Crops
Growers of Dow AgroSciences’ identity-preserved Nexera hybrid canola may be able to grow it off-contract next spring and drop it into the regular commodity market, through a new deal on offer from the seed and ag chem company. Dow on Thursday launched what it calls the Flexibility Agreement, which, unlike the company’s Nexera Canola Contract, […] Read more
Dow Agro to offer Nexera as ‘commodity’ canola
Cool, wet weather halts Alberta harvest
CNS Canada — Farmers in Alberta haven’t been able to make much harvest progress recently, as rainfall and cool weather have prevented them from getting into the fields over the past week. Almost half an inch of rain fell in some areas on Friday (Sept. 26), followed by some nicer weather on the weekend, said […] Read more
Japan, Korea can stop GMO testing, U.S. wheat group chief says
Reuters — Japan and South Korea are continuing to test the U.S. wheat they buy to make sure the grain is not contaminated with an experimental version developed by Monsanto, but could soon stop the practice, the head of a U.S. wheat association said Thursday. The two countries, which are among the top purchasers of […] Read more
U.S. grains: Wheat rebounds from four-year low on exports
Chicago | Reuters –– U.S. wheat futures set a two-week high on Thursday, rebounding from last week’s four-year lows on larger-than-expected weekly export sales data, traders said. Soybeans and corn firmed after setting multi-year lows this week. But gains were limited by the ongoing harvest of massive U.S. crops. At the Chicago Board of Trade, […] Read more
Fertilizer warning: Don’t pay $12 an acre for ‘foo-foo dust’
Buyer beware, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency no longer tests fertilizers for efficacy and quality
Reading Time: 3 minutes A“streamlining” of federal oversight of fertilizers has opened the door to deceptive marketing claims and forced product testing on to farmers. “There have always been con men trying to sell you things with dubious claims. It’s just maybe easier for them now,” said Harry Brook, a crop specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. “All […] Read more
Mustard bids dropping due to lack of contracts
CNS Canada — Bid levels for Canadian mustard are dropping, according to an industry expert who says many producers grew crops without a contract. “Half the acres in Saskatchewan would have been put into the ground without a contract,” said Walter Dyck of Olds Products at Lethbridge, Alta. Right now, Dyck said, many producers are […] Read more
Flax prices too high, harvest pressure to weigh
CNS Canada –– A late harvest and good nearby demand are keeping flaxseed prices artificially high, but spot bids appear to have room to drop by as much as $2 per bushel or more over the next month. Spot flaxseed bids as high as $12.50 to $13 per bushel can currently be found in Manitoba […] Read more
Women will not boycott World Cup over artificial turf
Toronto | Reuters — There are no plans to boycott next year’s Women’s World Cup but players will proceed with a gender discrimination lawsuit against FIFA if forced to play on artificial turf, one of the complainants said on Thursday. Reigning FIFA player of the year Nadine Angerer, who is among over 40 international women […] Read more
Now hunger threat shadows Ebola in West Africa
Freetown/Dakar | Reuters — The threat of hunger is tracking Ebola across affected West African nations as the disease kills farmers and their families, drives workers from the fields and creates food shortages. In the worst-hit states of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, Ebola is ravaging their food-producing regions, preventing planting and harvesting, and disrupting […] Read more
German farmers say rapeseed damaged by bugs after EU neonic ban
Hamburg | Reuters — Rapeseed crops in Germany are suffering unusually high levels of insect damage this autumn following the European Union’s ban on a controversial insecticide previously used to protect the oilseed, German farming association DBV said Thursday. Some farmers may suffer lower yields in the upcoming 2015 rapeseed harvest, it said. Germany is […] Read more