The Weyburn Inland Terminal is now a part of the Canadian Wheat Board's Hard White Wheat program, which is an identity-preserved program where the grain is only handled through selected grain-handling facilities.

Hard white wheat is a new class of wheat that has a lighter seed coat colour, and increases flour extraction rates with improved whiter flour.

The main markets for this grain are in the Asian noodle market as well as the whole wheat bread market.

The CWB anticipates that the hard white wheat class will become the third biggest wheat class after red spring and durum. Acres seeded to hard white wheat have grown from 160,000 in 2003 to an anticipated 1.25 million acres in 2005.

For growers of hard white wheat, the CWB provides a premium of $2.50 a tonne over the red spring wheat, and will also guarantee acceptance and delivery during the crop year, with storage paid for grain left on the farm after Oct. 1, 2005.

The main variety of hard white wheat available for southern Saskatchewan is Snowbird. It performs similar to the red spring variety AC Barrie, with yield, maturity and management practices also similar to red spring varieties.

Hard white wheat should not be grown on land that has grown red spring wheat in the last year in order to avoid contamination of the production.

To participate in the hard white wheat program, producers need to sign a contract with the Weyburn Inland Terminal, and use certified Snowbird seed. Contact WIT for contract and seed information.