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Farm-Scape, Episode 2191

The Saskatchewan Pork Development Board expects a planned restructuring of western Canada's wheat classes to broaden the types of crops grown and the uses for those crops.

Last month the Canadian Grain Commission unveiled plans to eliminate kernel visual distinguishability requirements on the minor wheat classes and create a new general purpose wheat class effective in August 2008.

Sask Pork general manager Neil Ketilson notes, in the past, several varieties that could have contributed to increased yields have been rejected because they were not visually distinguishable from milling wheats.

" If you compare our general varieties that we've had and the ability to produce grains and feed grains and grains for other uses like the ethanol industry and things like that and compare that to what the corn varieties have done in the US over time, we've really been lacking in terms of our ability to produce more on a per acre basis.

This really opens up our ability to broaden the types of crops we grow and the uses we grow them for so it really encourages the value added here in western Canada without having the competing interests, one being a disadvantage to the other.

For an example, if we can grow a new cultivar that is suitable for the ethanol industry and also the livestock industry, we don't want to be stuck with the same yield potential that we have been in the past because the two competing interests may not work our for both of us.

Therefor if we can increase the yield, increase the price a little bit so that the farmer can make some more money but still at the same time enable more quantify of grain for the ethanol industry and the livestock industry we all win.

Ketilson is confident allowing the registration of varieties that were previously disallowed will really enhance the ability of farmers to increase their per acre yields.

Staff Farmscape.Ca