Crops
Winnipeg | Reuters — Light rains sprinkled Western Canada’s crops and pastures during the weekend, but amounts fell well short of what’s needed to remedy dry conditions that have stunted growth, analysts said Monday. Rains were scattered across the Prairies and similar light amounts are expected during the next two weeks, Commodity Weather Group said […] Read more
Rain sprinkles Prairie canola fields, pastures
Soil bacteria may offer weapon against late blight in potatoes
Potato producers may soon have a new ally in their battle against late blight, and it’s right under their feet. Researchers have discovered bacterial strains in the soil that show promise as disease controls. Some bacteria suppress or inhibit late blight by over 90 per cent, according to an Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) release. […] Read more
Reactions mixed on U.S. biofuel policy role in Canadian market
CNS Canada — The climate of the Canadian renewable fuel market could shift when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalizes its new targets, some industry professionals say. Revised biofuel targets recently proposed by the EPA would reduce standards put in place in 2007. The changes would adjust Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) regulations by reducing volume […] Read more
Ottawa funding effort to help farmers grow organic crops
Reading Time: 2 minutes Ottawa and a group of organic food producers are spending $2.2 million to boost organic production on the Prairies. “While the Canadian organic food market has tripled since 2006 from $1 billion to $3 billion, organic production has not kept pace,” Organic Alberta executive director Becky Lipton said in a press release. “This project will […] Read more
Prices to rise as yield prospects drop for durum
CNS Canada — Mounting dryness concerns in some of the prime durum-growing regions of Western Canada have likely already cut into yield prospects, which should support prices going forward. Canadian farmers intended to plant 5.5 million acres of durum this year, well above the 4.75 million seeded the previous year and the largest crop since […] Read more
Brazil’s grain ports seen facing record volumes
Sao Paulo | Reuters — Brazil’s grain ports will endeavour to move the last of a record soybean crop just as a huge corn harvest starts competing for terminal space, testing the country’s export capacity, an analyst at local consultancy Agroconsult said. Brazil is exporting much of a record 96 million-tonne soybean crop and, starting […] Read more
Western states to get US$110M in drought aid
Washington | Reuters — The White House said Friday it would spend an additional US$110 million to help farmers and communities in western states hit hard by drought and wildfires. The drought has affected a third of the western United States, and President Barack Obama was slated to discuss it with western governors in a […] Read more
California curtails some senior water rights due to drought
Los Angeles | Reuters — California’s water board curtailed senior water rights on Friday in the state’s Delta, San Joaquin and Sacramento regions due to drought, in the first move of its kind during the current drought, officials said. The curtailment affects more than 100 senior water rights holders, with most of those located near […] Read more
U.S. grains: Wheat falls as supply risks ease
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures fell to their lowest level in 1-1/2 weeks on Friday, surrendering more gains from a recent rally, weighed down by plentiful supplies and slow export sales. Corn and soybean prices also eased, with overall favourable U.S. crop conditions contributing to the downward pressure on prices. Wheat slid from […] Read more
Alberta weekly pest update
Update as of June 11, 2015
Reading Time: < 1 minute In this week’s Call of the Land update, Alberta Agriculture pest management specialist Scott Meers talks about bertha armyworm traps, flea beetles, cutworms, and barley thrips. To hear Scott’s interview on the Alberta Agriculture website, click here.