gains credit, meaning that he would keep all the money from the sale.

Timing is everything If Fred retires this year at age 61, his income will be $1,000 a month from his RRIF, $520 a month from CPP, $300 in farm income if his land is not sold for total income of $1,820 a month. He would pay 12 per cent average income tax and have $1,600 a month to spend.

That’s 20 per cent below his $2,000 monthly after tax retirement income target.

If Fred delays retirement to 65, he would have $1,500 a month RRIF income depending on By jonny hawkins

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“Postmodern Farmers”

growth of its investments $720 a month from CPP, $564 from Old Age Security and $500 a month projected income from renting his 160 acres. That’s a total of $3,284 a month or $39,408 a year. After 18 per cent average Manitoba and federal income tax, he would have $2,700 a month to spend, well above his $2,000 after tax monthly target.

Fred could retire at 61 It would be possible for Fred to boost his income by doing part time work in retirement and thus reducing his draw on financial assets. The advantage to continuing working is that he will need to draw less and thus may be

able to extend the payout period of his assets. If he also is able to increase the cash flow from his investments by shifting from risky growth stocks held in high fee mutual funds to low risk, dividend rich investments his liquidity can grow. A financial adviser could help make this transition from high cost to low cost funds.

With time on his hands, Fred could also take a do-it-yourself approach and study capital markets, stocks, economics and so on so that he will be more the master of his financial fate and less a victim of it, Don Forbes suggests.

Considerations for singles The Income Tax Act could be said to be unfair to single persons. Fred cannot share costs or split eligible pension income such as Registered Retirement Income Fund payouts with a spouse or anyone else in an equivalent to married situation. He

cannot use the typically younger age of a spouse to reduce and extend RRIF benefits.

Given his lack of beneficiary, Fred should think of distant family members, charities or other good causes to endow at the end of his life. Certain property can be predonated as well in exchange for tax-deductible donation receipts from qualified charities. A will is an essential instrument for achieving these goals. Along with a will, Fred should have a health directive drafted to instruct a trusted person on how funeral and estate matters should be handled.

“This case shows that you don’t have to be wealthy to have a secure retirement,” Don Forbes says. “If you keep your retirement needs to $2,700 a month after tax, your present assets, with modest growth, will support you to age 95.” † Andrew Allentuck’s latest book, “When Can I Retire? Planning Your Financial Life After Work,” was published by Penguin Canada in 2011.

FEBRUARY 10, 2015 grainews.ca /

19

Columns Understanding market bulls and bears

Is the basis a fair deal for farmers?

Changing basis levels at local elevators can leave farmers wondering if today’s markets are working fairly or not. Learn more about what you can learn from basis Brian wittal

W

ith current wheat basis levels, are we being ripped off?

This is a question many farmers have asked over the past couple of years, since the demise of the Canadian Wheat Board as a central marketing agency, and even more so this last year when we saw basis levels go to historically wide levels due to weather and market problems across the Prairies.

Let’s review the situation with wheat as it was and as it is today to shed some light on what a basis is and how it should work in today’s marketplace.

Back when the CWB was “The Single Desk Seller” of wheat, you were provided with a pooled basis.

This pooled basis was determined by the CWB, taking into consideration what they believed their costs to market and sell wheat would be for that particular pooling period.

They would average the cost over time and offer farmers the average basis. Seeing as the CWB had the monopoly control to sell the wheat there was no immediate competition, so the CWB did not need to adjust its basis very often, if at all, during the pooling periods.

The CWB controlled the flow of grain through contract acceptance. Grain companies would take the grain in if they had space and, or when they had shipping for that grain. They would buy the grain from the farmer on the CWB’s behalf, and the CWB paid the grain companies storage for holding the grain in their facilities until it was shipped. The grain companies did not have cash tied up buying CWB grains as they were reimbursed relatively quickly by the CWB, once inventory and

purchase reports were filed. They made money by handling and storing grains for the CWB, which was a big part of their revenues each year.

Basis now truly reflects what is happening The new world Since the demise of the monopoly powers of the CWB, we now have numerous grain companies competing with one another to sell the grains they buy. They are also competing against one another to buy grain from you to meet their sales. Which company is successful in the bid to fill a sale will play a big part in what you see for basis levels at elevator facilities in the country.

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If the nearby (sooner) basis is better than the forward (further in the future) basis, that is telling you there is an immediate need for grain to meet sales now.

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How has this impacted wheat basis levels and why?

Basis has moved from being a relatively static number based on an averaging of sales costs in a pooling environment to being the gate keeper to control the flow of grains in and out of our grain handling system.

What do I mean by that?

In today’s world, grain companies must take ownership of the grain and put up their own cash to buy wheat from farmers to fill the sales that they have made. They don’t get paid for storage when they’re holding grain, like they used to from the CWB. These factors add risk and costs to the grain companies’ bottom lines.

To best manage their cash flow, sales needs and facility space utilization, grain companies need to control the flow of grain they buy through managing the basis levels they offer farmers.

If grain companies don’t have sales to fill they don’t need to buy grain from farmers —this will just eat into their cash flow and take up space in their facilities. The best way for them to discourage farmers from selling grain is to widen out the basis to the point where farmers refuse to sell. Conversely if they need grain to meet a sale they will narrow the basis to attract deliveries to cover their sales commitments.

Grain companies will use basis to help protect them against future potential sales. If futures markets are rallying but grain companies don’t have sales to fill, they will widen their basis out to stop farmers from selling — they don’t want to own grain in a rally if they aren’t sure they can sell it later for a profit. If farmers still sell at those high basis levels, then the grain companies are making extra margin to protect themselves in the event that they end up selling the grain later into a lower priced market.

Grain companies buy and sell wheat based on U.S. wheat futures markets. The only way they can differentiate themselves from one another when buying grain is to vary their basis levels.

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If the nearby basis is worse than the forward basis, the nearby needs have been filled and they want you to contract grain for future delivery when they have sales to fill.

If there is a wide variability in the basis levels offered by different grain companies, that is often due to the fact that one company has made a sale and another company did not. Or one company’s sale is a lower price, so they must set their basis accordingly to fill those sales.

There will always be some variability in basis levels between companies and/or different delivery points within a company due to rail freight rates and handling charges.

Where things can get confusing is when you are comparing basis levels between companies.

They sometimes quote different grades, making it hard to compare apples to apples.

Most grain companies use No. 1 CWRS 13.5 per cent as their base pricing grade while others use No. 1 CWRS 13 per cent or No. 2 CWRS 12.5 per cent or 13 per cent as their base pricing grades.

To compare properly, you need to ask for the current grade and protein spreads, then do some quick math to be able to see who is offering the best basis and thus the best price. Or, ask them all to give you a price for the same grade and protein and save yourself the math exercise.

Basis levels: fair?

So to answer the original question, no, I don’t think you are being ripped off on wheat basis.

There is enough competition out there to keep grain companies adjusting basis levels constantly as their sales and the markets dictate.

Basis now truly reflects what is happening in the market place.

Watching basis levels closely and locking them in when they’re at attractive levels is the best way to keep from being forced to lock in a poor basis when they widen out. Grain companies may try to extract more profit by widening out their basis but competition and your due diligence to monitor basis levels will keep them in line.

Last winter’s historically wide basis levels were spurred on by a number of factors that came together in a perfect storm. Cold weather stalled out the rail transportation system which put grain companies at risk of not meeting sales commitments or losing future sales, plus paying demurrage costs on waiting vessels.

To protect themselves, they widened out the basis or refused to take deliveries until they felt they could continue doing business as usual. Basis did eventually come back down to more traditional levels after a few months, which shows that the marketplace is competitive.

It’s just unfortunate that the situation caused so much angst for so many across the entire industry. All we can do is hope we don’t experience a similar situation and that we’re better prepared to manage such a situation should it happen again. † 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).

20

/ grainews.ca FEBRUARY 10, 2015

Columns Soils and Crops

Water quality: Part 2 of a three-part series There is a lot of talk about water quality issues, but not all of the commonly-cited information is accurate

source: manitoba water stewardship

Figure 1. A widely used, but very misleading map, shown as Lake Winnipeg Watershed.

les henry

N

ote to readers: Before you read this article, I suggest you check back to page 14 of the April 15, 2013 issue of “Grainews.” The headline was “The Truth About Lake Winnipeg.” There will be some overlap with this piece.

Water quality There are many aspects to water quality. For irrigation use, salt content is the most important, for household washing hardness is a big deal. For drinking water, total minerals, especially sulphate, is an issue. Low nitrate is important, especially for babies.

The most important aspect of water quality for human consumption has nothing to do with chemistry — it’s the biology. The disaster of E. coli contamination of groundwater at Walkerton, Ontario and the parasites in North Battleford, Sask., water sharpened the focus on water. In the decade plus since those outbreaks, all water utilities and regulators have upped the game substantially to prevent future events of those types.

But the water quality issue we will deal with here is the issue with algal blooms on surface waters, particularly recreational lakes. It is now known that phosphorus is the main nutrient that is limiting in lakes. When the phosphorus level increases the algae have a picnic.

Back to the 70s: The Qu’Appelle River When environmental concerns became a concern, the Qu’Appelle system in Saskatchewan was the subject of a major study.

There were no intensive livestock operations at that time but Saskatchewan Agriculture did an inventory of all cows in the Valley. Some thought that all cows should be taken from upstream to keep the Qu’Appelle Lakes from getting algae in the hot “swimming” months.

The major study was completed and the results rest comfortably in a report in the government documents section of the University of Saskatchewan Library. It showed that over 90 per cent of the phosphorus in the lower Qu’Appelle system came from the cities of Regina and Moose Jaw. Shortly after that Moose Jaw converted to a sewage effluent irrigation system.

The big picture: Lake Winnipeg In the past decade the large and ugly algal blooms on Lake Winnipeg have been a topic of much discussion. Folks that rely on Lake Winnipeg for resources or very important summer activities are justifiably upset. It took me a long time to realize that very low levels of phosphorus are all it takes to create a problem.

So we must all be vigilant and do our part.

But let us first look at where that phosphorous comes from.

Figure 1 shows a widely used, but misleading map of the Lake Winnipeg Watershed.

A December 2006 report to the Manitoba Minister

of Water Stewardship entitled “Reducing Nutrient Loading to Lake Winnipeg and its Watershed” makes the following statement on page 13: “Within the Lake Winnipeg drainage basin, there are nearly 55 million hectares (jlh: 136 m acres) of farmland in the three Prairie provinces, of which more than half is under crop production and the vast majority is part of the Lake Winnipeg watershed.”

That statement is a very large misrepresentation of the actual situation.

Figure 2 shows non-contributing areas. All areas in red in Figure 2 do not contribute to external drainage, based on median annual runoff. In flat lands the area would be increased in high runoff years but even then very large areas have nothing to do with Lake Winnipeg. Large parts of “pothole country” have no connection to any external drainage.

The phosphorus load in Lake Winnipeg is sourced as follows: 47 per cent — Man. 33 per cent — the U.S. 12 per cent — Ont. 8 per cent — Sask./Alta.

Very little would be from Alberta.

This data comes from a presentation made by Mark Lee, Manitoba Water Stewardship, to the newly-minted Assiniboine River Basin Initiative.

Phosphorus loading is well documented and any sources should be made as small as possible. But the work must be concentrated where the problem originates.

For example, some recent research on the Pipestone Creek area of Saskatchewan has shown significant phosphorus losses from the field edge of bale grazing systems.

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21

Columns In dealing with water quality issues we must use a rifle approach, not a shotgun spring to follow the water to see if any of it even reached the Pipestone Creek, let alone Lake Winnipeg.

The first water body of concern on the Pipestone Creek should be Moosomin Lake. Lake Winnipeg is a long distance and many reservoir areas removed from the Pipestone.

Research on farm management practices to reduce phosphorus loss anywhere in the Canadian Prairies is simply too broad a brush and a waste of precious research funds.

Lake Winnipeg: The constipation theory

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The Nelson River is located at the northeast corner of Lake Winnipeg and drains the lake to Hudson Bay. But, Manitoba Hydro has several hydro dams along that drainage route.

Some folks claim that the flow restriction from the dams

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Figure 2. Map of non- contributing areas within the gross Lake Winnipeg watershed area. Original map produced by the former PFRA.

affects the residence time of water in the lake. That results in nutrient retention that “juices up” the algae.

I have no basis or facts on which to base any opinion on that theory.

Lake Diefenbaker In Saskatchewan we have three major dams on the Saskatchewan River system but Lake Diefenbaker is the most significant.

It is no surprise that Lake Diefenbaker is a stated priority for the University of Saskatchewan Global Institute of Water Security and the School of Environment and Sustainability. You can imagine my disappointment when I attended a grad student presentation dealing with phosphorous in Lake Diefenbaker. The project was trying to relate phosphorus levels in the Lake to fertilizer use statistics for the surrounding Saskatchewan crop districts.

