File photo of emerging durum south of Griffin, Sask. on May 31, 2019. (Leeann Minogue photo)

BASF warns on seeding choices for drought-hit imi-treated fields

Steer clear of non-Clearfield canola, durum, canary seed in rotations, company says

Updated, Sept. 22 — The maker of Odyssey, Solo and Viper is warning grain growers whose fields were excessively dry in 2021 that those herbicides may not break down soon enough in those soils to allow certain seeding choices in 2022. BASF Canada on Monday issued an “urgent notice to growers” in which the company […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Finishing feedlot demand drives yearlings higher

Compared to last week, western Canadian yearlings traded $2 lower to as much as $5 higher. Strength was once again noted in southern Alberta where heavier yearlings recorded a fresh 52-week high. Calves were relatively unchanged from week-ago levels. Larger groups of quality weaned genetics traded as much $5 above average values. Feather-lite bawlers under […] Read more

Fertilizer prices climb sky high

Fertilizer prices climb sky high

You may be shocked by prices but don’t expect them to fall any time soon

Reading Time: 4 minutes A perfect storm of high commodity prices, high feedstock costs, and lower supplies has sent fertilizer prices soaring.  “If you look at where prices are now from roughly a year ago, we’re up in that 25 to 30 per cent more than where we were a year ago,” said Craig Klemmer, principal economist with Farm […] Read more


A freighter is loaded with grain from a terminal at Vancouver’s Burrard Inlet. (Maxvis/iStock/Getty Images)

Grain exports running well behind year-ago pace

Prices, low stocks keep lid on demand

MarketsFarm — Canadian grain exports are running well behind the year-ago pace through the first few weeks of the 2021-22 marketing year, as smaller supplies and high prices limit offshore demand. Total exports of all of the major grains, oilseeds and pulses as of Sept. 12 of 3.162 million tonnes are down by about 2.1 […] Read more

Photo: Thinkstock

Feed weekly outlook: U.S. corn imports to supplement tight supplies

Feeders seeking barley would 'have to pay up'

MarketsFarm — The looming corn harvest in the United States should keep a lid on rising feed grain prices in Western Canada, with more corn expected to make its way into Canadian feedlots this winter. “U.S. corn should start landing in Lethbridge sometime in October or early November,” said Jim Beusekom, of MarketPlace Commodities at […] Read more


Farming is inherently risky, but there are ways to mitigate it and that begins with soil testing, says one Strathmore-area agronomist.

The ball game has changed but the fundamentals haven’t

After a bruising year, farmers need a game plan to lower their risk in 2022, says veteran agronomist

Reading Time: 5 minutes Start planning to minimize next year’s risk as soon as you’ve parked the combine — and that starts with fall soil testing, says agronomist Matt Gosling. “There has probably never been a more critical year in my 18 years of doing agronomy to soil test,” said the owner of Strathmore-based Premium Ag. “Soil testing is […] Read more

A soybean crop at Headingley, Man. on Sept. 2, 2021. StatsCan’s latest estimates project drought-hit Manitoba’s soybean production to drop by 22.2 per cent from 2021, while Canada’s soybean harvest overall is expected down 7.4 per cent on the year. (Dave Bedard photo)

Prairie crops downgraded in latest StatsCan estimates

Corn, soybean crops upsized from previous report

MarketsFarm — Drought conditions across Canada’s Prairies cut into yields throughout the region in 2021, with production of most of the major crops downgraded by Statistics Canada in updated crop estimates released Tuesday. Using satellite imagery, the government agency now sees total canola production for the 2021-22 crop year at 12.78 million tonnes, which compares […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: Incoming corn pressures barley, wheat

MarketsFarm — Pressure from forthcoming corn imports from the U.S. have been driving down feed prices for barley and wheat in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, according to Evan Peterson, trader with JGL Commodities in Saskatoon. Meanwhile, prices in Alberta held steady. “We’re seeing some decent coverage right now on the feeder side. We’re waiting for the […] Read more

(Alfio Manciagli/iStock/Getty Images)

Canola ending stocks down on year, but beat expectations

StatsCan pegs barley ending stocks at record low

MarketsFarm — Canadian canola ending stocks were down sharply at the end of 2020-21 compared to the previous marketing year, but still came out well ahead of trade expectations. Many other crops also saw larger-than-expected carryout numbers in Statistics Canada’s principal field crop stocks report as of July 31, 2021, released Wednesday. According to MarketsFarm […] Read more