By Sarah Sutton
Alberta Farmer Express

While most producers in Canada were feasting on Christmas dinner leftovers, Doug Wright was bringing in his crops.

The Australian native kicked off FarmTech 2008 at the Mayfield Trade Centre in Edmonton on January 30. He started with a powerpoint slide that projected 30 degree Celsius temperatures for Perth this week while Edmonton remains in a -30 degree deep freeze.

Wright was raised on a mixed farm in Western Australia. In 1985, however, he moved to a farm near his wife’s hometown, Nobleford, Alberta. In 2006, Doug and his family returned to Australia to begin the third phase of his farming career on a 3,500-acre parcel of land near Borden, Western Australia, about 150 kilometres from the coast.

Australia’s farming industry continues to feel the effects of severe drought in 2006 and 2007, although an established La Niña event contributed to above average December 2007 rainfall across much of the country. Southwest Australia, where Wright operates, was one of the only areas in the country to avoid the severe rainfall deficiencies.

On average, Wright’s land receives about 18 inches of precipitation each year. His mixed farm operation includes barley, hard white wheat, canola, peas, cattle and sheep. While in Canada, Wright produced lentils, peas, winter wheat, canola, flax and sunflower.

In choosing his farm, Wright wanted to be no more than 150 kilometres from a main port so he could have the option to ship grain through the Borden grain receiving facility or to ship it straight to the port in Albany. If he ships through Borden, he pays about $33 per tonne. If he ships it straight to the port, he pays about $25 per tonne.

Wright says that cropping is similar to Alberta, but not quite as intensive. For malt barley, Wright received a cash price of $390 per tonne and a pool price of $355 per tonne. For feed barley, he received a cash price of $325 per tonne and a pool price of $300 per tonne.

“If I would have been smart, in September I could’ve forward-sold malt for $460 per tonne and feed for $420 per tonne,” he said.

For canola, Wright received a cash price of $565 per tonne for Triazine Tolerant. Western Australia is genetically modified canola-free. As a result, varieties over there are quite poor, says Wright. He likens them to Canadian varieties in the 1970s and 1980s.

Wright wrapped up his presentation talking about the 5,000 to 7,000 acres of tree farms in Western Australia that export tree chips. This industry has driven up land prices. Wright’s land has about 200 acres of virgin forest and shelterbelts. He expects these areas will be eligible for carbon credits in the future.