The South Saskatchewan River in Saskatchewan is not even a river

— it is a canal. (Credit for this goes to Kevin Shook, who used the canal label in a talk recently).

Very little of the water in the South Saskatchewan River or Lake Diefenbaker is added in Saskatchewan — 98 per cent of the flow originates from Alberta via the Oldman, Bow and Red Deer Rivers. They all join to become the South Saskatchewan just before entering Saskatchewan.

After the disappointing seminar, a few mouse clicks provided the answers I was looking for.

In 1998: 87.5 per cent of phosphorus in the Oldman River came from the City of Lethbridge. In 2000, after tertiary treatment by Lethbridge, the phorphorus contribution to the Oldman River was reduced to 23.6 per cent.

Similar numbers can be obtained for Calgary and the Bow River. With that kind of reduction one might expect a reduction in phosphorus load to the South Sask.

In 2012 the newly minted Water Security Agency of Saskatchewan produced a report entitled “ State of Lake Diefenbaker: That report said this about nutrient loading: “Nitrogen and phosphorus have been measured since the late 1960s by the Prairie Provinces Water Board (PPWB) at their Alberta/Saskatchewan border sites on the South Saskatchewan River and the Red Deer River. The length of this record allows for assessment of long-term trends. … The PPWB recently undertook such an exercise and found slight but significant decreasing trends for total and dissolved phosphorus concentrations at both the Saskatchewan and Red Deer River sites.”

Given the Alberta data showing major reductions in phosphorus load by cities the decrease makes sense. The details of that statement should be provided.

Soils in feedlot alley in Alberta are extremely high in available phosphorus.

Alberta Agriculture and

Environment folks have done a lot of good work in documenting the phosphorus in soils, surface water and groundwater of that area. But, as yet I have not seen an actual phosphorus load factor for that specific area.

The Future In dealing with water quality issues we must use a rifle approach, not a shotgun. A quality problem must be traced back to the source(s) and dealt with at those sources. Describing non-point pollution as everywhere does not cut it. Generic research on an area that is not part of the problem is of little value. Water does run down hill and it can be traced. There has been a lot of doubtful research money spent on the basis that all of Canadian Prairie agriculture is somehow magically dumping all the way to Lake Winnipeg.

In Saskatchewan, Diefenbaker Lake is a priority for us, and monitoring work must be ramped up to at least what it was in the past. And, all information has to be readily available at the click of a mouse. Research work must first assemble and analyze all historic data. There is much useful data not being used.

The Assiniboine system is also a priority because what we do in Saskatchewan impacts Manitoba.

As Saskatchewan drafts new legislation to deal with drainage questions the Assiniboine system will be a major priority.

None of us know how long this wet cycle will last. By the time we become more adept at handling the excess Mother Nature may well turn off the tap. † 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 third 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, SK, S7H 3H7, and he will dispatch a signed book.

22

/ grainews.ca FEBRUARY 10, 2015

Columns Reporters notebook

Farm reporting has its charms For Lisa Guenther, farm reporting is more than just a job

By Lisa Guenther

B

ack when I was a teenager brimming with that special too-cool-for-you attitude, my friends’ mom tried to impart some basic agricultural knowledge. While chauffeuring us in the summer, she’d quiz us on the crop type in the fields as we whipped by.

My friends, who were growing up on a grain farm, were pretty adept at identifying crops, from what I remember. I was a ranch kid and couldn’t distinguish one green field from another on the fly. Although I was clearly hopeless, she displayed a Yoda-like patience. I doubt my 15-year-old self would have believed I’d someday be a farm reporter.

It turns out I enjoy farm reporting. Well, besides the threat of public gaffes that reveal I still know next to nothing about crops. Agriculture is a very diverse sector, filled with interesting people. I get to talk to farmers and ranchers, scientists, CEOs and commodity traders. I’ve covered stories in all three Prairie provinces and on both coasts.

Sometimes information sticks in my brain and I actually learn stuff.

Here are a few of my favourite experiences while working for Grainews and Country Guide.

Chicago Last winter, I talked to Tom Button, Country Guide editor, into letting me write some sort

of story on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT).

I loved the city of Chicago. The architecture, the art, the music, the laissez-faire attitude towards jaywalking downtown all warmed my heart.

Chicago also has a long history of agriculture and trading.

Farmers and merchants have been trading in the city since the 19th Century. In 1898, the Chicago Butter and Egg Board began offering contracts in ag commodities.

It then started offering futures and morphed into the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME).

Today CME Group runs the exchange out of an art deco skyscraper, built in the 1930s, in downtown Chicago. CME also

includes markets in New York and Kansas City.

When I tell people I visited Chicago’s trading floor, anyone who’s been to CBOT tells me I should have seen it back-inthe-day.

But early March 2014 turned out to be an interesting time to visit. For one thing, Russia was moving into the Crimea, and so commodity markets were lively.

And although the future pits are like ghost towns, traders filled the corn options pit. They waited quietly for the markets to open that morning. When a buzzer droned exactly at 8:30 a.m., they erupted.

Shouting. Hands flailing. A small taste of what the trading floor was once like.

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It was interesting to talk to CBOT veterans about electronic trading, especially since they were still in the middle of that change. They told me how electronic trading has shifted the culture of CBOT and changed the way people do business. It’s a complex picture.

I was feeling fairly intimidated about visiting CBOT because I know so little about markets.

And it seemed like an aggressive environment. But everyone I spoke to that day was respectful and seemed happy to talk about what they did. I really appreciated that.

I don’t cover markets on a regular basis. But visiting Chicago gave me a little better understanding of the markets and sparked an interest in the agriculture exchanges.

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I’m not sure what this says about me, but discovering that aphanomyces was lurking in my backyard was one of my more exciting professional moments.

Aphanomyces is a pathogen that causes root rot in peas and other legumes. Chickpeas are relatively tolerant, and some fababeans have resistance. Until fairly recently, it’s been largely undiagnosed in Western Canada because fusarium tends to move in after the initial infection.

I pulled in information from a range of sources for this story. There are scientists doing good work to further everyone’s understanding of the disease. But this story really highlighted how important farmers’ field observations are.

In 2012, Bernie McClean, a Medstead-area farmer, realized something was wrong with his peas early enough to get an accurate aphanomyces diagnosis. His neighbour, pedigreed seed grower Ed Seidle, observed the disease’s progression and possible links to its spread that year. Both Bernie and Ed are astute people willing to investigate what’s happening on their farms. I suspect Ed reads scientific journals the way some people read mysteries. When their knowledge is combined with research from universities and government, we can start to see some links to the disease, such as water-logged soil.

Farmers and scientists are still studying this disease, so I’m sure there will be much more to come.

There’s a lot of work to do, but hopefully they’ll come up with management practices and resistant varieties to rein in the infection.

Even after writing about aphanomyces last spring, it didn’t occur to me that I should plant my garden peas in new ground.

They yellowed part way through the summer. I pulled plants and found they had poor nodulation.

My amateur diagnosis was aphanomyces and/or fusarium.

Rotation, rotation, rotation.

Winnipeg in December Another highlight for me was an icy trip to Winnipeg in December 2014.

I rarely get to visit Winnipeg,

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Columns

photos: lisa guenther

Left: Lentil-enriched pasta in Cigi’s pasta plant. Cigi staff measure everything from colour to biting quality, through machines and taste panels. Right: A machine designed to measure the force needed to bite through a noodle at CGC. and if you’re interested in the agriculture industry, there’s a lot to see there. I went there specifically for Field on Wheels, an annual grain transportation conference. While I was there, I took a day to tour the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) and the Canadian International Grains Institute (Cigi). Both agencies are in the same mushroom-shaped building in downtown Winnipeg.

Whether you’re talking about grading grain or baking bread,

consistency seems to be the word. Customers don’t want to adjust their equipment or processes because they’re working with huge batches. They need to know that each shipment meets either the regulatory grades or their own specs, and they need to know how each variety and each year’s crop is going to perform.

There are many details that go into ensuring that consistency. For example, on the grading side, the lighting has to be stand-

ardized so it doesn’t throw off the colour. Each noodle market demands a certain colour and texture. Crumb structure is important in bread.

The other term that springs to mind is supply chain. What you do on the farm affects the final product, as does the weather, the varieties available to you, and many, many other links between the field and table.

The people at Cigi are finding new uses for Canadian crops. I T:10.25” Western Red learned that Canada

Winter (CWRW) is a good fit for steamed breads, popular in Asia.

CWRW’s low ash content makes for bright bread, which is what consumers in Asia want. And Cigi staffers are blending pulses into everything from pasta to snack foods. I took home a little package of rotini made with 25 per cent red lentil flour and it passed my taste test.

If you ever have a chance to visit Cigi and CGC, do it. Cigi brings in farmers through their three-day Combine to Customer

program over the winter. The program includes everything from variety development to grain grading to flour milling and customer requirements.

Agriculture is a complex industry that’s always changing. As a farmer said to me recently, the more you learn, the more you realize you don’t know. That makes it a challenging sector to work in, but also an interesting one. † Lisa Guenther is a field editor for Grainews based at Livelong, Sask. Contact her at Lisa.Guenther@ fbcpublishing.com or on Twitter @LtoG.

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Columns Kelly’s AgExpert Tips and tHings

Year end with AgExpert Analyst If your accountant uses AgExpert, learn how to create an accountant’s copy of your files at year end. Or, find out which AgExport reports to take to your accountant Kelly Airey

O

nce you have taken steps to prepare your data file for year-end and created a new fiscal year to work in, you’re ready to take the information to your accountant.

If your accountant uses AgExpert, you can simply send them a copy of your data file by creating an “Accountant’s Copy.” This allows your accountant to review and make necessary modifications and

adjustments in the old year, while you continue to work forward in the new year. When complete, your accountant can return the file back to you, so you can import any changes and notes that were made by your accountant.

Steps of “importing” that revised accountants copy will be covered in next article. If your accountant does not use AgExpert in their office, then I will provide you with a list of reports to send.

Making the accountant’s copy 1. In AgExpert, choose File> Create Accountant’s Copy.

2. Enter your divider date. This

divides the part you’ll be sending from the part of the file you’ll continue to work in. Tip: The divider date is usually the last date of the fiscal year.

In your copy of the file: On or before the dividing date, you can only view the transactions.

After the dividing date, you are free to add or edit transactions (including payroll) and keep working forward with your newyear data entry.

In the accountant’s copy of the data file: On or before the dividing date, your accountant can add or edit transactions (with the exception of payroll transactions.) After the dividing date, accountant can only view transactions.

3. Click save. The software then provides a link to the accountant’s copy of the data file.

The accountant’s copy of the file is automatically formatted with the file extension “.agacctransfer” and is usually placed in the Analyst/Data folder on your hard drive. Clicking on the blue link will take you directly to where the accountant’s copy is located.

From here you can move the file to another location, such as to a memory stick, to give to your accountant. You also have the option of picking the file from this location and emailing it as an attachment to your accountant.

4. Click “okay” to close the window. In the title bar of

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AgExpert at the very top, take note that it now displays your data file as “Client’s Copy” and displays the dividing date.

5. You may continue to enter data in the new year. When your accountant has made necessary changes to your old year in their accountant’s copy, they will send the file back to you, so you can import the changes into your data file.

Undoing the accountant’s copy 1. If, for any reason, you need to undo the accountant’s copy, click on File > Undo Accountant’s Copy. A warning message appears, saying that this will remove the restrictions on your file that prevent you from working on transactions on or before the divider date.

Tip: If your accountant is currently working on your file, you won’t be able to import any of their changes. However, if you haven’t sent the accountants copy to the accountant yet, and you want to make a change on or before the divider date, this is an easy way to undo the accountants copy.

3. Click yes to the confirmation message that appears, and the divider date and all restrictions will be removed from your data file.

3. When you’re ready to create another accountant’s copy, follow the above steps again.

What to take to your accountant If your accountant’s office does not use AgExpert, here is a list of reports you may need to send your accountant for income tax or to complete your financial statements. Go over this list with your accountant, and ask them which reports they require for your operation. Your accountant may already have a checklist of required documents to help you gather the required information at year end. Make sure to keep all your year-end source documents, such as year-end bank statements, readily available.

Under Reports > Report Console > Accountant Reports, you can generate these reports: 1. Cash-based income/expense report for income tax reporting 2. Cash-based general ledger for income tax reporting 3. Accrual-based detailed income/expense report for financial statement purposes 4. Trial balance report 5. Capital asset schedule report for sales and purchases 6. Detailed and summary inventory report 7. Advanced inventory detail (if your tracking for agristability) 8. If your accountant requires this, under Reports > Reports Console > receivables and payables summary and detail.

Next issue: Importing the accountant’s copy. † Kelly Airey is a producer and ag consultant in Western Manitoba. She offers software setups and training and discounts on software purchases. Contact Kelly at kelly. agconsulting@gmail.com or (204) 365-0136.

