High propane and natural gas costs loom ominously over growers and grain dryers. According to Ron Campbell, operations and member service manager with the Ontario Agri-Business Association (OABA), the upward trend of per-bushel drying costs is a universal concern for the province’s grain elevators. While specific numbers for fuel are hard to identify, particularly propane, […] Read more
Tag Archives Grain drying — page 4
High fuel costs a burden for drying grain
Fuel is one of many cost increases for elevators and farmers
Grain drying and energy efficiency: The basics
The type of dryer you use can have a large impact on energy use
An article published Oct. 4, 2021, Drying Tech Q&A with James Dyck, created some confusion around grain dryer energy efficiency and how to make improvements. I am indebted to an astute reader who brought this to my attention. This article has been written to provide clarity. Grain drying is a simple concept in theory, but […] Read more
Concerns, opportunities measured in grain drying
Researchers map province’s grain drying landscape to address cost and efficiency challenges
A 2021 University of Guelph study showed that fuel costs are a top concern of those using grain dryers in the province. Why it matters: Drying accounts for 17 per cent of the cost of production in grains. More efficient and new strategies are required to keep such costs from climbing. Project researchers William Lubitz […] Read more
Clean ag tech adoption fund open for applications
Intake open and ongoing for Agricultural Clean Technology Program
A federal program farmers can use to invest in “cleaner” on-farm equipment — including money specifically for more efficient grain dryers — is now taking applications. Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau on Wednesday announced the $165.7 million Agricultural Clean Technology Program is “now open to applicants.” First launched in 2018 and earmarked for expansion under […] Read more
Top court upholds federal carbon pricing policy
Farm groups, fearing unsustainable costs, press for next steps
Calgary/Ottawa | Reuters — Canada’s Supreme Court ruled in favour of the federal government’s carbon pricing policy on Thursday, upholding a central pillar of Prime Minister Justin’s Trudeau’s climate plan and infuriating some provinces that opposed it. The country’s top court said climate change is a threat to Canada as a whole and upheld the […] Read more
Carbon tax rebate on grain drying fuels coming
Jim Carr reiterates Bibeau's pledge from last week
Farmers can expect a rebate on carbon taxes paid on fuels used to dry grain, Jim Carr, the federal cabinet’s special representative for the Prairies, told the Canadian Crops Virtual Convention on Tuesday. However, he didn’t provide any details. “There is promising news on this front,” Carr told the meeting, hosted by the Canola Council […] Read more
Grain drying relief moving forward, one way or other
Governing Liberals telegraph plans to introduce their own measure
Despite voting against a bill to exempt certain farm fuels from the carbon tax, the governing federal Liberals say tax relief for grain drying is coming. Conservative MP Philip Lawrence’s private member’s bill C-206, An Act to amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act (qualifying farming fuel), passed second reading in the House of Commons […] Read more
Diesel prices, carbon tax cause headaches for farmers
MarketsFarm — Crude oil prices have been steadily on the rise since last November as oil-producing nations implement production cuts and Canadian farmers already affected by climbing diesel prices will have to dig deeper into their wallets this April. On April 1, the federal government’s carbon levy on diesel will go up from 8.05 cents […] Read more
New greening programs planned for ag alongside carbon tax hike
Carbon price to hit $170 per tonne by 2030
A new federal climate plan which further cranks up taxes on carbon emissions also includes pledges of new programs to help sink more carbon into farmland. The government on Friday released the sequel to its 2016 Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change — a “strengthened” climate plan, titled A Healthy Environment and a […] Read more
Improved screenless drying means lower fire risk
A new dryer tumbles grain side to side as it dries
Glacier FarmMedia – Conventional screen-type grain dryers allow kernels to be placed directly on the hot screen, thus damaging those kernels. However, there are a small number of dryers that don’t use a screen. Dave Wall of Wall Grain has been selling dryers since the early 1980s including his Vertec, Ibec, Neco or MC dryers. […] Read more
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