Alberta farmer express

Page 1

DON’T CALL IT A BARLEY SANDWICH

ALBERTA’S VERSION OF SUNNY WAYS

Shochu is a premium Japanese beverage that may mean more cash for Alberta growers » PG 2

Starland County wants to spark solar revolution with first-of-its-kind solar farm co-op » PG 3

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V o l u m e 1 3 , n u m b e r 3    f e b r u a r y 1 , 2 0 1 6

Ag minister vows to listen to farm groups Groups create ‘historic collaboration’ to fight for sensible workplace rules By JENNIFER BLAIR AF staff / Red Deer

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fter ramming through new farm safety legislation at year’s end, the provincial government seems to have changed its tune. “I want to be clear right now — we will be taking the time necessary to make sure we get this right,” Agriculture and Forestry Minister Oneil Carlier said at the Alberta Federation of Agriculture annual general meeting last month. “We do have timelines, but the timelines are going to be fairly soft. For occupational health and

see FARM GROUPS } page 7

Pulse lone bright spot in crop forecast Break-even yields are a little lower for spring wheat and canola this year, and there’s real money to be made growing peas and lentils By JENNIFER BLAIR AF staff / Red Deer

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here’s good news and there’s bad news in this year’s crop profitability forecasts. The good news? Break-even yields for both spring wheat and canola are just slightly lower this year, according to provincial forecasts. And even if you just pull off average yields for peas, you’ll really have something to smile about. “Since the projections were made for new-crop yellow peas, I think you can lock in $10 a bushel. That’s changed pretty dramatically,” said Kevin Hursh of Hursh Consulting and Communications. “When you start adding another dollar a bushel to the value of these, that’s starting to look pretty attractive.” The flip side is that field peas is the only crop that is an across-theprovince winner. Spring wheat is (barely) profitable in two soil zones and canola in three zones, according to provincial forecasts. Feed barley pencils out in four zones, but save in the Black soil zone, it’s a near thing.

see PULSES } page 6

file photo in bushels per acre Spring Wheat Feed Barley Canola Field peas

Black

Brown

Dark Brown

Grey-Wooded

Peace

average yield

65

40

45

65

55

break-even yield

66

41

44

64

58

average yield

90

65

70

90

80

break-even yield

80

62

71

88

74

average yield

45

25

30

45

30

break-even yield

38

28

33

41

28

average yield

50

40

45

50

45

break-even yield

41

30

33

42

35

It’s easy to spot the winner as the profit prospects for spring wheat, feed barley, and canola are marginal at best if you get average yields for your area.   SOURCE: ALBERTA AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY

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