FEBRUARY 10, 2015 grainews.ca /

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Columns

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Off-farm investments

Oil and gold on different paths Oil and gold prices are moving in different directions, but Andy Sirski thinks their paths could soon reverse

ANDY SIRSKI

A

s I write this, on January 25, the price of oil has dropped over 50 per cent from its high last summer and may or may not be forming a bottom. The price of gold has had higher and higher lows and higher and higher highs since November. The price went through the normal ups and downs; peaked in February, 2014,bottomed in June, peaked in July and bottomed in November 2014.

Since then the price of gold has been moving higher from its November low of about $1,130 in spite of a higher and higher U.S. dollar and tax loss selling in late 2014.

What’s ahead?

I think sooner or later the price of oil will come back up. I don’t think it will climb to $100 per barrel any time soon, but odds are good that eventually the price will hit $100 and go higher. Here’s why: if this downturn lasts more than a few months a lot of oil producers will go belly up, broke and out of business.

They might not produce a lot of oil individually but the group does produce a lot of oil at the margin.

When supply is short just a little, it can move the price up a lot. If the supply is over demand just a little, it can drive the price down a lot.

To me all the matters is what the price is doing During an extended downturn even big companies will see their equipment age, their employee count drop and exploration for new supplies will drop. It will take time and money to get production going again. Some oil is being stored on big ships by speculators but that supply will be limited. The price of oil could spike up by $100 very quickly by, say, the next two years after the demand supply comes back into balance.

I personally won’t count on that prediction: to me all that matters is what the price is doing. So when the price of oil and oil stocks dropped through the 10-day moving average I sold out. I do not and will not

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a bit above the 10-dma. That should be a warning signal. Still, gold is in it seasonal period so I don’t expect a big drop, but ABX could drop to $11. I could have sold a call at $12.50, made some money and had some downside protection. I expect I will do that next week.

This is not likely to be a catastrophe but it might take a week or two to get back to profits.

As for going to cash, and doing smaller weekly trades, I have missed out on some capital gain but have also missed out on some losses. I’m not saying this is a strategy for you, but it sure is a relaxed way of making money for me.

Technical indicators I use a lot of technical indicators but I can distill them down to three readers who are not as “into them as I am.”

own any oil shares until I see a definite bottom. February often is a strong month for oil so we should be careful not to be fooled by a head fake rally.

Gold and silver The price of gold and silver has had higher and higher lows and higher and higher highs. Gold and silver are in season from about the end of December until the Chinese New Year. Of course, one of these years, when or if the world is facing extra huge fear or inflation, the seasonality may not work and the price of gold and silver could just keep going up and up like the gold bulls say it will. That is why I like to rely on the price for my buy or sell signals, not the calendar.

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In Switzerland Some time ago, the central bank in Switzerland decide to peg its currency to the Euro but as the Euro kept falling the cost of supporting the Swiss Franc became more and more expensive so, without warning, the Central Bank decide to end support. The Swiss Franc went up something like 20 per cent overnight so people went shopping in neighbouring countries where goods were suddenly cheaper. This higher Swiss franc value will hurt Swiss exporters and it’s going to slow that economy down.

That unannounced move by the central bank shocked the financial world and several institutions that were short the Franc went broke. Some of their customers were leveraged to the hilt, as much as 200-to-one. When the price turns against you on that leverage you are a goner. † Andy is mostly retired. He helps look after granddaughters, does taxes and manages his family’s investments. He also publishes an electronic newsletter called StocksTalk and if you want to read it free for a month send an email to sirski@mts.net.

eight trades, seven wins In December I sold most of my stocks and went to cash. I had some tax work to clean up, the market was tricky and I didn’t want to think stocks over the Christmas holidays. It was quite relaxing to have no stocks, even though I don’t usually lose sleep over my stocks.

Since January 1, 2015, I started to do two or three smaller trades per week. I’m made only $90 to $400 per trade but as of January 23, seven trades have made me money while one lost. Some of that profit was capital gain and a lot was cash premiums from selling covered calls on Gilead, Barrick Gold and maybe one or two other stocks. Number 8 cost me money.

On January 22, I bought 200 shares of Gilead and sold calls for the next day and collected $127.

They got exercised so I will keep $84 over night.

I also bought 2,000 shares of ABX, because the 2,000 I owned

The first moving indicator is Rate of Change (ROC). At a setting of nine it changes direction faster than most indicators so I look at that first but I don’t often do much.

Next to change will be the 10-day moving average.

Finally, the ADX will have the green line cross the red.

So if we have one, then two and then three indicators going up we can be pretty sure the stock is going up. If all three are heading down then we can either sell or sell a call deep in the money. It’s almost that simple.

If you have questions call me at 1-204-453-4489.

would be exercised. I paid $12.93 per share and sold a call for $0.08 to collect $165. That would have been $127 + $165 = $292 overnight which would have been nice. Minus $86 if both were exercised. As it turned out Gild got exercised, ABX did not, so we kept $249 overnight.

But ABX dropped. I picked up about $400 on the weekly calls for the week before but now the shares have dropped enough to take that away. If I had looked harder and closer at ABX I might have avoided that loss. Here is what I overlooked.

First the price of gold had gone up ahead of the European Central Bank announcement on Thursday.

The saying is “buy the rumor and sell the fact.” I should have expected the price of gold to drop after Thursday and it did.

Next, on a chart the price of gold and ABX was getting stretched quite

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Machinery & Shop Shop class

How to test an electric switch We demonstrate how to use a multimeter to determine if a switch is functioning properly

By Scott Garvey

W

With the multimeter’s dial set to (Ohms), its internal battery sends a small amount of voltage through one lead. If the leads are neither connected to each other nor touching a closed wiring circuit current won’t flow, and the digital readout will indicate an open loop, a “1” on this meter.

photos: scott garvey

When the meter leads are connected to the posts of this ignition switch with the key turned on, current is able to flow back through the other lead and the readout changes to indicate how much resistance there is.

The 000 readout indicates a complete (closed) circuit with no resistance.

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hen an electrical problem pops up in a vehicle or machine, you need to know if the switch that activates the problem circuit is working properly. A multimeter will help you figure that out.

Set the multimeter’s dial to the (Ohm) position. The meter’s internal battery will then send a tiny current out through one of the leads. Attaching the meter leads to each end of an electrical circuit or individual component will allow you to measure any resistance to current flow. Things like rusty parts or partially broken wires will increase resistance. (Be sure the circuit or component you’re testing is disconnected from any other power source.)

The setting also helps you establish circuit continuity, which means it will clearly indicate if there is a complete break in the wiring. And it can help you trace wires.

To demonstrate that, we’ll use those features to test an ignition switch. In this example we need to not only figure out if the switch works properly, but also which posts on the rear are live with each key position. The switch we’re using belongs to our ongoing Jeep restoration series, Project CJ3A. The switch only has three key positions: accessory, off and run.

It is meant to be used along with a separate starter button, so it has no “start” position.

By placing the multimeter leads on the unmarked posts at the back of the ignition switch, we can establish which posts are activated in each key position. The meter allowed us to determine that the centre of the three posts is where power from the battery needs to connect. With one meter lead on the “power in” post, it’s just a matter of touching the other lead to each of the remaining two posts with the key in different positions and checking the readings.

If the post is live and current is flowing, the meter gives a digital readout of the amount of resistance. The closer to 0, the better the circuit. If there is no current flowing (an open circuit) our meter’s readout indicates that by displaying a “1.”

That might be a little different on other meters, which may display “OL” instead.

On this switch when the key is in the “accessory” position, battery power is routed only to the left post. When the key is in the “run” position, current flows to both the right and left posts. The meter readings also let us know the switch is in excellent condition with virtually no internal resistance.

Now we now know how to route wiring to and from the switch.

From the right post (the “run” key position), we’ll connect leads to the coil in the primary engine ignition system and the alternator.

From the left post (the “accessory” key position), we’ll connect any vehicle accessory systems. That will allow them to work with and without the engine running. † Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews.

Contact him at Scott.Garvey@fbcpublishing.com.

FEBRUARY 10, 2015 grainews.ca /

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Machinery & Shop Skid steer special feature

Terex introduces Gen2 skid steers Terex says its newest skid steers offer more than 100 improvements

photos: terex

Left: Terex introduced two redesigned skid steer loaders in September. It claims there will be others introduced soon with larger capacities. Right: The company says the control layout of the new Gen2 models is now much more ergonomic.

By Scott Garvey

I

n September Terex introduced its re-engineered “Gen2” line of skid steer loaders. The brand claims the more than 100 improvements incorporated into the new design were the direct result of customer feedback.

Some examples of those improvements include an improved quick-attach pin profile, a cylinder seal package that includes three additional sealing surfaces to eliminate potential leakage, and wear bands added to reduce side-load strain. Gen2 models also include new hightorque, stainless-steel clamps, upgraded hydraulic couplers, one-million-cycle hoses on all high-pressure applications, new standard and heavy-duty “W” style crimps on loader and drive hoses along with improved O-ring installation processes.

There are two new skid steers in the Gen2 line with rated operating capacities of 910 and 1,045 kilograms of lift. And it claims additional models with capacities of up to 1,636 kilograms will be introduced in the near future.

The most powerful model, the V230S, has a rated operating capacity of 1,045 kilograms at 50 per cent tipping load (2,090 kilograms). It uses a 60 horsepower, Perkins turbocharged diesel engine with load sensing, variable flow hydraulics. The engine and hydraulic combination on the V230S offers 3,842 kilograms of tractive effort.

The smallest model, the 50 horsepower V200S, has a rated operating capacity of 910 kilograms at 50 per cent tipping load (1,820 kilograms).

The V200S, like its bigger brother, is designed to provide 266 millimetres (10.5 inches) of ground clearance and a 28.4° rear angle of departure, which improves its ability to operate on soft or uneven terrain. If you have to get somewhere fast, the Terex models claim the highest top speeds in their class: up to 20 km/hr.

When it comes to servicing, these models have a tilt-up ROPS to improve access to components and tilt-out coolers. “Mechanicalfaced” axle seals help protect bearings. † Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews.

Contact him at Scott.Garvey@fbcpublishing.com.

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Machinery & Shop Project CJ3A

We paint our restoration project Finally, we’re nearly finished with Project CJ3A. Now it’s time for a splash of colour as we move the Jeep’s body into the paint shop for its fifth new colour

By Scott Garvey

N

Putting on the paint

o stage of a restoration project seems to provide more satisfaction than seeing it painted for the first time — other, maybe, than driving the finished machine out the workshop door. And our project Jeep’s body has at last hit the paint stage.

All those hours of sheet metal work, filling and sanding should now pay off by providing a smooth, blemish-free surface to lay colour over for the ideal finished appearance. Well, that’s the theory, anyway. When we started this project, we had visions of creating a like-new appearance for CJ3A. But as we got into the job up to our elbows, we realized that while that was certainly still doable, it just wasn’t practical for this machine.

To give it a like-new appearance we really would have needed to replace the entire body (at a cost of nearly US$4,000), or spend a ridiculous amount of time and effort on the old one, much more than we budgeted for on this project. The old machine suffered a lot over its life and the body shows the scars. So our dilemma was this: replace nearly all the body parts and make the Jeep look like new, or hold onto that rugged “patina” and give it the equivalent of a few Botox injections, leaving it with a dignified appearance.

We opted for the latter.

So with all the panels repaired, touched up and relatively smooth, we hung each piece on high-legged workhorses built especially for the painting process. That allowed us to hang and spray each one separately for complete coverage.

For paint, we selected DupliColour Deep Blue Metallic paint, which is ideal for any DIY automotive project where you don’t have access to a full professional spray facility. To do the best job possible we observed these basic rules.

First, keep your work area spotlessly clean. Stirring up dust while working will cause it to settle on the body and mar the final finish. It’s best if you can seal off the painting area and have filtered air flowing through it. Remember that an atmosphere full of atomized paint can become explosive, so keep lights and flame sources outside of your sealed-off area. Good air flow helps minimize that problem and also makes it easier for a respirator to keep feeding your lungs clean oxygen.

Second, thoroughly clean the surfaces to be painted. Use a wax and grease remover to eliminate contaminants and ensure good paint adhesion. Then lightly rub them with a tack cloth to remove any final dust.

Third, dress for the occasion. If you don’t have a fresh-air breathing system — and you probably

don’t — wear a respirator that uses a pre-filter and a charcoal filter rated for organic vapours.

Cover up as completely as possible, because solvents can enter your body through contact with skin. Painter’s coveralls and nitrile gloves are cheap protection.

Fourth, pay attention to your spray technique. Some paint comes with best practice spray procedures printed on the can.

Ours did, and we followed them.

Generally to get good coverage, apply a light coat first. Then come back again with a medium “wet” coat. Finally, mist a light third coat over top to ensure complete coverage. (Holding the gun a little farther from the surface and moving it quickly accomplishes that.) Following these steps will also minimize the risk of creating runs in the paint.

