MarketsFarm — A truck blockade at a Canada-U.S. border crossing at Coutts, Alta. has caused some headaches for grain buyers in southern parts of the province. Since Saturday, commercial trucks and other vehicles have blocked Highway 4, a 103-km stretch which runs from the border to Lethbridge, to protest COVID-19 health measures. On the U.S. […] Read more
Feed weekly outlook: Alberta blockade affects feed grain deliveries
Klassen: Feeder market establishes short-term stability
Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle traded $2-$4 on either side of unchanged. Steady demand was noted on 800-plus-pound cattle, but calves and lighter weights experienced softer buying interest. Favourable weather and optimal pen conditions along with firmer live cattle futures supported the yearling market. Imports of U.S. corn continue to run 10-14 […] Read more
Using the stuff of stars to make food safer and boost germination
Cold plasma can reduce micro-organisms on seed surfaces while improving germination
Reading Time: 4 minutes It’s the stuff of stars, lightning bolts, and the aurora borealis — and now, Alberta researchers are finding uses for plasma a little closer to home. “There are so many applications for plasma in agriculture,” said M.S. Roopesh, assistant professor of food safety and sustainability engineering at the University of Alberta. “We have been doing a […] Read more
Feed weekly outlook: Markets facing uncertainty
MarketsFarm — Feed grain markets in Western Canada are facing some uncertainty amid tight domestic supplies and reports of transportation issues bringing up corn from the United States. “It’s very strange,” said Susanne Leclerc of MarketMaster Ltd. in Alberta. “You see stories like that (reporting on feedlots running low on grain), then you talk to […] Read more
Malt barley challengers gaining ground
Reading Time: < 1 minute CDC Copeland is still the most popular malting barley variety in Western Canada but its six-year reign may be coming to an end as AAC Synergy continues to grab acres. Copeland accounted for nearly 35 per cent of western Canadian acres last year — far below its nearly 50 per cent share in 2017 — […] Read more
Transport strains pile on drought-induced feed shortages
Importing U.S. corn not cheap
Winnipeg | Reuters — Canadian farmers say they are just days away from running out of feed for cattle, due to severe drought last summer damaging crops needed to fatten them over winter and transportation bottlenecks. The drought devastated Prairie pastures and has now forced feedlots in Alberta, the main cattle-producing province, to buy more […] Read more
When it’s this pricey, handle fertilizer with care
Do a soil test, and realize what has happened to your nutrients after the drought, says expert
Reading Time: 3 minutes Between drought and the soaring price of fertilizer, you might want to manage your grain farm a little differently this year. “In a dry year, there will be reduced crop growth and reduced nutrient uptake,” soil scientist Rigas Karamanos said at Agronomy Update earlier this month. “We had plenty of heat, but not moisture. Consequently, […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder market softens on tight feed grain supply
Ontario buying interest subsides
Compared to last week, prices for yearling steers were down $2-$4 while yearling heifers were down $4 to as much as $8. Calf markets were down $3-$6 from last week. Negative feeding margins, colder temperatures and tight feed grain supplies were the three main factors setting a negative tone in the feeder market. Rail imports […] Read more
Larger Canadian crops predicted in AAFC’s first 2022 outlook
MarketsFarm — A return to trend-line yields after the past year’s drought should lead to a significant increase in Canadian crop production in 2022, according to the first supply/demand estimates for the 2022-23 season from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), released late Friday. Seeded area is expected to be up for wheat and the pulses, […] Read more
Feed weekly outlook: Status quo for now, but change coming
MarketsFarm — Feed grains in Western Canada have been holding close to the status quo for the last little while, but that’s likely to change, according to Jim Beusekom of Market Place Commodities in Lethbridge. He pointed to increases in corn and wheat this week in U.S. futures markets, in which corn has gained about […] Read more