(Canada Beef Inc. photo)

El Nino to bring cold and dry conditions to Prairies

CNS Canada –– While speculation continues to swirl over the impact El Nino will have on North America, one weather expert says it’s still a month or two away from taking shape. “Nino is likely to evolve; until that happens, the warmer and drier bias we normally associate with it won’t be in place,” said […] Read more


Prairie farm leaders peg water damage in the billions

CNS Canada — Farm leaders from Manitoba and Saskatchewan hope a new lobby group of stakeholders from both provinces can bring some long-term solutions to excess water problem that have led to billions of dollars in damages. Last week about 150 people met in Regina to discuss the way forward for the Assiniboine River Basin […] Read more

Soil watchers see areas of concern across Prairies

CNS Canada — Excess moisture reigns supreme as the main hurdle for Prairie farmers when they look ahead to spring — but some areas are still too dry, according to soil experts. “A few areas of southern Manitoba have been drying out. The area around Morden has been drier the last couple of months,” said […] Read more


(Dave Bedard photo)

ICE weekly outlook: Canola feeling soy pressure

CNS Canada –– ICE Futures canola contracts were mixed during the week ended Wednesday, with the most-active January contract feeling pressure from declines in the U.S. soy complex. With the harvest over and no major reports scheduled within the next seven days, it is difficult to see canola breaking very far one way or the […] Read more

(PortOfChurchill.ca)

Churchill caps off challenging year

CNS Canada — The harsh winter of 2013-14 appears to have taken a toll on the tonnage of grain and oilseeds shipped through Hudson Bay during its now-concluded shipping season. Just 540,000 tonnes of wheat and other products including durum and canola were shipped through the Port of Churchill in 2014. Last year, that number […] Read more


Red lentils. (Pulse Canada photo)

Better-than-expected lentil crop faces market volatility

CNS Canada –– Despite a summer of excess moisture across much of the Prairies, lentils fared better than earlier expectations, according to Bobby Leavins, operations manager for Rayglen Commodities in Saskatoon. However, the crop’s grade spread is still very wide and prices are expected to be wide-ranging over the winter. “With all the moisture a […] Read more

Brown mustard. (Peggy Greb photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Mustard facing stiff Ukrainian competition

CNS Canada — Canadian mustard prices are holding steady but facing stiff competition from Ukraine, according to market participants. “What the market is seeing (for a) bid is 32 to 33 cents for yellow. A bit in the high 20s for brown mustard,” said Walter Dyck, a buyer with Wisconsin-based Olds Food Products. Values are […] Read more