Use a 50 per cent spray overlap. That means each following pass covers half of the previous one. Keep a nice even movement as you always aim the nozzle of the gun squarely at the surface, ensure you keep the distance between the gun and the surface consistent.

After letting the paint set up for a couple of days we lifted the body back onto the chassis, with a little help from our friends Corey and Wayne. Now, CJ3A is truly in the homestretch as we begin bolting all the pieces back together. †

Wear protective clothing and a respirator when spraying paint. Notice how the painter has the air line draped over his shoulder, this helps prevent accidentally dragging it over the freshly painted surfaces.

Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews.

Contact him at Scott.Garvey@fbcpublishing.com.

Purpose-built high-legged workhorses suspended the small body panels during painting.

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photo: melroe bobcat

With the body finally back on the chassis, our coat of Deep Blue Metallic paint is the fifth this Jeep has worn. Sanding showed it left the factory wearing “Hampshire Green.” Then it was blue, black and finally red when it arrived in the Grainews workshop. Now, it’s time for reassembly.

FEBRUARY 10, 2015 grainews.ca /

29

Machinery & Shop Skid steer special feature

Bobcat expands its M Series Bobcat’s new compact S450 skid steer is designed to fit into tight spaces

By Scott Garvey

T

he new S450 has just joined 10 other models in Bobcat’s M Series line of skid steer loaders. This compact version is less than five feet wide, designed to work in tight spaces.

With a 1.8 litre, 49 horsepower engine the S450 replaces the previous K Series S130. And it gets an emissions compliant engine that doesn’t rely on a diesel particulate filter (DPF), so owners won’t have to add servicing or replacing that component to their to-do list.

Bobcat says the non-DPF solution was achieved by designing an “ultra-low particulate combustion (ULPC) engine,” which uses a specially designed combustion chamber to reduce particulate matter right in the cylinders. Therefore, there is no need for a DPF. In addition to eliminating the need for a DPF, the new engine gets increased torque over a wide range of engine r.p.m.

On previous Bobcat models, if some of the engine parameters went out of range, an automatic shut down system was activated.

With the new engines, the shutdown feature is still included.

Instead of shutdown being the only solution, the system monitors coolant and oil temperatures and manages the engine to pre-

photo: melroe bobcat

Melroe added a new smaller model to its M Series skid steer loaders in November, with the addition of the S450. vent reaching a point where shut down is necessary. The company says this helps prevent engine damage and minimize component wear.

The brand has also introduced a cold weather safety feature.

Anytime the engine temperature is too low, the loader will temporarily limit maximum engine

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O

n July 12th, the one-millionth Bobcat loader to be built rolled off the company’s assembly line in Gwinner, North Dakota.

The ceremony included such events as a “Bobcat square dance,” in which the dancing machines were operated by long-time factory employees.

The current skid steer concept is the result of an evolution that began with a threewheeled design the Melroe company bought the rights to in 1958. In 1960 it modified that original machine and began producing the first four-wheeled, skid steer.

Melroe will be selling limited edition “one-millionth” special edition loader models through dealers in 2015. †

Scott Garvey

photo: melroe bobcat

On July 12, 2014, the onemillionth Bobcat skid steer loader rolled out the factory doors in North Dakota.

r.p.m. to prevent premature component wear or failure. Engine idle speed is also raised slightly to reach operating temperature faster. As soon as the engine warms up, the protection mechanism will deactivate.

To deliver engine power, there is an optional two-speed drive, which hits a maximum of 6.2 m.p.h. in low and 9.3 in high.

Just because this is a compact model, don’t expect to have to squeeze into tight quarters to operate it. The company claims it, like the other models, gets one of the largest cabs in the industry. And the S450 uses the “cabforward” placement that puts an operator closer to the bucket for better visibility.

brandt.ca 1-866-427-2638

You can equip the cab with HVAC or a deluxe control instrument arrangement that includes a full-colour, five-inch monitor.

And to make you feel like you’re flying a fighter jet, you can opt for a joystick control instead of the standard pedal and lever arrangement.

To improve loader performance, the S450 gets a 3,300 p.s.i. hydraulic system. Bobcat says that significantly improves response. The S450’s pump puts out 63.2 litres per minute (16.7 gallons). Maximum loader lift height to the hinge pins is 2.7 metres (9 feet, 2 inches).

For more information visit Bobcat.com. † Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews.

Contact him at Scott.Garvey@fbcpublishing.com.

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/ grainews.ca FEBRUARY 10, 2015

Machinery & Shop Skid steer special feature

JCB uses single loader boom U.K.-based JCB has taken its own path with skid steer loaders

By Scott Garvey

O

n first glance a JCB skid steer loader looks like any other, but it soon becomes apparent there are major differences between that brand’s design and the configuration that has become standard in the industry. Most notably, JCB uses only a single loader boom on the right side of the chassis. That allows the cab to be offset to the left and offer a side entry. There is no need to climb over the bucket to get into this machine.

The side-mounted cab provides a wider, 270° field of vision for the operator with the boom arm lowered, which the company claims is 60 per cent more than the industry standard 165°.

The brand offers two chassis sizes, the five large-frame models use JCB’s own 74 horsepower EcoMAX diesel engines, while the five smaller models use a 48, 56 or 62 horsepower diesel engine built by Kohler. All those engines can be mated to a one- or two-speed transmission (except on the smallest model which gets just the single-speed). The two-speed transmission offers a much higher road speed, up to 21.7 km/ hr. on the largest model.

In addition to the main hydrostatic drive pump, there is a dedicated loader and attachments hydraulic supply pump. It’s available with a “high flow” option that pushes flow rates to 51.4 gallons per minute on the small-platform models and 64.2 on their bigger brothers. † Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews. Contact him at Scott.

Garvey@fbcpublishing.com.

photo: scott garvey

Left: JCB’s skid steer models offer a unique singleboom loader design. Right: Operators gain entry to the JCB cab through a side door rather than climbing over the loader bucket on standard skid-steer designs.

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FEBRUARY 10, 2015 grainews.ca /

31

Cattleman’s Corner FARM MANAGEMENT

Managing yardage — The silent profit killer

BY SEAN MCGRATH

ment cost that has happened quietly over time. Machinery depreciation is another good example.

However the very best example is unaccounted for operator labour.

I

was running rations on Cowbytes beef management program the other day, which is an interesting and important process around our ranch. Through proper feed testing and ration balancing I can correct and solve potential dietary deficiencies ahead of time and also have enough lead time to find least-cost solutions to one of our largest expenses, feeding cattle.

This process also helps me to set some expectations of performance in both our cow herd and our retained calves that I can use to measure the plan versus the actual animal response as we are feeding.

Further, knowing our animals are properly fed and cared for helps me to sleep at night.

Through the process I also like to calculate my yardage out for different feeding options and planning future scenarios. There is a pretty good yardage module in the program, but yardage is not really that difficult. It can be defined as every cost of feeding cattle that does not include the cattle or the feed.

Yardage is labour, fuel and electricity to heat the water bowl, parts to fix the tractor, depreciation on equipment and facilities, the cost of building and fixing corrals and the cost of cleaning corrals. If it is not the feed or the cow, it is yardage.

IT’S A PROFIT KILLER Yardage is a highly dangerous profit killer for a variety of reasons, including: • Yardage happens every day.

A few pennies a day over a few head of cattle, over a few days all

SO WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT IT?

photo: file

Developing a winter feeding system where cows can feed themselves can reduce yardage costs. of a sudden becomes significant if you are feeding cows all winter.

For easy math, if we took a 100head cow herd working on $0.75 per head per day for yardage for a 200-day feeding period, we would be looking at $15,000. That is a big number, and what is even more intimidating is that realistically many operations have yardage costs that are well over $1 without even paying the operator for their time. If you can find a mere $0.05 per day savings in this situation you have just saved $1,000.

• It can be hard to track yardage because of the nature of the costs. For example, the initial construction cost of facilities may be several thousand dollars, but the cost is really spread out over all the years you can use the facility.

We just have to remember that we have to include repair costs as well. That new bundle of slabs also counts towards yardage.

Another good example would

be corral cleaning. This may occur long after cattle are out of a feeding facility, but it is a cost that is incurred by feeding the cattle.

Part of the fuel bill, the electric bill and interest costs may all contribute to yardage costs. To give an example of how quickly a small seemingly insignificant expense can tack onto yardage, consider a single 1,500-Watt floating tank heater. If the heater is plugged in for 200 days and you are buying electricity at $0.08 per kilowatt hour that single heater costs $2.88 per day or $576. If you can water from one trough, instead of two and use a single heater, you have saved nearly $600. On our 100cow herd that is $6 a cow.

• Yardage costs are often not readily visible; this is particularly true with depreciation, which sneaks up on us. We don’t notice too closely when the new fence starts to weather, until one day the wind blows it down. It is one big replace-

The first thing to do about yardage is to accept that it is important and work to understand it both at a higher level and for your specific operation. Without having any idea of what your costs are, it is tough to say if you are making progress or backsliding. The importance of being cautious with yardage is that in times of good markets it is often one expense we let slip by. But it is a cost that bites into profit and may make us unprofitable when markets move downward.

One of the most obvious ways to reduce yardage is to feed more cattle with the same resources.

This is how modern feedlots work and part of why many of them have grown so large. For example, a $20,000 tractor spread over 100 cows is significantly more than if that same tractor is used to feed 200 cows. If we are feeding 20,000 the math changes again.

While this seems obvious, just getting more cows may not be the solution for everyone. Some options could be neighbours or family pooling cow herds in the winter so that one set of equipment and facilities feeds more cows. By trading labour it is even possible that each cow herd owner gets a “winter holiday.”

Different feeding systems can also work wonders. One winter when we lived in town while my father was recovering from surgery. We fed calves weekly by

putting feed into three different pens and closing gates. That way we could run the tractor once a week for a couple of hours and in five minutes every two days we could feed the calves. The amount of yardage it saved by preventing an hour of road travel and two hours of tractor time every day amounted to a huge sum.

To really combat yardage we need to continually look at alternatives to the “way we always do it.”

While not always an option some of these solutions may also include alternative grazing systems such as swath and bale grazing which greatly reduce the need to move both feed and manure and can dramatically drop costs including labour and machinery costs.

As a personal example, I can place approximately 100 bales an hour in the fall for bale grazing and will not touch them again all winter. We track all of our labour and last winter we fed nearly 400 head averaging just over four hours a week in labour, without running the tractor. There is no corral cleaning cost.

If you want a good start on information about yardage, do a quick Google search for livestock or feedlot yardage. To make real inroads though, simply work on tracking your expenses at home.

To find the Cowbytes program visit the Alberta Agriculture website at www.agric.gov.ab.ca and type Cowbytes into the search box, or just go to Google and type in Cowbytes. † Sean McGrath is a rancher and consultant from Vermilion, Alta. He can be reached at sean@ranchingsystems.com or (780)853-9673.

For additional information visit www.ranchingsystems.com.

MARKET FACTORS

Crude oil price has little impact on cattle market A review of the numbers fails to show any correlation between the two Jerry Klassen Market Update

O

ver the past month, I’ve received many inquiries from cattle producers in regards to the relationship between crude oil prices and the cattle market in Western Canada. Cattle prices have remained near historical highs while crude oil values have dropped by nearly 60 per cent since the summer of 2014.

Often we are confident that we notice everything that happens in front of us but fail to see outside this realm. This is because we are focused on certain factors, such as beef supply and we don’t notice other factors. This is often referred to as a “Black Swan” variable or “illusion of attention.”

During the recession of 2009, all commodities and equity markets drifted lower as the economy contracted. However in our current environment, certain world economies are struggling, but the

U.S. has managed to continue on a moderate expansionary phase and has somewhat been enhanced by the lower energy prices. The extra income obtained for the average consumer due to lower energy values has kept consumer spending relatively strong, which is the largest component influencing beef demand.

If you ask three different analysts about the effects of lower crude oil on the cattle market, you will probably receive three different answers and that is because it is very difficult to forecast. As I studied this issue further I had mixed views as well. Sometimes, it is a good idea to take a step back and look at the whole economic picture in order to have a better idea of future price behaviour.

ALL ABOUT CONSUMER SPENDING First, it is important to remember that consumer income and spending is the largest factor influencing beef demand. When consumers have more money to spend on food at home or away from home, beef and cattle prices tend to move higher.

I’ve mentioned in previous articles that as U.S. GDP rises, cattle prices also rise because nearly 70 per cent of U.S. GDP is consumer spending. This is especially important for beef because nearly 50 per cent of the carcass is consumed by people with average to aboveaverage income. During the latest recession, consumer income deteriorated and cattle prices fell. However, once the recovery started, beef and cattle prices started to trend higher and there has never been a significant pullback in the cattle market since the lows of 2009.

If consumer spending is the largest variable influencing beef demand, then it is important to also look at equity values. In this simple study, I looked at the Dow Jones Industrial average since it is a very broad view of the overall economy and consumer spending. I simply took the monthly closing prices of the Dow, NYMEX crude oil and CME live cattle futures back to January 2008.

