(Video screengrab via GenuityTraits.ca)

Canola, corn, soy traits to move forward with China approvals

Approvals from China are expected to allow several major trait developments to move ahead in Canadian canola, corn and soybean fields. The Reuters news service on Tuesday reported safety certificate approvals from China’s ministry of agriculture and rural affairs for biotech traits including: Bayer’s 88302, or TruFlex canola, approved in Canada since 2012; BASF’s RF3, […] Read more



(Video screengrab from Enlist.com)

Assure herbicide’s active ingredient under new ownership

Now being put to work in Enlist corn, the active ingredient in Assure II herbicide has a new owner. California-based American Vanguard Corp., the owner of ag chemical producer Amvac Chemical, announced Thursday it has bought the quizalofop-p-ethyl (QPE) product line of herbicides from DowDuPont’s ag division, Corteva Agriscience, for an undisclosed sum. A Group […] Read more



Clubroot is scary enough but this Canola Council of Canada video on the life cycle of the disease ups the fear factor. Above, a still from the video (available at www.clubroot.ca) shows a zoospore, an amoeba-like creature released from a clubroot spore when it senses a host plant is nearby. The zoospore, powered by two whip-like flagella, can swim a short distance in water film in the soil towards a root hair. It then clamps on and penetrates the root hair and just like in the sci-fi horror classic “Alien,” begins to reproduce. 

A two-year break can prevent a clubroot horror show

Clubroot spores live for 20 years but new research says a 
surprising 99 per cent die in two years — if infestations are light

Reading Time: 4 minutes *[UPDATED: Dec. 28, 2018] Still growing a canola-wheat rotation? One more year between canola crops could make a huge difference when it comes to clubroot. “Recent research has shown that 95 to 99 per cent of spores die over a two-year break,” said Dan Orchard, agronomy specialist with the Canola Council of Canada. “We were […] Read more

(File photo by Dave Bedard)

Canola fund short position holds steady

CNS Canada — Fund traders maintained their net short position in ICE Futures canola contracts, according to the latest commitment of traders (CoT) report by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). According to the latest report, managed money and other reportable speculators increased their net short position in canola by only 500 contracts, to […] Read more


Rob Saik announcing Merle Klassen as winner of the Canola 100 at Farm Forum on Dec. 5.

Linden producer wins canola yield contest

Reading Time: < 1 minute He didn’t hit the 100-bushel-an-acre mark, but Merle Klassen from Linden came closest and has won the Canola 100 Agri-Prize. The three-year-long contest challenged growers to aim for a 100-bushel yield on 50 continuous acres of non-irrigated land. Klassen had the highest-yielding crop during those three years — 85.88 bushels per acre in 2017. He […] Read more

ICE January 2019 canola with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

ICE weekly outlook: Canola steady heading into 2019

CNS Canada –– ICE Futures canola contracts held relatively rangebound during the week ended Wednesday, and should be expected to remain steady heading into the New Year barring outside political developments. “We’re in a doldrums environment,” said Mike Jubinville of ProFarmer Canada in Winnipeg. “The supply/demand fundamentals suggest this market is reasonably well supplied, with […] Read more


(Noel Hendrickson/DigitalVision/Getty Images)

Richardson to buy Wesson cooking oil brand

A household name in U.S. cooking oils is set to become part of Canadian grain handler and oilseed processor Richardson International. Chicago-based Conagra Brands said Tuesday it will sell its Wesson oil brand and related assets — including a 280,000-square foot U.S. processing plant at Memphis — to Richardson for an undisclosed sum. Wesson-branded retail […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Canola funds reduce net short position

CNS Canada — Fund traders lowered their net short positions in ICE Futures canola during the week ended Tuesday, according to the latest commitment of traders (CoT) report compiled by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). According to the latest report, managed money and other reportable speculators decreased their net short position in canola […] Read more