Barley Archives - Newsline by Cole's Ag

NewsLine by Cole's Ag on July 2, 2024, 8:00am

Manitoba Crop Alliance opens nominations for delegate positions on crop committees

July 2, 2024 (Carman, MB) – Manitoba Crop Alliance (MCA) is now accepting nominations from farmer members to serve as delegates on its four crop committees.

“Our unique governance structure ensures a strong voice for each crop type we represent,” says MCA CEO Pam de Rocquigny. “It also provides plenty of opportunities for a whole-farm, cross-commodity approach to decision-making, which is important because the majority of our farmer members grow several different crops.”

MCA delegates work towards strengthening the mandate of research, agronomy, market development and access, and communication and advocacy initiatives within each of the four crop committees: corn, flax, sunflower, and wheat and barley. They also receive personal growth opportunities, such as the chance to network with fellow farmers, researchers and industry stakeholders, while gaining a deeper understanding of all the crop industries MCA represents.

This nomination period, there are four open positions on each of the corn, flax and sunflower committees, as well as five open positions on the wheat and barley committee.

“We take great pride in the collaborative, farmer-driven nature of our organization,” says de Rocquigny.

“By becoming a delegate, farmer members get to help determine how their check-off dollars are invested. I encourage farmer members who are interested in guiding the direction of our industry to get involved and add their unique knowledge and perspectives to our committees.”

The nomination period will close at 4:30 p.m. CDT on Oct. 1, 2024. For more information on the nomination or election process – including eligibility requirements, responsibilities of a delegate, time requirements and how to submit a nomination form – visit our website or contact us by email at hello@mbcropalliance.ca or phone at 204-745-6661.

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For more information, please contact:

Pam de Rocquigny
Chief Executive Officer
204-745-6661
pam@mbcropalliance.ca

^{About Manitoba Crop Alliance:}
^{Manitoba Crop Alliance is a non-profit organization established Aug. 1, 2020, representing more than 7,700 farmer members. Manitoba Crop Alliance puts their farmer members first and strives to continuously improve the competitiveness and profitability of all crops represented by the organization by focusing on four main areas: research, agronomy, market access and development, and communications. It is through investment in these key areas that Manitoba Crop Alliance can ensure wheat, barley, corn, sunflower and flax are sustainable production choices for Manitoba farmers. For more information, visit mbcropalliance.ca.}

NewsLine by Cole's Ag on June 12, 2024, 10:58am

AAFC Announces New Canadian National Barley Cluster

June 12, 2024 (Saskatoon, SK) – Earlier today, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) announced a new Canadian National Barley Cluster, a significant initiative aimed at advancing barley production in Canada. With a value of $9.6 million over five years, this Cluster will drive research efforts to enhance the competitiveness and resilience of the Canadian barley industry.

More than just a financial commitment, the Barley Cluster represents a united front in securing the future of the barley value chain. Administered by the Canadian Barley Research Coalition (CBRC), the new Barley Cluster will fund research projects that advance feed barley, barley genetics, agronomy, disease resistance and sustainability to make it a more resilient and profitable crop for Canadian farmers and end users.

“Barley provides a high-quality grain to many industries like the livestock sector, while malting barley supports the Canadian brewing industry,” said the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “This research will help producers incorporate climate-resilient barley crops into their operations to increase the profitability of their farms.”

“Barley is an important crop on my farm and on grain farms across the country,” said Cody Glenn, CBRC Chair and farmer from Climax, SK. “We are really pleased to have this long-term research funding that will help keep barley a profitable and sustainable option in our crop rotations.”

AAFC is investing up to $5.25 million through the AgriScience Program – Clusters Component, an initiative under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership. Additionally, over $4.3 million will come from producer and private organizations across the country. These allies include:

Alberta Grains
Beef Cattle Research Council
Brewing and Malting Barley Research Institute
Canadian Field Crop Research Alliance
- Atlantic Grains Council
- Grain Farmers of Ontario
- Producteurs de grains du Québec
- SeCan
CBS Bio Platforms
Manitoba Crop Alliance
Saskatchewan Barley Development Commission (SaskBarley)
Western Grains Research Foundation

“The Canadian barley industry must look to the future and ensure barley is a competitive crop choice for farmers in terms of yield, pest and disease resistance and crop quality,” said Jill McDonald, CBRC President and SaskBarley Executive Director. “Research conducted through this Cluster will help us meet these challenges head on by building on the advances we made in the previous Cluster and ensuring barley can remain productive and sustainable.”

