Grainswest - Fall 2022

Fall 2022 Grains West 6 All smiles,mostly THE DROUGHT OF 2021 HUNG heavy over Alberta’s farm country. The sky finally released enough moisture through the early part of the latest growing season to produce happy results across the province. As of Sept. 27, the Alberta Crop Report noted just seven per cent of major crops were left standing, and the spring wheat and barley crops were almost fully in the bin. Harvest wrapped early for many farmers, and the previous edition of the Report noted yield and quality as being above average. As talk turned to the last of the canola harvest and late season rain in Peace Country, farmers were all smiles. They pulled off an admirable harvest despite limited moisture supply, which is a testa- ment to finely tuned field practices. And this widespread win came with sky-high input costs that made the need for a suc- cessful harvest even more urgent. The above Crop Report noted 70 per cent of farmland was at below normal soil moisture levels. While farmers cele- brate success, last year’s drought con- ditions have not been forgotten. In our Farm Gate section, we spotlight stories about two research projects that examine the response of crops to multiple, simul- taneous crop stressors. Scientists at the University of Saskatchewan are studying how plant cell walls can be strengthened against drought, heat and cold (pg. 15). Meanwhile at the University of Mis- souri, a similarly innovative line of study examines the chemical signals produced within plants that trigger responses to such challenging conditions (pg. 14). The drought also brought back visions of the dust bowl era and calls to pre-empt the return of erosion. Retired provincial agronomy researcher Ross McKenzie sounded a warning on social media. His snapshots of blowing soil taken on a drive through southern Alberta delivered a call to action and prompted us to revisit the threat of erosion in “A dirty shame” (pg. 26). High fertilizer prices that arrived with the drought have not diminished. In our cover story “Fertilizer fever” (pg. 36), we examine the workings of the ferti- lizer supply chain and the factors that maintain this price escalation. Taking his investigation even further, Trevor Bacque examines another controversial side of the fertilizer equation in the latest epi- sode of The GrainsWest Podcast . Bacque talks to fertilizer industry experts and Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Marie-Claude Bibeau about federal plans to curtail fertilizer emis- sions by 30 per cent. Listen to “Fertilizer fears: production versus reduction” at grainswest.com , or wherever you down- load your favourite podcasts. From inputs to exports, we take you on a tour of the Port of Prince Rupert in “The other West Coast port” (pg. 32). It’s a seaside facility that handles a major portion of Prairie grain destined for international markets. The Port serves to take pressure off the heavily trafficked Port of Vancouver, and kept trade flowing last year when flooding took out rail lines and roadways in southern B.C. Another story with a sting in its tail, the Port is a critical agricultural trade hub yet can handle considerably more grain than it receives given the limitations of incom- ing railway capacity. Rural childcare is also in need of im- provement. As farm families struggle to cope with the demands of contemporary farming, scarcity of child-care options is a drag on farm economics, with women shouldering the majority of the respon- sibility. “In search of better rural child care” (pg. 22) looks at the lives of three families as they juggle a variety of op- tions and government resources. The fall issue of GrainsWest holds this and more, and if it’s not exactly all smiles, there is plenty of value in con- structive criticism. EDITOR’S MESSAGE To everyone's relief, much of the year's crop came off early and in great shape. Photo:AlbertaWheatCommission Happy harvest but drought not forgotten