Reading Time: < 1 minute Effective Aug. 1, Alberta Barley and the Alberta Wheat Commission is now known as Alberta Grains. The farmer organizations released the new moniker in the run-up to their merger, which will be effective with the start of the 2023-24 crop year. The merger aims to “…build on the strengths of both organizations to create a […] Read more
Alberta Grains to be post-merger name
U.S. grains: Corn futures touch 2020 low on improved crop ratings
U.S. soybean crushings set record in July
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade corn futures tumbled on Tuesday to their lowest level since 2020 after a weekly report from the U.S. government showed better-than-expected crop conditions. Soybean futures also slid on improved U.S. crop ratings, while wheat reached its lowest level in more than two months. A risk-averse sentiment across […] Read more
Alberta farmers granted late AgriStability entry
Enrolment deadline now Sept. 29
Any Alberta producers who were considering AgriStability — but only in hindsight — for the income stabilization plan’s 2023 program year now have until Sept. 29 to apply. Ottawa and the province announced Aug. 4 that they’ve reopened the jointly-funded program, as wildfires and/or “extremely dry” growing conditions have dragged on many Alberta producers’ work […] Read more
U.S. grains: Wheat down as traders shrug off Russian warning shots
CBOT soybeans close higher
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade wheat futures set a two-month low on Monday on increasing estimates for Russia’s production and exports, analysts said, shrugging off a Russian warship firing warning shots at a cargo ship on its way to Ukraine. Corn futures finished near unchanged after matching a recent low from 2021, […] Read more
Prairie cash wheat: Bids run mixed to higher
Domestic wheat yields now a question mark
MarketsFarm — Bids for Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) wheat were mixed for the week ended Aug. 10, while those for Canada Prairie Spring Red (CPSR) and durum were on the rise. Scattered showers brought moisture across the Prairies, but attention has now turned to harvesting a wheat crop greatly affected by hot and dry […] Read more
Prairie Forecast Update: Low to chug through mid-week
Issued Aug. 13, covering Aug. 13-16
The weather models seem to have come to an agreement on the area of low pressure forecasted to come in off the Pacific around mid-week. It looks like the energy from this system will quickly spin up an area of low pressure over north-central Alberta on Tuesday. The low will then quickly deepen and track […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soybean, grains futures drop as traders shed risk
Corn, soy harvests set to be smaller than expected
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago soybean and grain futures turned lower on Friday as improving growing weather led investors to anticipate that U.S. Midwest crop conditions will improve, traders said. Corn and soybean futures had a particularly choppy trading session as a flurry of bearish signs prompted investors to shed risks at the end of […] Read more
Ukraine announces ‘humanitarian corridor’ for other stuck ships
Moscow not yet commenting on plan
Kyiv | Reuters — Ukraine announced a “humanitarian corridor” in the Black Sea on Thursday to release cargo ships trapped in its ports since the outbreak of war, a new test of Russia’s de facto blockade since Moscow abandoned a deal last month to let Kyiv export grain. At least initially, the corridor would apply […] Read more
U.S. grains: Corn, wheat firm ahead of USDA report
CBOT soybeans end mixed
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade corn and wheat futures firmed on Thursday, with traders unwinding bearish bets ahead of a key U.S. government report on supply and demand on Friday. The soybean market was mixed, with thinly traded old-crop contracts easing and new-crop contracts firming as investors adjusted positions ahead of the […] Read more
Prairie Forecast: Cooler and unsettled
Issued Aug. 9, covering Aug. 9 to 16
First off, I must apologize for not producing an update to the last forecast; I had the opportunity to do some backwoods camping, which meant I was off the grid for about five days. I’m back now, and from the weather model runs I’ve been able to check out, this forecast period is going to […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
