Chicago | Reuters — CF Industries is increasing fertilizer shipments to both U.S. coasts from the world’s largest nitrogen complex in Louisiana to help offset a decline in exports from Russia after it invaded Ukraine, CEO Tony Will said. Global fertilizer supplies have tightened and prices have increased from already high levels as sanctions bite […] Read more
CF Industries boosts U.S. fertilizer shipments as Russian exports cut
Spring road bans coming into effect across Prairies
MarketsFarm — Warming temperatures and melting snow across Western Canada may cause some disruptions to grain and livestock movement over the next few weeks as seasonal spring road restrictions come into effect across the Prairies. Annual spring road restrictions set axle weight limits for vehicles moving on certain roads, in an effort to reduce the […] Read more
Canadian and U.S. shippers brace for possible CP strike
Strike notice not yet given
Winnipeg | Reuters — Thousands of workers at Canada’s second-biggest railway, Canadian Pacific Railway, have threatened to strike this week, potentially disrupting the movement of grain, potash and coal at a time of soaring commodity prices. The strike is the latest risk to Canada’s battered supply chain, which last year weathered floods in British Columbia […] Read more
USDA opens inquiry into fertilizer, seed prices
Reuters — The U.S. Department of Agriculture is opening an inquiry into the impacts of concentration in the fertilizer, seed and retail markets. The inquiry stems from the Biden administration’s July 2021 executive order to promote competition across the U.S. economy, the agency said in a release Friday. Global supply chain problems and inflation have […] Read more
What you can’t see can hurt you: The threat of dust and mould
If you can’t remove or contain the hazard, then mask up properly, says medical specialist
Reading Time: 5 minutes Most producers are well aware of the risks posed by farm chemicals and take the necessary precautions. But are you always aware of the risks from some of a farm’s most common contaminants — simple dust and mould? If so, you might want to keep that N95 mask handy even though COVID-19 mandates are being […] Read more
Everyone is talking about sustainable agriculture
While grain farmers wonder why a code of practice is needed, there’s a wave of sustainability initiatives
Reading Time: 4 minutes You may think that all the talk about sustainability is just people and businesses jumping on a fashionable trend. But if so, that bandwagon is getting very crowded. In a 10-day period last month, three new sustainability initiatives were announced by major players in the Canadian ag sector. First up was the Egg Farmers of […] Read more
It’s looking like a bumper crop of cash advances this spring
Cash flow a major issue as drought has left producers with less money while inputs have shot up
Reading Time: 4 minutes Groups administering cash advances are expecting a flood of applications from cash-strapped producers grappling with the sky-high costs of putting a crop in the ground. “We certainly think there is going to be demand because of how nasty last year was,” said Dave Gallant of the Canadian Canola Growers Association. “There’s going to be so […] Read more
Forecasting the future: What crop will be king in the coming year?
Oats is being touted as the profitability champion, but canola’s reign also looks set to continue
Reading Time: 4 minutes Scott Keller is pretty impressed with the latest crop profitability outlook from Manitoba’s Ag Department — but he’s not buying its prediction that oats will be this year’s No. 1 money-maker. Canola is still king and its reign isn’t going to end any time soon, said the grain farmer from New Norway. “Nothing will even […] Read more
EU predicts pain for farmers, consumers from Ukraine crisis
Brussels | Reuters — Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and EU sanctions on Moscow will prove painful for farmers, consumers, fertilizer makers and exporters of farm products, the European Commission warned on Monday. Michael Scannell, deputy director-general of the Commission’s agriculture division, said grain buyers should brace for higher prices given that Russia and Ukraine made […] Read more
Vilsack hopes fertilizer firms don’t take advantage of Ukraine crisis
Washington | Reuters — U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Thursday he hoped fertilizer and agriculture supply companies affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine would not take unfair advantage of the situation, amid already-high fertilizer and crop prices. Fertilizer costs have soared due to rising demand and lower supply as record natural gas and […] Read more