WHAT AFFECTS SPENDING? I ran a correlation between the Dow Jones industrial average

and live cattle futures prices. The correlation coefficient was 0.93, which is quite high and also to be expected. If the U.S. equity markets move higher, cattle prices will also generally follow.

However, when I ran a correlation between live cattle futures prices and crude oil prices, the correlation was only 0.27 which is quite low. From that I can conclude that crude oil prices have very little influence on the cattle market. If the correlation coefficient is close to or at zero, then there is no relation between two sets of data.

I even tried to look for patterns by lagging the data. For example, does the cattle market follow the crude oil for to six to eight months later? The correlation coefficient was even lower.

Therefore, I basically came to the conclusion that there was very little if any direct influence of crude oil on the cattle market.

For interest, I ran a correlation between the monthly closes on the Canadian dollar and crude oil prices. The correlation coefficient between monthly closes was 0.70 which is quite high and also to be expected. Given our

dependence on the U.S. market for cattle and beef products, this is one positive aspect for cattle producers of weaker crude oil prices. As crude oil prices grind lower, our exchange rate with the U.S will also deteriorate due to lower demand for Canadian dollars.

In my view, the price of crude oil has very little, if any, effect on the cattle and beef markets.

The minor influence of weaker crude oil on the overall economy will be largely offset and more with the benefit of the weaker Canadian dollar. Secondly, consumers will have more income to spend on food products due to lower energy prices.

Cattle producers can conclude any major factor that increases consumer income, will have a positive effect on cattle prices.

We may see government spending contract due to lower income from oil companies, but the effect on the bulk of the population will be minimal. † 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.

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Cattleman’s Corner wildlife management

Birds of a different feather

BY MIKE LAMB

A

lberta bird hunters were given the opportunity this past season to shoot at visitors from Wisconsin.

As part of a provincial put-andtake program, some 13,000 rink-necked pheasant roosters from a Wisconsin hatchery were released across the Alberta prairie to augment the province’s fluctuating wild bird population.

At one time the ringnecks came from the Alberta government’s own Brooks Hatchery. Built in the late 1970s, it was capable of raising nearly a quarter of a million birds a year in a then-high-tech “factory,” and in 80 acres of adjacent irrigated wire-covered flight pens. Worn down, out of date, and mothballed now, the Brooks Hatchery, built during the Getty administration, was once touted as a legacy gift to sportsmen.

Pheasants, not native to North America, were first planted in the Brooks area in 1906, and the first hunting season was launched in 1932. By then southern Alberta was alive with the colourful birds, which thrived across irrigation districts. Bird hunters including numerous Hollywood celebrities helped make Brooks synonymous with hunting success, boosting local economies by more than $10

million annually, according to statistics available at the time.

Wild pheasant numbers dropped, however, in the 1960s and 70s, due to several factors, especially intensive farming. In response, beginning in the 1980s the province flooded southern Alberta with more than 100,000 birds annually from its own hatchery in an attempt to rekindle the days of old. That didn’t last long. The economy slipped and so did attention, upkeep and production at the hatchery.

During an austerity sweep in the 1990s the facility was sold to a newly incorporated firm, The Canadian Pheasant Company, which used the aging hatchery and extensive rearing barns to raise pheasants not only for hunters, but restaurant fare as well.

The number of birds released, though, was a tiny fraction of 1980 levels.

As time went on it became more and more costly to hatch, raise and distribute the birds from the aging facility.

The Pheasant Company eventually sold it to other private investors interested in making a go of it, but it’s remained idle since. The owners and Alberta government couldn’t agree on an acceptable price per bird.

Pheasant hunting fees which were imposed in the 80s to offset some of the original hatchery expense are still charged today. In

2010, long after the province abandoned the hatchery business, it was still collecting nearly $300,000 a year in bird hunting charges.

A NEW SOURCE OF BIRDS Today the Alberta Conservation Association is releasing birds from MacFarlane Pheasants Inc. of Janesville, Wisconsin, the largest hatchery in the United States. The Wisconsin birds are wilder and hardier than any birds raised at Brooks, and are “substantially less expensive,” said Mike Uchikura, ACA coordinator and habitat biologist.

“This whole thing has been an eye-opening experience, “he says. “Since McFarlane deals with huge volumes of birds with full-time geneticists and labs, we are getting birds far warier than any we released before.” That, he says, gives Alberta nimrods what they’re looking for “a challenge.” The new and improved genetics, he adds, may also help the surviving hunted birds last through Alberta’s tough winters.

Of utmost importance, he emphasizes, is restoring a strong 4-H presence in the Alberta pheasant business. Only 3,000 birds were raised and released by 20 of the agriculture students last summer. The target for next year is 10,000 4-H birds.

“It’s about more than just releasing colourful birds for hunting, it’s about

photo: file

Writer Mike Lamb with his dog Lark and an up-and-coming pup after a successful hunt. improving habitat they can survive and thrive in,” he says. “The 4-H students know how to deal with that, and as a result we should end up producing more birds and protecting more habitat for all types of wildlife… something that can benefit everyone.” † In memory of Mike Lamb, a longtime southern Alberta writer and frequent contributor to Grainews who passed away in late January at the age of 65.

Anyone can start farming

There is a fit for grass-finished beef Some on-farm experimenting shows genetics plays a big part in tenderness Debbie Chikousky

W

hen we started raising grass-finished cattle, part of the decision was based on a reduction of input costs. We don’t grow grain and feeding it would involve a lot of infrastructure (troughs and equipment) as well as feeding labour. Since the cost of feed grains was increasing we were sure there had to be a better way.

We also had a lot of people telling us there was no way grassfinished beef could be as tender and flavourful as grain-finished.

We had to consider the public might think grass-finished is the way they want us to produce our animals, but would it be sustainable if the end product tasted gross? In our own experience we have found it very possible.

As with most of our farming decisions we spent time talking with our elders. When I thought about how my grandfather finished a steer, we realized that people hadn’t always fed like we do today. He used to put the steer in a box stall, and feed it a fourlitre pail of grain ration a day for six weeks prior to butchering. Our 4-H children were being advised to feed up to 20 pounds of grain a day on a finishing ration. So we decided to head back to the past.

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It quickly became apparent not all of our genetic lines performed the same. Some of our cow families were just not equipped to grow on forages alone. The problem we encountered most was heifers that were too small to breed at 15 months in order to achieve their first calving as twoyear olds. Some grass-finished producers accept this and just have them calve at three but that added too much to our feeding costs. Our choice was to cull hard and only keep replacement heifers from cows that fit our production model.

When we decided to focus on a totally forage-based diet we chose a Shorthorn bull. Our original cow was a Shorthorn cross which we had been breeding to purebred Black Angus bulls. We learned that within breeds there are genetic lines that will perform solely on forages and those that just don’t.

The first Angus bull we had at the time needed at least 10 pounds of grain to maintain his weight unless he was fed second cut alfalfa and his heifers were the same. So the first thing we did was cull all of those cows/heifers.

We then purchased a new Black Angus bull that had been raised without grain (on mostly a potatoes and forage diet). We stopped retaining any heifers born from daughters of the problem bull.

Then we slowly started butchering the hard keepers. With six of us at home, including four hardworking men, the experiment was an easy one to handle.

This experience taught us a lot about how much about meat quality is really determined by an animal’s genetic potential. Meat tenderness is actually related to marbling — the fat running through the meat — that helps make it

tender and flavourful. The amount of marbling is influenced by both genetics and feeding.

An excellent tool for studying genetic potential is the EPDs (expected progeny differences) of the herd sire. Bull genetics, as shown by the poor-doing bull we once had, had an influence on half of all his offspring. The EPDs are produced for sires’ traits such as marbling, rib-eye area, carcass worth, maternal traits and growth. In the United States there is a category for cow energy value, which predicts how much it will cost to keep the cow fed.

KEY IS IN SELECTION We believe the key to grass finishing is in choosing the “good doers,” as the old timers would call them. We chose the replacement heifers from our best cows.

Those cows that calve every year, without assistance, milk heavy and do not need supplemental grain to remain in acceptable shape. We expect them to lose some weight but not get skinny.

We only feed loose cobalt salt and a high-quality mineral.

To achieve the highest amount of fat cover the animals must be processed when they still have their pasture fat. The fall of 2014 was the culmination of many years of hard work. All our finished stock were sold to private buyers, processed through our local abattoir, with all customers ordering again for next fall.

Our goal is to have our steers marketable at 18-24 months old depending on when they are born. Spring-born calves are usually overwintered as weanlings then leave the following October.

Fall-born calves are often marketready at two years of age.

Grass-based management has

photo: debbie chikousky

This newborn calf is ready for his first meal. His mother is a typical cross that is predominantly Black Angus with a Shorthorn influence. There can be good forage-based genetics in every breed. proven to be a healthier way of life for the cattle. Not only are we saving on feed bills we are also saving on vet bills. We are finding the cattle are healthier without the grain supplementation they had before. I have also started reading a lot of research on why eating this grass-finished beef is healthier for people.

Scientists are telling us that the ratios of omega-3 to omega-6 fats from this beef are a healthier balance for us than in grain finished. They also contain conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) which research is showing has promise in areas including the suppression of cancerous tumours and the ability to moderate body weight, body composition, glucose metabolism and the immune system. There is some research showing that for full health benefits, grass-finished beef animals should be butchered when mature — at a point

where the animal is no longer putting nutrients into growing their own healthy body.

If lower feed costs, less health problems and fewer chores (don’t have to haul those grain pails) isn’t enough to convince people they need to explore grass finishing then the fact that consumers are willing to pay more for this kind of beef should also be considered.

Our family is sold on this management system. We want to continue raising beef cattle and with low prices and high feed costs this is the only way we can see our herd making it into the future.

We would be very pleased to have our breeding stock find homes on other farms where they can help others make a living and stay on the farm. † Debbie Chikousky farms with her family at Narcisse, Manitoba. Visitors are always welcome. Contact Debbie at debbie@ chikouskyfarms.com.

BUILDING TRUST IN CANADIAN BEEF

Antimicrobial resistance: Take a deep breath Beef producers should think positively and responsibly rather than overreact As the battle over antimicrobial resistance continues and livestock production is in the crosshairs, how should beef producers respond?

Calvin Booker thinks that despite negative talk, there are a lot of reasons for beef producers to think confidently, positively and most importantly, responsibly about this issue.

Booker has a unique perspective. He’s manager of and a shareholder in Feedlot Health Management Services in Okotoks, Alta. The company provides health programs for 2.5 million cattle in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. About half of those are in Canada.

As a veterinarian he sees the issue from a technical and professional perspective.

“People ask how we use antimicrobials in our feedlot production work and I’m actually pretty proud to tell the story,” he says. “In our case, we use group medication in high-risk populations, but that involves a veterinary risk assessment, and corresponding action based on that assessment. And we use largescale field studies to tell us what we should be doing and when.

“Is everybody doing that in the beef industry?

Likely not, but more and more cattle fall under those kinds of oversight.”

Issue in focus

So where to start on the antimicrobial issue? The first message to society has to be that antimicrobial resistance is important, he says. In humans or animals, diseases need to be managed in a way that we don’t unnecessarily cause resistance.

This is a shared responsibility for those working in human, food and companion animal health.

Second part is that this is a very complex issue and there are no “smoking gun” overuses that should be banned or simple fixes that the medical and veterinary professions can do to make the problem go away. In spite of what is often written, quoted, or alluded to elsewhere.

There is progress. Doctors in human medi-

Dr. Calvin Booker says research should identify the top opportunities in food, companion and human medicine that will really make a difference. cine are not as quick to overprescribe antimicrobials. On the animal side, producers, accused by some as using antimicrobials as a crutch, think more carefully today about how and when antimicrobials are needed to control, prevent or treat disease.

Programs, management skills

Programs can drive management skills. VBP has done a good job of putting together a broad framework of base management principles, says Booker. Whether you have a few cows or a 50,000-head feedlot, those apply.

“Companies like ours help people add layers to continually improve the production system,” he says. “They want to be on the leading edge of progressive practices, evaluating new technologies and management practices. And identifying which ones really bring advantages to the system.”

Research and future solutions

In resistance research, the beef industry continues to be a leader.

As far back as 1998 work started on understanding how antimicrobial use in feedlot production affected animals and workers. “Several studies to date show there’s just not a whole lot of impact of our current use on antimicrobial resistance of concern to human or animal health,” says Booker. “That’s good news but we have to continue to plan accordingly so that we don’t have a big negative impact sometime in the future.”

Fast-forward and today a multi-disciplinary team is looking at run-off water to determine if there is something bigger going on, he says.

“We’re trying to get baseline knowledge to not only shape future research but also to influence policy and regulations.”

