The western producer august 18, 2016

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 2016

DURUM TAKES HIT |

VOL. 94 | NO. 33 | $4.25 FUSARIUM FORCES SWITCH TO FALL SEEDED CROPS

P. 51

SERVING WESTERN CANADIAN FARM FAMILIES SINCE 1923

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WWW.PRODUCER.COM

DOCKAGE TALKS CONTINUE

Grain firm meets new canola rule BY SEAN PRATT SASKATOON NEWSROOM

It’s been a growing season of wild weather on the Prairies, as reflected in this photo taken near Biggar, Sask., earlier this summer. The plentiful rain that came with it has generally been good for most crops, although lentils have been hit hard and wheat downgrading is now feared. | CHERYL HARE PHOTO

SEE CANOLA RULE, PAGE 5

Wheat facing downgrade fears The crop is susceptible to disease, lodging and bleaching because of above-average precipitation BY BRIAN CROSS

Persistent rain across Western Canada is prompting concerns that prairie farmers will add to a glut of low quality milling wheat that is already weighing on world markets. The good news, at least for some, is that volumes of top quality, high protein milling wheat could be in short supply and are likely to com-

mand price premiums from grain handlers that may be looking for blending opportunities. “Overall, in Alberta, I think we’re going to see high volumes,� said Kevin Auch, a wheat producer from Carmangay, Alta., and chair of the Alberta Wheat Commission. “We’re looking for good yields, but quality-wise, if this weather keeps up, that’s going to start deteriorating pretty quickly here.� Precipitation maps from across

the West show most areas received above-average rainfall last month, with many areas receiving double or triple their normal accumulations for the month of July. Lentil yields have taken a huge hit across much of southern Saskatchewan with significant acres unlikely to produce anything that’s worth harvesting. Saskatchewan producers planted record lentil acreage this spring, but volumes of top quality lentils

are likely to be limited because of disease and flooding. Wheat crops are better equipped to cope with high rainfall, but disease concerns are widespread and downgrades due to bleaching and lodging and other factors are already a distinct possibility. Bleaching has already affected winter wheat quality in south-central Alberta. SEE WHEAT FEARS, PAGE 4

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AUGUST 18, 2016 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Box 2500, Stn. Main, Saskatoon, SK. S7K 2C4 The Western Producer is published in Saskatoon by Western Producer Publications, which is owned by GVIC Communications Corp. Publisher: Shaun Jessome Publications Mail Agreement No. 40069240

EXCESS RAIN

SASKATOON NEWSROOM

A Canadian grain company has reportedly agreed to ship one percent dockage canola to China while the Canadian government continues trying to convince the Chinese that one percent is unnecessary and unfeasible. China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) notified the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Feb. 22 that it would be implementing a new policy requiring a maximum of one percent dockage in canola shipments. That is well below today’s maximum of 2.5 percent. The average dockage level on a ship of canola heading to China is two percent. China was originally going to implement the policy April 1, but Canadian officials convinced the Chinese to push implementation back to Sept. 1 while they searched for a negotiated solution. China says lowering the allowable dockage limit will reduce the threat of blackleg disease entering the country.


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