Founded in 2020, CBRC stands as a testament to collaboration and innovation, uniting Alberta Grains, SaskBarley and Manitoba Crop Alliance in a shared mission to elevate western Canadian barley through long-term research investments.

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For more information, contact:

Shelley Lagassé
Program Manager
CBRC
Cell: 204-688-8399
slagasse@barleyresearch.ca

NewsLine by Cole's Ag on May 15, 2024, 10:01am

New Fusarium head blight mapping tool now available to farmers across the Prairies

May 15, 2024 – New Prairie-wide Fusarium head blight (FHB) risk maps are now available to producers in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. The tool provides assessment of Fusarium head blight index (FHBi), Fusarium-damaged kernels (FDK), and Deoxynivalenol (DON) risk levels in spring wheat, winter wheat, barley and durum based on weather conditions.

These risk maps were created as part of a three-year research project led by the University of Manitoba’s Dr. Paul Bullock, with collaborators from Alberta Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation, Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Crop Alliance (MCA), Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission (Sask Wheat), Saskatchewan Barley Development Commission (SaskBarley) and Alberta Grains.

“The Faculty is very pleased to release this important risk management tool for the agriculture industry,” says Dr. Martin Scanlon, dean of the faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences at the University of Manitoba.

“The project is a great example of multi-institutional collaboration, where the combined skills and talents of both federal and provincial agricultural personnel, plus university collaborators, has facilitated research outcomes that could not have been achieved otherwise.”

The weather-based risk is calculated using real-time weather data from more than 500 stations operated by Environment and Climate Change Canada, the Manitoba AgWeather Program, Saskatchewan Public Safety, Alberta Climate Information System and Metos Canada. The risk algorithms are “homegrown” based on research data collected from 600 plot sites across 15 locations in Western Canada each year from 2019 through 2021 and tested in more than 300 producer fields on the Prairies during the same period. Previous FHB risk maps from each provincial agriculture ministry utilized imported FHB risk algorithms with limited accuracy testing and could not assess risk in barley or durum, nor for either FDK or DON. The risk mapping tool is publicly available and accessible using a smartphone, tablet or desktop computer.

The risk for disease severity varies considerably by location and year because of variable weather during the lead-up period prior to flowering. The tool has both financial and environmental benefits, since the need to apply fungicide for disease control at a given location also varies from one extreme to the other.

“We are proud to help provide Manitoba wheat and barley farmers with a powerful tool to combat FHB in their fields,” says MCA CEO Pam de Rocquigny. “These new risk maps are an excellent example of MCA’s vision in action – an investment that will make our farmer members more productive and sustainable.”

The project was funded through the Integrated Crop Agronomy Cluster with funding from the Canadian Agriculture Partnership, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Western Grains Research Foundation, MCA, Sask Wheat, Alberta Grains, Brewing and Malting Barley Research Institute and Prairie Oat Growers Association. The FHB risk mapping tool is available at prairiefhb.ca.

For more information on using and interpreting the maps check out our new joint extension document, here.

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For more information, please contact:

Cole Christensen
Communications Manager
Manitoba Crop Alliance
403-589-3529
cole@mbcropalliance.ca

Dr. Paul Bullock
Senior Scholar, Department of Soil Science
University of Manitoba
Paul.Bullock@umanitoba.ca

About Manitoba Crop Alliance:
Manitoba Crop Alliance is a non-profit organization established Aug. 1, 2020, representing more than 7,700 farmer members. Manitoba Crop Alliance puts their farmer members first and strives to continuously improve the competitiveness and profitability of all crops represented by the organization by focusing on four main areas: research, agronomy, market access and development, and communications. It is through investment in these key areas that Manitoba Crop Alliance can ensure wheat, barley, corn, sunflower and flax are sustainable production choices for Manitoba farmers. For more information, visit mbcropalliance.ca.