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/ grainews.ca FEBRUARY 10, 2015

The Dairy Corner

Coming Events

Avoid too much fat for early-lactation cows PETER VITTI

I

n the last year, there has been a few supply-management incentives for dairy producers to increase milk and milk fat yield in their milk cows. Because nutrients such as energy largely drive dairy performance, many people are increasing dietary energy density by adding different types of edible fats to early lactation diets.

Despite being a successful way to meet incentive days/coveroffs; dairy producers should be aware of the dire consequences of feeding too much fat to dairy cows, while insuring that maximum feeding limits are always followed.

Adding safe amounts of edible fat to total mixed rations (TMRs) of early-lactation cows has been common advice given by dairy nutritionists and veterinarians for years. It is effective in eliciting positive milk and milk fat persistency and often slows down rapid weight loss in dairy cattle during the first 100 days of milk production.

That’s because dietary fats contain more than 2-1/4 times the calories of those found in carbohydrates (barley or corn starch). Common fat sources include oilseeds such as full fat soybeans and whole sunflower seeds (20 to 40 per cent fat) and 100 per cent fat sources, namely pork tallow and canola oil. A third group of dietary fats are commercial manufactured “bypass” fats.

The overall rule for adding these fat supplements to an early-lactation dairy ration is take in account all the natural sources of fat already present and add in these latter fats; making

sure not to exceed five to six per cent total fat of the entire dairy diet. One can follow this rule by breaking the dairy diet down into three sections: • 50 lbs. of forages mixed with defatted proteins (soybean or canola meal) and grains contains three per cent natural fat — 1.5 lb.

• Supplement vegetable oil or tallow (100 per cent) — 0.75 lb.

• Supplement inert rumen-protected fat (99 per cent) — 0.75 lb.

Total = 3.0 lb. or 6.0 per cent total fat The chemical structures of unadulterated fats found in forages, grains, and pork tallow and canola oil are very similar. Long chains of fatty acids are linked to a triglyceride molecule or exist as free fatty acid chains. The fatty acid chains are of two types, either saturated or unsaturated.

Saturated fatty acids are “saturated” with hydrogen atoms, while unsaturated chains have one or two hydrogen atom pairs missing. Saturated fatty acid chains pass through the cow’s rumen largely untouched, and are digested in the lower gut.

Pork tallow contains about 50 per cent saturated and 50 per cent unsaturated fatty acids while canola oil is almost completely made up of unsaturated fatty acids.

THERE IS A LIMIT Generally unsaturated fatty acids such as found in canola oil are relatively toxic to rumen microbes, particularly foragefibre digesting species, but that doesn’t mean that canola oil and other unsaturated vegetable oils should not be fed to dairy cows. Fortunately, most rumen microbes have the ability to detoxify and reduce the toxic effects of unsaturated fats through a process known as “bio-hydrogenation” (re: hydrogen is added to the unsatu-

rated fats and turns them into rumen-protected saturated fats).

However, excessive amounts of unsaturated fats and oil added to a dairy diet (re: over one pound or 450 g/head/d) often overwhelm this process and as a result interfere with rumen fermentation.

To compliment added saturated and unsaturated from natural feedstuffs in early lactation diets, commercial “rumen bypass” fats are designed to be chemically inert in the rumen, to be digested and absorbed as energy source in the cow’s lower gut. One group of bypass fats achieves protection by locking the fatty acids chains to a calcium molecule to form a ruminal insoluble calcium salt. This bond is broken during digestion in the small intestine. Another group of bypass fats hydrolyzes normally unsaturated fatty acids (such as palm oils) into rumen inert saturated fatty acids.

Regardless, the kind of fat supplement finally chosen and added to the dairy diet, it is important to avoid overfeeding fat in one capacity or another to lactation dairy cows. It is also important that these dairy diets still be balanced with available carbohydrates such as sugar, starch and effective forage fibre (20 to 22 per cent eNDF) in the diet as well as protein, minerals and vitamins in order to support health and normal activities of the resident microbes in the rumen.

PROBLEMS TO AVOID Here are problems that might be experienced when feeding excessive fat to lactating cows: • Inconsistent and/or low dry matter intake — Some research indicates overfeeding fat to dairy cows may quickly satisfy their natural appetite for feed (much like us eating a greasy ham-

burger and fries). Some speculation may also involve reduction in the rate of feed digestion and passage (bypass fats) in the lower gut. Other explanations might involve digestive upsets in the rumen (unsaturated fat toxicity).

• Milk fat depression (MFD) — As mentioned, unsaturated fats are toxic to many fibre-digesting rumen bacteria; cause reduction in acetate/butyrate production that contributes to milk fat production. It is also believed too much tallow or vegetable oil can coat forage fibre particles in the rumen and allow incomplete fermentation. On a different note: University of Illinois demonstrated that two to four per cent tallow caused acidotic conditions in the rumen of dairy cows fed corn silage and MFD, but both conditions were alleviated when corn silage was replaced with an alfalfa-based diet.

• vHigh milk urea nitrogen (MUN) — It is conceivable that supplying too much bypass fat to the lower gut, while literarily starving the rumen microbes of available starch energy could cause incomplete protein digestion and large amounts of urea to be released in the rumen.

High MUN levels are linked to lower conception rates in dairy cattle.

Such quantifiable adversity might not occur if dairy diets are well balanced with just the right amount of fats coming from different edible sources. Adding any fats should also complement the rest of the dairy diet, particularly for early lactation cows, which helps them get a good start with milk and milk fat production.

Such success should contribute to the profitability of the dairy barn. † 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.

photo: file

Adding fats to forage-based diets can be effective. But excessive amounts of unsaturated fats and oils can interfere with rumen fermentation.

Forage & Crops for Profit — Feb. 17: Alberta’s Grey Wooded Forage Association is hosting a one-day workshop on Forage and Crop Agronomy for Profit, at the Forshee Hall, just north of the west-central Alberta community of Bentley. Olds College instructor Jack Payne will be giving two talks — one on using fertilizer and controlling weeds, and the other on understanding soil quality and soil tests. Ag Canada researcher Neil Harker will give a presentation on herbicideresistant weeds and the value of forages in rotation, while business management specialist Ted Nibourg will have useful advice on tools to assess the financial benefits of changing practices. Registration is $25 before and $30 after Feb. 12.

To register contact the GWFA office at 403 844-2645 or email gwfa3@telus.net.

Holistic Management — F e b . 1 5 : T h e We s t e r n Canadian Holistic Management Conference is coming up Feb. 15 to 17 at the Manitou Springs resort in Manitou, Saskatchewan. Open to both new and beginner practitioners of holistic management, keynote speakers during the three days include: David Irvine, a consulting psychologist specializing in family relations; Jodie Griffin, with Saskatchewan Livestock Prince Insurance Program; Blaine Hjertaas, a beef producer from Redvers, Sask.; Linda Edgecombe, a motivational speaker based in Kelowna, B.C.; Greg and Lisa Smith, ranchers from Canwood, Sask.; Don Campbell, a rancher from Meadow Lake, Sask.; and Debra Murphy a communications specialist talking about the role of social media. As well there will be a producer panel discussion on sustainable agriculture. The conference costs $200 per person or $120 for students. And to register contact Nadia Mori at 306-946-3219 or email nadia. mori@gov.sk.ca.

Advancing Women Conference — April 6: After a successful single location in 2014, the second annual Advancing Women Conference for women in the agriculture industry will be offered in two Canadian locations in 2015.

The Western Conference will be staged at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Calgary, April 6 and 7, while the Eastern Conference will be offered at the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel in Toronto October 5 and 6. Speakers at the Western Conference include Alanna Koch, deputy minister of Saskatchewan Agriculture; Debbie Travis, a home improvement TV personality; Courteny Wolfe, a venture capitalist specialist; Susan Blair, executive director with Boehringer Ingelheim; Gwen Paddock, senior manager with the Royal Bank; Kirstine Stewart, with Twitter Canada and Trish Jordan, public affairs director with Monsanto Canada.

For more information on the conference and to register visit their website at: www. advancingwomenconference.ca.

FEBRUARY 10, 2015 grainews.ca /

35

Home Quarter Farm Life SEEDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT

Write the Love Letter today Will help release negative feelings and allow more loving communication Elaine Froese

T

his is from my friend Dan Ohler’s newsletter at www.danohler.com: The Love Letter Technique One of the best ways to release negativity and then communicate in a more loving fashion is to use the Love Letter Technique. To write a Love Letter, find a private spot and write a letter to your partner. In each Love Letter express your feelings, of anger, sadness, fear, regret, and then love. This format allows you to fully express and understand all your feelings.

As a result of understanding all your feelings you will then be able to communicate to your partner in a more loving and centred way.

When we are upset we generally have many feelings at once.

To find our loving feelings, many times we need to first feel all our negative feelings. After expressing these four levels of negative feelings (anger, sadness, fear, and regret), we can fully feel and express our loving feelings.

Writing Love Letters automatically lessens the intensity of our

negative feelings and allows us to experience more fully our positive feelings. Here are some guidelines for writing a basic Love Letter: 1. Address the letter to your partner. Pretend that he or she is listening to you with love and understanding.

2. Start with anger, then sadness, then fear, then regret and then love. Include all five sections in each letter.

3. Write a few sentences about each feeling; keep each section approximately the same length.

Speak in simple terms. (Keep it short, three to five minutes per feeling, two or three sentences per feeling.)

4. After each section, pause and notice the next feeling coming up.

Write about that feeling.

5. Do not stop your letter until you get to the love. Be patient and wait for the love to come out.

6. Sign your name at the end.

Take a few moments to think about what you need or want.

Write it in as a P.S. (The whole process takes about 20 minutes.

This is adapted from Chapter 11, How to Communicate Difficult Feelings in Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus, by John Gray, PhD: Love Letters work because they assist you in telling the complete

truth. Merely to explore a part of your feelings does not bring about the desired healing. If you focus on only one or two of your feelings you may get stuck in that feeling.

Love Letters guide you in writing out the complete truth about all your feelings. We must feel each of the four primary aspects of emotional pain, anger, sadness, fear and regret to heal our inner pain.

Love Letters do not have to be shared to be helpful. The P.S., “what I would like now,” at the end can be very helpful in clarifying for yourself what you want and how you might go about helping your partner meet that want. You can write a Love Letter to an intimate partner, a friend, child, parent, family member, business associate (in most cases Gray would not recommend sharing it) yourself, God and more. There are times when it may be useful to use an emotion other than anger as the starting point — we may feel guilty, upset, confused or disappointed. All of these can serve as a starting point for a “love letter” that explores the complexity of our feelings about an issue.

Now that you have reached a feeling of love by going through the love letter process, write a love letter to your spouse that

you will deliver. My mother-inlaw, Margaret Froese kept her love letters to her husband Abe in a red foil box. The handwriting is beautiful, both Margaret’s and Abe’s.

The letters first crafted in l945 at the end of the war years can still be savoured and enjoyed by her grandchildren today.

Letters are very powerful because they can be reread and treasured for many years. Emails tend to get deleted quickly, or by mistake, and then vanish into cyberspace.

Letters also comfort when we grieve the loss of loved ones.

My husband’s love language is acts of service, not words of affirmation, so cards and letters don’t really do much for his sense of being loved. He would prefer hot meals, and a clean pickup truck!

Alas, I still write him love notes and I really love it when he writes me a love letter. I don’t mind making a special request for one. The special cards and letters are kept in a wooden box in my office.

Words are powerful. It costs very little money to document your feelings and inspiration on a nice piece of paper or blank card. Don’t put it off this February, because next month your loved one may not be here. I know this all too well. There have been times when I have had very strong promptings

to call someone, write a card of encouragement or make a hospital visit. I have never regretted following those nudges, but I do regret the fact that I did not call Ralph in early December. Rev. Ralph Clark was my minister when I was a teen in Dugald. He officiated at my father’s funeral in 201l, and toured me around his log home in Lauder.

He shared his books, but he also told me directly that he was proud of me, and that he loved me. I would love to have kept a note from Ralph, but I remember how good it felt to be told that I was loved. Rev. Ralph Clark’s 85 years of life were cut short in a snowstorm in late December 2014, and hundreds of people gathered in Hartney to honour his legacy. On the funeral table was a Christmas letter he had written to friends to tell them of his love and care.

Thanks Ralph for taking the time to write the letter. We are thankful for your love, and for letting us know in many ways.

Each day is a gift. Write your spouse a love letter today and deliver it with a kiss! Happy Valentine’s Day! † Elaine Froese writes from her farm near Boissevain Manitoba. Her love language is verbal affirmation, and meaningful touch. Visit www.elainefroese.com or call 1-866-848-8311 to connect. Buy her newest book, Farming’s In-Law Factor, to encourage your farm team.

Don’t forget the three Rs in the kitchen Here’s some reminders about reducing, reusing and recycling

BY JULIE GARDEN-ROBINSON NDSU EXTENSION SERVICE

“

M

om, do you know how long that plastic jug will last in the landfill?” my 11-yearold daughter asked me.

