A view of BHP’s potash mine project north of Jansen, Sask. (BHP.com)

BHP approves Saskatchewan potash project’s completion

Major miner expects to produce about 4.4 million tonnes of fertilizer per year

After over a decade of development and digging, one of the world’s biggest mining and metals companies has granted its Saskatchewan potash mining project the go-ahead to completion and full production. Australian-British mining firm BHP announced Tuesday its board has approved its potash mine about 60 km southeast of Humboldt, near Jansen, Sask., for another […] Read more

Green lentils. (Savany/iStock/Getty Images)

Pulse weekly outlook: Pulse trade with India strong, but flawed

MarketsFarm — India remains as the largest international buyer of Canadian lentils, despite factors affecting trade between the two countries. While Western Canada deals with drought conditions which have likely lowered this year’s lentil crop, the Indian government’s restrictions on imports have threatened to hinder Canadian exports. “Despite tariffs and technical measures in place that […] Read more





Although this harvest will be meagre, Jason Saunders expects to fulfil his grain contracts this year. But countless farmers across the Prairies won’t be able to — and many face substantial penalties when they can least afford it.

Drought-battered producers facing another crisis — contract penalties

Deadly combo of crop failures and sky-high prices leave some facing huge penalties on unfulfilled contracts

Reading Time: 5 minutes The drought is squeezing producers from all sides, with many facing another calamity — not having enough crop to fulfil their grain contracts. “There are issues because the drought is so widespread,” said Jason Saunders, vice-chair of Alberta Wheat and a dryland farmer from near Taber. “There was aggressive forward contracting on canola and old-crop […] Read more



Photo: File

Pulse weekly outlook: Healthy demand for heat-stricken Manitoba pulses 

MarketsFarm – If Manitoba’s pea harvest is any indication, the province’s pulse crops will be largely deteriorated by the hot and dry weather affecting all of Western Canada, according to Manitoba Pulse & Soybean Growers executive director Daryl Domitruk. “It has affected (pulses) like it has affected most of the other crops, in that severe […] Read more

Beyond crop insurance, AFSC is looking at options such as increasing interim payments for AgriStability.

Alberta crop insurance payout could exceed $1 billion

It’s too early for accurate estimates but the scale of the disaster is massive, says provincial crop insurer

Reading Time: 3 minutes Crop insurance payouts could top a billion dollars for the devastating drought that has hit much of Alberta. “We collected about $600 million in premiums this year, so we’re looking potentially at payments twice that amount,” said Darryl Kay, CEO of Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC.) “It’s really early yet, so it’s hard to speculate […] Read more


(Lentils.ca)

Pulse weekly outlook: Lentil prices seen as too high, sales stalling

'Destination markets are not in desperation mode'

MarketsFarm — Prices for pulses, such as lentils for example, have been approaching the point where they are good for growers but getting too expensive for the destination markets, according to Marcos Mosnaim of Mercaris Commodities. “It’s a kind of an interesting scenario, where you see farmers not selling and prices to farmers keep going […] Read more

Screenshot of Parrish and Heimbecker’s Quill Lake, Sask. elevator. (ParrishAndHeimbecker.com)

Rail upgrades planned for P+H elevator

Eastern Saskatchewan elevator's rail spot expanding

Winnipeg grain firm Parrish and Heimbecker plans to boost throughput at one of its eastern Saskatchewan elevators with upgrades to its rail car loading systems. Privately-held P+H said Thursday it plans to expand to a 100-car spot, up from 50, at its elevator at Quill Lake, Sask., about 60 km east of Humboldt. Work on […] Read more