Reading Time: < 1 minute If you’ve ever chewed a few kernels of wheat to make ‘gum,’ you’ve done a gluten test. Domestic and overseas wheat millers do a somewhat more sophisticated gluten test to determine how flour milled from different wheats will perform in a bakery. The gluten strength of different varieties has been in the news lately, and […] Read more
VIDEO: The gluten story
Fund selling keeps U.S. wheat futures pointed down
CNS Canada –– Chicago wheat futures dropped to fresh contract lows Thursday and have more room to the downside from a chart perspective as speculators continue to add to their short positions, according to a broker. “It’s a momentum trade here with the funds,” said Adam Knosalla, a broker with Frontier Futures in Minneapolis. “They’re […] Read more
Prairie wheat bids mixed; CWRS down, CPSR up
CNS Canada — Wheat cash bids across Western Canada only saw some minor adjustments during the week ended Friday, with some classes seeing small gains and other wheat classes down slightly. Average Canada Western Red Spring wheat prices were steady to as much as $3 per tonne lower during the week, with bids ranging from […] Read more
Canola and barley markets offer opportunities in a time of low crop prices
Fundamentals favourable for canola and barley but not other grains and oilseeds, says commodity strategist Moe Agostino
Reading Time: 2 minutes In a time of flat or falling prices, canola and barley offer a little ray of hope, according to Moe Agostino, chief commodity strategist with Farms.com Risk Management. Tight supply is positive for canola, but the key is strong demand fuelled by the plunge in the Canadian dollar, Agostino told a packed room at FarmTech. […] Read more
Expert advice for ergot control
There’s no silver bullet for combating ergot, but mowing grasses near fields and good agronomics can make a big difference
Reading Time: 3 minutes Ergot is a rising threat on the Prairies, and plant researchers are trying to figure out the best way to combat the disease. “Everyone is concerned with fusarium head blight, but ergot is right up there in terms of danger,” said Jamie Larsen, a research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Lethbridge. Rye and […] Read more
Canada’s share of malt barley market shrinking
Winnipeg | CNS Canada –– Canada has historically been one of the world’s top malt barley exporters, but its share of the global market is shrinking, Cargill Malt’s Lorelle Selinger told the Wild Oats Grainworld conference. A poor-quality crop produced in Canada in 2014-15 is one reason importers have started sourcing their malt supplies from […] Read more
Prairie CWRS wheat bids drop with U.S. futures
CNS Canada — Cash bids for Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) wheat across the Prairies moved lower during the week ended Friday, taking most of their direction from a downturn in U.S. futures. Average CWRS prices lost about $9-$10 per tonne, with prices ranging from about $201 per tonne in north-central Saskatchewan to $220 per […] Read more
‘Extreme’ volatility expected in wheat markets this spring
Winnipeg | CNS Canada — Canadian and U.S. wheat markets are likely going to experience some “extreme” volatility this spring, Lawrence Yakielashek of FarmLink Marketing Solutions told the Wild Oats Grainworld Conference. “The spring months are when the firecrackers are going to start to hit the match,” he added. He predicted there would be a […] Read more
Global durum crops in good shape, for now
Winnipeg | CNS Canada — Since North America and Australia both produced poor-quality durum crops in 2014-15, all eyes are on Mexico, the U.S. desert, Europe and North Africa to come up with some higher-quality product. And so far, most crops in those areas look fairly good, Alan Hegemeier, a merchandiser with CHS Inc., said […] Read more
Time running out for high durum prices
CNS Canada –– Good-quality durum has enjoyed large premiums over other wheat classes this past year, but opportunities for any unpriced durum still left to sell may be getting harder to find, as attention turns to large global new-crop projections. Durum prices today are topping out at about $9.75 per bushel in Saskatchewan, according to […] Read more
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