“No, I don’t know,” I replied.

I had a feeling I was inviting a lecture on recycling. She pulled a handout out of her backpack and began reciting how long various containers last. I knew we would need to recycle the piece of paper, too.

Our conversation was a good reminder of the three Rs: reduce, reuse and recycle.

I felt a little guilty as I looked around our kitchen at the various items that seemingly last forever in the environment. I reminded her that we recycle cans, cardboard, newspapers and glass.

The next day, I bought some laundry detergent. She grinned in approval when I picked up the “pouches” of detergent to refill the large plastic bottle we have at home. After all, I now know that a plastic jug may last one million years in the environment.

I also bought a large bag of dog food instead of a smaller one, and we saved some money, too. We carried our items from the store in cloth bags that we brought from home.

I looked up some additional information for this article online. I will let my eco-friendly daughter know that I didn’t print any copies. I think she will be proud.

Public health entities have provided lists on the estimated length of time items last in the environment. For example, a banana will decompose in

three to four weeks, a paper bag will break down in a month and a soup can will last up to 100 years. A soda pop can may last up to 500 years, and Styrofoam containers may last forever in the environment.

We can reduce waste in many ways in the kitchen and potentially save some money in the process. When you are wondering what’s for dinner, check what you have on hand in your cupboards, refrigerator or freezer. Using food while it is still in its “prime” can help prevent waste.

What are some ways we can reduce waste? These are some ideas to consider: • Buy refills for dish detergent or hand soap to fill the containers you have.

• Use a reusable lunch bag to take to school or work.

• Use cloth grocery bags instead of

plastic. Recycle plastic bags or use them for other purposes.

• If you are a frequent coffee consumer, you might want to purchase a refillable cup instead of getting a disposable one. Be sure to wash it, though.

• Whenever possible, use washable plates and cups instead of paper or Styrofoam. Yes, the washable ones require water and electricity. If you have a dishwasher, run it when it is full and use the most conservative settings in terms of water use.

• Use disposable items for other purposes. A glass jar or plastic container can become storage containers for various items. † Julie Garden-Robinson, PhD, R.D., L.R.D., is a North Dakota State University Extension Service food and nutrition specialist and professor in the department of health, nutrition and exercise sciences.

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/ grainews.ca FEBRUARY 10, 2015

Home Quarter Farm Life FROM THE FARM

More on gluten free Debbie Chikousky

O

ur family sur vived Christmas without gluten. We actually quite enjoyed our Turkey Stuffing made with cornbread (Grainews Dec. 2) so now with Valentine’s Day coming our family was motivated again to explore some new tastes. There are many gluten-free products on the market but most have other ingredients that cause our family digestive distress, such as xanthan gum.

Our journey with gluten allergies has revealed many hidden sources of contamination. A friend couldn’t get the health results she desired only to discover that her shampoo was a source of gluten. We have been told to check all supplements and that some foods such as soy that do not actually contain gluten can still cause the same reactions.

We also discovered that breathing in grain dust could be just as bad as eating it. Much to my husband’s displeasure I insisted he wear dust masks for chores. He just couldn’t understand how a little bit of oat dust could be contributing to all his health issues plus they aren’t easy for people wearing glasses to use in

the winter. After a week or so we started seeing positive things so next trip to Winnipeg we got a lifetime supply of heavy-duty face masks from Peavey Mart. Another possible issue is supplements. Selenium, for example, can be a trigger for some people because yeast is often used in the growing process. So, instead of using selenium supplements we switched to Brazil nuts.

One Brazil nut a day contains a day’s requirement of selenium for most adults. In addition to selenium, they contain very good levels of other minerals such as copper, magnesium, manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, and zinc. Copper helps prevent anemia and bone weakness (osteoporosis). Manganese is an all-important cofactor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. This was a doctor’s recommended addition to his diet.

One way to omit gluten is to switch to either gluten-free grains or legumes in their place. This option works for cooking low carb also.

Since discovering soy is not an option in our house we have been experimenting with lentils.

Lentils are a powerhouse of nutrition. They are a good source of iron, having over half of a person’s daily iron allowance in a onecup serving. Lentils also contain dietary fibre, folate, vitamin B1, and minerals. Although not neces-

sary for cooking, to reduce their phytates it is recommended to soak them overnight in warm water then drain and cook in fresh water.

Phytates reduce the body’s ability to absorb minerals from foods.

The birthday meal most asked for in the Chikousky house is pizza.

With the current limitations we were pretty excited when we found a recipe for Lentil Pizza Squares at www.bulkbarn.ca. The Lentil Purée that is needed for it also reminded us of a Lentil Cream Pie we have made in the past which could be a birthday dessert option too.

LENTIL PIZZA SQUARES 1/4 c. canola oil (we used 8 tsps. of coconut oil) 3/4 c. chopped onion 1 c. sliced mushrooms 1 garlic clove, minced 4 eggs 1-1/2 c. lentil purée (recipe below) 1-1/2 c. low-fat sour cream (we used yogurt) 7-1/2-oz. can tomato sauce (we puréed home-canned tomatoes) 3/4 c. cornmeal 1 tsp. crumbled dried basil 1 tsp. crumbled dried oregano 1/2 tsp. salt 1-1/2 c. grated low-fat cheddar cheese 1-1/2 c. grated low-fat mozzarella cheese 1/2 c. sliced pepperoni or salami

(we used a pound of ground lamb) 1/2 c. diced sweet green pepper In a skillet, heat oil and add onion, mushrooms and garlic.

Sauté until onion is translucent and excess moisture is removed from mushrooms. Remove from heat and let cool. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs. Blend in lentil purée, sour cream, tomato sauce, cornmeal, basil, oregano, salt and mushroom mixture. Stir in the cheeses. Spoon batter into a greased 9x10-inch baking dish.

Garnish with pepperoni and green peppers. Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until firm to touch. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting. Cut into 12 squares.

Mix all ingredients and pour into two unbaked gluten-free pie shells.

Bake at 325 F for 45 to 50 minutes, or until firm. Cool and top with whipped cream.

We have found that buckwheat flour (from the rhubarb family) makes a very good crust for cream pies of all kinds. Bulk Barn sells most of these but if we want fresh organic buckwheat the farmers we contact are Gerry and Marie Deruyck of Treherne, Manitoba. They have freshly processed organic buckwheat products available and can be contacted at 1-204-836-2755.

BUCKWHEAT PIE CRUST 1-1/2 c. buckwheat flour 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 c. lard 3 tbsp. water (approx.)

LENTIL PURÉE 3/4 c. lentils 2 c. water Rinse the lentils and drain.

Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 to 50 minutes. Drain off any excess liquid and mash the lentils with a potato masher.

LENTIL CREAM PIE 2 c. lentil purée 2 eggs 3/4 c. honey 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. ginger 1/2 tsp. nutmeg Salt, to taste 1/4 c. milk 2 tbsp. brown rice flour

Mix flour and salt in a bowl.

Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse mealy crumbs.

Add water and gently mix to form dough. Add more water if necessary. Roll out and put in pie pan.

If pre-baking: Preheat oven to 425 F. Prick bottom and sides and bake 10 to 15 minutes.

The important thing we have learned with all of this is that there are many nutritious options for foods that we are used to.

Some have taken a bit of adjusting to but life is fun when it has adventures. One thing for certain — we are not bored here on the farm! † Debbie Chikousky farms at Narcisse, Manitoba.

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Home Quarter Farm Life POSTCARDS FROM THE PRAIRIES

Life’s secrets, according to you…

Janita VAN DE VELDE

I

’ve thought about this one some more — my strong desire to take a peek if given the choice. Why, I wonder?

What could I possibly find out that would change how I live my life now? It’s quite the dilemma — if I choose to look now, then I could map out my future so as to ensure that the road ahead is as smooth (and long) as possible. Conversely, I could hold off and acknowledge that the future is not guaranteed, forcing me to embrace life and live each day as though it were my last.

I guess therein lies the philosophical debate. One could argue that if you’re living your life with purpose every day, then knowing shouldn’t make a difference. If I think that seeing something bad would force me to lead a fuller life now, then that begs the question as to why I’m not doing that now anyway. If I were to see that a loved one was no longer here, would I visit them more often now? Shouldn’t I be making time to spend with those I love, regardless of how long they’re here for?

And maybe I’d want to know the end result of my bad habits over the years — the cumulative result of poor eating, too many years of smoking and drinking, and the complete lack of exercise. We all know that indulging in these things is like playing with fire — I guess in the end, we just want to know if we really do get burnt.

The biggest downfall of looking?

I would miss out on the fun of imagining what might be coming my way. Not knowing what the future holds is like having one giant present handed to you each and every day — and what a reminder to enjoy it. Maybe the lyrics to the popular song from 1956 said it best: Que sera, sera, whatever will be, will be… the future’s not ours to see, que sera, sera.

Here forthwith are your final responses to whether or not you’d take a peek.

Of course I wouldn’t take the peep show! Who would read a book if they already knew the ending? All the stuff in between seems kind of useless then, doesn’t it?

No. As tempting as it is, I want to enjoy the ride and not be steered in any particular direction.

No. It would make me attempt to alter my current life and I would risk changing what I saw, maybe for the worse.

Yes. If I am not in a good place then I would know that I would need to do some things differently to get to where I want to be.

Nope. The fun is not knowing where your journey will take you, and you can’t live and enjoy life the same if you know too much.

No, it would lead to too many questions.

Yes, gladly.

Hmmmm... not sure about this one.

I would not. Because everything works out the way it is supposed to. Plus, if that glance revealed something that I didn’t like, I’d spend all of my time trying to change the outcome.

I would not look at my life in the future. I don’t know why I wouldn’t, but I am absolutely certain of this one. It’s set me thinking.

Nope. Our lives are gifts, meant to be taken one day at a time. Even if I was able to see into the future, it doesn’t mean that I could change anything about it.

No, I worry enough as it is, and if something wasn’t how I wanted it to be, I’d be sick for years!

Only if I was also given one opportunity to change it as well.

No. If it’s really good, knowing ahead of time would ruin the journey to get there. If it’s tough times, knowing ahead of time would ruin the journey to get there.

No, definitely not. I want to take each day as it comes.

I would not take it. I want to experience everything in life for the first time as it comes. I don’t want to be afraid to live my next 10 years if that one-minute glance wasn’t good.

No, I would not take it. I don’t want to know what’s in the future.

Probably not. I might not have all my marbles.

No. It might make me lazy! Or I might not be around. Who knows? We are not all given a long life, so each day is a gift.

No! If my stomach grows as much in the next 10 years as it did in the last 10 years, it wouldn’t be a pretty one minute.

Yes, if the glance could guarantee a jam-packed show with the moments that escaped my memory, I would love that, because it would be like that moment reminiscing with an old friend when they tell you some awesome story… but unfortunately you can’t remember that it even happened!

Yes! I would look at my life. Heck, I read the end of the book after I have read the beginning. I would be so curious to know all that has happened.

No, I would not have a one-minute glance because I love my life and believe whatever I am doing at any given time is meant to be.

Yes, I would take it. If it’s good it will calm me, and if it’s bad then I better enjoy now and try to change it.

Absolutely — because I’m a narcissist and I’m concerned that I’m on a course that’s selfish and dangerous to my family, and that it will leave me empty.

Yes. Then I can fix everything I need to work on.

No. I don’t want to spend the next

10 years worrying about how I could change what I saw! Plus, I can’t get any better than this.

No. Life can change so suddenly and I wouldn’t want to live every day anticipating something in my future (good or bad). It’s important to take each moment as it comes and be happy with what and who you have in the present.

Absolutely. I am proud of the woman I have become and I know that my life is in His hands. I’m not in a rush to grow older, but I am excited to see what else God has in store for me and my family.

Nope. If I didn’t like the “view” I’d spend the rest of those 10 years dreading what was coming. If I loved the “view,” I’d spend the next 10 years wishing it would hurry up and get here. Either way, I would waste 10 years and not live in the moment.

No way! I like surprises.

No! Because there’s very little chance I’ll still be in the highlight reel. † 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.

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 1-800-665-0502 Email susan@fbcpublishing.com Please remember we can no longer return photos or material. – Sue

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Ranchers have no beef with new antibiotic restrictions HUGE PROFITS, BUT THINK TWICE BEFORE INVESTING IN ARGENTINA

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Health Canada pushing to end of routine use of antibiotics important in human medicine because of resistance threat

BY ALEXIS KIENLEN AF STAFF

H

ealth Canada’s move to end the use of “medically important” antibiotics as growth promotants won’t hurt livestock production, say an Alberta producer and industry experts.

“There won’t be as much restriction as we first thought,” said Camrose rancher and Canadian Cattle Association president Dave Solverson. “(But) there will be a little more consultation with veterinarians on the use of antibiotics.”

