(Dave Bedard photo)

AAFC warns of uncertainty in latest crop outlook

MarketsFarm — The supply/demand balance sheets for Canada’s major crops were largely left unchanged in the latest outlook Friday from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. While the March report only saw minor revisions, the government agency cautioned that “the economic outlook, for the world and Canadian grain markets, is particularly uncertain due to the Russian invasion […] Read more






ICE May 2022 canola (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (yellow, green and black lines). (Barchart)

ICE weekly outlook: Analyst sees sharp declines coming for canola

MarketsFarm — Sharp increases in canola and other commodities are said to be coming to an end, according to analyst Errol Anderson of ProMarket Communications in Calgary. Concerns stemming from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have sparked huge gains, but there’s very likely a good amount of volatility ahead. “The market is being really driven by […] Read more

(PortMetroVancouver.com)

Canada shuts ports to Russian ships over Ukraine invasion

Russian firms' Canadian holdings also under scrutiny, Freeland warns

Toronto | Reuters — Canada ratcheted up pressure on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine by shutting ports to Russian-owned ships and saying on Tuesday that holdings of all Russian oligarchs and companies in the country are under review. Canada has announced a slew of measures to isolate Russia, including imposing sanctions on Russian President […] Read more


Manitoba’s ag department is forecasting oats could be the biggest money maker this year. There’s a lot of good data in the report but growers here expect canola will be No. 1 and barley a good choice, too.

Forecasting the future: What crop will be king in the coming year?

Oats is being touted as the profitability champion, but canola’s reign also looks set to continue

Reading Time: 4 minutes Scott Keller is pretty impressed with the latest crop profitability outlook from Manitoba’s Ag Department — but he’s not buying its prediction that oats will be this year’s No. 1 money-maker. Canola is still king and its reign isn’t going to end any time soon, said the grain farmer from New Norway. “Nothing will even […] Read more

ICE May 2022 canola (candlesticks) with 20- and 50-day moving averages (yellow and dark green lines). (Barchart)

ICE weekly outlook: Canola finding plenty of support

MarketsFarm — ICE canola futures climbed to fresh contract highs during the week ended Wednesday, as activity in outside markets and canola’s own tight supply situation provided support. “Outside forces help it, but there are also things unique to the canola market that are supportive,” said David Derwin, commodities investment advisor with PI Financial in […] Read more


“Drought conditions and early-season insect pressure proved to be incredibly challenging and contributed to a lower number of successful trial sites.” – Canola Performance Trials website.

Despite the conditions, canola trials went ahead last year

The results from the 2021 Canola Performance Trials are now available, along with past results

Reading Time: 2 minutes It wasn’t a great year for putting top canola varieties through their paces, but the results of the 2021 Canola Performance Trials are in and now available at canolaperformancetrials.ca. The trials “represent the next generation in variety evaluation for western Canadian canola growers,” states the website. The initiative, funded by Alberta Canola and its sister […] Read more

(Richardson International video screengrab via YouTube)

Richardson crush plant staff ward off strike vote

Unionized staff at Lethbridge vote to ratify new contract

Unionized staff at Richardson International’s canola crush plant at Lethbridge have voted for six years’ labour peace rather than proceeding toward a strike vote. The 140-odd workers, represented by United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 401, voted Feb. 1-2 on a new proposal from the company after voting 79 per cent in December to […] Read more