In the news
NEWS BITES THAT MATTER
Harvest survey well underway
Grain Farmers of Ontario’s annual wheat harvest survey is up and running and so far, the results seem to indicate good general test weights. This survey provides our wheat buyers with qualitative data from the 2011 wheat harvest, allowing them to adjust their grist and better respond to the characteristics of this particular year.
The survey involves taking wheat samples from individual participants, grading the samples and then running milling and bake tests to determine quality through to the finished product. The testing is undertaken by Mike Reimer, Ontario Wheat technologist employed jointly by the Canadian International Grains Institute and Grain Farmers of Ontario. This rigorous analysis and classification “is a snapshot of the quality of Ontario’s wheat that we make available to everyone in the industry,” says Reimer.
If interested in participating in this initiative in the future, please contact Valerie Gilvesy at 226-979-5581, or vgilvesy@gfo.ca. Results can be found at www.gfo.ca/marketing/wheatmarketing/harvestsurvey2011. •
Canadian Beef merger
The Canadian Beef Export Federation recently voted in favour of merging their organization with the Beef Information Center and the National Beef Check Off Agency in order to create one concise voice for Canadian beef producers. This comes after much discussion and deliberation on the governing structure of the new body, and what the merger must entail in order to be perfectly acceptable to each different organization and the individuals they represent.
Among the agreements reached was one of fair organizational representation; specifically, one of accountability through elected and open governing processes.
Those employed in the organizations involved with the merger are to be offered positions in the new, single entity, and all projects currently underway are to be continued under the new brand.
Like the merger of the Ontario wheat, corn, and soybean associations that created Grain Farmers of Ontario, the merger should reduce duplication, centralize and increase the availability of information and strengthen the voice of Canada’s beef industry. •
P&H opens new storage facility
A new Parrish & Heimbecker storage facility consisting of two large domes capable of holding 28,000 tonnes of grain each had its grand opening in Hamilton recently.
Located on Hamilton’s waterfront, it is expected that over a million tonnes of corn, wheat and soybeans are to pass through the facility within the next decade. This is possible due to an investment of approximately $30 million dollars and a long-term lease contract with the Hamilton Port Authority.
The facility itself is essentially two large bubbles made of concrete that are covered in a plastic-fabric mix. The actual size of each bubble is 58 meters in diameter and 27 meters (approximately 9 stories) high, and they sit on part of P&H’s 380,000 square foot lease plot.
For more information about this new addition to Ontario’s grain industry, read the full story online at ontariograinfarmer.ca. •
