MarketsFarm — Two major national farm organizations want the political parties to pay more attention to agriculture as the federal election continues. However, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) and the National Farmers Union (NFU) have somewhat different takes as to what they see as paramount. “It’s really important that we uphold the quality of […] Read more
Election 2019: Ag groups want the parties to pay attention
Pulse weekly outlook: Pea harvest nearly complete
MarketsFarm — Canada’s pea crop is almost totally off the fields, but quality remains a question. “Farmers are wrapped up with harvesting right now, so we haven’t received many samples,” said Marcos Mosnaim of Globeways Inc. in Missisauga. The few samples the company has seen have shown good conditions, but it’s not a large enough […] Read more
Wet weather slows harvest progress across Alberta
Alberta Crop Report: Conditions as of September 10
Reading Time: 5 minutes Wet weather late last week has slowed down harvesting in most areas across the province and particularly in the North East and North West Regions. Precipitation has been variable, ranging from less than 5 mm in some parts of the Peace Region, to 30-40 mm in the North East and more than 40 mm in […] Read more
Big Ag wants a cut of booming fake-meat market
Winnipeg/Chicago | Reuters — Bunge, one the world’s biggest grain traders, recently disclosed the 1.6 per cent stake it had purchased in the fast-growing fake-meat startup Beyond Meat. The play looked smart after the stock surged more than 250 per cent since the faux burger and sausage maker’s initial public offering in May. Indeed, Beyond […] Read more
Expert offers tips for successful crop storage
Keeping out pests and getting rid of excess moisture are key, says provincial crop specialist
Reading Time: 2 minutes A little preparation prior to harvesting can ensure worry-free winter crop storage. “Warm or wet conditions at harvest and multi-staged crops are potential ingredients for storage problems,” said provincial crop specialist Harry Brook. “Don’t get an unpleasant surprise when selling the grain with discounts or by being rejected for heated grain or insect problems.” Clean […] Read more
Pulse weekly outlook: Wrinkles, loss of colour problems for lentils
MarketsFarm — As Canada’s lentil harvest comes along slowly, issues with wrinkles and the loss of colour have arisen, according to Markus Mosnaim of Globeway Canada in Mississauga. Loss of colour in green lentils translates to a downgrade, he said. “It can drop to No. 2, depending on how much colour is lost.” Wrinkles, meanwhile, […] Read more
The farm data overload needs a fix
Ag tech event shows future of farming is data driven — but 'we're not there yet'
Reading Time: 5 minutes Jay Bruggencate has a bit of a bone to pick with the ag-tech industry. “We’ve invested hundreds of thousands of dollars into smart equipment that knows what it’s doing but can’t talk to each other,” said the Lacombe-area farmer at the recent AgSmart event at Olds College. “There’s so much data now available to us […] Read more
P+H to buy Louis Dreyfus’ Prairie elevators
Updated — Commodities and agrifood giant Louis Dreyfus Co. is stepping out of the grain handling business it built in Canada with a deal to sell its Prairie elevator network. Louis Dreyfus (LDC) announced Wednesday it has an agreement in place to sell its 10 elevators across Western Canada to Winnipeg grain company Parrish and […] Read more
Schoepp: Seize, prepare for and appreciate the day
Reading Time: 3 minutes There is nothing quite like a harvest moon. It is made especially memorable when watched rising while having a tailgate supper, or when moving into the next pass without interruption of light or landscape. It is these moments we treasure at harvest time. Everyone on the team should have a moment to stop and enjoy […] Read more
Pulse weekly outlook: Harvest weighs on Saskatchewan bids
MarketsFarm — Seasonal harvest pressure may be weighing on pea and lentil bids in Western Canada — but rain delays could lead to quality premiums down the road. Large green lentils delivered to the plant are currently trading at around 20 cents/lb. at the high end, with red lentils topping out at 16 cents/lb. delivered, […] Read more