CWB "Single Desk" Astounding

[TOM4CWB]

Chaffmeister:

Did you see this one?

DTN PM CDN News; 04/20
FUSARIUM FREE CDN WHEAT NO REAL COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE - CWB

By Phil Franz-Warkentin, Resource News International

Winnipeg - Comparatively lower levels of fusarium
in Canada's 2005 spring wheat crop have not led to any noticeable
advantages when it comes to exports, said the Canadian Wheat
Board (CWB).
While the US spring wheat crops were hit hard by fusarium
head blight, also known as scab, in 2005, the Canadian crop
managed to largely avoid the fungal disease. As a result, export
sources noted that Canada is holding onto the only real supply of
fusarium-free spring wheat in North America.
However, even though Canada has a relatively lower level of
fusarium in its spring wheat, it doesn't mean the country has a
competitive advantage when it comes to exports, said CWB
spokesperson Maureen Fitzhenry. While she thought it was good for
Canada that it had less fusarium infected wheat than some of its
competitors, she added that other problems likely negated any
advantage.
Fusarium is only an issue in southern Manitoba and parts of
eastern Saskatchewan, said Fitzhenry. With no problems ever seen
outside of that area, she noted that Canada normally has good
supplies of fusarium-free wheat at this time of year.
In 2005, the spring wheat crops in the fusarium prone areas
got off to a late start and were at a less susceptible stage when
the moisture hit, causing the fusarium problems to not be as bad
as in other years, said Fitzhenry.
While the incidence of fusarium was lower, there were still
significant moisture problems in the area. "What you gain in
terms of lower fusarium is lost in terms of things like yield,
protein level and grade," said Fitzhenry adding that "it's hard
to say we had a significant marketing advantage because we had
lower fusarium."

I wasn't going to comment on this... but it bugged me so much...

I couldn't go to sleep... just thinking about...!

[chaffmeister]

"What you gain in terms of lower fusarium is lost in terms of things like yield, protein level and grade," said Fitzhenry ...

Say what?!

Let me see if I've got this right. You've got clean, no fusarium wheat. That's a plus. But "what you gain in terms of lower fusarium is lost in terms of things like yield". Soooo - because of the lack of fusarium, you've got lousy yield?? Who say's - and what has that got to do with marketing?

ALSO - What you gain in terms of lower fusarium is lost in terms of things like ... protein level and grade. So now you've got lousy protein and grade? What's the connection?

Where is Bob Roehle when you need him? I didn't like what he had to say (you couldn't trust him), but at least you could understand it...