A Radville-area farm family, the Galarneaus, have found a way to diversify their operation by filling a very specific need for a specially-produced crop, a group of Weyburn area producers heard on Wednesday.

Alex Galarneau of Galarneau Farms spoke on identity-preserved wheat that is specifically produced for a European market at a Wheat and Durum Day hosted by the Canadian Wheat Board and Sask. Agriculture and Food.

The Galarneau Farm produces organic wheat, a type known as kamut, which is grown and used in making different kinds of European bread, kamut noodles, cakes and breakfast cereals. The farm has been certified as the sole processor and supplier of kamut for all of Canada, and sends the wheat over to Italy where it is milled for use throughout Europe. On behalf of the Kamut Association, Galarneau Farms contract organic farms to grow the wheat, with a number of growers in southern Saskatchewan. The eastern limit is around Weyburn, with more growers towards southwest Saskatchewan and into Alberta, said Galarneau.

As the end-use customer only wants organically-grown kamut in their product, the farms who are contracted to grow kamut have to undergo stringent conditions and record-keeping to ensure the end product is pure. The concept of identity-preserved wheat refers to the tracking system for the wheat, explained Galarneau; through this system, the wheat is kept track of all the way through the processing system until it ends up in the loaf of bread in Europe.

Some companies there put an edible sticker right on the bread with the identification number of the wheat used; through this number, the wheat used in that loaf can be traced back to the farm it was produced on, even down to the exact field it was grown on, said Galarneau, and some companies even put the farmer's name on. All the paperwork and careful production is worth it to the farmer, as Galarneau noted farmers are paid $11 a bushel for this kamut, and this price is reflected through the system to the bread.

"They want a stable supply of the grain. They pay a premium for it The customers we're selling to want this. They want to have a closer touch with the farmers who are growing it," said Galarneau. "They don't complain too much about the price. They're buying the product for a whole host of reasons, from the philosophical to health." Explaining about the wheat, he said kamut wheat is an ancient Egyptian variety, similar to durum but with a kernel about the size of a healthy oat kernel. Agronomically, this wheat has an extremely high protein level, good weather resistance.

Extension agrologist Elaine Moats pointed out the livestock industry is going the same direction in terms of tracking the product.