Reading Time: 2 minutes The crop report from Alberta Agriculture in late July was — not surprisingly — dismal. But the speed of the deterioration of crop quality was nevertheless noteworthy. “Only 20 per cent of the annual crops (are) good or excellent,” it said in its end-of-July report. “This represents a 17-point drop in the last two weeks […] Read more
Crop quality has been a steep, fast downward plunge
Sask. Crop Report: Harvests ahead of schedule
MarketsFarm – The annual harvest in Saskatchewan is moving along earlier and faster than usual as crops dry down to high heat and lack of moisture. Three per cent of Saskatchewan’s crop has been combined, compared to the less than one per cent at this point last year, according to the province’s crop report for […] Read more
ICE weekly outlook: Volatility expected in canola markets
MarketsFarm – The ICE Futures canola market saw some large price moves during the week ended Aug. 4, hitting their lowest levels in a month as investors booked profits before recovering to hold relatively range-bound overall. More choppiness is expected over the next few weeks, as the market waits to get a better handle on […] Read more
CN, CP railways break grain shipping records
MarketsFarm – It was a record-breaking year for both of Canada’s two major freight railways. In separate news releases to the public on August 3, both Canadian National Railway (CN Rail) and Canadian Pacific Railway (CP Rail) reported a record amount of grain moved during the 2020-21 crop year. For the first time ever, both […] Read more
ICE weekly outlook: Canola range-bound, awaiting harvest
MarketsFarm – ICE Futures canola contracts held within a relatively narrow range during the week ended July 28, as traders wait to get a better handle on the size of the Canadian crop. “We’re just waiting to see as we get into harvest what the crop size and crop yields look like,” said Jamie Wilton, […] Read more
Crop quality greater in western Manitoba
MarketsFarm – While the western parts of Manitoba are seeing healthy crops, the eastern and Interlake regions aren’t so fortunate, according to Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development. Crop ratings for both the southwest and northwest regions range from 50 to 75 per cent good to excellent, according to the province’s weekly crop report released on […] Read more
Heatwave wreaks havoc on Alberta crops
Governments are rushing to help but fears are mounting as the crisis grows
Reading Time: 6 minutes July’s devastating heatwave has destroyed crops and pastures across Alberta, leaving producers in all corners of the province wondering what their options are at this point of the growing season. “It’s been pretty hard,” said Valerie Ehrenholz, who runs a mixed operation near Barrhead with her father. “I haven’t been farming that long — the […] Read more
Damp Ireland offers some grain drying tips for the dry Prairies
Farmers here can learn a few lessons about drying malt barley from the Emerald Isle
Reading Time: 3 minutes What can malt barley producers on the Prairies learn about grain drying and storage from a country like Ireland, where the climate almost couldn’t be more different? Quite a bit, says an expert familiar with both. The weather is very different but Ireland and the Prairies share some similar challenges, notably dealing with high-moisture malt […] Read more
ICE weekly outlook: Canola corrects, but trend still up
MarketsFarm — ICE Futures canola contracts posted some wide price swings over the week ended Wednesday, moving lower overall as the market backed away from nearby highs and speculative profit-taking weighed on values. “The trend is higher, but you can’t go up forever,” said trader Ken Ball of PI Financial in Winnipeg. While rains during […] Read more
Marvel or foo-foo dust? No verdict yet on biostimulants
Many products purport to boost plant health and yield but objective evidence needed, says researcher
Reading Time: 3 minutes The jury is still out on biostimulants. “Hopefully in two or three years, we’ll have a better recommendation and strategy for these things, but right now, it feels like there are more questions than answers,” said Mike Gretzinger, research co-ordinator at Farming Smarter. The recent buzz around biostimulants — a variety of products that boost […] Read more
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