NewsLine by Cole's Ag on March 13, 2024, 8:00am

Study reveals Manitoba Crop Alliance crop types are major drivers of Manitoba economy

March 13, 2024 (Carman, MB) – Today, Manitoba Crop Alliance (MCA) released data highlighting the significant contributions of its crop types to the Manitoba economy.

MCA contracted information services company GlobalData to conduct a study assessing the impact of Manitoba-grown wheat (excluding durum), barley, grain corn, sunflower and flax on the province’s economy.

Together, these five crop types account for a large part of Manitoba’s agriculture industry. Several of these crops are also the foundations for important food industries, both within the province and beyond.

GlobalData found that the total economic impact of MCA’s five crop types averaged roughly $6.9 billion over the past three years, including more than 28,000 Manitoba jobs and $2.5 billion in wages.

“This study shows the major role our crop types play in the economic well-being of the province and the country,” says MCA chair Robert Misko, who farms east of Roblin, MB.

“As farmers, we have long known our position in the system and how we contribute to the province’s success, but it is heartening to see those contributions laid out in a measurable way that anyone can understand.”

For a full breakdown of the study, including summary data and in-depth reports for each crop type, visit mbcropalliance.ca/economic-impact.

This economic assessment was modelled after work done last year by Cereals Canada on wheat, barley, durum and oats. Visit cerealscanada.ca/economic-impact for more information.

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For more information, please contact:

Cole Christensen
Communications Manager
403-589-3529
cole@mbcropalliance.ca

NewsLine by Cole's Ag on February 20, 2024, 10:20am

Media Advisory – Register today for the 2024 Barley Symposium

Feb. 20, 2024 – If you are a barley enthusiast or Canadian agriculture aficionado, the 2024 Barley Symposium is for you!

Brought to you by the Brewing and Malting Barley Research Institute, Canadian Grain Commission, Canadian Barley Research Coalition (CBRC) and the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre, the event will take place at the Delta Bessborough in beautiful Saskatoon, SK. This year’s theme is “From the Ground Up” and attendees will be treated to exclusive presentations on the latest and greatest research advancements along the whole value chain in one of Canada’s most profitable crops.

“As a coalition, we are proud to showcase researchers who are on the leading edge of barley innovation,” said CBRC chair Cody Glenn from his farm near Climax, SK. “This year’s symposium will feature a rare mix of knowledge transfer directly from researchers and networking opportunities that are not to be missed.”

The symposium will run from Feb. 25-27, 2024, and include relevant topics of discussion such as “Emerging Biotic Threats,” “Advances in established biotic threat management,” “Progress in variety development and agronomy,” and “New technology to advance variety development and agronomy” – to name a few. There will also be a poster session with projects from some of Canada’s most dedicated barley researchers, accompanied by opportunities to mix and mingle with a “Who’s Who” of Canadian agriculture.

More information regarding registration and accommodation is available at barleyresearch.ca.

Early birds can also sign up for a free tour of the Canadian Light Source, one of the largest science projects in Canada’s history. Their facility speeds up electrons to produce intensely bright synchrotron light that allows scientists to study materials at a molecular level.

CBRC is a national not-for-profit organization with a focus on improving profitability and competitiveness for western Canadian barley through long-term research investments.

For more information:

Shelley Lagassé
Canadian Barley Research Coalition
P: 204.688.8399
E: slagasse@barleyresearch.ca

NewsLine by Cole's Ag on January 11, 2024, 10:29am

SaskBarley Board Elects New Chair

January 11, 2024 (Saskatoon, SK) – The Saskatchewan Barley Development Commission (SaskBarley) Board announced today that they have elected a new Chair to replace Keith Rueve, whose time as a director was ending after two consecutive terms.

Cody Glenn was elected as Chair, and Matt Enns as Vice-Chair.

