Reading Time: < 1 minute Slides from presenters at Agronomy Update in January are now being posted online. So far, there are slides from presentations on weed control, the “lygus apocalypse,” effect of heat and drought on pests, fungicide application, soil sensors, how pulses impact soil health, fertilizer considerations for 2022, cover cropping, herbicide carry-over, herbicide-resistant weeds, pulse research, secondary […] Read more
Agronomy conference recap now available online
Feed weekly outlook: Fuel, other factors to affect grain prices
MarketsFarm — As fuel prices continue to rise due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, surcharges for grain shipments are also increasing — leaving many to wonder about feed grain costs moving forward. “I think we will be seeing an effect coming up,” said Brandon Motz, owner and sales manager of CorNine Commodities at Lacombe, Alta. […] Read more
Klassen: Surge in feed grain prices shocks feeder cattle market
Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets traded $3-$5 lower on average. Feeder cattle weighing 650 to 800 lbs. were relatively unchanged to $3 lower. Calves under 650 lbs. were steady to $4-$6 lower in Alberta, unchanged in Saskatchewan and $3-$5 higher in Manitoba. Fleshier yearlings and calves were heavily discounted last week with […] Read more
Low demand for barley keeps prices stable
Wheat's volatility not reflecting onto barley values
MarketsFarm — Unlike the dramatic leaps wheat prices have made since the Russian invasion of Ukraine 12 days ago, malt barley prices have moved very little, according to Kris Moric of Johnston’s Grains in Calgary. Wheat “is not pulling barley prices with it, as far as we can see on our end,” Moric said, noting […] Read more
Feed weekly outlook: Rising oil prices increase freight charges
MarketsFarm — Acquiring livestock feed has been increasingly expensive as Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, and a retaliatory ban on Russian oil imports by many Western nations, has caused oil prices to severely rise every day. As corn imports from the U.S. continue to make their way into Alberta feedlots, the cost to transport them […] Read more
Forecasting the future: What crop will be king in the coming year?
Oats is being touted as the profitability champion, but canola’s reign also looks set to continue
Reading Time: 4 minutes Scott Keller is pretty impressed with the latest crop profitability outlook from Manitoba’s Ag Department — but he’s not buying its prediction that oats will be this year’s No. 1 money-maker. Canola is still king and its reign isn’t going to end any time soon, said the grain farmer from New Norway. “Nothing will even […] Read more
A small silver lining in 2021: Drought pushes down fusarium levels
And planting fusarium-free seed gives growers a chance to push them down a bit further
Reading Time: 3 minutes Last summer’s drought drove down fusarium head blight levels across the province. But it’s still lurking, and increasingly that’s happening in parts of the province that have been spared in the past. “This year, just over five per cent of samples that we’re testing from Alberta have been positive for fusarium graminearum,” said Trevor Blois, […] Read more
Feed weekly outlook: Prices steady, but changes coming
Feedlots moving to full corn rations
MarketsFarm — With feed barley and wheat supplies on the verge of running out, prices remain firm, according to Mike Fleischhauer of Eagle Commodities in Lethbridge. “They’re on the positive side of stationary,” he said, noting prices could soon change following the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Thursday. “With what’s going on with Ukraine and […] Read more
Not surprisingly, the cost of certified cereal seed is up
The price hike for wheat has been modest but barley is up sharply, says market analyst
Reading Time: < 1 minute The cost of certified cereal seed is up and will likely keep climbing in the coming year, says a provincial market analyst. In an Agri-News article in mid-February, Ryan Furtas said barley seed prices shot up eight per cent in a month and are now 26 per cent higher than the five-year average. The price […] Read more
Klassen: Weather factors influence calf prices
Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets traded $4 lower to as much as $5 higher. Mid-weight feeder cattle traded relatively unchanged with strong demand noted on steers. Steer calves were firm, trading $2-$5 higher while heifer calves traded $4-$5 on either side of unchanged. The market was hard to define for calves and […] Read more