Crops
Moscow | Reuters –– Russia approved the launch of a new wheat export tax from July 1, which traders say could threaten profits on advance contracts for the new crop if the rouble weakens in coming months. Russia’s government said Friday that the new tax was intended to stop exports surging if the rouble drops […] Read more
New Russian wheat tax puts exporters, traders on edge
Frost in weekend forecast for eastern Prairies
CNS Canada –– Freezing temperatures are in forecasts for parts of Manitoba and Saskatchewan over the next 24 hours, which could create more stress for emerging fields as farmers are still busy reseeding after the last frost. Environment Canada is forecasting lows of -1 to -2 C across much of the agricultural regions of Manitoba […] Read more
WHO cancer unit to analyze 2,4-D
Reuters — The World Health Organization is set to examine a widely used pesticide and agribusiness is bracing for bad news, less than three months after the group classified another popular herbicide as “probably” cancer-causing. Twenty-four scientists representing WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) will analyze scientific findings regarding links between cancer in […] Read more
U.S. grains: Corn drops, soybeans rise on new biofuel targets
Chicago | Reuters –– U.S. corn futures fell on Friday and posted a second straight weekly decline after the U.S. government lowered its targets for ethanol blending and as corn export demand slumped for the crop harvested this autumn. Soybeans rose about one per cent, led by sharply higher soybean oil futures as the U.S. […] Read more
Study of CWRS wheats counters diet book’s claims
Winnipeg | Reuters — The amount of protein in Canadian wheat has fluctuated little in 141 years, according to the most extensive study of its kind, countering claims that radical changes in the grain are making people sick. Dieters have shunned wheat, the key ingredient in bread, cookies and noodles, since the 2011 bestseller Wheat […] Read more
Brace yourself — winter annual weeds worse than usual this year
Dry conditions earlier this spring gave winter annuals an edge and for some growers, it’s too late to manage them
Reading Time: 2 minutes The dry conditions of early spring could lead to a spike in winter annual weeds. “Winter annuals could be a problem,” said Neil Harker, research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. “We really haven’t had a lot of spring moisture, so the ones that were already established, like stinkweed and flixweed and winter annual cleavers, […] Read more
Free guide available on dealing with treated seed
Guide offers stewardship practices on how to handle, store, transport and use treated seed
Reading Time: < 1 minute A new Guide to Treated Seed Stewardship provides a one-stop resource for those involved with handling, storage, transportation, and use of treated seed. Developed by a group of seed industry professionals, the guide offers best management practices for insecticide- and fungicide-treated seed. It is designed to complement CropLife Canada’s seed treatment operations standards, which provide uniform […] Read more
First USDA crop forecast available
Reading Time: < 1 minute The first USDA crop forecast of the year suggests little change in the price of wheat and coarse grains, provincial crops market analyst Charlie Pearson said in mid-May. The forecasts also indicate that oilseeds will see the biggest drop in prices over the period. “World soybean production has been higher than its consumption over the […] Read more
Tight lentil market watching weather
CNS Canada — Old-crop large green lentils saw a jump in price over the past week, but actual supplies are few and far between, with most market participants turning attention to new-crop opportunities and weather uncertainty across Western Canada’s lentil-growing regions. “The trade is very thin right now,” said analyst Chuck Penner of LeftField Commodity […] Read more
Ukrainian N plants to shut, government pressure cited
Kiev | Reuters –– A company controlled by Ukrainian tycoon Dmytro Firtash said Thursday it was closing down its last two nitrogen fertilizer plants in Ukraine because of “unprecedented pressure” from the government which had deprived the plants of gas. A statement by his Group DF said the closure of the Cherkassky Azot and Rivneazot […] Read more