“I would like to thank Keith for his leadership and commitment to Saskatchewan’s barley producers,” says Glenn, a certified seed grower and owner of Southline Ag Services in Climax, SK. “I look forward to working with our strong team at the board and staff level as we continue to make investments that grow Saskatchewan’s barley industry.”

Enns was re-elected as a director in the recent 2023 Board elections. He operates a multi-generational grain farm near Rosthern, SK, and is also a co-founder of Maker’s Crafted Malts.

“As I continue my time with SaskBarley, I am excited for all of the initiatives and critical investments in research that we have on the go,” Enns adds. “The decisions we make as a Board will always be in support of barley producers and with an eye to an even brighter future.”

Glenn and Enns will assume their roles immediately for a one-year term. Newly elected directors Chad Ferguson (Naicam, SK) and Gordon Moellenbeck (Englefeld, SK) join Zenneth Faye (Foam Lake) and Maurice Berry (Carievale) to complete the board of six.

For more information on SaskBarley and its investments in research, market development and advocacy initiatives, or to sign up for the organization’s newsletter, visit www.saskbarley.com.

For more information:

Cole Christensen
Communications Manager
P: 306-250-1099
E: cole@saskbarley.com

NewsLine by Cole's Ag on November 23, 2023, 1:04pm

CMBTC publishes 2024-25 Recommended Malting Barley Varieties List, including market insights and trends

Nov. 23, 2023 (Winnipeg, MB) – The Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre (CMBTC) has published its 2024 – 2025 list of recommended malting barley varieties. The guide offers producers and industry insights into preferred varieties based on agronomics, quality and market demand.

The 2024-25 list contains five main varieties: AAC Synergy, CDC Copeland, AAC Connect, CDC Fraser and for the first time CDC Churchill.

As a top global exporter of malting barley and processed malt, Canada is recognized for its high-quality varieties and consistent performance in processing. Newer varieties such as AAC Connect and CDC Fraser are steadily gaining acceptance in the malting and brewing industries, although the process takes time, says Peter Watts, Managing Director at the CMBTC. “End users want assurance that any new variety introduced into their operations will align with their process and end-product. Brewers are very conscious of quality due to its direct impact on efficiencies and end-use characteristics including sensory attributes”.

“With improved agronomics and disease resistance, new varieties have proven themselves to be high performers in Canadian fields, driving increased area. But there must be matching supply and demand,” says Jon White, CMBTC Board chair. “It’s the classic chicken or egg scenario—insufficient supply makes it challenging to source and sell enough quantities to international customers at a cost-effective rate. Yet, for producers to expand adoption, they want to ensure there is a market.”

As a result, the CMBTC works closely with end-users to test new varieties at a micro, pilot and production scale. “We provide comprehensive quality and performance data, supply samples and even facilitate commercial trials with new varieties in our export markets to expedite acceptance” says Watts.

Canada’s premium value proposition is maintained by high standards that underpin the production of top-quality barley. It is recommended that producers use certified seed to maintain varietal purity and to help ensure their barley is selected for malt. Meeting that minimum 95 per cent purity requirement threshold is critical as maltsters process batches consisting of single barley varieties to ensure consistent and high quality.

This year’s list also contains changes that provide additional information detailing the demand differences between domestic and international categories. Newer varieties tend to be adopted more quickly in the domestic malting industry, whereas older varieties may be phased out sooner compared with international markets. The breakout endeavours to give producers a better understanding of the marketplace.

“Given the growing market acceptance of our new varieties and their improved agronomics, I would encourage producers who plan to grow barley in 2024 to consider a new malt variety if they have not already,” says Watts.

All varieties on the list are registered with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and are designated by the Canadian Grain Commission as malting varieties.

View the CMBTC 2023-24 Recommended Malting Barley Varieties list

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For more information:

Peter Watts, Managing Director, CMBTC
Phone: 204-983-1981 Email: pwatts@cmbtc.com

About the CMBTC – Founded in 2000, the CMBTC is a national, independent, member-based, non-profit association that combines technical services, market development, support for the Canadian barley value chain, customer relations and advocacy for Canada’s barley industry in a model that maximizes the opportunity to grow Canada’s markets for barley and malt and to create value.