A frozen Arctic vault built to preserve global agricultural crops from extinction received seeds on Tuesday from the largest number of new contributors yet, a custodian of the remote facility said.

Arctic doomsday vault gets record batch of crop seeds
Twenty-three seed banks took part, nine of them for the first time

Soybean acres may soon stabilize in Manitoba
Volatile yields, acres and weather have kept soy on a roller-coaster since 2017
There's an emerging consensus in Manitoba that soybean acres in the province could soon stabilize at around 1.5 to 1.9 million.

Grain quality reports available
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Canadian Grain Commission full quality reports for CWRS, CWAD and CPSR wheats are now available and in a new format. These reports now feature new quality summaries, more visual charts and graphs and additional resources. The quality of the CWRS crop was excellent, with more than 97 per cent of the crop being in […] Read more

What pulse should I plant?
Pulse experts weigh in on the best crop choices for a possibly dry year
Reading Time: 4 minutes Although it’s too early to tell for sure, drought conditions appear to be on the horizon for 2024. According to the Canadian Drought Monitor (an AAFC publication) in its December 2023 drought assessment, 100 per cent of the Prairie region at month-end was classified as abnormally dry or in moderate to exceptional drought, including all of […] Read more

USDA confirms larger U.S. lentil/pea/chickpea crops
Edible bean production down slightly with lower seeded area, yield
Final production estimates for the past growing season from the United States Department of Agriculture confirmed larger lentil, dry pea and chickpea crops in the country in 2023/24 compared to the previous year, as yields improved for all three crops. However, edible bean production was down slightly as both yields and seeded area were down for the crop.

Pulse weekly outlook: Pulse Canada looking for success in 2024
Despite a smaller crop last year, lentil demand remained strong, especially from India
Greg Northey, vice-president of corporate affairs said crop production bounced back in spite of challenging growing conditions in some areas. Chickpeas and edible beans saw increased production in 2023-24 compared to the previous year, while lentil and dry pea production declined.

‘Getting in front of farmers’ key to outstanding young farmers’ success
Greg Stamp and family have grown a southern Alberta retail seed business into a going concern
Reading Time: 4 minutes Greg Stamp has become so well-known in Alberta’s seed industry that he barely needs an introduction. That didn’t happen by accident. Stamp has always been keen to talk with farmers about their needs and expectations, whether through the media, blog posts or good old-fashioned face time. Stamp and his wife, Sarah, were among the winners […] Read more

Keeping grains safe when in storage
Reading Time: < 1 minute Storage considerations must be top of mind as a variable crop is harvested in Alberta. Grain temperature and moisture are two key factors for safe grain storage. If one or both are not properly managed, the risk of spoiled grain can increase significantly. To help prevent spoilage, the Canadian Grain Commission has developed storage charts […] Read more

Pulse weekly outlook: Smaller North American dry bean crops to underpin prices
Canada's edible bean crop estimated smallest since 2016
MarketsFarm — Variable weather conditions during the 2023 growing season cut into edible bean production in some key North American growing regions, with tighter supplies overall likely to keep prices well supported. “The whole world is a little short of beans this year,” said Mitch Coulter, executive director of the Northarvest Bean Growers Association in […] Read more

Pulse weekly outlook: Smaller yields than last year in Saskatchewan
Pulse production seen varying by location
MarketsFarm — Yields and crop conditions from this year’s pulse harvest in Saskatchewan largely varied by location, according to SaskPulse executive director Carl Potts. “Generally on the east side of the province and some areas of the south, some pretty good yields. And then in the west-central, southwest regions, some yields that were quite low. […] Read more