The North American livestock industry has been a heavy user of a class of antibiotics called antimicrobials, notably ionophores and tetracycline. The former is not used in human medicine and is exempt from the new rules, but tetracycline is a key drug used to treat pneumonia, other respiratory tract infections, and other conditions.

It is feared — although the science is not definitive — that using human medicinal drugs for raising livestock is hastening the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Solverson has used tetracycline to treat sick cattle, but not as a growth promotant.

“We don’t use it mixed in with feed or anything,” he said. “Very few producers do.”

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Farmers tweak rotations to reflect markets

RECAP, RESULTS AND REFRESH, Farming Smarter PLANT PATHOLOGY THEN AND NOW, Ron Howard GRAIN MARKETING ACROSS THE LINE, Mark Ritchie

Farmers contacted for the February Farmer Panel are making changes to get the most from a falling market in 2014

For many farmers, wheat in the $5.50 to $6 bushel range doesn’t pencil out well at all.

PHOTO: JOYCE BARLOW

BY LEE HART

W

hile the high rolling wheat, barley and canola prices of the past couple

years are into a market slump in 2014, that doesn’t mean western Canadian farmers are making major changes to their cropping plans this coming year.

Some adjustments, yes, as they

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consider crops with lower inputs, or bring back specialty crops they haven’t grown for a few years.

Some say after pushing rotations hard for a few seasons, the market slowdown is giving them a chance to get proper or at least better rotations back on track.

For some, wheat in the $5.50 to $6 bushel range doesn’t pencil out well at all. For others, canola in $9.50 to $10.50 bushel price range

still offers an acceptable, albeit not exceptional, return.

Here are what farmers contacted for the February Farmers’ Panel had to say about their cropping plans for 2014:

DUSTIN WILLIAMS SOURIS, MAN.

plies to work through the system, Dustin Williams says he will be cutting back on both wheat and canola acres in 2014.

Williams, who farms at Souris, Manitoba says with higher prices he has been pushing canola rotations in the last couple of years. “We have been bumping the acres to pay the bills, but I think we’re also seeing a bit more disease pressure out there, so cutting back a bit may be a

notHing to In This Issue crow About Realizing it will take a while for excess wheat and canola sup-

infertile roosters in the u.s. » Pg 12

good thing,” he says. “We can work toward a more realistic rotation.”

As he scales back on wheat and canola, Williams says he plans to bring sunflowers back into his rotation, and grow more oats and flax. “Unfortunately as wheat and canola have fallen off, many of the other commodities have too,” he says. “While prices are dropping,

» CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

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

2

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

5

Crop Advisor’s Casebook

10

Columns ........................... 18 Machinery & Shop ............ 29 Cattleman’s Corner .......... 34

Herbicide-resistant weeds and pulse crops

Alfalfa seed production

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july 17, 2014

SerVinG manitoba FarmerS Since 1925 | Vol. 72, no. 29

short-term aid, longterm solutions needed

204-825-2000 www.seeddepot.ca

The province is assessing whether AgriRecovery can be triggered

New “Straight Cut”

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CARDALE

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“More Wheat...Less Shatter” Less Fusarium

By Allan Dawson

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pecial programs will be needed to help compensate far mers for nearly 3.5 million acres of cropland either unseeded or drowned out by flood waters, Keystone Agricultural Producers said last week.

Manitoba farmers need short-term aid through AgriRecovery to offset an estimated billion dollars in losses caused by flooding and excessive rains and longer-term efforts to mitigate future flooding, including establishment of the Assiniboine Basin Commission, said Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) president Doug Chorney.

“I don’t think anyone expected it to be as bad as this,” Chorney told KAP delegates attending their general council meeting here July 10.

“There is a case to be made for some type of assistance for the producers affected.”

Frustrated KAP delegates

MAFRD’s Rejean Picard was spreading the word about drones and the required certification for flying them at the recent Crop Diagnostic School. photo: Laura rance

get a permit before flying that drone

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Transport Canada deems field-scouting activities as commercial and therefore a Special Flight Operations Certificate is required

By Allan Dawson co-operator staff

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armers flying drones to check their crops or livestock could get their wings clipped by Transport Canada if they don’t have a Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC).

“It is Transport Canada’s policy that UAVs operating in

Canada must meet equivalent levels of safety as manned aircraft,” Transport Canada’s website says. “Requirements for the operation of a UAV fall under the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs).”

It can take 10 to 20 business days to get an SFOC, said Martin Eley, director general of civil aviation at Transport Canada, in an interview July

11. The process can take longer if the applicant doesn’t clearly explain where and when the proposed flight or flights are to occur. And the operator needs to have liability insurance.

Every time

In some cases applicants have to apply for SFOC every time they want to fly, which would

be impractical for farmers.

However, Transport Canada has issued certificates allowing applicants to fly in different areas, multiple times under certain circumstances, Eley said.

“If the farmer wants to fly over his own fields that’s one thing, but if he wants to go to see DRONES on page 6 »

AlfAlfA: How to reduce drying time » PAge 8

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/ grainews.ca FEBRUARY 10, 2015

Home Quarter Farm Life SINGING GARDENER

What causes boiled potatoes to blacken?

Plus, willow water wonder and some more Ted Tips ted meseyton

B

efore beginning my word trek along the green and growing garden path, I’m settling down to a cup of warm and pleasant orange-spice thyme tea, plus a slice or two of a classic Icelandic favourite.

Can you relate from personal experience to the following?

“When I boil potatoes they often turn black and I don’t know why.

I’ve tried different varieties, both homegrown and store bought.

This gardener needs help!”

Also, have you heard of willow water? Ted tells straight ahead what it’s for and how to make your own.

One of my teachers in early grade school must have been a gardener. She taught the entire class to memorize “The Glory of the Garden,” by Rudyard Kipling.

Follow me and read his poem just before my closing tag.

It may be too early in the year to tiptoe through the daffodils and tulips unless you’re in Victoria or somewhere near Vancouver on the south coast along the lower mainland. But now, let me grip and tip my welcoming hat to the Grainews Singing Gardener page.

MY NEIGHBOUR ASTA … makes the finest vinarterta I’ve ever tasted. In Iceland, layered vinarterta prune torte is made for the Christmas, New Year and winter holidays. It can be nibbled all season long, thanks to its extended shelf life. Vinarterta torte has been a standard holiday classic for generations of families and the recipe is eagerly shared by folks of Icelandic heritage. Traditional prune filling has occasionally been replaced with other fruits such as strawberry-rhubarb or apricot.

But in Gimli, Manitoba — dubbed the “Heartland of New Iceland,” — substituting any other fruit for prunes flavoured with ground cardamom in vinarterta filling is strictly not allowed. There are also size variations ranging from five to seven layers and perhaps more.

FROM PAM HALL NEAR YORTON, SASK. She writes: “What causes potatoes to turn black after being boiled? We did not have our own potatoes due to flooding and have to buy ours this year. One bag of red potatoes seems to be especially bad for this. However, even some of the white ones are now turning black after being boiled.

Sometimes they have a stale smell, but sometimes they smell all right but still start to turn black. We have never had a problem like this with our own potatoes. The one bag of red potatoes I bought looked so nice but we can’t even eat them. The potatoes were all bagged but we always dump them out of the plastic bags and then into the bin in our cold room.

Sure hope you have some suggestions. They are a staple in our diet.

I am still using the same type of pot to cook them in. We have a reverse osmosis water system in our new house. I would appreciate any information you could give me on this.”

Ted’s observations are from a gardener’s perspective and feedback from others. Such a condition is referred to as “after-cooking darkening (ACD).” It’s a widespread, undesirable characteristic of both commercial and homegrown potatoes.

Something happens when cooked potatoes are cooling. Iron in spuds combines with other natural compounds resulting in grey, black and other off colours. Of course we all want a quick resolution and that’s not easy to come by, but here are some suggestions that may prevent, or at least moderate or lessen unwanted colour.

There are various opinions about cooking utensils. Some use only stainless steel; others say, “never use an aluminum pot.” Some folks cook potatoes only in bottled or distilled water and won’t use city tap water nor well water. Try adding some lemon juice or vinegar

A crown of fresh thyme sprigs circles this plate of ready-to-serve traditional Icelandic vinarterta torte. More than two dozen choices exist in the thyme family group and uses range from culinary and medicinal to attractive and decorative.

photos: ted meseyton

Sprout seed potatoes by arranging them in single layers on moist sheets of newspaper placed in cardboard or wooden boxes; then keep in a warm, well-lit area. Begin about three weeks prior to planting time in the outdoor garden. If you have heavy clay soil, add peat moss mixed into individual holes about six inches deep.

Top dress with additional peat moss or some dried pine needles. Both have propensity to discourage formation of potato scab. to the water while potatoes are boiling. Or, wait until potatoes are done, then drain well and squirt in a small amount of lemon juice and cover the pot with a tightfitting lid. Do some experimenting to determine how much lemon juice is needed to reduce the darkpigment formation.

Stored potatoes and potatoes in transit that are kept too cool [less than 5 C (40 F)] can turn black after a time. Potatoes that are handled or dropped when too cold can end up with bruising and turn black once boiled, fried or baked.

Environmental conditions, cultivation and nutritional factors are a consideration. Producers, the potato-processing industry and researchers continue to develop agronomic approaches to minimize the problem. Over time it may be possible to predict the severity of ACD in potato tubers in late-stage storage. There’s continued interest in finding innovative ways, varieties and crop methods to prevent after-cooking darkening.

overnight. (Sounds sort of the way I make herbal drinking tea except I don’t steep it that long.) Next day, soak tips of cuttings for several hours in cooled, drained-off willow water. Pot up cuttings into individual two- or three-inch pots containing soilless mix. Poke a pencil into the centre to create a hole, insert the bottom tip of the cutting, firm the growing medium around it and moisten with some willow water.

Next step is to keep each planted cutting humid by placing a glass jar or plastic bag as a tent on top, held intact with an elastic band.

Place in a warm, bright location but away from direct sunlight.

Open the bag or remove the glass covering daily for a half-hour or so to provide ventilation and prevent damping off. The latter happens when a started seed or cutting suddenly topples over as though cut off at ground level. This can occur due to poor ventilation and growing medium that’s kept too moist. Keep that old bit of advice in mind. Avoid overwatering.

WILLOW WATER WONDER

SOME TED TIPS

No need to buy rooting hormone to start your cuttings. Use homemade willow water instead. Sound far fetched? Not at all! Thousands of gardeners take cuttings of fresh young growth from indoor overwintered plants. This is usually the time of year to start and geraniums are a good example.

Now let’s make some willow water. Harvest some willow (Salix) twigs about as round as a cigarette or a little larger. Willow stems contain a natural rooting hormone that stimulates growth. Snip willow branches into one- or twoinch lengths and then carefully split each length in half with a knife or other appropriate tool.

Half fill a saucepan with water (distilled is preferred) and bring to a boil. Remove water from the heat, add the prepared willow pieces, cover with a lid and allow to steep

Sprinkle a thin layer of dry powdered cinnamon on soil surface of indoor house- and office plants. Doing so destroys insect pests that burrow into soil, suffocating their eggs. Cinnamon breaks down after a few waterings and becomes plant food.

Both indoor and outside plants can attract aphids and where there are aphids, gardeners often find ants. The latter feed on a type of honeydew nectar that aphids secrete. I have found a misting of lime water made from a tablespoonful of fresh lime juice thoroughly mixed into a litre of plain water usually takes care of aphids. A bit of experimentation may be required.

If too strong, reduce the amount of lime juice. If not strong enough, add more lime juice to plain water.

Here are some best hardiness and productive soil planting dates

for root crops such as carrots, potatoes and tubers. If you enjoy working in moist, fruitful soil for good root growth try May 3, 4, 11, 12, 13, 16 and 17; or with less moisture, yet productive earthy soil consider May 7, 8 and 9, 2015.

KIPLING’S GLORY OF THE GARDEN Oh, Adam was a gardener, and God who made him sees That half a proper gardener’s work is done upon his knees, So when your work is finished, you can wash your hands and pray, For the Glory of the Garden, that it may not pass away!

Speaking of kneeling in the garden I, Ted, recommend getting a pair of Kneelo Knee Pads. They are suitable for both men and women, lightweight and flexible plus easy to walk in and oh so comfortable on which to kneel. Or, you can get a Kneelo Kneeler Pad. Place an order for either or both of these from West Coast Seeds, Delta, B.C. V4K 2Y1 by dialing toll free 1-888804-8820. †

This is Ted Meseyton the Singing Gardener and Grow-It Poet from Portage la Prairie, Man. Will gardeners ever know all there is to know about gardening? I think not and that includes me. We are not magicians yet there’s something magic about being a gardener. Remember the tooth fairy when you were a kid? In every gardener there is a child who believes in the seed fairy. Seeds and plants always give back more than they receive. Gardening is a good addiction to have when one considers the many not-sogood choices in life. My email address is singinggardener@mts.net.

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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, fixweed, 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. Tis 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 2015 E. I. du Pont Canada Company. All rights reserved.