Reuters — The Biden administration on Wednesday increased the amount of biofuels that oil refiners must blend into the United States’ fuel mix over the next three years, but the plan has angered the biofuel industry, which says mandates for corn-based ethanol and biodiesel are not high enough. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has finalized […] Read more
U.S. to boost biofuel mandates over next three years
Biofuel groups still feel shortchanged
Canada Bread fined $50 million over price-fixing
'Leniency' settlement follows breadmaker's guilty plea
A storied Canadian producer of bread and bakery products has a month to pay a $50 million fine for price-fixing in an ongoing federal probe which still has eyes on several major retailers. Ontario’s Superior Court on Wednesday sentenced Toronto-based Canada Bread Co. after the company pled guilty to four counts of fixing bread prices […] Read more
Prairie Forecast: Shift in the pattern
Issued June 21, covering June 21 to 28
The weather pattern that brought some record heat to the eastern Prairies, and some significant rains to parts of Alberta, looks like it will be undergoing a bit of change during this forecast period. The overall flow across the Prairies appears as though it will become predominantly northwesterly as an upper low sets up over […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soy, corn, wheat rally to multi-month highs on weather concerns
Meteorologists 'pretty much threw in the towel'
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn, soybean and wheat futures rose to multi-month highs on Wednesday, supported by concerns about crop shortfalls around the globe due to adverse weather in key production areas. “Listening to the meteorologists this morning, they pretty much threw in the towel on any moisture for the dry areas of the […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soy, corn futures steady; wheat mixed
Large Russian exports tempered fears of Black Sea corridor agreement breakdown
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn and soybean futures steadied on Tuesday after the market rallied sharply at the end of last week on concerns that hot and dry weather will lead to harvest shortfalls. The market remained underpinned by the most recent forecasts, which remained unfavourable for key growing areas of the U.S. Midwest, […] Read more
Canada retools inflation baskets with more focus on food, gas
Snowblowers and barbecues in, DVD players out
Ottawa | Reuters — Canada’s national statistics agency on Tuesday revealed new weights for the basket of goods and services in its Consumer Price Index, giving more prominence to changes in the prices of food and gasoline. The reweighting, which Statistics Canada carries out every year, has historically had only a marginal impact on the […] Read more
Farm groups push for Bill C-234 passage
Ag groups concerned that carbon tax exemption bill won’t clear Senate before break
Prairie farm groups are pushing the Senate to prioritize a bill that would exempt propane and natural gas for grain drying and barn heating from carbon tax. In a joint statement June 13, Keystone Agricultural Producers, the Alberta Federation of Agriculture and the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan urged the Senate to pass Bill C-234 […] Read more
Prairie Forecast Update: Alberta low to break in two
Forecast issued June 18, covering June 19-21
So far, the general forecast seems to be on track, but there have been some changes. The area of low pressure expected to develop and move north through Alberta is still on track but the weather models now it show it winding itself up across central and northern Alberta on Monday before it breaks apart […] Read more
Black Sea grain shipments shrink amid Ukraine deal doubts, Cargill exec says
'Grey/black' fleet seen handling more Russian traffic
London | Reuters — South American grain exports are set to overshadow Black Sea shipments this year as doubts grow over a U.N.-backed Ukraine deal and international traders cut commercial activities in Russia, a top executive with major commodities group Cargill said. The Black Sea grain deal, which allows the safe passage of grains through […] Read more
Prairie cash wheat: Spring wheat bids higher, durum down
Not much rain outside northern, central Alberta
MarketsFarm — Warmer-than-normal temperatures and ongoing dryness in both Western Canada and the U.S. helped raise Prairie wheat bids for the week ended Thursday. Rains fell onto parts of northern and central Alberta on Thursday, but the rest of the Prairies only saw sporadic showers, if any, during the week. Traders on the Chicago Board […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
